[sleepkyng]

Seeing as how this popped up in the worst concert ever thread.


I couldn't pick a best concert (tho i bet when i go to see the Opera Don Carlo tonight at the Academy of Music in philly it'll be up there)

but one of my all time favs was the Yo La Tengo concert i went to with my now girlfriend.
first off, I love that band to death, but being there with her (and yada yada yada) it was great. i got to meet the band and they were so nice.

and the best Hip Hop show ever has got to be the Blackalicious, Latyrx and Lifesavas show. It was the entire Quannum label (including DJ Shadow), there was so much energy at that show it was incredible. It literally changed how i saw hiphop and completely turned me off of gangster rap, and hardcore stuff like the WuTang, even tho i still love them.

 

[Canman]

Man, tough to call.

I'll throw a few of the most outstanding shows I have been to in the last few years but so many of them were stellar.

Herbie Hancock with Future 2 Future Band March 2002 at Higher Ground in Winooski, VT. Experiencing one of the most influential jazz musicians in a small club with 500 people was something special. Herbie set up full surround sound and I got to watch him strike the keys from about 15 feet away. The band was tight and the rhythym was laced with funk. Everyone was dancing when we weren't in a trance from the trippy visual fractal effects from the projector that went along to the music.

Phish 2/28/03 Nassau Coliseum in NY. This show was incendiary because the band was tight, the setlist was top notch, the crowd was raging (so was the parking lot), and the arena was small enough so that everyone could see the stage. The fried tacos after the show were tasting really good that night.

Widespread Panic, Fall 1998? Flynn Theatre, Burlington, VT. Ever seen a fancy 1920's style theatre hotboxed full of smoke and dancing hippies? It's something everyone should experience at least once

Jazz is Dead sat in for the second set for "Jazz is Spread". The percussion and guitar solos were out of this world.

 

[VicAjax]

no contest...

tom waits at the beacon theater in nyc in 2000, when he was touring for mule variations. he hadn't toured in 10 years or more.

before the show, elvis costello wandered in to take a seat in the audience. the entire house spontaneously stood up and gave him a standing ovation... just for showing up to watch the concert.

there are many great runner-up concerts... but that's #1, hands down.

 

[GuineaMcPig]

I saw Radiohead in Hamburg last November (HTTT tour). They were all in top form and their set was spectacular. I'm looking forward to seeing them again this May at COACHELLA!

 

[Silby]

Bob Dylan and Patti Smith and the Electric Factory in Philly. Patti opened up and was simply amazing. She also did at least 3 different duets with Dylan, including "Dark Eyes." The coolest part is that the E Factory is so small, you are not even 50 feet from the performers and it is a very intimate venue.

I also think that Phish have put on some fantastic shows, but without a doubt it is their earlier live shows with the Giant Country Horns that are truly spectacular. Just check out what they do with Dave "the Truth" Grippo, Carl "Geerz" Geerhardt. Thouigh New Years '99 was a lot of fun too, great atmosphere.

One other show that really blew me away was The Doobie Brothers and Chicago. The Doobies were great, but it was Chicago that really rocked my world. I was familiar with them more as a top 40 band than anything else, so my hopes weren't that high, but man was I wrong. The musicianship and showmanship that night were on par with any I have seen. And the stage set-up challenged such bands as the Dead, with very intricate and "groovy" backdrops ... talk about flashbacks!

I hope this sparks some good memories for people, I know I just had fun reminiscing.

Cheers,
-Silby

 

[redshifter]

easily, jethro tull in the late 80's in new london, ct., usa. a friend had extra tickets, and i didn't even own a single tull album. but i went anyway, and was just blown away. it was like watching a rock-opera, full of magic and amazing music and showmanship. i became a fan overnight.

runner-up was seeing the page-plant show mid 90's in tacoma.

 

[Cherokee Mist]

I've seen so many shows that it would be very difficult to choose just one, so I'll name a few off the top of my head without breaking out the ticket stubs:

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Tacoma Dome, Seattle (1987 or 1988?): Played for 4+ hours and the audience basically sang along on every song.

Genesis - Nassau Coliseum, Long Island (1981): Phil and the boys out to prove that they were still a great art-rock band.

Eric Clapton - Tacoma Dome, Seattle (1989?): EC and Mark Knopfler together for 2 1/2 hours! What more needs to be said...

Iron Maiden/Judas Priest - Madison Square Garden, NYC (1982): This was the show that got heavy metal banned from the Garden for many years after. It rained seat cushions for the entire show. By the time that JP finished, they were up to their knees in pieces of seat cushions. BTW, musically it was one of the best metal shows I've have ever seen.

Regards

 

[danaa]

Gee, I'm an oldster who's been to probably a thousand concerts. Saw Hendrix three times, Led Zepplin when they appeared in a high school or JC gym, early
Love and the Doors just as their first albums hit, Big Brother, Tull when Stand Up was just released, Stones, the Who, the Clash, just tons of groups, but............................................... ...

my all time favorite was when Johnny Winter and... appeared at Fillmore West. Talk about burning up the place. They all sizzled and my ears rang for a couple of days.

 

[jamont]

A few that come immediately to mind:

Oct. 1974 - Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall - Bruckner Symphony No. 8

Dec. 1977 - Judy Collins, Carnegie Hall

June 1988 - Leonard Bernstein, Chicago Symphony - Shostakovich, Symphony No. 7

9/20/2001 - Laurie Anderson at Town Hall

 

[grinch]

Quote:

Originally posted by VicAjax no contest... tom waits at the beacon theater in nyc in 2000, when he was touring for mule variations.

wow, so tom waits must always be that good.

my vote for favorite concert here: http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=45850

 

[Thrasher]

From what I've seen, the best concert was probably ROOT. They were not allowed to play here for about 10 years because of their Satanist opinions, and after returning they made of hell of a show

.

 

[Silby]

Quote:

Originally posted by Thrasher From what I've seen, the best concert was probably ROOT. They were not allowed to play here for about 10 years because of their Satanist opinions, and after returning they made of hell of a show .

LOL! I like the pun

 

[bong]

hmm... i would have to say The Cure at Roseland Ballroom early 2000. it is very rare these days for The Cure to play at a smaller venue, and the immediacy that brings is amazing. it was only a promo show (not an actual tour) so the setlist was not as long as usual. they played for two hours instead of three, which is still longer than many new bands out there.

the band was tight, Robert was in great vocal and guitar form, Simon was amazing; i was hanging on every bassline, and had a setlist that was *almost* every Cure fan's dream, just not long enough. the only obvious pop song was "Inbetween Days." much of the other songs were much loved album tracks, a handul of them have not been played for years. after the show, we hung around at the backstage door and Robert was nice enough to come out and chat with the fans and sign autographs.

i also saw The Cure at Jones Beach later that year, and the setlist was much longer (at three hours, you get your money's worth at a Cure show!) but got crappy seats. oh well...

other memorable shows: Supergrass at Bowery Ballroom in 1999. play a really exuberant show and got Gaz's and Micky's autographs on my copy of the self-titled CD. i missed Danny though...

Manic Street Preachers at Bowery Ballroom in 1999. the Manics might not have many fans in the US, but those who are fans are some of the most faithful. i remember a couple were even touting the Welsh flag and Nicky and James loved it. also great to hear them talk trash about Sony Records as well! great night that...

Primal Scream at Hammerstein Ballroom in 2000. Kevin Shields was there, and my ears were blissfully ringing for days.

Mark Gardener at the Knitting Factory in 2003. i've never seen Ride live, so this was the next best thing.

Pet Shop Boys at Hammerstein Ballroom in 2002. me and my friends are like a PSB posse of sorts and took an entire row. Neil was in fine form and actually played some acoustic guitars this time. also, no cheesy male backup singers this time, although sylvia was sorely missing.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

that giant one in toronto with 500000 people with the rolling stones and ac/dc and tons of other bands during the summer. neato.

 

[marios_mar]

My best concert would be Slash at Loon Mountain, New Hampshire. What a guitarist!