Ok. You’ve got 2 tickets to 2 concerts

Turnpike Troubadours at Red Rocks
Pearl Jam in Missoula

 

Back in the early 80s a friend of mine had an extra ticket for Alabama and Roy Orbison at the Grandstand during the Canadian National Exhibition here in Toronto. I jumped at the chance to see Orbison who was great but this teenage rocker was knocked out by Alabama even more so because they hung around after their set to sign autographs.

 

I saw Petty several times dating back to his Hard Promises tour. He was always terrific with great opening acts like the Georgia Satellites, Webb Wilder and Split Enz (hi @PCLoadLetter!) I saw him on his last tour and that was the one show that just didn't do it for me, never took off like I thought it would. My wife and son really enjoyed it but I had seen better Petty shows when we were both a lot younger.

 

Never saw Prince. Would love to erase that mistake by some miracle.
Of the acts of my childhood and youth, one major regret. The year I lived in Oakland, two women I knew invited me to hitchhike to Tahoe to see Elvis. It was winter. Remembering the Donner Party, I declined. They went, had a fine time, and saw a legend. Also my wife Alice saw the Beatles not only at Shea Stadium, but on their previous tour at Forest Hills. She has no other wishes.
In the time travel realm, I'd pick, I guess, going to see the Rat Pack at the Sands while they were filming the original Ocean's 11.

 

Time travel division. One of my best friends in high school saw David Bowie on the Ziggie Stardust tour in the Fox Theater in Atlanta, which seats 3,700. I envy her to this day. That and Rockpile played a tiny club in Houston on their "Seconds of Pleasure" tour in 1980.. I tried valiantly to get in but it was a hard sellout. Same place I was able to catch J.J. Cale. There are closets bigger than that little bar.

The other time travel / regret was Queen and Mott the Hoople on a double bill. I had a pair of tickets but I did something and got grounded and the tickets went to waste. I still bleed over that one.

 

While I was in Sydney, I saw an INXS tribute band at a small neighbo(u)rhood pub. I went in with low expectations, which were promptly exceeded. I was among a crowd of very enthusiastic Aussies about my age, and found myself imagining how cool it would have been to have seen INXS in its pub-band early days that these folks were re-living.

 

Sadly……not making it to the 303 this weekend.
@milehigh….. you’ve got one job to do. Be sure to get a Classic Chocolate milkshake with a shot of Kahlua in it for me.

 

I’m kinda meh on small clubs.
I like big bands……big instruments…….lots of people on stage.
Gimme Floyd…..Van Halen……late 80’s one-handed Leppard…….stuff like that performing in front of 70.000.

 

Used to work at the Concord Pavilion in the Bay Area, an amphitheater that sat about 9,000 with lawn GA in the back. It was perfect size - you were close enough that you didn't need video screens like you see at most places today, sound was great - good vibe. Saw many amazing acts there from Ray Charles to Kool and the Gang, Willie Nelson, Whitney, Sting, Mellencamp, Buffett, INXS, George Benson. It bugs me that the costs of tours has made that place pretty much obsolete.
And yes, I am kind of a venue snob. If I'm far enough away where the video and sound is on a delay from the stage - it's pointless.

 

My brother-in-law tells a story about driving to Ames, Iowa, sometime in the 1970s to see this up-and-coming band named U2 play at a college bar. No idea if he's telling the truth or not, but that seems like it would be a pretty cool one to go back in time and see.

 

I saw that tour in Toronto as well as the War tour (with, I think, The Waterboys) in 1983.