Over the years I have attended thirty-seven live concerts.  Surprisingly one of the best was more a pop singer than a rock group – Harry Belafonte.  While the music is a key part of the concert, overall it is about entertainment and Harry B. (I saw him later in his career) was a polished and highly accomplished entertainer.

Today’s post, and in future ones on and off I am going to reminisce about those thirty-seven concerts.  Indulge me, comment if you have seen any of these performers and let us know what you thought.

Top Three

Paul McCartney –  Sir Paul tops the list.  Both as a brilliant musician and an accomplished performer, one of his biggest advantages is a song catalog full of number one hits on the billboard pop music charts.  That includes Paul’s nine as a solo artist and the twenty-seven Beatles songs that went to number 1,  for a total of thirty-four.  Overall between Paul solo, Wings and the Beatles he was associated with eighty songs that made the Billboard top 100.  Just to see a few of these live was a historic experience.

Led Zeppelin –  Here is a band that was motivated by the music.  Fame, fortune and adulation were bi-products for them.  What really mattered was the sound and they immersed themselves in each beat, each note – this concert was about the music and it was extraordinary.  I have heard in later years they shunned playing Stairway to Heaven (Page said it was overplayed for him) but I was fortunate to hear it live.  An interesting story; the opening melody of Stairway to Heaven matches exactly that of a song called “Taurus” by Spirit.  Taurus was released long before Stairway and Led Zeppelin were the opening act for Spirit concerts in 1967.  Hmmm!

Elton John –  Five billboard number one singles and twenty-two charting in the top one hundred he is no where near to Sir Paul but nothing to be sneezed at.  The most memorable moment was when some fifty-thousand fans stood and waved their lighters to the groove of “Candle in the Wind”.  What an experience by a great entertainer who was a pioneer of the weird costume trend picked up and expanded by many later artists,  the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga and so on.