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Memorable Music Performances - Live TV

Centerfield Aug 01 2007 01:52 PM

Sure, there were the Beatles and Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show, but most of us weren't around to watch it as it happened. What were the ones you saw that had an effect on you? They can be great performances, or ones that only you would remember. I remember being blown away by Whitney Houston performing the National Anthem at the SuperBowl in 1991. I remember Madonna's "Like a Virgin" at the MTV Music Awards in 1984 for very different reasons.

Kid Carsey Aug 01 2007 01:59 PM

Mike Ditka singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 01 2007 01:59 PM

How about Liza Minnelli singing "God Bless America" at Shea in that first game after September 11?

metirish Aug 01 2007 02:07 PM

U2 Super Bowl halftime show 2002 - 9/11 Tribute. I will never forget it...

Edgy DC Aug 01 2007 02:15 PM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Aug 01 2007 05:06 PM

Talking Heads on Saturday Night live, because Tina was cool, had a pony tail coming out one side of her head, and was preggers. Paul Simon and George Harrison on Saturday Night Live, because seeing a Beatle perfom live was seeing a god come down from Olympus. Roy Oribison's A Black and White Night because it's just unreal what that man could do with pop music, and I missed seeing a free performance by him when I was a teenager, because I didn't want to stop making out. Berlin (though not really live) on Soul Train, because they had to have one token white act on every four to six weeks, and pretend they didn't hate them, and Berlin really sucked, but over-performed as if they were really great, and were playing something soulful, and it was all embarrassing. The All-Sports Band (though not really live) on on American Bandstand, because it was the worst idea ever. I used to have a mental database of pop and rock acts who appearred on sitcoms.

Centerfield Aug 01 2007 02:18 PM

Minneli is a good one. I can remember that like it was yesterday. A couple other cool performances off the top of my head: 1. Clapton Unplugged for MTV. 2. Plant and Page reunited for MTV. 3. Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean and debuting the Moonwalk for the Motown 25 special. (For many years, I thought this performance took place on Solid Gold, but looking it up it appears I was wrong.) 4. Kelly Clarkson and Jeff Beck performing "Up to the Mountain" on the past season of American Idol. I know what you may be thinking, but google the video and watch it first. After watching a whole bunch of suckass artists, this performance was just amazing. I had no idea Kelly Clarkson had such a soulful voice. Of course, having Jeff Beck there gave her a lot of credibility too.

metirish Aug 01 2007 02:23 PM

Nelly Furtado & Steve Vai - I'm Like A Bird. I was so surprised when seeing thisthat Vai was with her..he's brilliant. really I could just listen to Vai playing this and forget the singing.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 01 2007 02:38 PM

I think Whitney ruined the National Anthem that day.

HahnSolo Aug 01 2007 02:52 PM

At the Grammys a few years back, Bruce, Little Steven, Elvis Costello and others doing a Clash tribute with a great version of London Calling.

sharpie Aug 01 2007 03:40 PM

Bob Dylan on "The Johnny Cash Show" (his solo part, not his duet with Cash) Neil Young doing "Rockin' In the Free World" on Saturday Night The Clash doing "Straight to Hell" on Saturday Night Nirvana both on Saturday Night and the MTV Unplugged Concert Elvis Costello doing "Radio Radio" on Saturday Night Elvis Presley's "comeback special" (the sitting down part) also his performance on "The Steve Allen Show"

Edgy DC Aug 01 2007 05:18 PM

Excellent contributions. Neil doing "The Needle and the Damage Done" on SNL also. Great sitcom (and hour-long drama) slummings from my youth include Davey Jones (above) plus The Doobies on What's Happening? The Beau Brummels on The Flintstones Run DMC on 227 Johnny Cash on Columbo Anybody on The Dukes of Hazzard Billy Preston (not Zappa so much) on The Monkees Bobby Sherman on The Partridge Family Don Ho on The Brady Bunch Obviously all lip-synched, but fun nonetheless.

Frayed Knot Aug 01 2007 05:32 PM

Roy Clark doing 'Yesterday When I Was Young' on an 'Odd Couple' Also, an episode of 'Scrubs' featured former 'Men at Work' frontman Colin Hay following the characters around the hospital for much of an entire show singing a solo acoustic version of 'Overkill'

seawolf17 Aug 01 2007 05:41 PM

Just about every MTV Unplugged from the old days, but I particularly loved the Pearl Jam and Aerosmith ones.

Kid Carsey Aug 01 2007 06:17 PM

http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/41927/detail/

Iubitul Aug 01 2007 08:01 PM

Trombone Shorty on Studio 60:

metirish Aug 01 2007 09:16 PM

seawolf17 wrote: Just about every MTV Unplugged from the old days, but I particularly loved the Pearl Jam and Aerosmith ones. Nirvana Unplugged was and still is a brilliant CD.

Batty31 Aug 01 2007 09:23 PM

Frayed Knot wrote: Also, an episode of 'Scrubs' featured former 'Men at Work' frontman Colin Hay following the characters around the hospital for much of an entire show singing a solo acoustic version of 'Overkill' I wish I had seen this...I like Colin's solo stuff and Overkill is my favorite MAW song. ="metirish"]Nelly Furtado & Steve Vai - I'm Like A Bird. I was so surprised when seeing thisthat Vai was with her..he's brilliant. really I could just listen to Vai playing this and forget the singing. Irish, I LOVE Steve Vai, so thanks for posting this. Too bad Nelly had to ruin the song. LOL

Batty31 Aug 01 2007 09:33 PM

Forgot to add my own picks... KISS on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special This wasn't live, but it still amazes me everytime I see it: David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy on the Bing Crosby Christmas Special Hahn Solo..that was an awesome tribute. Great pick.

Edgy DC Aug 01 2007 09:40 PM

Batty31 wrote: KISS on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special What did they do besides "Beth"? Kiss, by the way, recently performed as a trio after Paul Stanley was hospitalized by a cardiac event, presumably caused by toxic wig syndrome.

Batty31 Aug 01 2007 09:48 PM

Detroit Rock City and King of the Night Time World. Snicker all you want, but I became a KISS fan when I was in kindergarden and was a member of the KISS Army when I was 8. Ok, Edgy said the second funniest thing I heard in awhile...yeah I heard about Paul. LOL! I was never a big fan of him. BTW, I love the new Dunkin Donuts commercial with Ace. :P

Edgy DC Aug 01 2007 09:52 PM

Batty31 wrote: Detroit Rock City and King of the Night Time World. Snicker all you want, but I became a KISS fan when I was in kindergarden and was a member of the KISS Army when I was 8. I think we've all learned not to snicker at the KISS Army. KISS deserves all the jokes you can make at their expense, but they (at least Paul and Ace) have gotten the last laugh for 30+ years. Gene, at this point, is like David Lee Roth, as much a borscht belt comic as a rock band member. Unlike David Lee, he has managed a sustainable rock career.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 01 2007 09:58 PM

]BTW, I love the new Dunkin Donuts commercial with Ace. :P Someone must inform the Donut News.

Gwreck Aug 01 2007 10:23 PM

Stipe and Mills with Clayton and Mullen doing One (Presidential Inaguration Ball in '93? I think.) Curtis Mayfield tribute on the Grammies, '94, I think it was.