Best Live Band(s)

[mackeson]

Posting in the "What are you listening to" thread, I cited the best live show. But then started thinking....

I have several "Bests" based on current mood and different criteria. I've seen many that qualify as the "Best" for different reasons. Of the 30ish "Big" acts I've seen and countless local bands, a few stand out. I haven't gone to a concert in years, after finding myself solely responsible for 2 young kids, but the memories...
-Ramones - raw energy, simple rock and roll. They put on a great one.

-Violent Femmes - A boy never forgets his first...

-James Brown - Master showman/ Godfather of soul. 'Nuff said

-Slim Cessna's auto club - dragged to a "country" band show and ended up blown away

-Doug Kershaw - Was working the lighting rig at a hillbilly town music fest at the arrogant age of 22 and said, "What the fuck is Cajun fiddle?" - totally blown away. realized I was a pre-judgmental ass sometimes.

-Skinny Puppy - crazy theatricality (chemical enhancement may have helped)

-Nine Inch Nails - liked them enough to see them twice on their own and once at Lollapalooza.

-Rolling Stones - They're a classic, and I was working so it was free
Grand prize winner for sheer variety of fun and interesting acts.....

Lollapalooza (the 1st one) Rollins Band, Butthole Surfers, Living Color, Ice-T w/ Body Count, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction.
What are your favorites (and why if you feel like explaining)?

 

[ashdigger]

The US Festival from the early 1980's. Realistically it introduced U2 to the American market....when U2 was good and not a bunch of douche nozzles.

 

[ashdigger]

Also any Bad Religion or Misfits concert.

 

[mackeson]

Also any Bad Religion or Misfits concert.

You saw Misfits ?!?!

I'm jealous. I had the chance to see Danzig, but thought he had become a sad cartoon at that point. Also had a chance to see a new incarnation of Misfits, but didn't think it was worth it without Danzig....

The original though (Danzig, Jerry Only, Bobby Steele/Doyle, and Robo or whatever drummer), that would have been great.

 

[ashdigger]

I saw the Misfits four times between 81-82. Fantastic shows. I was really into punk and saw a very large swath of the punk shows between 1979 and 1987. I probably hit about 200 concerts. Remember though it was punk. A concert could be 8 songs by 3 bands on a beach or a vacant warehouse. Very fun.

 

[jackswilling]

Back in the 70s
Black Sabbath x2

Blue Oyster Cult

Ramones 1977

Roxy Music

AC/DC W/Bon
Really stood out
Lot of concerts, a few other notable ones that stick out
Bob Marley was great

Queen

Yes in the round on the T. LEARY substance
Not overly impressed by the Stones early 80s
One concert that completely exceeded my expectations was

Neil Young early 80s

Not a big fan, but man that was a stem-winder. Loud, hard, and fast paced.

Did not see that coming
A lot of forgotten greats

X

Circle Jerks

Minor Threat

Agent Orange
Too many to fully recall

Lot of brain cells dusted

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Oh wow, I've seen a lot of bands. Some I've seen multiple times. Most I've seen were in the hard rock and metal genres and those are what I've enjoyed the most. My list of best live bands would be.....
Motley Crue... Gotta love the Crue

Scorpions

Ozzy Osbourne (with Black Sabath and without)

Black Label Society... I think I got drunk just watching Zakk Wylde drink

Pantera... I was lucky enough to see them before they broke up. They were huge in DFW and when Dimebag Darrell was killed we lost one of our own.

Metallica... of course.

Poison... Nothing but a good time when they play live.

Bon Jovi... yes, don't laugh. They're live show is fantastic.

Savatage... there wouldn't have been Transyberian Orchestra if not for these guys. Great music, amazing live show, possibly my favorite band of all time.

Queensryche. Just wow.

Rob Zombie. Amazing live. So much fun to see.

Iron Maiden.... Quite possibly the greatest live show of all.
I'm going to end it there, but I feel like I'm leaving out a lot of other great bands.

 

[mackeson]

One concert that completely exceeded my expectations was

Neil Young early 80s

Yeah, he surprised me also - much later though. Not a fan of CSNY, but something about Neil. The Worst/great voice.

Minor Threat

Saw Fugazi, but never got the chance to see a young Ian

Iron Maiden.... Quite possibly the greatest live show of all.

I've wanted to see those guys since I was very young (late 70's or so) listening with my Cousin in Grandma's basement.

 

[bassbug]

Lots of great names, but I've long since given up on the big name bands. I guess I'm lucky to live in a city that has tons of live music venues and is blessed with a lot of great musicians.
An intimate venue, a cold beer or nice bourbon and a blues band with fire in their souls...God how I wish I could cap it all off with being able to light up a pipe as I listen.

 

[mayfair70]

Mountain - 1982 (?)

ZZ Top - Eliminator Tour 1984

Stevie Ray Vaughn - 1987 ( bootleg- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X90bxJ2oA1Q )

Guided By Voices - 1995

16 Horsepower - 1995

Man Or Astro-man - 1996

Red Red Meat - 1996

Frank Black - 1997

Yo La Tengo - 1997
All 90's dates are approximate, as was I. Honorable Mentions go to Go Mango( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ypw_skLUJ8 ), Sardina, Stranded at the Drive-In( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DryHTfQiKE ), and Brando when I sat in for Pat Spurgeon on drums at a party at what's his names house (I was informed it was a great performance).

 

[philobeddoe]

I was quite the concert goer in the late 80's and early 90's, I saw dozens of shows and my first show ever was AC/DC in the summer of 88', I was 13 and the show was epic. As this was my first rock concert I didn't really know what to expect, it was at an indoor stadium and by mid-show there was a thick grey haze that hung over the crowd....this was the first time I ever got high also! We (my best friend and I) didn't have to actually smoke any pot as the air was so dense that we got comfortably numb by just being in the room. The band was in fine form and they rocked their asses off and left it all out there. I was a young mullet headed headbanger and the impression that show made on me will last my whole life, the loud-ass cannons going off during For Those About To Rock, the giant bell that brings goose bumps up your arms before Hells Bells, it wasn't the best show I ever saw, (that was Danzig in 92' or 93' in a very small music hall....that show was unreal), but it was definitely the most memorable!

 

[mayfair70]

Ooops. I forgot...
R.L. Burnside

King Missile

Vulgar Boatmen

Thinking Fellers Union Local 282
I would have gladly gone with ANY of you to ANY of those shows !!

Funny, I thought Philobeddoe was older than me. Must be the Avatar.

 

[thomasw]

My number one would be Slayer in 1983-4 during the Haunting the Chapel / Show No Mercy era when I was 18 or 19. Tied for second would be shows by Incantation and Suffocation about 25 yrs ago. I still listen to this music, often when I puff a pipe.

 

[oldreddog]

I have been and still am a live music attender, so based on performances that went straight to my balls, Nirvana, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Grinderman, Jim Jones Revue.

Ashdigger I'm well jelly! I saw the misfits minus Danzig in the 90's. They were cool all the same.

 

[benpipesmoking]

My favorite live band, seen them about 9 times. Pearl jam

 

[lasttango]

My favorite concerts... I have seen a lot of big ones like Bowie, U2, etc... but they were gigantic venues and the experience was cool, but I was so far away, so most of my favorite concerts were small venues...
One of my favorite shows was a Dead Can Dance concert in 1990 at London Town and Country.
Echo and the Bunnymen Bailey Hall 1986 Cornell University
Van Morrison - Beacon Theatre NYC 1988 (surprise appearances by Jerry Garcia and Tito Puente)
Ween - EVERYTIME I have seen them pre-white pepper (in particular, the New Haven Frog's Shows)
Scorpions/Bon Jovi 1983 Love at First Sting Tour.
Acid Mother's Temple - Johnny Brenda's Phili 2006
RHCP - The Haunt - Ithaca, NY 1984
Type-O-Negative - Auburn, NY 1996
RHCP-Henry Rollins-Beastie Boys - Cincinnati 1992
Best show(s) I missed... Grateful Dead London 1991 Halloween and All Saints Day Had Tickets, but had to give them up due to severe illness.

 

[reverendsasquatch]

been to a lot of punk rock/hardcore type shows in my late teens and early 20s. They all kind of blur together, though Snapcase and Boy Sets Fire stood out. Now I'm a bit more mellow. Bela Fleck was phenomenal in concert. I saw the Eagles of Death Metal about 7 months ago in a small club and it was outstanding

 

[bigpond]

i used to sell programs at the Hollywood Bowl when I would come home for the summer in College. I usually worked by the main entry which allowed me to watch every show for free and to chat occasionally with the MC or performers.
One concert stands above all the rest in memory, Peggy Lee's final performance in '95. I didn't know who she was and had confused her for Ella Fitzgerald. She was seated for the entire performance but wow, was she engaging, filled with scintillating stories from a life well lived. She was all heartbreak not happy endings and her music reflected that.
Other than that the only thing that really stands out is seeing Prince a few years latter in Oakland. I can't remember the music, but I won't forget the ass-less chaps he wore 8O

 

[ssjones]

Wow - Peggy Lee!
The best live rock party band I've seen was J. Geils, they did blow your face off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBXAzVN7PYg

 

[cosmicfolklore]

As my hearing goes, so does my tolerance for music. But, my list of favorite live performers is...
Yonder Mountain String Band

Keller Williams* nicest guy ever. Let us hang out with him after the first show I saw back in '06

John Prine

Todd Snider

Sam Bush

Willie Nelson saw him a few years ago in a pre-show performance with just twenty other people in a tent. I had never heard of a performer doing this.

KISS, back in 78, then they took their make-up off and sucked.

Parliament - It was a mother-ship connection.