February 2017

I turned 40 recently, and was thinking about all of the great live music that I've seen in that time - from huge festivals, concerts, halls, clubs & pubs, harbour cruises to cafes, markets & bowling alleys! 
It all started when I was 10, and my parents took me to see Dire Straits at Sydney Entertainment Centre!
It's been my great honour & privilege to've seen and heard:
Ry Cooder, Pharoah Sanders, Jackie Orszaczky, Al Green, The Meters, Ernest Ranglin, Allen Toussaint, Gary Bartz, McCoy Tyner, Dr John, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, AC/DC, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Tony Allen, Willie Weeks, Steve Jordan, Steve Ferrone, Nathan East, Greg Phillinganes, Allan Clark, Toots & the Maytals, Dr Lonnie Smith, Sly & Robbie, Angelique Kidjo, Monty Alexander, Albert Lee, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Tina Harrod, Rodriguez, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Clarence 'Frogman' Henry, Marcia Ball, Maria Muldaur, Tracey Nelson, Carol Fran, Paul Kelly, Phil B Colson, Buddy Guy, BB King, Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite, Shannon Bourne, Junior Brown, Dale Watson, Wayne 'The Train' Hancock, Canned Heat, The Cruel Sea, The Black Sorrows, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Link Wray, Scotty Moore & DJ Fontana, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Redd Volkaert, Jerry Donahue, Buddy Miller, Jimmie Vaughan, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Chris Cain, Robben Ford, Andy Just, Kirk Eli Fletcher, Lynwood Slim, Alex Schultz, Richard Innes, Kid Anderson, James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin,The Badloves, Renee Geyer, Sonny Landreth, RL Burnside, Steve Winwood, The Wailers, Irma Thomas, Galactic, Bonerama, Jon Mooney, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Roy Head, Johnny Farina, Plas Johnson, Carey Bell, Louisiana Red, Johnnie Johnson, Henry Gray, Dr Michael White, The Palladins, Little Charlie & the Nightcats, Guy Davis, Iris DeMent, Mojo Buford, Jon Cleary, James Singleton, Doug Belote, Johnny Vidacovich, Herb Hardesty, Dumpstaphunk, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jnr, Joseph 'Zigaboo' Modeliste, Art Neville, Aaron Neville, Charles Neville, Cyril Neville, Charmaine Neville, The Neville Brothers,  Lil Ole Band of Gold, Bernard Allison, Joe Krown, Kenny Neal, Little Feat, Cindy Blackman, Raul Rekow, Dennis Chambers, Travis Wammack, Betty Harris, Los Lobos, Kieren Kane & Kevin Welch, Chris Finnen, Katie Webster, The Mighty Reapers, Alfred 'Uganda' Roberts, Spearhead, Robert Lockwood Jnr, Ace Cannon, Barrence Whitfield, Lazy Lester, Eddie Bo, Corey Harris, Henry Butler, James Blood Ulmer, Deke Dickerson, Willie Tee, Lucky Dube, The Wild Magnolias, Warren Storm, Archie Bell, Syl Johnson, Little Milton, Gil Scott Heron, Ben Harper, Joe Louis Walker, Candye Kane, Taj Mahal, Tony Joe White, Roger McGuinn, Larry Taylor, Professor Ratbaggy, Chris Wilson, Diesel, Burning Spear, Michelle Shocked, Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn, Kelly Joe Phelps, Jeff Lang, Bob Brozman, Wendy Saddington, ZZ Top, Govt Mule, Ozomatli, Bela Fleck, Kristina Olsen, Kurt Elling, Jimmy Barnes, Billy Thorpe, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Rebirth Brass Band, The New Birth Brass Band, Harry Manx, Joan Armatrading, Janis Ian, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Sharon Jones & the Dapp Kings, Luka Bloom, Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater, Keb Mo, Michael Hill's Blues Mob, The subdudes, Hans Theesink, Tommy Emmanuel, Tiddas, Eric Burdon, Love, Ike Turner, Terrance Simien, G Love & Special Sauce, Zap Mama, Robert Randolph & the Family Stand,, Dave Liebman, Yothu Yindi, Lady Bo & Clifton James, Ross Wilson, Collard Greens & Gravy, The Cat Empire, Les Hurlements d'Leo, Chris Whitley, John Hammond, George Thorogood, Cake, Ian Moss, Roy Rogers, Roy Haynes, Warren Haynes, Dave Bartholomew, David Torkanowsky, George Golla, Vince Jones, James Muller, Mark Knopfler.
I'm looking forward to the next 40 years!