What Is The BEST Concert You Have Ever Been To

[Parche]

Mine was Phil Collins 1992
I was driving around LAX, and heard on the radio he was having an extra concert for the homeless
went to the ticket place, got my tickets $25
and it was incredible, he puts on a fantastic show

He makes Rush and Led Zeppellin look like the Jonas Brothers....:woohoo: :hi:

[shanti]

1. baaba maal

it was a free concert on the green at UCD about 10 years ago. EVERYONE was loving it!

[MorningGlow]

2. U2, 1983, just before they hit big

Sunday Bloody Sunday had just been released; Gloria was being played on MTV, but not very much. They were playing a college circuit and I saw them at RIT for something like $13. Maybe not even that much. Just a few hundred in attendance. Bono serenaded me and my friends from the top of an amp. Made up for nearly getting clocked in the head with a vodka bottle wielded by some insane skinhead near the front of the stage.

[Patsy Stone]

58. I saw that tour

at University of Maryland.

Pylon opened.

[malta blue]

3. this one

http://www.remchronicle.com/gig.php?showid=412

REM 8/31/1985 at Radio City.

[dannofoot]

4. One of the most recent...

Tom Waits at the Fox Theater in Atlanta on July 3.

Worth the plane ticket and hotel room, it was.

Second best was Waits at the Wiltern Theater in L.A. in 1986.

[4_Legs_Good]

5. Probably Genesis 1992

Dogers Stadium, best because I was really into them at the time, and the venue had a lot of energy.

2nd would probably be The Flaming Lips last year at the Hollywood Bowl. It had a tremendous amount of energy and great visuals. It's the only Lips show I've been too, and I heard that it was dead compared to others. I should try to catch them in Oklahoma City sometime.

David

[MrCoffee]

7. I've seen the Lips 8 times

Twice they've been completely dead, once was a so-so show, and five blew me right out of my shoes.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. U2, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, 1992.

[mokawanis]

48. I went to some shows at Arrowhead

Back in the day I saw The Eagles, Van Halen, Linda Ronstadt, Eddie Money, Dan Fogelberg.

[Rambis]

8. Alpine Valley Music Theatre - July 17, 1989 | Grateful Dead

Let The Good Times Roll, Feel Like A Stranger, Built To Last, Me & My Uncle-> Cumberland Blues, It's All Over Now, Row Jimmy, When I Paint My Masterpiece, When Push Comes To Shove, The Music Never Stopped China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Playin' In The Band-> Uncle John's Band-> Standing On the Moon*, Drums, Jam-> The Wheel-> Gimme Some Lovin'-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: We Bid You Good Night, E: Johnny B. Goode

http://www.archive.org/details/gd89-07-17.sbd.unknown.17702.sbeok.shnf


REM 10,000 Maniacs 1985 Ames Iowa
Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant encore: Dream Dream Dream by the Everly brothers

[KamaAina]

10. Dead, October '88, University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena

what really made it was the aftermath: later that night, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tie-dyes ruled Bourbon Street! :beer:

[darkstar]

27. I was there too

Neat....

[lazyriver]

39. Mine was a couple years later, 9/10/91 at MSG in NYC

Branford Marsalis sitting in for half the show.

Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBWtWmvxnNY

BTW, archive.org is a wonderful place when it's working...down at the moment so I couldn't link to the MSG show.

[Rambis]

44. There was a Florida show

that Marsalis rocked but I can't remember if it was 1989 or 1990 man I used to live it! I could name a tune in 2-3 notes and had a mini deadbase in my brain but it has been too long. I planned to skip the summer 1995 tour altogether because I envisioned too many knuckleheads. I couldn't stand it so I ordered Soldier field in Chicago and gave them away. My last words to my wife were. "You never know when it will be the last show" but I did it because we agreed our honeymoon was to be the entire fall tour 1995:(

[lazyriver]

45. That's a tough story. Summer 95 was sub-par but I saw what I could.

I had plans for the entire fall MSG run but after the second (and sadly last) night at Giants Stadium, I walked away knowing it would be my last Dead show. I still can't explain how or why I knew but I just did. Something sad was in the air in 95. You were right about the knuckleheads. I think there were at least as many people partying in the lot during the show as the 77,000 of us inside. They weren't doing the usual partying either...lots of hard drugs (I hated seeing needles at Dead shows) and so much more booze than I had ever seen before. There were also a bunch of cars vandalized and broken into...yeah, thieves at a Dead show. The scene died a few months before Jerry. Sad he had to witness it.

[Rambis]

49. I heard

it was an ugly vibe everywhere! I mean death threats against Jerry Garcia? WTF? My last show was the riverport ampitheatre somewhere in Mizzouri 1994.
The last time and the days between still haunt me!

[harmonicon]

52. yep

I was at the second to last show at Soldier Field. Inside the place, I saw some guy grab a girl's purse and run - it was fast as hell, she was screaming and crying... fucked up shit.

[flvegan]

9. Best actual concert? Probably AC/DC or the Beastie Boys in '91.

AC/DC, I was in the 5th row, dead center. Killer show. The Beasties was a small show at Jannus Landing with the Fu-Shnickens opening. I was way up front for that one, too.

But, for concert experience, I'm torn. When The Cult came to Florida on their Sonic Temple tour, I got to hang out with the guys in the band for two nights. Then there was the Faith No More show when they opened for Billy Idol, and I got to meet madman Mikey himself.

Oh, and I'm leaving out the FNM, Guns 'n Roses, Metallica Monsters of Rock show which was awesome.

[Nickster]

11. Paul McCartney, 2005 I think it was.....Hmmmm, somewhere in this decade.....

[GCP]

54. Paul McCartney is the best, no two ways about it

I've seen him twice now and he was excellent both times. He loves and lives to perform, and he has just the best catalogue to go through.

[motely36]

12. Bare Naked Ladies

a few years ago. It was just a lot of fun

[IndianaJones]

13. Widespread Panic when I was in college. nt.

[Rambis]

17. They used to play at Fatty's pizza in Breckenridge CO

who knew then?

[Crazy Dave]

14. Tied

Rush - 1977

UFO - 1979

[av8rdave]

15. U2, Texas Stadium, 1992

Also Maynard Ferguson/Stan Kenton, Idora Park Ballroom, Ohio, 1975.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. Crosby, Stills & Nash.

At Starwood, in Nashville. Surrounded by thousands of aging hippies, all gently stoned, all having one hell of a good time.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

[old mark]

18. 1970, in North Carolina Allman Brothers with Canned Heat opening.

Both bands were the original.
This was only weeks before the death of Duane Allman and later Berry Oakley and Alan Wilson of the Heat.
The best live stage music I have ever seen - both bands presented very simple shows, nothing fancy, just overwhelming music.

Allmans are really great again, Heat never really got to the top. Only the drummer, Adolofo De La Para is still alive and playing.

mark

[BOSSHOG]

19. Black Oak Arkansas - 1977. Lots of sex afterwards

My wife and I were borderline newlyweds, had been married 3 years. Jim Dandy and BOA put on a very loud, rock and roll, raucous show with every sexual innuendo possible. We fucked liked newlyweds when we got to our little home long into the morning. Long Live Jim Dandy Mangrum.

[Mojorabbit]

65. I saw them in 77 too. Great show. nt

[PeaceNikki]

20. Pink Floyd 1987 and Beastie Boys 11/2/2008

[foxfeet]

21. 1975, Kenny Loggins, New Haven, CT

Loggins himself gave a good show, but eventually he brought out Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, none of whom were billed to appear, for individual sets and group jamming. It was fabulous.

[RagAss]

29. WOW...I'm an old Connecticut guy...was too young for this one...sounds incredible...was it at

the old NH Coliseum?

[jonnyblitz]

33. I went to the very last concert they had at New Haven Coliseum

before they closed it down in 2002. the band Tool was the last concert.

[foxfeet]

40. Yep!

I just lived there for about 3 1/2 years; had some good times!

[ceile]

22. Pixies at the Astro Hall Oct 2004

The Killers opened. Fucking great show.

[WCGreen]

23. Two that come to mnd....

Bruce Springsteen in an old movie palace here in Cleveland back in 1975... 3rd row...

And then, in 1976, Jessie Colin Young (Sunshine), Santana, The Band and Crosby Stills Nash and Young...

Oh and I also saw Genesis with Peter Gabriel

And Billy Joel opening for Fleetwood Mac at Kent State Gym back before Nicks and Buckingham were in the group...

[RagAss]

24. Neil and Crazy Horse...Madison Square Garden 1978....Live Rust Tour !

I swear I was levitating that night when they broke into "Powderfinger".

[4_Legs_Good]

26. Golden age

that musta been awesome!

David

[RagAss]

30. It was....to me Neil and Crazy Horse are like a religion !

[4_Legs_Good]

43. Absolutely.

I've only seen Neil live once, and it was without Crazy Horse, it was fantastic, but didn't have the electricity that I'm sure they have together.

David

[tismyself]

70. Caught that one too

but not in MSG. It was also the concert I was going to put down as probably "the best".

Sometime in that same time zone, I went to see Jackson Browne, and he put on a hell of a show too.

[RagAss]

88. Yup...Browne was on fire during that timeframe too !

[applegrove]

25. Dixie Chics or Madonna. I love performance more than I love Rock & Roll.

[TZ]

28. Dixie Chicks are AWESOME live...

But because I saw them as part of a large festival and they played for maybe 30 minutes..I still have to give the nod to the Rolling Stones in 1983...an hour and a half of great music and stage performance

[applegrove]

31. I'd love to see the Rolling Stones sometime. I guess I'm running out of time for that.

[JackBeck]

42. Madonna shows are amazing.

Any time I've had a friend that was on the fence, all it took was going to one of her shows to make them fans for life.

I saw the Chicks on their last tour and had a great experience, albeit a different one.

Both shows at MSG, though, had one thing in common: lots of adoring gay boys.

[applegrove]

87. I didn't really watch the audience at either show. I did see the Dixie Chicks with

my two brothers and a friend of theirs. My oldest brother started screaming "No more Bush" at one point (this is right after the blow up over Nathalie Mains saying she disliked bush) and I thought he was screaming "No more Mush" so I starting to hit and hit him to get him to shut up. My other brother and his friend were laughing histerically at it all. Was a great show. And yes very different than Madonna.

[Blue_In_AK]

32. Led Zeppelin, December 1968 in Denver

their first ever US concert. They appeared as the warm-up band for Spirit and Vanilla Fudge. We didn't even know who they were, and they just blew us away.

[peruban]

34. Guns 'n Roses new years eve.

I forget which year, but Soundgarden opened for them before anybody even knew who they were.

Either that or the last Pink Floyd tour.

[NewJeffCT]

35. Metallica at the Agora Ballroom in West Hartford, CT

A large club that is no more...

Saw them there twice, once on the Ride the Lightning tour, and then when they were on their own early in Master of Puppets days (I think they opened for Ozzy for a while after Master of Puppets came out...)

[buzzycrumbhunger]

36. Rush (sorry) and Max Webster

Maybe 1980--the Moving Pictures/Universal Juveniles tour. Both kicked arse and pretty much duplicated their studio versions of everything. Kim Mitchell had amazingly huge hands and that might have been the first time I drooled over a balding man (thankfully, no silly costuming there).



Next best was a five-band show in maybe 1979 and I can't remember who the headliner was, but it opened with a little band called Def Leppard (drummer had two arms and Photograph may have been their big song), AC/DC (Bon Scott), the Scorpions, Judas Priest (I had to laugh when I saw them wearing the same flamboyant leathers on tour a couple years ago. . .), and. . . I wish to hell I could find the stash of old ticket stubs so I could figure out who the fifth band was. I guess the drugs were just that good back then. :eyes:

[harun]

37. NIN and Marilyn Manson, Iowa City, IA. 11/06/94

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

38. Brian Wilson, 2004

in a large theatre. First show of the SMiLE tour. Brian was a little nervous at first, but he loosened up, the band was astounding, and nothing beats hearing six and seven part harmonies from studio BBoys albums sung perfectly.

Encore was amazing, hit after hit after hit after hit, with the crowd standing and singing along as one.

BW is the greatest single genius in the history of rock. John and Paul had each other and George Martin. Brian created it ALL by himself.

[StrongBad]

61. Saw him during the SMiLE tour. Good stuff and definitely a genius.

[CottonBear]

41. R.E.M. at Legion field in Athens, GA in 1982! They opened for the English Beat!

It was an awesome concert in a great outdoor venue!

[mokawanis]

46. Stones and U2

Stones on the Bridges to Babylon tour, and U2 on the Achtung Baby tour. Lou Reed was good too, doing songs from the New York cd.

[annabanana]

47. Band of Gypsies New Year's Eve Filmore East

Havens, Simone & Hendricks

(still high after all these years too)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

50. Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart, the "Bongo Fury" tour, 1975

...although, for reasons unknown, Zappa & Beefheart never shared the stage...not even for one song.

Beefheart's set was not particularly well received...astonishing in light of the fact that it was a Zappa audience, and at the Berkeley Community Theater, no less.

Drummer John "Drumbo" French was loudly booed when he did a little unaccompanied soft-shoe dance across the stage. Beefheart did "Orange Claw Hammer"...pretty much exactly the way it was done on "Trout Mask Replica"...and THAT got a couple of boos as well!

Zappa was in full-bore GUITAR mode that night. At one point he tied his hair back into a ponytail, explaining to the audience that he had to do it because he was getting ready to play some "serious music"...it turned out to be a jaw-dropping "Black Napkins," just one of the many guitar highlights that night.

:toast:

[harmonicon]

51. I went to it tonight:

The Bozzini quartet playing the music of James Tenney.

[achtung_circus]

53. Fall, 1975

yes, I'm that old.

Jethro Tull "Minstrel In The Gallery Tour", opened by Gary Wright. Higher than a kite, rockin' out loud. Man, Anderson puts on a show.

[ghostsofgiants]

59. My first thought when I saw your subject line was "But The Fall didn't form until '76."

I'm such a nerd sometimes.

[achtung_circus]

73. well,

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nerd">Definition #1?

1. Nerd

One whose IQ exceeds his weight.

[ghostsofgiants]

77. I'm not very heavy at all.

:P

[redqueen]

55. Radiohead, in May of this year.

It was orgasmic.

[ghostsofgiants]

56. The best concerts I've ever been to have generally been local bands.

They put so much into putting off a good show and it's such an intimate setting in a bar or wherever that it feels like you're really part of something, rather than just watching something from afar like a big stadium show or whatever.

[Epiales]

57. Dead Can Dance, 1996

Best by a huge margin.

[Patsy Stone]

60. Bowie, 1983. The Serious Moonlight Tour

in Washington, DC. Adrian Belew on guitar, and there was a runway off the front of the stage so they stood in front of me quite a bit. Faboo!

Also, for the sheer fun of it, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, each time I've seen them.

[redqueen]

63. He puts on an excellent show.

You were lucky to get such great seats!

I saw him on the Sound and Vision tour in '90... Eric Clapton joined him on stage. That was nice. :)

[Patsy Stone]

75. I saw that one too

in Miami (no, Clapton, though :)), and also the Glass Spider Tour. Just amazing.

[Sancho]

62. You had to be there...Three Dog Night

Some things just happen.

[hellbound-liberal]

64. Bruce Springsteen's Vote for Change Tour in DC, 2004

It was amazing being in the Verizon Center full of people who were working for change. Bruce was there with the Dixie Chicks, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, The Dave Matthews Band, John Fogerty, John Mellencamp, James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt (together doing For What it's Worth). The highlight was when Bruce came out and joined R.E.M for Man in the Moon. I got chills. Great show!

[SOS]

66. Bob Marley and the Wailers, Music Hall, Boston, 1978

nt

[SOS]

67. self delete dupe

nt

[AllieB]

68. X and Mission of Burma at The Channel (Boston) in 1982

I was 13 and attended the All Ages show with my older sisters. A close second was Husker Du and Mission of Burma at Maverick's in 1983. I saw more great bands before the age of 21 than after the age of 21.

[ghostsofgiants]

78. You have no idea how insanely jealous I am right now.

[AllieB]

82. I didn't realize how lucky I was at the time.

I saw the Jam, the Clash, Gun Club, the Damned, the Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, the Dead Kennedys, and so many more that I can't remember them all right now.

[ghostsofgiants]

84. Holy crap!

Soooooo jealous.

[underpants]

69. Probably Hoodoo Gurus in the late 80's

Boathouse Norfolk

[Dinger]

71. Van Cliburn And The Moscow Philharmonic

Van played the Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto, and I will never forget that concert, ever, WOW!

[Kajsa]

72. Hi Parche! The Rolling Stones, Ike & Tina Turner and BB King at the LA Forum

1969.

We went to the second show, scheduled to start at 11 PM-
started at 4 AM the next morning.

My friend and I got home around 10 AM.
We were 17 ( almost 18 )at the time- lots of explaining to do.

:rofl: :hi:

[Tikki]

74. The Clash...Santa Monica Civic...February 1979

The Ramones...every time..
The Damned at Anson Ford Amphitheater

And once again, we will see my favorite band X
on December 20th in Los Angeles...

Tikki

[AllieB]

85. Did you see my post above?

I loved X, saw them twice when they swung through Boston. I was 13 when they played with Mission of Burma. :-)

Saw the Damned and the Ramones several times. It's so sad that 3 out of 4 of the Ramones are dead. :-(

[Tikki]

86. I did....amazing aren't they!!!...

I used to wonder why people would follow a group around like the Deadheads did...
But as long as X keeps playing....we will keep going to see them.

We saw them in January of this year, also....Exene sounds great....

The Tikkis

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

76. Leon Russell

in 1972 in San Diego.........blew the place up! :)

[RetroLounge]

79. Oh, man, so many to choose from...

Pink Floyd - Animals Tour - Soldier Field Chicago - 1977

Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter - Chicago Stadium - 1978

The Ramones - Haymakers in Palatine, IL - 1980ish

U2 - Unforgettable Fire tour - Chicago - 198-something

Ministry - Some small bar in Glenview, IL - 1985 or so.

Jesus and Mary Chain - Aragon Ballroom - Chicago - 1985?

Cheap Trick - Surprise new years eve party gig - The Limelight - Chicago - 1986

NIN - Cabaret Metro - Chicago - 1990

Soundgarden - The Riviera Theater - Chicago - 1990

Nirvana - Cabaret Metro - Chicago - early 1990 - Sunday night, $3.00, about 30 people there.

Nirvana - Cabaret Metro - Chicago - 1991 - about 1200 people there.

:headbang:

RL

[racaulk]

80. It's so hard to choose just one!

Here are a few fantastic performers I have seen:

Tina Turner
Melissa Etheridge
Lenny Kravitz
Garbage
Prince
Scissor Sisters

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

81. Front row for U2 in 2001

in lexington, Ky.

[CreekDog]

83. It wasn't Sheryl Crow

:rofl:

[grannylib]

89. Toss up between Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps tour, and Lou Reed

in a little hole in the wall theater in Minneapolis, with Ian Drury and the Blockheads opening.

[Kat45]

90. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, "The River" tour

He totally blew me away! (And turned me into a fan.)

[bluesbassman]

91. California Jam 1974

Drove from the Bay Area to Ontario Motor Speedway with three buddies. What a road trip?

Acts that performed at the festival in order of appearance:
Rare Earth
Earth, Wind and Fire
Eagles
Seals & Crofts
Black Oak Arkansas
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple
Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Here's Black Sabbath opening with War Pigs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LG0eedSwoE


Edit to use better clip.

[Robeson]

92. How long is a piece of string?

[XemaSab]

93. Bowie/NIN 1995

:D