Along the line of Jeff's comment above, Stevie Wonder was a surprise concert for me. This was in the mid-70's and a friend asked me if I wanted to go see Stevie perform at the college we were attending. I was well aware of the boy wonder, but never considered ever going to see him in concert. I thought, why not. See someone different for a change. Heck, the guy was a legend already. Let's go for it. Blew me away. Great concert. A great memory moment.
 

smallstonefan
I bought a couple of tickets to see Winger/Kansas tonight 3rd row. My son can't make it so I invited everyone I knew (all 6 of them) and they all passed.
 
The world is going to hell.
 
:) 

Ha. Is Reb Beach still in Winger. Don't really follow them. He was in my "hood" back in the day. My brother's best friend. Actually, my brother taught him a few things on the guitar. But, usually the other way around:)
 

craigb
Roger Waters is coming to Portland next month.  Tickets are $125-$150.  My friend wants to go so I may, but I can buy a LOT of albums for that much dosh!

he will because he gets to spend time with Paul Allen, a massive fan of PF and RW ... and I think someone even wrote, that even if only 5 tickets sold, Roger would play here for Paul!

I've seen Waters twice - once on the last pass of The Wall tour and once for something earlier that was a solo tour.
 
My wife hasn't seen him - I expect her to be blown away!

KenB123

DrLumen
I can say the only live band concert that changed my mind was Huey Lewis. I didn't really care for them but it was a job. I was a fan afterward though because they were very tight and, while they had a good sound and light show, they didn't simply rely on a bunch of effects. Maybe a little egotistic but they were a good honest band.

+1
 
I picked up a Huey Lewis 'Live' DVD some years back at an estate sale. Yea, they are a tight band. Really good. Excellent players. Never saw them live though.

In the late 80's, I saw them live and was very impressed with their sound and professionalism. Huey Lewis wasn't really (at the time) my cuppa tea, but I took a girl to the show and was trying to date her.......at least the show was good.

smallstonefan
I've seen Waters twice - once on the last pass of The Wall tour and once for something earlier that was a solo tour.
 
My wife hasn't seen him - I expect her to be blown away!

I've seen Waters a number of times and I also saw The Wall reboot a few years ago ... always put on a good show.
 
That said, I was at Desert Trip last year.  The sound system was incredible and the first half of his show was great.  The second half of his show (especially the material from The Wall) devolved into a hate filled political rally ... to the extent that I was extremely uncomfortable.  Personally, I stayed until the end but there were entire sections that were clearing out.

I have a buddy that gets seats by the mixing board at Red Rocks, 7th row center. He usually calls a few hours before a show and mostly for bands that I haven't heard of. Saturday night I went to this show:
 
Lettuce have announced the return of their 2nd annual Rage Rocks show to the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Saturday, May 13. The show will once again feature a headlining set by the funk powerhouse who will be joined onstage by special guests Ghostface Killah, George Porter Jr., John Scofield, Marcus King & Cyril Neville. The lineup will also feature performances by Turkuaz, The Russ Liquid Test and J Rocc (of the Beat Junkies), with more to be announced!

Known for their incendiary live shows, extensive touring, die-hard fans, and massive two-decade career, Lettuce brings forth a new vitality to classic funk music. Comprised of a super-group of stellar musicians – Drummer Adam Deitch, guitarists Adam Smirnoff and Eric Krasno, bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, keyboardist Neal Evans, keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and trumpet player Eric Bloom—the band continues to earn their name as a can’t-miss live act.

The band is currently on the second leg of their ‘Mt. Crushmore’ headlining tour. The tour celebrates the release of the band’s new EP entitled Mt. Crushmore, out now.
 
I was completely blown away. The opener was Turkuaz, they were awesome as well. It pays to keep an open mind, especially when it comes to music.
 
Rocky
 
 

Only thing stopping me from watching concerts is the money and lack of company.
 
But if anyone wanted to be my answer to those two things Id go anywhere with you.
 
You must also provide travel.
 
And maybe drugs.

smallstonefan
... 
Roger waters is next Friday in Kansas City. My wife and I are going to it - it's the opening show for this tour. Pink Floyd is my favorite band, so I snagged 3rd row for that one too. Man I can't wait!
 
...

The shows to catch and watch, are the really early stuff that ended up on bootlegs ... there are not many live show DVD's that have been released of that time, but a couple of them are really good ... the "Live in Pompeii" is a must have DVD ... as it is really nice and well done, even though the cut up stuff is not necessary, and takes away from the open air concert in my book.
 
PF, was an incredible show way back when in the early 70's when they were one of the first bands to do the "quadraphonic sound", and their stage shows were an experience, already, and complete with sound effects flying all around you, it became an "experience", which was MILKED to the max with "The Wall" and that was that ... 
 
If you have the chance, read the review of Roger's The Wall, on my website (Music Reviews Section), and mine is mostly a comparison of the original with Roger's ... the original was more "personal" ... and the new version, and Roger these days ... is too political and opinionated to be more interesting and special as an "experience" ... I'm waiting for him to have a bomb in one of his songs now ... and I'm sure he will rip into something or other! Of course, he's had bombs in his songs before ... so not really a new one!

Bhav
Only thing stopping me from watching concerts is the money and lack of company.
 
But if anyone wanted to be my answer to those two things Id go anywhere with you.
 
You must also provide travel.
 
And maybe drugs.

Don't limit yourself ... from my experience, and I'm 66, you only have one chance to see the Beatles, one chance to see Luciano Pavarotti, one chance to see Rudolf Nureyev, one chance to see Misha Barishnikov ... and if you don't ... you're an idiot! 
 
If it's sold out ... that's another story, but you already knew that.
 
Some things in life only come once ... and it's your only chance ... and yeah, the money sometimes is an issue, as is company ... but there are times, when you have to say ... F---Y-- and just go ... and I had to do that for Tangerine Dream, Hawkwind, Nektar, Gong, Magma, Segovia, ETC La Mamma Group, The National Theater of the Deaf .... and so many others ... and I would never trade that evening''s experience ... for anything else ... it helps establish a sense ... and appreciation that is ... yeah, a bit far off, but in the end, it is the greatest inspiration EVER ... and I have no regrets. "The Space Ritual" was loud, but it was far out and special ... and I don't give a damn, that no one else wanted to see it ... it was a magnificent concert, and Stacia was even crazier and awesome. When I saw Hawkwind later in the "Space 1999" tour, the MAN Band, took the spotlight for me ... Just hearing Micky wailing in "C'mon" for 10 minutes was in itself, a magical moment ... listen to the long version in the "Back Into the Future" album, and you will have the idea ... you do not get to see those kinds of things one more time anywhere and you have to trust the moment and give it a chance.
 
Fudge the money ... it's the experience that is important to your living, not the money!