Concert Reviews, Index

This page is for reviews of concerts people have seen during the 80s and reviews of tours that more recently focus on vintage 80s groups (like Depeche Mode or Bow Wow Wow, etc.). The first reviews here are from the old message board, so they might look a little familar. Hope no one minds me reformatting their original messages.

This page currently edited by: No one. Past editor: Vapor Trails, Banasy



"public image ltd." / 1982 or 3
East side club Phila. Pa. Lydon stood behind a huge bodyguard throughout most of the show. The crowd was spitting at him too much.
Review by: johnj
"PRIMUS" / 1988
CLUB DETROIT, ST. PETERSBURG, FL PRIMUS PLAYED IN THIS VENUE HOLDING NO MORE THAN 150 IS CRAZY. TO SAY YOU'VE STOOD IN FRONT OF LES CLAYPOOL AND WATCHED HIS FINGERS MOVE LIKE LIGHTNING IS NIRVANA. HE WAS TRULY INCREDIBLE TO WATCH UP CLOSE, PRIMUS JUST ROCKED THE HOUSE.
Review by: RATFINK
"RUN DMC" / 1989 OR SO
RUN DMC WAS DUE TO PLAY AN ORLANDO, FL SHOW THE NEXT DAY, AND DECIDED TO PLAY A SMALL VENUE FOR A WARM UP IN A ST. PETERSBURG, FL. VENUE WAS CALLED CITY LIGHTS, A SMALL, REDNECK BAR THAT HELD NO MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE. BEING ONE OF 50 OR SO THAT FOUND OUT ABOUT IT AND SAW THEM LIVE WAS A TREAT. BEYOND WORDS. GETTING TO TALK TO JMJ, RUN AND D AT THAT TIME WAS AMAZING. THE TIME OF BIG GOLD CHAINS AND ADIDAS WERE WORTHY. TO SEE 12 FT. TALL SPEAKERS OF NOTHING BUT BASS BEING BROUGHT IN TO A TINY ROOM WAS SHOCKING TO SAY THE LEAST. THEY PLAYED ABOUT 1.5 HOURS OF THE BEST, CLOSEST DMC I'VE EVER SEEN, AND FOR ONLY $5. TRUE STORY.
Review by: RATFINK
"RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS" / 1984 OR 1985
TAMPA, FL LONDON VICTORY CLUB. THEIR VERY FIRST TOUR AFTER TRUE MEN DON'T KILL COYOTES. DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT I WAS WATCHING, BUT SEEING FLEA ABSOLUTELY KILL IT, THEN PISS IN A CUP ON STAGE MID SONG WAS UNBELIEVABLE. BURNED IN MY MIND FOREVER.
Review by: RATFINK
"OINGO BOINGO" / 1984 BAYFRONT THEATER
ONE OF MY VERY FIRST LIVE SHOWS AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. SO MANY MUSICIANS ON STAGE, DANNY ELF MAN TYING IT ALL TOGETHER, WHAT AN AMAZING SOUND LIVE. HARD TO BELIEVE THEY ROCKED ST. PETE, FL.
Review by: RATFINK
"AGENT ORANGE & SURF PUNKS" / 1985 SPRING BREAK
WHILE ATTENDING SPRING BREAK FESTIVITIES IN DAYTONA BEACH, AGENT ORANGE OPENED FOR THE SURF PUNKS. HALF PIPE LOCATED MID FLOOR, AGENT ORANGE KILLED IT AS USUAL, SURF PUNKS CHAIN SAWED A SURF BOARD MID SONG, 'NOUGH SAID.
Review by: RATFINK
"peter gabriel" / summer '80
Strange atomic age concert - red spinning lights on clothes, few stage lights,sound quality effects. Wish it was on video.
Review by: marc benson
"Iron Maiden" / 1987, 2002 & 2008
AWESOME!The first time my friends & I were to see them in Cleveland. We had the tickets, but wrecked the car the night before the show. So, a few weeks later, we saw them in Dayton. Words cannot even describe. Next to Zeppelin, my pick for The greatest all-time band and even better live! Took my oldest son to Columbus to see them for his 5th birthday (at his request), then, he & I went to Cleveland to see them again this year. They say that wine gets better with age....same goes for MAIDEN!!! Bruce, Dave, Adrian, Nicko, Steve & Janick....Keep rockin' & we'll keep comin to the shows!!!
Review by: Carolyn
"brhhljwa" / brhhljwa
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Review by: brhhljwa
"led zeppelin" / 1990
sacramento
Review by: dan
"Duran Duran" / Worcester Centrum March 15, 1984
My girlfriend at the time and her college dorm roommate were able to get four tickets for one of the two sold out shows at the Worcester Centrum. (Worcester is about 30 miles west of Boston. The Worcester Centrum was a new stadium, opened in 1982. For the next 13 years, until The Boston Fleet Center opened, very few, if any bands touring the Boston area went to the old, non air conditioned, poor sounding Boston Garden. You had to drive down the Mass Pike to Worcester.) Now I was not a big fan of Duran Duran, but my girlfriend and her roommate (like very virtually every girl in America at the time) LOVED them, so that means Iâ€TMm going. They had just won two Grammyâ€TMs for their videos and Princess Diana had named them as her favorite band. Not to mention it seemed every third video on MTV (when MTV actually played videos all the time) was Duran Duran. If nothing else they were POPULAR. I rolled a couple of joints to take with me to the show figuring Iâ€TMd enjoy it more with a bit of a buzz. Every concert I had been to had always featured major ganja usage. Unfortunately, when we got to the show, the two major categories of the audience were 13 year old girls and their parents! I took my seat surrounded by pre-teens, young teens and their parents. Iâ€TMm not smoking anything tonight and will just have to watch the show in an unadultered state. They played all their major hits (Hungry Like the Wolf, Girls on Film, New Moon on Monday etc) but what I really remember is the constant scream from 10,000 plus pre-pubescent voices! The funny thing is, 23 years later, I actually like their music a lot. I had more respect for them after John and Andy Taylor showcased their talents in Power Station (with Robert Palmer). They were a great 80â€TMs band (maybe THE 80â€TMs band) and I always turn up the volume when one of their songs comes on now.
Review by: Ray
"Huey Lewis and the News" / Boston Common July or Aug 1985?
Back in the 80's, the city of Boston used to have concerts on the Boston Common. They would fence off an area of the Common and there were seats for maybe several hundred people. At the time I was dating a girl (whose name, like the exact date of this concert has been lost to the tides of time) whose best friend had tickets to see Huey Lewis and the News. Back to the Future had just come out, and Sports was still a fairly recent album (having gone number 1 the year before), so to see him in such a venue meant a great time was guaranteed. I canâ€TMt remember the exact playlist except to say it included all their most well known songs at the time. The concert itself was great, Huey Lewis and the News were sharp and they were backed by the Tower of Power horn section. I remember the crowd was standing on its feet for much of the show. Unfortunately, the old biddies who lived in the neighborhood (posh Beacon Hill) complained about the noise from the Concerts on the Common held that summer, so they were soon brought to an end. And to this day, no additional concerts (featuring popular bands) have played on the Common. But at least I can say I saw one of the most popular bands of the 80â€TMs play in one of the most famous spots in America on a great summerâ€TMs night.
Review by: Ray
"The Police" / August 10, 1983
Sullivan Stadium (formerly Schaefer Stadium) in Foxboro, Massachusetts (home of the New England Patriots) had not held a concert in several years when the Police rolled in for a single show on August 10, 1983, so it was a pretty big deal. And luckily enough, we were able to score 16 seats (with 8 on the floor) for the biggest concert that year! We headed up early in a caravan of four cars, making sure we had plenty of beer and food for what was going to be an all day event. We got to the parking lot at around Noon for a show that would start at 3:00 PM. By three o'clock, everyone had a good buzz going and we could hear the chords of The Fixx (one of the bands playing that day) coming from inside the stadium. We decided it was time to go in and enjoy the show. The stadium was about 1/3 full as The Fixx played their tunes. Those of us with floor seats decided to head down to the stadium floor and then I hit on an idea. I grabbed the stubs from those with floor seats and went up to my friend in the stands, passing them out. Before you knew it, we were ALL on the stadium floor for the show. We made our way up to the stage as A Flock of Seagulls began their set. I remember is started getting more and more crowded and as A Flock of Seagulls finished their set, it was a**hole to belly button on the stadium floor. Never having been on a stadium floor for a show before, it was a bit unnerving as hundreds of people packed like sardines pushed and shoved, fell over or fell down. But once the Police started their set (roaring onto the stage with Synchronicity I) the crowd seemed to settle down and enjoy the music. I don't remember the exact playlist, but they played all their most well know songs. It was terrific show in a terrific setting. A warm summer's evening in the Foxboro countryside. We left the show that evening, bought our T-Shirt and headed home. The bonus came the next day as we read the Boston Herald story about the show, there in the center spread was a picture of the audience on the stadium floor as seen from the stage. And there in the middle was myself, arms extended in the air in a triumphant pose, my friends all around me!
Review by: Ray
"Def Leppard" / December 1987
This was a defining moment in my life. This was during the "Hysteria" tour, and till this date, I've never seen such an amazing show. The band sounded like nothing I've ever heard before. Not many bands can exceed their recorded sound live, but Def definately did. Technically, they were at the top of their game, and definately the best sounding band of the time!
Review by: Jim
"Men at Work" / 1981
I was holidaying at Coffs Habour (NSW east coast Aussie land), when I saw a advertisement that Men at Work where playing at the local pub. At this stage they had just hit it big in Australia, pre Land down under. I had already purchased the Bussiness as usual album, (if you have not heard it you should have a listen great music). Anyway the concert blew me and my mates away. We had the greatest time ever, it was our first concert at rite old age of 18.
Review by: Mark
"Asia" / Aug/Sept 2006
The 23 year wait to see this band back together with all 4 original members was well worth the wait! My favorite all time band was finally playing together again since September of 1983! They were 23 years older, wiser, and blew everyone away with their musicianship. These 4 giants of the 1970's British Progressive Rock Goldenage (John Wetton: lead vocals and bass, Steve Howe: Guitars, Carl Palmer: Drums, and Geoffrey Downes: Keyboards) rocked the house down at all 4 shows I attended. They sounded EXACTLY as they did on their albums Asia from 1982, and Alpha from 1983. You will hear all the hits including "Heat of the Moment", "Only Time Will Tell", "Sole Survivor", "Don't Cry", and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes". In addition, they performed a 15 minute 3 song acoustic set that was amazing. The band even played 1 song from each of the members past bands.....Yes, King Crimson, ELP, and the Buggles! They will be touring the US again this summer with Foreigner, Styx, and alone. If you want to see masters of their musical craft in action, DON'T MISS ASIA!!!!The SUPERGROUP of the 1980's back together again and rocking the world!
Review by: Art
"Motley Crue" / 1985-1987 and 1989
i was lucky enough to see the crue 3 times in the 80s.the theater of pain ,girls girls girls and dr feelgood tours.the were the absolute masters of kick ass rock and roll showmanship. the props ,lasers and pyro were unforgettable.the vocals and music sounded as good or better live than on the albums,which is a rarity in itself ,but the shows as a whole were truly an experience.too bad that the large scale ,stage shows are almost a thing of the past.i never felt like i paid enough for my tickets when it was over .those were the days ! all three times i saw them were sell outs with 13-15000 screaming maniacs singing the words to every song.yep those were the days
Review by: ben
"Suzi quatro,Smokie,The sweet" / 2006-12-07
I'm only 17, but I like this bands very much since i saw them first time. They performed in vilnius, lithuania.I will never forget that amazing show.The bands vere playing almost 4 hours.Especially I was charmed by Suzi. When she came on a stage whole hall was screaming and get crazy. She was so strenuous. Also she was playing the guitar, piano and drums :).I will never forget that concert.p.s I love 80's :)
Review by: kupolas
"Live Aid" / July 13, 1985
What can I say, that already hasn't been said about Live Aid. It really was a special day. I was at the Philly show. High Points: *Madonna, right after her nude pictures were published said she wasn't gonna take off anything so they wouldn't hold it against her in 10 years...too late babe. *Hall & Oates with the Temptations. OK, well Eddie couldn't hit the notes, but David's voice was as smooth as ever. *George Thorogood & Albert Collins. Great blues set Low Points: *Dylan, Keith Richards and Ron Wood sounding like they just rolled out of bed *Led Zeppelin with Phil Collins. The worst part was that Phil was the best part. These guys coulda used a couple more rehearsals.
Review by: Bob
"Eddie Money" / 1989
Fun. Alot of Hippie's. When "Shakin'" started, the girl in front of me either was so excited she passed out, or something else was going on(?) Eddie's hair was in his face the whole time---but the music was outstanding. Not a fancy show, but it was the music that shone.
Review by: Lori


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