Bands you have seen more than once separated by (very) long spans of time

how was everybody's experience the second time around in these instances?

I found seeing Chicago as an adult interesting because they were my first concert, at the age of 9. My parents were HUGE Chicago fans, and my dad bought me Chicago 19 (an unremarkable album but I was a kid) on vinyl along with my first record player. and growing up I loved most of their songs, so I was thrilled with the show. Saw them a few years ago and remarkably still felt a little excitement seeing them again, granted missing lots of original members.

First time I saw MBV I was totally enthralled, completely immersed myself in that wall of noise, got right up to the speakers...couldn't get enough, it was like a religious experience. Most recent time I saw them was like being in the same room as an nuclear-powered leaf-blower. Still a fan, but seeing all the warning signs posted in the venue about earplugs/hearing damage made me wonder what the point of it all was. Guess that's what 21 years of living does to you.

I definitely feel like the experience of concerts has diminished for me since I've become a fiscally-responsible adult, because growing up, a concert was a special treat, whereas now, it's basically "Thursday night" for me.

Gang of Four, 1982 and 2015

The first was an outdoor show that was being broadcast on the college radio station, and I recorded it off the air on my boombox while at the show

Second time was good but the house sound was oddly quiet

saw the Music Tapes/NMH guys doing a Christmas show in Athens in 2001/2002 in a tiny room that couldn't hold more than 50. then saw a reunited Neutral Milk Hotel play Shakey Knees Music Festival ten years later with the same performers in a totally different venue - huge outdoor festival, big crowd, etc. both times were amazing

how was everybody's experience the second time around in these instances?

― Hi diddley dee, hen fapper's life for me (Neanderthal)

i liked man or astroman a little better the first time around but a lot of that was probably because i was younger. they had great opening acts both times. the first time it was the delta 72, who would have blown man or astroman off the stage if man or astroman weren't so good, and the second time it was a shoegaze band called wray who were a lot of fun.

Swans in 1992 and 2017 but disqualified for not being the same band by a long shot

Ian Hunter plays in Boston next month, thinking about going in order to to hit the big 3-9.

you would have to unsee him in 2014 for this to work

I saw Dio in 1986, then again in 2003 - 17 year gap. The 1986 show was my first concert, and it was great. Dio was headlining, Accept was opening. At the 2003 show, Dio was second on the bill, after Motörhead but before Iron Maiden. He was still good, but his high level of theatricality didn't really work as well on the smaller, more naked stage awarded non-headliners. It was like seeing someone you'd seen leaading a full-on Broadway show now doing dinner theater.

xpost with my failing memory these days that's a pretty sure bet...definitely remember way more about the '70 show than the , uh, what was it we were talking about now?

'79 show - that was a typo, not a senior moment

Outkast in 2001 and 2014. 2 of the greatest shows I've ever seen

Thought of another one that equals the Radiohead one. Saw Sexton Ming support Sonic Youth in 2000, and last year in a local pub.

This probably doesn't count but:
Beach Boys: 1977
Brian Wilson (doing Beach Boys material): 2005

Not that I saw either one, but if anyone saw Kate Bush's two live outings that would be a possible winner. 35 years.

McCartney in 89 and 201

Anvil at Monsters Of Rock in 1982 (rubbish), then again post-documentary in London, 2009 (still rubbish, went on a spare guest list spot). If they can't improve in 27 years then I'm calling it as a hopeless case.

my Dad saw Todd Rundgren three times, once in '75, once with Utopia in '84, then just now a couple months ago

he said the first one was excellent (first date with my Mom!), second one was alright (apparently the crowd wasn't into it), and the last one was the weirdest show he's ever seen

Next month I'll have an opportunity to see Clan of Xymox, almost 31 years since I first saw them touring for Medusa in '87. I haven't much cared for anything they've done in well over 25 years though, so will likely skip it.

Longest span I can think of is New Model Army in '89 and '09. Fantastic both times.

King Crimson in 1974 and last year. They were awfully good both times!