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ThatDamnedPanda -> RE: Sorry, I wuz wrong! (3/15/2009 10:01:48 PM)
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I agree, the Dead were the best live band I've ever seen. Saw them about 35 times. Stevie Ray Vaughan was next best, but now he's dead. Not Dead, but dead. You know what i mean. Anyway, I saw him about a dozen times. Not enough; nowhere near enough. Santana, back in the old days, was probably #3.
Best live band that's still alive is Los Lobos. Seen them about 25, maybe 30 times. On a good night, it's like an old Dead show, except the musicians aren't tripping. When they're on, nobody can touch them. Allman Brothers still put on a hell of a show, too, if you like jam bands. I've been lucky. I absolutely love live music, and I've been fortunate to see bazillions of terrific acts - The Who, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan.... I've seen all of them at least 5 or 6 times each, plus Nirvana, Neil Young, CSNY, B.B. King, Paul McCartney, Chili Peppers, Kansas, Aerosmith, REO, ZZ Top, Black Crowes, Springsteen, the Kinks, Pink Floyd, Johnnie Winter, John Mayall, Robin Ford, Warren Zevon, Jonathan Richman (who put on what I think was the most cynically brilliant piece of stagecraft I've ever seen, and only about 6 people in the whole place got it), the Blasters, the Stray Cats, Beach Boys, Moody Blues, Labelle, Joan Jett, Ray Charles, Dave Mason, Reveren Horton Heat, Wilco, Iggy Pop, Seger, Ted Nugent, Taj Mahal, Uncle Tupelo, Doctor John, Van Morrison, and god only knows how many I'm forgetting.
I seldom pass up a chance to see a good band, because you never know when you're going to catch them on one of those magical nights when everything a band does not only works, but works better than they expected. And you come away knowing you saw something really special, really rare. And you remember it all your life. Those nights don't happen often, but often enough that it's worth going as often as you can just so you catch one every now and then.
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