I used to go to a lot of concerts back in the '70s and '80s and was lucky enough to catch many great ones, some of which I actually remember. Thank God I wrote everything down. All the venues are/were in Toronto, Canada, unless stated otherwise. COMMENTS are welcome, even complaints and corrections:
THE NEXT BEST 15 (in chronological order)
ARTIST / EVENT	DATE	VENUE	PRICE	OUT OF 10	WHAT ELSE?
	May 13 1973	O'Keefe Centre	$6	8	Never heard of Commander Cody before or since, but he's still out there, though I doubt he's swinging like he used to with "Hot Rod Lincoln" and "Smoke that Cigarette". Cody (George Frayne) called it "quasi-social mayhem". Warm-ups: Freddie King and Cold Blood
Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen
	July 12 1973	Varsity Stadium	$6	7	A double-plus-size treat starting with Leslie West's Wild West, who obliged with "Mississippi Queen" from his former band Mountain. Humble Pie was the terrific Steve Marriott, who it took two guys (Rod Stewart and Ron Wood) to replace when he quit the Small Faces, and Peter Frampton, who I would see again as a solo superstar the following March. Marriott died in a 1991 fire at his home, poised for a comeback with Frampton.
Humble Pie
	Oct 14 1973	Massey Hall	$6	9	"All the Young Dudes"! Ian Hunter would become one of my all-time favourite singer-songwriters. Warm-ups: The amazing Blue Oyster Cult and, making their Canadian debut, Aerosmith
Mott the Hoople
MARCH 2008, VIVIEEN COMMENTS: The show had the SAME impact on me. Ah, the turquoise outfit Ian was wearing! I love Ian to this day. Saw him several times solo, once with Mick Ronson in a bar here in town, and that, in itself, is a whole nother story. I had a very large crush on Mick. We got to the bar early. A friend of ours had brought them in from the airport and was promoting the show. We had the privilege of sitting through the soundcheck and listening to the band do two or three songs, with us as the only audience. The piece de resistance (keep in mind I was much much younger and much much cuter then) had eyes for me. My boyfriend (now my husband) has told that story a million times!
	Jan 25 1974	Victory Burlesque	$4.50	8	The Ig climbed into the audience and sat on my buddy's lap. Warm-up: Curtis Lee & Abraham
Iggy & the Stooges
	Feb 22 1974	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6.60	9	"Firebird Suite", "And You and I", "Close to the Edge" ... Warm-up: John Martyn, sitting on a stool with a thundering Martin acoustic.
Yes
	Feb 10 1975	Massey Hall	$7	8	Massively wrought show, though Eno had already split. Warm-up: Small Wonder
Roxy Music
	Feb 1 1977	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7.70	9	Warm-up: The magnificent Thin Lizzy with soulful Phil Lynott
Queen
	Apr 12 1977	New Yorker Theatre	$7	8	Tom was pulling every heartstring that night. Warm-up: Ginni Grant
Tom Waits
	June 18 1977	New Yorker Theatre	$7	9	Superb punk double-bill. Warm-up: The Dead Boys
The Ramones
	Feb 20 1979	The Rex (New Music Hall)	$7	8	Fundamental punk. Warm-up: none needed, thanks!
The Clash
	Apr 25 1979	Massey Hall	free	8	I wasn't there for "Lady in Red" and neither is the rating. My buddy Kevin Head (that's him in the photo) was De Burgh's opening act on the tour, so I saw him this night and again on April 29 at Hamilton Place and went backstage both times. Just terrific.
Chris De Burgh / Kevin Head
	Sept 19 1978	Ryerson Theatre	$?	9	Hunter had Mick Ronson with him and I enjoyed myself so much pogoing next to the stage that CITY-TV made me its featured dancer for the week. And that's how I lost my car keys, Officer. Warm-up: Bob Segarini
Ian Hunter
	Nov ? 1979	New Music Hall	$?	8	Warm-ups: The News (formerly the Mods, a cracking Toronto outfit) and the magificent Jamaican expat Leroy Sibbles
The Police
	July 1 1981	Concert Hall	free	8	I interviewed the band for NOW magazine and loved this whip-cracking show.
The Gang of Four
	Aug 28 1989	CNE Grandstand	$?	9	A majestic ocean-going voyage with Robert Smith. Warm-ups: Love & Rockets and the Pixies (talk about bonus points!)
The Cure

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THE NEXT BEST 15 (in chronological order)