Live music you have attended that left impact....perhaps better than you expected.


I have seen great symphonies, Chicago, Moscow, Boston and others including some smaller cities performers that were quite good, Madison, Wi, Milwaukee and some other Midwest cities.  Actually did a bike trail with the first chair Cello player from the Chicago Symphony and his girlfriend from the singers and they stayed at my home and I made a very good meal for them....with a excellent Bordeaux...and this made for a great memory. 

As far as Jazz and Pop, the list is long and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to see these.
James Taylor
Jackson Browne (several times) the best was "Running on Empty" tour. 
Little River Band 
Heart
Chicago
B.S.and T. 
Nancy Wilson
Woody Allen, Jazz bar in NYC
Harold Land (just great)
Julia Fordham (a few times)
Gene Pitney (I was amazed at how good he was and how much he sounded just like his recordings)
Hall & Oats
Peter whatever his name was, Switched On Bach
Joni Mitchell 
Diana Krall, a few times, and once with Elvis.
Wynton Marsalis
and more than are coming to mind...
 
I wish I could have seen, Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Ella, Dinah Washington, Blue Mitchell, Art Farmer, Clifford Brown, early Rosie Clooney, and many more that were so great in the 40s through the early 70s.

And I am a bit sorry to say, I have seen more than I have listed and cannot instantly recall them....but all part of being an old fart, my sons call it O.F.S., Old Fart Syndrome.

It would be good to hear from members about your live music experiences. 


jusam
For me it was Doug McLeod playing Blues in coffee house about 10 feet from me. I was sitting on an old flee ridden second hand sofa, and the coffee house was pretty much Salvation Army furnished.
“The New Panama Limited” made one heck of an impression.
+1 for Syncopation club on Central Avenue.

-Springsteen Born to Run tour.  He played 5 nights at Palladium Theater, NYC.
-Blondie, 1st album at the Village Gate, 1977.
-Blondie again, 1978.
-Elton John, 1974 at MSG with guest John Lennon.
-Tom Petty, 1st album, Palladium Theater.
-Buddy Rich, The Felt Forum, 1977.
-Sisters of Mercy, 1984, The Ritz.
-The Creatures (Siouxsie & Budgy) TLA Philly.
-Zeppelin, MSG 1977.
-Roxy Music, Final show 1983, Tower Theater.




My first concert was Jimi Hendrix and I worked my way through the rock bands of the 70's.  I now enjoy smaller venues with jazz etc. and really focus on the music instead of the "event".  I was at Benaroya hall this last Sunday and heard a wonderful performance by Ray Chen of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto.  We were in row O center.  

The one thing that was confirmed again is that live acoustic music doesn't have any etched, brittle high end.  it would not even be considered ultra high resolution in my opinion.  When I hear a system that is voiced for that upper detail and it does get brittle, I'm out.   
Thanks for the mention of  David Byrne, how did I ever leave him out.  

Think I need to run through my memory and take some notes.  Seeing Diana Krall live outside while having a few local brews and a Brat was a slice of heaven and local culture.....and yes, the Brat did have sauerkraut!


 
Vladimir Horowitz
Arthur Rubinstein
Glenn Gould
Rudolf Serkin
Myra Hess
Leonard Bernstein
James Taylor

and many others.