^^is that really you? great pic!

no i love live music above all.

but in this application though, IMO if im listening to a 2 channel source, which most music is, then only 2 channels is an true and accurate reproduction. of course if your listening to a SACD or a DVD-A which is a 4.0, 4.1, 5.1 ect. mix then yes multi-channel listening is good. unfortunately most of my favorite music is not, its a simple stereo recording that is best played in my mind on a stereo. i do listen to 7 channel stereo in my living room while im cooking or whatever because its a better "party" sound as i move about. but dont find it appealing to sit in a fixed position (sweet spot)and do any critical listening. even when listening to SACDs that are mixed to 5.1 i find certain types of music a let down considering the extra 3 speakers and gear required to play it, it just leaves me wanting. while i do admit some orchestral stuff does seem to nail the desired effect taking me in the center of all the instruments. its all subjective of course, if we all liked the same thing life would be pretty boring. not to mention there would only be one HiFi company selling gear!

and honestly if you havent done any critical listening to a stereo that felt enveloping to you, well you havent heard a good one yet. just my 2 cents. swing by ill give you a taste. ;^)

and back to the original question of live concerts. im not sure i agree that speakers are placed all around, generally you have a left and right stack. occasionally in a wide array you do find a center fill, but more importantly in live music you have stage sound which make a huge difference. this being the lead guitar players amp, bass players rig, and a drum kit ect.. which all create room sound. they are then evened out by the sound engineer using the PA to give the room a full balance. in this situation the sum total is enveloping if done right, and i love it. to me live is the proof of a musicians chops, anyone can sound good with enough production value in a studio, look at britney spears. but live on stage you cant hide, put out or get out. regardless, that is situational, a live recording is another thing all together be it a 2 channel audience tape or a multi-track mix they sound best as they were recorded, either 2 channel or a surround mix so thats how in my mind they should be listened too.

FWIW check out some of my recordings of live concerts for an example of what im talking about.
my recordings: http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/J.Mimna
and some photos too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimna/collections/72157613267633153/