I was thinking about it in the shower (do my best and obviously, silliest, thinking in the shower) and I was going through the best shows I have seen. My criteria is my memory of the time, listening to the shows when possible, and just where I was in my life at that point.
My (imperfect list):
1) Bruce Springsteen, Bonnaroo 2010. I have no (zero) Bruce on my Ipod. I was Deadhead growing up and, well, I always kinda looked down on Bruce as being too blue collar or rehearsed or just too simplistic. I didn't even want to leave the camp ground to go to the show - I had to be dragged there. Three hours later: best show I have ever seen. Bruce is a master band leader, with more than enough energy and power to crush that Roo crowd. I was totally and utterly wiped out and blown away.
2)The Grateful Dead, Meriwether Post Pavilion, 6/85 - I was 16, this was my 6th show, and it all just clicked for me. I had all my friends around, it was perfect starry night and, now, after years of listening to that Shakedown St. etc, I think this was the best and (best time) of 70 odd shows I saw.
3) MMJ, Capital Theatre, 1st night- what can I say? There is not a down moment in that entire show. I went to all three, and I have listened to them all incessantly, and I just think that was the one. Maybe I was just exhausted by night three. Anyway, I really look at those three nights as one long show. Unbefuckinbelievable.
4) Jack White, Roseland Ballroom, 2012 - Love Jack. I have seen the White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather and Jack solo. There was something about the energy that night, the back up band kicked ass, and it was nice to have JW all to yourself. Ripping. It didn't hurt that I had great friends there and that Alabama Shakes opened.
5) Pearl Jam, closing of Philly Spectrum 2011- had terrible seats, way up behind the stage, the bathrooms were over-flowing (as usual), the beer was warm, the height was dizzying, the music was exhilarating.
Sooooo many honorable mentions. Too many to list.
I could list my 5 favorite shows but it will probably be 5 MMJ shows :grin: Here's my 5 favorite shows by different artists:
1. My Morning Jacket @ Capitol Theater Night 3 - This was the perfect show for me. It just kept getting heavier and heavier as the night went on. War Begun > I Will SIng You Songs :cheesy:
Top 5 MMJ shows (out of about 30): PC3, PC1, NYE08, T5-ISM, T5-At Dawn
2. Sharon Van Etten @ Cameo Gallery 12/15/12 - After seeing Sharon a bunch of times with her band, i was able to catch a special secret show which was just her and her touring guitarist, Heather Woods Broderick playing stripped down songs from Sharon's catalog. A lot of rarities and stuff I never saw her play before. A special night
Top 5 Sharon shows (out of 15): Cameo Gallery 12/15/12, Town Hall 11/12, Bowery 2/26/12, MHOW 2/24/12, Ottawa Blues Fest 7/13
3. The Who - Quadrophenia @ Madison Square Garden - 12/5/12 - MY all-time favorite album played in its entirety by the most influential band of my life.
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Union Pool 12/8/12 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs returned to Brooklyn to play a Sandy fundraiser for 75 fans. Can't believe I got tickets to that and also can't believe I had Karen O screaming in my face.
5. The National @ Beacon Theater 12/13/11 - The National and Sharon Van Etten. Amazing show at an amazing venue.
Honorable Mention: Paul McCartney at Barclays Center. The Joy Formidable at BAM 7/10/13
Apparently December 2012 was the best month ever.
Wow, this will be tough. In no particular order:
Xavier Rudd, Metropolis, Montreal 2010 - The Metropolis was sold out (about 2000 people), and Xavier Rudd was playing with Izintaba. If you have never seen Xavier Rudd, he's a one-man band from Australia, playing the acoustic guitar, didgeridoo, stomp box, and other instruments. Anyway, at the end of the first set, he closed with the epic "Footprint". The crowd was so loud that Xavier and his band were completely drowned out. The energy and atmosphere were unbelievable, and something I have never experienced before or since. We often go to Montreal to see shows (and it's true Montreal crowds are fantastic and extremely loud), but this was the best Montreal show we have ever attended.
U2, Dublin, 3 shows in July 2009 - I've been to a few U2 shows, but these 3 in their hometown were by far my favourite. The city, the country was electric. Fans from across the world travelled to see them. Terrific.
Michael Franti & Spearhead, Byron Bay Bluesfest (Australia), 2011 - Michael Franti has a good-size following here in Canada, and we've seen him play in different venues. But the show in Byron Bay in 2011 was awesome. 25,000 people jumping, dancing, hugging, and signing.
MMJ at Red Rocks, 2012 - The MMJ Pilgrimmage resulted in 2 epic, mind-blowing shows. From the tailgaiting in the morning (thanks Crispy!) to VespaGuy's shouting match with other fans over a big blue tarp to the elbow-throwing lady to the race for spots to the soundcheck to JJ's and Tom's photo with Gideon to hanging up with the MMJ fan family to the 6 hours of music in a beautiful setting, the entire weekend was memorable. This would probably rate higher if Band of Horses was not one of the openers. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, though, were awesome.
Arcade Fire at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia, 2007 - The Tower Theater is a great, little venue despite it all being seated. I remember after the opening song Win Butler saying, "This is a concert. Everyone, come up to the front!" A 90-minute party ensued. Arcade Fire is one of the rare acts that blends terrific songwriting, great albums, and fantastic live shows.
Going on a bit of a tangent, best music trip that didn't involve a festival:
In 2010, the wife and I went to Canandaigua, New York to see Jacket on August 28, 2010, which was a great show. We drove back home to Ottawa right after the show, arriving at 3:30. We slept for 2 hours, got on a plane to Philly and visited a friend and saw Jacket that night. That was the first night we met many of the Forum folks, including Headhunter, EricM, Trish, etc.
On August 30, we were on a plane to Turkey, to spend 9 days there, including seeing U2 play there for the first time. We went to Turkey with some friends from Toronto, Philly, and the UK, so it was a blast. The concert was on September 6.
We then flew to Montreal on September 8, arriving late afternoon. We took a nap and then went to the Metropolis to see Vampire Weekend, Beach House, and the Dum Dum Girls perform. That show was great.
Good topic. I haven't been to a ton of shows but here's my list.
1. Pearl Jam, Hartford 06/27/08
2. MMJ MPP 2012
3. Hiero and Little Brother, The Ottobar 10/07/03 (Full Circle release date)
4. Roger Waters DSOTM, Hartford 07/10/07
5. Common, 930 Club December 02
I have to pick one Jacket show:
1) Bonnaroo '06...I think. I don't know. I think that one because I went thinking I was getting a 2 hour show and then ended up with like a 4 hour one. But that setlist was top notch. But the 12/27 Cap show was like seeing a whole new band. Then there was the time I thought a cover band came out for the first few minutes of NYE 2011 because Jim was hairless and they opened with a cover.
2) Ween - A parking lot in Asbury Park like 6 years ago. It was the School of Rock festival. They played Push Th' Lil Daisies with a 12 year old on vocals. They also just decided halfway through the set to stop playing their setlist and take audience commands. Deaner had some of the most intriguing Deaner faces. It was on the beach.
3) Ryan Adams - A few years ago at the Wellmont in Montclair NJ. I thought I was taking my then-girlfriend, now-wife to a standard concert we could both agree wouldn't be boring. Instead she found it boring, and I discovered they could Jam. Holy shit, could they Jam. And I didn't recognize half the songs (nor did she).
4) The Dirtbombs - Many years ago, at Maxwells (RIP) in Hoboken. TWO DRUMMERS. TWO FUCKING DRUMMERS.
5) Oysterhead - Roo, '06. 1) It's Oysterhead. 2) Antler Guitars and Masks. 3) OYSTERHEAD
The strange thing is that I've been to a metric asston of concerts and I had a hard time picking them or even remembering the ones that aren't Jacket. I might be sick. Numerous times seeing the Crowes, Reigning Sound, intimate shows at Maxwells and whatnot. Multiple Festivals...OH
Top 5 is hard.
1. My Morning Jacket Setlist at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, USA
12/29/06
My first Jacket show and it was an epic burner of a show. It was 26 song epic show, with only the first 4 albums out at that time it was full of most of my favorite MMj songs. The only one missing was The Bear and maybe O, but such an epic night. I was so looking forward to this show since we flew out just to see two shows and this blew me away and made me a fan for life.
2. Soundgarden Setlist at Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA, USA
07/12/11
This was the first band I ever really got into as a kid and since they broke up years ago, so I never got a chance to catch them until they reunited. And man they did not disappoint, they came out said they were stoked to be back together and that there were going to play a lot of their old stuff and hoped that was okay. Far Beyond the Wheel, Like Suicide, Jesus Christ Pose, and The Day I tried to Live lots of really great stuff. The band was just on fire.
3. Red Fang Setlist at Sonar, Baltimore, MD, USA
062112
My second time seeing these boys and it was epic. It was one of the hottest days of the year and they just completely melted everyone's faces completely off. The crowd was crazy, huge pit, people shedding shirts, tons of stage diving and just wild. I don't think there was another show that whole year that felt this intense.
4. Mastodon Setlist at The National, Richmond, VA, USA
041810
These guys really are the greatest live metal band of all time imo. Their riffs were crazy and the band was just so into this set. This was part of the Crack the Skye tour where they showed the video while playing the record in order which I really liked, but the best part was the encore which was all stuff off of their first few ablums. That is when the show really stepped it up into the other atmosphere.
5. Deftones Setlist at Rolling Rock Town Fair, Latrobe, PA, USA
08/04/01
This was my first real concert and these guys were awesome. All of the stuff was off of the first three albums which are my favorites of there. Plus they threw in a nice little part of the song Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz toward the end of one of the songs and it was awesome.
A very close honorable mention was Sleep at Maryland Deathfest. Everything I could of ever wanted in a show other than the length of the set. Crowd and band were just totally into it from the first note til the end, epic.
Not sure I can make an exact top 5, but I'll try.
5.) Jack White-Track 29 Chattanooga Tn 2012 (His first show as a solo artist. It was quite a concert even though it was a little short. I was lucky enough to be on the rail.)
4.) My Morning Jacket-Forecastle Festival 2012 (Pretty explanatory for those in attendance. I got to take a break from the regular cycle of songs and got to hear "The Bear" "Rocketman" "Cobra" and "Careless Whisper." The under the overpass soundcheck was special and Jim shook my hand afterwards)
3.) A$AP Rocky-Bonnaroo 2013 (I was about second or third row for this one. The wildest show I've ever been to. Beginning to end was nonstop mosh pitting and my backpack strap was torn off in the mayhem plus my toe is still bruised. I did get the setlist which was awesome)
2.) My Morning Jacket-Bonnaroo 2011 (I was front of the pit and it was the first time i ever seen the band live. This began my drive and need to see every local MMJ show possible)
1.) Fleet Foxes-Ryman Auditorium 2011 (This one will be tough to beat. The band and audience connected perfectly along with the acoustics of the building. I got my Helplessness Blues cd signed after the show and the band still considers Nashville 2011 as the best show they've ever played)
:cheesy: :cheesy: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :
Only wanted to pick one MMJ set...
MMJ/Pearl Jam @ Continental Arena 6/3/06
First time I saw my two favorite live bands live (my third concert).
Real Estate @ Ridgewood, NJ 6/24/12
An intimate, outdoor show for charity in my hometown with a great band from my hometown.
D'Angelo & Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl 3/4/13
Yo La Tengo @ Maxwell's 6/15/13
My first/only show at Maxwell's and YLT's last.
Fifth is Bruce closing Giants Stadium, Weird Al, or Jim at Sleep No More... CANT DECIDE
Great thread, and I enjoy reading people's lists. :cool:
I just couldn't possibly come up with one. Not to be a dick, but I'd honestly have a hard time coming up with my top five shows from each of my favorite bands, let alone five from all of them combined.
Quote from: ericm on Jul 06, 2013, 07:32 AM
Great thread, and I enjoy reading people's lists. :cool:
I just couldn't possibly come up with one. Not to be a dick, but I'd honestly have a hard time coming up with my top five shows from each of my favorite bands, let alone five from all of them combined.
whatta dick!
Quote from: johnnYYac on Jul 06, 2013, 10:49 AM
Quote from: ericm on Jul 06, 2013, 07:32 AM
Great thread, and I enjoy reading people's lists. :cool:
I just couldn't possibly come up with one. Not to be a dick, but I'd honestly have a hard time coming up with my top five shows from each of my favorite bands, let alone five from all of them combined.
whatta dick!
I know right. :grin: even with the disclaimer, it does come off a bit dickish. :wink:
Quote from: ericm on Jul 06, 2013, 11:52 AM
Quote from: johnnYYac on Jul 06, 2013, 10:49 AM
Quote from: ericm on Jul 06, 2013, 07:32 AM
Great thread, and I enjoy reading people's lists. :cool:
I just couldn't possibly come up with one. Not to be a dick, but I'd honestly have a hard time coming up with my top five shows from each of my favorite bands, let alone five from all of them combined.
whatta dick!
I know right. :grin: even with the disclaimer, it does come off a bit dickish. :wink:
A$$hole! :wink:
I have been trying to write a reply to this thread since I first saw it pop up. But I just can't do it! I'm like that dick, ericm. Coming up with a list is just too damn hard!
HOWEVER, this thread gave me the inspiration for an interesting little project. I have a ticket stub (or some sort of concert memento in the case of no-ticket shows) from every show I've been to. This is a decades-old collection and is still being added to frequently. It is now my goal to go through this collection and enter every show on an Excel spreadsheet, assigning each show a grade. I'll also write out a note or two from each show -- who I went with, if something notable happened etc.
This is gonna be a slow process, but give me ten or eleven years and I'll have a definitive top five for all y'all!!!
Damn, as a fan of 70s rock, I was especially looking forward to Eric's list. Dude, you saw Zeppelin in '77 right? C'mon, you can rise to the challenge!
I'm thinking about my list and will post it when I get back from vacation.
This is hard. I see a lot of music and I like a lot of music. But these 5 shows were transcendent in my musical journey. Thanks to all who have posted in this thread. Great reading!!
12/31/99 - Phish at Big Cypress. 100,000 of my closest friends watching Phish play an amazing set from Midnight until sunrise without taking any breaks. I can't imagine anything will ever top that experience.
7-16-94 Grateful Dead at RFK. I only got to see the Dead three times. This was the best of them, and also my first. But I knew what I was seeing was special, even if my ears were lying to me a little. The Estimated in that show served as a good kick in the pants to move my ass to California.
10-8-99 the Disco Biscuits at the Key Club in Los Angeles. I was deep into the Dead and Phish by this point, but this music took me to an entirely different level. It was like nothing I had heard before. The intricacies in which they played and the way they went in and out of songs, weaving them in and out of the setlist, really blew me away. I got into tDB in a BIG way for the next decade. The more I learned about tDB music, the more impressed I got. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have the drive or professionalism to be bigger than a northeast club act.
10-31-98 PHiSH in Las Vegas. For Halloween shows, Phish puts on a musical costume and covers an album in its entirety as one of its 3 sets that night. On this night, they covered Velvet Underground's LOADED. It's not my favorite album that they've covered, but it was some of the most inspired playing I've ever heard them do.
8-26-94 Allman Brothers Band at MPP in Maryland. I grew up listening to classic rock and this was one of my first shows. It came on the heels of my first Dead show and honestly, I thought many of the ABB songs I knew from the radio were Dead songs. They played an extremely long "Jessica" which blew my mind.
Honorable Mentions both include the greatest drummer on earth:
Oysterhead
Police at the Hollywood Bowl
Here are a few that come to mind, keeping the rule of one entry per artist. Also, no way I can limit this to 5:
MMJ, Red Rocks, 2012 - These two shows taken together were the greatest musical experience of my life. After night 1 it was hard to imagine how they would top it for night 2, but they did.
Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza 1990, Shoreline Amp., Mt. View, CA. - I'm not sure anything will match seeing this band at the simultaneous peak and end of their career. At this point Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro hated each other so much that some nights they would walk off stage and start beating the crap out of each other. This tension made for incredible shows. The band at this point was a juggernaut out of control.
Grateful Dead, Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, 7-17-89. - Possibly the most memorable of the 100+ Grateful Dead shows I saw. Jerry was on fire in this period and the energy that the band had in this period was amazing. The second set of this show is captured in full on the "Downhill from Here" DVD. The huge smile on Jerry's face as he sings the "Wish I was a headlight..." line of I Know You Rider that you can see on the DVD just sums up what a great period this was for the band.
Spiritualized, Radio City Music Hall, 7-30-10. - Full album performance of "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" with horns, choir, and orchestra. 'nuff said.
Radiohead, Stone Mt. State Park, Atlanta, GA, 2001. - My first time seeing Radiohead, and an amazing show on the Kid A/Amnesiac tour.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Madison Square Garden, NYC, November 2009. - Full album performance of my favorite Springsteen album, The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, for the first and probably only time now that Clarence Clemmons has passed on.
Smashing Pumpkins, St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI, June 1992. - Club show during the Gish tour. From this show I knew with absolute certainty that this band would be huge.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Sonic Youth, Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA, 1991. Insane double bill and the best Neil/Crazy Horse show I've seen. Proof of my theory that Angry Neil is the best Neil.
LCD Soundsystem, Terminal 5, NYC, March 2011. One of the four "farewell" shows at Terminal 5 before the final show at Madison Square Garden. Amazing experience of a band pulling out all the stops and going out on top.
Soundgarden/Swervedriver/Monster Magnet, The Warfield, San Francisco, CA, 1992. Great triple bill and my first time seeing Soundgarden. This show was on the Badmotorfinger tour, and they killed it.
Tool, Red Rocks, 2010. Incredible show at an incredible venue. Also very interesting setlist that drew well from all their albums. This show could have ended after the opening song of Third Eye and it would still probably have made this list.
Pearl Jam - tie between Halloween 1994, Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA and Halloween 2009, Spectrum, Philadelphia. Incredible shows for different reason. The 1994 show from the Vs. tour was my first PJ show. The 2009 show was PJ's final show at the Spectrum, and they played for over three hours and pulled out all the stops.
Jeff Buckley, Noe Valley Ministry, San Francisco, CA, 1993 or 1994? - I don't remember the exact date of this show, but the venue is a church. My first of the two times I got to see Jeff, and I was blown away.
Nine Inch Nails, Kaiser Auditorium, Oakland, CA, 1994. - I've seen tons of amazing NIN shows, and the Lights in the Sky Tour or the Bonnaroo 2009 show might rival this, but there was something so groundbreaking about this tour for The Downward Spiral that I have to give this the top slot.
Richard Thompson, Palms Playhouse, Davis, CA, 1991. Possibly the most memorable of the 40+ times I've seen Thompson, who is in my opinion the greatest guitarist on earth.
Iggy and the Stooges, 9:30 Club, Washington, DC 2006 or 2007. This was the Stooges lineup with Ron Ashton before he died, playing the Raw Power era stuff. The best of the oodles of shows I've seen at the 9:30 club since moving to DC in 2005.
Whippy, do you keep a spreadsheet of all the shows you've gone to? You've been to so many I'm really impressed that you can remember the dates about them.
Quote from: Fully on Jul 07, 2013, 05:11 AM
Whippy, do you keep a spreadsheet of all the shows you've gone to? You've been to so many I'm really impressed that you can remember the dates about them.
No, I don't have any kind of spreadsheet or anything, I just have a very good memory when music is involved.
I'd have to think long and hard about this...but off the top of my head:
I was also at that Ryan Adams & The Cardinals show at The Wellmont in NJ. It was my last cardinals show before they broke up. They played a decent amount of newer songs which is maybe what you didn't recognize...but that was a crazy amazing show.
but my favorite Ryan Adams show would have to be Halloween 2007 at Hammerstein Ballroom. epic, 3 discer show. so happy to have the SBD to relive that shit!!!
beyond that I'd have to mention The Black Crowes 2005 reunion show at Hammerstein Ballroom, or really any of their 05 and 06 shows as some of their best. 2 nights at The Ryman this year are high up there too!!
My very first MMJ show at Radio City 2008!! God damn!! a close 2nd would have to be At Dawn at Terminal 5 or Forecastle last summer!!
Radiohead at The Tower Theater 2006. maybe the best show I have ever seen period!! and never found a recording of to try to re-live that night...
My first, last and only Grateful Dead show: RFK stadium, 06-25-1995
And U2 Elevation Tour 2001 from Inside the Heart. in Philadephia. oh my god, what an experience!!
Way too many to process, so I might miss some lurking deep in the back of my head.
Was # 1, now # 2 Springsteen 1981. THE standard of excellence in concerts until I discovered MMJ. Saw him in 85 and 99, both were not even close to the 81 shows.
Real #1 Night one Wiltern MMJ 2012. Google that set list. What a venue.
#3 Opening show of Pink Floyd The Wall LA 1980. 9th row center. Better seats than my friends who sat 2nd row. They could not see parts of the stage. Only show with fireworks, because it was the first show, and the set caught on fire.
#4New Multitudes 2012 This show surprised the hell out of me, it was sooo good. I discovered a new favorite, Anders Parker. He and Jim should collaborate more often.
#5 Santana 1991 Santa Barbara Bowl. Daytime show, 2.5 hours in the sun of Carlos playing hits, obscurities, and jazz. My sons first concert. He was 15 months old. Now he has been to as many shows as I have. Including night 2 of the MMJ Wiltern shows.
GD-3/22/90
Bad Brains-10/15/83
GD-10/9/89
GD-3/20/86
Spear-7/7/93
ask me on another day and the list would be totally diff, but i'm a good custie , so i did my best.
MMJ - November 24, 2006 - Riviera Theater Chicago - Not sure why this one stands out but the children's symphony and setlist were great and it was the last time I saw them in smaller venue I think.
Wilco - May 19 & 20, 2004 - Otto's DeKalb, IL - Again, loved the setlists, small venue. I think these were Jeff's first shows after getting out of treatment, debuted Nils on guitar and thought they were incredibly tight.
Phish - Big Cypress - December 31, 1999-January 1, 2000 - I'll echo Colfax
The Replacements - July 1, 1991 - Summerfest Milwaukee - Their second to last show of the first band I ever loved and worshiped (until this summer)
Neil Young - Solo Tour - 5-17-1999 - Was always a casual Neil fan, but left in love with his music. Although he is not my favorite artist, this remains my favorite concert.
only 5?
1979- Day of Rock n' Roll-Louisiana Superdome: Boston, Van Halen, heart, Blue Oyster Cult, Nazareth, Sammy Hagar. 1st concert ever.
1984- Van Halen- Reunion Arena in Dallas- last North American show with Diamond Dave (3 shows in Dallas). Friend of a friend's dad was an usher working a door and was going to let us in for free. He fucked with us and let us in after we sat outside listening to the opening song.
1984- Stevie Ray Vaughan, unannounced at the Delta Blues Festival in Greenville, Mississippi
2000- The Who, Shoreline Amphitheater. Honeymoon!
2005- MMJ at the 40 Watt in Athens, GA. Maybe the best ever for me.
Quote from: el_chode on Jul 04, 2013, 10:12 PM
I have to pick one Jacket show:
1) Bonnaroo '06...I think. I don't know. I think that one because I went thinking I was getting a 2 hour show and then ended up with like a 4 hour one. But that setlist was top notch. But the 12/27 Cap show was like seeing a whole new band. Then there was the time I thought a cover band came out for the first few minutes of NYE 2011 because Jim was hairless and they opened with a cover.
2) Ween - A parking lot in Asbury Park like 6 years ago. It was the School of Rock festival. They played Push Th' Lil Daisies with a 12 year old on vocals. They also just decided halfway through the set to stop playing their setlist and take audience commands. Deaner had some of the most intriguing Deaner faces. It was on the beach.
3) Ryan Adams - A few years ago at the Wellmont in Montclair NJ. I thought I was taking my then-girlfriend, now-wife to a standard concert we could both agree wouldn't be boring. Instead she found it boring, and I discovered they could Jam. Holy shit, could they Jam. And I didn't recognize half the songs (nor did she).
4) The Dirtbombs - Many years ago, at Maxwells (RIP) in Hoboken. TWO DRUMMERS. TWO FUCKING DRUMMERS.
5) Oysterhead - Roo, '06. 1) It's Oysterhead. 2) Antler Guitars and Masks. 3) OYSTERHEAD
The strange thing is that I've been to a metric asston of concerts and I had a hard time picking them or even remembering the ones that aren't Jacket. I might be sick. Numerous times seeing the Crowes, Reigning Sound, intimate shows at Maxwells and whatnot. Multiple Festivals...OH
My buddy just drive up from VA to see Reigning Sound play Maxwell's last week. Real shame that a great spot like that is closing.
intersting post :rolleyes:
I also have been enjoying reading this thread. More recent bands and more recent shows pop in my mind initially. After much thought, I have to include some shows from long ago as I was beyond excited for them and so energized by them.
So limiting to 5 and not including festivals, here it goes (in chronological order)
Paul McCartney - Dec 1989 Madison Square Garden. I was (and still am) a big Beatles fan and seeing Paul in person was something I didn't think would happen. I still remember walking out of MSG with my friends in awe that we heard those Beatles songs played so well.
Tom Petty - Patriot Center, VA 1993 or 94 - He was beyond popular then, and I played Full Moon Fever a million times. The show was sold out, but my friends and I drove there anyway and some nice person sold us three great seats for face (despite there being tons of buyers walking around the lot). Lenny Kravitz opened and I still remember the place getting into Let Love Rule. Petty played all the new hits and old ones of course.
Radiohead - Sept (or August) 2001 Liberty State Park, NJ- A huuuuge outdoor show where I was faaar from the stage. It didn't matter. The sound and songs were incredible. The weather was too.
Pearl Jam - Sept 29, 1996 Randalls Island, NY and Sept 11, 1998 Madison Square Garden- There are a few others I can think of that are in contention for favorites. I didn't think they were ever going to stop playing that Randalls Island night two show. They debuted several No Code songs and Eddie was into it. The crowd was nuts. MSG night 2 in '98 the Save It For Later tag plus the rocking Alive at the end was just perfection.
MMJ - MPP 2012 and PC3 2012 - My first MMJ show was in '06 opening for PJ so I missed the early days. Still, the most recent shows have been stellar! Dare I saw best ever..... I think so.
I started to go to concerts in the early '80s, although I wasn't allowed to attend The Who's first "Last Concert" in 1982 at Maple Leaf Gardens (I'm not from Toronto). Anyway, I've never felt the urge to go on the road with my fav bands, even though I love the Dead and Allmans. I've seen great concerts in other countries, but the Toronto-based ones seem to stick out the most. BTW, I'm seeing Phish tonight, which I doubt will make my Top 5, or 30.
Here's 5 that come to mind (I'm sure I missed a few gems too):
The White Stripes @ The Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, July 5, 2007
– I've seen the Stripes five times, but this show was extra special because of its historical importance. The Canadian leg of the Icky Thump tour ended up being the Whites' last; it also saw them make history as the first rock band to perform in every Canadian province and territory. More importantly, the duo were in incredible form throughout the hard-hitting two hour show (the stage set-up was bare bones: drums and guitar, a stack of amps draped with a Canadian flag, plus one piano and a simple white screen used for reflecting shadows). Rock at its most powerful.
Television @ The Phoenix Concert Hall, Toronto, June 9, 2006
– One of the last shows featuring the intact classic lineup (Richard Lloyd quit soon after this gig). The CBGB icons were on fire, jamming out new songs and rearranging old favourites, all the while remaining fresh and relevant. They were headliners at the NXNE (North By Northeast) Festival, their first Canadian appearance in 14 years. Fucking "1800 or So" was even better than "Marquee Moon" and "Little Johnny Jewel"!
Pete Townshend @ Massey Hall, Toronto, July 10, 1993
– This was the second-last stop on Pete's Psychoderelict Tour. I know that this was his failed attempt at a play-within-a-rock-album, but Pete on the famous Massey Hall stage showed no signs of middle age as he ripped through classic Who and solo material, which bookened the decent Psychoderelict theatrics.
Neil Young with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Blues Traveler @ The Canadian National Exhibition Stadium, Toronto, August 18, 1993
– Neil was back in his hometown, backed by Booker T. & The MGs, but the outfit resembled the garage rock heaviness of Crazy Horse. Pearl Jam were the hottest young band in the world, coming off the success of Ten and the soon-to-be-released Vs.. Soundgarden were almost as big as PJ at the time and Blues Traveler were on the cusp of stardom (this was the era when John Popper was recovering from a highly publicized motorcycle accident, which first put him in a wheelchair and perform with the use of a cane; he had a cane for this show). Anyway, Neil won the Best Band completion, but it was close because PJ had the 50,000 fans riled up into a frenzy.
Radiohead with The Beta Band @ Molson Park, Barrie, Ontario, August 3, 2001 – 30,000 strong turned up in the small city 90 minutes north of Toronto to witness Radiohead's Kid A/Amnesiac Tour. The Beta Band were a revelation and a perfect warm-up act, putting on a terrific groove-heavy 45-minute set (their breakthrough The Three EPs compilation was HUGE at the time). Radiohead were magnetic as always, but they seemed to play with some extra force on the night which elicited three unrehearsed encores. Holy moly did "Airbag", "Paranoid Android" and "The Bends" kick major ass!
Other great shows worth a mention: Arcade Fire @ Massey Hall for the Neon Bible tour (this show could easily dethrone all five of my aforementioned favs), MMJ and The Soundtrack Of Our Lives in 2003, The Who in 1988, Buddy Guy in 1999, The Allman Brothers in 1995 and Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour and The Swell Season.
1. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pueblo Colorado 1986
Out of all 9 times I was lucky to see SRV live, this was the best: a little rodeo grounds in an out of the way Colorado town, Gregg Allman Band opening on his I'm No Angel tour. Standing in the dirt of the infield, we watched with our mouths hanging open in amazement as SRV came out and immediately ripped into several of his instrumentals at an absolutely blistering pace. Later he blew us away with Mary Had A Little Lamb, Texas Flood, Couldn't Stand the Weather and Voodoo Child. Not rare songs, but the intensity, mastery and inspiration with which they were played was jaw-dropping. Still the greatest rock guitarist I've ever seen in person.
2. Georgia Satellites – The Channel Club, Boston 1987
A hot summer night in this sweatbox of a dark dive, the Satellites brought a true and sincere 1980s version of turbo-charged Chuck Berry via the Stones and Faces three-chord rock 'n roll: simple no frills barroom music without pretense for a packed crowd. I'm not much into mosh pits and punk rock, but I left this show soaked to the skin in sweat and spilled beer (both mine and other people's on both accounts) after beind smashed in with a bunch of hooligan rock fans all night and I totally loved it. Rock 'n' Roll nirvana for me.
3. Page and Plant San Jose 1998
The closest I ever got to seeing Led Zeppelin. The way the entire arena was rocking out to Hey Hey What Can I Do was one of those galvanizing ecstatic group-mind moments that are so powerful.
4. Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan - Anaheim 1987
My first Grateful Dead show was one of the most overwhelming for me. I was already a hardcore fan of Dylan whom I'd not even consider missing at any Southern California show AND I'd always wondered what those bumper stickers meant that said "There Is Nothing Like A Grateful Dead concert". Their records certainly hadn't impressed me at that point, but I loved that they covered Dylan a lot in their shows. I went with a couple of veteran Deadheads who seemed to be able to pull out of their bag anything that my stoned little head and heart desired at the exact moment I wanted it. Let's just say I was in a "receptive" mood and time and place in my life for the Grateful Dead trip and I took it hook, line and sinker, thinking this experience had been waiting for me my entire life. It felt like arriving back home to a place I didn't even know I had originated at or had ever left, a shining golden palace with a bunch of friendly strangers welcoming the prodigal son. And that was before my Deadhead hosts passed out the vitamin B12 pills for extra stamina right before Dylan took the stage for the third set to play a bunch of songs I'd never dreamed I'd get to hear live backed by The Dead. The way the entire stadium was rocking out at the end of the night to a massive triumphant celebratory Touch Of Grey was a mind-blowing capper. "Where's the next show?!"
5. Hard to pick #5. Wilco in Aspen 2010, my first time seeing the Nels Cline lineup after discovering the Ashes Of American Flags concert film? MMJ at the Wiltern 2012 night #1 (just like Rincon picked)? MMJ Red Rocks 2012? One of the great Allman Brothers Band shows with Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes in the early 90s where I thought the band was actually levitating the entire amphitheater in Blue Sky? Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers becoming legitimate contenders for the World's Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band during their 1997 20-night Fillmore run? The Black Crowes doing a mid-week show at the Fillmore in 2008 opening the night with the incredible and incredibly rare Exit? All contenders for me.
Oh, yeah, U2 on the Joshua Tree tour, two nights at the Cow Palace in San Francisco and then again in the Boston Garden the night the power went out and they had to play acoustic for awhile with just the house lights on. ZOO TV tour when Achtung Baby first came out was pretty damn excellent, too. I saw it indoors in Sacramento and then outdoors in Oakland.
1. Pearl Jam- 10-31-09@ The Spectrum. Last show of the Spectrum, 40 some odd songs.
2. Pearl Jam- 5-21-10 MSG. Missed Band of Horses and got there right before PJ hit the stage for the last leg of the US tour. Hearing Hunger Strike w/ Ben helped
3. The White Stripes- 6-27-07@ Grand Opera House in Wilmington. First and only time i saw them play and it was in Delaware. I was right up front also! Magical night.
4. My Morning Jacket- 8-29-10@ Penn's Landing (festival pier). Ok I was more of a casual fan of MMJ before seeing them live, that changed.
5. Ozzfest '99. Had pit tix and got to see System Of A Down, Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath and others
Honorable mentions:
-The Dirtbombs- 4/10/08@ Johnny Brenda's These guys are awesome live. I saw them open up for The Datsuns in '04. This show was just great!. One of the drummers put the drum over his head and started playing :grin:
- Kings Of Leon- 2/25/05@ TLA in philly. Third time seeing them. Me and my buddy got there an hour before the show cuz he thought it started earlier. Got right up front against the guardrail. Scored the set list and a few guitar picks.
Tool- 5/17/06@ Tower Theater in philly. Had balcony seats and it was still awesome to see tool play in a not so big arena and they rocked the f*ck out of it.
Jim James- 4/28/13@ Union Transfer. So far my fav concert this year. Met a lot of cool people and was right up front to witness his magic.
tbear, that Merriweather 1985 Dead show was before my time, but I listen to that show a lot, especially the fantastic Shakedown Street. Summer tour 1985 is smoking, to my ears. I can easily imagine how great it must've been to be there like you described. Dead shows were tons of fun!
APR, I saw McCartney in 1989 and 1993. I really loved that 1993 show in Boulder, CO, the band was really tight, better than the 1989 show I saw in Berkeley, and I was over the top to hear all those great songs.
Whippy, I didn't make that Palms Playhouse Richard Thompson show in 1991 (can't remember where I saw the Rumor and Sigh band tour), but I did see the Mirror Blue electric band tour (Dave Mattacks on drums!) at the Warfield in San Fran in 1994 and I finally got an electric Calvary Cross. It was easily the best RT show I saw. Nobody plays guitar quite like RT, a true master for sure. What made the Palms show you saw so good? I know he often played good shows at that venue.
Tracy, I think I already told you how envious I am of you and that 1979 Day of Rock show, so many great bands I love near their prime. Lucky lucky you. Who took you to that show? Prob. some good stories there, right? Give us a taste, please!
I'm not that into Pearl Jam, but I did go see their show in San Jose in 1995 (I missed the show in Golden Gate Park earlier that year in which Neil Young filled in for Vedder). At the San Jose show, they opened with Release, far away my favorite Pearl Jam song. It was a pretty great show. I wish I had seen the 1991 Cow Palace New Year's Eve show with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers, or any Pearl Jam show in 1991. I missed out.
Quote from: Shug on Jul 15, 2013, 02:53 PM
Whippy, I didn't make that Palms Playhouse Richard Thompson show in 1991 (can't remember where I saw the Rumor and Sigh band tour), but I did see the Mirror Blue electric band tour (Dave Mattacks on drums!) at the Warfield in San Fran in 1994 and I finally got an electric Calvary Cross. It was easily the best RT show I saw. Nobody plays guitar quite like RT, a true master for sure. What made the Palms show you saw so good? I know he often played good shows at that venue.
OK, this is devolving into a bit of Thompson talk that probably won't mean much to anyone besides the two of us, but you asked, so...
The Palms Playhouse is a really cool old venue and it was a very intimate two-set solo acoustic show. You talk about how cool it was to hear Calvary Cross at the Warfield show in 1994 (which I was also at, and I agree!), well Palms show in 1991 had an acoustic Calvary Cross, so a real surprise and my first time hearing pretty much my favorite Thompson song. The inspiration for him playing Calvary Cross at both of these shows (Palms 1991 and Warfield 1994) was Henry Kaiser, who was a special guest on both of them. Another big highlight of the 1991 show for me was Beat the Retreat, which was the only time I've ever heard him play it.
Quote from: MrWhippy on Jul 15, 2013, 05:16 PM
Quote from: Shug on Jul 15, 2013, 02:53 PM
Whippy, I didn't make that Palms Playhouse Richard Thompson show in 1991 (can't remember where I saw the Rumor and Sigh band tour), but I did see the Mirror Blue electric band tour (Dave Mattacks on drums!) at the Warfield in San Fran in 1994 and I finally got an electric Calvary Cross. It was easily the best RT show I saw. Nobody plays guitar quite like RT, a true master for sure. What made the Palms show you saw so good? I know he often played good shows at that venue.
OK, this is devolving into a bit of Thompson talk that probably won't mean much to anyone besides the two of us, but you asked, so...
The Palms Playhouse is a really cool old venue and it was a very intimate two-set solo acoustic show. You talk about how cool it was to hear Calvary Cross at the Warfield show in 1994 (which I was also at, and I agree!), well Palms show in 1991 had an acoustic Calvary Cross, so a real surprise and my first time hearing pretty much my favorite Thompson song. The inspiration for him playing Calvary Cross at both of these shows (Palms 1991 and Warfield 1994) was Henry Kaiser, who was a special guest on both of them. Another big highlight of the 1991 show for me was Beat the Retreat, which was the only time I've ever heard him play it.
Sounds like some fantastic shows!
A bit off topic but I missed out on seeing Bobby open,and all this great talk about RT has got me bummed he's not opening any of the shows I'm going to. Ryan Bingham had better be pretty damn good. :wink:
Quote from: ericm on Jul 15, 2013, 06:09 PM
A bit off topic but I missed out on seeing Bobby open,and all this great talk about RT has got me bummed he's not opening any of the shows I'm going to. Ryan Bingham had better be pretty damn good. :wink:
EXACTLY what I've been thinking, Eric! So bummed to be missing the Sloth or Calvary Cross with Wilco :cry:
I know, Shug. We should form a support group. :cry: :cry: :cry:
I saw that 1993 tour as well, but it was at a huge baseball stadium which isn't the greatest setting in my opinion.
Quote from: Shug on Jul 15, 2013, 02:53 PM
tbear, that Merriweather 1985 Dead show was before my time, but I listen to that show a lot, especially the fantastic Shakedown Street. Summer tour 1985 is smoking, to my ears. I can easily imagine how great it must've been to be there like you described. Dead shows were tons of fun!
APR, I saw McCartney in 1989 and 1993. I really loved that 1993 show in Boulder, CO, the band was really tight, better than the 1989 show I saw in Berkeley, and I was over the top to hear all those great songs.
Both of the McCartney shows I saw in 1989 and 1993 were in huge outdoor football stadiums. I had bad seats for the first one, that surely had something to do with not prefering that show. For the second one I forked over the outrageous sum of $90 to a ticket broker to get a good seat long after the on-sale. That was, at the time, the most I'd ever paid for a concert ticket and about double face value, if I remember correctly. But I had a good seat and had a great time. I also liked the Off The Ground album better than Flowers In The Dirt. C'mon People was epic live, a powerful experience.
Too bad he didn't tour for Flaming Pie, that record is, I think, his best since the 70s. I'd have loved to have heard Beautiful Night and Souvenir live.
Chronologically-
1. The Who- December 4, 1971 Denver Coliseum- the night that changed my life
2. Jethro Tull- June, 1972 Denver Coliseum- opened the show with 1 1/2 hours of Thick as a Brick, then some classics, followed by their great encore of My God> Locomotive Breath. Tull outplayed Led Zep and the Stones that month IMO.
3. The Who November, 1975 Kansas City and 1976 Denver- At the top of their game, the greatest live act in Rock history, I was in the first row both nights right in front of Pete. He handed me the tambourine he hit during Baba, and I got to hang with them backstage.
4. Bridge Benefit 1999- Neil Young, The Who, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crowe, Tom Waits, Green Day, fragments of Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Wilson and great San Francisco ambiance for two nights
5. The Who- 2000 Camden- Pete returns to the electric guitar, Zak channels Keith, John play stupendous solos, and Roger still looked and sounded great---this was the best of several shows I saw on that tour.
Honorable mentions: MMJ's 2011 Red Rocks; Elton John in the mid-70's; Bruce and U2 in the mid 80's; Pearl Jam 1995 Red Rocks, Neil Young many times; and about 30 other Who shows.
Quote from: Seeker on Jul 23, 2013, 12:34 PM
Chronologically-
1. The Who- December 4, 1971 Denver Coliseum- the night that changed my life
2. Jethro Tull- June, 1972 Denver Coliseum- opened the show with 1 1/2 hours of Thick as a Brick, then some classics, followed by their great encore of My God> Locomotive Breath. Tull outplayed Led Zep and the Stones that month IMO.
3. The Who November, 1975 Kansas City and 1976 Denver- At the top of their game, the greatest live act in Rock history, I was in the first row both nights right in front of Pete. He handed me the tambourine he hit during Baba, and I got to hang with them backstage.
4. Bridge Benefit 1999- Neil Young, The Who, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crowe, Tom Waits, Green Day, fragments of Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Wilson and great San Francisco ambiance for two nights
5. The Who- 2000 Camden- Pete returns to the electric guitar, Zak channels Keith, John play stupendous solos, and Roger still looked and sounded great---this was the best of several shows I saw on that tour.
Honorable mentions: MMJ's 2011 Red Rocks; Elton John in the mid-70's; Bruce and U2 in the mid 80's; Pearl Jam 1995 Red Rocks, Neil Young many times; and about 30 other Who shows.
Jealous of all those :cheesy: The Who in 71 my god.
Quote from: Seeker on Jul 23, 2013, 12:34 PM
4. Bridge Benefit 1999- Neil Young, The Who, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crowe, Tom Waits, Green Day, fragments of Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Wilson and great San Francisco ambiance for two nights
And don't forget Emmylou Harris (one day) and Lucinda Williams (both days).
I've attended BSB 15 of the last 16 years. 1999 remains my favorite as far as the shows themselves. The Sunday show was on Halloween! That's the only time I've seen Neil on Halloween and the first of 2 Pearl Jam Halloween shows for me (the other being Philly 2009).