Five Concerts to See Before I Die

I've been to some pretty good concerts in my time. John Mayer before he hit it big and became a terrible person, The Killers closing out Lollapolooza, and Sara Bareilles' recent show here in Denver which could only be described as awesome. I love going to live shows and my list is always growing, but there is definitely a divider between those I want to see and those I must see. Below are five acts I have to see in my lifetime (or theirs since most of them are older than me).

Bruce Springsteen

I think it's safe to say that the next time he tours and comes to Denver, I will be there. I don't care if I'm by myself, if I'm the youngest person there, or if I have a seat in the very last row, I've got to see Bruce sing some songs and really rock out. I hear it's awesome and I'm sick and tired of being left out. I've always read or heard how great he is live, how he puts everything he's got into singing and playing for his audience. I could go on and on about my love for this man, which only started about a year and a half ago, but feels like forever. If he songs get to me just when I listen to them, then I can only imagine what it would be like to see and feel them as well.

Paul McCartney

Since he's probably the closest I'll ever get to seeing the Beatles lives, I'm determined to see Paul McCartney before the man retires from music. Paul was always my favorite Beatle, really. He didn't attract attention like John Lennon did, but that doesn't make him less of a genius. I mean, the man wrote 'Hey Jude' and 'Let It Be,' two songs that our world would sorely miss if they never popped out of his head. Also, the man went on to write some pretty great songs with Wings and his own solor career. I hear he can still really jam when he's live. A friend of mine saw him in concert and texted me afterwards. The text read “face=melted.” If that's not a rave review, then I don't know what is.

Adele

Adele's voice is amazing, and it's definitely something I want to hear live and in person, but it's not just that. I want to feel Adele's voice live and in person. There's something about the way she sings that really gets under your skin and I have a feeling that going to her concert would be a moving experience. I've watched a few of her smaller, radio shows and she has a good rapport with her band and with the audience. She's witty and charming and even has that fantastically thick accent. Her show in Denver is sold out, so we'll see if I get to go or not.

Kanye West

Oh, Kanye. Such an enigma. While the man walks the fine line between world's biggest douchebag and world's biggest genius (a link to his Twitter account could easily prove both), there's something about the way he performs and the way his music is assembled that would make me want to see how he pulls it off in front of thousands. West feeds off an audience, too, and they seem to really energize him. Kanye concerts are just him rapping though. He puts on a show. I would much rather see him over other performance-based artists simply because he would give us something to talk about and even think about.

Billy Joel

It's a simple things really, a man, a piano, and some songs, but with that man is Billy Joel, the simple thing becomes a beautiful thing. I've heard great stories of people at Billy Joel concerts, which attract all ages, getting up and just dancing to his music. The man has been around for what seems like forever, and his personal life may be in shambles, but he sure does know how to write a good tune filled with melancholy, heartache, hope, or a great beat that makes you tap your feet.