In the late 80s and early 90s, I went to what seems like a concert a week. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everclear are all bands I saw regularly. Today's music stinks, look at the acts listed. Jessica F-cking Simpson???!!!!???? The question really is how the hell did she sell 8,000 tickets in the first place? Today's music sucks. Period. The best thing you are going to see on tour is either U2 or the geriatric Rolling Stones (who still put on a pretty good show).
The only aforementioned act worth seeing this summer is Aerosmith. However, if you've seen them before, there's no reason to pay $100 a ticket for nosebleed seats this time around.
Thank God, I live in New Orleans where I can hear great live music every night of the week and don't have to worry about even paying a cover charge.
I used to be a big fan of concerts too - when the focus was on musicianship. Ever since MTV, concerts have become more or less high-tech multimedia events that are devoid of passion and spontaneity. It used to be that bands would jam on stage and take the audience into unexplored territory music-wise. Now every move on stage is carefully choreographed and rehearsed beforehand - even with the encores, so that everything is timed with the multimedia effects and pyrotechnics. No surprises. Might as well just stay home and listen to the CDs.
There are exceptions to the rule. Acts like Pearl Jam and Springsteen still do an exciting stage show but those acts are becomer rarer all the time. And while I still like their music, I won't go to their shows anymore since most of them seem to use their concerts as an opportunity to bash Bush these days.
That said, I don't mind seeing a bar band here and there, especially honky-tonk or blues. Even jazz is okay in a small, intimate setting.
I'm a big fan of classical but I hate classical concerts with a passion - but that's a story for another thread.