# Best Concert vs Best Show in the 80's



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Yes, this thread is for some of us older guy's... what was the best concert and best show you ever seen in the 80's ? There is a difference. They may be the same but often not. For example. The best show I ever seen in that time frame was the Jackson's at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in August of 1981

Some can laugh.... but they put on a show that was unbelievable. 

The best "concert" that I seen in that time period was Frank Zappa at Shea's Buffalo in March of 1988. This was an "intimate" experience for a Zappa show. Shea's is a small venue and Zap was in great form that night. I had seen him a few times before that in arena settings. This was the last time I saw him and it was a very memorable evening. A close second was Bruce Springsteen in Buffalo in September of 1984 at the pinnacle of his career. The electricity at the show was huge.

Of course there are a ton that I "wish" I would have been at.. but of the concerts I went to during the 80's those would be it.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

I saw Joe Satriani in 88, on the Surfing with the Alien tour. 

I was 18, underage and lucky to get in to the show. 

Pretty much every show I saw in the 80's was exciting, since it wa smy first time seeing all these bands;

David Lee Roth with Vai & Sheehan in 1986 at Maple Leaf Gardens
Allan Holdsworth
Al diMeola
Kim Mitchell
Coney Hatch
Frank Marino


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Somew good shows there. That band that Roth had was sweet. Kim Mitchell brings back a lot of memories. I must have seen Max Webster 10 times back then. :rockon2:


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Somew good shows there. That band that Roth had was sweet. Kim Mitchell brings back a lot of memories. I must have seen Max Webster 10 times back then. :rockon2:


Were you living in Buffalo? If so, you must have seen Talas back in those days.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

No, I am from Thorold, which is about ten minutes from Niagara Falls and the border. We used to go to Buffalo a lot for concerts back then, no so much anymore. Never seen Talas though.


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

I saw so many concerts and shows in the 80's that it's hard to say which one was the best. But a few concerts for some reason pop into my mind when I think back of that decade:

Black Sabbath with Dio (early 80's, can't remember what year exactly)

Mid-80's or so:

Deep Purple (forget the name of that album they were touring for (it's a good one) it has ..."sweet Lucy was a dancer but ..."). They blew me away live.

Jethro Tull (Under Wrap tour?) - 1st time of many that I saw them - again I was blown away

I had seen Rush a few times but the show I saw at the Buffalo Aud (around 87 or 88) is another one that I remember for some reason.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

ofender said:


> I saw so many concerts and shows in the 80's that it's hard to say which one was the best. But a few concerts for some reason pop into my mind when I think back of that decade:
> 
> Black Sabbath with Dio (early 80's, can't remember what year exactly)
> 
> ...


Black Sabbath at the CNE on August 24th of 1982 I was there. Rush at the Aud in May of 1981 so I may have been at the same Sabbath show but Rush was off by a few years. Never seen Purple back then.


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Black Sabbath at the CNE on August 24th of 1982 I was there. Rush at the Aud in May of 1981 so I may have been at the same Sabbath show but Rush was off by a few years. Never seen Purple back then.


The 1st time I saw Rush was about that time (1980-81) at the Coliseum in Quebec City. Same with Black Sabbath with Dio and all other concerts I saw until about 1986 were in Quebec City.

April Wine - The nature of the Beast early to mid 80's was another great concert. So many.

I think that Rush was touring for Power Windows when I saw them at the Aud. They were amazing that night.

Edit: I must add the Anderson Bruford Wakeman and Howe in 1987 at the CNE.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Right on... When I saw Rush for the first time which was the 1981 concert they had grown tired of playing 2112 so they just did a very quick medley.. I was soooo bummed. but then I went to see them again in Detroit in 1997 and they played the entire A side of 2112 note for note. I was in heaven baby...:rockon:


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## SnowBlind (Feb 26, 2006)

You guys are so lucky that you grew up in the time period you did. Im such a big classic rock fan and I have no chance of seeing my favourite bands live. Ive only seen aerosmith which was amazing.


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

SnowBlind said:


> You guys are so lucky that you grew up in the time period you did. Im such a big classic rock fan and I have no chance of seeing my favourite bands live. Ive only seen aerosmith which was amazing.


SnowBlind, I feel the same way about people who saw bands in the 60's and 70's. The one thing that was good back then is that the tickets to see concerts were relatively cheap. Late 70's and early 80's, you could see a good concert for 10 to 15 bucks a pop. It was still *expensive* for the time but nowhere where it's at today. In a year, you could see a whole bunch of shows whereas today, you moreless have to be selective, especially if you want decent seats.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

ofender said:


> SnowBlind, I feel the same way about people who saw bands in the 60's and 70's. The one thing that was good back then is that the tickets to see concerts were relatively cheap. Late 70's and early 80's, you could see a good concert for 10 to 15 bucks a pop. It was still *expensive* for the time but nowhere where it's at today. In a year, you could see a whole bunch of shows whereas today, you moreless have to be selective, especially if you want decent seats.


This is true. Back then a band toured to promote an album. The album sales were the source of the income, not the concert. Today, bands can put out disc after disc but it's the tours that make them the money. Thats why you see a lot of bands on tour constantly. Thats why the Stones and the Who etc etc are still touring. They cannot turn down that kind of money. The last time I saw the Stones I paid $160.00 for a ticket (and that was face value) and I walked out of there thinking..... nobody is worth that. But you will never see a Stones concert that is not sold out.

I feel for snowblind as well. My kids are 17 and 21 and I got them to a few good shows while I could. Took them to see the Stones and AC/DC and such. I also had to sit through the Back Street Boys too !!! Could not have it all my way.


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Ofender, the Deep Purple albums was Perfect Strangers.

GuitarsCanada.....How is it that you can remember to the month when you went to these shows?? I have trouble nailing it down to the decade!

Best concert for me was Deep Purple, best show probably Alice Cooper or maybe Yes. But I am pretty sure that those were in the seventies.....


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

cbh747 said:


> Ofender, the Deep Purple albums was Perfect Strangers.
> 
> GuitarsCanada.....How is it that you can remember to the month when you went to these shows?? I have trouble nailing it down to the decade!
> 
> Best concert for me was Deep Purple, best show probably Alice Cooper or maybe Yes. But I am pretty sure that those were in the seventies.....


I started saving my ticket stubs from the first show I ever saw. I have them all in a binder. the one I am missing is a Led Zep show at the Pontiac Silverdome in I think 1978 or 1979. I was so stoned I lost it. :rockon2:


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I started saving my ticket stubs from the first show I ever saw. I have them all in a binder. the one I am missing is a Led Zep show at the Pontiac Silverdome in I think 1978 or 1979. I was so stoned I lost it. :rockon2:


Oh no.... Sorry to hear that.

I deeply regret never being able to see Zeppelin...it just never came together and then they were gone. You are very fortunate indeed.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Yes, unfortunate ticket stub loss. I did see Page and Plant in Toronto in 1998 and that was a great show. The one I regret never seeing is Pink Floyd. I had the chance but blew it. It will never happen now.


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Yes, unfortunate ticket stub loss. I did see Page and Plant in Toronto in 1998 and that was a great show. The one I regret never seeing is Pink Floyd. I had the chance but blew it. It will never happen now.


Saw them at the CNE....forgot about that one. THAT was a good show!


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Triumph's Thunder Seven tour in the winter/spring of '85. Favourite band right at the time they peaked.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

WarrenG said:


> Triumph's Thunder Seven tour in the winter/spring of '85. Favourite band right at the time they peaked.


Yes, great band and very underated IMO. For a three pc band they had a great sound. Here is a pic I snapped at a show in late 1980 or early 1981 at Hamilton Place when they were playing "The Blinding Light Show" i dug those fog machines.


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Nice shot! I would have expected to see a pic like that on an album's inner sleeve. 

Rik was my guitar idol since '78 when I first started playing. It was cool "shooting the schnitzel" with him recently: kind of surreal. Had I met him way back when, I probably would have puked (anxiety).


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

WarrenG said:


> Nice shot! I would have expected to see a pic like that on an album's inner sleeve.
> 
> Rik was my guitar idol since '78 when I first started playing. It was cool "shooting the schnitzel" with him recently: kind of surreal. Had I met him way back when, I probably would have puked (anxiety).



You say you shot the schnitzel with Rik recently? do tell


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## Seaners (Jan 1, 2006)

Wow.. some great shows. I wish I could have been to a few of them :rockon2:


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

The best concert/show I saw in the eighties was PRINCE at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1984. The Purple Rain Tour. 
Sheila E opened for him and she had a great band, great show and very good sound. Then His Purpleness took the stage and I was absolutely blown away. Played guitar like Hendrix, moved like James Brown, and sang like Otis Redding. His band was flawless. Tight and choreographed, they were absolutely tight and so bad assed funky, they were just greasy good. 
As far as the show is concerned, he had more gadgets, lasers, set pieces and hydraulics than Pink Floyd. Really great.
And I have to say, I saw him last year at the ACC, he was maybe better than ever.

cheers
Pete


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

I guess the most memorable one for me was Stevie Ray Vaughn in Apr/88 in Fredericton. He was in fine form and Reese Wynans was playing organ. Not a very big crowd and some P.A. trouble but still worth it considering I got in for free. I even had a backstage pass but never used it because I had to run to a gig. Damn!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Wow, SRV... wish I would have gotten to see him. What a shame to lose him like that. He would still me rocking.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Wow, SRV... wish I would have gotten to see him. What a shame to lose him like that. He would still me rocking.


Its odd when I think about it now how small the crowd was at that show. Of course it was before death had granted him "legend" status. At the time I just thought of him as a really good guitar player. I'd always loved his solo on First, We'll Take Manhattan by Jennifer Warnes (Leonard Cohen). Hearing him out of a blues context was great.


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## Welladjusted (Feb 19, 2006)

i think the only concert i ever saw in the 80's was fred penner or raffi


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Well, thats something. Raffi was probably pretty cool no? :rockon2:


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

Anyone remembers Anvil? They did an awesome version of Paint It Black on their album Hard 'N' Heavy. March Of The Crabs on their Metal On Metal album was great.

I saw them around their release of Metal on Metal (around '82 or '83). This was a show in St-Anselme or Ste-Claire de Bellechasse (or somewhere in that area, about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes driving south of Quebec City. A friend and I had no problem hitch hicking to the show but I somewhat remeber walking most of the way back after the show, all night kinda thing). It was worth it, it was a good show.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Well, thats something. Raffi was probably pretty cool no? :rockon2:


ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

oh and I didn't get to see any shows in the 80s, I was born in '89


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