How often do you listen to live music?

I used to attend a LOT of live events, pretty much exclusively rock of various forms. Plenty of business travel and three kids put a damper on attending as many concerts as I'd like to but I do go when I can. The ticket prices and lacklustre effort put out by some bands are deplorable. Case in point: I saw the much anticipated (and hyped) U2 show a few months back. No edge (forgive me, no pun intended), no creativity, no improv, no...well, they went through the motions. Depeche Mode, same disappointing effort. There's just too much of this kind of money-grab going on in the rock world. There are several bands I never miss and even try to find out where they're playing to try to match up my travel plans with their tour. The Tragically Hip. Ladies and gents, take a flier and catch this Canadian band when they're in your neck of the woods next. Same goes for Blue Rodeo if yer into country-rock. John Mellencamp and Roger Waters blew me away, incredible shows. Every now and then I'll hear of a good local band doing the bar scene and check-em out, but more often than not they play mostly covers so it gets old in a hurry. Enough about rock...fortunately there's an active blues and jazz scene here in Montreal and plenty to pick from. Small venues, good honest musicians plying their trade. One of the great paradox's in life, when you're younger you have all kinds of leisure time, when you get a little older you have the cash and very little time to enjoy it. Long live LP's to fill in the gap. Jeff

Minneapolis is a great city for the arts. I try to get to a classical event monthly and with the blues/jazz venues second only to Chicago I find alot of choices. We try to watch for Princes late night events at his studio just ten minutes away. He often jambs with national artists recording there. New groups are always a part of life in Mpls too, so I try and catch them too.
Fact is, I prefere my stereo most of the time. The accoustics are better, I get tenth row middle at all the venues (something I cann't achieve in real life) and I control how loud it is. The biggest reason I enjoy my stereo is Miles, Duke, Coltrane, Hendrix, Duane... are dead, so there concerts are not very good lately.
Yes it's nice to here live and keep your ears tuned, but for my money, my stereo is always a great performance.

J-D good to see you again, in this neck of the virtual woods!

Same here J-D....and thanks Jeff, seems to be the same all over. I got goosepimples however as I read your thoughts about "honest" Jazz- and Bluesmusicians and what bliss, hearing THE Prince jamming. WOW. And as the adrenaline flowed, I thought again: " Amerika, Du hast es besser "!

A brief follow-up on the BSO. I have only lived here for about 2 1/2 years. I have not been to a "Zinman" concert, but everyone here in Baltimore that attends the symphony regularly (including a neighbor who is in the symphony) agrees that Temirkanov has stepped it up a notch. I think sometimes it's just getting a new director that puts everyone on their toes to perform their best--at any rate the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has really impressed me. The Lang Lang performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto is probably the best concert I've ever seen.