Concert/Theatre/Performance

[Earlybird]

What are the best live performances you've ever seen, and why were they so wonderful? Can be anything - rock concert, ballet, theatre, etc. Only stipulation is that you must have been there in person - not just seen it on telly!

Mercy - I'm 47, so one of the old timers! And it does mean that I've been fortunate enough to see some of the greats.

Here's another one for you - Roy Orbison at the Royal Albert Hall. When he sang "Crying", you could have heard a pin drop.

Blimey, you're only a tiny bit older than me. You've obviously got a great interest in music though

at the Wild Duck and esp. Cecilia Bartoli Georginarf.
This thread does take me right back - we used to go out to concerts/theatre cinema at least twice a week pre-kids...
Forgot Sweeney Todd in the Cottesloe and Ian Charleson and Lindsay Duncan in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof also at the National.
Dh saw the original cast of Closer but I missed it...despite booking the tickets
Also saw Daniel Day Lewis as Hamlet, pre-walk-out. Missed last train home...
Oh, and Jeremy Northam and Stephen Rea in the Shaughraun revival at the National. "Drop those guns, I'm an Englishman..."

Marina, must say Cecilia Bartoli was absolutely incredible, it was the Vivaldi album stuff she was doing at that time and it was amazing, especially as the Wigmore is such a lovely intimate setting

I am terrible now, I play in lots of concerts but I hardly ever bother to go and actually watch anything as I much prefer to be performing that in the audience - that sounds bad but it's true. I know DH would love to go to more (think he's going to start going to concerts on his own now!). And I always love the theatre when we go, but never remember to make the effort to see anything

Arie Antiche is one of my favourite CDs and I love the Wigmore too. Saw Anthony Rooley and Emma Kirkby there a while ago - it really has the perfect intimate acoustic, as you say. And people are v. catty about CB not having a big enough voice to fill the Met or indeed any large opera house.

ah people are always catty about talented people. I'd rather listen to CB not quite filling a big space than many singers filling it with less pleasant noise! I have a treasured signed copy of the Vivaldi album from when I met her - signed to 'Jorjina'...

I remember Anthony Rooley and Emma Kirkby coming to do a concert when I was at university (we looked after them too). In fact that was another fab performance I forgot to mention - love Emma Kirkby

this thread is really making me think that I must go to more things....

Ah - just remembered another wonderful evening. I saw Mandy Patinkin sing (with a few witty "acted" anecdotes thrown in for good measure) at the Almeida. He was riveting.

He is just gorgeous, Earlybird. Hunky and sings like an angel :) I sit through the hugely overrated Princess Bloody Bride on a regular basis just for my Mandy top-up
Georgina, Emma does masterclasses where I work :) she is such a lovely person isn't she!

Marina - he is divine. However, a word of "Mandy" advice - I excitedly bought his children's cd a few years ago fully anticipating it would become a firm favourite for dd. Sadly, it is not very good. So, I guess the lesson learned is to enjoy artists like him doing what they do best.

Emma is truly lovely, with the voice of an angel
at the masterclasses

Earlybird, we are the owners of a toe-curlingly saccharine Disney CD by the normally pin-sharp Barbara Cook. Ds (current music objective: to play "thrash guitar" in his new band Toxic Sausage) makes vomiting noises whenever he sees the cover and for once I agree with him.
Shame, isn't it....