What Is the best live show you've seen?

[shokhead]

Longest was Santana.3.5 hours and going strong but i had to leave. Worst and shortest was the Who,45 minutes and they never looked like they wanted to be there. Best might have been Yes,best stage set for sure. They came out of a GIANT lilly pad. Shocking might have been ELP. As we are waiting for them to start,we were talking about the amps{they had more then most} and then i turned to look in the back at the crowd and saw the same amount of amps in each corner of the arena. WOW! Kansas was a really good active show. Now when i first started going to concerts,a light show was really cool and it started growing from there. Maybe the one that blew everyone away was a third act band that blew the rest away. Headliner was West,Bruce and Lang. Warmup was Flash Cadilac and the Connten Kids and the warmup to the warmup was Mott the Hoople. Blew the place away.

 

[rschleicher]

shokhead,

Your reference to ELP's amplifier set-up reminded me that I saw them at what was probably the same time, when they were touring for Brain Salad Surgery. This album was actually mixed for Quadraphonic sound, where you would have four speakers more or less evenly-spaced around you. In one of the songs they had the effect of sound revolving around you. In their live act around this time they tried to place speakers all around the audience, so that the same effect could be re-created. (They had some kind of a robot-like machine on stage, that was spinning around and shooting "lasers" into the crowd. Something to do with the song "Karn Evil 9, or whatever the correct title is.)

Do you also remember Keith Emerson having one of his organ/keyboards mounted on a large gymbal-like arrangement, so that he and the instrument could be rotated end-over-end while he was playing? Although some of their music sounds a little dated now, they were a heck of a live act.

 

[shokhead]

shokhead,

Your reference to ELP's amplifier set-up reminded me that I saw them at what was probably the same time, when they were touring for Brain Salad Surgery. This album was actually mixed for Quadraphonic sound, where you would have four speakers more or less evenly-spaced around you. In one of the songs they had the effect of sound revolving around you. In their live act around this time they tried to place speakers all around the audience, so that the same effect could be re-created. (They had some kind of a robot-like machine on stage, that was spinning around and shooting "lasers" into the crowd. Something to do with the song "Karn Evil 9, or whatever the correct title is.)

Do you also remember Keith Emerson having one of his organ/keyboards mounted on a large gymbal-like arrangement, so that he and the instrument could be rotated end-over-end while he was playing? Although some of their music sounds a little dated now, they were a heck of a live act.

Yep. As he lifted off the ground it was like,wow but then he starts to rotate and we had to light another. That was a big thing,Emerson vs Wakeman. Who was better,remember? I remember a friend of mine had a flask of booze and he left after the first song,went out to the van. My other friend got sick and i took him to the head and then lucky man started. I took him to the van. Just me and the other guy made it to the end. We were'nt light weights.LOL

 

[j_garcia]

Going to see Staind, POD, Taproot and some other unknown (Flyleaf) tonight. Not expecting it to be among the best shows ever, but I'm sure it will be good. I saw Staind last year in a smaller venue and it was somewhat short but solid.

 

[DNelms]

Some of the best shows I have seen ....

I am a gutar guy and when I would go to concerts I just was always hoping for that great guitar solo and lots of jams. However these are a few shows that just seem to stick out in my mind as some really great times.

George Thorougood at the Long Beach Blues Festival a few years back. (John Lee Hooker and Bo Didley were at the same show)

Back in the 80's I saw Pat Benitar open for Eddie Money at the Universal Ampetheater. Her band blew me away, what a great show.

Most recently I saw the Blue Man Group in Vegas with my entire family. Great show. Great sound. Great humor.

And I know it was mentioned as someone's favorite but the only show I ever walked out of was DEVO at the Santa Monica Civic. That show was just awful.

 

[Sheep]

Going to see Queen in April. Last stop on the North America tour.

I will tell you guys how it goes when the time comes.

I went and saw Linkin Park, POD, Hubastank, and Story of The Year a couple years ago. Good concert, but I don't like any of those bands anymore.

SheepStar

 

[jmgillespie]

I have a tie for fav. this year.

Audioslave - 3rd row inside walk way and the stage came out so the point I was at was actually front row in front of Chris Cornell and Tom Morello. Played for 2 hours, 3 Rage Against the Machine songs, 4 Soundgarden songs, then probably 16 songs split between their first two albums and awesome new song called "sound of a gun". Great set very energetic and good sounding, amazing to see Morello play he is truely a guitar god. Seather and 30 seconds to Mars opend, Seather was pretty good and I didn't care much for 30 seconds to Mars.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Lawn area, raining on and off only clouds in the air with lightning in the background (our own light show), around 15 songs in electricity went out during "refuge" everyone kept singing electricity sprung back on and the band didn't miss a note. Then two songs later during I believe "don't come around here no more" electricity went out again everyone kept singing and dancing in the rain for the new 2 minutes or so the bad stood there with smiles on their face when the lights came back on and finished the song and ended the show early because of the danger coming. Just amazing. The Black Crowes opend and they were very good I'm also a huge fan of theirs "soul singing" was the highlight.

Also saw Santana and the Steve Miller Band this summer Santana was good but I didn't know much of his stuff except for his hits and Steve Miller really dissapointed was the worst concert I have ever seen and I really enjoy their music.

Here's a list of other concerts I've seen.

Summer Sanatarium - Metallica, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne, and someother band. Was 2nd row for Metallica around 8th row or so for others at the Silverdome sold out 80,000 people great show Metallica did 3 or 4 encores very amazing was worn out by the end of the night each Metallica, LP, and Lb played 2 hour + sets

Guns N' Roses (2002) - Great show around row 25 Axl still sounded real good they played 18 classics and like 3 new songs which were also very good.

Aerosmith - Seen them 3 times always put on a good show. openers Kiss (not a fan), Run DMC (last show they ever played few days before one dude died), Cheap Trick (twice put on a good show).

Lollapalooza - Audioslave (first tour great show), Incubus (always a good show), Queens of the Stone Age (good show), Jane's Addiction (closing band over half the crowd left after Audioslave and so did we who cares about Jane's Addiction).

Incubus - 4 hour set one of the openers didn't make it so they made up for it great set a lot of energy.

3 doors down & Nickelback - 3 Doors Down rocked this was right when Kryptonite was getting hot, Nickelback put on a good show this was right before they turned pop and put out Silverside Up (they signed autographs in the back which was really cool because "how you remind me" was #1 on the charts the next week.

Eddie Money - Small gig pretty fun show, played the few goods that I knew.

Anger Management Tour - Sadly I went to this a buddy had free tickets figured we might as well go. I must say rap concerts suck. Eminem, Xzibit, Ludacris, Xecutioners, a few others didn't really care.

I've seen a few others I'm sure but I don't quite remember

 

[highfihoney]

im not sure if i'd call it the best show i have ever saw but the most memorable would have to be frank zappa,i was fortunate enough to see him before he stopped touring & i was sober enough to remember the show,alway's a big plus ,man was it fun to watch fz play,that guy had a flair for bizzare riff's that cut to the bone.

the all around best concert for me that i can remember would have to be bb king at the fox,im a huge blues fan & just being able to see bb was the thrill of a lifetime for me.

 

[JeepFan]

Couple of great show for me were:

1: Stone Temple Pilots for the No. 4 tour Key Arena Seattle, they opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers and absolutely stole the show.

2: Living Colour for their reunion tour at the Showbox Seattle May 8 2001, small club and I was in the second row, truely a great show with amazing performers, Corey and the band were aware of local politics enough to relate "Landlord" to a local Landlord and a situation that was developing with her. I know it's a personal thing but I had wanted to see the band forever, but they had called it quits and I thought I would never get the chance to see them live after I had heard great things about their live show. I was not disappointed, Corey even reached out and grabbed my hand during a verse of "Cult of Personality" and wouldn't let go.... Very cool for me...

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Talk about dating myself, here goes: Frank Sinatra with Buddy Rich and his big band.

I was very young -- maybe 6th or 7th grade tops. As a young drummer Rich was an idol. So my parents took me to that concert with Rich as the hook. But my Mom was (and is) a huge Sinatra fan.

Sinatra was still in his vocal prime, and he showed me what singing, stage presence, and entertainment were about. Blew me away, and I never again thought of him as "old people's music". Nothing since, no matter how much pyrotechnics or flash it had, has ever had the same impression.

Other memorable shows:

Elton John (1972 I think) at the old Olympia in Detroit

Cat Stevens

Jethro Tull

A "Proms Concert" at Royal Albert Hall in London. I was there on a high school trip. LSO, forget who conducted but still memorable for the whole atmosphere. I think they did the Stravinsky Sacre du Printemps. I was standing waaaay up in the gallery.

Mel Torme with Cleo Laine. Two consummate masters and professionals, seemingly having the time of their lives together.

Detroit tryout (before opening on Broadway) of the original "Fiddler on the Roof" with Zero Mostel.

Jon Faddis (jazz trumpeter). Besides a great musician, he's funny as hell. You get a standup routine as a bonus. Kind of like Dizzy Gillespie.

 

[Audioholics]

"what is the best live show you've seen?"

My wife... on my birthday.

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

"what is the best live show you've seen?"

My wife... on my birthday.

Speaking of wives: My wife, humoring me by trying to flyfish! Wish I'd had a video camera. Of course, I'm talking comedy and you probably weren't.

 

[sbader2]

Best live show in my very short existence would have to be:

Dave Matthews Band at Saratoga (NY) last Summer

They played the show after they played Live 8 earlier in the day. They had so much energy. I've seen them a bunch of other times and none of them compared to this show.

I've also seen the Allman Brothers at the Beacon a few times, they were all incredible shows.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Hard to say

Shockingly, to me, one of the best live shows I ever saw was Neil Young in '92 outside Chicago. I really wasn't a fan of Neil Young, and hadn't listened to him before the show. I only went because one of my friends was crew for one of the other bands touring with him and we were hanging out. I was blown away by the show he put on and the antics after the scheduled end (he kept playing even after they turned the lights on and pulled the power to the stage).

Also, in no specific order:
Red Hot Chili Peppers in '85 in Cotate CA. Real small club.
Primus & Mr Bungle Used to see them play together or separate in the Bay Area several times in the mid to late 80's. Every show was incredible.
Death Angel if you've ever heard them play live you'd understand, amazing vocal range for a thrash metal band.
Slayer Not an audioholic type of band, but their shows have to be seen to understand.
Public Enemy They really get into it.
Most of the best shows I've ever seen were in smaller venues where the whole show wasn't quite as "scripted" as major tours tend to be. A lot of my all time favorites were also local bands playing at bars. Much more personal of a performance.

 

[matty76]

Dream Theater
Massey Hall March 2004
(already have my ticks for the shw in march)

Butch who?

Butch ****ing Walker that's who!
(the Mod Club November 2005)

 

[sivadselim]

Pink Floyd outside in the Alabama football stadium in Birmingham (around 80k people)

I was here too, and this is probably my favorite live experience as far as all out extravaganza goes. That disco ball was gigantic.

 

[Sheep]

"what is the best live show you've seen?"

My wife... on my birthday.

Woa easy tiger. Lets hope the Wifey doesn't browse the boards.

SheepStar

 

[randyb]

Allman Brother

Allman Brothers in Columbia MO a few weeks before they recorded the classic Fillmore Live album. Also saw them around a week later in Chicago-Highlight was Duane just tuning up his slide-what a sound

Cream in St. Louis-got to meet Clapton after the concert in his hotel room where he traded riffs with a friend of mine.

 

[a/v moron]

1) Loverboy (1984) I know it sounds terrible, but they put on one hell of a show. Rick Springfield came with them and he was okay.
2) Pantera (1991) & (1993) 1st one was in a small concert hall/bar with less than 300 people. Great, Great show. 2nd one was in an arena. Not as good, but not bad either. FARGIN HOSTILE!!!!!

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Cheetah's, Windsor, Ontario Canada.