Concert Reviews, Songs Beginning with P

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



"Pat Benatar" / August 9, 1999
I saw Pat Benatar in Red Bank this past summer and she absolutely rocked! Since she was promoting her 20th Anniversary cd she made sure that she went through as many hits as possible, and even played some songs that she hadn't done since the early 80's like "Get Nervous(Anxiety)" and "Precious Time". She opened with "Treat Me Right" and went right into "You Better Run", "I Need A Lover", and "Invincible". I also saw Cyndi Lauper and she was okay, but only did a 45 minute show opening for Cher. She re-worked "She-Bop" into a new version and sang "Girl Just Want To Have Fun".
Review by: Eric
"Pat Benatar" / August 25th, 2002
When I first heard that she was coming,I'm glad it was a free concert because if it wasn't,I would've been pissed.But that was the first time I saw a female rocker perform on stage.They had a Rib & Music festival at Station Square on that weekend.I missed the first couple songs but I made it there when she did "Shadows Of The Night".I was blew away when I seen her and her husband.(I knew he was good looking then me).But they did all the classics like "True Love," "Heartbreaker" "Love Is A Battlefield" (acoustic version), "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," and etc.
Review by: Damar Fulmore
"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
"PIL" / Fall 1984
Seattle/Paramount Theater, Fall 1984-John Lydon (AKA Johnny Rotten) came out in pajama's, drinking champagne and spit all over the audience. Classic Lydon move. Was a fantastic show.
Review by: dria
"Pink Floyd" / Summer '89
Athens Olympic Stadium (Greece). Definitely the best concert I have ever experienced (and the biggest - an estimated 75,000 attendance). It was only the remaining Pink Flyd members (i.e. without Waters) but they played all the crowd-pleasing songs. I was about 5 meters from the stage and when I turned around in the middle of "Wish you were here" the sight of so many lighters was just surreal. Defining moment: David Gilmour's outro guitar solo during "Comfortably Numb" - he may be old but he can still give you goosebumps with that Stratocaster....
Review by: Alex Peroulias
"The Police" / 1983(?)
Riverfront Collesium, Cincinnati,OH. "GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE" tour. I was born in 1969 and saw my first concert (same venue) in '79-KISS/Judas Priest. I've seen many an eclectic range of shows since then, but I always seem to pick this one as the best. First of all, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts opened up and I'm tellin' ya they ROCKED! Ok, everyone remembers "I Love Rock & Roll", but have you ever heard "Do You Wanna Touch (Yeah Oh Yeah)" cranked up through a mighty PA system. YEAH I wanna touch, you bet! Interject the usual 80's party favors, and we where primed to go. It's one thing to be able to release 5 completely solid albums (hardly a "filler" in the lot of them), but can you then reproduce that same energy and discipline...live? The Cars fell short on that one, but The Police never missed a beat. Ok, seventeen years later I will not be able to recall the song list, but I can assure you it ranged from So Lonely and Reggatta de Blanc to Omegaman and Invisible Sun. However, it's Shadows in the Rain that I will never forget. I can still picture it now...fog machines, purple/blue lights, major crystal ball action punctuated with Stewart's occasional broken drum sticks flying into the air. He never missed a note...he would just grab another one and keep on slammin'. No tape loops either. This was back in the days when three musicians would actually play live with only the aforementioned three musicians. Sting couldn't do that now. Then again he can't do much of anything without The Police. I suspect he suffers from Phil Collins Syndrome. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. In my opinion, no other three musicians or bands for that matter sound anything like The Police. They had a very unique sound, albeit based on simple riffs. Being a product of the massive one-hit-wonders-Eighties, I've found this to be the Ultimate Accolade one can bestow upon a band. Now just imagine it all LIVE! Anyone else been there?
Review by: Roachman
"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
"The Police" / 1983
The Police's final tour, for the album Synchronicity. I couldn't wait to see them play, but first we had to sit through some crappy new band called R.E.M. and their breakthrough song at the time, "Radio Free Europe". The Police rocked. They should do a reunion tour.
Review by: John Weathers
"Power Station" / Summer of 85
My first concert ever and was it ever good! My best friends cousin spent the night at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland (remember when you could do that?) so we could go. We couldn't wait for this thing to happen, the anticipation was killing us that summer. When the night finally came, it was me, my two best friends, the cousin and a friend. We get to the coliseum and I kicked my poor friend out of the car because I was going to see:" JOHNNIE'S HAIR" (John Taylor of Duran Duran). We were 12 years old and this was the best night of our life. Walking into to the coliseum, OMD was playing the If You Leave from Pretty in Pink. The shirt I bought that night didn't come off for two weeks. My mom threatened to throw it away if I didn't take it off so she could wash it before I went off to summer camp. We had the greates seats, eleven rows back directly in front of John Taylor. Michael Des Barres actually sounded good live. He sounded horrible during Live Aid. Loved this concert and would love to be that young and carefree again.
Review by: Karina
"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
"Prince" / 1988
I was either 5 1/2 or 6 when I went to the concert.My mom watch MTV when they announced that Prince's Lovesexy tour was coming to Pittsburgh.I don't remember what month or season but that was my first concert.My mom is a Prince fan and I had a great time.He did songs from all his albums and the stage show was just the the Sign Of The Times movie.
Review by: Damar Fulmore
"Prince" / Tuesday night July 13, 2004 at MSG
It was the first time that I've ever seen him in concert. I cried when he appeared on that stage and the rest of the evening was "Sheer Magic". I discovered him when little red corvette and 1999 were released but it was through Purple Rain that I fell in love with him and his music. Now I would love to meet him especially to tell him how much I enjoyed his whole performance and the performances of his bandmates and to ask him how in the world he winds down after putting on a show like that because I couldn't sleep for a while after I got home. If you are a true Prince fan you won't ever be disappointed when you go see him live!
Review by: Vanessa M. Hill-Strawn
"Prince" / July 31,2004
I'm 23 years old and I have never seen anything Like the show prince and his band put on in Detroit on July 31,2004 at the Places Of Auburn Hills (2 THUMBS UP!!!!), the band was wonderful and PRINCE was spectacular and not to mention the Surprise guest Morris Day and The Time. I remember When I first seen purple Rain I feel in love with prince that very moment. I have collected all of his cds form his princess cd to Musicology. I MAY BE YOUNG BUT I'M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW I LOVE PRINCE AND HIS MUSIC.
Review by: Tammy
"Prince And The Revolution" / Feburary 19 1985
I was just 12 years old when I went to see Prince and the Revolution at the Forum in Los Angeles,Ca. I have to say it was one of the best night of my entire life. The forum was lite up in purple. As I walked in I could not believe I was there. (got tickets at the last minute) Prince was fabulous!!!!!!! Wendy and Lisa were great!!!!!! He played everything from dirty mind to new stuff he hadnt yet put out. He was electryfing. I cant describe how wonderful that night was and how Prince,Wendy and Lisa changed my life forever. i decided to pursue my music professionally. Thank you Prince for making feburary 19th 1985 a night or lifetime to remember. Dana Tischler Still a fan and always will be
Review by: DANA Tischler
"Prince And The Revolution" / Feb 19. 1985
it was my first concert. I was twelve years old. my mom got me tickets at the last minute. he was playing at the forum in los angeles, california. it was A magnificient concert all the lasers the dancing and of course wendy and lisa. its A night I will never forget, when I say that forum lite up purple. I thought I had died and went to heaven...thank you prince for making that one of the the most wonderful nights of my lifetime!!!!!!!!
Review by: DANA TISCHLER
"Prince and the Revolution" / November 1984
This was my first concert...and it was absolutely amazing. I loved Prince and the whole Purple Rain phenomenon so I begged my parents to let me see the tour when it came to the Greenboro (NC) Coliseum. My aunt (god bless her!) made the 45-minute trek from our hometown to the venue and waited amidst pure pandemomium to buy my ticket while I was at school. Both shows sold out in less than 30 minutes, but my aunt got me a great seat nonetheless: 7th row center. (Note: a third show was later added and also sold out in minutes.) On the day of the second show (which I would be attending), there was an incredible electricity in the air at my school. Even though there weren't many students who had gotten tickets, a few of the "cool" kids had been to the show the night before and were puffing themselves up by talking about the "greatest concert ever." I was so excited I could barely stand it. Walking into the Coliseum that night among all the women in their bustiers, leather miniskirts and fishnet stockings and the guys in their purple jackets, purple bandannas and round-lensed sunglasses, I knew this experience was going to surpass even my wildest dreams. And it did! Sheila E. opened the show with her band and was great. The Glamorous Life had been a big hit and everybody was thrilled when she played it at the end of her set. And then we waited about 30 minutes while the tension mounted. Just when the crowd was about to collapse from the anticipation, a voice rang through the loudspeaker: "Good Evening, Greensboro. My name is Prince...and I've come to play with you!" With that, thousands of silk flowers rained down on us from the ceiling, the screen dropped from the front of the stage and there was the entire band rocking out the opening riff of Let's Go Crazy. The roar from the audience was deafening. The next two hours were a blur of spins, splits and blistering guitar solos. Purple Rain, the closing song, lasted at least 15 minutes. And when it was over, I could barely believe that I had been in the same room with the person whose movie I had seen four times that summer and whose album I had worn out and replaced from too much play. I smiled for weeks after that concert. It was truly one of the happiest nights of my life and it's a memory that I cherish.
Review by: David
"Psuedo Echo/Village People/Culture Club" / 21 February 2000
Last night I had the priviledge of witnessing one the of the best and most memory evoking concerts I've ever seen. I went by myself, figuring it would be a friendly crowd all out for a great time, and I wasn't wrong. The crowd was pumping from the first song of Psuedo Echo to the last strains of Karma Chameleon and all the way through the middle. I stood in the middle of the standing room section and grooved and sang along to just about every song. I was surprised how many I remembered!! By the end of the night our entire section was dancing and chatting along like we'd known each other for years. Even though I loved Culture Club, the stand out performers were the Village People (much to my surprise). What a great and talented bunch of blokes. Just like I remembered them - only better! And not one anticipated song was missed, by ANY of the bands. I'm so glad I went and I'm sure I'll remember it when I'm old and grey and way too old and stiff to do the YMCA!!
Review by: Katherine
"Psychedelic Furs" / Summer 1987
A truly amazing concert at the Outdoor Amphitheatre at San Diego State University. Typical summer night in 'Diego, beautiful. The Furs were on the "Midnight to Midnight" tour and lit the place up with their energy and an amazing sax player on the new tracks. Everyone dancing, singing and swaying in the aisles. An amazing experience!
Review by: Joe Pompeo
"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


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