[Brian Krashpad]

Originally Posted by characterzero

I would love to have seen those shows (read see most of those artists in their hey-day instead the really overpriced retirement tours). I especially wish I'd gotten to see James Brown, that would've been awesome.

Stones was in the early 80's, Van Halen was the middle slot (Brownsville Station opened), at the Orange Bowl, iirc in Orlando. TP & the HB's was also in the 80's, right here in Gainesville at the University of Florida. The Police was sometime in the 80's at the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum.

George Clinton I saw twice, now that I think about it, both times for free. First time was in the 80's at the O'Connell Center at UF. The band's gear truck broke down on the way to the show. A bandmate of mine was working UF's tech crew ("Spinal Tech," they're called) for the show and called me up and told me to bring my amp over to the venue. At the time I lived about 3 or 4 blocks away, and it was a nice day and the amp was on casters, so I just walked it over. Went in through the backstage loading dock, got a backstage pass in return for the loan of the amp.

The second time I saw George Clinton was in the 90's at a festival I was either playing at or had a press pass to. I saw James Brown for free at the same festival either the year before or after. I was playing at one and press at the other, but at this point can't remember which was which; both times I had laminates to get me backstage at the different stages' areas, though the mainstage had a special area apart from the regular backstage where the headliners were, which I couldn't get in. James Brown did a lot of music directing for the band, and played keyboards on a few songs, but was not really visible to the audience while playing keys. Very talented.