Pick a Day

Music History Events: Memorable Concerts

January 28, 1996 Diana Ross performs at the Superbowl XXX halftime show in Tempe, Arizona.

November 19, 1995 Frank Sinatra's all-star 80th birthday tribute is held in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, featuring Bob Dylan performing "Restless Farewell" (at the request of Sinatra; Dylan wanted to perform Sinatra's "That's Life") and Paula Abdul singing "Luck Be A Lady." Afterwards, Dylan and fellow performer Bruce Springsteen, along with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, are invited back to the crooner's home. (Sinatra's actual birthday isn't until December 12th.)

November 13, 1995 MC Hammer plays a benefit concert in Moscow supporting the "Our Home Is Russia" party, who are facing opposition in upcoming elections from the Communist party. The communists claim that Hammer symbolizes the wealth disparity and vapid consumerism that Russia should avoid.

October 24, 1995 Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders goes back to Ohio to sing the national anthem before Game 3 of the World Series in Cleveland. The Indians pull this one out, but lose the series to the Atlanta Braves.

October 1, 1995 Farm Aid 8 takes place in Louisville, Kentucky, with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Hootie & the Blowfish and The Dave Matthews Band raising over $1 million to support American farmers.

August 16, 1995 Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys performs live for the first time with his daughters Carnie and Wendy, recently famous for their stint in the trio Wilson Phillips.

July 8, 1995 At Summerfest in Milwaukee, Pearl Jam bring the husband-and-wife Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning & Thunder on stage to perform "Forever In Blue Jeans." It earns the duo lots of attention, and in 2008 the performance is included in their documentary Song Sung Blue. In 2025 the scene is recreated in the biopic Song Sung Blue, with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson portraying Lightning & Thunder.

June 17, 1995 Rod Stewart sets an attendance record at Wembley Stadium in London when 83,000 fans attend his concert. The record holds until 2009, when U2 draws 88,000 on their 360 tour.

May 17, 1995 Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Little Richard share the stage for the first time ever at a concert in Sheffield, England.

September 25, 1993 The keyboard player/composer Yanni puts on a concert at the Herodes Atticus Theatre in Athens, Greece that is later released as a PBS TV special and sold on video as Live At The Acropolis. A grand production with Yanni's signature mix of keyboards and symphonic instruments, it becomes one of the best-selling concert videos of the era and vaults him to stardom.

January 31, 1993 Michael Jackson performs with 3,500 local children at the Superbowl XXVII in Pasadena, California.

November 13, 1992 90,000 people attend Elton John's Mexico City concert, his first in the country.

June 11, 1992 U2 invites ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to join them onstage at their concert in Stockholm for a rendition of ABBA's 1976 smash "Dancing Queen."

June 4, 1992 Iron Maiden play a gig at the Oval pub in Norwich before 400 fans as The Nodding Donkeys, as a thank you to the pub's landlord, Chris Hiles.

April 6, 1992 George Harrison performs his first full live solo concert since 1969, appearing in London in a benefit for the Natural Law political party.

November 19, 1991 Paul McCartney's first classical piece, Liverpool Oratorio, is performed in America for the first time, at New York's Carnegie Hall.

September 21, 1991 Status Quo set a world record when they play four separate British arenas in one 11-hour period.

August 15, 1991 Paul Simon gives a free concert in Central Park, much as he had in 1981 with partner Art Garfunkel. It airs live on HBO and eventually becomes the album Paul Simon's Concert In The Park.

May 30, 1991 Before his concert in Paris, Lenny Kravitz gets a visit from Mick Jagger, one of his musical heroes. Kravitz quickly learns the Rolling Stones song "No Expectations" and brings Jagger on stage to perform it with him. They become good friends and frequent collaborators; Kravitz opens some shows for The Rolling Stones in 1994 and co-writes Jagger's 2001 single "God Gave Me Everything."

December 25, 1990 Soldiers in South Carolina are treated to a concert by James Brown, who is given a furlough from the work center where he is being detained so he can play for the troops. He includes his patriotic hit "Living In America" in the set.

September 22, 1990 After parting with original drummer Chad Channing, Nirvana plays their one and only show with Dan Peters of Mudhoney on drums (at the Motor Sports International Garage in Seattle). He is replaced by Dave Grohl, who mans the kit henceforth.

August 19, 1990 Leonard Bernstein conducts his final concert, playing Benjamin Britten's "Four Sea Interludes" and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in Massachusetts.

June 3, 1990 The Big Day free festival takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, with Wet Wet Wet, Deacon Blue, Hothouse Flowers, Sheena Easton, Texas, Hue and Cry, John Martyn, Eddi Reader, The Average White Band and others. Channel 4 TV runs a six-hour live broadcast from the event.

May 27, 1990 The Stone Roses play a concert on Spike Island, an abandoned chemical plant in Widnes, Cheshire, England, that draws 28,000 fans and comes to define the Madchester movement, inspiring Oasis and Pulp, who released a song about it in 2025 called "Spike Island."

April 21, 1990 Paul McCartney sets a new world record for attendance at a concert by a single artist when his tour-ending show at the Maracana Stadium in Rio draws 184,000 people.

January 18, 1990 Eric Clapton plays the first of an 18-night concert run at Royal Albert Hall in London.

September 29, 1989 Bruce Springsteen drops in at Matt's Saloon in Prescott, Arizona, and jams with the local act The Mile High Band for about an hour. A few weeks later, Matt's bartender Brenda receives a $100,000 check from Springsteen to help cover her medical bills.

September 24, 1989 Bob Dylan plays flute and recorder at the "L'Chaim - To Life!" telethon, backing up the band Chopped Liver with his son-in-law Peter Himmelman, who is married to Dylan's daughter Maria.

August 24, 1989 The Who perform a special 20th anniversary charity concert of their rock opera Tommy at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, featuring guests Elton John (as the Pinball Wizard), Patti LaBelle (as the Acid Queen), Steve Winwood (as the Hawker), Phil Collins (as Uncle Ernie), and Billy Idol (as Cousin Kevin).

August 11, 1989 Bruce Springsteen joins Ringo Starr onstage at a concert in New Jersey, where they perform "Get Back," "Long Tall Sally," "Photograph" and "With A Little Help From My Friends."