Elton John

Watford
Vicarage Road Stadium

Saturday, 29th May 2010

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Artist Index

So what do I know about it ?

"rock will never last !" - that's what they said

Memphis, Tennessee

I am just a fan.

As I entered my teenage years, Bill Haley and Elvis Presley were starting the rock and roll era.

The music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly was the music of my early youth.

In my teenage years the Beatles, the Stones, the Who, and the music of the 60's became the music of "my generation".

And in the 1970's the supergroups, including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and the Tamla Motown sound followed.

Through the 80's and 90's many of these artists continue to perform, and new artists have emerged.

Those that are departed, still live on with their music and video.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The pundits said rock would never last, how wrong they were !
Let there be rock .......

Some of the groups and artists I have seen

Rolling Stones (four times)
The Who
Stylistics
Supremes
Four Tops
Steve Winwood
Spencer Davis Group
Everly Brothers (twice)
Duane Eddy
Little Richard
Chuck Berry
Conway Twitty
Clyde McPhatter (original lead singer of The Drifters)
Stevie Wonder
Black Sabbath (three times)
Ozzy Osbourne
Bobby Darin
Paul McCartney (twice)
Elton John
Fleetwood Mac
ZZ Top
Roy Orbison
Neil Diamond
Simply Red
Chris Rea
Jerry Lee Lewis (twice)

Eric Clapton (twice)
Phil Collins (twice)
Uriah Heep
Cliff Richard and the Drifters (twice) - I mean the Drifters not the Shadows
Cliff Richard
The Ronettes
The Crickets (alas post Buddy)
Hot Chocolate
Tommy Roe (twice)
Ray Charles (three or four times)
Led Zeppelin
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page
Little Feat
Dire Straits
Pink Floyd
Tina Turner
Michael Jackson
Van Morrison
Status Quo (twice)
Searchers
Swinging Blue Jeans
Peter, Paul, and Mary
The Coasters (in 2002 !)
Chris Montez
Lonnie Donegan (four times) - his skiffle group awakened a musical interest for many in the UK

and many others (in support, or that I have not remembered yet !)

The best group/artist I have ever seen

Led Zeppelin at Earls Court (a brilliant concert spoilt only by the acoustics of Earls Court)

The best concerts I have seen

The Who at Charlton, London (an open air gig with magnificent sound, and those lasers !)
Knebworth (so many great performances)

Magnificent concerts ( I hate to pick them out because I have enjoyed them all)

Steve Winwood (Royal Albert Hall, London) - one of my favourities, but so laid back.
Paul McCartney (NEC, Birmingham) - all that the Beatles should have been !
ZZ Top (Wembley, London) - how do three guys create such a sound ?
Fleetwood Mac (Wembley, London) - so many good songs
Tina Turner (Woburn Abbey) - brilliant from start to finish
Conway Twitty (Odeon Theatre, Birmingham) - I left the theatre thinking that this is what Elvis would be like !.
Stevie Wonder (Odeon Theatre, Birmingham) - the PA used a third of the stage.
Jerry Lee Lewis (Plaza Ballroom, Birmingham, England) - so close I could have caught his piano stool.
Rolling Stones (Black and Blue Tour - Stafford, England) - always supreme live band.
Black Sabbath (Odeon Theatre, Birmingham) - never stood on the cinema seats before !
Ray Charles (Odeon Theatre, Birmingham) - a real master.

Worst concert I have seen

Uriah Heep (Hammersmith Odeon, London - spoilt by their foul language)

and of course I enjoy the music of so many others on album or CD.

Biggest regrets

Not going to see the Beatles and Buddy Holly.

That Elvis did not perform in the UK (particularly in his early years).

The artists that impressed me

John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) - probably the best drummer in the world
Keith Richards
Steve Winwood
Robert Plant
Roger Daltrey
Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac)
Mick Hucknall (Simply Red) - what a voice