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Classic Rock Corner

Going Platinum: Artists We'd Pay $10,000 To See - And When

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GOLD CLUB ($5,000)

Jimi Hendrix: Rocks Off always talks about being in the room with a voice, be it Dylan, Neil, or even Morrissey. But we can admit that sitting in a room with Hendrix's guitar tone would be the kind of thing that would make you soil yourself. Even if you don't subscribe to psychedelic jamming or lysergic fits, just sit down and listen to "Red House" coat the walls.

Led Zeppelin: We would probably pay $500 just to sit next to John Bonham for a 20-minute drum solo. Whenever we meet people who saw Zeppelin in their prime, we feel a mix of frustration and reverence, depending on what era. The first five years? We more than likely hate you for being so awesome. Anytime after that, we will wash your car to hear stories from the show, provided you can recall anything.

The Who: Here's another one that can be debated. Obviously the Who that tours now is not the Who, since the coolest two dudes in the band are dead now. The Live at Leeds gig would be righteous, as would the Woodstock set. But it would be pretty fun to risk our hearing and very life to be at the Smothers Brothers taping.

Joy Division: When we polled folks on the Rocks Off Twitter about who they wanted to see again, Joy Division came up numerous times. Personally we never got to see JD's descendant band, New Order, so that's where our loyalties lay. But Ian Curtis was a hellacious and transfixing performer, as you can see in numerous YouTube clips.

Stevie Ray Vaughan: Everyone get out your tomatoes and glass bottles, because Rocks Off wouldn't spend $500 to see SRV. We know about a million people who would, though, and that makes us feel good inside. We guess the trick would be to pick which SRV performance to attend. The last one ever with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and big brother Jimmie Vaughan would be the perfect coda, but then again his shows at Austin's Continental Club are things of legend.

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Craig Hlavaty
Contact: Craig Hlavaty