Home                  What a Long Strange Trip it's Been

 My first concert was Vanilla Fudge at St Joseph's H. S. in Metuchen  in '68. About 25 years later I tried to itemize all the shows I had attended. Here's an updated version of that list. It includes everything before 2003. (as best as I can remember)  From 2003 and on, shows will be posted and reviewed as they occur but not added to this list.  

            JAZZ and BLUES

Mose Allison -- Savoy Brown -- Clarence Gatemouth Brown -- Ruben Blades --Tony Bennett --  Randy Brecker --  Don Byron -- Regina Carter --  Ron Carter -- Ray Charles  

Dirty Dozen Brass Band --  Olu Dara -- Duke Ellington Orchestra -- Paquito D'Rivera -- Fabulous Thunderbirds -- Fairfield Four -- Rachelle Ferrell -- Julia Fordham(4) -- Andy Fusco -- Bela Fleck

Kenny Garret -- Buddy Guy -- John Hammond -- Indigenous -- Norah Jones

Jorma Kaukenen -- BB King -- Freddie King -- Joe Lovano -- Cleo Lane --  Keb Mo -- Chuck Mangione -- Maureen McGovern --Taj Mahal  -- Jane Monheit  --  Christian McBride -- John Pizarelli

Joshua Redman -- Kenny Rankin(3) -- Dianne Reeves(5) --  Boz Scaggs -- Koko Taylor --Susan Tedeschi -- Kim Wilson -- Cassandra Wilson(5) -- Margaret Whiting

CLASSIC - ALTERNATIVE - POP - ROCK - OLDIES

Tori Amos(3) -- America -- Fiona Apple -- Beach Boys -- BoDeans -- Bongos(10) -- B52's(3) -- Jackson Browne(12) -- David Bowie -- The Byrds -- Jack Bruce --  David Byrne(2) --  Richard Barone(8) -- Bacon Brothers

Eric Clapton -- Elvis Costello(3) -- Cousteau(2) -- Cucumbers -- Cowboy Junkies -- Joe Cocker -- Paula Cole -- Counting Crows --  CSN&Y -- Sheryl Crow -- Crowded House -- Crash Test Dummies -- Marshall Crenshaw

Eurythmics -- Melissa Etheridge -- Neil Finn(2) -- Bryan Ferry  -- Peter Frampton(2) -- Gin Blossoms

Jesse Harris(2) -- Teeny Hodges -- Joan Jett -- Elton John -- Billy Joel --Tommy James -- David Johanson(3) -- Jackie DeShannon -- Mark Knopfler -- John Lennon -- Los Lobos(2) -- Loggins & Messina -- Nils Lofgrin         

Johnny Maestro -- Mavericks -- Eddie Money -- Edwin McCane -- Moody Blues  -- Dave Mason(2) -- David Mead -- Graham Nash -- Sinead O'Conner -- October Project -- Joan Osborne(3)

Procol Harem -- Prentenders -- Psychedelic Furs -- Pseudo Echo -- REM - Renaissance -- Bonnie Raitt -- Roxy Music -- Keith Richards -- Rusted Root -- Red House 

Santana -- Southside Johnny -- Steely Dan -- Ringo Starr(2) -- The Smiths -- Smithereens --  Squeeze -- Duncan Sheik -- Translator -- 10,000 Maniacs -- Jethro Tull(3) -- BJ Thomas -- Peter Tork -- Violent Femmes(5) -- Vanilla Fudge -- Whirling Dervishes -- World Party -- Winter Hours -- Wood

 SINGER/SONGWRITERS - FOLK - COUNTRY - AMERICAN ROOTS

Aztec-Two-Step(20) -- Joan Baez -- Billy Bragg(3) -- The Accidentals -- Eric Anderson -- Mandy Barnett -- BR549 -- Dickie Betts -- Judy Collins -- Harry Chapin(2) -- Roseanne Cash(2) -- Dee Carstenson -- Tracy Chapman(2) -- Dave Carter -- Burlap to Cashmere

Devon Square(2) -- Ani DiFranco -- Cliff Eberhardt(3) -- Heather Eatman(5) -- Dan Fogelberg(4) -- Rosie Flores -- John Gorka(11) -- Vance Gilbert(3) -- Jeffrey Gaines(21) -- Tracey Grammer      

John Hiatt(3) -- John Hartford -- Richie Havens(4) -- Hart Rouge --Peter Himmelman(4) --  Hot Tuna -- Josh Joplin -- Freedy Johnson(3)  --Lucy Kaplansky(5) -- The Kinleys -- Kennedys(2) -- Dayna Kurtz  -- Jess Klien -- Allison Krause -- Patti Larkin(3) -- Laura Love(3) -- Lyle Lovett(3)  -- Loup Garou              

Martina McBride -- Mad Agnes -- Mavericks -- Joni Mitchell -- Shannon McNally --  Sarah McLaughlin(2) -- Mulebone UK(3) --  Erin McKoen -- Neville Brothers(3) -- Once Blue -- Toshi Reagon(5) -- Dave Van Ronk -- Phil Roy -- Richard Shindell(5) -- Jules Shear(4) --  Jill Solbule(2) --  Ron Sexsmith  -- Martin Sexton(30) -- Phoebe Snow (2) -- Smothers Brothers -- James Taylor(3) -- Tony Trischka

Susan Werner(4) -- Dar Williams(2) -- Lucinda Williams -- Beth Williams -- Cheryl Wheeler -- Wendy Waldman -- Jesse Colin Young -- Jerry Jeff Walker

WORLD MUSIC

Antibalas -- Buena Vista Social Club -- Tony Bird -- Angelique Kidjo(4) -- Bebel Gilberto --  Los Amigos Invisables  -- Raul Malo  -- Ziggy Marley -- Latin Playboys -- Tango Project --  UB-40 -- The Wailers

and I'm not sure where to put Peter Allen and Marvin Hamlish. :-)

                               DANCE                                   

  I remember my grandmother used to watch dance on PBS when I was a kid. She called me in one day to watch Edward Villella. Although I can't say that I was completely taken in, I also can't say I was bored. I appreciated the talent and creativity and especially the athleticism.  I didn't have much else to do with dance until I met Judy more than dozen years later. She was passionate about her love of dance and because I was open to the experience I soon began to love it as well .

It's not possible to list the performances I've seen but here is a list of the companies.

NYC Ballet -subscribers from '80-'82 and '89-'99  over 100 performances

American Repertory - New Brunswick NJ  4 year subscribers

A.B.T -- Adelphi Dance -- Merce Cunningham  -- Garth Fagan(4) -- Martha Graham --Garden State Ballet  -- Dance Galaxy(3)

Dance Theatre of Harlem(2) -- Joffrey Ballet (w/ Nureyev)  -- Miami City Ballet(director  Edward Villella) 

Proia Dance Theater -- Princeton Ballet -- Park Dance Company (Edison NJ) -- Royal Ballet --  Stuttgart Ballet -- Paul Taylor(2) -- Ballet du Capitol de Toulouse --TerraFirma Dance Company

 White Oaks Project w/Mikhail Baryshnikov

CLASSICAL - OPERA             

     I'm not able to list all the classical pieces I've seen performed live, but here is a short list of the orchestras.

Garden State Philharmonic - 10 year subscription, Brunswick Symphony - 3 year subscription, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Westfield Symphony, and The Colonial Symphony. Plus so many performances at NYCB with live orchestra.

Operas at the Met : La Boheme, Carmen and Stifelio (with Placido Domingo)

Operas at City Opera : Don Giovanni,  La Traviata, La Rondine, "Orfeo and Euridice", and The Merry Widow

Theatre