Best Live Shows

[marinoni]

I was reading the What are you listening to now thread and it got me thinking about some of the great concerts I've been lucky enough to see. I have seen some big stadium shows like U2 though I can't stand them now, but the highlights were bands I saw in dingy clubs and mid-sized theatres. Here's a few:

The Ramones
Dead Kennedys twice
Bad Brains
Sonic Youth at CBGB's- a dream come true
Jesus Lizard- Got a thanks from David Yow after taking out some redneck stirring up trouble in the pit
Operation Ivy- where I came out covered in blood after some idiot took a glass into the pit
MDC- at a vietnamese restaurant in Toronto
Finally, in 1990 I saw Jello Biafra with DOA, The Pixies with Janes Addiction and The Toasters all in one week. That was one damn fine week.
Oh, and Nickleback!

 

[Oldman]

Doors-in a Roller skating rink (underage and under the influence)

Led Zeppelin-played on a floating stage in Seattle's Green Lake. The whole city heard their first album that way.

The Who-several times before Moonie cacked. BEST SHOW and real, no BS, minimal effect presentation. The music did the work.

Steve Winwood & Traffic with Bob Marley as an openning act-small theatre (all you had to do was breathe)

Johnny Winter-college arena in Seattle, bigger arena in Fla. (best live rock guitarist)

Mark Knopfler and his guys, first tour- sitting at a small table in club seating 200. Fun.

Pearl Jam-alot of small venues and big. They love the Who, too.

 

[marinoni]

Wow!

[he influence)QUOTE=Oldman;234656]Doors-in a Roller skating rink (underage and under t

Led Zeppelin-played on a floating stage in Seattle's Green Lake. The whole city heard their first album that way.

The Who-several times before Moonie cacked. BEST SHOW and real, no BS, minimal effect presentation. The music did the work.

Steve Winwood & Traffic with Bob Marley as an openning act-small theatre (all you had to do was breathe)

Johnny Winter-college arena in Seattle, bigger arena in Fla. (best live rock guitarist)

Mark Knopfler and his guys, first tour- sitting at a small table in club seating 200. Fun.

Pearl Jam-alot of small venues and big. They love the Who, too.[/QUOTE]

Impressive list! A roller rink? Thats like seeing the Circle Jerks play in a nursing home.

 

[marinoni]

Wow!

Doors-in a Roller skating rink (underage and under the influence)

Led Zeppelin-played on a floating stage in Seattle's Green Lake. The whole city heard their first album that way.

The Who-several times before Moonie cacked. BEST SHOW and real, no BS, minimal effect presentation. The music did the work.

Steve Winwood & Traffic with Bob Marley as an openning act-small theatre (all you had to do was breathe)

Johnny Winter-college arena in Seattle, bigger arena in Fla. (best live rock guitarist)

Mark Knopfler and his guys, first tour- sitting at a small table in club seating 200. Fun.

Pearl Jam-alot of small venues and big. They love the Who, too.

Impressive list. A roller rink? Thats like seeing Frank Zappa play in a nursing home.

 

[Andrichuk]

I would only ever pay to hear music live if it was Eric Prydz, (but hes scared of flying and rarely comes to North America) or Joris Voorn.

 

[Polkadot09]

Bowie at the NEC, Birmingham. Took my Dad for his 50th, came out of there a huge Bowie fan, awesome.

Robert Plant at the Hammersmith Apollo, not old enough to see Led Zep, so this was as close as I was going to get.

Metallica at Earls Court, simply amazing.

Muse at Earls Court, Neil Young at Hyde park, Alanis at Brixton.

Tenacious D at Brixton Academy, probably the funniest thing I have ever seen.

I feel I was born in the wrong era, I wish I could have seen the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zep and Sabbath.

 

[Oldman]

Impressive list. A roller rink? Thats like seeing Frank Zappa play in a nursing home.

The Byrds (saw them) and Jimi Hendrix played in the same place. This in a totally suburban area of Bellevue, Washington. Once the parents realized what the youngsters were up to they started to lock down. That and other, larger venues realized you could make money on the new hippie music.

Zappa at the Paramount...what he left on stage, in a pan...
That was during the mudshark days.

 

[Anonymous]

Blimey..

first gig, Bob Kerrs whoopee Band at the stratford theatre royal
closely followed by the everly brothers at hammersmith, and cliff and the shadows reunion..

then, erm, t'pau

mccartney twice at wembley, paul simon at wembley, Jeff Healey at london town and country, levellers about thirty times, and too many other major gigs to mention, too many festivals to even remember, and far too many smaller gigs to even contemplate writing down.

probably heading for about 500 live gigs by now. I did have all on my website somewhere but i stopped at 350

 

[Hugh Januss]

Oh, live music........why was I thinking along the lines of the donkey show in Tijuana.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Best concert I ever saw was Neil Diamond back in the 70s. He gave 125%.

Worst were two, from teh same time period. One was Don McLean, who complained that fans only wanted to hear American Pie. The other was the Dooby Brothers, who were so stoned they could barely play.

Susan

 

[Oldman]

Best concert I ever saw was Neil Diamond back in the 70s. He gave 125%.

Worst were two, from teh same time period. One was Don McLean, who complained that fans only wanted to hear American Pie. The other was the Dooby Brothers, who were so stoned they could barely play.

Susan

All Don Mclean did was American Pie. I can't stand that, either. My condolences.

I forgot one truly weird venue: the Gold Creek Dome near Woodinville, Wa. Small dome in a recreation park that held about 400 comfortably. 700 packed in to see the Allman Bros, all alive! They played for 3 hours and were incredible. You could see roadies laying out lines on top of the amps for them, though, and knew it wouldn't last.

 

[cawright1375]

Hands down the Who put on the best shows I've ever seen, thus I can only imagine what they were like with Moonie. Saw them twice with Entwistle and 3 times since his death.

Oasis in 1996 was brilliant.

The Police at Fenway Park was fantastic not only because of the storied history of the venue but also the new spins on some of the familiar tunes.

Page/ Plant as close to Zeppelin as I could hope for.

Rush not only put on a great show with regards to music and visuals they, like the Who tend to be chatty with the crowd. They also come in 2nd in terms of volume.

worst show ever though goes to....

The Disco Biscuits went with an ex and they were the absolute worst band, they couldn't decide if they were an electronica or rock band and figured if we just noodle our audience is so stoned they'll think we are the second coming of the Dead. Avoid them at all costs, they are what I refer to as Jam Bland (as opposed to a jam band har har har).

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen Social Distortion more times than I can count. Mike Ness and the boys are really good live.

Simple Minds at Red Rocks in Denver (1984) was very cool. I had not heard of them before. They opened for the Pretenders and they were very good.

 

[fatandfast]

I have seen 2 Pearl jams shows. 2 Black Keys, Modest Mouse, Josh Ritter, Ry Cooder, John Hyatt, Teddie Thompson, X, and Nora Jones last night for free in the rain in Brooklyn. Live shows have got way better in the last 5 years. There is a Rush movie playing in NYC it was part of the Tribeca film fest..and Rush is going to be playing..I will go just to feel like I was in high school again. The best live show I have seen was Roger Waters at a rehearsal space in South Hampton me and 5 or 6 other people . Band of Horses was a good show recently. Bad Brains is one favorite I have not seen in a long time..they are playing as part of Afro Punk it going to be in NYC w 10 other bands. TV On The Radio. I wish TheThe would tour

 

[krebs303]

Frank Sinatra was the best I ever saw live. I saw him 4 times

 

[john_d]

Ry Cooder in Zurich in the 80's . He blew the roof off. Tightest rock and roll band I ever saw.

In the 70's , Van Morrison at the Rainbow and the Hammersmith Odeon in London, Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert ( you could get the best seats in the house for under 10 bucks ! ) , Freddy King and Leon Russel at the O'Keefe centre Toronto, Keith Jarrett in Place des Arts Montreal .

I had tickets for Martha Argerich with the MSO at Place des Arts
but she never made it ...

 

[Oldman]

I have seen 2 Pearl jams shows. 2 Black Keys, Modest Mouse, Josh Ritter, Ry Cooder, John Hyatt, Teddie Thompson, X, and Nora Jones last night for free in the rain in Brooklyn. Live shows have got way better in the last 5 years. There is a Rush movie playing in NYC it was part of the Tribeca film fest..and Rush is going to be playing..I will go just to feel like I was in high school again. The best live show I have seen was Roger Waters at a rehearsal space in South Hampton me and 5 or 6 other people . Band of Horses was a good show recently. Bad Brains is one favorite I have not seen in a long time..they are playing as part of Afro Punk it going to be in NYC w 10 other bands. TV On The Radio. I wish TheThe would tour

Enviable list of shows. TheThe is one guy, unfortunately. I don't think he assembles groups that often and have never seen him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sounds like I'm rather too young to be reminiscing about gigs like these (which is a shame as I'd have loved to have gone to several of them), seeing as I'm still eligible for the maillot blanc, but Tom Waits in a baroque theatre in Paris has to be the topper, by some way. Leonard Cohen was a lot of fun, watching the sun set behind the Cure at their 25th anniversary show in 2002 was fantastic, while despite having seen a few acts like Slayer, I'd say that the most intense crowds I've ever been in were the Pixies in London at a venue with no marshalling whatsoever, and Tori Amos at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, just next to where Fabian Wegmann won the Rund um den Finanzplatz last month.

edit - Matt Johnson (The The) seldom tours. I still think 'Burning Blue Soul' was his best record, but he's always been something of an outsider, even in the British 80s alt scene he fit perfectly into.

And if we're talking dream concerts, then obviously I'd bring Jacques Brel, Jeff Buckley and Jimi Hendrix back from the grave, but if we're talking people who are still alive but you probably don't have any chance of ever seeing, then Scott Walker takes it in a landslide.

 

[Anonymous]

Jesus Lizard/Jon Spencer Blues Explosion- 40 Watt, Athens GA (by far the best show I ever saw.)
Parliament Funkadellic- Atlanta GA (cant remember the club)
Mudhoney- 40 Watt, Athens GA
Fugazi- 40 Watt, Athens GA
fIREHOSE- 40 Watt, Athens GA
Mule- 40 Watt, Athens GA
REM- 40 Watt, Athens GA
Sugar's first show- 40 watt
Foo Fighters- 4th or 5th show- 40 watt, Athens GA
The Replacements- Raleigh NC
Paul Westerberg- Atlanta GA
The Feelies- Boone NC
Steve Earle- Visulite Theater Charlotte NC
Lebrea Stompers- Claremont Longue (the nastiest strip club in Atlanta) The lead singer singing singing Hunk a Burnin' Love in a jacket that had Christmas lights that faded from blue to red while Blondie (an African American stripper with blond hair...all of it) danced next to him wearing an enormous VooDoo mask.
First Dead Show- Greensboro Colosseum 1989.

and of course, Nickelback....

 

[mortand]

Never, ever, on any account, be a man at a Tori Amos concert.

That sure sounds like trouble.

Five days ago I was at a Chris Isaak show here in Copenhagen, and that was brilliant. For a guy who for 25 years has excelled in singing about being lonely and brokenhearted, he sure knows how to put on a show. Loveliness galore and highly entertaining.

Mercury Rev is probably the best live band I've encountered, although I'm not a particularly big fan of their albums. But live everything seems to click. Jonathan Donahue is one mesmerizing front man, waving his hands and gesturing wildly, looking like a crazed combination of Caesar and Paul Simon.

Patti Smith was absolutely fabulous when I saw her in 2007, when she toured with her covers album.

And finally, my Scottish darlings, Teenage Fanclub. Best band in the world, and what a joy it was when I, after 10 years of waiting, saw them live in 2005. Pure power pop bliss. Oh my. Hopefully, they'll hit Scandinavia once again, when they tour with the new album.

 

[Oldman]

Originally Posted by Libertine Seguros
Never, ever, on any account, be a man at a Tori Amos concert.

That sure sounds like trouble.

Five days ago I was at a Chris Isaak show here in Copenhagen, and that was brilliant. For a guy who for 25 years has excelled in singing about being lonely and brokenhearted, he sure knows how to put on a show. Loveliness galore and highly entertaining.

Mercury Rev is probably the best live band I've encountered, although I'm not a particularly big fan of their albums. But live everything seems to click. Jonathan Donahue is one mesmerizing front man, waving his hands and gesturing wildly, looking like a crazed combination of Caesar and Paul Simon.

Patti Smith was absolutely fabulous when I saw her in 2007, when she toured with her covers album.

And finally, my Scottish darlings, Teenage Fanclub. Best band in the world, and what a joy it was when I, after 10 years of waiting, saw them live in 2005. Pure power pop bliss. Oh my. Hopefully, they'll hit Scandinavia once again, when they tour with the new album.

Always, always be the Man at a Chris Isaak show. You are certain of reaching your biological perogative. The ladies do like him!

 

[Anonymous]

Never, ever, on any account, be a man at a Tori Amos concert.

Ever seen the crowd for an Indigo Girls show???

 

[mortand]

Always, always be the Man at a Chris Isaak show. You are certain of reaching your biological perogative. The ladies do like him!

Regarding Chris Isaak, I've a feeling that every woman loves him and every man wants to be him. Just for a day, at least.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ever seen the crowd for an Indigo Girls show???

No, but I am a fan of Bikini Kill, if that helps.

 

[Anonymous]

No, but I am a fan of Bikini Kill, if that helps.

You should have seen L7 in their glory. I forgot to add them to my list, but I will never forget their show at the 40 Watt. There was this woman there who was very well known in Athens, and who was HILARIOUS!! She was a fairly large shaved headed lesbian who, standing right in front of the band, shouted between songs "PU**Y TASTES GOOD!!!" I miss Athens...