Ever see a favorite artist perform in a bar?

[archetype]

Yep! Albert Lee twice and Bill Kirchen twice, for me at Sportsmen's. Duke Robillard, too, but he was a major disappointment, playing far below his ability and messing around for minutes between songs. My wife and I left after 30 minutes and thought I'd wasted my money.

Given the current environment, though, I'm still not eager to join 150 other air-breathing mammals packed into that small space.

Re the last sentence above, I just passed up two shows (Rochester and Syracuse, NY) of NRBQ opening for Bonnie Raitt. This is just about killing me.

 

[mad dog]

Many times. And many favorite artists, thinking of blues musicians. Saw SRV the first time in a small club, the Cat Club in NYC, record release party for his first album. Albert King numerous times in small places. Same with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Bobby Radcliff.

One of the coolest shows ever was James Peterson, Lucky's father. The elder Peterson had records, a regional following up in Buffalo. Wicked funny lyrics. I liked his stuff, wanted to see him live. He came to Chicago Blues, downtown club in NYC, on a hot August night. Early show, there was me and two other patrons. That's it. James P. was amused by this ... played a knockout set, singing and playing to each of us in turn. Then he stepped outside, playing on 8th avenue, singing into the quite microphonic p/us in his strat. That was such a fine show!

 

[TeleBluesMan]

Saw Michael Bloomfield at the Childe Harold in Washington, DC in December 1980, a few months before he died.

Saw Danny Gatton many times at small DC clubs. Also Tex Rubinowitz, Slickee Boys and Rosslyn Mountain Boys in small DC clubs. Not big names, but very popular in the DC area, all with released records.

 

[Jim W]

Fairport Convention
James Gang
Bad Company
JSD Band
Waylon Jennings
Rick Roberts with Sneaky Pete, Erik Dalton and Andy Way
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Hound Dogs Taylor
Ralph McTell
Strawbs

 

[String Tree]

Saw Robin Ford here in town about twenty Years ago.
Fantastic show.

 

[41144]

Those that know/knew it... JBs in Dudley... Bar with a dancefloor or dancefloor with a bar?... But, 12+ years ago...
Steve Winwood & band putting on a 2+ hour set ... Warm up gig prior to a world tour.

 

[NHFlyCaster]

Cheap Trick in 1983 or 84

A little foggy on that one

 

[boris bubbanov]

Saw Robin Ford here in town about twenty Years ago.
Fantastic show.

I saw Robben with some friends at the Catalina Club in LA a decade ago. I think this kind of performer really shines when the audience is small and waitresses are filling your drink order as you sit at a table. I've gotten to the point where I would turn down chances to see people in a stadium setting.

 

[Fuelish]

Saw The Ramones a few times at City Gardens in Trenton NJ way back when ......guess that dump was classified as a bar.......was kind of suburban Philly's own CBGB, saw some interesting shows there

 

[RodeoTex]

I once went with my dad to a club performance of some lady called the Canadian Rose or Canadian Star or some such. They all had nicknames left over from the '50s back then.
Anyway, my dad was infatuated with her and we had a table near the stage.
Anyway, between sets she came and sat at our table for a while. My dad was so happy to meet her.
I still have no idea who she was.

 

[dougbgt6]

I saw the Rolling Stones at the Queen's Head in Windsor a couple of times.
John Mayall's Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton at Conservative Party event hall in Hayes End (no drinks license)
At the same place Steam Packet with Long Jon Baldry, Julie Driscol and Rod Stewart.
Christine Perfect (later McVie) at Camden lock.
The Who at Burton's Snooker Hall in Uxbridge.
Jimmi Hendrix Experience at a country house, compulsory purchased to be demolished to build the Windsor motorway extension. It had a short term lease as the Windsor Ricky Tik Club.

We thought it was all normal and would never end!

Doug

 

[Maguchi]

The recent "seen your favorite artist" thread made me think of seeing favorite artists not in a theater, but up close and personal, in a bar serving liquor, with a dance floor, and general admission.

I saw James Brown, twice, in a packed Cabooze bar, in Minneapolis. This would have been the early 80s, when he hadn't had a hit in a long time. Right before "Living In America" hit and sent him to larger venues again. A three-trumpet, no-sax horn section - unusual!

Junior Walker and the All Stars, at the old Blues Saloon in St. Paul, probably late 80s. Possibly the smokin'est R&B band I have ever seen.

For me the best would have been Albert King, at the Cabooze on a summer night in 1974. Beer and cigarette smoke smell, me and my new girlfriend dancing directly in front of King and his Flying V and giant ultra-clean Acoustic amp. He was smoking his Sherlock Holmes pipe, I believe. It was cool to hear his notes not through a PA, but directly from the amp.

Anyone see their favorite artists perform in a bar?

John Mayall and the revamped Bluesbreakers with guitarist Coco Montoya in the late '80s or early '90s at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood, CA. Sadly the Palomino, one of my favorite clubs, closed down in 1995.

 

[jwsamuel]

Bruce Springsteen (Springstein)

 

[ZackyDog]

I grew up in CT. The Rolling Stones made a surprise visit when they played at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT. No, I wasn't there.

August 12, 1989 – The Rolling Stones played a secret club gig at Toad’s Place - NSF - Music Magazine

AUGUST 12, 1989 – The Rolling Stones played a secret club gig at Toad’s Place on York Street in New

www.needsomefun.net

 

[Patshep]

many years ago, a friend, who is a producer owned a cafe in Hell’s Kitchen. I once saw Jeff Buckley there playing for a crowd of like 25 people tops. He died soon after. So sad. What a voice. I had no idea who he was at the time

 

[985plowboy]

I listened (for a little while) to SRV play a small bar in the early 1980's. He brought three amps and was using at least two of them. After 10 minutes I couldn't take it anymore.

I’d love to have seen SRV.

Tab Benoit also runs incredibly loud amps onstage.
He plays locally on a regular basis.
I want to go see him on the night of my birthday a few years back. I had to leave after the first set.
I honestly and sincerely think I lost some hearing that night.

 

[fjblair]

SRV
Pat Travers
REM

 

[Velorex]

Bo Diddley, Extrabreit in Berlin in the eighties.

velorex

 

[ficelles]

Dudley Moore playing some brilliant jazz piano, in a restaurant somewhere in sarf London in the early 80s.

 

[northernguitar]

Does club = bar? If so, then David Bowie, Ozzy, Prince, Foo Fighters, Slayer, P-Funk, and Gary Numan