Just another case of whatever floats your boat - it's all valid. I know what you mean about getting to gigs, I got used to traveling to gigs at an early age, though it's never far in lil' ol' UK - slept overnight in the winter in phone boxes or bus stops just to get to Slade gigs in my teens........ and travelled to Germany & Holland to see The Sweet and Slade since then.
Apart from rap I'll also listen to anything going, give anything the benefit of the doubt, but I also wonder if me latching onto a new band puts the kiss of death on their careers, in more recent years I thought big things of Ocean Colour Scene, Placebo and Manic Street Preachers.
I may also tend to over-analyse rather than just listening, from watching Keith in Hail Hail Rock n Roll I read up on and bought Chuck Berry in droves, even met him after one gig - very quiet and unassuming - and also taller than I expected, his autobiography glosses over his convictions but also explains his attitude to white promoters. Also looked into Bo Diddley, amazing guy gaining far less credit that he should have - and bought a Gretch Bo Electromatic on an impulse.
I've always been a fan of Stax, R&B, more so since the Blues Brothers & seen Steve Cropper over here 7 times in the past 4 years; it's always a big bonus if you meet up with folk & they're nice people - he's a true southern gent!
So yeah - it is always the live angle with me, though my neighbours would give you a fair argument about my musical abilities