What's the best live show you ever saw?

[Robert]

What is the best live music performance you ever experienced? By that, I mean what performance really "made it happen" for you, and that you still remember vividly.

Top of my wish list to have seen would have been Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, but that didn't happen. I was just weeks old when Jimi died.

Anyway, the best show I've ever seen was Prince in 2001. It just blew my mind. The power, the energy, the soul of Prince live can not be described. It's something else. Go see him if you ever have a chance.

Then other fabulous experiences I remember are Tribal Tech, Allan Holdsworth, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, David Lindley + Ry Cooder, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny. Scofield is especially amazing up close. I've seen him several times really up close and it's amazingly inspiring.

One of the "worst" concerts I've been to must be Terje Rypdal. I just did not get it.

[Fab4]

All time favorite was Queen on The Game tour. Astounding, musically and visually. Clapton on the Journeyman tour comes in second.

The biggest surprise and eye-opener, though, was the original Return to Forever with Al DiMeola, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White at Indianola College in Iowa in '77 (maybe). I had no idea what this band was that my buddy in high school had tickets to go see. I'd never heard of "fusion" and had no idea a band or a guitar player could do that stuff. I was absolutely shell shocked.

I said something stupid to DiMeola when I happened to meet him after the show (we were up at the stage checking out gear when he came out) and he encouraged me to keep playing, which was sporting of him. That was not too long before "Land of the Midnight Sun"...before all the Guitar Player poll wins...before anybody knew who the guy was...and he wasn't that much older than me at the time. Ain't seen the like since.

[Spudman]

Queensryche on the Tribe tour when they were playing with Dream Theater. Both bands were as tight as anything I've ever heard. There was great theater as well when Queensryche did the last Mindcrime tour playing both albums (I & II) in their entirety with additional actors.

The other would be The Flower Kings right before the Paradox Hotel tour at the Oriental Theater in Denver. So incredibly captivating and musical. It was like going to another world. They have the best live engineer I've ever heard.

[Fab4]

They have the best live engineer I've ever heard.

That reminds of a really good regional cover/show band I saw at Stage West in Davenport, Iowa in the early '80s. They had a lighting guy who had broken leg in a full cast and looked like a bit like Edgar Winter. He played his touch-sensitive lighting control board like a musical instrument and was AWESOME at it, rockin' and headbangin' like he was grooving on a B3. Their big number was "Knights in White Satin." The band absolutely nailed it, with huge vocals and lots of energy, but the lighting guy made it a total event. Great performances can happen anywhere...even off the stage.

[markb]

Easy! The Cooder and Lindley family show, Royal Festival Hall, London. The second best was Howe Gelb's Upside Down Home at the Barbican, London a few weeks later (iirc) including Giant Sand at their late period best, P.J. Harvey sitting in on rhythm and bass, Vic Chestnutt and Kurt Wagner swapping songs and more. That was good year for live music in London.

[thekiwidisciple]

Roger Waters - Dark Side of the Moon Live 2007. Without a doubt.

[Blaze]

Recent :Tommy Emmanuel

Past : Danny Gatton - F Zappa - Eric Johnson and much more..

[TS808]

By far the best show I saw was Joe Bonamassa two years ago. Small venue of maybe 2,000 and I managed to land front row seats. I was blown away by his guitar playing, but his vocal ability really surprised me too.

A close second was Kansas back in 1980 (?) in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It was the original line-up with Steve Walsh.

The biggest disappointment in shows, and I never thought I'd be saying this, was Gov't Mule last year. They played alot of covers, didn't play ANY of their well-known songs. They sounded good, but none of the songs were recognizeable and I have 5 of their CD's.

[Dauntless]

Frank Zappa and Mountain in the "70s"

[just strum]

I would have to say The Who. Maybe not the greatest stage show by today's standards, but it was about 1971 and you already knew you were witnessing legends.

[piebaldpython]

George Thorogood at the Bijou Cafe (seats 300) in Philly, March 1978. He was just breaking nationally and he was ELECTRIFYING. His "style" was all new and he had that Joe Everyman persona.

[oldguy]

Santana/Clapton back in the 70's. Santana opened the show, his playing was fantastic, the band was tight, right on cue, every number. Shortly after he left the stage Clapton came out......no long wait, he hit the stage about 5 min. after Carlos left. About 10 min. into Clapton's show, the power died!
Almost immediately the emergency power kicked in, but it was only enough to get a couple stage mics and a few lights going. Clapton walks back on with an acoustic and a stool, sits down and blows the place away for around 30 minutes, until the power came back on. Then the whole band joins him, and they just flat kick a$$. They do their last number, the lights go down, the lighters come out, everyone screaming for one more song.
Well, when the lights came back up, Santana had joined Clapton onstage, and so had his band.
They jammed on all types of tunes for another hour, I absolutely loved it.
They were all in the zone, on the same wavelength, playing their a$$es off, going wild, and having an absolute blast. Mind you, they weren't trying to one-up each other.........instead, all the music, the guitars, the vocals, everthing, was all complimenting everything else going on, making it better, adding just the right spices to the recipe at the right time.
They weren't doing a show for an audience any more, they were letting all the pent up music exorcise itself freely, and we were privy to witness it. It was that good......and if you're wondering, no, I wasn't chemically altered, just high on what I was experiencing. I've seen other bands get together for a jam at the end of a concert a few times, but nothing like that night, not before or since. It was....well, perfect.

It more than made up for the little power glitch earlier in the evening.

[tunghaichuan]

The best for me was probably Pink Floyd at the Checker Dome in St. Louis back in '88. My brother and I took a road trip to see them. Even though we were in the nosebleed seats, we could hear everything clearly and distinctly. The mix was incredible. :master: Awesome show. :AOK:

The worst, probably David Lindley at the Boulder Theater. Lindley was awesome as always, but it was standing room only. The only three or four tables there were snapped up by the first few in the doors. The rest of use had to stand.

tung

[marnold]

I haven't seen a ton of concerts in my day, but the Joe Bonamassa gig kicked me into a week from next Tuesday.

[Suhnton]

Anyway, the best show I've ever seen was Prince in 2001. It just blew my mind. The power, the energy, the soul of Prince live can not be described. It's something else. Go see him if you ever have a chance.



I saw Prince in 2001 too (in November) at The Budokan. IIRC he did a 1 and a half hour show with his band, then a 45 minute solo spot (just him and piano), then the band came out again for a couple more numbers. The solo part was amazing, it really demonstrated how strong his songwriting skills are.

Most boring concert would go to Dire Straits on their Brothers In Arms tour.

[street music]

I have a hard choice to make on this one! John Mellencamp was on tour about 3 years ago and had Donovan and Stephen King with him that was just one of the best shows I can recall. AMERICA, we saw two years ago was just a piece of art to enjoy with many memories. MEATLOAF on his BAT OUT OF HELL tour was one that I'll never forget. GARTH BROOKS was an amazing show that kept everyone standing. Those would be my top 4 picks and really hard to decide which was the best.
I have many others that left me rockin but nothing compared to the above.

[sumitomo]

These are from the 70's,I grew up by the L.A. forum.Alice Cooper,he puts on a show plus music,The Who Quadrophenia concert and The Allman bros.and many,many more.Sumi:D

[R_of_G]

Overall, Radiohead last May. First and foremost the band sounded great and played a setlist full of a lot of songs I wanted to hear. The sound was engineered perfectly so that I could hear and distinguish all five players. Their lighting director, Andi Watson is one of the best in the business. It was a tremendous show from start to finish (even better than the last time I'd seen them in 2003).

If there's a runner up, it's Phish at Big Cypress for New Years 1999-2000. The entire weekend was great, but the midnight set on NYE was something I will never forget. I'd never seen band play 7.5 hours non-stop and probably never will again.

The worst show was, without question, George Clinton a couple of years ago. I'd seen him before and he was awesome. Not this last time. His voice was shot and the band was sloppy and all over the place. Terrible terrible show.

[sunvalleylaw]

Best large venue show I saw was U2 back in the Achtung Baby days. Best smaller venue show was either Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, or Bonnie Raitt with her band. Both shows were extremely professional, and just plain well done. I pick Lyle probably as the top. Best club act has to be Michelle Shocked show (not her folk stuff, this was with an electric blues band). She rocked!

[Kazz]

soooo many shows....such a small box to type them in.....The first of many was....the very first one I ever went to....KISS in January 23 1978 Major blizzard hit the area while we were inside at the concert....I was 9...would not be 10 until September. My mother was invited backstage...and because she had her 9 year old boy...she turned down the offer.....I cursed her for years for that.....I could have met my (at the time) favorite guitar god Ace Frehley.


The next most memorable moment would be February 27 1993....the night the Black Crowes played Evansville Indiana for the first time at our Veterans Memorial Coliseum....might have held 1700 people at full capacity....No BS...No big light show no frills....just the crowes and great musick


The life altering one tho was definitely Tesla St Louis May 5 2005....We got to sit on stage for the entire performance....taking in a show from the bands point of view is certainly the best concert experience I have ever had. It did not hurt any that Tommy Skeoch (whose side of the stage we sat on) was ON that night and gave a performance of a lifetime....not to mention that Frank Hannon was as good as ever that night.

Frank played a Washburn J29SCEDL that night....and the rest is history.....led me to the W.....and by proxy.....led me here a bit later.

[msteeln]

The L.A. Forum, The Who Quadrophenia concertIf you're talking about the 1973 North American Quadrophenia Tour, kicked off in San Francisco where, infamously, Keith Moon collapsed and the band called out an audience member to help close the show, and then hit LA for two nights..., I was there for the first incredible evening at The Fab Forum.
This was my first Who show, and they put on what could have quite possibly been one of their very best ever, even tho everybody can say that if they saw The Who... But afterwards, they came out for an encore, which they only do if the band in total and each individual felt they'd excelled. They did.
I bought my ticket the day of the show after watching The Who in 'Frisco on a clip during the 10pm news the previous night. $25 for one scaffolding seat watching Pete and Co., then at the climax, repeatedly try to smash his numbered Les Paul, which wouldn't go at all until the 4th full steam smash. That was a night I would die to relive. But I do have a Circus Magazine fold out poster of Pete that night, rearing way back with the LP, trying to kill it.

Not the best ever for me, but certainly in the top ten. They were bad!

[bek]

Cream in 1968. Even Jimi wasn't that intense. They just blew me away, front to back, and it seemed to me it was the same to eveyone else, too. Never saw anything like it (never saw SRV, though). Had tastes of it from B.B., Robben Ford, Van Morrison, and even (don't shoot the messenger!) George Winston. With these, one song in a set was just a total hypnotic stunner, except for Van who killed most of the set. I think oldguy wins the braggin' rights, though. I saw Santana on the Supernatural tour, and I had no idea he could be so blistering hot. Geeze. Oldguy's night was one of the truly golden ones.

[player]

this is a tough one. best was probably Zep with Jethro Tull and Savoy Brown as backups in Chicago a long time ago.then after moving to FL. one of Pink Floyds last in then Joe Robbie stadium Not to blow off the Grateful Dead's likely last show or one of them with Jerry Garcia(now he was a master showman).will never forget the summer of love between my Jr. and Sr. year of H.S, though.One of the worst seen was where I am now.Black Stone Cherry with guest Kentucky Headhunters totally blew them away.have to lay blame on the sound crew for that one.they were absolutely ready for the HH's and Not at all setup for BSC.glad I saw them before they went across the pond.only recognized one maybe two songs they played in Cave City that night and just barely at that.the Head hunters are legendary for a reason that was all to clear that November night in 06.having to stand at that event was less than thrilling too.

[R.B. Huckleberry]

Extreme! June 30, 2006 at the Bank of America Pavillion in Boston. Over 2 hours of music from the 4 original members of Extreme, wonderful musicians & showmen. They finished the show by jamming with Brad, Sin & Fran from the band Boston.

[sunvalleylaw]

Santana/Clapton back in the 70's.

I saw a Santana double show once too. In my case, it was Santana opening for the Grateful Dead, 1988, Tacoma Dome. The good news was the Santana show was absolutely stunning and amazing. The sound was great, the playing great, etc. The bad news was that after Santana, the Dead sounded like (edited to be polite), well they sounded less good. I mean they (edited again to be polite) sounded a lot less good, at least by comparison that night. I don't know if their sound guy did not figure out the Tacoma Dome, which can be a challenge, or if it was a bad night for the band, but I came away thinking I never needed to see a Dead show again.

No offense to Dead fans, and now I can look back and see what Jerry and the guys were doing, but that night, I was ready to walk out. I had seen the best band of the night already.

[sumitomo]

[QUOTE=msteeln]If you're talking about the 1973 North American Quadrophenia Tour, kicked off in San Francisco where, infamously, Keith Moon collapsed and the band called out an audience member to help close the show, and then hit LA for two nights..., I was there for the first incredible evening at The Fab Forum.
This was my first Who show, and they put on what could have quite possibly been one of their very best ever, even tho everybody can say that if they saw The Who... But afterwards, they came out for an encore, which they only do if the band in total and each individual felt they'd excelled. They did.
QUOTE]
That was Thanksgiving and I was 3rd row on the floor.Talk about loud!!!!Every time Pete would nail a chord the sound wave would blast the smoke away from the stage and everyone was huffing and a puffin back them.Sumi:D:rockon: :dude:

[mcgreggor57]

Kansas, circa 1977. The first concert I ever saw with pyrotechnics...great music of the times.

[kiteman]

I only saw a few concerts like Budgie, ZZ Top and Elton John. I saw Blue Oyster Cult 4 times and their '77 concert was a memorial one.

They open with Black Oak Arkansas (Jim Dandy's hair was down to his ankles, good lord) then introduced Cheap Tricks who was really good and Blue Oyster Cult introduced their album Spectres.

All three bands gave a good show and BOC had a great laser show especially when they played Godzilla.

I only wished they had a video of that show.

[duhvoodooman]

Many candidates over the years. Some that stand out in my mind:


Led Zeppelin, Aerodrome - Schenectady NY, summer 1969: Zep was still new (only their 1st album was out) and this was well before the "stadium rock" era. Saw them in a club with maybe 500 other people. Sat on the floor w/ my feet against the stage. Loved 'em (esp. Page's cherryburst LP and the violin bow thing during "Dazed & Confused"), but who knew then what they would become?
Chicago Transit Authority, Aerodrome - Schenectady NY, summer 1969: The Aerodrome was something, while it lasted. Another up & coming band at the beginning of their career. This was when they had just their 1st album out (the one w/ the black cover), and hadn't shortened their name to "Chicago" yet. The whole band was great--very tight--but guitarist Terry Kath was $!?@&$#! amazing!
J. Geils Band, Colgate University, Spring 1972: Maybe the highest energy show I've ever seen. Peter Wolf had the crowd on its feet for the entire show. This was back before their radio hits, when they were a pure blues-rock band. It wasn't a long show, but for intensity, it was off the charts.
The Dregs, JB Scott's - Albany NY, Feb. 1982: Man, I loved these guys and their music, particularly Steve Morse, the main creative force behind the band. This was just before the mostly-original band split up, but the quality of their unique southern-rock-jazz-bluegrass fusion was just incredible.
Joe Bonamassa, The Landmark Theatre - Syracuse NY, 2/28/09: Recently reviewed here in the forum, so I won't repeat myself. Just an amazingly talented guitarist, and he's developed into quite a singer, too. Do yourself a favor and check out his newest release, The Ballad of John Henry, if you haven't already.

[larryx]

Some of the best shows in my lifetime were.Every Pink Phloyd show that I'd ever been to since Dark Side of the Moon, Animals,The Wall, Momentary Lapse,Pulse. It is an amazing thing to behold! It is a production. People at computers running lazers,robotics,video.Plus the music and sound working together with it all!! The other shows as far as performances were concerned.I would have to say the Frank Zappa Holloween Shows as The Felt Forum and then The Paladium in N.Y.C. They were an audience parcipatation events. Different bands had different special guests.Steve Vai was just an unknown kid at the time. Adrian Balew,Terrie Bozeo.Among many others. I saw Return to forever at my High School in 1976! Al DiMeola was a 19 or 20years old at the time. Their records were. Where have I known you before and Romantic Warrier was their new release!Seen them all living in the N.Y.C. area.From the Allman Brothers to ZZ Top. Popular Rockbands,Jazz,Blues,Fusion! Everyone exept Jimi and Janice Joplin. My sister got to see Hendrix twice! One time he opened for the Monkeys.He got booed of the stage by the moms in the audience!!!This after humping his amph's! (Did I get that right? Amphs??) There were so many Great shows! (((((I really can't nail it down to just a few)))) I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right times!Still won't pass up the chance to see a great show. Just went to the R.T.F. reunion. Those guys kicked ***. The youngsters could learn allot from these monsters of music. As well a many of the fusion and prog rock guys still at it!

[msteeln]

[QUOTE=msteeln]If you're talking about the 1973 North American Quadrophenia Tour...QUOTE]

That was Thanksgiving and I was 3rd row on the floor.What holiday it may have fallen on would be the last thing I'd remember about that night, but... 3rd row?! :master:

Glad to hear a mention of Budgie! I waited years for them to hit LA, and they didn't until I'd been living in Hawaii for a couple of years already. I flew into LA, with plenty of time allowed to make the show, only to have delays and everything else under the sun prevent me from arriving at The Starwood until the band was just ending their last song. Didn't even get a chance for an autograph. Talk about :thwap:
The positive end of it all came a few years ago with the official release of a Budgie live retrospective that included the entire show mentioned. So I missed the original performance and never have actually seen them, but now I can listen to the LA gig any time. Life is odd.

One life changing show was at the '72 Hollywood Bowl - Pink Floyd show, where they did their whole awesome 2 hr. regular set, ala Umma Gumma/Echoes era tunes, then surprisingly announced that they'd shortly be back for more, did, and proceeded to play an entire set of completely unknown but fantastic material, which we've all come to know as The Dark Side Of The Moon, a year before the release...

[birv2]

Four VERY different ones:

1. The Doors in Philly 1968. Our tickets were on the absolute top row and it was about 110 degrees up there. None of it mattered once they started. I still remember the stage being in darkness, and Ray Manzarek started the chords for When the Music's Over. Suddenly a spotlight comes up on Morrison, just standing there. If you know the song, after the organ intro, Morrison lets out a blood-curdling scream. The lights come on, and it just went up from there. I've never seen anyone with as much magnetism as Jim Morrison, and he hardly moved at all. Unbelievable.

2. Poco -- in the Boston Commons, around 1969. Outdoor concert with the original lineup. Unbelievably tight band, harmonies to die for, and even spacy steel guitar. Amazing.

3. Bob Dylan -- Philly, 1965 (I think). Around the Blonde on Blonde era. He did the first half acoustic, just him on guitar. Stood still, didn't speak at all between songs, and absolutely mesmerized the audience. I think he finished the set with Desolation Row. Second half -- with the Band. Completely tore it up, loud and raucous. Finished up with Like a Rolling Stone.

4. Bob Dylan -- 2006. Lancaster, PA. On the minor league ballparks tour with Willie Nelson. I had the good fortune to see it with my 16-year-old son and his friends. Dylan played the piano the whole concert. Incredible backing band. A virtual hit parade and then even some obscure ones (like Ramona and Boots of Spanish Leather). Did an encore of All Along the Watchtower that would have blown the roof off if there had been one. Absolutely Hendrixian. My son and his friends were blown away -- their only complaint was their hands hurt from clapping so much.

Bob

[Spudman]

Four VERY different ones:

1. The Doors in Philly 1968. Our tickets were on the absolute top row and it was about 110 degrees up there. None of it mattered once they started. I still remember the stage being in darkness, and Ray Manzarek started the chords for When the Music's Over. Suddenly a spotlight comes up on Morrison, just standing there. If you know the song, after the organ intro, Morrison lets out a blood-curdling scream. The lights come on, and it just went up from there. I've never seen anyone with as much magnetism as Jim Morrison, and he hardly moved at all. Unbelievable.

2. Poco -- in the Boston Commons, around 1969. Outdoor concert with the original lineup. Unbelievably tight band, harmonies to die for, and even spacy steel guitar. Amazing.

3. Bob Dylan -- Philly, 1965 (I think). Around the Blonde on Blonde era. He did the first half acoustic, just him on guitar. Stood still, didn't speak at all between songs, and absolutely mesmerized the audience. I think he finished the set with Desolation Row. Second half -- with the Band. Completely tore it up, loud and raucous. Finished up with Like a Rolling Stone.

Bob

Dude! Are you in assisted living yet or are you still on your own? :D

[Robert]

Four VERY different ones:

1. The Doors in Philly 1968. Our tickets were on the absolute top row and it was about 110 degrees up there. None of it mattered once they started. I still remember the stage being in darkness, and Ray Manzarek started the chords for When the Music's Over. Suddenly a spotlight comes up on Morrison, just standing there. If you know the song, after the organ intro, Morrison lets out a blood-curdling scream. The lights come on, and it just went up from there. I've never seen anyone with as much magnetism as Jim Morrison, and he hardly moved at all. Unbelievable.

2. Poco -- in the Boston Commons, around 1969. Outdoor concert with the original lineup. Unbelievably tight band, harmonies to die for, and even spacy steel guitar. Amazing.

3. Bob Dylan -- Philly, 1965 (I think). Around the Blonde on Blonde era. He did the first half acoustic, just him on guitar. Stood still, didn't speak at all between songs, and absolutely mesmerized the audience. I think he finished the set with Desolation Row. Second half -- with the Band. Completely tore it up, loud and raucous. Finished up with Like a Rolling Stone.

4. Bob Dylan -- 2006. Lancaster, PA. On the minor league ballparks tour with Willie Nelson. I had the good fortune to see it with my 16-year-old son and his friends. Dylan played the piano the whole concert. Incredible backing band. A virtual hit parade and then even some obscure ones (like Ramona and Boots of Spanish Leather). Did an encore of All Along the Watchtower that would have blown the roof off if there had been one. Absolutely Hendrixian. My son and his friends were blown away -- their only complaint was their hands hurt from clapping so much.

Bob

Dude! Do you drive one of these?

http://textileinnovations.com/images/bariatric_rollator_image.jpghttp://textileinnovations.com/images/kneewalker_image.jpg

Disclaimer: this was a attempt at humor

[birv2]

Alright, that's quite enough with the age jokes...

Hey, at least I didn't talk about Bill Haley and the Comets.

I totally look like this guy :rockon:

Cept for no hair.

Bob

ps -- I notice that nobody ragged on DVM for seeing Led Zep BEFORE they were famous...

[Spudman]

ps -- I notice that nobody ragged on DVD for seeing Led Zep BEFORE they were famous...


Oops! Missed that one.:o

[homelife88]

It's a tie between John Mayer in Sept. of '06 in Indy and B.B. King at Ball State in '05! The King's 80th Bday...the first time I ever remember getting chills from hearing someone play guitar. John was also great. This was right before Continuum came out, so everything was fresh.

[Duff]

The Band at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, '69 ish.

Jethro Tull at a small theater in Richmond, Va. Sat in about the fifth row and they were probably the together band I had ever seen. Everyone was together in the songs. All obviously masters of their art. Incredible. '71.

The James Gang '70 ish at Saratoga Performing Arts Ctr. Joe Walsh was incredible. Stood in the middle of the group and had a mirror pickguard on his guitar upon which they focused a spotlight beam in the dark and he moved the reflected beam around the audience with his guitar. Awesome effect and another totally together band.

Ten Years After at the Fillmore East in NYC in '68 ir '69. With the Joshua Light Show behind them. Incredible and another really together band.

Tom Wait's at Ebbet's Field in the basement of some skyscraper in Denver about '74. I sat in a chair about fifteen feet from him, probably where the bouncer would sit. Folding chair thing. The place seated a small number of people, small club with incredible acts. Tom was by himself and played piano and guitar. This was around the time of "Closing Time". Total master artist. Totally incredible act. It was like, how could one person sound so complex. It was like there were other muscians playing with him, but it was just him drawing the sounds out of the instruments.

Albert King in Boulder, Colorado, at the Blue Note, very small club about '78. Not what I expected. He rocked the house big time! Blues rock maxed out. Played a Gibson Flying V. Blues Bro's type suit and hat. Very inspiring and unexpectedly beyond my expectations, which were already high. He played a song called, "Life of Crime" in which he described all the reasons people turn to crime. Very compasionate blues song that made you think that a lot of the reasons seemed like good reasons: starving families, loss of job, things like that. People with the blues big time, totally down and out. Made you think about lifestyles that I didn't even concieve of.

Also saw Black Oak Arkansas in around '71 in Richmond, Va. at the old Arena, wharehouse type place. They were way better live than on the record.

Saw the Mashall Tucker Band open for the Allman Brothers in about '72. They were incredible. We got there late at Saratoga and I actually thought they were the Allman Brothers. Then after the break the Allman Brothers came out, this being not long after Duane was killed. Greg opened with a Gibson SG and a Les Paul sat in a guitar stand all thru the concert, unplayed. Only could have been there for one reason. That's respect. The Marshall Tucker Band was just as good as the Bro's.

Of all these acts, I can't say one was better than the other. But they all stand out brightly in my memory of the "old days" when there were so many incredible acts touring at the same time. I think the late sixties and early seventies were a special time for music. A lot of different kinds of music: rock, blues, R & B, etc.

Saw Blind Faith at a football field in Connecticut but it would have sounded way better inside somewhere. Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker made quite an impression on me; showmanship. Not to detract from the playing of Clapton. I think that was when I found out that Winwood played guitar as well as organ/piano. He had a cool strat. Baker was incredible with a million things going on at once, very complex drumming.

You know I'll think of another even better show later, after I post this.

Peace,

Duffy

[birv2]

Oops! Missed that one.:o

Hey, no harm, no foul. It's all in good fun. That's what makes this such a great place!
:beer:

Bob

[birv2]

Duff reminded me of another one -- BB King here in Lancaster 3 years ago. Though he was 79 (I think) and played the whole set sitting down, he totally ripped on the guitar and singing. I was glad that I could take my son and have him see BB live, cause when these blues greats are gone, there aren't any more.

And man, Duff, you must be ancient! The James Gang??

:)

Bob

[duhvoodooman]

BTW, though it wasn't memorable as a musical experience (sat way in the back and the sound SUCKED), I did get to see Hendrix once at the Troy Armory, April '68.

Any more "old" cracks there, Spuds, and I'm gonna come through your LCD and hit you with my cane....

[Robert]

BTW, though it wasn't memorable as a musical experience (sat way in the back and the sound SUCKED), I did get to see Hendrix once at the Troy Armory, April '68.

Any more "old" cracks there, Spuds, and I'm gonna come through your LCD and hit you with my cane....

Vood - this one has a nice basket for all your pedals! :)

http://img.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/190499.gif

[duhvoodooman]

Vood - this one has a nice basket for all your pedals! :)

http://img.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/190499.gif
Cool! Send it along after you finish using it for your next marathon....

[Robert]

Haha, for sure, Vood! I will likely need it too... :messedup:

[duhvoodooman]

Vood - this one has a nice basket for all your pedals!
BTW, if you want me to put ALL my pedals in that, it's gonna need a bigger basket.... :D

[larryx]

Dark Side of the Moon was released in 1973. I went to that show at Bluejay Stadium in Jersey City N.J., that very same year. There latest recording was "Meddle". It was released the year or so before 1971 or 1972 I beleive. Dark Side of the Moon was hardly being played on the airwaves at the time. It was totally new music from the band!
I remember saying to my brother "in a haze of pot smoke" this thing is gonna be their biggest pop hit. Especially after hearing the song (money!)

I remember sitting somewhere in the endzone of the Stadium. Next to one of the speaker towers for their Quadrophonic Sound System!! This while observing some stoned out of his mind hippie leaning against one of the speaker cabinets.While passed out!The speaker towers were just sitting out in bleachers at butt level right next to the concert goers! Wonder how much puke the roadies cleaned off of those speaker cabs after that tour?!!

It's hard to remember that far back in time. But certain dates are burnt into the eproms in my brain! Yes that's right kiddies "some of you weren't even born yet! Or maybe even your parents!...........WOW!:thwap:

[msteeln]

...'67 at Elysian Park, LA, the first or second 'love in', I was 12, and there with older friends for The Doors. Probably the first time encountering a very natural high, waiting to see the greatest band on earth.
The show starts with just the 3 musicians playing, and that's the way it went til the end, with no Morrison. Seems ol' Jim found a few things better to do than the gig. Fair enuf I've come to accept, as it was a whole day of fun/interesting 'firsts' for my nearly pure bod, and now understand how The Crawling King Snake could have disappointed me and the many others there so. Never had the chance to make up for that whiff, and to rub salt in the long healed wound now reopened, a few years back the reformed Doors with Ian Astbury came to The Waikiki Shell and did a pretty good gig. But once again, it wasn't The Doors w/out The Man.

[R_of_G]

Dark Side of the Moon was released in 1973. I went to that show at Bluejay Stadium in Jersey City N.J., that very same year. There latest recording was "Meddle". It was released the year or so before 1971 or 1972 I beleive.

You must have missed Obscured By Clouds which was released in 1972 (Meddle was 71 by the way). I find Obscured by Clouds to be the most overlooked Floyd album of them all, and sadly so because I think it's a great album.

Still, you saw Pink Floyd in 73 so that's awesome! I'm very jealous. Of course I was only three years old at the time but still. :D

[aeolian]

The best concerts that I've been to and and recall are:
- Jeff Beck circa 1981
- Oingo Boingo around 1985
- China Crisis - easily the best sounding concert I've ever been to
- The Cure
- The Pretenders

[player]

Oops! Missed that one.:o
might ya mean the what were at the time The Yardbirds?that Page says he never played with. :D

[msteeln]

...Neil Young's new CD, and reminded me of 1992 when Neil ended his Blue Notes rock-a-billy tour with a stop-over on Oahu with Crazy Horse and superbly rocked the Royal Hawaiian Hotel's Monarch Room (facing Waikiki beach www.royal-hawaiian.com/the-resort) for 2 nights and 4 shows, as well as a fifth gig at the Sheraton next door. I've never seen NY before or since.
The Monarch Room is about the last place you'd ever expect a R&R show (it's essentially hallowed ground for the best in Hawaiian music, old Waikiki history, and much more), especially one that shook the walls like this one did.
All I wanted was to see Neil rock out with his famous guitar collection, and that's what happened. Ol' Black, the White Falcon, an old gold top (?, a Custom refin'd I belive), pure Heaven.
The first night, I couldn't stay in my seat (like the rest of the crowd was) after the first tune with the action so intense, so I took my beer and went up front to stage left, only to have a girl rent-a-cop tell me I couldn't drink there. So I stuffed the bottle in my front jeans pocket and turned back to the stage only to find Ol' Black's headstock nearly entering my eyeball with Neil going nuts right over my head, :rockon: I said...

The next two shows were more of the same, with nothing played being recognisable of anything familiar, and certainly no hits, just sheer jammin rock.
I got Neil's set list for the 5th show, and I have no idea where these numbers can be found elsewhere, except for the encores of Tonite's The Night, which was just another jam.

A friend said later that he was bummed about the show he saw, and that Neil needed a musical director...:thwap:

[Katastrophe]

I've never really been to a bad concert, where the band wasn't on and having an off night.

The best live show, in terms of pure energy, was White Zombie at the Back Room in Austin in the early 90's. It was a small club, but they just came in and kicked arse.

Queensryche, while supporting Operation: Mindcrime, was one of the best technical performances I've ever seen, period. Every note was perfect, the sound was great, and the performance was awesome.

Metallica in support of the Black Album was phenomenal. I got 4th row center seats for $20.00. My neck hurt for days afterward from all the headbanging. Awesome show.

[bigG]

Hello Robert, and all. Would have to be The Who at The Filmore East in 1969. Was the Tommy Tour, a few months before the album's release. They played the complete Tommy along w their regular show! I left there literally in a daze, couldn't hear and wasn't quite back to my normal self til 3 days later. Was like seeing God! (I would imagine.)
Second would be Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967 - yep, the infamously mismatched "opening for The Monkees" tour - again, just weeks before Are You Experienced was released. Nobody had heard of them (yet) the night of that concert in Miami. You can imagine how freakin blown away I was!
Third would be The Byrds w Steppenwolf in 1967 in Miami.
Fourth would be The Mothers of Invention in Miami in 1968. The same day The Byrds' Notoriouis Byrd Brothers LP was released.
I've seen many more, but those are the standouts for me. Thank you.

[msteeln]

The best live show, in terms of pure energy, was White Zombie at the Back Room in Austin in the early 90's. It was a small club, but they just came in and kicked arse.Gotta give this band credit for a killer show as well.
After two horrendously disappointing cancellations over the years, they finally made it to Oahu around 10 years ago, with a fill in drummer for this gig that was better than any drummer I've heard within this band via bootlegs and youtube, etc. The guy was terrific and perfect for the music played. In fact, this was the best WZ show I've ever heard, and even tho the tape I made that night is greatly distorted, I still play it as loud as possible because it simply rocks so hard. They really were on their game this night.
What a shame this was essentially their last great hurrah, the next album, Astro Creep, was too techno and then they soon split up.

[Robert]

Second would be Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967 - yep, the infamously mismatched "opening for The Monkees" tour - again, just weeks before Are You Experienced was released.

Oh you lucky man! I'd give me right eye brow for a chance to see Hendrix live! :dude:

[sumitomo]

[QUOTE=bigG].

Good ole Flo And Eddy with Frank,I almost forgot about the Turtles and before that the Crossfire from the Planet Mars Westchester,Calif.I was way young but I remember them,there was another group the Roosters.Sumi:D


The Mothers of Invention