Have you ever been in the front row for a concert?

[Mr. Paul]

Quite a few times. Most memorable was the Allmans at Red Rocks. Dicky Betts was chatting up the crowd before the show. He left at show time and we stayed where we were, belly up to the center of the stage. There is a walkway between the front row and the stage so we were quite a bit closer than front row.

[kathyson]

Judy Collins back in the day
Pentangle in Mo.
Kruger Bros. many times

[FrankHudson]

Implied in the question is front row for a big, amplified show at a large venue, which is not how I tend to consume live music. The closest story I have to that was when my late wife got tickets for Prince when he'd moved to large venues during his Purple Rain breakout year.

They weren't front row seats, but we were very close and in the center. Before the show got underway, George Clinton walked by us and when I stood to look over the seats filling up in the huge arena behind us, about ten rows back was Miles Davis. I kid you not. I told my wife "You got us better seats than Miles!"

If we move out of the arena arena, then there are as a good number of notables guitar-wise where I've sat in the front row, to better watch them do their thing and hope that it rubs off on me: Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Bill Frisell, Richard Thompson, Steve Tibbetts, Ralph Towner come to mind. That's one of the nice things about liking "semi-popular" music, you can sit a few feet from your heroes and watch them work.

[auggie242]

Michael Peter Smith, Janis Ian, Hot Rize, Rodney Crowell, Ricky Skaggs and a few others in smaller sized venues.

In stadium sized venues I was lucky enough to catch Crosby & Nash (with Linda Ronstadt as an opener) about 4 feet from the stage (1970's "festival seating"- i.e. no chairs on the main level, just go sit on the floor) but the all time best was seeing Crosby, Stills and Nash from Row 1 Center in an outdoor arena that seated about 25,000. There's nothing like singing along, catching Crosby's eye and have him smile and nod at you. My wife had Graham Nash hand her his pick at that same show (gray nylon .60). Kinda spoils everything else after that.

[Ruppster]

My brother and I and our spouses were on the front row of an Earth Wind and Fire concert a couple years back. It was outdoors at a park in Boca Raton. The band was tight and we spent the evening unabashedly dancing on the lawn. Our wives waffled between being embarrassed and amused....

[Chickee]

The Band Shell in beautiful Prospect Park, Brooklyn New York.
Local bands were showcased every Wednesday night during the summer months. I was front and center, mesmerized by a group doing a note for note rendition of Rikki Don't Loose That Number. I never thought about playing music in the same way after that experience.

[H165]

A variety of them. Couple of "biggies" (Doobies and Dixie Chicks). Renbourn, Juber, Richard Smith, numerous bluegrass bands (including the Navy bluegrass band - absolutely fantastic), Hot Rize. Lots of house concerts and such.

I've also arrived in time to sit front row at unassigned seating many times and selected fourth or fifth row center aisle seats. I like a little balance and some perspective on the sound and stage presentation.

The Chicks seats were a hoot - I bought a run-of-the-mill, row-40, last-minute pair of tickets that were taken by the "Surprise.....we're doing a recording tonight" video crew. Hence the same treatment as:

To be more accurate, we really weren't in front row seats; we were in front of them at the front edge of the stage.

and sitting with, of all people, some of the LA Kings hockey team.

At the Doobies we were surrounded by celebs...a very friendly Dyan Cannon on my left, Richard Dreyfuss two seats away (saying hello to everyone). It was a long time ago....seems sort of odd in retrospect, but fun memories.

[hotroad]

Originally Posted by H165

A variety of them. Couple of "biggies" (Doobies and Dixie Chicks). Renbourn, Juber, Richard Smith, numerous bluegrass bands (including the Navy bluegrass band - absolutely fantastic), Hot Rize. Lots of house concerts and such.

I've also arrived in time to sit front row at unassigned seating many times and selected fourth or fifth row center aisle seats. I like a little balance and some perspective on the sound and stage presentation.

The Chicks seats were a hoot - I bought a run-of-the-mill, row-40, last-minute pair of tickets that were taken by the "Surprise.....we're doing a recording tonight" video crew. Hence the same treatment as: and sitting with, of all people, some of the LA Kings hockey team.

At the Doobies we were surrounded by celebs...a very friendly Dyan Cannon on my left, Richard Dreyfuss two seats away (saying hello to everyone). It was a long time ago....seems sort of odd in retrospect, but fun memories.

Beatles at Hollywood Bowl.
Doors also at Hollywood Bowl.
I had connections in the day. Not anymore. [emoji30]

[brad2001]

Originally Posted by hotroad

Beatles at Hollywood Bowl.
Doors also at Hollywood Bowl.
I had connections in the day. Not anymore. [emoji30]

You win the internet !

[Earl49]

Leo Kottke in Cotati, CA, mid-80's
Stefan Grossman in downtown SF, Great American Music Hall
Doc Watson, same SF venue

All were wonderful shows. Doc Watson made it feel like we were in his living room, listening to him pick. Maybe the single best show I've ever seen.

[godfreydaniel]

Front row for the Count Basie Orchestra. 2nd row center for Hot Tuna and Gentle Giant.

I had front row center tickets for a Bonnie Raitt show that was canceled.

[gimme789]

Heart - Early 80s shortly after Dreamboat Annie was released. Ann was gorgeous and her vocal was so so strong.... Original lead guitarist was doing amazing things.... great show.

James Taylor mid-80s ... when the show started, everyone stood up and went to the stage.... as did I.... got real close ... maybe the best concert I've ever been to..... JT had 7,000+ people in the palm of his hand.

[mr. beaumont]

Quite a few times.

Most memorably, I saw jazz trumpeter Christian Scott in Chicago a few years ago and sat front and center.

It was kind of an odd venue, and tickets didn't sell well, nor was the show well promoted. I found out about the show (which was about half a mile from my house) a few hours before, and went to the box office to see if any tickets were available. I asked for the best they had, and it ended up being front row, center seat. Awesome.

[VTexan]

Armadillo World Headquarters, spring of '73 if memory serves. GREAT, of course.

[Inyo]

Originally Posted by spock

...ever been fortunate enough to grab a front row seat?...

Bob Uecker from a 1984 commercial knows all about the front row.