Best band you've ever seen live?

flxnimprtmscl

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2003
7,962
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I was watching a few live performances of a handful of bands on youtube, which made me think of this.

For me it's Slipknot. I wasn't a fan at all until I saw them live. It's a truly insane show and if you ever have a chance to see them, do it. It doesn't matter if you like them or not. I was in a luxury box for this show and can't even imagine what it's like down on the floor. However, looking though binoculars down at the stage only while these guys preform is a little surreal.

Honorable mention to Ramstein. Not really my type of band but a very entertaining show.

Band I'd love to see live : Kiss.

 

ranmaniac

Golden Member
May 14, 2001
1,940
0
76
Nine Inch Nails w/Marilyn Manson as the opening act at the Philadelphia Spectrum, 1994

 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
81
In terms of putting on a great show, having amazing sound quality (none of that echoey arena crap) and pure musical talent: Supertramp.
 

sobriquet

Senior member
Sep 10, 2002
912
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Most entertaining, Les Savy Fav.
Most energetic, Rocket from the Crypt's farewell Halloween concert.
Most chaotically frenetic (in an awesome way), Melt Banana.
Most awesome musically, probably either Don Caballero or Sigur Ros.
Silver Jews was awesome, but I don't remember too much of the show, to be honest...
Absolute worst and most incredibly disappointing live show, Animal Collective (with the amazingly untalented and irritating B.A.R.R. as the opener).
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Most fun?
World/Inferno Friendship Society during Hallowmas

Just plain awesome?
Metallica at Giant's Stadium during Tattoo the Earth at Giant's Stadium

Slipknot during the same tour was unfriggin'believable. Not a huge fan of them, but they really get the crowd into it, get everybody amped up, and it's just balls-to-the-wall.

 

aplefka

Lifer
Feb 29, 2004
12,014
2
0
It's gotta be tough. I'd probably have to put Coldplay, Silverstein (w/From Autumn To Ashes, Strike Anywhere, Dance Gavin Dance), and Pepper (w/The Expendables, Passfire) in my top 3. For the latter two I think the shows were greatly enhanced by the fact that the opening acts really set the level high for both headliners.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
Tie:

Johnny Winter - at the Second Chance bar in Ann Arbor circa 1980.


Richie Blackmore's Rainbow - at the Royal Oak theater. Blackmore, Dio, Roger Glover, and Cozy Powell - what a band!
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,339
10,858
136
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Copeland & The Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Pier in NYC ... I think it was 1987 but I'll have to check my ticket stub to be sure.

Runner-up: Frank Zappa at the Palladium in NYC - Halloween show 1980.
 

notposting

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2005
3,498
33
91
TSO--6 years straight now...better every year. Great musicians/singers and sound quality, and they have a *few* lights.
Rolling Stones--saw them in 2005 at Comerica. Polished, solid, great show.

The rest:
Metallica 2x--once at the New Years Eve Y2K show at the Silverdome and on the Summer Sanitarium 03 tour same place. They could cause some damage if they wanted, seeing the crowd during, say, 'Master' is insane. Kid Rock was at the 1st show (with Joe C!) and Linkin Park (sounded very good), Limp Bizkit (fwiw, Fred Durst is a hell of a frontman for a live show), and Mudvayne (fantastic--really surprised me) were at the 2nd.
Saw Def Leppard 2x, once was the UP State Fair from about 15 feet away in 99. Was deaf in my right ear for 2 days afterward :D

Candidates for the worst:
The Nuge at the Y2K show--horrible mix. Had guitar wAAAAy up and voice turned down. A plus to that was not hearing his political blathering and BS.
Deftones at the 03 SS show--just sucked. BoooORING.

Honorable Mention:
Took wife to Shania at the Palace. Good, but Shania didn't come home with us for some entertainment afterwards, so I can only give it 4/5. :p
BNL, Aerosmith, and Bryan Adams are pretty good too--saw Bryan Adams this summer, forgot how many rockers he had. And the ladies love his shows too ;).
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
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I haven't been to a concert in years, but when I went frequently after my high school day, I saw Godsmack twice, and both times I was really impressed with their sound and showmanship.

If I had to pick one act to watch over again, though, it would be the Metallica "smash up" from the summer of 2000 at the Kentucky Speedway. I believe it was called the Summer Sanitarium tour (although my memory could be off), Metallica was the main act, with Korn, Kid Rock, System of a Down, and Powerman 5000 playing on the stage as well. Hetfield had broken his leg in Georgia the night before, so instead of canceling the show because he was still in the hospital, the other 3 Metallica members still showed up, and all the artists from earlier in the night helped out. It was awesome to hear Jonathan Davis, Serj Tankian, and Kid Rock come out to help sing some Metallica songs.....and then for the Metallica guys to play some of their stuff. Awesome, awesome show. I'd love to relive that concert.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
Marilyn Manson was amazing live.

I saw them when they were touring for Mechanical Animals, pre-kicking Twiggy out of the band.
 

homercles337

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2004
6,340
3
71
Not the best, but my first real punk show was DRI & The Exploited (with some local opener). Im not going to say what year that was :eek: . I have been to literally thousands and thousands of shows (and maybe a handful of fests), but i would say that 1998 was a good year for me because that was my second year in the bay area.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Rolling Stones, knew every song by heart.
Melissa Etheridge during the tour for her second album. She put on a great show.

I really want to see U2, they look and sound amazing and I'd like to see if for myself.