All things considered, I haven’t seen nearly as many live shows as I should have. That’s mainly because I don’t like crowds, and much prefer smaller venues like The Fast Lane or The Stone Pony in Asbury Park back in the day. Smaller, and they were nearby, so I didn’t have to travel too far. There have been larger venues, of course, but I much prefer more intimate venues to concert halls and such.
Anyway, I thought I should document who I’ve seen…before I forget. LOL. It has been such a long time that I’m not absolutely sure who I’ve seen, but this is a pretty complete, albeit skimpy, list. You’d think being older than dirt, I’d have seen more people.
So, here they are in a somewhat alphabetical order, rather than chronological since who remembers dates after all these years? I’ve even included a few photos. Of course, this was mostly back in the day before cellphone cameras, so there are not a lot.
(Some band details taken from Wikipedia. Why reinvent the wheel?)
Aztec Two-Step
When I was attending Montclair State College in Upper Montclair NJ, Aztec Two-Step gave a concert. I had no idea who they were, but they played there for free. Turns out I liked them. 😊
Aztec Two-Step is an American folk-rock band, formed by Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman at a chance meeting on open stage, at a Boston coffee house, the Stone Phoenix, in 1971. So, being a college date, I had to have seen them sometime between September 1975 and June 1977.
Beaver Brown
Beaver Brown got their name from a paint can. Sure, why not? Anyway, you might know them as John Cafferty & The Bever Brown band, but when I saw them, John hadn't stuck his name out front like that. I don't remember if I saw them at the Stone Pony or the Fast Lane (which may have even been called Hotel California at the time), but they are one of the acts Jane wanted to see, so we all went.
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge. They were later augmented by Ian Gomm on guitar and vocals.
I HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE AT THE TIME. I saw Nick Lowe? I saw Ian Gomm? Considering where I was standing in the club, I was probably face-to-face with Nick Lowe the whole time and didn’t know it.
I’ve got most of their albums, and recently ordered the full catalog on disk. I guess you could say I like them.
Bruce Springsteen
A local boy, whom I have seen multiple times in NJ, Philly, and even once in Köln, Germany. It doesn’t hurt to be friends with some of the guys in the band, either. Hi, Garry! Hi, Steven! Thanks for comped tickets and the backstage passes. 😉
Bruce Wooley & The Camera Club
You’re probably asking yourself who the heck is Bruce Wooley? Well, I’ll tell ya. Bruce wrote Video Killed the Radio Star along with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. He also co-wrote Slave to the Rhythm, a hit for Grace Jones.
Anyway, one of my coworkers at Alexander’s department store was a fan, and she dragged me along to see him in Asbury sometime in the very early 80s. I was not disappointed.
Oh, yeah. Thomas Dolby was playing keyboards. How do I manage so often to see people and not know who? Sheesh.
Crüxshadows
The Crüxshadows is an American dark wave and synthpop band currently based in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. More importantly, they are probably the nicest group of people you’d ever want to meet. Which I did in 2017 in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Their song Winterborn is a favorite of pretty much everyone and was my introduction to them via the author John Ringo.
David Bowie
I saw David in front of the Reichstag in Berlin in 1987 as part of his Glass Spider tour. Excellent, excellent show. And, again, I didn’t know Peter Frampton was up there playing with him. I’ve got to start paying more attention.
Eartha Kitt
I saw Eartha in a tiny club in Burbank(?) and fell in love, despite the age difference. Beautiful, beautiful woman. If you only know her from the song Santa Baby, you’re missing out.
Eurythmics
The Eurythmics played the same festival as David Bowie at the Reichstag in 1987. They were not the reason I went to the festival, but I wasn’t sorry. EXCEPT there were just too damn many people. Thousands and thousands. Genesis also played there, but I couldn’t take the crowds, so I didn’t stay for them.
Graham Parker
Graham Parker (with or with The Rumor) is one of my favorites to this day. And this is another case of not knowing who else was playing with him at The Stone Pony when I saw him. It turns out Brinsley Schwarz and Ian Gomm were probably there, too. Small world.
Janis Ian
I saw Janis at Montclair, another free performance back in the mid-seventies. I assume it was free. Who remembers?
Joan Jett & The Black Hearts
I saw Joan in Asbury, probably right after her first solo album came out. A longtime fan of The Runaways, how could I not go see her when she played just down the road?
John Cale
In 1979 or thereabouts, I saw John at a little club in NJ. It was probably part of the Sabotage tour, in which case Deerfrance was a band member. I love her name.
John Kay
Steppenwolf has been one of my main go-to bands since the beginning, and getting a chance to see John in Asbury Park was a highlight of my-seeing-them-live experience. I only wish I had seen the original lineup of Steppenwolf, too.
I’d love to see John again, but I don’t think he’ll be heading out this way.
Kinky Friedman
I saw Kinky at Big Man’s West, Clarence Clemmon’s club in Red Bank NJ. I pissed off the waitresses by asking Kinky to play Waitret, Please, Waitret, which he did. I love venues where you can actually talk to the musicians, if they’ve a mind to.
Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro was my first concert experience. She played the Garden State Arts Center way back when. I think it was on a class trip, to be honest. Our school system was great back then. Concerts, going up to NYC to see Grease, things like that. I feel sorry for kids these days.
Marilyn Manson
I won free tickets to see Marilyn Manson in Dallas so, of course, I went. I think it was 2015, but it might have been 2013. Loved the show, even if I was sitting waaay back from the stage in the grass.
Maxene Andrews (& Martha Raye)
I went to see Maxene one of the times I lived in L.A., so it had to have been in ’79 or ’90. It was small venue, just the audience with Maxene in front of us at the piano. Very intimate, very much a pleasure.
One of the highlights of the evening was when Martha Raye joined her for a little bit. Martha was a treasure. And when her dentures came loose…she took them out, plopped them in a glass of water, and sang with Maxene. A treasure, I tell you. Who else would do that?
Meat Loaf
Another concert at the Garden State Arts Center, this time on our own, not on a class trip. Meat Loaf, with Karla DeVito, Rory Dodd, and Jim Steinman put on an excellent show. If I remember correctly, Jim performed one his own songs during the concert.
Melanie
There’s a very good chance I saw Melanie (Safka) at the Arts Center, too, at some point. I think I did, but I won’t swear to it. There’s also a good chance I saw her in the grocery store at some point, too. She didn’t live too far from me.
Michael Nesmith
I saw Mike at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood in 1979. How could I not? I was a longtime fan, starting with The Monkees. I saw him again in 2013 at the One World Theatre in Austin, Texas. I’ve got videos of that performance, but they’re not worth posting.
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
I saw Pat and Neil at one of their 2008 performances at the Count Basie Theater in Red bank NJ. Horrible acoustics, if you have balcony seats, but it was nice seeing them.
Quiet Riot
Nothing much to say about this Whisky A Go Go set, opening for Michael Nesmith. What an odd bill. Would you have paired them?
Rachel Sweet
Rachel had my heart from the first album. This performance at the Fast Lane was probably after the second album, judging by her not looking 16 anymore. 😉
She pretty much gave up music in the 90s and started writing and producing for television.
Robert Fripp
I saw Mr Fripp in Asbury Park during the 1980 League of Gentlemen tour. There is no photo because one doesn’t take photos of Mr Fripp without his permission. BIG fan of Mr Fripp, in all the incarnations.
Robert Gordon
Another Asbury Park show. I honestly don’t remember if it was just him, or if Link Wray was up there, too. Or possibly Chris Spedding, for that matter. I really need to pay more attention. Robert was another Jane had us go see.
Roy Orbison
I saw Roy at another small NJ venue, but I have no idea where or when. It was most likely sometime between 1975 and 1984.
Smashing Pumpkins
They were double-billed with Marilyn Manson in the Dallas concert I attended. I left after a song or two. Sorry, but I can’t stand Billy Corgan’s voice.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
How could I not have seen John and company multiple times in Asbury Park? I was even somewhat friendly with some of the guys in the band.
Starship
The internet says I saw them in Sheep Meadow (Central Park, NYC) on May 12, 1975, but that can’t be right. That was a Monday, and I was still in school. Did they let us seniors out before graduation in June? Or did I just skip school? Either way, it was wonderful.
Steven Van Zandt
I’ve known Steven for decades…he grew up down the street from me, after all. But I’ve only seen him once as a solo act, not with the E Street Band or sitting in with Southside Johnny. That was in Berlin back in the 80s.
Stir Crazy
OK. You have no idea who they were, but I was totally crushing on Tammy. And they were good, frequently playing in Asbury Park.
Stray Cats
I saw them at the Stone Pony in 1988 or so. Not a huge fan, but I liked them, so not sorry I went.
The Crystals
Not only did I see The Crystals (minus Darlene Love) in Asbury Park, they pulled me up on stage in front of God and everyone to perform The Locomotive with them. How embarrassing. I loved it. And got a big ol’ kiss on the cheek.
The Scratch Band
You sort of know them, even if you don’t. Members included G.E. Smith, Christine Ohlman, and Paul Ossola which went on to be part of the Saturday Night Live band in the early nineties. Anyway, I love their E.P. from 1977. When We Dance, Last Song, and I Only Want To Be With You are excellent.
UB40
Another trip to the One World Theater had me and my wife seeing UB40 in concert. Not sure when, but that doesn’t matter. It was sometime between 2008 and 2014 or so.
Whom did I forget? I’ve probably forgotten someone. And I won’t remember until after I post this.