I've gotten into a lot of artists over the years, but none have meant as much to me as my favorite band in high school. I was a huge Pearl Jam fan and absolutely idolized Eddie Vedder. I saw them live twice, and saw Eddie do another gig with Neil and Tim Finn of Spit Enz/Crowded House fame, along with Johnny Marr and a few other folks. I stopped listening to their records after a while, but every now and again I listen to their older songs. 

The Church, and yes I have seen them a number of times.

YES

I remember when “Under the Milky Way” was getting a lot of play on MTV, loved that song.

It depends on what point in my life you are talking.

Age 15-25 or so: Pink Floyd. Was obsessed with Floyd in in high school and college (up to about grad school). Yes I saw them live, both the Gilmour led band on the Momentary Lapse of Reason tour and Waters on the Radio KAOS tour.

Age 26-36 or so King Crimson. Turned on to them by a friend I played D&D with in the 90s. We travelled all through New England and New York checking out shows by Crim, Crim ProjeKCts and solo Crim members. Probably saw over 20 shows involving Crim members during that time.

Age 37-45 or so not so much a favorite band or artist but a category of bands, jam bands-bands better known for their live shows than studio stuff (Government Mule, Dave Matthews Band, etc.) Ironically I never saw any of them live, I haven't been to a live show since '03 when I relocated from New England to Ohio.

Age 46-present: I've dove deep into the Blues over the last several years. Gary Clark Jr. is probably my favorite, but Buddy Guy would be a close second. Again not been to a live show but watched plenty of live performances available online.

But I have realized as a adult (post age 35) that just like comics and reading in general, I don't lock in to one particular favorite for long, I go where my mood takes me. Favorites become those things I return to on a regular basis rather than something that is omnipresent in a playlist.

I have also noticed I have been listening to a lot more music without vocals lately, jazz, orchestral and ambient stuff. A lot of it for gaming soundtracks, but also stuff I listen to while writing or designing for the games. Not sure if it will supplant the Blues as what I keep returning to, but it's possible. My tastes are always growing and changing, and never remain static as new life experiences get integrated into my perspectives on things.

-M

This is a total aside, but as you mention symphonic orchestras, I love classical music as well and have attended many, many performances in various cities over the years.

But one I'll never forget was from many years ago when Yo-Yo Ma joined the Columbus Symphony Orchestra as the spotlight guest musician. He performed a full concert sitting center stage and was every bit the marvelous soloist you would expect him to be as the orchestra backed him. In itself, it was a magical performance.

But then something unexpected happened. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra had announced some time before this performance it was going to tight its budget with the plan to reduce the number of orchestra seats after the current season. Yo-Yo Ma announced to the audience how important it was to support the orchestra and urged everyone to not let this reduction happen. He then moved his chair off to the side and sat with the cello section like a regular member instead of the huge star he was. And performed SEVERAL more pieces with the orchestra with no soloing, just a normal cello seat role.

No way this was planned by the management of the orchestra, they had been at odds during the season with all the backlash their announcement had created. So I don't believe he had any motivation to do this other than he genuinely cared and was bold enough to make that kind of statement.