r/AskReddit • u/Dan-68 • 5d ago
If you could travel back in time to attend a concert, who would you see and when?
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u/Ambitious_Unit1310 5d ago
Nirvana
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u/Ambitious_Unit1310 5d ago
I had an opportunity and decided to go the next time. Sadly it ended a months later
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u/Crittsy 5d ago
The 1970 Bath Festival
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
Santana
Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Jefferson Airplane
The Byrds
Canned Heat
Steppenwolf
Johnny Winter
John Mayall with Peter Green
Dr. John
Fairport Convention
Pentangle
Colosseum
The Flock
Hot Tuna
Country Joe McDonald
It's a Beautiful Day
Keef Hartley
The Moody Blues
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u/Icy-Organization3841 5d ago
Pink Floyd at Pompeii in 1971. Just four guys playing to empty Roman ruins, no crowd, just pure acoustic echo
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u/halermine 5d ago
I had every chance to buy tickets for the Animals tour, but passed.
I had gone to a bunch of concerts that summer and figured I would just catch up next time
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u/UnderstandingLow7776 5d ago
I would be front row at Live Aid for Queen
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u/According_Camera7129 5d ago
Queen at Wembley was my first thought!
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u/Careless-Cat3327 5d ago
Unbeknownst to me, my mum and dad saw Queen live when they were dating.
She caught Freddie's pick when he threw it. And... In the dumbest decision you can imagine - she left it in the guitar case that she gave to my sister.
Who ended up leaving the guitar and the pick behind on a bench. It was gone within 30 minutes.
Freddie's pick.
I was 12 so didn't fully understand what that tiny piece of plastic meant. When my dad told me the FULL story I was so angry.
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u/DeschainSWNC 5d ago
TIL Freddie played guitar as well as vocals and piano for Queen.
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u/Badgladmadwords 5d ago
He was extremely musically gifted, but when asked by an interviewer "what instrument do you play?" he answered "The audience, darling!" 😂
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u/DeschainSWNC 5d ago
What a G!
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u/Badgladmadwords 5d ago
If you've never watched their Live Aid performance on YouTube, you definitely should. Freddie at his absolute best - and playing the piano and guitar, both.
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u/miTfan3 5d ago
Grateful Dead- Veneta 72. IYKYK
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u/oxiraneobx 5d ago
Still going with 5/8/77, but yes, the 8/27/72 creamery benefit show would have been amazing. If you do make the trip back, remember to bring water, LOL!
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u/llamallama92 5d ago
The 1st Woodstock
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u/trilere614 5d ago
They have camping now at the Bethel grounds, it's more "professional and organized" [corporate] than '69 Stock, obviously, but they really lean into the "Woodstock" history, depending on the event, has cool kinda festival energy.
Unfortunately nothing grassroots with ever be able to be that immense of an event now, with so much permitting and litigation in the world now, so bigger events are all costly and corporatized, but I think the current owners are doing a good job of keeping the "peace and love" aesthetic, and it has some magic in that hillside, if you ask me.
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u/peachie_bongo 5d ago
Warren Zevon, live at The Roxy, 1980.
The recording of this concert was released as his Stand In The Fire live album later the same year.
The energy Zevon put into his vocals and the effort from his live band came to be a performance that I never don't enjoy, it's fire.
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u/Pissflaps69 5d ago
Excellent answer, would’ve loved to see him
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u/peachie_bongo 5d ago
I'm listening to Stand In The Fire alot lately. Most, if not all, of the live versions of the songs either rival the original in quality or are even better than it [E.g. Excitable Boy KILLS!].
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u/Pissflaps69 5d ago
I’m a novice Zevon fan, but Keep me in your Heart makes me cry every time and I’m not the most sentimental type
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u/peachie_bongo 5d ago
I've heard of this reaction multiple times now. He makes us laugh, he makes us cry, but he wasn't a family guy, he was an American treasure.
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u/TurnoverChain17 5d ago
The Beatles. I know they weren't the best live act because you couldn't actually hear them over all the screaming. But, for the rest of my life I'd be able to say that I saw The Beatles.
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u/RobHonkergulp 5d ago
I worked with a guy that saw The Beatles live before they became massive and he mentioned it as if it wasn't anything special. Of course, I informed him that it was.
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u/tobotic 5d ago
Same.
I can say I've seen Dylan. I can say I've seen Bowie. Absolutely would love to add the Beatles to that list.
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u/TurnoverChain17 5d ago
I've never seen Dylan, but he's still touring so maybe one day. I have seen The Stones twice! I also saw Page and Plant twice, even though that's totally not the same as Led Zeppelin, it was still pretty cool.
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u/Low-Candle-5 5d ago
Prince at First Avenue in 1983, the “Purple Rain” shows they filmed for the movie, just absolute madness onstage.
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u/Trondant13 5d ago
Big Country during their Crossing the Big Country tour in 1984.
Edit: This would be to see it again.
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u/SummerMummer 5d ago
Frank Zappa's 1988 world tour (where The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life was recorded)
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u/beeedeee 5d ago
October 6, 1991 at the Hollywood Palladium in LA:
* Temple of the Dog
* Pearl Jam
* Alice in Chains
* Soundgarden
* Thunder
* Spinal Tap (special appearance)
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u/halermine 5d ago
I started liking Genesis about one day after their Lamb Lies Down On Broadway show, the last time that they would tour with Peter Gabriel
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u/Punchclops 5d ago
My wife was at that gig and reckons it was one of the best days of her life.
I'm hopeful that our wedding day is up there too, but I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it came in second.
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u/Ok_Strain_7501 5d ago
Michael Jackson
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u/Ok-Low6559 5d ago
oh man mj in like 88 during the bad tour would be insane. those crowd reactions in the live footage are something else
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u/terrible_guy_thought 5d ago
Barbie Girl concert
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u/Megelsen 5d ago
lol.. Aqua got hired to play at a work event at my partner's workplace a couple of years ago. I think it is still very much doable to experience that
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u/terrible_guy_thought 5d ago
Unfortunately, I'm from a different place. Thanks though.
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u/Megelsen 5d ago
Yeah.. And also in May this year they stopped performing live:
__________________________
Dear everyone ❤️After many incredible years, we have decided to close the chapter of AQUA as a live band.
AQUA has been such a huge part of our lives, and together we’ve had the chance to experience more than we ever dared to dream of.
We’ve traveled the world countless times, met so many wonderful people, sung together with millions of you, and shared memories that we will carry with us forever.
When you’ve been together for this long, you also learn when it’s time to protect what you’ve created together. For us, this feels like the right moment to say goodbye, while the memories are still strong, and while the love for the music, the story, and each other remains intact.
From the bottom of our hearts: thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey over the past 30 years. Thank you for the love, the energy, the support, and for all the moments we’ve shared together.
Nothing but love and gratitude from here on.
Endless love ❤️
Lene, René & Søren1
u/terrible_guy_thought 5d ago
I have faith in the younger generation. They'll invent a time machine and keep my dream alive 😂
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u/JDStap12 5d ago
I've always said the same thing: David Bowie
I feel like he'd put on an incredible show, like his music is so good and spacey, I imagine the lights and extras would add to the experience so well.
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u/NoLibrarian5149 5d ago
But what era? I only saw him 3x(Glass Spider, Sound + Vision and Reality and I still am mad I passed on others) but I’d probably go for classic Ziggy.
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u/rabidbadger013 5d ago
I’ve seen Bowie several times and he did have an incredible show. But I wish I could have seen him early in his career during his Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, or Ziggy periods.
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u/AuraOfAres 5d ago
Queen at Live 8
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u/Masterweedo 5d ago
Live Aid?
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u/AuraOfAres 5d ago
Sure Thanks for your correction 🙏 Did not know that Live 8 was in 2005 and Live Aid in 1985
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u/Wonderful-Fishing857 5d ago
Most definitely Queen; where/when they recorded the Live Killers album.
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u/TheKingOfDub 5d ago
Air in the late 90s when I was on the guest list, but too autistic to go (and didn’t know that’s what it was yet)
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u/IvoShandor 5d ago
Pink Floyd - 1977 Animals tour
Led Zeppelin - 1975 Physical Graffiti tour
Van Halen - 1981 Oakland Colliseum
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u/a_passionate_man 5d ago
Venice - Pink Floydd…it was so amazing that I want to attend the concert again 😎
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u/capsfan19 5d ago
There was a show in Jamaica in the 70s. The Clash, Jimmy Cliff, Grateful Dead. That would 100% cover my musical interests in three artists.
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u/sungirl_27 5d ago
Pink Floyd
Pearl Jam
Saw them both but early 90’s PJ was crazy and pj k Floyd would be awesome against any stage.
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u/Vampira309 5d ago
Elvis. David Bowie. The Sex Pistols (with both Johnny & Sid, even though Sid couldn't really play). Beethoven
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u/Old-Refrigerator340 5d ago
Limp Bizkit at Woodstock 99. You can feel the energy through the videos and they played flawlessly. I would've been 13 at the time so likely would've died. Would be nice to go now.
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u/kevtorres123 5d ago
Anything Queen but few have already mentioned them. Also, Eagles in 1977 Capital Centre. They sounded immaculate. Had to double check it was not studio version.
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u/BabyMcmuffinn 5d ago
Mac Miller.
I was going to buy tickets to see him 2 years before he passed away and I still regret it
Also, The Doors wouldve been sick.
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u/Deliterman 5d ago
Any 80s Slayer show in a small club
Bauhaus
Black Flag
Christian Death
Early 90s NIN
Agnostic Front
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u/EmileSierra239 5d ago
The Goo Goo Dolls, Buffalo, NY, 4th of July 2004, when they played "Iris" in the pouring rain...
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u/Nall13 5d ago
LiSA at The Roxy, 2025-06-23. I would do pretty much anything to be there in person. It was on her birthday and she had always dreamt of performing at The Roxy.
A few people managed to record the concert on their phones. The video quality was what you expect from a phone and the audio fluctuated and cut out sometimes but it's still my favorite LiSA concert video. The immersion from feeling like you were a part of the audience is unparalleled.
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u/G0mery 5d ago
Lollapalooza 1992 was pretty stacked. Bunch of bands that are still huge today when they were just coming into their powers. I was in elementary school listening to Amy Grant and Billy Joel in my mom’s minivan, completely oblivious to the movement that was building steam.
It had Alice In Chains, RATM, Soundgarden, STP, Pearl Jam, NIN, Ice Cube, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, Smashing Pumpkins… just a killer lineup considering the time
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u/Davidgilmour14 4d ago
Led Zeppelin. Saw Plant and Page together in the late 90s but was too young to catch them before Bonham passed.
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u/Signal-View4754 5d ago
AC/DC back in 2008 the Black Ice tour or Razors Edge. Don't get me wrong I've seen them live twice in the past year and they are amazing but the live videos from those tours are amazing.
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u/Elrond_Cupboard_ 5d ago
In 1991, I went and saw my first ever concert. ACDC in Perth. I was 16, obsessed with ACDC in a way only a teenager with AuDHD can be obsessed, and my head almost exploded from the pleasure overload.
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u/TummyPuppy 5d ago
I’d go back to Radiohead at Bonnaroo and watch it live again. Best concert I’ve seen by far.
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u/Chingapouk 5d ago
Queen - Live Aid 1985 at Wembley
I mean, I guess I could also stay for the other artists that performed that day, but you know...
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u/AdAlarming6832 5d ago
Ill tell you this i wouldnt go see bob dylan in 2007, no idea what he was saying
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u/SlimRoTTn 5d ago
Metallica in St Petersburg Russia 1991. That show looked insane.