The idea for this post came from an exchange I had with Clive who has the wonderful blog, Take It Easy.
Clive mentioned he had never seen Rod Stewart perform live, and I mentioned that I was surprised at that revelation. He noted that Rod was just one of many he had never seen perform live.
That got me thinking about what band/artist is at the top of my list of wishing I had seen perform live, but never have.
I have been fortunate to see many great performers over the years, including the following:
- Bruce Springsteen (several times, including his U.S. record-setting four hours, three-minute concert in Philadelphia in 2018)
- Aerosmith
- Elton John
- Billy Joel
- The Who
- Tim Moore
- Boston
- Foghat
- ZZ Top
- America
- Boz Scaggs (my first date with my wife-to-be!)
- James Gang
- Beach Boys
- Harry Chapin
- Livingston Taylor
- Bonnie Raitt
- Kansas
- Jimmy Buffett
- Paul Simon
- My Morning Jacket
- Brand New
- Armor for Sleep
- Katy Perry
- George Winston
- Steve Forbert
and perhaps the most special:
- Elvis Presley (not because he put on a great show, but because it was Elvis!)
But there are even more bands I wish I had seen, such as:
- The Eagles
- Fleetwood Mac
- Bob Seger
- Led Zeppelin
- Paul McCartney
- The Grateful Dead
- James Taylor
- John Denver
- Jim Croce
- Neil Diamond
- The Killers
- Jackson Browne
- Al Stewart
- Van Morrison
- Pure Prairie League
- John Fogerty
- U2
- REM
- Walk Off the Earth
- Meat Loaf
- Tony Orlando and Dawn
- The Bee Gees
- Ingrid Michaelsen
- Three Dog Night
- Colbie Callait
- The Avett Brothers
- Bob Dylan
- Doobie Brothers
- Neil Young
- Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
- Frank Sinatra
- Mott the Hoople
- The Beatles
- The Pogues
- Oysterband
- Bellowhead
I am sure there are many others, but those are the performers that come off the top of my head. By the way, those last three are thanks to Clive!
But at the top of the list, probably one notch above the Beatles, would be the Rolling Stones.
I believe they still tour, but my guess is that I would have trouble justifying the ticket price, especially if the ticket prices are handled like the current tickets for the upcoming Springsteen tour.
So what about you? What is the band you most wish you could have seen perform live?
Too many to mention though I agree with most all those you have listed.
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The Nobodies. I’ve always wanted to see them.
Actually, I’ve been to a few concerts in my life, but they never impressed me much. So I haven’t harbored any desire to see anyone perform live. But of course I would be very impressed if I could see a dead musician perform live, such as John Lennon or George Harrison.
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well with VR and holograms these days. I think you may get your wish of seeing a dead musician perform live…
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Bah! It’s all smoke and mirrors.
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it’s the same with my teaching…
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I didn’t go to many concerts, so my potential list is long. Picking one, Michael Jackson is the band or performer I wish I’d seen.
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MJ would be quite entertaining…
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I did see two that you didn’t, James Taylor and Neil Diamond.😄
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very nice!
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You have a lot of great ones that you saw! Many that I would have enjoyed seeing but the one that pops in my head at the moment is ABBA. 😉
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HI Jim, I have only ever seen about 3 singers perform on live on stage and only one was a band, Live. I don’t like crowds and so avoid such gatherings. They also never came to SA during my teen years and early 20s as SA was subject to sanctions at that time. You are fortunate to have seen so many performances.
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I’ve seen many bands over the years, but my one regret was never seeing the Sex Pistols.
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I don’t know much of their music, but I know another follower of mine, Jeff Cann, is also a big fan of punk rock. In fact, he just wrote a wonderful post about the Beastie Boys: https://jefftcann.com/2022/08/21/shes-crafty/
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I haven’t gone to a concert in a few years, but I’d like to see Daughtry, Foo Fighters, and Evanescence.
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I’ve never heard of Daughtry, and I’ve only heard of Evanescence becuase of my son…
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I think I like more of a rock sound than you, though I’d love to see some of the bands on your wish list. I’m sure you’d recognize quite a few of Daughtry’s songs when you heard them. He rose to prominence (though I wasn’t watching) through American Idol the way Kelly Clarkson did.
My wife sometimes walks by the computer room, shakes her head, and shuts the door. I find this humorous for some reason.🤣 I think she probably wonders why I act like a teenager in some respects.
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I catch my wife shaking her head quite a bit, either becuase of what I’m doing or what I’ve said… 🙂
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You never heard of Daughtry?! You poor guy. LOL! Back when my husband and I watched American Idol regularly we saw him on there and my husband has CD’s of his.
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I guess part of the problem is that I’ve never really watched American Idol…
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You watched that Napoleon somebody movie but not American Idol?? Sad! 😆
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I’ve got my priorities… 🙂
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Okay, I’m no Clive, but I feel responsible for getting you up to speed. Daughtry has a ton of great songs, but I’ll only give you one to listen to. Not only do I like this song, but the video (though a bit old) is pretty great too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roDXSHSEuoo
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Yes, enlighten him Pete!
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yes, he certainly did!
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So did you like it?
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it was an enjoyable song that Pete shared!
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Home is one of my favorite songs of his.
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I will have to check that one out also!
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thanks for the video, Pete. You’re right, that was a good song, and a powerful video…
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so many – Beatles, doors, Springsteen, csny, Simon and Garfunkel….
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all great choices. but you’ve seen WOTE!
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I regret seeing John Williamson performing at a pub before he got a bit famous. The rest of the pub thought so too and were somewhat impolite in asking him to stop singing. Good times, great memories of when some of the big bands were starting out doing gigs in pubs.
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Yes, it is (usually) fun to see a band before they hit it big…
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Good times and great memories. Yet I wouldn’t want to do it today is it is for the young to get out and party hearty.
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but it is fun to see a band you saw 30 or more years ago!
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I would have loved to see “Chicago” play live. Love that horn section!
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that’s a good call; I should have added them to my list!
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There is literally nothing like seeing a band play live, and I have certainly seen so many, in my day!!! I would have to say that Bob Seger was the one that got away! We were on our way to see him perform at very popular outdoor theater, several years back, but were literally traveling “against the wind”, rain, thunder and lightning!!! It was too dangerous to continue (we felt), so very regrettably, we turned back and headed home. Meanwhile, as they say: “The show must go on!”, and go on, it did! That was a real bummer, as it was his last tour! 😣
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that is a bummer! I did not know he stopped touring. He is one of my favorites – so many great songs…
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Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve seen none of the bands on your ‘seen’ list, and haven’t even heard of three of them! But I can give you five on your ‘want to see’ list: Led Zep, Jackson Browne, U2 (a surprise, unannounced acoustic set at a Cat Stevens gig), Oysterband and Bellowhead. There are loads I’d like to have seen, many of which you have, but The Boss would top my list, closely followed by Eagles. And maybe Fleetwood Mac. And Al Stewart…Oh alright, there are loads!
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U2 is definitely awesome live. I’ve seen them twice and would love to see them a 3rd. But yes! It’s be great to see Fleetwood Mac and the Boss! 🙂
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I would imagine U2 would be great in concert, based on videos I have seen of them in concert…
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Both times were worth it! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen them, but both concerts were very energetic and fun!
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I am sure they were…
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I’d love to have seen both but sadly I have mobility issues which have brought my gig days to an end. I have to rely on tv and YouTube now 😊
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I never got a chance to check out that live online performance of Al Stewart I could have bought tickets for. Maybe that will be a hole new way to watch a live performance…
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I bought tickets for some shows in the earlier days of the pandemic, but now that bands are back out on the road I guess they might not offer the option as much. There was a lovely Kate Rusby Christmas show, and I couldn’t miss Bellowhead coming back together could I? They enjoyed it so much they are touring again this autumn, for the first time in seven years, since they disbanded. I’m hoping they give us the option of streaming again!
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that’s good to know that you found the streaming option to be a good alternative…
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It worked well for me, but I can understand that others might prefer to actually be there.
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it seems like it would be much cheaper, much more convenient, and you have great seats!
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It was good, and I was pleased they gave us the option. I’m hoping Bellowhead do it again for their autumn tour.
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I would look into that if they stream to the U.S.!
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I’m on their mailing list so I’ll let you know if I hear anything.
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thank you!
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Time difference might be an issue, though they made the previous one available for several days so you wouldn’t be watching at 1am!
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could be kind of fun to watch it at 1 am!
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Play it loud so the neighbours can enjoy it too 🤣
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that’s the only way to play it!
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You’ve seen some good ones – I forgot to put Cat Stevens on my “want to see” list! I was surprised to see that Springsteen has not scheduled any stops in London for his 2023 European tour…
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He would be worth it if you can. I saw him in 2009 and his voice sounded just the same. Recent videos suggest it still does.
I’d hazard a guess at why Springsteen isn’t playing here: Brexit. Our wonderful government hasn’t given any priority to bands coming here to play or going abroad from here, and the red tape, cost and hassle has put off many. He probably thought better of it.
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Yes, his voice still sounds terrific.
and that’s a shame for Bruce, and for the UK!
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He’s still putting out new videos, reworking his back catalogue, so I hope he tours over there.
That is just one of the side effects of Brexit which they didn’t see coming while they were promising us sunlit uplands and ‘oven ready’ deals. The problem has been repeatedly raised with the government, but in their myopic approach to anything about Brexit that might be deemed even the slightest bit negative they just bury their heads in the sand, or up their own fundaments. Oven ready? Nope, just a gigantic turkey.
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When he did tour a few years ago, the ticket prices were outrageous. I’m sure it will be the same if he tours again.
and nothing like unintended consequences….
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Maybe he’ll drop the prices now that he has made all that money selling his song rights. Hold on, I think I just saw a 🐖 fly past my window…
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there seem to be a lot of those flying around these days…
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I just happened to look it up; Bruce is coming to London on July 6 and 9 at Hyde Park…
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That still doesn’t make me think any better of Brexit 🤣
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I didn’t think it would 🙂
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Oh, Cat Stevens would probably be great, too! I love his voice!
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I think his voice has gotten better with age, unlike Bob Dylan’s…
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I’d really like to see Bruce Springsteen live!
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I feel very lucky to have seen Bruce a few times; I just wish I knew him when he first started out, because he used to perform at a lot of small venues not too far from me…
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Jim, that’s really awesome! I looked up where he is touring, but it looks like just European dates for now. *Sigh. If only I could go to Ireland for one of his concerts 😊
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he is touring the U.S. as well. But I would love to see him in Ireland as well!
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That’s so true. The smaller venues are much better than the mega concerts. I bet he’d be amazing to see/hear in a more intimate setting.
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Bruce was shceuled to play at my high school in 1974, but the show was canceled for lack of ticket sales. Tickets were $5…
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That’s so cool but also too bad!
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In 1996, the Sex Pistols did a reunion tour. They wanted $40! per ticket, and I just couldn’t justify spending ‘that much’ for a show. I still saw them as something of a sham and that ‘astronomical’ ticket price helped prove it. Now I’ve come to respect them as the groundbreaking act they truly were. Wish I spent that money. BTW, Neil Young (with Crazy Horse)–maybe in 1986–was far and away the best concert I ever saw.
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I noticed another person commented on the Sex Pistols being the band he would mot like to see. I really don’t know much, if any, of their music. And I can only imagine how great that Neil Young concert must have been…
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I envy you. The only only two I can check off either list: Harry Chapin and Paul McCartney
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I am sure Paul McCartney was great.
By the way, did you happen to see the documentary on Harry Chapin on Amazon Prime? My wife and I thought it was phenomenal…
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No, I did not see the documentary but thanks for the tip. I am a big Chapin fan
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so are my wife and I. One of my wife’s happiest moments was when she got a kiss from Harry after one of his concerts…
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I’ve never been to a concert so I guess my answer is all of them? Lol maybe someday though.
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anyone in particular who would be your first choice?
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There are so many but probably Paul McCartney would be amazing.
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He is near the top of my list. The episode of Carpool Karaoke with McCartney was one of the best things I had seen on TV in a long time…
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I loved watching that! The people he randomly performed in front of are honestly so lucky.
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Yes, lucky indeed!
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Wow Jim! You have experienced a lot of live music performances. I don’t really have a hot sheet of performers to check out. My wife is a country music junkie, and we’ve gone to three Keith Urban concerts. When my wife was a teen, she saw the Beatles live.
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your wife saw the Beatles?! now that is super cool!
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Hi Jim
Seeing both of your lists brought back good memories of various bands and their music!
And even tho your list of Bands to still maybe see if large – the list of bands you have seen is pretty hearty and whispers of so much fun!
🎵🎵🎵☀️🎵🎵🎵
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yes, lots of good memories!
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😊☀️
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And I don’t have a list of any bands to see, but a couple years ago we saw Sean McConnell in concert – folksy rock musician still on the rise and such a wonderful musical treat! He is amazing “live”
😊
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I am not familiar with Sean – I will have to look for some of his videos on YouTube…
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Wow! His “second-hand smoke” album is an all time fav for my hubs and me!
And the concert we attended – Sean came on down to the crowd and played his guitar – but we also heard from others that he just had that live concert GIFt!
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I will check it out. And Springsteen has that live concert magic as well…
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Here is second hand smoke feature song live
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Yeah, I get it, most of us missed the Beatles. But own up, how many chances have you passed up to actually see Paul McCartney? I know, it’s easier in England, but I’ve seen him three times. One other special treat was Van Morrison in a small club venue in London called Nell’s. Great gig and Jimmy Page walked straight past on the way out!
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Yes, I have passed up the opportunity to see McCartney – probably for financial reasons 🙂
And I am sure Van Morrison was great…
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I became a fan of Coldplay’s earlier music much later in life so I regret not having paid attention to their earlier music and thus, enjoyed them live…
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not a band I know much about, except I seem to recall that Steve Jobs was a fan…
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Well, Jim … truth is I have never in my entire 72 years been to a concert, so I am something of an anomaly. If I had just one I could go to at this stage, it would be Stevie Wonder! Or Lionel Richie.
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I find that quite surprising, given your love of music. But those would be two great choices…
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I have always had a love of music, but I have NO love of crowds and crowded venues, of “people noise”, and so I’ve passed on the opportunities to attend a live concert. Sigh. Sometimes I wish I had taken the opportunity, but … I am what I am.
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I understand that, and am starting to feel like in other situations as well. I would have no desire to be stuck in one of those crowds wehre you are just standing the whole time, squashed in by those around you. Give me a seat where it don’t feel so claustrophobic…
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I’ve just always been intimidated by crowds since I was a young child and as a teen, all my friends were going to concerts but … I just never could. Being near-deaf since birth adds to the paranoia. And today … with the gun culture in this country … you couldn’t pay me enough money to attend one … not even Stevie!!!
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thank goodness there are lots of YouTube videos of live performances!
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Exactly!!!
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OMG, that’s cool and also too bad!
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Sorry, wrong placed reply! 😜
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no problem 🙂
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Definitely the Beatles. You saw some great music, Jim.
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that would have been quite an experience to see the Beatles. I like their music better than the Rolling Stones, but I’m just guessing that the Stones would be better in person…
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I think you’re right on all points.
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that’s a rare occurence!
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Hahaha!
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Oh my I wasn’t even alive when these artists were popular, but I do agree with some of them! Such a shame I wasn’t born earlier, so I could’ve seen Fleetwood Mac or Queen… I was fortunate enough to go to Paul McCartney though 🙂 Hope you’ll get to see the Stones for a fair price sometime!
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wow – Paul McCartney – I’d say that’s a pretty good band to have on your concert resume!
and I’ll check the Stones prices, but I am sure it will be hard to justify the price…
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