What was the best live performance by a band you ever saw?

[Floyd R. Turbo]

Me: CSN&Y.

[Walleye]

1. So many. Little Richard at the Atlantic City pop festival 1969

He followed Janis Joplin and won the day. It was about three weeks before Woodstock. He had a full rock ‘n’ roll band including a tenor sax. Two others,Bob Dylan and the band in 1972, and Paul Simon in Central Park

[Floyd R. Turbo]

3. ✌🏻

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. Steven Wilson

Period, end of story.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

4. ✌🏻

[Ferrets are Cool]

9. The great thing was

he and his band usually play in front of thousands. Usually in venues like Royal Albert Hall. Someone messed up and booked them into a small venue in Pensacola FL that has mostly burlesque shows. So, I got to see my favorite artists in a room the size of my home with 200 close friends. It was a standing venue, so we got to shuffle around. I feel like I was in the sweet spot, about 30 ft from center stage. Steven, however, did not give us less than his best. He gave us a full 2 1/2 show just like he did Albert Hall. It was one of the best nights of my life.

[Chainfire]

5. I didn't attend many concerts but I did enjoy Grand Funk Railroad, in Milwaukee, in '71.

My ears quit ringing two weeks ago.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. I envy you that one

[Chainfire]

22. And I thought that I was the only GFR fan left. ;)

My attending was fate.

I was in the Navy, stationed at Great Lakes. My wife and I lived in North Chicago off-base in private housing. Being a bit of a rogue, I let one of my buddies who lived in the on-base barracks store his bag of pot at my house. (locker inspections) My wife and I are settling down for the evening when he shows up with a couple of buddies to collect his stash. He tells me that they are on the way to Milwaukee to see the concert. When I asked if they had tickets, they replied in the negative, but they were feeling lucky. We declined the invitation to go with them.

Now I was a big GFR fan, and after some contemplation, I asked my wife if she wanted to take a ride to Milwaukee, some place we had never been. We hopped in the '67 Fury, and took a ride, planning to stop and ask where the Civic Center was when we got there.

As we were coming into town, there was a big sign, "Civic Center Next Right." Wow!

We took the exit and immediately saw cars parked everywhere. Someone was just pulling out and we had a space! When we got out of the car, maybe a block from the venue, we were bombarded by people asking, "Do you have any extra tickets?" At that point, we knew our trip was just a joy ride. We were there, so we decided to walk up to the building just because....

When we hit the sidewalk adjacent to the civic center, a young woman walked up to us and asked if we needed tickets. I thought, OK, here it comes, the big scalp. I asked how much? She sold us to them for what she paid; if I remember right, it was about $20.00 for the pair. I bought them!

Being the eternal pessimist, I figured nose bleed section, far right. Our tickets were center stage about 10 rows from the stage. On Monday, I saw my buddy and asked if he enjoyed the concert. He told me, Hell NO, there was no way to get a ticket at any price.

[Ferrets are Cool]

63. Wow, what a great story.

Thank you for sharing it.

I've been a GFR fan for a long, long time. I remember riding my bike around at nite in 1973 listening to Closer to Home cranked up loud in my earplugs.

It's sad that too few people appreciate how good they were as musicians. All three of them were great, but Mark was special. The voice, the guitar, and throw in the keys and you have a super musician.
Something else most people don't know is that they outsold the Beatles at Shea Stadium.

I just wish we had something better than Youtube videos to watch them live.

[Chainfire]

64. I remember the first time I heard them

I was over at a friends house and he spooled it up and I was wowed. A great fusion of Blues and Rock, no one since has done a better job.

I like Closer to Home a lot still, and whenever I am feeling a special kind of melancholy I play Mean Mistreater.

Mean mistreater, you make me cry,
You lay around, and watch me die.

Mean mistreater, can't you see I'm real?
Are you satisfied, with the way you feel?

I've tried hard to live without you, in so many ways.
I just can't help myself from thinking of you, for the rest of my days.
Heartache is at my door step, won't leave me alone.

[TexasBushwhacker]

69. I saw them when I was in high school

Good show

[Chainfire]

71. I was an old married man, out in the world at age 19 when I saw them. 1971. :)

[Scrivener7]

7. Peter Gabriel's "US" tour.

[Yonnie3]

8. Tough question - picking one

One that comes to mind was Ry Cooder and Captain Beefheart around 1971 in NoVA in a small venue perhaps a movie theater or auditorium. Although billed as separate acts, musicians just came and went all evening so I'm not sure this could be called a band.

[lark]

21. OMG, you saw Captain Beefheart?

Lucky lucky you! He was so eclectic, loved his album. It's been so long since I've seen or heard it I can't remember the names of the songs, but they were so strange, and his music was so surprisingly good.

[Yonnie3]

62. Yes I really did

We hitchhiked to the event. There was a large police presence outside. Attendees were worried about getting busted when they left so they shared everything. We ended up hitching from Northern Virginia to Charlottesville via Maryland after the show. We were a bit under the influence(s).

[Chipper Chat]

10. Kiss.

[Casady1]

11. Allman Brothers

closing weekend of the Fillmore. Grateful Dead Red Rocks 7/8/78. look it up. It is considered in the 5 greatest dead shows ever. Finally, The Who doing Tommy at Stonybrook. I saw everyone including Joplin, Led Zep's second tour of the U.S., Cream, Blind Faith. I passed on band of Gypsy's at the Fillmore(snowstorm).

[lark]

17. Allman Brothers were magic live, definitely in my top 3 concert experiences.

I will never forget the first time I saw them with Beautiful Day at the Jax Beach Auditorium. My friend had told me about them so we went and from the very first notes, I was hooked. To this day they are my all time fave band, their brilliance just can't be matched, IMO. So glad they played around here a lot and I got to see them 3 times before Duane's tragic death. I've seen various editions of the band probably 4-5 times since then, but of course they never can touch the magic of the original band.

[Casady1]

26. I saw Duane 4 times

twice as a back up band to Chicago and Delaney and Bonnie and w twice as headliners. We went he closing weekend to the Fillmore East and 9/19 at Stonybrook which is on CD now. I was right under Duane for the second set. Did you know that the "live at the Fillmore east" album that they were the back up band to Johnny Winters. I told my friend that they would kill Johnny Winters. It was the first time he saw the Allmans. The next day I asked him what he thought and he said he walked out. I said to him the Allmans? He said no to "Johnny Winters". So many people walked out that the next night they reversed order and the Allman's closed the show. I saw everyone and the 3 greatest bands live were the Allmans, Dead and the Who. I also saw the Allmans about 4 years before Greg Died at Chastain in Atlanta and they were awfully good and Greg as a solo 2 years before he died.

As Bill Graham said "we'll end it with the best of them all "The Allman Brothers"

[lark]

39. Yeah that switch was the stuff of legends.

bill Graham got it right - they were the best - the best guitars, the most bluesy, the excellent jazzy syncopation, the heavy and varied beats from all their drums, the great songs - they were so wonderful.

[Casady1]

48. We went Friday night

at the Fillmore and the opening bands were Albert King and J Geils. J Geils was great and I was concerned that could the Allman's outplay them. By the time they went into Elizabeth Reed all I could say to myself "who is J Geils"?

They took New York by word of mouth. It became overwhelming and everyone knew they were simply the best live band. They blew everyone's mind. It is odd that NYC really became their home as the Beacon became their home. I live in Atlanta and there was never this rabid following here. In NYC they were the "Band"

Greg had one of the great voices in rock.

By the way to me the best live band right now is Tedeschi/Trucks.

[Chainfire]

67. I have a funny story about missing a Allman Brothers concert.

I was stationed in Mayport, just outside of Jacksonville. My buddies were talking about packing in the car and going to an Allman concert. I thought they were saying Osmands.....(as in Donnie and Marie) I thought, oh hell no, I wouldn't walk across the street to see the Osmands if they paid me twenty bucks! I stayed on the ship and read a book..... I lost a lot of respect for the sailors that I thought were cool for even considering going; I just couldn't figure out why they were all excited about it.

The next day, when they sobered up and were talking about what a great concert it was, I realized the error of my ways, but kept my mouth shut.

Oh well....

[marble falls]

12. Just tooooooo many great concerts ...

Really enjoyed the Beau Brummells and McKendry Springs in '75 at the Red Dog Saloon in Cleveland with only about 100 people.

Saw Zappa, Hendrix, Beach Boys, Mountain, Cactus, Rungren, Animals, James Gang, Hawkwind ...

[Hoyt]

31. Used to like McKendree Spring (had to look it up spelling) and the Brummells.

I saw Zappa too.

[marble falls]

35. Saw Zappa with the Beach Boys at Kent State, saw Zappa with Mahavishno Orchestra in Chicago ...

(Ravinia).

Saw McKendree with the Brummells, and with Mountain, Cactus, Country Joe (whole set of how much he and Janis Joplin were in love), Little Richard in Cleveland at a New Year's Eve concert. Little Richard was a last minute replacement, and he blew the place up.

McKendree more than held up its end and blew the crowd away with "Star Spangled Banner".

There were joints everywhere and cups of orange juice.

Life was so much fun between '68 and '75.

[greenman3610]

13. Leslie West and Mountain

Michigan State 1970

[LakeArenal]

14. I have been so lucky on seeing live bands.

Man oh man. It would be easier to tell you which I liked least.

Jethro Tull’s Passion Play. It was really boring.

I feel privileged to see any band live.

I saw the Stones, Rufus and Eagles with Joe Walsh. $10. The price of tickets are prohibitive now.

I will say hearing McCartney singing
Let it Be was a highlight of my life.

[Beatlelvr]

18. My first concert 1965

The Bestles, Hollywood Bowl. It's been downhill ever since, but Neil Young at Desert Trip 2016 KILLED it.
Claoton is unbeatable live.

[LakeArenal]

27. I have a heavy duty Clapton fan friend.

Not a blues person myself. But she has seen him probably five times.

Eric might be the greatest guitar man out there.

[marble falls]

36. Saw James Gang several times downtown Kent, Ohio at the Pirates Cove for $2.50 cover charge ...

summer of '68.

[LakeArenal]

56. Those were the days. I saw Moody Blues in a basement dive bar before they were famous.

I liked growing up in the 70’s.

[marble falls]

57. Those were the best of times. Of you like the "Coventry Sound", you have to have listened to ...

... Caravan. Saw them in Cleveland at Otto's Grotto(or the Agora) for $7.50 in '75.

[happybird]

53. Ticket prices are absurd now!

I haven’t been to a concert in over a decade and recently looked at some tickets for later this summer. I literally gagged at the prices. Not going.

[TexasBushwhacker]

72. Yeah, the last big concert I went to was right after Hurricane Harvey

in 2017. I took a friend to see the Goo Goo Dolls. They easily could have cancelled, but the went ahead with the show, dropped the ticket prices to pack the place as much as possible and collected non-perishable food to donate to the food bank. I really missed their older music, but my friend had a blast.

Right now, the only BIG band I would be keen to see would be the Foo Fighters, but damn those ticket prices. I really prefer local acts at small venues now.

[samnsara]

15. Pink Floyd's Division Bell tour in BC was the best

..but the one that comes in a very close 2nd is the one i remember the most. Watching America sing Horse With No Name at the Gorge in Wash State. We sat on the basalt rocks and watched the sun sink into the Columbia River. This was before the venue became big and expensive. In its early years, it was intimate and we were able to enjoy the concerts picnic style.

People STILL stood up in front of me!

[FalloutShelter]

16. King Crimson at the Mann Music Center in PA

Also saw Talking Heads there and they were great too.

[lark]

19. Oooh King Crimson was soooo good at West Palm Beach Pop Festival.

They were on early in the day and totally brought up the mood to full concert speed.

[FalloutShelter]

30. Right?

Fantastic live.

[padfun]

20. Rory Gallagher

Twice, during the early 70's. He wasnt even the star show. In the first one was Black Sabbath and I forget the second one's main attraction. He was just great! Listening to his albums, the same energy just doesn't come through. He is a live act only in my opinion.

[underpants]

23. Panic at the Disco Raleigh NC

Personally my favorite was The Fleshtones at the Kings Head Inn years ago. Lyle Lovett at Wolftrap was really good but Panic was something else. We took our daughter down there as other friends were also going. As you can imagine the place was packed with teens mostly girls. From our seats I could see all the prep work being done on the stage and then I saw this hole right by B’s mic. When he shot out of that hole, did some sort of double leg kick, and landed I thought the top was going to blow off the place. The show never stopped the whole time. He really worked that entire coliseum.

[Tikki]

24. The Clash

Feb. 1979. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.


The Tikkis

[LakeArenal]

28. The Clash is such a favorite I didn't see.

[CincyDem]

25. ELP - Chicago 1977 with Foghat and J Giles opening.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/emerson-lake-and-palmer/1977/soldier-field-chicago-il-4bdcc322.html

[lagomorph777]

29. Electric Light Orchestra.

Bev Bevan wore a crinkly metallic suit and they bounced powerful lasers off of him; it filled the entire pot-smoke-heavy room.

Oh, and the music was great.

[Hoyt]

32. Byrds. 1971. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 2 shows. Bob Dylan and the Band 1974.

[Upthevibe]

33. I've been to many, many concerts....

The best one I've been to was without question was Prince.

It was shortly before he passed (I think the concert was in 2015 or 2016) and he was on my bucket list (along with U2 and Paul McCartney of whom I still haven't seen either).

He played to PERFECTION and he played EVERYTHING! I saw him at the Los Angeles Forum with two friends. It's a night and performance I'll never forget. What an amazing show!

[MuseRider]

34. Hard to say.

So many. Probably my favorites were the 2 Paul Simon concerts I saw but probably not the best. Jethro Tull was always great early on would certainly be a challenge for the best. Hell, at this point I can't even remember who all I have seen. I should make a list before I lose it all. Zappa was good too but maybe not the best....

For the most fun concert I would always pick Weird Al. Both times I have seen him have been just so much fun and the talent is up with all of the other bands, they are fabulous. He gets the win for energy!

[Thunderbeast]

37. Paul Simon

Rhythm of the Saints Tour

[Deuxcents]

38. Trans Siberian Orchestra

Saw Pink Floyd twice n Bruce Springsteen twice. All fantastic.

[quaint]

40. The Doors, July 5 1968 at Hollywood Bowl.

Mind blowing.

[Earth-shine]

81. This one was released as a record album and VHS video.

One of my favorite tapes.

It's on YouTube in a distorted form.

I was four years old at the time of the actual concert.

[quaint]

85. Thank you sooooo much.

First time I've seen the video. As I watched, memories from 50+ years ago flooded my mind.

Our very fine seats were were a high school graduation gift. It was the night after July 4th, so nearly everyone had sparklers which was cool until people started tossing them and fire crackers toward the stage. There were a few, psychedelically assisted, who freaked.

It was a monumental time, they killed Bobby Kennedy exactly one month before the concert.

I will watch again, thank you again.

[luv2fly]

41. Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders

1980 when Pete Farndon and James Honeyman Scott were both still alive.

[First Speaker]

42. The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band at Wolftrap, Virginia, in September, 1971...

...I would put that day even over Ellington, Basie, Miles, Dizzy, Mingus, Don Ellis, and many others whom I saw in person.

[happybird]

45. I love Wolftrap!

I’ve seen a lot of music there but my favorite event was seeing Mikhail Baryshnikov dance with The White Oak Dance Project. Even from the lawn, he was absolutely awe inspiring.

[happybird]

43. It's hard to pick just one

Some standouts are:

Phish at MSG on New Year’s Eve ‘95
The Black Crowes at Constitution Hall
Little Feat at Constitution Hall
The Allman Brothers (can’t remember where I saw them, but they were incredible)
David Grisman Quintet at the Birchmere
Pink Floyd Division Bell

I’ve seen *a lot* of live music. The venue can make a big difference. We used to go see the Dave Matthews Band at small clubs before they were famous and they were so great live! I saw them a couple years later at a big amphitheater and they were just ok there.

[Corgigal]

44. Steve Winwood

Bruno Mars
Genesis
Peter Frampton
U2
Coldplay
Maroon 5
Pat Benatar (amazing)
Paul McCartney

Plus others, live music is my church. As long as I’m awaiting for a concert, and thankful I could afford it, I just feel lucky.

Still think Steve Winwood was the best.

[happybird]

46. I love Steve Winwood!

The only times I’ve seen him are when he was playing with the Dead and also when Traffic opened for the Dead. Sadly, I didn’t have appreciation for him back then, just thought of him as the “Bring Me a Higher Love” guy.


I had heard and liked Blind Faith, Traffic, and The Spencer Davis group, but never connected all the dots until later on.

[Corgigal]

49. I wasn't expecting him to sound so good.

Like you, heard a few tunes , and thought it would be ok. Surprised me, and he still tours around.
Now, I’m trying to get tickets to the Dobbie Brothers with Michael McDonald.

Let’s jam with Steve

[happybird]

55. I watch this about once a week

[Iggo]

87. I knew it was going to be that video.

[Casady1]

50. I saw Blind faith. n/t

[kpete]

47. Patti Smith

Brother's Auditorium, Birmingham AL - 1980-ish

Also saw the Ramones there - people were throwing chairs (in a good way)

aww those were the days

Also mr pete & i's first date:
Hendrix 1970 Honolulu

& yes, I am bragging,
kp

[GemDigger]

51. David Bowie was the best.

Dr. Hook and the Medicine show for the most fun and laughter I ever had. We were lucky and they booked them 4 times in one summer and I caught every show.

[ProfessorGAC]

52. 5 Way Tie

Sting & The Blue Turtles band at Alpine Valley
King Crimson (Beat tour) at the Park West
Oingo Boingo at the Vic
Satriani & Leslie West at the Chicago Theater
Bowie on the Glass Spider tour at World Music Theater
Tight, great musicianship, excellent lighting & superb sound. All 5.

[CelticCrow]

79. Bowie Glass Spider

Bowie's Glass Spider tour would be mine as well. I was blown away with the theatrics on that tour. Watching him descend from the bottom of the spider to the stage in the opening told me I was in for a real treat that day and I was not disappointed.

I was fortunate enough to be about 20 rows back and just left of center and he had Duran Duran opening for him, it was a lot of fun.

[ProfessorGAC]

80. We Had Great Seats, Too

About the same. Something past row 15, but no worse than 20. Maybe 4 seats right of center.
We saw him on a subsequent tour with Reeves Gabriel's on guitar & Mick Garson on piano.
Nine Inch Nails was the warm-up band. And, Trent came out to play "I'm Afraid of Americans" with them.
I've seen him 6 times.
Never once disappointed by anything.

[DEbluedude]

54. The Boss.

Meadowlands. 1984

[jmowreader]

58. Iron Maiden Book of Souls Tour 2017

I was privileged to see the very last show on the tour. The only problem was, I was an idiot and bought a seat in the very top row of Barclays Center in Brooklyn...and it was beside the stage, at that. 100 feet lower and 200 feet east of the stage would have been better, but that's okay.

The backup band was Ghost. At the time they had exactly one song anyone had ever heard of, "Square Hammer." So...they played it first. They also played "Year Zero," and closed with "Monstrance Clock."

[jpak]

59. REM the 2nd time they played in public

May 15, 1980 Memorial Hall UGA.

Absolutely astonishing...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

60. Frank Zappa, in an outdoor venue north of Detroit. And, Bob Marley, in Detroit.

[Elessar Zappa]

77. Lucky you!

I’m a huge Zappaphile but he died when I was only ten years old, so I never got to see him live.

[beaglelover]

61. Prince, Purple Rain Tour 1985

Close second, Madonna, Blonde Ambition Tour 1990

[Mopar151]

66. Queen :: Thin Lizzy

Bohemian Rapshody / Jailbreak tours.

[MustLoveBeagles]

68. Frankie Vali & The Four Seasons

Last edited Mon May 17, 2021, 09:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Illinois State Fairgrounds, 1984.

And Chubby Checker in the early 90's, same location.

[Enter stage left]

70. Any Jimmy Buffett concert...

Just for the crazy ass parrot head fans, and beach balls, and everyone from 8-80 knowing all of the lyrics and singing along.

[The Figment]

73. I've seen the Dead many times,

ELP, Zeppelin in '73 and'75 at MSG
Pink Floyd the Wall at the Nassau Coliseum N.Y.
Ike and Tina Turner at the State Theater in Kalamazoo Mi in '71
But the one that really stands out for the most fun I've ever had was Sha Na Na at Saratoga Preforming Arts Center in '76...halfway thru the show a thunderstorm blew the power out to the whole place,rather than end the show the band wandered thru the audience and chatted with people...after about an hour the power company got things up and running again and Sha Na Na finished their set...truly memorable!

[countingbluecars]

74. A few that come to mind

Sting at the Tower Theater
Collective Soul with the Atlanta Youth Orchestra
Rundgren with Utopia

[Kali]

75. I don't remember

[Pas-de-Calais]

76. ANY ZZTOP Concert

[Mad_Dem_X]

78. Roger Waters - Us + Them Tour, 2017

Great performance, all around. And the Trump-bashing was icing on the cake. LOL

[SCantiGOP]

82. Dylan and the Band

Followed by one of the 6 times I saw the Allman Brothers.

[Habitation]

83. SRV

[DFW]

84. Any one of the Mark Knopfler tours of the last 15 years

A spellbinding mixture of his old and new material, unreal instrumentation, from Irish pipes and fiddles to unusual stringed instruments, all rounded out every time by Knopfler's singular melodic guitar style.

I've seen a LOT of live acts, from the 1960s to now, but never one that quite held me in awe like his shows.

Literally dozens of close seconds throughout the years, including the Hendrix Experience, Hollies, Allman Brothers, Clapton, Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul Simon (Graceland tour), Youngbloods, Doobie Brothers, Bruce Hornsby & the Range, Electric Flag, Johnny Winter, Steely Dan, Eagles, original line-up of Canned Heat (my band opened for them!), Wolverlei (mesmerizing while they lasted), La Mystère des Voix Bulgares (only a cappella, but OMG!!!), and a long list of others.

[3catwoman3]

86. John Denver at Red Rocks...

...outdoor amphitheater outside of Denver. Beautiful warm night, with clear sky full of stars. Perfection.

[VGNonly]

88. Muddy Waters 1979

He was the opener, somebody named Eric was the headliner.

[jrandom421]

89. There were two for me

1. Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park, September 19, 1981
2. Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Lincoln Center, Chichester Psalms, 15 July 1965, my second exposure to classical music after Disney's Fantasia the year before.