Art is important to me. Music is wonderful art form in itself, but it takes a 2nd life as a live experience. Live music is akin to performance art, similar to theater, opera, or installation art.
Live music can make or break a band for me, because you can see things that never come across on the albums. Things like how the band portrays themselves, how the music makes them feel, how polished they sound without a producer, their connection to their fans, and how they live the rock and roll lifestyle.
I am proud (and sometimes a bit ashamed) of the bands I have gone to see in my lifetime, and I definitely do not want to forget any of of those experiences. This list is both a trophy and a reminder. A bit of a brag, but also a conversation starter. Are there any musicians you have seen? Any that are on your personal list to see?
Above and Beyond, DJs *
Airborne Toxic Event, The *
Alice In Chains
Alkaline Trio
Amos Lee
Ani Difranco *
Animal Collective
Anthrax
Andrew Bird *
Andrew WK
ATB, DJ *
Awolnation
Axwell (1/3 of Swedish House Mafia, DJs)
Band of Horses
Barenaked Ladies *
Beats Antique *
Beernuts
Ben Folds Five *
Ben Folds (Solo) *
Benny Benassi, DJ
Black Crowes, The
Black Keys, The
Blues Traveller *
Bloc Party
Bob Dylan
Bouncing Souls
Braid
Brazilian Girls *
Big Boi (of OutKast)
Bleachers
Broken Will
BT, DJ
Butch Walker * (of Marvelous 3)
Caffeine, DJ
Cage the Elephant
Calvin Harris, DJ
Candlebox *
Cary Brothers
Cat Power
Chemical Brothers
CHVRCHES
Collective Soul *
Counting Crows
Common
Cowboy Mouth
Creed
Crystal Method, The
Cure, The
Danzig (and Samhain, plus Doyle: 2/3 of the the original Misfits)
Dan Auerbach (of Black Keys)
Dan Band, The *
Dan Deacon
Daft Punk
David Guetta
Depeche Mode *
Decemberists, The
Decendents
Deltron 3030 (Supergroup - Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Dan the Automator of Gorillaz, DJ Kid Koala spinning, DJ Steve Aoki on backing guitar & Juan Alderete of The Mars Volta on backing bass.)
Donnas, The *
Dropkick Murphys
Duffy
Elizabeth Elmore * (of Sarge)
Elvis Costello *
Fastball
Fatboy Slim
Felix da Housecat, DJ *
Fitz & the Tantrums
Fleet Foxes
Flogging Molly *
Foo Fighters *
Foster the People
G.Love and Special Sauce
Game, The
Gaslight Anthem, The
Gesaffelstein
Girl Talk *
Gary Hoey
Glasvegas
Glitch Mob, The *
Gogol Bordello
Grant Lee Buffalo
Gravity Kills *
GROUPLOVE
Guster *
Gwar *
Hozier
Iggy Pop and the Stooges *
Interpol *
Imogen Heap (of Fru Fru)
Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco)
Jesus and Mary Chain, The
Jett
Joan Jett
Joe Satriani *
Kanye West
Kenny Wayne Sheppard
Kid CuDi
Kid Rock
Killers, The
Kill Hannah *
Kongos, The
Kooks, The
Kings of Leon
KT Tunstall (maybe not? - a hazy night)
LCD Soundsystem
Local H *
Lou Reed
Lorde
Lupe Fiasco * (my 100th artist seen live!)
Mark Ronson
Martin Garrix, DJ
Marvelous 3, The *
Megadeth
Meshuggah
Metallica
Mindless Self Indulgence *
Ministry
Moby *
Modest Mouse
Monster Magnet
Motion City Soundtrack
Motorhead
Muse
My Morning Jacket
Nine Inch Nails
NOFX
Outkast
Ozzy Ozbourne
Of Montreal
Paolo Nutini
Passion Pit (Acoustic set)
Paul Oakenfold, DJ *
Pearl Jam
Pegboy
Perry Farrell (of Janes Addiction)
Peter Frampton
Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus)
Phantogram
Phantom Planet
Poi Dog Pondering *
Porno for Pyros
Presidents of the United States of America
Pretty Lights
Rachel Yamagata (of Bumpus)
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Ramstein
Rancid
Rapture, The
Regina Spektor
Reputation, The
Rev. Payton's Big Damn Band *
Rise Against
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Roots, The
Satellite Party (Supergroup - Perry Ferrel of Janes Addiction & Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Sebastian Ingrosso (1/3 of Swedish House Mafia, DJs)
Silverchair
Smashmouth
Snoop Dog
Snow Patrol
Social Distortion
Stabbing Westward *
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (formerly of Pavement)
Steve Angello * (1/3 of Swedish House Mafia, DJs)
Steve Aoki
Stone Temple Pilots *
STS9
Temper Trap, The
They Might Be Giants *
Thievery Corporation *
Third Eye Blind
Tiesto, DJ
Toadies
Tool *
Tossers, The *
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
UB-40
Vampire Weekend
VAST
Velvet Revolver (Supergroup - Guns & Roses sans Axle plus Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots)
Wilco
Yo La Tengo
Your Vegas
* Repeats
Bands = 185
* Repeats = 45+
Sets = 230+
Note: Last updated (sort of) 04/25/13... missed most since 11/1/08
Notice the footnote? That the list has an end date of 2008 or 2013? My interest has not faded in the past decade, it has only grown stronger!
So why do I not have more updated information? Well, that's a secret! Here's a hint, I changed the way I tracked this information.
So let's chat and I'll probably tell you the exciting new way I am tracking my passion for music and live performance art!