25 Most Memorable Rock Concerts

MANILA, Philippines - As a dedicated follower of pop music, particularly the British Invasion genre of the ‘60s, I’ve gone through great lengths to watch legendary and not-so-legendary rock artists in concert.  Luckily, I’ve been able to catch some of my favorite musical heroes in action.  Here is the list of my 25 most unforgettable concerts.

1. The Beatles. Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Manila, 1966. The Fab Four performed two shows in Manila on July 4, 1966 — at 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The matinee concert drew 30,000 fans while the evening edition brought in 50,000. It was surreal to watch John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr live, belting out tunes like I Feel Fine, Day Tripper, Paperback Writer and If I Needed Someone.  The band started off with Rock and Roll Music and ended with I’m Down.  The Liverpool band did 10 songs in a half-hour show. Fronting the Beatles were the Reycard Duet, the Wing Duo, the Lemons Three, Eddie Reyes and the Downbeats, Dale Adriatico and Pilita Corrales with Carding Cruz and his orchestra. The tour was promoted by Cavalcade Promotions. The Beatles were billeted at the Manila Hotel.

2. Cliff Richard — 40th Anniversary Concert, Royal Albert Hall, London, 1998. The ageless Pied Piper of Pop celebrated his 40th year in show business with a sold-out, two-and-a-half hour show featuring 25 songs. Sir Cliff mesmerized the audience with a dazzling array of hits from the past four decades, backed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. He kicked off his setlist with From a Distance. He introduced special guests Vincenzo La Scola, Michelle Wolf and Barratt Waugh to perform during the show.

3. The Who — 25th Anniversary Concert, Wembley Arena, London, 1989. Original drummer Keith Moon had died but carrying on the explosive act were lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, lead guitarist Pete Townshend and bass guitarist John Entwhistle.  Simon Phillips took Moon’s spot. The band performed tracks from the rock musical Tommy including Pinball Wizard and See Me, Feel Me but I particularly enjoyed the anthem My Generation, Substitute and I Can’t Explain. The performance went through 30 songs as The Who did later numbers like Love Reigns O’er Me, A Little Is Enough, Sister Disco and Eminence Front.

4. The Moody Blues, State Theater, New Jersey, 2003.  Lead vocalist and lead guitarist Justin Hayward was in fine form as he sang the timeless hits Nights In White Satin, Tuesday Afternoon, Ride My See Saw, I’m Just A Singer In a Rock and Roll Band, Your Wildest Dreams and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. Bass guitarist John Lodge and drummer Graeme Edge remained in the lineup since the ‘60s upheaval of original frontman Denny Laine.  The band introduced tracks from its first-ever Christmas album December. Flutist and back-up vocalist Ray Thomas, whose credits include two solo albums, had left the group and would’ve added to the nostalgia of the concert.

5. Eric Clapton, AsiaWorld-Expo Arena, Hong Kong, 2007. The guitar virtuoso showed up about 30 minutes late for the show that packed the arena near the airport. The stage was too big for Clapton and his band. There was no effort to spruce up the bare space. Clapton seemed disinterested and went through his setlist without emotion, as if by instinct. He left out Tears In Heaven, Change the World, Let It Rain and Sunshine of Your Love to do Driftin’ Blues, Motherless Children and Little Queen of Spades, but as a consolation, performed Anyday, Wonderful Tonight and Layla. The crowd pleaded for more from Clapton when he ended the show and he obliged with Cocaine and Crossroads.

6. The Hollies, Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, England, 1998. The Manchester band never visited the Philippines despite racking up a list of popular hits like Bus Stop, Just One Look, I Can’t Let Go, I’m Alive, Look Through Any Window and He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. So when the chance came to watch the Hollies, I grabbed it. Lead vocalist Allan Clarke had difficulty reaching the high notes but I was ecstatic to catch him while still active. Clarke would retire a year later. Original members were lead guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott. Last year, the Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

7. The Zombies, Odyssey and Oracle 40th Anniversary Concert, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 2008.  Lead vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboards specialist Rod Argent reunited with original band members drummer Hugh Grundy and bass guitarist Chris White to perform the entire Odyssey and Oracle album for the first time ever. Lead guitarist Paul Atkinson had passed away. Blunstone and Argent opened the show with their current band singing the old hits She’s Not There, Tell Her No, Summertime and I Love You. The lead song from the album was Time of the Season.

8. The Animals, Hard Rock Café, Makati, 1997. Eric Burdon was gone but newly-recruited lead vocalist Robert Kane was more than up to par with original members John Steel (drums) and Hilton Valentine (lead guitar). The band did 19 songs in 80 minutes, including House of the Rising Sun, Baby, Let Me Take You Home, Outcast, The Story of Bo Diddley, I Believe To My Soul, I’m Crying, It’s My Life, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood and We Gotta Get Out of This Place. In 1994, the Animals were enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

9. The Searchers, Araneta Coliseum, 1966. Lead vocalist and lead guitarist Mike Pender, rhythm guitarist John McNally, bass guitarist Frank Allen and drummer Chris Curtis made up the Merseyside band that enjoyed a slew of hits like Sweets For My Sweet, Love Potion No. 9, Don’t Throw Your Love Away and Needles and Pins. I watched the group from the orchestra pit just below the stage. What impressed me with the band was how remarkably close the singing was to the record. 

10. Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 2008. The place was packed with fans from several generations. Starr was as engaging and comical as ever on stage. He sat behind his drum kit, banging away and also did stand-up numbers. The former Beatles drummer was never known for his outstanding vocals but still had the fans singing to the tune of Yellow Submarine, Act Naturally, What Goes On, It Don’t Come Easy, I Wanna Be Your Man, Photograph and Liverpool 8. In his rousing encore, Starr did With A Little Help From My Friends and Give Peace a Chance. As a bonus, Starr brought in Gary Wright of Spooky Tooth, Edgar Winter, Hamish Stuart of the Average White Band, Billy Squier and Colin Hay of Men At Work to sing their own hits.

11. Peter Frampton, Beacon Theater, New York City, 2011. This was the 35th anniversary concert of the Frampton Comes Alive tour that took the music world by storm. Frampton no longer had his long, blond locks. His silver hair was now closely-cropped.  While his voice may not be as strong as it was during his Herd and Humble Pie days in the ‘60s, Frampton remained a guitar whiz. In fact, his instrumental album Fingerprints won a Grammy in 2007. Frampton performed his bestsellers like Something’s Happening, Baby, I Love Your Way, Show Me The Way, Do You Feel Like I Do, All I Want To Be Is By Your Side and I Wanna Go To The Sun. His encore was a rousing version of Harrison’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

12. Dr. and the Medics, Chelmsford, England, 2004. It was by accident that I watched this costumed band led by the “Reverend” Clive (The Doctor) Jackson performing at an open-air carnival fair.  Dr. and the Medics were formed in 1983 and their version of Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky sold over two million copies. The 6-3 Jackson called the Medics “the ultimate party band” with a repertoire that lists bouncy tunes like Gimme Some Lovin’, Mony, Mony, Born To Be Wild, Wild Thing, Monster Mash and I’m A Believer. 

13. The Fortunes and the Ivy League, ‘60s Night Out, Palace Theatre, Redditch, England, 2008. This was a two-in-one bill and well worth taking a three-hour train ride from London.  Three months before, the Fortunes lead vocalist and bass guitarist Rod Allen had died and was replaced by Eddie Mooney, formerly with Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. The other Fortunes were drummer Paul Hooper, lead guitarist Mike Smitham and keyboards player Bobby Jackson. The Fortunes did their hits like You’ve Got Your Troubles, I’ve Got Mine, Here It Comes Again, Freedom Come, Freedom Go, Storm In A Teacup and Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again but also covered Kramer’s Bad To Me Badfinger’s Day After Day and the Walker Brothers’ The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore.  The Ivy League featured no original member from the band that took Tossin’ and Turnin’ and Funny How Love Can Be to the charts in the ‘60s but the reformed group did justice to the old tunes and added traditionals like Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman, the Searchers’ When You Walk in the Room and Queen’s Crazy Thing Called Love.

14. The Tremeloes, The Marmalade and The Dreamers, The Sensational ‘60s Experience, Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells, England, 2009. Freddie Garrity had passed away but the Dreamers lived on with a brand-new lineup composed of Bryan Byng, Alan Mosca, Ray Martin and Rob Isles. The Marmalade started performing in 1961 but it wasn’t until seven years later that the Scottish band topped the charts with a cover of Obladi, Oblada. Lead vocalist Sandy Newman joined in 1975 and has steered the group to the new millennium. The Tremeloes lost Chip Hawkes to a solo career and rhythm guitarist Alan Blakeley died in 1996 but original members Dave Munden (drums) and Rick West (lead guitar) are still kicking. The show featured hits from the three bands and covers. The Dreamers did I’m Telling You Now, You Were Made For Me and I Understand. The Marmalade performed Reflections of My Life, Lovin’ Things, Rainbow, Radancer and Talking In My Sleep while the Tremeloes were superb with Silence Is Golden, Here Comes My Baby and Suddenly You Love Me.

15. The Merseybeats, The Real Thing, The Manfreds, Dancing Through the Decades, Chelmsford, England, 2004. Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley formed the Merseybeats in 1962 and were on stage to front the band, now with Crane’s son Adrian on keyboards. Their first song was a cover of the Everly Brothers’ The Price of Love. The Merseybeats performed their hits Sorrow, I Think of You, Don’t Look Around and Wishin’ and Hopin’. The Real Thing relived its Liverpool soul sound with You To Me Are Everything and Feel the Force. The Manfreds combined the talents of Manfred Mann lead vocalists Paul Jones and Mike D’Abo with original bass guitarist Tom McGuinness and drummer Mike Hugg.  Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Just Like A Woman, Sha La La, Build Me Up Buttercup and Pretty Flamingo were in the Manfreds’ setlist.

16. Phil Collins, Both Sides of the World Tour, ULTRA, 1995. The rain poured for the most part of the open-air concert which was lavishly produced with crafted sets but the fans didn’t mind. The music was excellent and Collins belted out one hit after another with Don’t Lose My Number, Against All Odds, In the Air Tonight, Groovy Kind of Love, One More Night, Another Day in Paradise and Something Happened on the Way To Heaven.

17. Tears for Fears, Araneta Coliseum, 2010. The duo of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith was overwhelmed by the incredible reception of the packed crowd at the Big Dome. Fans sang along as the tandem did Sowing the Seeds of Love, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mad World, Call Me Mellow, Secret World and Break It Down Again. 

18. Chad and Jeremy, Aliw Theater, Manila, 2004. It took Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde 38 years from when their popularity was at its peak to finally visit the Philippines. They were welcomed with open arms. The duo performed their hits Before and After, A Summer Song, Distant Shores, Homeward Bound and Yesterday’s Gone. Before they came on stage, the audience was treated to Beatles music by Area One and instrumental tunes by rock master Ramon Jacinto.

19. Colin Blunstone, Café Royal, London, 1998. The Zombies’ lead vocalist performed in a solo concert and was phenomenal. Actor David Soul of Starsky and Hutch TV fame was in the audience. Blunstone, known for his velvety voice, hadn’t lost his touch and sang flawlessly his hits I Don’t Believe In Miracles, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, Say You Don’t Mind and Old and Wise. He also did the usual Zombies favorites.  The venue accommodated only about 100 patrons and Blunstone sang on a stage in front of fans seated around dinner tables.

20. Michael Jackson, History Tour, AsiaWorld City, Manila, 1996. There were five acts in the show that drew thousands of fans. Jackson burst onto the stage out of what looked like a spaceship and his energy was electric. He treated Baby Boomers with a medley of Jackson Five hits I’ll Be There, I Want You Back and The Love You Save and could still be heard in the din of loud screams with Dangerous, Billie Jean, Earth Song, Thriller, Beat It and Black of White. Jackson finished off with Heal The World and History.

21. Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, Araneta Coliseum, 2006. In 1966, Herman’s Hermits came to the country to perform in Cebu, Bacolod and Davao but never got to Manila. After 40 years, Noone returned to make up for the missing link with a brand new backing band. Noone, known as Herman, was 58 in his Big Dome debut and still boyish-looking. His voice remained the same on his hits like I’m Into Something Good, A Must To Avoid, No Milk Today and Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter,

22. Peter and Gordon, Araneta Coliseum, 2005. It wasn’t easy reuniting Peter Asher and Gordon Waller after a break of over 35 years but promoter Steve O’Neal made it happen. They wore black suits in their Big Dome appearance and sang hits like A World Without Love, Nobody I Know, True Love Ways, Woman and I Go To Pieces. In all, the duo did 20 numbers. The reunion didn’t last very long. Four years later, Waller passed away.

23. The Searchers, Elgiva Theatre, Chesham, England, 1997. I had watched the band perform at the Araneta Coliseum in 1966 but with a reformed lineup, the sound was slightly different.  Pender was gone as lead vocalist, replaced by Spencer James and Curtis had passed away. Billy Adamson was the drummer during this concert. A year later, he would be replaced by Eddie Roth who in turn was changed Scott Ottaway. I visited the Searchers’ dressing room at intermission and McNally and Allen remembered their visit to Manila. The band would be brought over to perform in Manila by Steve O’Neal in 2004. At Chesham, the Searchers were cheered by several “groupies” and they did their hits along with new additions Young Girl, The Rose and Till I Met You.

24. Petula Clark, Araneta Coliseum, 2008. Clark was 75 when she performed at the Big Dome and amazed the crowd by singing her hits in pitch. The songs that had the crowd singing along were Downtown, Don’t Sleep In the Subway, I Know A Place and I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love. She began her show business career at the age of eight and continues to perform as one of the greatest and most enduring artists ever.

25. Cliff Richard, Here and Now World Tour, Araneta Coliseum, 2007. Sir Cliff was back in Manila with a backing vocal trio that included the Hollies’ latest lead singer Peter Howarth.  The former First Lady Imelda Marcos was in the front row as Sir Cliff did songs from his latest album Two’s Company. It was my third Sir Cliff concert. I had also watched him perform at the Folk Arts Theater.

There were other shows that came to mind in making this list, but these were the 25 most unforgettable concerts.