“The people I found
Grooving to the sound
Of rock and roll music in the air
We all had a ball
With no hassles at all…
I’m singing
Rock and roll music to the world
Rock and roll music to the world
Ain’t no relation
To the united nations
Keep rock and rolling to the world
Give peace a chance
Get up and dance
When I sing
Rock and roll music to the world
I’m gonna scream
I’m gonna shout
Get my emotions
And work them all right out”
- Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) – 1972
My earliest memory of music is listening to the radio as a child with a portable cassette recorder nearby and hitting “record” when a good song came on the radio so I could listen to it again later. My first record was Elton John’s “Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player”. My first real concert was Chicago at the Spectrum in 1973, the first of hundreds of live music events I’ve attended over the years. I’ve always found music to be good for my mental well- being. There is something therapeutic about going to a show with thousands of other fans, where, as Alvin Lee of Ten Years After sings, “I’m gonna scream, I’m gonna shout, get my emotions and work them all right out”. I may not scream and shout as much in my golden years as I did when I was a teen, but there is still a special joy and excitement that comes with live music. I’ve done several other music related blog posts, but today I’ll cover my Top 10 favorite live performances, which span over half a century and three continents.
1. Live Aid (July 13, 1985- JFK Stadium- Philadelphia, PA)
My top choice was easy, as this is commonly noted as one of the greatest music events of all time, and it happened right here in my hometown of Philadelphia. I remember it was unbearably hot, and we were so far way we basically watched the whole show on the giant screens, but it was still a fun time, with one great band after another. There were too many great performances that day to say which were my favorites. It was my first time seeing so many iconic bands, and it was a special thrill seeing our local favorites, The Hooters, open the show.
2. Bruce Springsteen – Hopes and Dreams tour (March 31, 2026- Target Center- Minneapolis, MN
Coming in at #2 is a recent show from this year- Bruce Springsteen in Minneapolis. I’d seen Bruce several times before, but this was extra memorable as he kicked off his tour in the city he memorialized in his song “Streets of Minneapolis”. The whole town was abuzz before the show, as we met Springsteen fans everywhere we went. A highlight was Bruce performing Prince’s Purple Rain for his fans in Prince’s hometown. (See my previous post about the show.) I saw Bruce again on the same tour in Philadelphia, but the show in Minneapolis was really special.
3. ELO – Out of the Blue tour (September 18, 1978- Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA)
At #3 is ELO’s Out of the Blue tour in 1978. I had just graduated from college. I will never forget that incredible stage- a giant spaceship that opened up to reveal the band. Although it doesn’t seem all that impressive compared to the technology and special effects of shows today, it was mind-blowing in a day when most bands just played on a bare stage. I’ve seen Jeff Lynne several times since and he always puts on a great show, but nothing will ever compare to that first show.
4. Prince- Purple Rain tour (November 22, 1984- Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA)
I only got to see Prince once, but what a memorable show! Prince was promoting the recently released “Purple Rain” album, which is probably my favorite Prince album out of his vast catalogue of 40 studio albums. It was rocking, theatrical, and sexy- something for everyone! The show featured his famous “ejacucaster” guitar- he was always pushing the limits in his songs and performances. He was the ultimate showman. As noted by Morris Hayes, who played with Prince off-and-on for 20 years, “Anything Prince did, he did it 110%. He wanted it perfect, he wanted it right. He was a consummate workaholic, always trying to raise the bar for himself and for us.”
5. David Byrne – Who Is the Sky tour (October 18, 2025- The Met- Philadelphia, PA)
Another recent show made my top 10- last year’s David Byrne tour. I wasn’t actually a huge Talking Heads fan- I liked some of their songs but didn’t follow them as closely as some other bands. But I heard he put on a great show, so I decided I had to see him at least once. He did not disappoint. Different than any other concert on the list, this one reminded me a lot of a Broadway musical- incredible singing and dancing. None of the musicians ever sat- everyone danced as they played. There were no cords or amps or equipment on stage- only the musicians/singers/dancers. The stage was high tech video from floor to ceiling. A favorite was when Byrne was seemingly singing “My Apartment is My Friend” as he walked around inside a realistic video of his actual apartment. You felt like you were really there with him. A really fun show to watch, made extra special by our VIP back-stage tour before the show.
6. Paul McCartney – Up and Coming tour (June 27, 2010- Hyde Park- London, England)
I was a bit conflicted over which of the 5 Paul McCartney shows I’ve seen to put on the list- the first time I saw him, in 1976 with his band Wings, was also in the running. That first show was quite a thrill- seeing McCartney in person for the first time, when his voice was at its peak. But seeing him at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London in 2010 was also special, as I got to attend with my then 17-year-old son, Jason. Having been a lifelong Beatles fan, seeing McCartney play those Beatles classics with one of my kids was pretty emotional. Unlike the earlier Wings show, which was promoting their Venus and Mars album and didn’t feature many Beatles songs, the London show was nothing but the hits. A highlight had to be the great fireworks display during Live and Let Die.
7. Chicago/Beach Boys – Beachago tour (July 1, 1975- Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA)
I’ve probably seen the band Chicago about 20 times. I considered putting my first Chicago concert in 1973 on the list, but this 1975 tour with the Beach Boys had to top that. As a big fan of both bands, this was my dream concert. And it was back when Terry Kath was still alive (a requirement for deciding on my “favorite” Chicago show). They were promoting Chicago VII, which included the hit single “Wishing You Were Here”. To hear the Beach Boys sing with them as they did on the record was very memorable. Both bands played great sets, and then they sang several songs together for the encore. I couldn’t find the exact set list for the show in Philly, but below is a typical set list for the tour.
8. David Bowie- Serious Moonlight tour (July 19, 1983- Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA)
I wish I had seen David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust years, but the only time I got to see him live was for this show in 1983. Like some other shows on my list, I especially enjoy performances that have a theatrical component, making them fun to watch as well as to listen to. Bowie certainly knew how to entertain. This show will always remind me of the early years of our marriage- we both loved his “Let’s Dance” album when it came out. While it was not as rocking as some of his earlier work, we still enjoyed his post-Disco, dance-rock phase. I was always impressed with his ability to switch across genres and re-identify himself numerous times throughout his career.
9. Ten Years After/Bachman Turner Overdrive/Climax Blues Band – Positive Vibrations tour (May 17, 1974- Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA)
Probably the most surprising entry on my list, particularly since I was not a huge fan of any of these bands. However I did enjoy listening to their songs at my friend’s house, so when the gang was getting together to see them at the Spectrum, I said “Count me in”. I really don’t remember anything about the Climax Blues Band, but I loved BTO- It was at the height of their success, with “Takin’ Care of Business” getting heavy airplay on local radio. Then came the headliner, Ten Years After- what a band! Just watching Alvin Lee’s guitar playing on “I’m Going Home” automatically puts this one in my top 10. No surprise it’s one of the iconic tracks from Woodstock. Now this was a show with no fancy set design or choreography, but watching those guys play was more than enough to take in and enjoy.
10. Eric Clapton- Live at Budokan tour (April 21, 2025- Nippon Budokan- Tokyo, Japan)
There were several contenders for the final spot on my top 10 list, but I have to go with my trip to Tokyo to see Eric Clapton with a Japanese friend, at the iconic Nippon Budokan hall. I had seen Clapton before in Philadelphia, but I was really looking forward to seeing him play in Japan. Two things hit me immediately: First, the crowd was very polite. No one in the audience was standing during the show, as they sat politely in their seats. And secondly, no one was taking any photos with their cell phones. It was a different vibe than I was used to from a lot of shows in America, but I really enjoyed just sitting back and listening to the music. (When I saw someone else taking a photo during the encore, I snuck in a quick picture, but that was it.) The 80-year-old guitar god was still of good voice and played like only Eric Clapton can play. He didn’t say much during the performance- I’m not sure if that was because he was in Japan, or if he generally doesn’t talk much from stage, but either way it was still a great show.
It was certainly tough to come up with a top 10 list- some other contenders were the Rolling Stones, the Who, Peter Gabriel, the Doobie Brothers, Elton John (1979 tour), the Hooters, In the Pocket, Billy Idol, Tears for Fears, Rod Stewart, the Outlaws, Squeeze, Willie Nile, and Dan Fogelberg, to name a few. What are your most memorable concerts?
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