Concerts of the past vs. concerts of the present.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Live performance technology is incredible these days, and technically, for the most part, live shows are actually a better product than they were 30 years ago. Even the crash-bang stuff has the advantages of superior sound and lighting technology.

Very true. Most concerts, except for the Who's Quadrophenia, the sound systems were pretty much the same. The bigger the act, the bigger the speaker stack. Instruments and mikes into amps then back to the onstage monitors so the band could hear themselves. Then mikes in front of stage monitors to amplifiers, a mixing board and huge speaker stacks. Certainly a lot of compromise to prevent feedback and mud.
Now it's all digital straight from the instruments and mikes to a digital mixing board then amped to speakers.
Also wireless headsets and mikes make it possible to eliminate stage monitors and feedback. Old fashioned microphones are only needed to hang Steve Tyler's scarves on.
Digital has improved the sound so much, you can hear how bad the band's are these days. Why back when I walked to school, uphill, both ways.....