My Top 15.... Concerts Attended

As mentioned with my other "favorite" lists, the reasons for why something is on here or it's ranking can be for any reason and not what I thought were their best work. It's there for my reasons only. With that in mind, enjoy my top 15 concerts attended. Have fun and let us know your list.

Honorable Mentions - Beach Boys (first time was after my first USC football game), Paul McCartney (one of the best moments of any concert when McCartney hit the keys during "Live and Let Die" and fireworks shot up) and Chicago (love their music and all the jazz horns).

#15 - Neil Diamond / no opener (Los Angeles) (Not so much him, but other stuff was crazy, even for me)
#14 - Lionel Richie / Sheila E opened (San Diego show) (The tickets were a surprise from the crew that worked for me at the time and because of the very special friend that went with me)
#13 - Belinda Carlisle / no opener (San Diego) (We got there and a sign said that the venue had changed. We didn't understand directions, but we found it before it started and we had second row seats)
#12 - Loverboy / Joan Jett opened (Los Angeles) (This was my very first concert)
#11 - Barry Manilow / no opener (San Diego) (Yeah, so? This was a surprise Christmas gift for my then wife and we had second row seats in front of his piano. He made you feel part of the show)
#10 - Prince & the Revolution / Sheila E opened (Los Angeles) (Went with one girl, but paid most of my attention to another... someone I knew btw)
#9 - Aerosmith / Guns & Roses opened (Costa Mesa) (One of the best songs in concert ever was their performance of "Dream On." The sound was awesome and all the lighters in the outdoor pavillion at night)
#8 - Conspiracy of Hope (Los Angeles) (Charity concert for Amnesty International included the likes of U2, Sting, Tom Petty, Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed among others)
#7 - Boston / no opener (Los Angeles) (The best sounding concert bar none!)
#6 - Oingo Boingo / no opener (Los Angeles) (Each time I've seen them was great, but at The Greek is more intimate. Then while waiting for a tow truck, lead singer Danny Elfman came out and we talked until the truck got there)
#5 - Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band / no opener (Los Angeles) This was his "Born in the USA" tour at the LA Coliseum. Some of the songs from that night we were there are on the 3-disc box set he came out with in mid-80's. We rented a bus and 30 of us went as a group. Great times! and it was my first of five Springsteen concerts)
#4 - Huey Lewis & the News / unknown (San Diego Show) I tricked my best friend to get into the car and we headed down to San Diego. It was a surprise and we had front row center. Then trying to get out of the parking lot was a blast when your buddy walks around stopping cars like he's drunk and I just followed him. Everyone stopped and we were out in no time)
#3 - Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band / no opener (Anaheim) (Even at 60, they can bring it and this show was simply AWESOME!! Even read in a magazine that this show was one of his best three ever! So I wasn't that far off)
#2 - Billy Joel / no opener (San Diego) (We had second row center and got to go up against the stage and we shuck hands with Billy Joel. In addition, the song "Goodnight Saigon" was incredible!)
#1 - Van Halen / BTO opened (San Diego; first time) (Second row center with most of my friends in the first three rows. A buddy of mine is a friend of Sammy Hagar and others, so Michael Anthony passed his beer down to us to drink during the show. I got Eddie Van Halen's guitar pick and Sammy held up a "No Dave Tour" shirt we had made up for the crowd and MTV cameras. Epic concert and a GREAT time!!!)