Genesis, at the Mosque, Richmond, VA performing the entire "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" followed, as reprise, "The Musical Box". And Yes, at the Salem, VA Civic Ctr performing the entire "Tales From Topographic Oceans" followed with "Close to the Edge" (John Martyn opened the concert). And The Grateful Dead, Durham, NC football stadium (weekend of the D C Moratorium March), also at that venue, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Mountain (even outside, loudest band I ever heard). And I could go on and on, so much good music from the late 60s on I was privileged to hear...
Best live rock performance?
- Thread starter tankerjohn
- Start date
Having opined on favorite recording my favorite shows would be Dylan and The Band @LA Forum 1974, Roxy Music at Santa Monica Civic 1974, Springsteen at the Roxy and UCSB 1975, Clash at Hollywood Palladium 1979. Yeah I've seen some good shows the last 40 years but something about being young.
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Opeth
Still trying to think of the best one I saw. In the meantime, I can tell you the worst band I ever saw - Steppenwolf. Around 1969, my wife liked them, so I got us tickets. I wasn't really a fan to begin with, but they were so bad live that my wife tossed out the LP when we got home. Neither of us has mentioned that concert or listened to them since.
I have been to see many different bands over the years. Cheap Trick and ZZ Top always put on a great show. BEST show I ever saw was Trans Siberian Orchestra. I work for the street maintenance dept for the city I live in and we used to have a small festival the first weekend of June. We would have to clean up the area after the bands were done playing each night. Friday night would be a rock band and Saturday would be country bands. We would get to sit "backstage" and watch before the crowd would clear out and we could go to work. One year Night Ranger was there and they were really cool, came out after the crowd left and talked with us before they left. The last year of the festival we had Molly Hatchet perform. The sound guys got pretty drunk before sound check so when the band came out and started playing the sound was pretty bad. After three songs the lead singer just walked off the stage and headed back stage, the band kept playing which led to a few guitar solos and a drum solo. The lead singer went to the head sound guy and they had words, which came to one killer fistfight. The lead singer was kicking the sound guy's *** when the cops broke up the fight. Before he stepped back onstage the lead singer took a second to wipe the blood off his hands and took a drink of water. Before Molly Hatchet came out for the encore the lead singer pulled out his flip phone and made a phone call. When they were done playing and did the meet & great we found out who he called, he called in an order for pizzas. He invited us to eat with the band and we got to listen to all their stories before they had to get on their bus and head to the next town.
How about most interesting match up. I saw Jerry Garcia band with Frank Zappa. Garcia opened up. He only played for an hour . Frank took over and played forever.
x2 on Zappa. So many great live albums.
AA
AA
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
In terms of polished and professional sound the two best concerts I ever attended were hardly 'rock.' Joni Mitchell when she was backed by Jaco Pastorius, Tom Scott and the LA Express in the mid 70s, and Paul Simon with Steve Gadd and a bunch of other brilliant studio musicians as well as with a Gospel group and some Bolivian musicians in the 70s as well. His concerts with Ladysmith in the early 90s were off the hook as well. For showmanship combined with musical chops I'd take any Jethro Tull show between 1972 and 2000. The most fun I ever had at a show was in Liverpool with the late Ska artist Judge Dread and his filthy double entendre rugby songs. After the show there was a ferocious brawl in the street between his skinhead fans and his Ska loving cannabis head fans. He drew a diverse audience. The greatest energy I ever experienced was at a One Direction show in 2013. I was the designated driver for my then 12 year old daughter and 5 of her friends. Nothing prepared me for 20,000 early adolescent to college age girls singing every syllable to every song. It was really something.
Rush, Hold Your Fire tour would be up there, but other honourable mentions go to Iron Maiden at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Final Frontier. Bruce was blown away by the crowd's reaction, having been told a Singaporean audience would be very reserved. Perhaps it was the Malaysian bikers who'd come down in the afternoon and drank 7-11 dry 
. Simple Minds were here a couple of times, excellent, and the second F1 ZZ Top did a small set in Fort Canning park, probably only 5 or 6 numbers but really good.
. Simple Minds were here a couple of times, excellent, and the second F1 ZZ Top did a small set in Fort Canning park, probably only 5 or 6 numbers but really good.
I don’t attend concerts very often due to constant tinnitus. So my experiences have been very limited. One was a Roy Clark concert, so it doesn’t fit in this genre. I’ve only been to three other concerts, but all of them were what I would say were good. Ranked in order of my preference:
1. Billy Joel & Elton John
2. Hall & Oats
3. John Denver (might have ranked higher but it was in a basketball arena and he was on a rotating stage. Didn’t care much for seeing the back of his head half the time.)
1. Billy Joel & Elton John
2. Hall & Oats
3. John Denver (might have ranked higher but it was in a basketball arena and he was on a rotating stage. Didn’t care much for seeing the back of his head half the time.)
For me the Clash in 1982 Brixton I happen to be in the UK and being from the US and a punker guy this was like the most insane chance to see one of my all time fav bands in brixton no less
best ever IMHO has to relate to what each one of us thought was the best
I happen to be in the UK and being from the US and a punker guy this was like the most insane chance to see one of my all time fav bands in brixton no lessbest ever IMHO has to relate to what each one of us thought was the best
For me the Clash in 1982 Brixton
I saw the Clash in the Ace Cinema, Brixton around '82! It was just after Joe Strummer returned from wherever it was he disappeared to for a while. I've got the ticket somewhere still...
NICE
They were legends for sure !
I was there in Jul was at Brixton Fair Deal ? not being from the UK not sure of the other places etc...
was great fun though
Lefonque
Even more clueless than you
Joe Cocker live at the Sydney Myer Bowl, Melbourne late 1975
From the concerts I have attended:
The Who at Tanglewood (shortly after the release of Tommy)
Led Zeppelin at Aerodrome
Mountain at Woodstock
Blood, Sweat and Tears at SUNY Oneonta
Janice Joplin at SUNY Albany
I would hate to have to pick a best.
The Who at Tanglewood (shortly after the release of Tommy)
Led Zeppelin at Aerodrome
Mountain at Woodstock
Blood, Sweat and Tears at SUNY Oneonta
Janice Joplin at SUNY Albany
I would hate to have to pick a best.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Great reading. 37 posts and not one mention of kiss. (Thank God)
It’s a subjective question but The Who live at Albert hall comes to mind for me. A 3 cd set I lost (different ccds)and bought 3 times.
It’s a subjective question but The Who live at Albert hall comes to mind for me. A 3 cd set I lost (different ccds)and bought 3 times.
jackgoldman123
Boring and predictable
Tina Turner Barcelona
At pretty much any stage, The Who really know how to put on a show.
