I just got back from the Eric Clapton World Tour (July 24th, 2001 at the United Center in Chicago)! warm up band was a bit lame (cross between old clapton and robin trower but not very well done)... Clapton opened up with an acoustic version of "Key to the Highway" that kicked ass! the show was incredible. Billy Preston ("the fifth Beatle") was on keyboards and Buddy Guy joined in on 3 songs including "Hoochie, Koochie Man"! Other highlights, acoustic version of "Bell Bottom Blues", "Tears in Heaven", electric version of "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love"... He also did "Badge" and finished the show with, get this, a soulful jazzy rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"! I highly recommend the show to any would be guitarist (especially rock/blues types). the top three all-time shows I've seen are:
1. Eric Clapton (this tour, sorry, I hadn't seen him before)
2. Paul McCartney, "Flowers in the Dirt" tour ~1990 (opening show at the L.A. Forum he did mucho Beatles and Wings... final show at Sundevil Stadium wasn't nearly as good)
3. U2, "The Joshua Tree" tour, Las Vegas, NV ~1986ish
smaller venue guitarists...
4. Larry Carlton at some vineyard in Temecula, CA.
5. Phil Keaggy (acoustic concert at a local church in Las Vegas)
6. Sting at the Alladin Theater, Las Vegas ~1989.
sorry, I haven't seen many shows recently...
Concerts I wish I never missed:
1. SRV
2. Pink Floyd
3. Rush
I am a big Zepp fan, too, but I heard they were pretty bad in concert... though I'm sure they had there better shows.