who surprised and who disappointed

Most of all, Rashaan Roland Kirk. How can a record communicate a man shoving three horns into his mouth and playing the most sublime music of all time? How can a record communicate his ability to hold a note for minutes on end through circular breathing? The last time I saw him, right before he died, he had suffered a debilitating stroke but he played as usual. He had lost the use of one arm due to the stroke, all the horns were on elaborate stands, the man just wanted to play. Never again.

Dylan on the Rolling Thunder tour in Madison Square garden. I went just to see Joni Mitchell and came home a slavering Dylan fan, go figure.

Jethro Tull. Believe it. In their heyday, a mesmerising live band, the records really never got it.

Most notable letdown was Miles at Carnegie Hall, it was his wakka-jawakka period and he really, really did not connect.

SURPRISES:

Talking Heads: Reluctantly agreed to go with a friend to see them. After the show, I drove around NorCal to see their next three concerts.

Kings X: Every song, even those that miss on CD, is explosive live. Tightest band I've ever seen, they sound like one mind playing three instruments simultaneously.

Dylan: Once show a big surprise, another a big disappointment.

Springsteen in a stadium: He worked it like a small nightclub.

Eminem & Dr. Dre: Two of the most captivating performers I've ever seen. I like their recordings well enough, but in concert they blew the doors off!

Meat Puppets: Sleepy on the recordings, rippin' live.

Nels Cline Singers: Nels Cline is the most compelling, masterful musician I've ever seen.

Throwing Muses: Good recordings (especially "Limbo"), but amazing in concert.

Soundgarden: I saw them at a surprise gig at a small club. They sounded monolithic.

Primus: Used to see them do afternoon gigs at a little bar on Haight Street. They were far too big for the local circuit, and quickly proved to be.

Spin Doctors: Not what you'd expect to see at a little bar on 2nd Ave in NYC. Soon thereafter, they shot to fame.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Catherine Wheel: More energy & creativity on the recordings than live.

Milton Nascimento: A musical hero of mine, he sat on a stool the entire night. Boring.

Biggest disapointment in person was Weather Report years ago. The biggest surprise this year so far is a tie: Conner Oberst- Bright Eyes, and Jeff Tweety solo, both are consumate musicians and obsessive about their sound.

Harry Chapin (but now you know how old I am).

His records were mediocre at best, but I loved his concerts (especially when I got to see him in some very small venues on college campuses)

Disappointed: Most "pop" artists disappoint in live performances...Duran Duran, Spice Girls, Dido, Rod Stewart are some of the worst I can recall but there are many others. They depend on good producers/engineers and many takes IMHO. It is mostly the vocals that don't hold up.

Surprises: Tom Petty. Queen.Alanis Morrisette. Average White Band. Bryan Adams. INXS. M People. Cleo Lane.

Mediocre: Simple minds, U2, Genesis were all reasonable live but much better in the studio. Stones do a great show but don't sound nearly as good as they do in the studio.

I could go on and on...