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Best concert(s) you've ever been to

gardenjam

gardenjam

Red Shirt
5 Year Member
What's the best concert(s) you've ever been to?

I've been going to shows for 40 plus years and would have to say it's all relative to what best means to you at the time.

Off the top of my head I would say:

Smashing Pumpkins 1993 very small bar (maybe 150-200 people, and that was just the upstairs part of the bar) in Iowa City - f#@king insane, crowd bouncing and hanging from the ceiling, front row leaning and climbing on the stage. Silverfuck is the most epic song I've ever seen live. I went in with my Husker hat and in the end left wearing a North Carolina hat.

The White Stripes 2003 - Kansas City. Absolutely jaw dropping.

Nirvana 1994, Davenport, Iowa - I was almost swallowed whole. My girlfriend and I were standing in the back row outer edge of the main floor of Palmer auditorium. ABBA Dancing Queen was playing, then the lights went out, the band came on stage, the crowd filled and we were compressed lifted a foot off the ground unable to put our feet down. I swung my arms around and then grabbed my girlfriend and drove back with my legs and got the fu@k out of there. We watched the show from the back wall. I was missing one shoe and finally found it after the show was over. Someone threw it onstage and I had to ask a stage hand to throw it back to me.

Aerosmith and ACDC 1978 Salt Lake City - Bon Scott led ACDC blew my mind. Instant fan. I was in 7th grade.

Iron Maiden and the Scorpions, Salt Lake City, 1982 - Blackout/Number of the Beast Tour. Iron Maiden blew the Scorpions off the stage....and I was a huge Scorpions fan at the time. I left that show drenched in sweat like I just got out of the shower.

Pearl Jam live shows are almost a religion. I've been to over 30.

The Dead Reunion East Troy, WI - I never got to see Jerry but this was a hell of a good time.
 

It seems like that there has been a thread or 3 about this. But without going into too much detail, two of my favorite shows were The Allman Brothers Band in the late 80's at the WPB State Fair and Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan in the Miami Arena. I've told the tale at least once on here about the ABB and my fave from them, Melissa. They played some 3 hours with 3 encores and still hadn't played Melissa. Nobody left, seemed everyone was stomping and cheering and then above the din, you could hear some noise or movement up on a completely darkened stage. Warren Haynes was in the band at the time, but any way, the crowd hushed and the lights came up slowly and they ended the show with Melissa as an acoustic version for at least 12 - 15 minutes. It gets fuzzier over the years about how long they really played that song, but my arms were raised above my head the whole time.

At the time, in 1989 Miami with the Jeff Beck and SRV tour. We got the tickets to mainly see Jeff Beck, but Stevie flat out stole the show. My jaw dropped to the floor when he started playing. To this day, I may have seen show's that I've liked just as much, but I can't honestly say I've ever seen a better show. SRV was and still is, the REAL DEAL.
 
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May 1976, Kansas City Memorial Hall, Kansas City Kansas. It was about half full. The opening act was John McLaughlin with Shakti. The guitarist was unbelievable, the percussionists were other worldly. At times the sound literally swirled as the percussionists built incredibly intricate rhythms behind the lead instruments. Then the headliners, Weather Report, about 1 month after a relatively unknown bass player named Jaco Pastorious joined the band. Jaws dropped throughout the hall when he played. Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Alex Acuna and Manolo Bandrena were stellar as well.

I'll add some more tomorrow.
 
Wow -- very difficult. I'm certain I've been to over 1,000 shows in my life. But maybe only 2-3 that were in a large arena. I have no desire for stadium/arena types of shows. If I'm among a large crowd, it will be at a music festival with no assigned seating. Odds are 8-9 of my top 10 shows were in small venues, packed, and loud -- with bands that 99% of Americans have never heard of.

I'll have to ponder this and see if I can come up with something.
 
HuskerWeatherman said:
Wow -- very difficult. I'm certain I've been to over 1,000 shows in my life. But maybe only 2-3 that were in a large arena. I have no desire for stadium/arena types of shows. If I'm among a large crowd, it will be at a music festival with no assigned seating. Odds are 8-9 of my top 10 shows were in small venues, packed, and loud -- with bands that 99% of Americans have never heard of.

I'll have to ponder this and see if I can come up with something.
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I hear you when it comes to stadium shows. I avoid them unless it's a band I absolutely have to see (which is rare). I've probably been spoiled over the years. Most stadium shows aren't worth the money. Small venues and festivals are the way to go.

Would love to hear some of your favorite shows.
 
Really odd favorite for me. I am most definitely not a country music fan, but my wife and I went to see Keith Urban in a decent size Atlanta Honky-Tonk-like place. I think that's what they are called, anyway. It held about 700 people....who knows. It was probably 2002. Keith was just getting popular, had a handful of songs on the radio already, and was probably in his nose-candy life phase. Anyhoo, we sat at a table in the front row of a small elevated area for pool tables, etc. Great view of the stage. He and his crew blew the lid off that place. Small venue, alot of interaction. The sound was fantastic. His band seemingly never missed a beat. About as perfect as I could have imagined up a concert. I still don't listen to country music unless it's Keith Urban.
 
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HuskerWeatherman said:
Odds are 8-9 of my top 10 shows were in small venues, packed, and loud -- with bands that 99% of Americans have never heard of.
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I posted about this show not all that long ago, but I got tickets to the Collie Buddz show back in February and they were in this small club, about an hour or so late, I was about to leave, decided to buy a beer and if they didn't come on by the time I finished it, I would go home. They took the stage, and basically blew the roof off of the place. Love Reggae, but they were more than just that, they were a band that knew what they were doing. GREAT SHOW, maybe 200 - 300 people at most.
 
I suppose I could start with more recent shows and work backwards.

Two that come to mind within the past couple of years were both at the same venue. ACL Live -- Moody Theater (where they do the tapings for ACL Live on PBS). That's a great venue -- and maybe the only indoor venue in Austin I like. But it was built for music -- and there's not a bad seat -- though I've always gone with the open floor. I'm a front of the stage audience member whenever possible.

Oh, the two bands .... at least some of you have heard of these ...

First Aid Kit. Those two sisters are mind-blowingly talented. I mean like jaw-dropping, tearing up vocals. I've seen them twice, and would see them again any chance I got. Their backup band is outstanding as well. Just a great musical experience. BTW, a major inspiration for these Swedish sisters were Omaha's own Bright Eyes.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Incredible energy. Wild laser show. Extremely fun. Even the audience up in the seats were dancing their asses off. It is a can't sit even if you have a seat type of show. Each of the band members is a unique character. I love those guys.
 
1st concert....Foghat..,spring of '74 Davenport Iowa. Lynyrd Skynyrd June'76, Greenville S.C. Doobie Brothers fall '76, Iowa City, Iowa. Rolling Stones, Steel Wheel Tour, Oct.'89, Ames Iowa
 
Boji Husker said:
1st concert....Foghat..,spring of '74 Davenport Iowa. Lynyrd Skynyrd June'76, Greenville S.C. Doobie Brothers fall '76, Iowa City, Iowa. Rolling Stones, Steel Wheel Tour, Oct.'89, Ames Iowa
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Boji, I've been going to live shows since I was about 14(well over 2,500 show's). I've gone to shows as obscure as someones living room or back yard, to stadium show's. Outdoor show's just seem to be different than indoors, but I have zero qualms about going to a show large or small. Some really great show's I've seen have been in little local bars with a garage band making their debut or their 2nd or 3rd or whatever live gig and just smoked it. I can't honestly put a finger on the top 5 show's as that is subjective to things like my mood, the vibe in the venue, did I imbibe before, during, during, during again, LOL!!!! Oh well, just yapping, I love live music, I love music, it's probably my soul mate.

I've never posted this video before!!! ;)
 
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HuskerWeatherman said:
I suppose I could start with more recent shows and work backwards.

Two that come to mind within the past couple of years were both at the same venue. ACL Live -- Moody Theater (where they do the tapings for ACL Live on PBS). That's a great venue -- and maybe the only indoor venue in Austin I like. But it was built for music -- and there's not a bad seat -- though I've always gone with the open floor. I'm a front of the stage audience member whenever possible.

Oh, the two bands .... at least some of you have heard of these ...

First Aid Kit. Those two sisters are mind-blowingly talented. I mean like jaw-dropping, tearing up vocals. I've seen them twice, and would see them again any chance I got. Their backup band is outstanding as well. Just a great musical experience. BTW, a major inspiration for these Swedish sisters were Omaha's own Bright Eyes.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Incredible energy. Wild laser show. Extremely fun. Even the audience up in the seats were dancing their asses off. It is a can't sit even if you have a seat type of show. Each of the band members is a unique character. I love those guys.
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Love Bright Eyes. I saw them in Omaha in ~1998. I bought a First Aid Kit promo CD at a gas station years ago. I think it was Arizona? Are they from Arizona? It was a road trip and I can't remember what state it was in. I think the CD was white with a red cross....like a first aid kit.
 
gardenjam said:
Love Bright Eyes. I saw them in Omaha in ~1998. I bought a First Aid Kit promo CD at a gas station years ago. I think it was Arizona? Are they from Arizona? It was a road trip and I can't remember what state it was in. I think the CD was white with a red cross....like a first aid kit.
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First Aid Kit is from Sweden. Not quite Arizona! :Biggrin: I'm not aware of an Arizona promo CD (but can't say with 100% certainty).

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