Best Live Music Gigs you have ever been to

[EuropeanCanon]

I thought it might be interesting to hear about great music gigs people have been to, especially now while the covid hoax is ongoing and there probably is not a lot of live music happening.

I saw the Neville Brothers in Brisbane, Australia in 1991. I had heard that live they were a completely different proposition from their studio albums and so it proved to be. They were great. The gig started with no Aaron Neville and they announced that he was struggling with back problems. He came on later and was clearly in a lot of pain. I don't know if the band were extra good that night to compensate but a few years later I saw them in Auckland and they were not half as good.

David Bowie in 2004 on his reality tour in Wellington was really great, I had seen him in 87 in Auckland on his Glass Spider fiasco and it was so bad that I left during the encore, so it was great to see him on form - this was in Wellington and it was pouring with rain as well, but didn't seem to bother him, he was very warm and humorous with the audience as well which was in complete contrast to 87 when he hardly spoke between songs.

PIxies have been fantastic every time I have seen them but probably the best thing I ever saw was U2's Zoo TV in 93. Pink Floyd in 88 was pretty memorable too, although by this point Roger Waters was gone, but as David Gilmour said bass players are ten for a penny right? LOL

 

[IMMImedia]

Only been to four concerts, the artist at one of them was to drunk to go on stage, so really just three. Only one in english, so I have to pick that one. Jackson Browne in Oslo 10-15 years ago. I thought it was fantastic, small venue, good seats, close to the stage, good accoustics. Never really saw the point ikn watching concerts live, when you can watch them on screen, and the album track is the best track, but it is not so. For sports it is a different thing, that is definately best on TV. Pondering over going to a concert tomorrow with Jonas Fjeld, but I think the few tickets are sold out now. I envy you for seeing Aaron Neville live, has to be the best live performer ever, that is voice control. Like pixies too.

 

[Thomas More]

I've seen a lot of secular bands. In late 2019, I saw Tool and Bob Dylan, about two nights apart. Both were tremendous shows.

However, one of the best concerts I ever saw was Trans Siberian Orchestra, for a Christmas concert. They have tremendous virtuoso musicians and singers that do rock music versions of classic Christmas songs, and they also have a tremendous light show.

In particular, unlike so many secular Christmas events that are about Santa and Rudolf the Red-nosed reindeer, TSO plays a lot of actual Christmas music.

 

[aeroektar]

The Allman Brothers Band in Mansfield MA back in the early 2000s at what is now called the Xfinity Center. I was up above the bleachers in the huge grass field with a group of friends, it was a sea of people smoking weed. At one point they had what seemed like a dozen people on stage jamming out for a half hour straight. Great show, great times.

 

[Max Roscoe]

I got to high five Keith Richards at a Rolling Stones show in Houston as he walked down the stage to play a set at the tiny "B stage" in the late oughts. That will probably be my lifetime highlight. Also got his guitar pick later when he tossed it! The Stones are epic for a reason, earning the title "World's Greatest Rock n Roll Band" while I was a kid, and their live shows are totally different than their studio recordings. Their energy is phenomenal. They are my parents age, but leaving the show, I was exhausted from just standing there, while Mick was running around, jumping, and performing for almost 3 hours somehow.

I think seeing someone like Aaron Neville, whose voice cannot be truly captured by digital sound recorders, would be unforgettable.
There are many great music acts that we can relive through recordings, but the best high bitrate recorders pale in comparison to live sound. Aaron's unique voice is something that must be truly amazing to hear live.

Jackson Browne has a passion for the audience that you have to experience to appreciate. Also extremely humble and generous to his bandmates and other acts. He did a great show with Keb Mo and Steve Earl and they all played "I Aint Ever Satisfied" together as the encore. Also writes some of the most heartfelt and moving lyrics and has a soulful and beautiful voice.

But really seeing Ray Charles perform Georgia on My Mind was really awesome. I'm not gonna hold him above the Stones, but it was unforgettable and moving.

 

[Monty_Brogan]

I’m not really a concert guy. I’ve been to a few. But a few years ago the in-laws invited us to go see Strugill Simpson at Northerly Island in Chicago.

it was amazing. A summer night in Chicago on the lake and he’s an amazing artist. So it all went hand in hand.

 

[stugatz]

I mount my concert tickets in a folder so I can remember them. I love live music almost more than anything.

Best shows I've seen recently, off top of my head:

2013: Paul McCartney. I'm not a Beatles worshipper, but seeing Paul McCartney perform hit after hit after hit was just a dizzying experience - when you skip all of the bad music he's been involved with and play nothing but the knockouts, the audience is in the palm of your hand. I actually got so pumped after seeing the show, I couldn't sleep that night and had to miss work the next day. It was incredible. All throughout, I thought...if he can do THIS in front an audience when he's older than 70, what were his shows like in 1980?

2014: Pearl Jam. I've always had a soft spot for this group, even though as grunge goes I'm an Alice in Chains fanboy all the way. However, this show was something special. They played the entire album Yield for us, and then just kept going and going and going. The show was three-and-a-half hours and I wanted it to be even longer, they really just put a spell on us that night. (Comparatively, I did see Alice in Chains the year before. They were very good, but the band can only do so well without Layne Staley.)

2016: Project/Object, one of many Frank Zappa cover bands, led by Ike Willis. This is probably the best one that exists, since it has the most alumni that actually played with Frank. The show wasn't quite as enthralling as the last two I mentioned, but as I've always been an FZ megafan, it was nice to listen to a group that knew exactly what the audience wanted to hear, and sounded just as fresh as they had back in the late 1970s. I also love shows that are in a venue that's small enough where I can make eye contact with the artist, and run into the drummer at the bar afterward. (Comparatively, Zappa's son Dweezil has a far less good cover band called Zappa Plays Zappa. Dweezil also has no personality, and needs to learn that he isn't as charming as his father - so he should talk less and play more.)

various times: The Melvins. My favorite grunge band, they're really more of a weird heavy metal group that just happened to be from Seattle. Every time I see them, my ears ring for three days and it's glorious. I'll see their cheap shows whenever I get a chance.

 

[Sargon2112]

My girlfriend (wife now) and I saw Zappa Plays Zappa open for Dream Theater in Asheville, NC a number of years ago. Both performances were awesome. I've also seen Rush many times before Peart's passing. They always put on a top notch show.

 

[stugatz]

My girlfriend (wife now) and I saw Zappa Plays Zappa open for Dream Theater in Asheville, NC a number of years ago. Both performances were awesome. I've also seen Rush many times before Peart's passing. They always put on a top notch show.

Dweezil is a very good guitar player who sadly can’t get out of his dad’s shadow. For years I hoped that weirdo shredder Buckethead was actually him in disguise (it’s definitely been confirmed that it isn’t him).

I saw Rush live a while ago too! Definitely an impressive show, but I have always been a casual Rush fan - heard their major albums but nothing else. It seems like their concertgoers are either obsessed with every recorded second, or just want to hear the hits that everyone knows, no in between. (To answer to this, they bookended the show with major hits & played their recent stuff in the middle.)

 

[Max Roscoe]

Yeah, speaking of McCartney, if you see anyone who was popular for 3+ decades, you will be blown away by the talent. I saw Ringo Starr a couple of years ago and it was a blast. I went to an Elton John concert, just on a whim, and he was so incredibly talented. I like a couple of his songs from the radio, but I have a whole new appreciation for what a talented musician he is after seeing him live.

(note to millennials: you used to be able to show up at a venue and almost always score cheap tickets from someone with extra tickets).

Basically if an old band that's been around for a while is coming nearby, you should go hear them.

I saw Tom Petty with Lynyrd Skynyrd for $10. I'll never forget, he was poking fun at all these musicians sponsored by corporations (they weren't even globohomo back then, it was just seen as a greedy thing for an artist to do) and he said he doesn't believe in that, and this show is brought to YOU, by ME, and then blared into his next tune to the cheers of the crowd. $10! (though this was probably 20 years ago)

 

[EuropeanCanon]

Yeah, speaking of McCartney, if you see anyone who was popular for 3+ decades, you will be blown away by the talent. I saw Ringo Starr a couple of years ago and it was a blast. I went to an Elton John concert, just on a whim, and he was so incredibly talented. I like a couple of his songs from the radio, but I have a whole new appreciation for what a talented musician he is after seeing him live.

(note to millennials: you used to be able to show up at a venue and almost always score cheap tickets from someone with extra tickets).

Basically if an old band that's been around for a while is coming nearby, you should go hear them.

I saw Tom Petty with Lynyrd Skynyrd for $10. I'll never forget, he was poking fun at all these musicians sponsored by corporations (they weren't even globohomo back then, it was just seen as a greedy thing for an artist to do) and he said he doesn't believe in that, and this show is brought to YOU, by ME, and then blared into his next tune to the cheers of the crowd. $10! (though this was probably 20 years ago)

Your comments about corporate sponsorship of music reminded me of Neil Young's song This notes for you, which had lyrics "ain't singing for pepsi, ain't singing for coke" - it seems very quaint now because nobody raises an eyebrow about the corporate whoredom entertainers today, but back then when this started happening there were guys who objected to it.

 

[get2choppaaa]

I've probably been to 200 concerts when i was in college and big into the country music scene refered to as "red dirt" (Oklahoma/Texas)

Best there was Jason Boland and Chris Knight both of those guys are amazing entertainers and their live show was actually better than their recorded stuff.

Best concert ever was bands down:

Megadeth/Meshugah in outdoor amphitheater.

Front row against the rail for the whole show and my best friend(who had never been to a metal show) caught Dave Ellefsons bass pick.

Opeth in Houston was excellent also. They had the best synched light show and were incredible.

 

[REC3]

Led Zepplin in Chicago in 1975 at the Auditorium. Lou Reed at Park West in 1978 and Patti Smith at the Aragon Brawlroom in 1979 on the Easter tour. Elvis Costello at the Uptown Theater in 1979. Talking Heads all three times. Todd Rundgren three times. Tom Waits at the Chicago Theater.

 

[REC3]

Led Zepplin in Chicago in 1975 at the Auditorium. Lou Reed at Park West in 1978 and Patti Smith at the Aragon Brawlroom in 1979 on the Easter tour. Elvis Costello at the Uptown Theater in 1979. Talking Heads all three times. Todd Rundgren three times. Tom Waits at the Chicago Theater.
Little Feat at Western Illinois University while standing on the overhead catwalks with two buddies who ran the in-house lights. Keith Jarrett at the Auditorium. The Eurythmics. Annie Lennox in a bustier and black fishnet stockings singing "I Need a Man" was memorable as vamping personified. Muddy Waters at Chicagofest.

 

[homersheineken]

I mount my concert tickets in a folder so I can remember them. I love live music almost more than anything.

Best shows I've seen recently, off top of my head:

2013: Paul McCartney. I'm not a Beatles worshipper, but seeing Paul McCartney perform hit after hit after hit was just a dizzying experience - when you skip all of the bad music he's been involved with and play nothing but the knockouts, the audience is in the palm of your hand. I actually got so pumped after seeing the show, I couldn't sleep that night and had to miss work the next day. It was incredible. All throughout, I thought...if he can do THIS in front an audience when he's older than 70, what were his shows like in 1980?

2014: Pearl Jam. I've always had a soft spot for this group, even though as grunge goes I'm an Alice in Chains fanboy all the way. However, this show was something special. They played the entire album Yield for us, and then just kept going and going and going. The show was three-and-a-half hours and I wanted it to be even longer, they really just put a spell on us that night. (Comparatively, I did see Alice in Chains the year before. They were very good, but the band can only do so well without Layne Staley.)

2016: Project/Object, one of many Frank Zappa cover bands, led by Ike Willis. This is probably the best one that exists, since it has the most alumni that actually played with Frank. The show wasn't quite as enthralling as the last two I mentioned, but as I've always been an FZ megafan, it was nice to listen to a group that knew exactly what the audience wanted to hear, and sounded just as fresh as they had back in the late 1970s. I also love shows that are in a venue that's small enough where I can make eye contact with the artist, and run into the drummer at the bar afterward. (Comparatively, Zappa's son Dweezil has a far less good cover band called Zappa Plays Zappa. Dweezil also has no personality, and needs to learn that he isn't as charming as his father - so he should talk less and play more.)

various times: The Melvins. My favorite grunge band, they're really more of a weird heavy metal group that just happened to be from Seattle. Every time I see them, my ears ring for three days and it's glorious. I'll see their cheap shows whenever I get a chance.

I was at that PJ show where they played Yield too. Great show.

 

[GodfatherPartTwo]

Best concert I ever been to was a Frankie Valli show with my Grandfather. I bought tickets for him and two of my brothers but it got delayed to next year.

 

[GodGiveMeStrength]

When I was younger I saw many hardcore shows at smaller venues/bars. My favorite of those was probably seeing bands like hatebreed, buried alive, madball, etc in an intimate setting versus at a place like warped tour where there were tons of people. That said, my most memorable concerts were:

- New York super bowl of hardcore
- Manowar
- Motorhead/Iron maiden

 

[Thomas More]

Yeah, speaking of McCartney, if you see anyone who was popular for 3+ decades, you will be blown away by the talent. I saw Ringo Starr a couple of years ago and it was a blast. I went to an Elton John concert, just on a whim, and he was so incredibly talented. I like a couple of his songs from the radio, but I have a whole new appreciation for what a talented musician he is after seeing him live.

(note to millennials: you used to be able to show up at a venue and almost always score cheap tickets from someone with extra tickets).

Basically if an old band that's been around for a while is coming nearby, you should go hear them.

I saw Tom Petty with Lynyrd Skynyrd for $10. I'll never forget, he was poking fun at all these musicians sponsored by corporations (they weren't even globohomo back then, it was just seen as a greedy thing for an artist to do) and he said he doesn't believe in that, and this show is brought to YOU, by ME, and then blared into his next tune to the cheers of the crowd. $10! (though this was probably 20 years ago)

Agree that seeing someone live opens up a whole new appreciation, especially if they have been successful for many years. When I saw Bob Dylan in 2019 (at age 78), I was amazed to realize he has a really powerful voice. He's always been known for that off key singing style he does, and I think most of his recorded songs have been only medium loud, but when he sings live, he really belts it out.

Another time I saw this was when I saw Eddie Money play at a town festival. This was not a prestige venue. He was out touring second and third tier places, and he was bald and pretty fat. I went because I had a few of his hits in mind that I liked (and it was free), but I was amazed that I recognized 6-10 of his songs from the radio, far more than I realized. Also, he put on a great show, and got a lot of audience response, which he really appreciated. I think when an older has-been artist rocks a moderately large audience and they cheer enthusiastically, it's a huge emotional boost for them. Obviously not the same situation as when Paul McCartney or Elton John toured in recent years. These guys got to the top of the game and never left.

 

[inthefade]

PJ20 Pearl Jam 2 night show in Sept 2011 at Alpine Valley. QOTSA and The Strokes were also in attendance. Chris Cornell showed up to sing some Temple of the Dog songs too. Wonderful shows.

 

[Maddox]

One of the best I can remember was back around 10 years ago at a local club watching the band Royal Crown Revue. I'd never heard of them at the time, but apparently, they were the ones to start the swing revival era in the 90s.

They're best known for the song, "Zip Gun Bop."