Artists You Love But Never Got to (Or Haven't Yet) See(n) Live

[A_B]

As mentioned in the live music thread.

I've hit all my super favorites that I could reasonably expect to see at least once. But who's got a band (like the Stones for Giff) who you really regret not being able to see live. Even if there's still a chance - meaning they are still around and presumably could tour. For these purposes, I'd say exclude anyone whose stopped touring before you could have reasonably had a chance. Just don't mean to include bands form the 40s or something like that.

Closest for me would be Jason Isbell, but I have actually seen him live, I was just too far gone to remember much and we left early.

Decemberists is likely the one I haven't seen yet that best fits the bill.

[brian]

Definitely regret not seeing Tom Petty before he died. But I've been pretty lucky as well.

[Ryan]

I've been to one concert in my entire life and it was nobody I cared about so I'd say all of them. Yes, you can guess (UNH 2001).

[phxgators]

Definitely regret not seeing Tom Petty before he died. But I've been pretty lucky as well.

Was going to say him too. Wife looked into getting me tickets to see him at Red Rocks in 2017 but they were crazy expensive.

[govmentchedda]

Saw him on the Wildflowers tour before I could appreciate just how great that was. Gave up a ticket for a Petty show a year or two before he passed. Bummed about that.

[Rush2112]

Decemberists is likely the one I haven't seen yet that best fits the bill.

Really pissed that they cancelled the long and the short of it tour before they hit Boston. I had tickets for both nights.

Loved to have seen Sufjan Stevens before he started getting (relatively) huge.

[rass]

I've been to one concert in my entire life and it was nobody I cared about so I'd say all of them. Yes, you can guess (UNH 2001).

Ben Harper?

(otherwise)

[Ryan]

It was actually spring '98 now that I think about it. Not on that list.

[DaveInSeattle]

Really bummed that I missed Tom Petty at Safeco Field just about a month or so before he died. We talked about going, but said 'Nah....I don't want to see a concert at that big of a place'.

Only regret really is that I never got to see Talking Heads. When they were big, and touring (early to mid-80's) I was living in places they would never play (New Mexico and Salt Lake City).

Of current artists, I would really like to see TV On The Radio sometime.

ETA: After missing Tom Petty, the GF and I decided that we should try to take advantage of seeing someone "BIG" before they die or stop touring altogether. So we are going to see Elton John in September.

[Pruitt]

I've seen some great shows (or rather saw some great shows because I don't get out much anymore...)

But of my favourite acts, the only one I regret missing (that I had the chance to see) is The Fall.

[rass]

One that stands out is Prince. He played at the old Meadowlands arena, it must have been very late 90s or early 00s, they were practically giving tickets away, and I lived even closer to the arena then than I do now. My roommate and I just couldn't quite be bothered to get in the car.

Also had tickets to a show at MSG with Jimmy Page/The Black Crowes and The Who. I had in my head that show got canceled post-9/11, but googling seems to indicate that was most likely fall 2000 and that Jimmy Page dropped out of the tour. I think I must have requested a refund after that and TicketMaster shockingly complied.

[govmentchedda]

One that stands out is Prince. He played at the old Meadowlands arena, it must have been very late 90s or early 00s, they were practically giving tickets away, and I lived even closer to the arena then than I do now. My roommate and I just couldn't quite be bothered to get in the car.

Also had tickets to a show at MSG with Jimmy Page/The Black Crowes and The Who. I had in my head that show got canceled post-9/11, but googling seems to indicate that was most likely fall 2000 and that Jimmy Page dropped out of the tour. I think I must have requested a refund after that and TicketMaster shockingly complied.

Musicology tour? Saw that at Amalie (or whatever it was called back then). Great show.

[mister d]

Yeah, I think a lot of mine are post-dead like Prince and Bowie, but I know full well I wouldn't have paid $400+ for two tickets anyway. Simon & Garfunkel I'd pay if they got back together.

[sancarlos]

This is kind of a weird thing for me to say, because I grew up with and am still a fan of classic rock. But, I really have no interest in seeing really old guys playing their hits of 40 years ago. I'd just as soon see a tribute band of them.

I saw The Who some years ago (post-deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle), and it was an extravaganza with two drummers, a bunch of additional guitarists and keyboard players, and several backup singers. But, it was nowhere near as enjoyable a concert as the time i saw them when I was young and they were still a viable touring four-piece band.

[mister d]

On the other hand, Stevie Wonder still tore shit up at ... holy shit did you know Stevie Wonder is only 68???

[Pruitt]

This is kind of a weird thing for me to say, because I grew up with and am still a fan of classic rock. But, I really have no interest in seeing really old guys playing their hits of 40 years ago. I'd just as soon see a tribute band of them.

I saw The Who some years ago (post-deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle), and it was an extravaganza with two drummers, a bunch of additional guitarists and keyboard players, and several backup singers. But, it was nowhere near as enjoyable a concert as the time i saw them when I was young and they were still a viable touring four-piece band.

I saw them twice as a 12-13 year old. Original lineup, and I can say that both times were near religious experiences.

Lasers for God's sake!

[Ryan]

Matchbox 20 btw

[mister d]

I could see never going back.

[A_B]

I could see never going back.

If we judged live music by our first concert, I should have sworn off sound.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

[+] spoiler

FUN fact! They are the only family to have three generations of number one hits!

[Pruitt]

This was my first concert - 1975.

(Went in the care of my older brother and his friends. I was 11, they were 14. My parents would do anything to get kids out of the house...

[A_B]

I also was accompanying an older sibling. I don't think she was thrilled about it. I was probably 13.

[EdRomero]

1. John Brubeck -- I really got into his music after the Burns documentary and he seemed to play a lot near me. He was one of those, "Hey, we should go see him" shows that never happened.

Not dead yet

2. Willie Nelson -- I was at Farm Aid but my really drunk friend and the other one who was driving convinced us to leave during John Mellencamp. I got into Willie Nelson much more after the show, so maybe I would have put up a bigger fight to stay if that happened earlier. (On the plus side, I got to see Arlo Guthrie who was excellent and Jerry Lee Lewis who was, um, alive. (also missed Neil Young))

3. Steven Page. I never cared about Barenaked Ladies (the band, Mr. D.) but then I saw them at a festival and loved the show. When I told my BNL fan friend about the show, he said they were so much better with Steven Page. Maybe there will be a reunion.

[bfj]

Uncle Tupelo

[DaveInSeattle]

Even though James Murphy is, by almost all accounts, a flaming douchebag, I would still love to see LCD Soundsystem.

[sancarlos]

Uncle Tupelo

Absolutely. I saw Wilco and Son Volt each on their very first tours, but didn't ever see Uncle Tupelo live.

[A_B]

Uncle Tupelo

Absolutely. I saw Wilco and Son Volt each on their very first tours, but didn't ever see Uncle Tupelo live.

Why did you guys miss so much? Working the graveyard shift?

[DaveInSeattle]

I saw The Who some years ago (post-deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle), and it was an extravaganza with two drummers, a bunch of additional guitarists and keyboard players, and several backup singers. But, it was nowhere near as enjoyable a concert as the time i saw them when I was young and they were still a viable touring four-piece band.

I saw The Who back in 1980, when they had Kenny Jones on drums, with just an additional keyboard player. It was pretty amazing.

Found the setlist: The Who Setlist: April 22, 1980.

I also remember the guy sitting in front of us was roaring drunk, and passed out after the opener (southern rock band called Blackfoot), and after the show my friend found a bag under his seat that had weed, mushrooms, and 2 hits of LSD.

[bfj]

Uncle Tupelo

Absolutely. I saw Wilco and Son Volt each on their very first tours, but didn't ever see Uncle Tupelo live.

Why did you guys miss so much? Working the graveyard shift?

I have no depression.

[brian]

Uncle Tupelo has to top the list of still theoretically possible reunions that I would drop everything to go see. We've discussed this before but Whiskeytown would be up there had I not seen them already.

(Husker Du would have been 1B had Grant Hart not died. The Replacements would be 1C if not for Bob Stinson dying.)

[govmentchedda]

Uncle Tupelo has to top the list of still theoretically possible reunions that I would drop everything to go see. We've discussed this before but Whiskeytown would be up there had I not seen them already.

(Husker Du would have been 1B had Grant Hart not died. The Replacements would be 1C if not for Bob Stinson dying.)

Bob or not, it was amazing seeing Replacements a few years back at Boston Calling. Them, The National, Lorde, Childish Gambino, The War on Drugs, Lake Street Dive, Mas, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Hold Steady, and Volcano Choir. They don't make festival lineups better than that, even if a storm rolled through and Volcano Choir was cancelled.