Best Live Band(s)

[ssjones]

Parliament - It was a mother-ship connection.

Ha, I never saw them, but have a great memory. My first concert was Ted Nugent (Cat Scratch Fever, 77'ish?). We had to travel to the DC "Capital Centre" to stand in line to buy tickets. Parliament tickets went on sale the same day. So two heavy-metal country boys from the sticks found ourselves tanding in line with a very urban group of Parliment fans, with boom boxes cranking. They were just as puzzled by us and we had a memorable hour long wait for the ticket box to open. I didn't get it back then, but enjoy that band now (Flashlight!).

 

[cosmicfolklore]

They definitely make a show of it, ha ha.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Oh, Red Hot Chili Peppers put on an amazing show. I should have listed them as well. Saw them in Atlanta and the Beach in Florida.

 

[swb118]

Best shows I've ever attended were in small clubs.
Sonic Youth @ Bogarts circa 1990

Robert Earl Keen @ Lynaghs circa 1995

Janes Addiction @ Bogarts circa 1989

Jesus Lizard @ Sudsy Malones circa 1992

James McMurtry @ Warehouse at Mt Victor 2012

 

[swb118]

Nearly( Don't know how) forgot about Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds at the Ryman in Nashville a couple of years ago. Good lord, the version of Mercy Seat was absolutely jaw dropping.

 

[iamn8]

I saw Stone Temple Pilots in 2000. I was with gf and sat front row center. It was by far best show I've been to. I also saw Smashing Pumpkins. What made that show great is that I was in rehab with Jimmy the drummer. Gf and I hung with the band on the tour bus before/after show. Amazing night!!
From STPs website... gf and I circled


Also at STP, had a drum stick and guitar pick thrown in my face. Hurt, but caught them

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Jesus Lizard @ Sudsy Malones circa 1992

Was there. I'm not sure it was 92, but the time I saw them at Sudsy's, David Yow stretched the mic cord across the entire crowd as he went to stand on the washers/dryers. It was a great show. He was all up and down the bar too.

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds at the Ryman in Nashville a couple of years ago.

Was at this one too, with Sharon Van Etten. It was a good show. My wife is a Nick Cave junkie and has seen him too many times all over the world, so it made this show kind of hoe hum for me because she just kept talking about how great all the other shows were.
My favorite live band will always be Brainiac. Hands down my favorite live band. Although, Ty Segall at Kenyon College a few years back was up there as far as best shows. Thee Oh Sees a couple years ago at Alrosa Villa was great. Les Savy Fav's set at the Siren Festival in 2002 was really good too. There's really too many to mention.

 

[ashdigger]

Benpipes, I've seen Pearl Jam twice. Once it was a fantastic show....the second time Eddie kept stopping the show to rant about politics. I'll continue to buy their music, but I'm done seeing them live.
Same goes with Green Day.

 

[iamn8]

Yeah ash I've heard that about Vedder. It's sad when a band decides to stop being a band and become a political statement. Alienating fans sucks. Their ego says "if you understood you'd agree and I'm going to explain it to you"

 

[swb118]

Was there. I'm not sure it was 92, but the time I saw them at Sudsy's, David Yow stretched the mic cord across the entire crowd as he went to stand on the washers/dryers. It was a great show. He was all up and down the bar too.

Hah! Yow kicked me in the head that night. For my touble I got a swig from his Bushmill's. That was a fun night!

 

[ssjones]

Steve Earle ruins his shows by talking politics between songs. At the last show (with Prine), he was boo'd pretty loudly,but continued.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, a really good musician will just wind his worldview into the songs. If you have to talk too much between the songs, the artist obviously isn't doing a very good job. Prine will talk, but it's always to set up the joke in the songs.

 

[yaddy306]

In no particular order:
Pantera

Tool

Jesus Lizard

Pearl Jam

New Model Army

Iron Maiden

Sarah McLachlan (don't laugh)

Billy Bragg

Urge Overkill
Not so impressed by AC/DC, Poison, Bon Jovi, or the Rolling Stones.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, I've seen AC/DC, not impressed.

There's a definite hard rock/metal slant to the forum. I like all styles of music... well, um, I will give all styles a chance, I should say. I know we have a few more than me that are bluegrass/folk fans. It'd be nice to get more diversity going in the thread.

 

[jerwynn]

The Tarnished Six... indigenous dixieland jazz band out of State College PA... I think they're no more now... not sure... but ALL the guys were SUPER top notch musicians and every concert was a total hoot!!!

 

[balkisobrains]

I saw The Offspring in what amounted to slightly more than a shed, a place that we called "Sh*tty Gardens", right about when they first started to get commercial airplay. They sounded awesome and the crowd was nuts.

 

[pepesdad1]

Pink Floyd...twice...don't remember the year, the last one was with laser light show.
Just a fantastic band.
Before that it was Woodstock..nothing will ever beat that experience.

 

[voorhees]

Joan Jett

Aerosmith

KISS

Van Halen (Hagar era)

Huey Lewis and the News

ZZ Top

Ted Nugent

 

[oldreddog]

Buena Vista Social Club ,Kila, Lambchop, Tomatito,for a bit of diversity.

 

[ssjones]

How could I forget about Pink Floyd?? I saw the Gilmour and Waters versions. I've had it with Waters and his political commentary, so he's off the list. I'd love to see Gilmour solo. Waters did the entire Dark Side album, with Mason on drums at Madison Square Garden. This was in September 10, 2011, on the day before the ten year anniversary of 9/11. He was booed soundly by that crowd for his political commentary.
I've also seen Rush umpteen times (2112 forward). They put on an awesome show,but they now appear to be done as a band

I bet that I'm the only guy here to have played on Neil's touring drum kit (for Snakes & Arrows). It was on display with his motorcycles at the AMA Hall of Fame in Ohio. Unattended, on the floor, with stool and drum sticks. I was then asked to leave....