Music Monday ~ Who Have You Seen Performing Live?

My husband, and some of his family, have seen literally dozens of famous musicians and vocalists performing live. Once they begin reciting their lists I listen enviously, trying hard to remember anybody nationally or internationally famous at all that I've seen on stage. Best I can do is say I saw British crooner Dickie Valentine, back in the 1950s; then many years later, sometime in the 1990s, I saw country music star Don Williams perform in Harrogate, Yorkshire. I think that's about it!

It wasn't that I was never enthusiastic enough, I just never had opportunities to attend concerts, often due to where I was living, or my work hours, or travel difficulties, or expense. In the UK, in those days, and still, I guess, most big name stars performed only in London, and that was always out of reach for me, due to all of the listed reasons.

I have enjoyed listening regularly to a number of locally-known vocalists during vacation times abroad (abroad from the UK that is) who, though well-known in their little corner of the world, were not household names. Those artists were more real to me, anyway, than some "big name" big shots. I could chat to them, have a drink with them, sing along even....more fun altogether than sitting in the cheap seats of some huge theatre or arena.

Ye gods, I do so hate arenas! We went to an arena concert in Tulsa to see the American Idol concert in the year when Adam Lambert was runner up, 2008 I think (he should've won!) We could scarcely hear the singing for the incessant screams and screeches all around. Simply unpleasant, it was!

I've done much better on the live performance front since coming to the USA. Thanks to husband, his daughter and son-in-law we've seen Leon Russell, Elton John, Ricky Lee Jones, and Boz Scaggs - all but one in nice, smallish venues.

Husband and I took a coach trip from our town to to Branson, Missouri some years ago, included in the tour was a show featuring Andy Williams & Petula Clark; and another with country singer Mickey Gilley. Still on the country music front we saw an old favourite of mine, Gene Watson singing at a small casino near Norman, Oklahoma. We also saw David Alan Coe "singing" in a small venue in Oklahoma City several years ago. What possessed us to make the effort for that I really don't know. Ooooh, but it was LOUD and pretty darn BAD! We staggered out into the car park at half time never to return. I was deaf - completely for a while, a very strange experience - new to me! Husband had constant ringing in his ears for a while too.

I've been wondering who, among those living and still performing, I'd pay good money to see on stage, but I came up empty. CDs and/or DVDs will suffice! What I'd really love to see would be top notch live peformances of two favourite musicals, Les Miserables and Evita. Not much hope of that though, I suspect.

Anyway - who among musicians and singers have you seen performing "in the flesh" as it were, or alternatively, who do you wish you'd seen or might still have the chance of seeing - any offers?