Bands that were surprisingly good in concert?

[Papa Deuce]

Bands that you went to see that you really didn't care about, but walked away very impressed.


1. Linda Ronstadt..... my dad had brain cancer and couldn't go.... I used his tickets..... she was amazing!

2. David Cassidy...... yeah, I told that story here back in the day.... he is a favorite of my wife.... just a really fun show, and he could really rock..... plus good stories

3. Accept / Jackyl ...... I had no clue who they were, but I walked away happy I went

4. Lynyrd Skynyrd..... saw them very early on in my life.... again, no clue who they were, but one of my top 5 today, maybe top 10, really

5. Madonna..... early on, before she became so annoying

6. The Who..... I only went because my buddy had an extra ticket..... better live than recorded, IMO. I saw them the tour when the people got killed in Cleveland. Still not a fan. V

7. Van Halen..... Never heard of them, but they opened up for someone I went to see, and they blew them away..... I want to say it was Blue Oyster Cult.

[chancellor]

Easily number 1 for me was Joe Bonamassa; saw him early in his career. He was involved in a program called "Blues in the Schools", and he'd play a free short set of about 6-7 songs at a local high school while in town for a concert. Even with sub-optimal acoustics in the HS auditorium we were in, he simply blew everyone away with his guitar playing. The only other guy I've seen live that might be better than him is Phil Keaggy.

While in college, I went to a Spyro Gyra concert with a girl I was dating. Didn't expect much, but they were really good.

[madducks]

My ex-girlfriend once dragged me to see Kenny G with Peabo Bryson as the opening act. Both were surprisingly good.

[johnnya24]

Lenny Kravitz. Went because why not. Wasn't expecting anything amazing. Turned out to be one of the best gigs I've ever went to.

[TranaGreg]

My ex-girlfriend once dragged me to see Kenny G with Peabo Bryson as the opening act. Both were surprisingly good.

funny you mention that, I stumbled onto a KennyG openair concert maybe 20 years ago & it was great.

a couple of other band names that come to mind - INXS (opening for the Kinks - strange pairing); & Duran Duran back when nobody had heard of them.

another one that I wasn't sure what to expect but was awesome was The Pretenders (first album tour) ...that was a blast.

[Papa Deuce]

Kenny G is my wife's 2nd cousin, or so she has told me.


Ooops, no.... it is Michael Bolton.

[Gregg]

In 1978 I had just moved to Georgia for a new job. My new boss told me I was going with a small group of people to a Neil Diamond concert. He loved Neil Diamond so he thought this was doing me a big favor. I cannot tell you how much I was dreading this event.

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed old Neil. He was in good voice, got the crowd going. Now I did not run out an buy any of his music and I continued to turn the radio station when he came on. I did however enjoy his live performance.

My favorite unexpected concert experience was seeing Slade in 1975. They were on a double bill with ZZ Top. I had never heard of them. I enjoyed every song they played. I did go out and buy everything they had on record or tape. I wore the grooves off of Slade in Flame.

[rhd]

Jazz fan here. Not the most surprisingly good concert, but when I think of my most memorable concerts, the one I always recall first is a 'Summer in the Park' concert at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in DC in the mid '80s. A local band played first, who I thought were OK but unremarkable. Next was Astrud Gilberto (you know, the 'Girl From Ipanema'), who I had seen before in a night club where she had given a very uninspired performance, so I was expecting more of the same. But she was the total opposite of her prior performance. She was bubbly, energetic and acted like she wanted to perform all evening. Very enjoyable. Next was the headliner, Milt Jackson (vibraphonist of 'Modern Jazz Quartet' fame) and his quartet. Had a star-studded group of band members. During the performance, it started to rain and most of the audience either left or took cover in back of the seating area. But other audience members climbed onto the stage, which was covered. So my buddy and I did too and a bunch of people ended up in back of the band on the stage. We were only a few feet from the musicians. There were no seats so everyone stood up. Milt, who usually was a poker-faced guy, had a wide-eyed look of incredulity,as if he couldnt believe that people wanted to hear him so badly that they would climb onto the stage to listen while standing. So the musicians turned their instruments around and played to us at the back of the stage for the rest of the concert. I'll never forget it.

Also, at another outdoor summer jazz concert in San Diego, the Yellowjackets, who I really wasnt familiar with, were the featured band and they were absolutely fantastic! They play contemporary jazz, and I am more of a mainstream jazz guy, but they really blew me away. Would definitely pay to see them again.