What's the best concert you've ever seen?

For me, it would have to be the first Lollapalooza tour at the World Music Theater in Chicago.

Butthole Surfers
Rollins Band
Ice-T & Bodycount
Nine Inch Nails
Living Color
Siouxie and the Banshees
Jane's Addiction

1st row - Boys for Pele Tour

Not too exciting for the Tori haters, but who cares. ;)

Some of my highlights:

Black Flag in NYC around '85. It was them on the decline but they still killed.

Neurosis: Pretty much anywhere I have seen them play at any point.

Sonic Youth in NYC around '86 or whenever it was that Sister came out.

Ministry during the Mind is A Terrible Thing tour.

Back in the old days. Of the four, as much of a Deadhead as I am, Pink Floyd was the best. Maybe it's because I can remember most of it, I don't know.

New Riders of the Purple Sage
Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen
Beach Boys
Grateful Dead

Retired CPO here and glad you are with us.

Favorite concert? I'll have to date myself slightly. Black Oak Arkansas playing at the University of Arkansas 1978. No fancy lights, or sets, just ass kicking rock and roll for hours. A close second, Stevie Wonder at Cambridge England 1969. His lead in band, the Foundations. Anybody remember the Foundations?

Good to see more of our kind on here. Vets seem to be few and far between on DU. That's OK though, we'll stand the watch for 'em!

I don't remember the Foundations, but I do remember Black Oak Arkansas. Those guys were fantastic. They were way ahead of the curve. Possibly the greatest undiscovered and unrespected Southern-boogie band of all time.

Back on topic, I'll go with Van Halen, 1982, Diver Down tour. They were at the top of their game, Roth was raunchy, Eddie was on fire, the rhythm section was tight. They rocked with a ferocity never seen again. Consummate showmen. Monster show all the way around.

The Foundations were about a three hit wonder English band in the late 60's. Their biggest hit was "Build me up Buttercup." Black Oak Arkansas could totally rock the universe. Them boys were crazy.

Also... some of the best:
Don Henley
Eric Clapton
Violent Femmes (several times)

at the Los Angeles Collesium. GNR was at their peak.

The first time I saw the Ramones has to be up there too, but I wouldn't call it technically a great concert. Oh, and the reformed Iggy and the Stooges last year. And the Mekons at the Knitting Factory a few years ago. Well, more than a few, now that I think about it. Oh, and the Who on the Who's Next tour. Oh and...

a close second is r.e.m./Radiohead in Houston '95.

second would be Dan Bern playing at the Middle-East in Cambridge, Mass.

Third would be Phish in 2000.

Next would probably be Aerosmith,
The Band,
Henley,
CSN,
Mountain,
Walsh,
Steppenwolf,
Petty

I wish I could have seen her . . . talk about some ENERGY. :)

Ticket price: $5.50. (I still have the stub)

Very small venue - I sat right in front of Tina Weymouth :loveya:

(Tina in 1977)

It was either 1969 or 70.
:)

Talking Heads didn't perform as a foursome until 1976.

Or were you responding to another thread?

I meant to reply to ET Awful - #18.

Mid 80s small club. Anyone familiar with the Art of Noise knows they are largely a studio group. Lots of sampling and remixing. But they put on the most amazing live show. It was the most entrancing performance I have even attended.

Second major concert I went to.
2nd choice- front row for Emerson Lake and Palmer Brain Salad Surgery tour
3rd choice - Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here

Real music played by awesome musicians. What a tight band. Plus a kickass spectacle to boot.

Second, Prince at the Arco Arena this year. Name one artist who can rock, funk, soul, disco and jazz with the same band on the same night. He played a set with just a guitar and rocked harder than any rock band I ever saw.

What a tight, kickass band.

Under 1000 seat venue -- Patti Smith tour supporting Horses and Easter
1000 - 2500 seats - David Bowie in 1976 - 77
Big Hall - Any Grateful Dead show (nearly 50)
Bigger Hall (Stadium) - Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon tour - 3 rivers stadium
Biggest hall - Watkins Glen - Grateful Dead - The Band - Allman Brothers

exactly when, must have been 1975 as Gary Wright opened with Dream Weaver.

That was weird.

It was the "Mistrel In The Gallery" Jethro Tull tour.

We had floor seats up front, smoked some killer spliffs before we went in which kept us going until the Aphgan Black hash and the Sunshine acid we'd eaten kicked in. WOW.

Ian Anderson was at the height of his motley jester minstrel kick and it rocked.

both best ever.

I've seen 311 12 times and Tool thrice (and APC twice). Great live bands. And of course, I'm not done seeing 'em either. Can't wait to see Tool again - should tour next year after their new album comes out ('bout time!).

for Los Angeles. I was stationed on the USS Missouri in Long Beach at the time and our ship was to deploy to Seattle that day so I couldn't go. My sister also lived in the area at the time and she went and bought me a t-shirt from it that I STILL wear.

I have seen so many shows its hard to pick out a favorite. One that comes to mind that was outstanding was TOOL a few years back who I saw in New Haven, CT.

Landover, MD Capital Centre - 5 hours no opening act, no intermission!!! Awesome!

SaveElmer will agree that you haven't hear the boss until you heard him in concert. I stopped going to his shows when he was without the E Street Band, because The Big Man is one of my favorite parts of any show.

Also saw a lovely Joe Jackson show at a small venue in suburban Phila - he did a lot of mellow, almost orchestral stuff, and it was the first time he slowed down "Home Town".

Elvis Costello did an amazingly energetic show when he released "When I Was Cruel". Now I know the meaning of "blew the doors off the place".

They don't call him THE BOSS for nothing!

http://www.gpjones.free-online.co.uk/Bands/Clash/recordings/1979/79-09-14_ChicagoFM/Chicago%2079%20mp3.html

The only band that matters.

It was durring their 1st US tour. They were backed up by a little known group, "The Santana Blues Band" & Albert King. We sat on the floor in huge industrial building called "The Rose Palace" in Pasadena Ca. back in '69.

where i Learned to mosh and surf.

great time.

...YOU ALL SUCK!!!! I've never seen them and you guys are just rubbing it in! :-P

How's that for rubbing it in. ;-)

Of all the groups I listen to that I've never seen in concert, The Clash are at the top of the list. They must have been amazing.

Just crushed everything.

...of the Titans!!!!

Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer, with Alice in Chains opening up at Madison Square Garden.

almost tricked you, didn't I?

:bounce:

I saw them at least a half-dozen times in the late 70s. They are the tightest live horn section ever - and that includes EWF, whom I also love, but Tower's horn arrangements are much more intricate, and those boys did NOT miss a lick. Ever.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

in Omaha, Nebraska. Kicked ass.

With all 4 original members

Pete Townshend
Roger Daltrey
John Entwistle
Keith Moon

It's still the best concert I have ever been to.

Small venue in San Jose Ca. They got down into the audience and danced with us, called people on stage, let us sing old Split Enz songs. I had a great time. Only concert I went to with my brother.

...besides, we got to see a cat fight. Some girl was burning the hairs of some other girl with her cigarette, turning around to us and said..."I hate her. She's a bitch!" Later, the hair girl found out.:evilgrin:

Manchester 2003 Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Mars Volta.

Ive seen the Chilis several times but this night they were really on and played for two hours and the Mars Volta were just Fuckin nuts.

I saw the chilis again this year supported by James Brown, but he wasnt very into it and the weather (open air venue) messed it up.

Notable mentions to Paul McCartney in 2002, and Prince for Musicology.

Oh, and Radiohead/Pixies at Coachella 2004, which was also fantastic.

I saw them twice. The 2nd time was great too, but i already expected it. The first time i went i was hoping it would do justice to the studio work and was blown away at how good those 4 guys were! First and only concert i ever left with my mouth hanging open. Wow!
The Professor

Not all in one night.

The first solo tour of Elvis Costello with T-Bone Burnett... rode on a bus for about 5 hours on Easter to see the show. Elvis's solo piano version of "Pourin' Water on a Drownin' Man" was about the best thing ever... T-Bone was brilliant, too.

James Brown about 1990... amazing show, packed with hits, front row center...

Crowded House on the Woodface tour was pure magic... managed to catch two shows on that tour... the show I attended with the girl of my dreams was extra magical... too bad that never went anywhere. :(

Robyn Hitchcock at Stache's in Columbus on the "Element of Light" tour. Amazing performer, great band, at the peak of his powers in a cozy venue...

many times. It would be hard picking a favorite. She is always wonderful.

NYC 1971

An album was released from this concert.

Frank Zappa was in rare form that night. John Lennon and Yoko Ono showed up and played at that concert, though it didn't make the album. I recall that one song prominently involved the word "Scumbag," and Frank got Yoko Ono to wear a bag over her head for the song.

Also two guys from the the Turtles were in the Mothers then, Howard Kaylan and Mark Vollman(?); they sang "Happy Together."

Aenima tour... absolutely incredible.. Maynard Keenan convinced me that night that there is no better singer/frontman in music.

Sorry, I loved this show. It was fucking amazing.

Next to that I would have to say the Kiss Psycho Circus Show.

...at Mars Club in Bloomington, In.

This was supposed to be the bands last concert before breaking up for solo careers. Ian Anderson pulled out all the stops and played for 3 hours +.
The last encore was the song "Wind up", and when it ended there was a stool with a phone on the stage after the band left. The phone was ringing for a few minutes when Ian came out picked up the phone, then said to the crowd, "Its for you", and walked off. That was supposed to be the last show as a band. A year later they got back together and put out several more great albums.
A great memory and a great show from a great band.

The Tikkis