cweinsch Diary today got me thinking. I don't do it as much anymore, but I used to travel for no other reason then to see a concert. Heck there might have been a few months in the 80s where I followed this band called The Dead.
Below the fold my top concerts of all time. Call me tomorrow they will change :).
The Meters "Funky Uptown Rulers"
The Varsity, Baton Rouge, LA
1993
My two roommates, and I was a Yankee, were these two women in Baton Rouge. They were confused I'd never heard of The Meters. They pulled me to see them. Best concet I've ever seen. They are a shell of what they were in the late 60s, but they still can rock a place to its foundation.
David Lindley (and Hanni Nasser)
The Birchmere, Alexandria VA
1998
I recall a co-worker telling me I needed to go with him and see David Lindley play. I was like who is David Lindley? He said the best guitar player in the world. I think I said, "well that is a bold claim." I went. If you know the Birchmere at the time I got a room or two in my house about the size of where they play. They just rocked it. He is maybe the best guitar player alive .... just none of this "good" stuff is on YouTube (he guards his copyrights).
Los Lobos
A Field in Tennessee (Bonnaroo)
2005
I recall getting up, and you camp out at this event, and it was raining so hard. My buddies are like what are you doing? I said going to see Los Lobos. It rained so hard it hurt. I assume they never thought anybody would show up for that show in the early AM and with the rain. They just rocked the place.
The Blues Travelers
The Varsity, Baton Rouge, LA
1993
My second shoutout to The Varsity. The Blues Travelers were not popular then. John, the lead singer wasn't "skinny." I saw them like four times and they always just rocked.