Good observation about the NYD’s, @edcyn (The Sex Pistols also sucked live). When I was living in NYC in 1982 I saw Jerry Nolan’s pink Ludwig drumset in a pawn shop. Guess he needed a quick fix.
@larsman: Seeing The Beatles live was not about actually hearing them (they were barely audible when I saw them in San Francisco in ’65), but about the entire experience. I was about 10 yards away from John Lennon, and seeing him up close brought him down to human level for me. By the way, though it may be sacrilege to say it, they were not that good a band live. Honest. Now NRBQ, THERE was a great live band.