Most impressive guitar playing you ever witnessed?

[Robert]

So what is the most impressive guitar playing you ever witnessed in person?

For me, I would have to say seeing Allan Holdsworth live. His technique is min blowing. He is so advanced musically too. In fact, so advanced that I sometimes get bored of his playing... because he plays so many notes and the harmonic complexity is often beyond my understanding... in other words - I sometimes don't get it. I suspect I'm not alone there, but he sure is impressive and inspiring for me to listen to, in the right amounts.

I would have to mention John Scofield too. His improvisation skills are incredible. Seeing him live is incredibly inspiring, from the improvisation perspective.

[Beerman]

I've seen many of the greats from the 70's....Led Zep, Deep Purple, Clapton, and others but I really continually get blown away by 2 almost totally different guitarists. Alex Lifeson from Rush who I have followed and watch grow tremendously since the first 2 albums. And, believe it or not, David Gilmour from Pink Floyd. He's not one you would usually list as he keeps it simple but the feeling he puts into it and the emotion that comes out of it (to me anyway) is just something that I very much enjoy.
There are some good slashers but I'm not into that. Even though some have the technique down, sometimes, the simpler the better.
And, let's not forget that there's so much more to playing guitar than lead solos. Jimmy Page and Alex Lifeson can do some nice classical stuff.

Just thought of 1 more who I've seen 3 times...Steve Howe from Yes. Amazing!
Can't wait to hear who other posters have enjoyed.

[Heywood Jablomie]

Santana back in the early 70s - as good as it gets. And I saw Adrian Legg a couple times at the Tin Angel in Philly - a great player and storyteller.

[Rx Tone]

Jeff Beck.

Johnny Winter.

The best I've ever seen.

[Beerman]

Jeff Beck.

Johnny Winter.

The best I've ever seen.
Did you see Johnny Winter at the Warehouse? Not sure how old you are but I do remember (barely) seeing him there I think in the early 70's.

[Katastrophe]

Sat in a guitar clinic w/ Scott Henderson back around '91 or '92. He showed us a bunch of concepts that were waaaaaaaaaaay over my head then, and still are now. He played a few tunes with some local musicians, and just floored me.

[Robert]

Sat in a guitar clinic w/ Scott Henderson back around '91 or '92. He showed us a bunch of concepts that were waaaaaaaaaaay over my head then, and still are now. He played a few tunes with some local musicians, and just floored me.

Cool! Scott is my favorite guitar player, together with Sco! I'm actually buying some lessons from Scott in January. I hope to see him at NAMM too, in January.

I saw Tribal Tech live once, and that was incredibly cool. The sound was just so-so that time, but still fantastic music of course. Tribal Tech was the coolest fusion-jazz band ever, if you don't count Weather Report. :)

[Katastrophe]

Got to chat with him for a while, too... He was very gracious to a noob that didn't know his arse from a hole in the ground. I remember that he took time out of the clinic to make fun of sweeping. Quite funny.

[Spudman]

John Petrucci and Chris Duarte. Chris live is much more intense than on his albums, plus he has a ton of Jazz and fusion chops that never make it to his records and he pulls those off live.

John, of course, is flawless.

[Tig]

In person, Randy Rhoads, early 1982 just before his death. I've seen several other greats, but that sticks out in my memory as the most impressive.

That same night, a teen shredder named Darrell Abbott of a local Dallas group, Pantera, opened for UFO and Ozzy Osbourne. He was just getting his chops.

I have also have seen Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Carlos Santana, David Gilmour, Alex Lifeson, Taj Majal, Steve Howe, Ted Nugent, Prince, Tom Scholz, Neal Schon, and Frank Zappa, so Randy is in pretty good company to come out ahead!

Edit: Add Rick Nielsen, Eddie Van Halen, and The Billy Gibbons to the list!

[Beerman]

Forgot about Neal Schon who I've seen with Journey a few times. A bit stuck on himself but didn't he play during his skipping out of high school days with Santana? Seem to remember reading that somewhere.

[sunvalleylaw]

Hmm, once I was so into myself and my own guitar playing I drooled on my guitar. :drool

But really, I have not seen a lot of guitar heros playing. Maybe Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi playing, or maybe Tony Furtado live. He is pretty impressive. And Carlos Santana in 1988, "opening" for the Dead was impressive too. Not a shredder by any means, but his control, vibrato, tone, etc. was impressive.

[NWBasser]

I've seen many of the greats from the 70's....Led Zep, Deep Purple, Clapton, and others but I really continually get blown away by 2 almost totally different guitarists. Alex Lifeson from Rush who I have followed and watch grow tremendously since the first 2 albums. And, believe it or not, David Gilmour from Pink Floyd. He's not one you would usually list as he keeps it simple but the feeling he puts into it and the emotion that comes out of it (to me anyway) is just something that I very much enjoy.
There are some good slashers but I'm not into that. Even though some have the technique down, sometimes, the simpler the better.
And, let's not forget that there's so much more to playing guitar than lead solos. Jimmy Page and Alex Lifeson can do some nice classical stuff.

Just thought of 1 more who I've seen 3 times...Steve Howe from Yes. Amazing!
Can't wait to hear who other posters have enjoyed.

Nice list Beerman!

A big +1 to Lifeson. I've seen him many times and am always impressed.

A friend of mine since childhood is an amazing guitarist. Watching him play Medditeranean Sunrise was one of the most impressive pieces I've ever witnessed.

[duhvoodooman]

Two come immediately to mind:

(1) Any of the three live acoustic performances I've seen of Woke Up Dreaming by Joe Bonamassa. As amazing an electric guitar player as Joe is, it's an entire auditorium of jaws on the floor when he performs this number. Check it out on YouTube.

(2) Back in the early '80s, I had a chance to see Steve Morse with the Dregs at a small club in Albany NY shortly before the band split up. The guy is just astonishing. He did a couple of chicken-pickin' infused country-based instrumentals that were just plain scary. For somebody to be able to play that fast and that clean is almost beyond comprehension. Mine, at least.

[duhvoodooman]

Forgot about Neal Schon who I've seen with Journey a few times. A bit stuck on himself but didn't he play during his skipping out of high school days with Santana? Seem to remember reading that somewhere.Yes, he was with the band on the third and fourth Santana albums, and then left with Gregg Rolie to form a band initially called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, which morphed into Journey.

You can hear his guitar work in the well-known Santana song Everybody's Everything. His solo starts at about 2:20:

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[Tig]

Forgot about Neal Schon who I've seen with Journey a few times. A bit stuck on himself but didn't he play during his skipping out of high school days with Santana? Seem to remember reading that somewhere.

I saw Journey open for Santana back in '75 or '76 when I was a kid in 6th grade. Saw them/him again 2 years ago, with Heart and Cheap Trick.

[syo]

Richard Thompson, either acoustic or electric, is amazing. First time I saw him at the Coach House (San Juan Capistrano, CA?) I was blown away. Tastefully playing bass, rhythm and lead lines simultaneously. Brilliant song writer as well.

[jpfeifer]

For me I think that it happened a few different times. I call these moments "guitar burning moments" because they usually make me want to go home and throw my guitars in the fireplace, and give it up :-) However, lately they mostly just inspire me to keep going.

The first time it happened was when I was in high school and I saw Al Dimeola when he was touring for the Casino album. I was amazed that anyone could get to that level at all. It sounded like a machine was playing a Les Paul through a Marshall stack.

The second time was in the early 80's when Eric Johnson's band gave a free concert at the University where I was attending. There were about 15 people in the audience, and nobody had ever heard of him. He was even doing his own roadie duties, putting his equipment into the back of a U-haul after the show, and I got to talk with him for a while. I'd never seen anybody who could mix that many styles and do them all so incredibly well.

Then I saw Steve Morse play with the Dixie Dregs at a small bar and that blew my mind again. His technique was amazing and he was extremely fluid. He made it look very easy.

Lately, it seems harder for me to get completely blown away by somebody after seeing so many great players over the years, but I was pretty impressed with Andreas Oberg when I saw him in a small club recently in Germany.

--Jim

[Algonquin]

In person, Randy Rhoads
Similar to Tig, I saw Randy Rhoads back in the summer of '81 and it was a thrill for me then. I had floor seats at Maple Leaf Gardens about the 12th row or so... he was a guitar god to a young fellow like myself at the time.

[Tig]

The first time it happened was when I was in high school and I saw Al Dimeola when he was touring for the Casino album. I was amazed that anyone could get to that level at all. It sounded like a machine was playing a Les Paul through a Marshall stack.
--Jim

Good call. I've never seen him in person. A buddy in high school turned me on to him as an alternative the Van Halen. Amazing musician!

Big influence...

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[sunvalleylaw]

That reminds me. I forgot I saw Pat Metheny in like 1981 or 2. He was pretty impressive.

[MAXIFUNK]

Considering I have toured with some of the top names in the industry as security and worked 1000's of shows. I have seen damn near everybody from 1970 to 2000.
But some do stick out more than others............

Thin Lizzy
Van Halen
Pat Travers with Pat Thrall
PFunk
Isley brothers
Tony Madden Rufus/Chaka Khan
The dead
Metallica
David Gilmour
Drac
Priest
Prince
Jesse Johnson
Charlie Singleton
Santana
Buddy Guy
Al Di Meola
Hiram Bullock
Lee Rit
George Benson before he sang to damn much
Larry Carlton and Coryell
Hell their are just to many to name who's playing really was top shelf that I seen over the years so many different style and genres.
But these guys below shocked with their skill level caught me off guard.

Alabama these cats could really play
Steel Pulse Reggae at is finest very good players
Slave the funk masters live where way better than their records
Pat Travers Band him and Pat Thrall of automatic man together was awesome just awesome.

Thin Lizzy with all those dudes on guitars by far the best night of rock/metal guitars ever!!! 3 or 4 great players all at one time depending on the tour.

[Rx Tone]

Did you see Johnny Winter at the Warehouse? Not sure how old you are but I do remember (barely) seeing him there I think in the early 70's.
No, but I remember the Warehouse. I went to a few shows there.
I saw JW on the Riverboat President, I saw him at the House of Blues and I saw him at Jazz Fest.
I saw JB at Jazz Fest last year. Amazing.

[Jimi75]

For me that would be Scott Henderson, whom I saw about 2 years ago and Jimmy Bruno (at that time playing Jazz on a 7-string Benedetto guitar) whom I accompanied for a week at the Franfkurt Music Tradefair.

[kidsmoke]

Like Maxi, I get to work shows, and have seen many many guitarists.

Technically...
Richard Thompson
Acoustic Dude named Willy Porter
Bluegrass Dude name Andy Falco

But from a totally kept me locked in for every note, surprised me, rocked, made me ask "how he do that" and generally made me forget about life outside the room for two hours.

Bill Frisell.

I'm working a Scofield show in a couple weeks, first time for him, and cannot wait.

[Guitar50]

I was lucky enough to attend GIT (now Musician's Institute) in 1981-82 along with Scott Henderson. He was very good back then and was totally focused on his music. While At GIT, I was able to see Steve Morse in a very intimate setting (ie: just Steve and the bass player from the Dixie Dregs in front of 50 drooling guitar players); also Joe Pass and John Abercrombie were amazing as well.

[Eric]

I haven't seen anywhere close to as many shows as a lot of you, but the guitarists that just made me sit back and think "wow" were Tommy Shaw when I saw Styx about 3 years ago and Tommy Emmanuel earlier this year.

Tommy Shaw totally caught me by surprise -- I wasn't expecting much from Styx, but his guitar playing was absolutely on fire.

[R_of_G]

In 2002 I saw Marc Ribot (with Los Cubanos Postizos) at Tonic in NYC. I was no more than three feet from him the whole night. That was both a lot of fun and very impressive to witness how he does what he does.

The other "most impressive" piece of guitar playing I've seen live was seeing Steve Vai play with Zappa Plays Zappa. Dweezil was exceptional all night long as well, playing great versions of his father's songs, but the part of the set with Vai just blew me away. It's been about five years and I can still hear one of his solos note for note in my head.

[tunghaichuan]

Probably Steve Morse at a clinic that I went to back at the end of the 80s. Blindingly fast, accurate, and very distinctive tone.

The most impressive guitar playing I've ever heard is on the Praxis album Transmutation featuring Buckethead. That guy is in another world.

[jpfeifer]

Somebody mentioned Pat Metheny, ... I completely forgot to mention him. I've seen him several times over the years and he knocks me over almost everytime. It's not so much his technique or chops that impresses me (although that part is impressive in his playing), but it's his ability to solo effortlessly over the changes and make really interesting, musical solos. His piano player Lyle Mays really impresses me too. Just great musicians overall.

--Jim

[R_of_G]

The most impressive guitar playing I've ever heard is on the Praxis album Transmutation featuring Buckethead. That guy is in another world.

Unquestionably. I've yet to have the opportunity to see him live, but I have some live recordings and he's someone high on my list of people to see play, at which point I will probably have to come back here and edit my answer to this question.

[Blaze]

I have 4, but very different

-Steve Morse ( Fusion trio) - Tommy Emmanuel - Johny Winter - Bireli Lagrene


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[marnold]

Two come immediately to mind:

(1) Any of the three live acoustic performances I've seen of Woke Up Dreaming by Joe Bonamassa. As amazing an electric guitar player as Joe is, it's an entire auditorium of jaws on the floor when he performs this number. Check it out on YouTube.
Hard for me to argue with that! Some of the playing I saw at the George Lynch clinic was pretty sweet too, although it was probably cooler just to meet and have a picture with one of my heroes.

[sumitomo]

L.A. forum in the 70's,Went to see Humble Pie (with the backup singers the blackberries)some group opened for them Foghat,Foghat smoked that place,it was great and then Humble Pie came out and tried,Yes I said tried,and man I had seen them before,They gave it all they had.It was a great great show for guitar playing.To this day I'll still call it a tie.Sumi:D

[Lev]

Most of the performances that I've witnessed that have really lived long in the memory have been acoustic. There's just something about one person with a guitar filling a room full of music. Here's my list:

Buster B Jones - saw him in the early 90's at a guitar fair, he was promoting Godin guitars and he played Lady Madonna in a finger pickin style that just blew me away.

Leo Kottke - again in the early 90's Guitar World transcribed Jeu, Joy of Man's Desiring. A friend of mine worked it out even though we didn't know Leo Kottke nor had we ever heard his version. A few months later we saw an advert in a local paper that this Leo Kottke guy was playing in a small club in Dublin. We went along not knowing what to expect but were amazed by this guys skills, he could engage an audience like no one else I've seen.

Joe Bonamassa - saw in 2007 and like DVM said his performance of Woke Up Dreaming has to be seen to be believed.

Richie Sambora - I saw Bon Jovi as part of the New Jersey tour (late 80's I think). Again it was Richie's acoustic solo acoustic performance (intro to Wanted Dead or Alive, I think) that made a huge impression on me as I was starting out playing guitar.

Honorable mentions go to: The Edge, Steve Vai, Satch & The Stones

[Jimi75]

Richie Sambora - I saw Bon Jovi as part of the New Jersey tour (late 80's I think). Again it was Richie's acoustic solo acoustic performance (intro to Wanted Dead or Alive, I think) that made a huge impression on me as I was starting out playing guitar.

Was that also Richie singing with the acoustic playing? Man, this guy can sing way better than his boss and his guitar playing is exceptionally great.

[guitarhack]

B.B. King, who puts so much feeling into every note, and Steve Howe with Yes back in '72 left me drop-jawed.

[Perfect Stranger]

The ones that are always the most impressive to me, are the ones that make incredible music seem effortless.

[Tone2TheBone]

Mine is easily Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin, Al Dimeola and Steve Morse. That was some of the sickest guitar playing I've ever seen up close. Head shaking numbness is what you feel when you see guys of this caliber. The funniest thing too was anytime Paco would rip a little lead and it was Al's turn Al would just look at him and scrape the guitar strings above the nut and just go "PLINK" as if to say..."I can't top that". Awesome.

[yorick328]

Not to forget Les Paul! Besides his inventive miracles, he could really do some amazing things on the fretboard. I saw him later in life a few times and he still had great chops in his eighties. Just listen to some of his tunes with Mary Ford.
These were before he was in the car accident which limited the mobility of his arm. Fast, expressive and super inventive!

[Spudman]

I totally forgot - Michael Hedges.

He played here at the university and I sat right in front of him. I'd never experienced anything like that in my life. Uber kinetic, captivating, entertaining, friendly, shamanistic, and otherworldly is how I would describe the experience and him. Just a man and a guitar...and a whole bunch of sound. Wow!

[FusedGrooves]

There are so many great guitar players that even singling one out within a particular genre can be difficult....this is where the top 10 guitarist list comes in handy, even then it should be more like top 20! Or even top 5 from each genre.....

For my $$, Tommy Emmanuel is my hero. I saw him on a Oz TV program called Hey Hey its Saturday and bought every tape (LOL) and eventually CDs etc. Have seen him live 3-4 times most recently last month playing with his brother Phil and band.

Tommy is THE reason I picked up the guitar. Always been a fan of hardish rock (not full on death metal dropped D rubbish - rubbish IMHO that just me) but Tommy's sweet music gives me the shivers and hairs on neck stand up and to me, thats my test of what REALLY turns me on, as opposed to say Malmsteen who is amazing aswell, just doesn't do the whole shiver thing to me.....

[markb]

Richard Thompson, either acoustic or electric, is amazing. First time I saw him at the Coach House (San Juan Capistrano, CA?) I was blown away. Tastefully playing bass, rhythm and lead lines simultaneously. Brilliant song writer as well.

Goes without saying :french I saw the warmup show for the "tour from hell" (http://popdose.com/cd-review-richard-and-linda-thompson-shoot-out-the-lights-reissue/) at the Dominion Theatre, London in '82. Wow! Hating your partner can really sharpen your performance (please don't ask how I know this :D).

But, on the whole RT is just edged out by Ry Cooder and David Lindley on their family band tour at the Royal Festival Hall, London sometime in the 90s. At one point during the set someone in the audience yelled "are you recording this?". Cooder replied "do you think we should?". The audience quietly sighed with exasperation :thwap

[mapka]

Mine was Frank Gambale. Saw him with Steve Smith on drums but cannot remember the bass player. I know it wasn't Stu Hamm. I was blown away by how effortless he played.

[NWBasser]

I don't know if I can drag a bass player in here, but I recently had the honor and privilege to see/hear Victor Wooten with Bela Fleck.:applause

Probably the "awesomest" musical experience of my life!

[Tig]

I don't know if I can drag a bass player in here, but I recently had the honor and privilege to see/hear Victor Wooten with Bela Fleck.

Ah, for bass, mine would be Getty Lee.
I missed a chance to see Jaco Pastorius with my Dad when Weather Report toured through town. I don't remember why I didn't go, but later regretted it.

[tunghaichuan]

Ah, for bass, mine would be Getty Lee.
I missed a chance to see Jaco Pastorius with my Dad when Weather Report toured through town. I don't remember why I didn't go, but later regretted it.

I had a chance to see Alan Holdsworth back in the early 80s, but passed on it. Now I'm sorry I did :(

[tunghaichuan]

But, on the whole RT is just edged out by Ry Cooder and David Lindley on their family band tour at the Royal Festival Hall, London sometime in the 90s. At one point during the set someone in the audience yelled "are you recording this?". Cooder replied "do you think we should?". The audience quietly sighed with exasperation :thwap

I've got a recording of DL and RC from their family tour (http://www.davidlindley.com/images/shop/lindleycoodercd.gif), good stuff. :dude

I've seen David Lindley about 6 times in the last 15 years, and he always puts on a great show. He also can play anything with strings on it: bazouki, violin, saz, oud, guitar, banjo, you name it.

I wouldn't call him a flash player, but he can certainly deliver the goods and can burn like a mofo when he wants to. :rockya

David Lindley is in the top five of my favorite players.

[R_of_G]

Victor Wooten is, without question the best bass playing I've ever had the chance to see live. I've seen him many times with the Flecktones and he never disappoints, particularly in his extended solo portion of the show.

Maybe it's guys that play with Bela, because my second best bass experience was seeing Stanley Clarke play with Bela and Jean-Luc Ponty, for FREE no less.

[street music]

I haven't seen anywhere close to as many shows as a lot of you, but the guitarists that just made me sit back and think "wow" were Tommy Shaw when I saw Styx about 3 years ago and Tommy Emmanuel earlier this year.

Tommy Shaw totally caught me by surprise -- I wasn't expecting much from Styx, but his guitar playing was absolutely on fire.
I would have to put Tommy Shaw and James Young right up there with many of the greats as I seen them 3 times in the last year. I will had one of the best new guys and if you get a chance to watch him ROGER COLEMAN he tours with Justin Moore and The Double Barrel Ace Band, at the current time I would put him against anyone I have seen in many years. The only other one that comes to mind is Gary Rossington who for years has been burning them strings.

[tunghaichuan]

Guitar Player Magazine used to include music on plastic "Eva-Tone" records with each issue, mostly back in the 80s and very early 90s, IIRC.

One of the most impressive displays of musicianship was one they did with Tuck Andress, a jazz guitar player. He played a solo guitar song which he played three distinct parts all at the same time: rhythm, harmony and melody. It sounded like there were three guitar players playing simultaneously, but it was just Andress and one guitar. Mind blowing.

[R_of_G]

One of the most impressive displays of musicianship was one they did with Tuck Andress, a jazz guitar player. He played a solo guitar song which he played three distinct parts all at the same time: rhythm, harmony and melody. It sounded like there were three guitar players playing simultaneously, but it was just Andress and one guitar. Mind blowing.

Very cool. Reminds me of first listening to some of Charlie Hunter's stuff. Between the simultaneous bass and guitar sounds of his 8-string, and the combination of his rotary pedal and voicing his chords more like a pianist than a guitar player to achieve a very organ-like tone, one could easily believe they were listening to three musicians at once when it was just Charlie.

Seeing him play live was that much more entertaining as you could close your eyes, hear three separate parts, then open them to see just one player. That may have been the best all-around live music experiences on my list as I got the chance to meet Charlie prior to the show and he invited us in for soundcheck. One of the most humble people I've ever met for someone who should be a lot more "famous" than he really is given the immense talent level.

[navvid]

Steve Vai

Buckethead

[R_of_G]

Steve Vai

Buckethead

:applause

Vai left quite an impression on me as well.

Still badly need to see Buckethead.

[Waylanderau]

As a metalhead to the bone I have to say the most mindblowing piece of guitar work I've seen was by an Australian hippie/funk/folk/blues/roots performer named John Butler, some of you may be familiar with his work as the frontman in The John Butler Trio. Now I should nail my colours to the mast right away and say I'm not a fan, nice tunes but just not my thing. HOWEVER, after I saw him play this instrumental piece called "Oceans" I had no choice but to bow down. Here's a youtube link if you're interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VAkOhXIsI0

[NWBasser]

Victor Wooten is, without question the best bass playing I've ever had the chance to see live. I've seen him many times with the Flecktones and he never disappoints, particularly in his extended solo portion of the show.

Maybe it's guys that play with Bela, because my second best bass experience was seeing Stanley Clarke play with Bela and Jean-Luc Ponty, for FREE no less.

Stanley and Bela Fleck..:drool:

I don't think I could possibly let myself miss another Victor show.

[NWBasser]

Come to think of it, I've seen Blue Oyster Cult several times and was very impressed with Buck Dharma's playing.

Oh, Rich Williams of Kansas was fairly amazing to see/hear.:thumbsup

[R_of_G]

Stanley and Bela Fleck..:drool:

Yeah, it was pretty damn cool. I'd seen Bela several times before, though he never ceases to impress me, but that was the first time I'd seen Clarke. That was really something to behold. Every note just seemed so important.

[warren0728]

Maybe it's guys that play with Bela, because my second best bass experience was seeing Stanley Clarke play with Bela and Jean-Luc Ponty, for FREE no less.
i saw this same trio at carnegie hall in nyc!

as for most impressive playing i've witnessed....warren haynes....

[R_of_G]

i saw this same trio at carnegie hall in nyc!

A significant upgrade from the venue at which I saw them (an outdoor jazz festival) but the price was unbeatable, easily the best free band I've ever seen.