performed by the Broadway cast. The way they pulled off the end onstage was incredible.

As an atheist, I was amazed that I even liked it.

something bigger than themselves. I'd certainly be able to go with the flow for 2 hrs. I like what I have heard of the music too.

(Road show, though... not the original.) It was wonderful!

she is singing so I your ear drums vibrate, I liked it too.

I don't remember that part.... but the boat and the flying chandelier were way cool!

I have never seen a play on Broadway. We do get really good traveling shows here though and have several excellent concert halls.

I used to go to the houston grand opera a lot. They have absolutely world-class productions.

Also, they have the words in English projected over the stage. It's called surtitles.
They do that even if the opera is in English.
It opened up a whole new world to me so that I could understand what was going on.

Also surprisingly good was Black Sabbath, 1985 (The Tony Iommi and a bunch of guys tour)

Pink Floyd, 1987
Blondie, 2006
Riverdance, 1997

It's great when you already know all the songs!

Honorable mention: "Jersey Boys".

I've been backstage with him at MM on Broadway more times than I can remember. Longest gig he ever had!

Good for your BIL.

Proud union members, all.

Blue Oyster Cult on LSD was alot of fun. (Drummer had a godzilla head on during...Godzilla drum solo)
Jimmy Buffett Got seats in the 12th row center. The contractor I was working for asked if we wanted
to eat at the Brown Derby or see Buffett.
I said I'll grab a hotdog.
Eddie Money, Santana, grateful dead ( left when they started.) 1st Oregon Jam at Autzen Stadium. Santana BLEW me away.
Great summer Day, L again.

Saw The outlaws in a small club in Bend Or., Had an absolute Kick-Ass night.

All of these were 15-30 years ago, Now I just work and sleep...man I hate getting old.

in LA.

They came out and played side one before they even said hello.

2. Moody Blues w/Orchestra
3. Mark knopfler Sailing to Philadelphia tour
4. Eagles Hotel California
5. Sir Paul McCartney
6. Allman Brothers
7. Kansas, Def Leopard, Scorpions 1979
8. Joe Walsh the confessor in a tiny theater in Green Bay
9. Kenny Wayne Shepard
10. Alan Parsons

I'd seen reruns of the movie was a kid and saw his reprisal of the role as part of a tour in the early '80's. He hadn't aged in my eyes, still had the strength of the original performance.

Of course it might have seemed so because the Alley was a more intimate venue in those days, compared to the larger places in town at that time and since then.

I always loved going to outdoor productions of Shakespeare and never missed a chance to see them anywhere for years, done by professionals and amateurs. At one time I nearly knew the plays word by word.

Another kind of performance I've been on hand for, were some movies being filmed in the evenings making use of the architecture of what was called in a book, 'The Once and Future City.' Having only been exposed to the finished product, it wasn't as much fun as I expected, all the actors, etc. all working in silence for what they'd dub later.

I don't know if it fits into your question, but I rode my bike downtown one night to the Jean Michel Jarre's Rendezvous concert in Houston. It was great, standing below him where they managed a fantastic light show using the skyscrapers there. I've been to many music concerts of famous performers.

But for me going to opera and symphony programs had more of the kind of feeling I'd term as transcendental performances.

That is what I love about some performance art, the being in the here and now as it's being done. Here is a slice of that show with Jarre.

....you should rent the movie "Topsy Turvy" -- it's about Gilbert & Sullivan writing The Mikado; not a documentary but the story of their collaboration and the inspiration for the operetta. You will be amused, surprised, and charmed.

I know all the words to Mikado, and to HMS Pinafore. My mother was very culturally inclined, and took me to every stage performance she could get to. Vienna Choir Boys, all the Gilbert & Sullivan, Showboat, Porgy & Bess, symphonies, yada yada yada. I have always been immensely grateful for that immersion. There is nothing quite like the moment when the light in the orchestra pit comes on and the violins start to tune up. It's just fizzy.

time I'm in the video store. I remember not much of the Mikado. Just that there were some really great characters.

The movie was released in 1999, btw.

extra credit!

(doing a little Mikado dance)

on edit: my favorite scene is the rehearsal of the trio. It's just delicious.

I hope it's on DVD. I have it on VHS but loaned that out and never got it back.

With Steve Vai as his (as he described) "stunt guitarist"

An amazing concert, beyond anything I have ever heard recorded OR live.

I was stunned into silence.

The phlorescent Leech, (Flo and Eddie) singing, Vai on guitar, and IIRC, that magnificent Ruth Underwood on vibes.

Fucking amazing.

A couple of nights after that I got to see Bonny Raitt......

was well wicked and awesome...

It was a great show for a dad and his young teen daughters!

As an adult? Probably Ziggy Marley.

The two best...

There was a Dinner Theater just south of here and I saw "Camelot" as an adult.

The food sucked, but the show was great.


And I saw "Boston" (the band) in concert in 1978.

I would say that was probably the very very best, out of all of them that I saw.

I just loved the music in that show, even more than HAIR, and that's saying something!

Other good ones, just not "the best"

Comedy - some guy (can't seem to remember his name) in Washington DC doing a show he called "In Defense of the Caveman."

Rock - Rolling Stones, a number of years ago, in Florida.

Pop - Billy Joel, Wembley Arena in the early 80s

Classical orchestra - can't really pick one

Opera - I hate, I mean I really hate, opera

Evita - Chicago

Followed by Rent and The Lion King

All on broadway.