who surprised and who disappointed

Big disappointment last night, even though I didn't have any major expectations going in. I won't say who the band was because they were local heroes from the 60's, with one album to their credit, who recently re-formed but with only 2 of 5 members from the original lineup intact. The most recognized among them -- the guitarist who went on to form a hard rock band on a major label which recorded extensively and toured internationally in the 70's, and the bassist who co-founded a very long-running and nationally-known blues/rock band -- both did not participate. Instead on lead guitar was a local hot-shot whose name I've been aware of for over 20 years, who has national recognition in guitar circles with many albums to his credit and is also a teacher and author/columnist, but who I'd never heard or seen before myself (except for one time on local radio). Anyway, I thought the entire show was awful in every respect, including and especially this guitar-god guy, plus the vocalist (one of the original members), so I got up and walked out after only several songs despite the $20 admission, 'cause I just couldn't stand listening another minute. Oh well, c'est la vie...

Barry Manilow is fantastic live. Perfect sound, perfect lighting, rehearsed to perfection.
Paul Simon was just boring. I left halfway.
Julio Iglesias was great 15 years ago. I saw him again 5 years ago. Same old chat and it was like watching a bad rehearsal. The sound was appalling.
Air Supply. Saw them once in 2003, not great live. Russell’s voice has gone.
Jean Michel Jarre. Great outdoors, indoors was crap.
Madonna. Sound was appalling. She makes a little talent go a long way.
Dionne Warwick. No stage presence.
Judy Collins, very good. Didn’t use any sort of stage monitoring or IEMs.
Joni Mitchell. Boring.
Liza Minnelli in 1985. Great.
Art Garfunkel, voice of an angel.
Phil Collins. Perfect sound.
Josh Groban, fantastic.
Celine at Caesar’s Palace. The best live sound I have ever heard. The Coliseum was made for her and the acoustics were out of this world. OMG, that sound!
Elton John. Great sound and superb.

Biggest let downs: 

Joni Mitchell at the County Bowl in Santa Barbara-- the show that was released as the CD/DVD "Shadows and Light". She made no attempt to connect with the audience and her icy cold demeanor really ruined the show for me. The "all star" band did not cohere well, IMHO.

Roy Buchanan at State Theater in Portland, Maine, early 90's.
Seemed a shadow of his former self. 
Terrible guitar sound (he'd ditched his famed 50's Tele at that point) 
and uninspired backing band.

Robert Cray at Hult Center in Eugene, OR.
Cray was great. Unfortunately his band played 
with zero emotion, like accountants adding up columns of figures.
A bizarre combination that did not serve Cray's talent. 

Derek Trucks Band and Robben Ford at some Casino on Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. This one was spoiled by the exceedingly wasted crowd. 
We left early and witnessed three or four cops pinning a screaming, freaked-out tweaker to the ground right in front of the venue. A real downer.

RTF at Granada Theater in Santa Barbara.
Started off with Corea's invocation to L. Ron Hubbard and went downhill from there. Those guys emitted a level of self-indulgent pretentiousness I'd never experienced.  I'd seen Stanley Clarke band and enjoyed that much more. I have many C. Corea CDs I enjoy but that show, no.


Pleasant Surprises:

Los Lobos at the gym at Bowdoin College, Brunswick Maine, early 80's. This was the tour promoting "Will The Wolf Survive". I went into the show with no idea of just what fantastic musicians those guys were/are. Wow! 

Les McCann at Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, mid 70's. My brother 
took me, as I'd never heard McCann, who turned the venue into some sort of down home church. He had us all in the palm of his hand-- incredibly soulful guy. 

Oregon at Campbell Hall, UCSB,late 70's. I was a fan, based on their records but was unprepared for the transcendant in-concert experience. 

Bonnie Raitt, Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara,early 80's. My wife and I were fans but live, Ms. Raitt was so much more intense than on record.
She and her band were red hot. A superb show. 

Solas; another case where they were considerably more intense live than on record. This was a very small venue (Center For the Arts in Grass Valley). Great vocalist (don't remember her name) and I couldn't take my eyes off fiddler Winifred Horan, who played like some sort of possessed Gypsy.