OK - Not at all being argumentative here. I like a good musical debate.
Keep in mind that I am not limiting myself to the arena rock bands. If I were to throw out bands & musicians from the Rush era that I would go see live any day of the week, over Rush, I would list the following incomplete list (in no particular order).
(1) Rory Gallagher - Lordy, what a great guitarist, and wrote some darn good songs. A three man band the kicked butt. He was the Stevie Ray Vaughan of his time - but a hell of a lot more sober.
(2) Roy Buchanan - Not much of a songwriter, but boy could he work that telecaster.
(3) Springsteen - In that era he was hard to be paralleled for songwriting and that B&W video of him at the Hammersmith Odeon in London says it all. His wall of sound is not my cup of tea, but serious stage presence.
(4) The Grateful Dead - Don't judge me, but that band was a true band. They listened to each other during the 1970's and delved into and incorporated musical styles that have never matched. Driving rock to improvisational jazz. Their songs still endure today.
(5) The Clash - In that short window, they changed the course of Rock n' Roll.
(6) The Allman Brothers Band - OMG, what can you say other than their name. Did they invent the two guitar and two drummer rock phenom?
(7) Jethro Tull - What about Tull? Yikes, those 70's LPs are wonderful. First time I saw them live they opened up with Thick as a Brick. Could have walked out then. Their shows had little improvisation, but the songs were works of art.
(8) Frank Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere! Apostrophe, Nuff Said!
(9) Rollings Stones - during the Mick Taylor years. He is still a great blues guitarist.
(10) Santana - Now that was a fun band to see. There was a reason he named one of his LPs Festival. And a great guitar player too.
(11) Patti Smith Group - I'll take one My Generation or Space Monkey over any Rush concert.
(12) Eric Clapton - Even during his drunken 70's, he was gold.
(13) Johnny Winter - Lordy! Catch him on a sober night and his playing was seeped in classic blues and rock. An amazing guitar player. Sometimes he was too fast, but when he played the blues, he was channeling the real crossroads deal.
(14) Thin Lizzy - Saw them on their first US Tour and first stop of their first US Tour. Serious power and stage presence.
(15) Honorable Mentions - All those great blues artists who were playing small clubs but made their mark on the music of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Luther Allison. Son Seals. Play all night, party all night, catch a good burrito on the way home from a classic Chicago Blues Club. Life doesn't get any better.
Thanks for permitting my indulgences and my trip down memory lane.
