Worst Concert Ever?

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 29 May 2009 6:08 am

An early pre-Stevie Fleetwood Mac. Christine Mcvie didn't show, it was Fleetwood and Mac, and I don't remember who on guitar. A total disappointment. jp

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 29 May 2009 7:11 am

early 70s, went to see Jeff Beck in NYC & was bored stiff
Redbone on the other hand saved the evening

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 29 May 2009 10:47 am

The Marc-Almond Band trying follow two of the greatest performances I've ever seen, Robin Trower opening, followed by Wishbone Ash.

Delbert and Glen drinking cans of Pabst while trying to open for my favorite Steve Stills solo group, Manassas.

Loggins and Messina opening for Rod Stewart.

1988 version of The Band plus Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Two of my favorites at their worst.

Beano trying to open for John Stewart and then making a lot of noise at the pool table during his set.

Graham Central Station opening for Freddy King.

Steve Miller, Free, Peter Frampton, and J. Geils. I didn't want to see any of them, but my girlfriend wanted to. "Yes, honey, they were great. I'm so happy I went."

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 29 May 2009 11:23 am

Most of my bad concert experiences can be traced directly to the so called "sound engineer" where the overall sound just doesn't fit the venue.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 May 2009 11:59 am

I didn't want to see any of them, but my girlfriend wanted to. "Yes, honey, they were great. I'm so happy I went."

Been there, done that! I had to sit through a Charlie Daniels Band "concert" back in the '80s. They were sloppy and loud. What a mess.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 29 May 2009 1:50 pm

Worst concert .. Kenny Chesney in Philly at the FU Center (First Union) I was on the next to last row, right below Jesus, behind the big screen and the front of the stage. There was a big smelly girl on her feet in front of the the entire time.. I prayed she would fall...
oh and there was Billy Ray Cyrus at the Spectrum.. at least it was a freebee

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 29 May 2009 3:44 pm

One of the best shows I ever saw was Peter Rowan with the "Free Mexican Air Force", which consisted that night at the KFC Bluegrass Festival in Louisville, of Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Bela Fleck, Junior Husky, and I think, Jerry Douglas. Taste, talent, and chops to burn.

Cut to four years later: Peter Rowan and his two brothers in Sandpoint, Idaho. Self-indulgence raised to a pinnacle of the art form. Mr Douglas in attendance again, providing the artistic high point of the evening with a ten minute unaccompanied masterpiece. Followed by the Rowans doing a version of Land of the Navajo which probably only lasted fifteen or twenty minutes but seemed months longer. Pete was still wailing away (did I mention self-indulgent?) when we were driving out of the fairgrounds with the windows open. Perhaps some sort of retribution against the white man.

KP

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 29 May 2009 7:11 pm

A great band on a great tour and it was one of the only concerts I've left early from - Cream on their Sacramento stop on the Wheels of Fire tour. The next few nights were the ones recorded for their live album and they certainly didn't suck on those nights!

In Sacramento, though, none of the playing was really working and by what-seemed-like-an-eternity into the ear-splitting Ginger Baker solo my head was banging (in the wrong way) and I just couldn't take it anymore.

This coming from someone who even made it through an extended (!) show by Donovan. ZZZzzzzzzzz...

Mike Dudash · Post by **Mike Dudash** » 30 May 2009 6:58 pm

Kenny Rogers at Pepsi Cola roadhouse in Washington Pa. Overpriced and the waitress gave me last call at around 8pm said that Mr Rogers didn't want people walking around while he was on stage. She also informed me that the staff had to wait in line at the normal restrooms instead of the ones for the staff, because Mr. Rogers didn't want people backstage. Service was VERY slow and not due to the staff. I wouldn't give a nickle to ever see him again.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 30 May 2009 10:00 pm

Jeremy Steele wrote:A friend dragged me to see the Cowboy Junkies...maybe it was an off night for them, because my friend swore they were usually great, but this performance was an apt commentary on their name...the music was stupor inducing...only time I've fallen asleep at a "Rock" concert.

Hey, I snoozed at a Cowboy Junkies show as well! Totally nodded off. Ottawa, '89. Townes Van Zandt was the opener, and he was great.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 31 May 2009 5:04 am

The Righteous Brothers at a corporate event. Long past their prime, they stumbled through with thinly concealed contempt for the audience. Close second for worst-ever: the Bacon Brothers.

Maybe it was good if you like that sort of thing but who the hell could tell department:
Archie Shepp in a free jazz concert in the park in Rome. Circa 1976.

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 31 May 2009 8:38 am

A Johny Cash show many years ago. I think the party from the night before was still ongoing because everything that could have been messed up got messed up.

I also had tickets to George Jones shows twice. The first one he didn't show at all and at the second he was on stage for three songs that were butchered beyond belief then he just walked off stage.

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 31 May 2009 1:55 pm

#1 - About 1959, Webb Pierce so drunk he couldn't get his hand into his pocket to get a pick ... so he just strummed with his left arm hanging down. Eventually just staggered off stage.

#2 - Waylon, at the height of the Outlaws era, sang one medley consisting of a verse or two of most of his hits, total 17 minutes as I recall, then was done. And I had talked a friend who didn't particularly care for country into going with me .. Arrggh!!

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 31 May 2009 5:30 pm

Caught the Tues/Wed shows of a 5 night 'payback' stand at The Troubadour by Gregg Allman in '75-ish. Tuesday night was mind boggling, with Gregg leading the Troub's houseband, the legenday Section (who opened the evening), thru an amazing heavy blues set. And, was supposedly the night he met Cher, his future ex-wife.

Wednesday night show time, and everyone's expecting another magical moment..., Gregg staggers to the lone bar stool on centerstage, dragging his accoustic. Manages to prop himself enuf to toss all his hair back and get in a big beautiful arm flailing opening strum that sends him reeling over backwards off the stool and onto his head. End of show.

I heard Cher was impressed..., and I deffinitely felt I got my money's worth, he was great!

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 31 May 2009 5:59 pm

Ron Whitfield wrote:.. Tues/Wed shows of a 5 night 'payback' stand at The Troubadour

At that same place, a couple of years earlier, Commander Cody's band on consecutive nights was close to the best, followed by the worst, show I'd ever seen.

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 31 May 2009 6:36 pm

Loretta Lynn earlier this year. The focus and attention span isn't what it was even five years ago. She's fortunate to have her family on tour with her for support.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 1 Jun 2009 5:24 am

The "Ventures" because the sound man had the treble turned up on the guitars so high that it was "PAINFUL"...sadly, I had to leave.

Then there was the Merle Haggard gig at the "Celebrity Theater", in the Bay Area...it wasn't Merle...He was great..it was the opening act... something about "RASCALS".

The worst rock band I ever heard...couldn't understand how a group like that would be opening for the "Hag" so I tracked down the Manager of the "Celebrity" and he said that Merle's label sent them out with him... $:\$

Ron Sodos · Post by **Ron Sodos** » 4 Jun 2009 1:38 pm

Nothing but out of tune and hype. Toby Keith was one big truck commercial. A new low in entertainment history.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 5 Jun 2009 4:59 pm

Ramblin' Jack Elliott, McCabe's, '90s.

I recently visited Wolfgang's Vault archives with a 16-ton chip of skepticism on my shoulder because I couldn't believe for a second he could ever have been any good. Surprisingly, during the Camelot era, he kinda was.

I keep looking for him on each successive week's episode of "Intervention" on the Arts & Inebriation Network.

Byron Walcher · Post by **Byron Walcher** » 5 Jun 2009 11:24 pm

Jerry Jeff Walker, 1973, Mesa State College Fieldhouse, too loaded to remember the lyrics to his own songs plus real bad sound.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 6 Jun 2009 6:12 am

OOOOPS...I forgot one!

Jimmy Reed, in 1967 I saw Jimmy, who was pretty wasted. I still enjoyed him...just felt a little sorry for him.

The opening band was AAAWWWFUL! They were called "The saga of the Viking women on thier perilous journey along the shores of the electric slinky". $:\$

Jimmy was backed by his son, (Who had just gotten out of the Navy)and the bass player and drummer from the afore mentioned group...mid way through the first song, Jimmy stopped the song and turned to the bass player and said very calmly, "Man turn that thing down", then spent the next hour singing and trying to remain upright on the stool that he was sitting on....I loved him even not being at his best!

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 7 Jun 2009 2:58 pm

Sound like they oughta hold major concerts around three in the afternoon, after the worst of the hangover's over but before the musicians get too re-hammered to play.

Ken Mullett · Post by **Ken Mullett** » 10 Jun 2009 1:57 pm

Loretta Lynn in South Bend a couple of years ago. Mostly blabbering and trying to sing a request repeatedly that she couldn't remember the words to. Very disappointing "concert".She wouldn't be capable of doing a concert if it wasn't for her family!

Marc Stone · Post by **Marc Stone** » 11 Jun 2009 6:20 am

Neil Young and the Blue Notes on the "This Note's For You" tour, c.1988 at The World on 2nd Street and Ave. D in NYC (i.e. a crappy little heroin hipster joint in one of the worst neighborhoods known to man).

Add to that Neil trying to be blues guy with the horn section and the band in suits and the worst music he ever wrote, played in in 2 identical back to back sets. It was a 3 night run, I think, and from what I heard tickets to the first night were scalping for over $100 per on the street, unheard of for a club show at the time, even in NYC. I sold my extra ticket on the second night for a subway token.
After the show I saw 6'6" cab driver hit a drunk, obnoxious and very deserving patron so hard that the guy literally flew several feet through the air before a very hard landing. That was the most entertainment I had all night, and I am not really a "random violence as entertainment" type guy.

On the flip side, Neil w/ Ben Keith et al at Jazz Fest a few weeks ago was one of the BEST shows I have ever seen.

Equally bad as the Blue Notes was the Band at Pier 84 2 nights after Richie Manuel died. Robbie Robertson had played with the for them first time since the Last Waltz the night before, and these guys obviously hadn't had much sleep and were brutally wasted. Levon lost his voice on the opener, Danko was too sloshed for words, and Nathan East had to save the show by singing a beautiful version "Can't Find My Way Home". Almost left after that, but ran into some older guys who said "aren't you staying for Johnny Winter?". So after one of the worst sets I ever saw I got to see JW for the first time, in all his Rock and Roll glory, long before his powers started to diminish. Changed my life.

Steve Alcott · Post by **Steve Alcott** » 12 Jun 2009 8:20 pm

Not really a concert, but like a couple of others, I was forced by lust to attend a performance the thought of which still makes me shudder. I saw "Cats" on Broadway.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Worst Concert Ever?

Montgomery Gentry and Toby Keith this last year