The best concerts you've ever seen:

[CountZero]

I have a hard time trying to rank the best concerts I’ve seen, BUT, I can recall the two most disappointing ones very easily.

A Tribe Called Quest. This was a small show on my college campus during their tour for Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. The opening act was our local hip hop DJ from the community radio station. He had put together a group that had a rather militant Professor Griff-like style to it and they went on for-EVER. They weren’t very good either. Tribe came on late. They were obviously annoyed. They shat out a few numbers from the album very quickly. Q-Tip and Phife were pacing back and forth hurriedly as they rhymed. They left the stage in a huff after a couple tunes. I always refer to this show as A Tribe Called Three Songs.

My second bummer show was in 1990 or 91. Went to go see a rare US performance by The Cocteau Twins. Halfway through the first song Robin Guthrie stopped playing to tell us that they had to end the show because Elizabeth had laryngitis. Tickets were not refunded.

Apologies if I’m off topic!

 

[BB325]

Awesome thread and one that got me thinking...

Jack White's Bonnaroo Performance instantly comes to mind. I recall the night before Kanye saying "im the biggest rock start on the planet" or something along those lines. My friend and I felt like Jack took that personal with his performance and absolutely smashed it. Went over time by an hour forcing us to miss other shows, but couldn't leave that one.

Bon Iver at Cobb Energy center playing off their S/T album. Had 2nd row seats I bought off of ebay thinking I overpaid at the time. Now, tickets are face value for that price in a stadium. It was so intimate and there was so much detail captured that close up. One of my all time favorites.

Idles @ Club Manufaktur in Germany in 2019. The energy in their shows gives me chills and their live album in France is representitive of it. Worth checking out if anyone has any doubts. This band will blow up on their next album (if they haven't already).

Diarrhea Planet at the Exit Inn during their Freakin' Weekend set in TN. Was a blast and probably the 3rd or 4th time seeing them at that point. Since it was a hometown gig, it was fun to see all the friends joining on stage, the crowd's energy like "the boys are home again". Wish I saw the final gig as others had mentioned. Sounded like a blast.

Oh Sees in Munich in 2019. While this was also a 3rd/4th time seeing them, the energy was incredible and we had no AC. Just had a different feeling and they touched on their entire catalogue (which they usually do). I still scratch my head at the fact that John Dwyer can walk around a venue unbothered as if hes not a massive rock star after nearly 20 albums. One of my all time favorites.

King Gizzard at Grey Eagle in NC when they had just finished up Nonagon Infinity. That album is still the one for me and they played so much of it live then. Crowd surfing was out of control and the security started throwing people out. Stu threatened to stop playing if they didnt let people have fun.

 

[dansomeone]

How could I have omitted this one from my earlier list? Probably because I was dosed out of my mind for
Metallica with The Cult at Hyslop Sports Center, Grand Forks ND 1989
This was the And Justice For All / Sun King tour. We were on the arena floor about 20 feet from the stage. I have never headbanged so hard.

 

[Crabbers]

Alright...just found this thread...I’ll give it a whirl

Durand Jones and the Indications-front row at a venue of 100 ace of cups / Columbus Ohio (got a gig poster signed by the whole band afterwards)

MUSE-2007 lollapalooza -they tore it up at this show...I sang the whole time and found a new appreciation for them.......then they sold out and suck now , but that show was my Lolla highlight that year

Pearl Jam-2013 Wrigley field epic 3 hour rain delay...they didn’t come out until 11ish and played well into 2 am in the morning

Radiohead -Bonnaroo 2006 it has been thoms favorite gig he ever played, nuff said. Beck opened for them ffs

Radiohead 2008 Bristow Virginia this was a bday gift from my wife. It rained the whole day...I serious thought they would cancel (which they did a couple of years prior in dc area) we stood in the lawn with our ponchos like fools, but when Lucky (one of my favorite songs) came on...I lost all inhibitions, embraced the rain and and took poncho off and said fuck it. Top concert moment of my life My favorite concert ever

 

[dude]

Springsteen, the Born to Run album had just come out. Johnson City TN. There were maybe 40 people there. No one around here knew who he was. After the encore they carried him off in a stretcher, part of the show but fantastic. Next week saw him at Appalachian State in Boone NC it was packed.

 

[MaruMaru]

That would be Nightwish at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam November 26th in 2018. With the second place to last year's November with Halestorm at the AFAS live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Both concerts where amazing!

 

[eatdogs]

Smashing Pumpkins / Garbage - Oklahoma City, OK 1996
Bush / Moby - Oklahoma City, OK 2000
Pledge of Allegiance Tour - Oklahoma City, OK 2001
Tool / Meshuggah - Oklahoma City, OK 2002
Pearl Jam - Oklahoma City, OK 2003
Thrice / Poison the Well - Oklahoma City, OK 2003
Warped Tour - Dallas, TX 2005
Deftones - Denver, CO 2006
Gogol Bordello - Coachella 2007
RATM - Coachella 2007
Radiohead - Dallas, TX 2008
My Bloody Valentine - Dallas, TX 2009
Envy / La Dispute / Touche Amore - Denton, TX 2010
Converge - Tulsa, OK 2010
Broken Social Scene - Tulsa, OK 2011
Radiohead - Dallas, TX 2012


Worst concert I ever went to was RHCP and Snoop Dog. I went because The Mars Volta were supposed to be the opener but they dropped off. Snoop was sorta ok, but my gosh RHCP were sooooo boring. I saw them again at Coachella in 2007 and a mile away from the stage they were still boring. I ended up watching LCD Soundsystem in the dance tent I think. Or maybe I was hitting the smaller tents seeing other bands like Cornelius and Sparklehorse. My memory is fuzzy lol.


I got married in 2014 and didn't go to concert until 2017 or maybe 2018. I can't remember lol.

 

[dansomeone]

Recalled another one from almost 25 years ago - Stereolab at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO in 1996. They were terrific, but the crowd was sparse and disengaged. To make matters worse, the venue had a weekly "Disco Night" scheduled after the show. As the set drew to a close, the disco fans arrived, grew impatient with the weird French band on stage, and started booing them mercilessly. Ah, flyover country.

 

[imtheocean]

Oh boy, I'm going to just add some to this off the top of my head in no particular order or chronology. But great shows all.

First show was a good one - Jackson 5 Victory Tour, Dodger Stadium 1984. I remember Michael Jackson fighting a giant dragon, and the bass washing over the field.
Oingo Boingo - Hollywood Palladium '87
Madness / Fishbone - Hollywood Palladium '85
Bruce Springsteen / Peter Gabriel / Sting / Tracy Chapman / Youssou N'Dour, Amnesty International Human Rights Now! - LA Coliseum '88
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Beastie Boys / Marys Danish / Thelonious Monster - Hollywood Palladium 1991
Bjork - Hollywood Palladium 2013
Grateful Dead / Los Lobos / David Lindley & El-Rayo X - Laguna Seca '88
Bob Dylan - Les Schwab Amphitheater '05
Pearl Jam - Fenway '16
Jonsi - 4th & B '10
Kamasi Washington - Soda Bar '15
Florence & The Machine - Viejas Arena '15
Drive~By Truckers ~ Belly Up Tavern '08
Flying Lotus 3-D ~ House of Blues '19
L.A.M.F. Tour (Mike Ness, Walter Lure, Clem Burke, Glen Matlock) - Belly Up Tavern '17
David Rawlings Machine - Belly Up Tavern '09
Flight To Mars (UFO Tribute band w/ Mike McCready) - Casbah '12
Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Lucinda Williams - Greek Theater '03
The Pogues - House of Blues '09
Flaming Lips - Observatory North Park '17
Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Florence & The Machine, Tom Jones, Soundgarden, Norah Jones & Puss 'N' Boots, Band of Horses, Pegi Young - Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Amphitheater 2014

 

[Englishbob]

Oh boy, I'm going to just add some to this off the top of my head in no particular order or chronology. But great shows all.

First show was a good one - Jackson 5 Victory Tour, Dodger Stadium 1986. I remember Michael Jackson fighting a giant dragon, and the bass washing over the field.
Oingo Boingo - Hollywood Palladium '87
Madness / Fishbone - Hollywood Palladium '85
Bruce Springsteen / Peter Gabriel / Sting / Tracy Chapman / Youssou N'Dour, Amnesty International Human Rights Now! - LA Coliseum '88
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Beastie Boys / Marys Danish / Thelonious Monster - Hollywood Palladium 1991
Bjork - Hollywood Palladium 2013
Grateful Dead / Los Lobos / David Lindley & El-Rayo X - Laguna Seca '88
Bob Dylan - Les Schwab Amphitheater '05
Pearl Jam - Fenway '16
Jonsi - 4th & B '10
Kamasi Washington - Soda Bar '15
Florence & The Machine - Viejas Arena '15
Drive~By Truckers ~ Belly Up Tavern '08
Flying Lotus 3-D ~ House of Blues '19
L.A.M.F. Tour (Mike Ness, Walter Lure, Clem Burke, Glen Matlock) - Belly Up Tavern '17
David Rawlings Machine - Belly Up Tavern '09
Flight To Mars (UFO Tribute band w/ Mike McCready) - Casbah '12
Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Lucinda Williams - Greek Theater '03
The Pogues - House of Blues '09
Flaming Lips - Observatory North Park '17
Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Florence & The Machine, Tom Jones, Soundgarden, Norah Jones & Puss 'N' Boots, Band of Horses, Pegi Young - Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Amphitheater 2014

Wth is Lamf tour with Glenn matlock??

 

[imtheocean]

Wth is Lamf tour with Glenn matlock??

It was a tour on the 40th anniversary of the Johnny Thunders L.A.M.F. album. Excellent show in a small venue.

Mike Ness, Glen Matlock & more played 'L.A.M.F.' tributes in NYC (pics, setlist)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers‘ classic (and only) LP, 1977’s L.A.M.F. and to celebrate Heartbreakers member Walter Lure and Clem Burke of Blondie are playing some tribute shows...

www.brooklynvegan.com

 

[DJSJ]

5. Slowdive @ Terminal 5, NYC
4 My Bloody Valentine @ Bill Graham Auditorium, SF
3. Neutral Milk Hotel @ Fox Theater, Oakland
2. Les Savy Fav @ Death By Audio, Brooklyn
1. D'Angelo + The Vanguard @ FYF 2015, LA

Of all the shows I've seen its hard to pick favorites...except when it comes to these ones

 

[Sonicpharmacist]

Oh boy, I'm going to just add some to this off the top of my head in no particular order or chronology. But great shows all.

First show was a good one - Jackson 5 Victory Tour, Dodger Stadium 1986. I remember Michael Jackson fighting a giant dragon, and the bass washing over the field.
Oingo Boingo - Hollywood Palladium '87
Madness / Fishbone - Hollywood Palladium '85
Bruce Springsteen / Peter Gabriel / Sting / Tracy Chapman / Youssou N'Dour, Amnesty International Human Rights Now! - LA Coliseum '88
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Beastie Boys / Marys Danish / Thelonious Monster - Hollywood Palladium 1991
Bjork - Hollywood Palladium 2013
Grateful Dead / Los Lobos / David Lindley & El-Rayo X - Laguna Seca '88
Bob Dylan - Les Schwab Amphitheater '05
Pearl Jam - Fenway '16
Jonsi - 4th & B '10
Kamasi Washington - Soda Bar '15
Florence & The Machine - Viejas Arena '15
Drive~By Truckers ~ Belly Up Tavern '08
Flying Lotus 3-D ~ House of Blues '19
L.A.M.F. Tour (Mike Ness, Walter Lure, Clem Burke, Glen Matlock) - Belly Up Tavern '17
David Rawlings Machine - Belly Up Tavern '09
Flight To Mars (UFO Tribute band w/ Mike McCready) - Casbah '12
Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Lucinda Williams - Greek Theater '03
The Pogues - House of Blues '09
Flaming Lips - Observatory North Park '17
Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Florence & The Machine, Tom Jones, Soundgarden, Norah Jones & Puss 'N' Boots, Band of Horses, Pegi Young - Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Amphitheater 2014

I fucking LOVE the Belly-Up for a concert. I’ve seen Cowboy Junkies, Grant Lee Buffalo, Supernova, Marys Danish, Poi Dog Pondering, and The Buzzcocks there, all incredible.

 

[Mather]

Radiohead on The Bends tour at RPM in Toronto with about 800 other people. The stage was just sightly raised off the floor and you could pretty much walk right up to the band. My sister sat on the stage next to Jonny for most of the show.

 

[marshall]

Jack White at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. Now only if they would press that on vinyl...

 

[Mather]

Jack White at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. Now only if they would press that on vinyl...

TRIGGERED

 

[yukbon]

Funnest show I've ever, ever been to is hands- down the Presidents of the United States of America with young fresh fellows opening. PUSA dragged a backstage sofa across the stage during YFF set. YFF drummer had his crash at least 8 feet up so he would jump up to hit it.

Close 2nd is maybe The Reverend Horton Heat, who started buying shots for the audience after telling stories of jimbo the bassist getting hit on by gay cowboys.

 

[imtheocean]

I fucking LOVE the Belly-Up for a concert. I’ve seen Cowboy Junkies, Grant Lee Buffalo, Supernova, Marys Danish, Poi Dog Pondering, and The Buzzcocks there, all incredible.

So many good shows there beyond what was listed above. Brad (Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam) playing to a 1/2 empty room, Kathleen Edwards, Golden Smog w/ Jeff Tweedy, Jayhawks, Mike Ness solo, Gaslight Anthem. You ever see the Beat Farmers when you lived out here? The Belly Up hosts a Beat Farmers Hootenanny every year w/ the surviving members & guests. Always a good time.

And of course there's the decoration above the bar...

 

[Matt M]

Funnest show I've ever, ever been to is hands- down the Presidents of the United States of America with young fresh fellows opening. PUSA dragged a backstage sofa across the stage during YFF set. YFF drummer had his crash at least 8 feet up so he would jump up to hit it.

Close 2nd is maybe The Reverend Horton Heat, who started buying shots for the audience after telling stories of jimbo the bassist getting hit on by gay cowboys.

YFF are so fun! That would've been a great lineup.

 

[Matt M]

So many good shows there beyond what was listed above. Brad (Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam) playing to a 1/2 empty room, Kathleen Edwards, Golden Smog w/ Jeff Tweedy, Jayhawks, Mike Ness solo, Gaslight Anthem. You ever see the Beat Farmers when you lived out here? The Belly Up hosts a Beat Farmers Hootenanny every year w/ the surviving members & guests. Always a good time.

And of course there's the decoration above the bar...

View attachment 96506

Wish they would reissue those Brad albums. Prices are a bit much on the 'cogs.