I didn't see so many concerts in the 1980s and 1990s. Probably saw more 1969-1975 than 1976-1999 but who knows. Here in any event are the best concerts I can remember seeing 1980-1999. I don't have a complete list, so I'm missing some. All concerts were in Minneapolis-St. Paul unless otherwise indicated.
1. Paul Simon, Target Center, 1991. This would be the Rhythm of the Saints tour as opposed to the Graceland tour, but it was still in his "African" period. But what was truly remarkable was the incredibly intricate arrangements and the incredible sound quality. There were about 20 musicians on stage and you could hear every single instrument through the mix, including Simon's acoustic guitar. The songs were of course from both records and putting it all together, this was a truly monumental achievement, the songs, the arrangements, the musicianship, the cohesiveness, the sound, everything. I said at the time that it was the greatest concert I had ever heard.
2. Iris DeMent, the Fine Line, 1997. We had Iris' 3rd record, The Way I Should, and really loved it. Still, we didn't know what to expect. What we didn't expect was that she would deliver such incredible heart-felt vocals that made you feel every emotion in every song. Merle Haggard once said that Iris is the best singer he has ever heard. I don't know if I would go that far, but she is incredible.
3. Dire Straits, St. Paul Civic Theater, 1985. This was right after Brothers in Arms. And combine Knopfler's wonderful songs, his incredible guitar arrangements and execution, and the really terrific ensemble playing, and this was an all-timer. They finished up with Coming Home from Local Hero, what a beautiful, powerful song.
4. Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Orpheum Theater, 1999. I love Bela Fleck's more or less "straight" bluegrass/new grass playing best of all, but of course it's not "straight" bluegrass or new grass at all. It is always wonderfully bent. This tour came on the heels of his Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2, and featured most of the players and many of the songs from that record. Jerry Douglas was there, of course. Sam Bush. Mark Schatz. Stuart Duncan. Not quite Strength in Numbers, but probably Bela's 2nd best supporting cast ever. Terrific performances all around.
5. Steve Forbert, the Union Bar, 1980. This was Forbert's rock 'n roll period. Little Stevie Orbit had just come out. Shayne Fontayne played guitar. And they rocked out. I ain't no human vein,' I'm an automobile. The Visitor. Get Well Soon. When Stevie bent his harmonica reeds too hard and they blew out, he threw it into the crowd, and I caught it. My buddy took a photo of Steve and the band and sent it off to him for an autograph. Best of luck and all, it said. I still have it, framed, above my CD shelves.
6. Neil Finn with Tim Finn, the Orpheum Theater, 1991. It wasn't Crowded House, it was Crowded House-plus. Tim Finn singing backup to little brother Neil. And trust me, they sang the most beautiful vocal harmonies I have ever heard. And the music was mostly from the 1987 album (Something So Strong, The World Where You Live, Now We're Getting Somewhere) and 1988's Temple of Low Men (When You Come, Into Temptation). Great songs, greater vocals.
7. Prince, St. Paul Civic Center, 1984. He played about a 20 minute version of Purple Rain with an incredible extended guitar solo. That on top of everything else. He more than lived up to the hype.
8. Pat Metheny Group, Orpheum Theater, 1982. I remember it was about 90 degrees, just hotter than hell in the hall. But this band was hotter yet, and so incredibly tight, and so original, so inventive. Across the Heartland. The Search. Do You Want to Go With Me? I miss that Pat Metheny.
9. Bruce Cockburn, Guthrie Theater, 1988. The Guthrie had fallen into disuse as a rock/pop music hall. This may have been my 1st Guthrie concert in 13 years. For a moment, it was like the good old days and Cockburn basically did his greatest hits, well, except by this time he had way too many of them for just 1 show.
10. Steve Goodman, Orpheum Theater. I'm not sure when this was but I have to tell you that after Frank Zappa I mourned Steve Goodman's untimely death as much as anybody's, and given all of the fallen rock stars, that's saying something. But I loved Steve Goodman's humor. I mean, the guy was hilarious. Chicken Cordon Blues, Watching Joey Glow, Where's the Party, Talk Backwards. But more than that, even, was his sensitivity. Spoon River, The Dutchman, The One That Got Away. And then there's this: I miss my old man tonight, I can almost see his face. He was always trying to watch his weight, but his heart only made it to 58. For the first time since he died, late last night I cried. I wondered when I was gonna do that, for my old man.
11. David Grisman (and group), Ordway Theater, 1986, and the Minnesota Zoo, sometime in the '90s. 1st time it was more or less a straight bluegrass band, though they didn't play straight bluegrass. Not as bent as Bela Fleck's, but pretty creative stuff. The 2nd time it was his Latin band. Both times, pure poetry, without the words.
12. Los Lobos. We've seen Los Lobos maybe 5-6 times: 1st time was at First Avenue, then there were at least a couple maybe 3 at the Minnesota Zoo, and we saw them at the Ordway, and I'm sure there was somebody else. The only problem is that with a repertoire of several hundred songs, the likelihood that I'm going to hear my particular favorites is pretty small. Please play something from Will the Wolf Survive! Please play Mas y Mas! Please, play any damn thing you want, just play!
13. Little Village, Orpheum Theater, 1992. I saw Ry Cooder! I saw Ry Cooder! I had figured I would never get the chance, but he came to town with this temporary ensemble including John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner. I remember that they pretty much played the Little Village disk, including the slightly bent blues Don't Think About Her When You're Trying to Drive. Thank goodness, I saw Ry Cooder!
14. Bonnie Raitt, Northrop Auditorium, 1989. We saw Bonnie probably 4, maybe 5 times, but this is the one that I am sure about in terms of where and when. It was the Nick of Time tour. They said she had made a comeback. From where? Bonnie Raitt was never away as far as I was concerned. Still the #1 female rock/pop musician...OK, still the #2 remale rock/pop musician of my lifetime (after Aimee Mann).
15. k.d. lang, Orpheum Theater, 1992. Great, great singer, though her increasingly histrionic approach wore out much earlier than it should have.
16. Chris Whitley, Guthrie Theater, 1991. The mercurial Chris Whitley. He must have made 4-5 CDs so somebody was listening. But based on what I think of as his 1st CD, Living with the Law, in 1991, I thought he was going to be the biggest thing since, well, I dunno, Springsteen? The guy was totally original but well within the blues tradition and performed with huge intensity. Phone Call from Leavenworth: They hold me here much longer, probably go mad all by myself. Now I really need somebody, said I really need somebody's help. Why does the man up in the judgment chair, got his ass and God's right arm in some double pair, all right.
16. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, the Minnesota Zoo. Not sure exactly when this was, but mainly I remember Jeff Coffin just rippin' it up something fierce.
17. John Prine. I've seen John Prine twice. The 1st time, Steve Goodman opened for him and Steve Goodman was so much better than John Prine it was just silly. I heard later that Prine had a problem with alcohol and that he had played drunk. That might explain it. The 2nd time, Prine opened for the Cowboy Junkies, and he was much better than the Cowboy Junkies. This was at the time of the LP Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, which is a real masterpiece.
18. Alison Krauss and Union Station, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1996.
19. Phil Collins, Northrop Auditorium, 1981? This was at the time of In the Air Tonight. He put on a pretty good show.
20. Neil Young. We saw Neil Young twice in a period of about 4 months, probably in 1990 and 1991. 1st at Target Center with Crazy Horse and, frankly, the sound was so bad that it spoiled it. I remember Crime in the City was the highlight and that the song was more or less new at the time. The 2nd was probably at the Orpheum, and it was a 1 man show. Harvest Moon was one of the highlights. Pretty good the 2nd time.
21. Willie & the Bees, Mears Park, 1983. It was a summer outdoor concert and Supermarket was the big feature. Great band.
22. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Northrop Auditorium. This was after Graceland but before Rhythm of the Saints, so perhaps 1988 or 1989. It was certainly a unique experience.
23. Shawn Colvin, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1998.
24. Gillian Welch, Fitzgerald Theater. Might have been 1999 but it might have been after Y2K.
25. Ray Charles. I don't remember when or where I saw Ray but I know I saw him and it was a little underwhelming.
26. Marshall Crenshaw, First Avenue, 1982. His 1st record was new at the time. Great songs but not a great live performer, at least not at that time.
27. Jerry Jeff Walker, the Fine Line. Probably around 1994 or 1995. I remember that he had a really great lead guitarist.
28. Willie Nelson, Minnesota State Fair. Probably in the early 1980s. Kind of a mess.
29. Stray Cats, Orpheum Theater. Early 1980s.
30. Cowboy Junkies, Orpheum Theater. Early 1990s. A little too laid back.
During this period we also saw Springsteen again, Zappa again, Gordon Lightfoot and Bonnie Raitt again, Dylan again...but their earlier concerts had been so far and away the better ones that I frankly don't remember the rest well at all, and so they're not included in this list.
The Worst
Actually the worst concert was Dylan and the Grateful Dead at the Metrodome, I have no idea what year that was. But the sound was so bad that I didn't know what songs the artists had played until I read some of them in the newspaper the next day.
Best Band
That would pretty much mirror Best Concert but not entirely. Dire Straits, Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Paul Simon's band, Pat Metheny Group, Los Lobos, Union Station, Little Village, David Grisman's band(s), Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Willie and the Bees.
Best Artist
Paul Simon, Iris DeMent, Mark Knopfler, Bela Fleck, Prince, Pat Metheny, Steve Goodman, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Cockburn, Chris Whitley.
Best Vocals
Iris DeMent, Neil and Tim Finn, k.d. lang, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Prince, John Hiatt, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Steve Forbert.
Best Guitar
Mark Knopfler, Pat Metheny, Prince, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, Ron Block, Ray Phiri, Shayne Fontayne, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Goodman, Chris Whitley.
Best Keyboards
Lyle Mays, Alan Clark, Ray Charles, Willie Murphy.
Best Rhythm
Conrad Lozano and Louis Perez, Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico, Victor Wootten and Future Man, Baghiti and Vusi Khumalo, John Illsley, Mark Schatz, Barry Bales, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner.
Best Other Instrument
Bela Fleck (banjo), Jerry Douglas (dobro), David Grisman (mandolin), Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone).
Best Songs
Paul Simon, Neil Young, Iris DeMent, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Goodman, John Prine, David Hidalgo, Prince, Shawn Colvin, Steve Forbert.
