Best Live Music Experiences

Last year I caught Blink 182 at the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee. Granted, I have been a long time fan, but it was easily the best concert I have been to. They played hit after hit and their set lasted for hours. Great show.

 

true the years i've seen many shows, and next to those i allready mentioned i have many to add...
Portishead
Massive attack
Radiohead
Nick cave
Tori Amos
Ben folds five
...
all gave me bang for the buck, some of them even several times

 

I got to see Joe Cocker and The Steve Miller Band at a little amphitheater (Lithia Motors Amphitheater) in Central Point, Oregon, that was an amazing show. Scorpions at the Douglas County Fair, in Roseburg Oregon was pretty awesome too. I've seen Rush twice, Chris Ledoux three times, Guns and Roses three times (Perkins Palace in Pasadena, CA, Celebrity Theater in Anaheim, CA, and The Coliseum in Los Angeles). Iron Maiuden and Anthrax was pretty cool too. Been to a lot of shows, but those were some of the best.

 

My Hub and Sons playing Guitar Hero, 9. Oh, Foghat at a small boat club in S.F. years.

 

I haven't been to that many shows in the past few years, but summer used to be all about seeing as many bands as I could.

The absolute best was seeing the Eagles on my 14th birthday. It was my first non-country concert, they're my absolute favorite band (I was a bit more fanatical about them when I was 14, though), and I sang along to every song. They played for something like four hours, taking a short break in the middle. All the classic hits, some new stuff off the Hell Freezes Over album, as well as solo hits from Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley. I was in heaven. I remember crying during Desperado, not because the song made me sad, but because I was so incredibly happy to be there. I went with my mom, who was also seeing them for the first time, and we had such a blast.

I've seen Def Leppard six times now, and they always put on a great show. I tend to prefer smaller venues than what they play, though. I saw They Might Be Giants in Columbus with ZombieSquirrel , which was amazing. I saw Gaelic Storm in Dayton, and danced the entire time--from the second row, too. Jimmy Buffett was pretty fabulous; the atmosphere is just so laid-back and fun, and there are some totally awesome outfits and costumes.

 

I believe 5 of those times were with ME!

Who did you see them with the 6th time you dirty concert whore?

 

I don't generally go to concerts much any more. In July I was backpacking in Wyoming and spent a few days in Idaho before coming home. We went to the Sawtooth Music Festival in Stanley Idaho. Had a great time. Lots of good people and fantastic music.
Sawtooth Music Festival 2012 | July 27 – 28th, 2012
Even though I may have been to oldest person there.....

 

I've seen one hell of a lot of shows, not sure that I have a favorite.

Pink Floyd was amazing. It's just unbelievable what top-notch sound engineers can do to a crappy venue. I could understand between song banter from crappy seats and make out every single note and word.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was an incredible act, particularly when he was up and coming. I saw him back up several acts and just blow them away.

Led Zeppelin lived up to the hype, though I swear Robert Plant stuffs a sock down his pants and yes, I sat close enough to have an opinion.

 

Sixth time was last month--they played with Poison again, and Lita Ford. I went with a couple people from work. I totally rocked out, but it wasn't quite as much fun without my BFF!

 

Well, at least you didn't go with Lordeden

 

Cheap Trick's "At Budokan" tour. I was 16 and it was my first concert.

INXS with the Del Fuego's as the opening act. The Del Fuego's were an immensely popular local act at the time. They got to play for about an hour before INXS came out and the place was jumping. INXS came out and cranked it up a notch or two.

AC/DC's last tour. I'd seen them 3 times prior (Back in Black tour and the next 2 after that) and after the 3rd time, I wasn't impressed with them any longer. My brother in law suggested catching the last tour and I reluctantly agreed but I was glad I went. They put on a fantastic show.

Celine Dion. I spent at least half the concert staring intently at the big screen because I was convinced she was lip syncing. I had never heard anyone in concert sound exactly like they do on the radio. Not a big fan of her music in general, but I am impressed with her talent.

 

Saw Megadeth and Down a few years ago in Winnipeg, it was a great show.

 

Green Day play very well live.

Nine inch nails was always my favorite band as a kid... saw the woodstock videos and such. The n saw them live a few years ago, poor Trent is kind of getting old.... BUT it was still a great show and a bucket list thing crossed off my list.

 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra puts on an outstanding Christmas concert.

Roger Drawdy and The Firestarters, if you're into Celtic/pub bands. Their former bodhran player was the one who taught me how to play.

On the bucket list: the Dust Rhinos, and Seven Nations.

 

You should have seen Seven Nations 5+ years ago. I walked out of the last concert, it was so bad.
I've seen them more than 10 times in a number of different venues back from 1999 to 2005.
With the original crew, the band was mindblowingly awesome... can't believe I forgot about that.
I saw them when The Factory was released... would have loved to have caught them back when Big Dog came out.

I do enjoy a good Rathkeltaire concert, but the are few and far between now. Used to be half of Celtic Soul.
This thread reminds me that I haven't been to a live show since G. Love sucked so bad I walked out.

 

For someone who really, really loves music, I haven't been to that many shows.

Saw Rickie Lee Jones last night and it is definitely up there as one of the best shows I've ever seen.
I enjoyed The Avett Brothers and Iron and Wine last year.
The Butthole Surfers/Bad Afro Experience counts as one of my favorite live performances of anything ever.

and i know there are a few others, just not springing to mind at the moment because i am tired.

 

Peter Straker, Drury Lane Theatre, around 1978.

 

Lately I've seen a lot of Latin bands, salsa mainly but some pop. Probably see a live show about once a month here. Bigger names here would be Miguel Bose and Camila. I was going to see Shakria up close with a "photog pass" through iStockPhoto's red carpet program. I was surprised how easy it was to get access through them for a pass. Sadly when I arrived the day before the show to pick up my pass I got caught in a visa catch 22. The concert was organized by the city of Merida and they required a 'professional pass' which is what IStockPhoto provides you with. However my visa says "FM3-not allowed to work." "So if you're a professional you get paid and that means you're working but you're not allowed to work in this country?" So... missed it by that much. My understanding was I would have only been allowed in for the first five songs but still would have been fun, could have made some coin if anyone bought any of my shots (highly unlikely.)

Before moving here I used to see a lot of live shows. My ex was a big Stones fans. I've seen them 20 times +/-. Went to eight shows in several states for the Bigger Bang tour. It got to the point of being almost boring. The shows are so rehearsed and staged that the only change is after Beast of Burden Mick Jagger would change the name of the city when he said "I guess___________ really does knows how to rock." My favorite Stones memory was second row in Hawaii. Guy trying to pass me a joint from the front row and a hot chick next to me went topless before the end of the first song.

I've seen Jimmy Buffett many times. Live shows with him are good for the party before and after. The music during the shows, even for fans, has often been at best questionable. But a good party with a bunch of drunken strangers is usually a good time regardless.

Other then those acts I've seen-

AC/DC 4X (once with Bon Scott)
Aerosmith 4X
Tom Petty 4x (at least)
Cheap Trick 3X (once in a very small gym on a Navy base in Japan, band stay after, signed autographs and posed for pictures. T'was nice of them)
Bruce Springsteen 3X
Bon Jovi 3X
Queen 2X
David Bowie 2X (once in Brisbane, Aust.)
Eagles 2X
Frank Zappa 2 (maybe 3 times, don't know can't remember for some reason)
Nine Inch Nails 2x
REO Speedwagon 2X
Heart at least 2X (in the 70's their sound system was horrible)
Blue Oyster Cult 2X
Iggy Pop 2X
Foreigner 2X
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2X
Journey 2x (both times on my birthday, two years in a row while still in HS)
ZZ Top 2X
Bob Seger 2X
Peter Frampton 2X

Many bands once-
Guns N Roses
U2
Rush
Steve Miller
Fog Hat
Joan Jett
The Outlaws
Judas Priest
Quiet Riot
Rat
J. Geils
Boston
The Scorpions
Poison
The Beach Boys
Countless 80's heavey metal bands that I just don't remember, Navy used to pass out free tickets to nose bleed seats. I remember one band was "Slippery Nipples" name was better then the band.

My daughter was a huge country western fan through Jr. high and HS so being a duitful father I've seen a ton of country acts. Many I can't even remember their names. But some stand out- (most I've seen more then once)

Garth Brooks
Brook and Dunn
Alan Jackson
Reba McEntire (kids was in her fan club so have a photo of me, Reba and my kid. I think we saw her three times total)
Dierks Bently (another one we took a photo with)
Tim McGraw
Toby Kieth
and many I just don't recall.

Ok so back to the Op. Best? I'd have to say an outdoor show in Eugene that included Joan Jett, BOC, Foreigner and another act I can't recall right now. Not because the music was perfect or we had great seats. The music was ok and our seats were decent but the day was just great. The crowd (us included) was partying and it was the last time many of my HS friends were all together. It was just an awesome event and overall great time/memory.

Second place would be a lot of ties. First time I saw Queen (first time I ever saw a real light show), Bowie in Brisbane, Stones in Hawaii, U2 (had awesomely close seats,) Tom Petty at the Filmore in San Fran. Springsteen doing an acoustic show in a smaller arena. Too many too close to call.

I love seeing live music.

 

Testament @ Bogarts.

 

Paul McCartney.

I've played in a lot of bands, and hearing live music is not the same experience for me as it is for everybody else. I notice the EQ, and the timing, and the relationships between songs in the playlist, and the flow of instrumentation, and the lighting, and the rapport between the musicians and the audience, and mistakes. Especially mistakes. I can't help but see/hear mistakes that most everybody else would never notice.

That being said, Paul McCartney is my only concert experience where the show was SO DAMN GOOD that I got to experience it like everybody else. For the duration of that show, I was not a musician - I was a fan. Grancey and I sang along, clapped, and danced like a couple of total idiots. I completely forgot myself and had a blast. I got lost and wrapped up in the music. So far in life, Paul McCartney is the only performer to cause me to do that.