Live music memories

I know that I’m going to remember more as soon as I hit the button to post this, but here goes anyway.

I wanted to compile a list of major musical acts that I’ve seen live over the years. I’ve got around 80 listed below. Most were concerts but some, like Tina Arena’s 3 songs in a shopping centre, were shorter performances.

Not all have been personal favourites. Some were support bands for other acts that are listed here. Sometimes the support acts were better than the main act. As you’ll see there are even a couple of ‘kids’ bands that I sat through with Emily and James.

I don’t get to as many concerts as I’d like these days so the list is a bit ‘retro’.

Amy Grant, Aneiki, Angry Anderson, Australian Crawl x 2, Billy Joel, Birtles, Shorrock Goble, Bob Carlisle, Bob Dylan, Carman x 2, Clannad x 2, Cliff Richard x 3, Colleen Hewett, Daryl Braithwaite, David Bowie, David Meece x 3, DC Talk, Diana Krall, Dion x 2, Dire Straits, Divinyls, Elton John (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra), Elvis Costello, Feargal Sharkey, Gangajang x 3, Garth Hewitt, Genesis, Grace Knight x 2, Hi-5 x 2, Hoi Polloi, Hoodoo Gurus x 3, Hothouse Flowers, INXS, James Morrison, James Reyne, James Taylor, Jimmy Barnes, Joan Armatrading, Joe Jackson x 3, John Farnham x 3, Jon English, Kate Ceberano, Keith Green, Kenny Marks x 3, Larry Norman x 2, Leslie Phillips (now Sam Phillips), Linda Ronstadt, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Lou Reed, Margaret Becker x 2, Mental as Anything x 2, Motels, Neil Diamond, Newsboys, Olivia Newton-John, Paul Kelly, Perfect Strangers, Phil Collins, Randy Stonehill x 2, Ray Charles, Ray Davies, Rez Band, Robert Cray Band, Roxette, Sade, Sensitive New Age Cowpersons x 2, Simple Minds, Spandau Ballet, Split Enz, T-Bone Burnett, The Angels, The Saints, The Wiggles, Tina Arena, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, U2, Van Morrison, Vijay Benedict, Violent Femmes, Wendy Matthews, Whiteheart

I’d be interested in hearing about a few of the concerts you’ve seen. How many do we have in common? How many of the acts that I’ve listed here have you seen live?

I tried to list a few of my favourites but it was too hard to narrow down.

By the way, if you went to any concerts with me that I’ve missed, please let me know. I’ll probably update the list from time to time as I remember more.

Posted by Rodney Olsen



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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14 Comments

  • I’ve only recently begun to attend concerts (I don’t think youth alive rally’s count). Where I used to live in SA, we were 8 hours away from Adelaide, and therefore 8 hours away from any decent concert. The bands that used to come our way were bands such as the Delltones and the Four Kinsmen (who are great, BTW).

    Since moving to Sydney, I’ve seen Jars of Clay, Paul Colman Trio, Third Day, Audio Adrenaline, CeCe Winans, Michael W Smith, Delirious, Lano & Woodley (they DO sing!!), and numerous live bands at venues such as Cornerstone and the Brass Monkey.

  • What a list! Oh my. I don’t know if I could remember who all I’ve seen in concert over the years. Not that there’s so many. My memory is just not that great.

    I used to be a silly teenybopper fan of White Heart, so I’ve seen them in concert a few times. I’ve seen Rich Mullins, Rick Cua, Kim Hill, and Steve Camp in concert – once each I think. I attended Sonshine, a local outdoor Christian music weekend thing (like a Christian Woodstock) where I saw Audio Adrenaline, White Heart (again), The Imperials (in the Jimmie Lee years), and many others.

    Living in PFR’s hometown, I started seeing their shows locally back when they were still Inside Out. I almost saw DC Talk once but my tire blew out on the way there so we never made it. Recently we attended a Luis Palau event at our capital and saw Toby Mac and Third Day. Short, but great shows.

    I used to go to concerts at least once a month, but hardly ever anymore. This was a fun trip down Memory Lane. Thanks!

  • Wow, that’s a lot of concerts!
    I think I have only seen two, both in the 80’s. The Eurythmics (just before they split), and Howard Jones. Mind you I grew up in Tassie, and we didn’t get a real lot of music acts coming to our little island! I have seen Billy Connoly 3 times though!

  • Billy Connoly 3 times? Wow. I haven’t seen him at all but I did see his wife, Pamela Stephenson, amny years ago.

    Maybe I should do another post about the comedians that I’ve seen.

  • THIS IS GREAT!!! You have quite a variety here.

    I’ve seen about a hundred too. Maybe I’ll list them on my blog sometime.

    We have in common:
    Dylan
    Elton John
    Bowie
    Genesis
    Simple Minds
    James Taylor
    Randy Stonehill
    Amy Grant
    Tom Petty
    Van Morrison

    I wanted to but never saw:
    INXS (with Michael)
    Margaret Becker
    Ray Charles
    Keith Green
    Elvis Costello

  • Rodney

    Don’t tell me you missed the “Moove” Concerts in the 70’s at the Perth WACA. Mother Goose and others, supporting Marcia Hines. She was fantastic, still is come to think of it πŸ™‚

    • Yeah, I was there, but it was Gloucester Park not the WACA, you see I was supposed to be at the cricket that day but the concert sounded like a cooler option, at 10 years old!

  • We have four in common, Violent Femmes, Amy Grant, DCTalk and the Newsboys. I have been to tons of concerts too. It is something that my husband and I love to do. Let me try and list a few that I’ve seen. Bon Jovi, Alabama, Michael W. Smith x7, Jars of Clay (acutally met them and got a pic with them at a NYWC), David Crowder Band, Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Lost and Found, The Swift, Jennifer Knapp, Mark Schultz, Chris Rice, Cademons Call, Andrew Peterson, Mitch Dane, Audio Adrenaline, MercyMe, Daily Planet x2(before they split), Rock n Roll Worship Circus, Shane and Shane, Chris Tomlin, and others that I cannot remember at this moment. We have an autpgraph wall in our house and try to get autographs of all the artists we see. Silly I know but it’s fun! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

  • Rodney

    I was never allowed to go to concerts, my parents just didn’t approve. Therefore, my list is kinda small.

    Queen (while living in Spain away from my parents)

    Then finally as an adult with grown children I got to see:

    Chicago
    Doobie Brothers
    Brian Setzer

    On the Christian scene I have seen:

    Phil Keaggy (marvelous guitar)
    Phil Driscoll (Amazing trumpet)

    By the way on a side note, I have finally linked to your blog from mine, sorry to be so late in that.

    Barb
    http://www.xerraireart.com/blog

  • Hey, thanks for commenting and linking this on my blog today! I remember this list from when I read it the first time. Man, you’ve seen some TALENT!!!

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