The top 50

For those of you not on Facebook ...

My former WEBR co-worker Ann Carden sent me a list of her top 50 bands seen live, and challenged me to come up with my own list. It's tough to do that; I have done lots of headslapping while saying "I forgot about ..." I just did it again with Supertramp and Renaissance.

For the record -- my first show was in 1975 with the Beach Boys, Doobie Brothers, Jefferson Starship, America, New Riders and Stanky Brown in Syracuse. This is no particular order:

1. Yes
2. Asia
3. Emerson, Lake and Palmer
4. Keith Emerson Band (Sayreville, New Jersey)
5. Beach Boys
6. Three Dog Night (before the rains came at a Bisons' game)
7. Barenaked Ladies
8. Chuck Berry (before a Baltimore Colts game)
9. Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul
10. Bruce Springsteen (2 different bands)
11. Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers
12. Renaissance
13. Doobie Brothers
14. Jackson Browne
15. Allman Brothers
16. Fleetwood Mac
17. Orleans
18. Elton John
19. Billy Joel
20. INXS
21. Brian Setzer Orchestra
22. Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe
23. Stevie Wonder
24. Moody Blues
25. The Turtles
26. The Monkees
27. James Taylor
28. Gary Puckett
29. J. Geils Band
30. The Who
31. The Clash
32. Bob Seger
33. Rolling Stones
34. Supertramp
35. Rush
36. Huey Lewis and the News
37. The Toasters
38. Genesis
39. The Police
40. Simon and Garfunkel
41. U2
42. Roger Waters (one song, rehearsal in the Aud)
43. Heart
44. Todd Rundgren (solo)
45. Crosby, Stills and Nash
46. Linda Ronstadt
47. Jethro Tull
48. Jerry Lee Lewis (Bisons game)
49. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
50. Jefferson Starship

This doesn't include such acts as John Fogerty, Al Stewart, John Sebastian, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Outlaws, Bette Midler, Gloria Estevan (Bisons' game), The Association, Everly Brothers, Grass Roots, Gary U.S. Bonds, Diana Ross (sister wanted to go), Re-flex, Poco, Andrew Gold, The Iron City Houserockers, McAuley-Schenker Group, Uriah Heep, Spanky and Our Gang, Blues Traveler, BR-549, Vinnie Moore, Steve Morse, The Perils, Stanky Brown, Paul Freeman ... and some unmemorable opening acts whose names have faded into the dustbin of history.

So who else should have I seen, besides any members of the Beatles? Peter Gabriel and Rod Stewart come to mind. Clapton, Dylan, and Santana would be nice.