Best Concert Ever?...

[captnhoy]

Neville Brothers Yellow Moon tour Rose Garden Portland Oregon - 1993? With a big full moon.

[Frank James]

Top Three: (because all so great I can't pick a favorite)

Roy Orbison, Everett WA early 80's. Roy O was doing his first "comeback" tour, although in the hearts of his legions of fans he was never out of style. Playing live before a small, packed house, with backup singers and his traveling band, he did all his hits, and sounded just like the records. So many acts, when you see them live (like, say Bob Dylan) they change their arrangements so much, you don't recognize the song. A magic evening.

Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, and a special last stand with Bill Haley and the Comets, Seattle, 80's. It was one of those "Rock and Roll Revival" Shows, but nobody told Chuck. He turned it into The Chuck and Special Guest Bo D Show. Chuck stood all alone on the stage, after knocking off a dozen of his hits, and said. "I've always loved playing in Seattle. You people know what's happening! Ya know where I've gotta show up tomorrow? (Pretends to barf.) "SAC-RA-Ment-O! Sheeeiiittt!" Hey, could ya'll dig it if I asked Mr. Bo Diddley back on here to help me out?" (Fans go crazy.) They jammed for another 45 minutes, dueling guitars until the Seattle Center Arena Staff started flicking on the house lights.

Leonard Cohen, Paramount Seattle, first time. A generous, humble performer, impeccably dressed, showing deep appreciation to the fans. Backed by his "angels" and a superb crew of musicians.

And I can't leave out...The Everly Brothers Reunion Tour, early 90's. So good to see them back together. They had a great band with them, headed by Albert Lee. All time great.

[rijb]

Led Zeppelin - 1970 Ottawa, Canada

Great music so loud it hurt, cute girls, and lots of grass.

http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/april-14-1970

[RobertoOzman]

ELTON JOHN, at The Colleseum, Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas,... best sound autitorium, anywhere!

Best female- SHANIA TWAIN, The fittest show-babe, ever!(Not seen Beyonce, or Pink, yet!)

Cold Chisel, The Australian Legends, featuring JIMMY BARNES.

[Pikey]

Led Zep Knebworth UK August 1979. My first big gig at 16 years old. Out of my head most of the time on hash and vodka. Still got the T-shirt somewhere.

Cheers

Pikey.

[Oziex1]

Led Zeppelin - 1970 Ottawa, Canada

Great music so loud it hurt, cute girls, and lots of grass.

http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/april-14-1970

Lots of grass? It was an outdoor gig in a field.

[rijb]

Led Zeppelin - 1970 Ottawa, Canada

Great music so loud it hurt, cute girls, and lots of grass.

http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/april-14-1970

Lots of grass? It was an outdoor gig in a field.

Of course.

Edited June 28, 2014 by rijb

[lowbo]

best concerts in Europe...

Eric Clapton & Bob Dylan... Stuttgart - 1977

Eagles... Munich - 1976

Pink Floyd... Frankfurt - 1977

Rush & Blue Oyster Cult... Nuremburg - 1978

best concerts in US...

Aerosmith & Kiss - WVA - 1981

Lynyrd Skynyrd & Marshall Tucker Band - Okla - 1976

Fleetwood Mac... Atlanta GA - 1997

yea baby... high times...

[Smurkster]

Warren Zevon, 2001

[ebonykap]

ELO - 1974

And, dare I say it.......ABBA - 1976 ( I had a crush on the dark haired lass!)

Others of note - Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry, ACDC (before they were famous....bloody terrible!)

[rgs2001uk]

Warren Zevon, 2001

Great stuff, I would put the late great WZ up there in my top three performers, always put on a good show, great atmosphere.

Personally I would rate any of the Rory Gallagher shows I attended at the top, a humble guy who never forgot his roots, no airs and graces, no pontificating or sermons or talking to the audience as if they were idiots, no politics, just straight forward rock n roll.

Dr Feelgood were another band that always had a great vibe about the gig, no messing around, just play the music.

Queen were another group whose concerts I enjoyed (I dont own any Queen music), Freddie Mercury what an entertainer.

Thats it for the top.

I have also witnessed some absolute rubbish I have walked out on, Whitesnake being the worst, came on did about 4 songs then launched into a series of self indulgant solos.

U2, walked out when St Bono launched into one of his tirades.

Many of the venues didnt help either, a cow shed such as the Birmingham NEC, Wembley Stadium or sat in a farmers field at Glastonbury.

These days I prefer smaller venues similair to the Town & Country club in London.

[mikecat]

Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd on the same bill at Bath music festival. I think 1970. It could have been 69.

[mikecat]

Dire Straits Perth 1981, Debuted song Telegraph Road.

Pink Floyd Perth 1988, huge stunning show

U2 Perth 1989, great rock and roll the whole audience was with them

Saw Pink Floyd in Sydney the same year. Have seen them four times, this concert simply blew me away.

[Globeman]

Emerson Lake and Palmer, 1976, (first big concert, so was sore impressed) CNE Stadium, Toronto

Blondie, 1979, Ontario Place Amphitheatre

The Police, 1981 (with openers Iggy Pop, the Go Gos, Oingo Boingo, The Specials) The Police Picnic in some farm field in Oakville Ontario

The Who, 1982 (with The Clash opening!) Rich Stadium, Buffalo New York

The Who, 1982 (the "Final Concert", two nights in a row, on acid the second night), Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto

Roger Waters, 1984 (Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, with Eric Clapton), Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto

B.B. King, 1984 - 1992, (Always great), 10 different shows, various venues

John Lee Hooker, 1986, The Brunswick House, Toronto - capacity 300, tickets $10. Cheap beer. Fantastic show. (before his career got revived)

Matt 'Guitar' Murphy, 1986-1992, countless shows annual two week residency at Albert's Hall, 100 seat club upstairs from the Brunswick House

[movsrus]

Seattle Pop Festival 1969 with the Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin .

[Smurkster]

I also saw some wonderful Grateful Dead shows...

people like to talk ill of the Grateful Dead, saying it is hippie Jam band stoner music, but boy, all those guys were very talented musicians that drew upon many different genres of music and when they were on, you would be hard pressed to find better live music than them

Edited June 28, 2014 by Smurkster

[krisb]

Warren Zevon, 2001

Great stuff, I would put the late great WZ up there in my top three performers, always put on a good show, great atmosphere.

Personally I would rate any of the Rory Gallagher shows I attended at the top, a humble guy who never forgot his roots, no airs and graces, no pontificating or sermons or talking to the audience as if they were idiots, no politics, just straight forward rock n roll.

Dr Feelgood were another band that always had a great vibe about the gig, no messing around, just play the music.

Queen were another group whose concerts I enjoyed (I dont own any Queen music), Freddie Mercury what an entertainer.

Thats it for the top.

I have also witnessed some absolute rubbish I have walked out on, Whitesnake being the worst, came on did about 4 songs then launched into a series of self indulgant solos.

U2, walked out when St Bono launched into one of his tirades.

Many of the venues didnt help either, a cow shed such as the Birmingham NEC, Wembley Stadium or sat in a farmers field at Glastonbury.

These days I prefer smaller venues similair to the Town & Country club in London.

Yep hear what you say about Bono. He's a bit weird that guy.

Saw them in Adelaide Australia. Near the end of the show Bono ties a bandana over his eyes and proceeds to crawl around on the stage like some weird animal on heat.

Really bizare stuff, still was a good show.

[johnnygimbo]

Roger McGuinn ex lead guitarist and vocalist with the Byrds, he was doing a solo performance by himself with just his voice, and changing guitars from time to time. just brilliant, this was around 2001.

[Frank James]

What a good idea for a thread. Just a few more...

Ravi Shankar, Seattle Opera House, 1970. A local Persian carpet outfit went all out, put a lovely rare carpet up on a raised dais on stage. Ravi had with him the great tabla master Ustad Alla Rakah, and a whole troupe of fine Indian classical musicians. There were big urns of burning incense. It was almost too much. What an experience. Mescalito made an appearance.

Joni Mitchell, just herself, her guitars, and a piano, back in the "Blue" period. Opening act, some new guy named Jackson Browne, singing about runnin' down the road, tryin to loosen his load, something like that. He was pretty good. After the show we went around to the stage door. Joni came out with the big bouquet of roses someone had laid on the stage, and gave everybody one.

The Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Ike was a nasty guy, but he sure did have a tight band. And Tina really could shake a tail feather.

Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee...a crippled guitar player and a blind master of the simple ten hole harmonica. Freakish the sound that man could make. R.I.P. (2)

Five Blind Boys from Alabama...nuff said.

[The Usual Suspect]

Way too many to itemize, but one of the standouts for me was Pink Floyd Oct. 28, 1971 @ Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan U.S.A. The band played so long that they finally chased everybody out. David Gilmour was so stoned he just sat down on the edge of the stage and played. They used their "directional acoustics" to really trip the audience out, which wasn't too difficult....... the band and the audience were so stoned, the building nearly floated away!

​

[The Usual Suspect]

I also saw some wonderful Grateful Dead shows...

people like to talk ill of the Grateful Dead, saying it is hippie Jam band stoner music, but boy, all those guys were very talented musicians that drew upon many different genres of music and when they were on, you would be hard pressed to find better live music than them

We used to say they were the only band in the world where everybody played on their instruments.

[joshstiles]

Queen at Wembly

Boston at Kzoo

don't even ask me the years......

U2 at Fountain Street Church

Edited June 28, 2014 by joshstiles

[dontejo]

1968 Jimi Hendrix Rotterdam

1972 Pink Floyd Rotterdam

1994 Pink Floyd Nijmegen Holland

[Patsycat]

Johan Sebastien Bach in 1756

[Patsycat]

Jeez, my bestest was my lastest - as everyone knows was Bruce in Geneva last July the third!! Paid big bucks, but travelling to Zurich, staying in a hotel, food, drink etc. would have doubled or more the price. Me, I just jumped on the number 44 bus, 15 minutes later i was there. But, not just the price - been waiting years to see my Bruce. Look at ladies forum to see how much!!

Next one, James Taylor in March, take me hankies to that one!!

[DMC1]

I'm jealous of the guys who saw Hendrix. Pink Floyd never hit the spot for me but I would give them a go live.

[Frank James]

Johan Sebastien Bach in 1756

Maybe your date is a little off? J.S. Bach (The Master) 1685 - 1750.

Went blind late in life, alas, and bores the angels in Heaven daily about how he is owed BILLIONS in royalties. He was always known to be a very difficult personality.

I missed his weekly organ work at his home church in Leipzig, but am fortunate to have a 78 RPM album set called "Bach Live at Thomaskirche: Midnite Mass!". ( Very limited and unavailable pressing, to be sure.) The Master brought the house down with his immortal BWV Five-Six-Five, that features in half the horror films ever made. All of his talented kids were on hand, jumping in on vocals, and showing their talents on strings, vocals, and woodwinds. While the Master went offstage for a well deserved spliff and cognac break, Young Gottlieb Goldberg and Johan Christian Bach did some fantastic 4 handed clavier work on the famous "Goldberg Variations."

What a night.

[asdecas]

IoW 1969, The Big Z and The Band, Richie Havens (RIP), Free, Who, Joe Cocker. The fragrant Françoise Hardy was there too, but not singing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Wight_Festival_1969

[bigbamboo]

Springsteen at Wembley, Born in the USA tour.

Four and half hours and you didn't want it to stop.

Edited June 28, 2014 by bigbamboo

[thaiguzzi]

Good thread, so i'll bite. Jealous of some of those late sixties, early seventies gigs witnessed. Damn. Lynyrd Skynyrd too!

Ok;

Sex Pistols, 1976 Cromer Pavillion, banned from larger halls in the UK at the time. BRILLIANT !. (16 years old).

Motorhead and Dr Feelgood several times 76-78 West Runton Pavillion (Norfolk), max 800 admitted. See them on a friday, ears still hurt on a monday.

Led Zep, Munich 79, second or third last gig before Bonham died.

Rory G, twice in 80, Munich. He was so good the first night, i had to get back and see him again the following night.