Everybody has a favorite concert they attended – especially musicians.

Musicians look at things differently from ordinary music lovers. We notice when a performer has a particular problem and overcomes it smoothly. We get it when the sound engineer is not doing his best for a show, and think about the reasons and the motives. We see what revs up a crowd and what sprays cold water on it. We know when an individual musician is really smoking, or maybe really stinking.

My most memorable concert has to be Tina Turner’s show at Sandstone in Kansas City in 1997. Tina was at her peak and the show was supercharged start to finish.

Here’s her set list (follow the links to see videos, not necessarily at this show.)

1. Steamy Windows(Tony Joe White cover)Play Video
2. Typical MalePlay Video
3. Foreign AffairPlay Video
4. Undercover Agent for the Blues(Tony Joe White cover)Play Video
5. Private DancerPlay Video
6. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)Play Video
7. I Can’t Stand the Rain(Ann Peebles cover)Play Video
8. Nutbush City Limits(Ike & Tina Turner song)Play Video
9. Addicted to Love(Robert Palmer cover)Play Video
10. The Best(Bonnie Tyler cover)Play Video
11. I Don’t Wanna Fight(Lulu cover)Play Video
12. Let’s Stay Together(Al Green cover)Play Video
13. What’s Love Got to Do With It(Graham Lyle cover)Play Video
14. Proud Mary(Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)Play Video
15. Legs(ZZ Top cover)Play Video
16. Better Be Good to Me

The band at that time was:
Timmy Cappello – Percussion, Keyboards, Saxophone and Vocals
Bob Feit – Bass Guitar
Ollie Marland – Keyboards and Vocals
John Miles – Guitars and Vocals
Kenny Moore – Piano and Vocals
James Ralston – Guitars and Vocals
Jack Bruno – Drums
Warren McRae – Bass Guitar(from March 1997)
Chuck Booker – Piano and Vocals (replaced Kenny Moore after his death in March 1997)
Sharon Owens – Dancer and Vocals
Karen Owens – Dancer and Vocals
Cynthia Davila – Dancer and Vocals

Cappello was a major part of her show. I don’t know if Tina and Timmy had something going on at the time, but you would have thought so from watching them. Fantastic sax player and showman. Jack Bruno, the drummer, was also stellar.

Cyndi Lauper was the support act. As I recall she was very pregnant at the time, and not at the top of her game. And this was a time when the sound engineer was all dialed in for the Tina show, so it was hit and miss for Cyndi.

Tina Turner passed away at age 83 in May of 2023. She was simply the best.