I was sent one of those ‘challeges’ on Facebook – quickly name 50 concerts you can remember. I steer clear of most events where a mob responds in unison. I know that’s wrong. I should go to more sports events and see more live music. While the Triumph of the Will part of sports makes me nervous, concerts make me envious. I’d rather be performing. Neverthless, in my few years on the planet I have seen a few remarkable shows that attest to a particular Forrest Gump like relationship I’ve had with live music. This Facebook challenge was a memory jag.
I had to start with the Beatles premier on ED Sullivan because it is unique and amazing that I was in the audience. I went with my best friend and our respective middle school girlfriends. One of their fathers worked for CBS. The next 30 acts or so (with asterisks) are concerts where I was in the opening band – starting in high school and onward 40 plus years.
Growing up in proximity to R.I. and NYC and being older (I mean, experienced) facilitated some of the others (James Brown, Dylan’s first electric, Yardbirds, and the Café a GoGo) – so I have annotated them. The folly of youth and other tools may have blurred some dates.
However, these are all true.

1. Beatles (IN the studio audience of Ed Sullivan Show!)
IN THE OPENING ACT:
2. Young Rascals * (Hartford and Westport 1966)
3. Grand Funk Railroad * (Boston 1969)
4. Iggy and the Stooges (The Jail in Providence 1969)*
5. Jay Giels Band *
6. Manfred Mann *
7. The Chambers Brothers *
8. Buddy Miles *
9. Bruce Springsteen * (in a high school auditorium in R.I. 1972!)
10. The Youngbloods * (Central Park)
11. BB King ** (Montreaux Jazz fest)
12. Chambers Brothers*
13. Buddy Miles*
14. Guess Who *
15. The Turtles *
16. Herman’s Hermits *
17. NRBQ * (at Max’s Kansas City)
18. Go Gos *
19. Mahavishnu Orchestra *
20. Split Enz* (tour)
21. Ramones*
22. Irma Thomas * (touring with LaVern Baker)
23. Jimmy Buffet *
24. Peter Paul and Mary *
25. Joe Jackson *
26. Ramones *
27. Split Enz ***
28. The Wailers * (for a week at a Palls Mall in Boston)
29. Little Feat * (for a week at a Palls Mall in Boston)
30. Bonnie Raitt *
31. The Cars * (Wang Center)
32. The Kinks * (Providence Civic Center)
AS A SPECTATOR:
33. Bob Dylan (AT the 1965 Newport Folk Festival – as a kid, stoned and amazed)
34. The Yardbirds (1967 w/ Jeff Beck AND Jimmy Page AND they used my high school band’s PA system!!)
35. James Brown (1967 at the Apollo Theater with my all white High School rock band)
36. Jefferson Airplane (at the Café a go go)
37. The Mothers of Invention (at their Garrick Theater in the Village)
38. Jeff Back Group (with Rod Stewart Filmore East)
39. Janis Joplin (with Big Brother and the Holding Company)
40. Mississippi Jon Hurt (65 Newport)
41. Butterfield Blues Band (65 Newport)
42. Sonny Terry and Brownie Magee (66 Newport)
43. Taj Mahal (66 Newport)
44. The Blues Magoos (played the Senior Prom!)
45. Blood Sweat and Tears (played the Junior Prom!)
46. Grateful Dead (1968)
47. Cream (Fillmore East)
48. Miles Davis with Kieth Jarrett (Jazz Workshop)
49. Buddy Rich
50. Gene Krupa (at the Metropol in Time Square)
51. The Tubes (at the Whisky a GoGo on Sunset)
52. Jimi Hendrix (Hartford)
53. Sly and the Family Stone (in the cafatreia of the high school!)
54. The Remains
55. Stray Cats
56. Orleans (Larry Hoppen and I had a college band)
57. Talking Heads
58. The Tubes
59. Elvis Costello
60. Prince
61. Genesis
62. Chuck Berry
63. The Police
64. The B-52s
65. Patty Smith
66. Rolling Stones