[RUMAY408]

In the same genre as the thread  "Rate the last Movie you watched."  I want to know which bands are tight and which bands don't care.  The high end shows are expensive.  Quality matters as do the venues.  For instance I saw "Sugar Ray" about 15 years ago at an outdoor venue (roughly a 5,000 seat flat field).  The sound was bad and the band was off key at best 2/10.  Maybe I just caught them on an off night or maybe not.  I've seen Collective Soul twice in the last 6 years (in a HOB and a 3,000 seat indoor arena).  They were tight and put on an emotionally intense show 8/10.
The last concert I attended was Roger Waters "The Wall" more like a broadway play than a concert but what a wild and crazy show in a  20,000 seat indoor arena. Quality pyrotechnics and sound. 9/10  

 

[RUMAY408]

I have several concerts on the docket Wallflowers/Clapton then  in April Fleetwood Mac.  KC and the Sunshine Band for a Children's Hospital charity event.  Flaming Lips/Black Keys and then The Killers in May.  I'm really psyched about the Clapton show. The setlist in Phoenix last night was heavy on Robert Johnson covers and songs he had not done in years live "Tears in Heaven" and "Hello Old Friend."  Paul Carrack is touring with "God" and they covered "Tempted" and "How Long."
I'll post the reviews after the shows.

 

[Tsujigiri]

The most impressive concert I've been to was Rammstein (twice). They really put a lot of effort into the showmanship and pyrotechnics. 3 of the band members are licensed pyrotechnicians, and they have a few custom-made flamethrowers they use in their act. They've also got stuff that spits sparks, rockets that fly over the crowd, flamethrowers mounted in the stage, a raft that one of the members crowdsurfs in, etc.

 

[RUMAY408]

Quote:

The most impressive concert I've been to was Rammstein (twice). They really put a lot of effort into the showmanship and pyrotechnics. 3 of the band members are licensed pyrotechnicians, and they have a few custom-made flamethrowers they use in their act. They've also got stuff that spits sparks, rockets that fly over the crowd, flamethrowers mounted in the stage, a raft that one of the members crowdsurfs in, etc.

Du hast! Rammstein rocks 

.  Great band but never seen them live.  Seriously flamethrowers?  I can't say I've ever seen that.

 

[Tsujigiri]

Yes, the really do like fire. They have face-mounted flamethrowers they use when they play "Feuer Frei," a handheld model they use to "cook" the keyboardist when performing "Mein Teil," and a huge flamethrower backpack Lindemann wears when singing "Rammstein." There are a few videos of them performing those songs on Youtube if you want to see for yourself.

 

[Argyris]

My first and most recent concert experience was The Who, when they came to the Joe in Detroit back in November. I went mainly because they're doing Quadrophenia, which is my favorite album by them. I kind of regret that it's my first concert because I doubt anything will ever top it. Freaking amazing. Pete Townshend got a bit bogged down after an hour and a half, but he can still play amazingly well. Neither he nor Roger Daltrey are in top vocal form anymore, but for guys who've been at it this long you can't expect perfection. The arrangement was excellent, including live brass in place of a lot of the synthesized brass from the original album. Afterward they went through some of their typical radio hits ("Pinball Wizard", etc.), so it was like getting an extra mini-concert right at the end. 
 
Overall, it was a well put together performance--the video backdrop was awesome, the homages to John Entwistle and Keith Moon (RIP guys) were a nice touch, and the sound wasn't an unmitigated mess, either (I still wore earplugs). I have no idea if there are any tickets left (I guess it depends on where you live, of course), but if you like the band and the album, and if they're playing anywhere even remotely near you, I'd highly recommend going.

 

[RUMAY408]

Quote:

My first and most recent concert experience was The Who, when they came to the Joe in Detroit back in November. I went mainly because they're doing Quadrophenia, which is my favorite album by them. I kind of regret that it's my first concert because I doubt anything will ever top it. Freaking amazing. Pete Townshend got a bit bogged down after an hour and a half, but he can still play amazingly well. Neither he nor Roger Daltrey are in top vocal form anymore, but for guys who've been at it this long you can't expect perfection. The arrangement was excellent, including live brass in place of a lot of the synthesized brass from the original album. Afterward they went through some of their typical radio hits ("Pinball Wizard", etc.), so it was like getting an extra mini-concert right at the end. 
 
Overall, it was a well put together performance--the video backdrop was awesome, the homages to John Entwistle and Keith Moon (RIP guys) were a nice touch, and the sound wasn't an unmitigated mess, either (I still wore earplugs). I have no idea if there are any tickets left (I guess it depends on where you live, of course), but if you like the band and the album, and if they're playing anywhere even remotely near you, I'd highly recommend going.

Out of the hundred concerts I've seen over the years seeing The Who live in 1982 is in my top 5.  Moon obviously was no longer with them but Kenny Jones was a better than average replacement.  Entwhistle was magical.  Literally played the Bass like a lead guitar.  The show was loud as a jet taking off, but the sound was at the same time clear. Daltry and Townshend could sing. I like the idea that they are now staging and playing thru Quadrophenia. Townshend is too much of a control freak to let a sloppy performance happen.

 

[RUMAY408]

The Wallflowers/Eric Clapton @ Bridgestone Arena Nashville, TN 5/22.  
The Wallflowers were solid but not dynamic on stage. Sound system seemed to be strangely not up to the level of Clapton's. Jacob Dylan's voice was better than I expected and significantly better than his Dad's. 4 out of 9 songs were off "Bringing Down the Horse."  Rate this 6.5/10.
Eric Clapton set consisted of 22 songs.  The set was broken into 1/3's.  First set was more traditional starting out with "Hello Old Friend."  Clapton didn't kick it into gear until "Tell the Truth."  "Got to Get Better In a Little While" which was one of the best highlights of the night.  The only two guitarist I've seen live that are comparable are Eddie Van Halen (fast and technical) and Mark Knopfler (tone).  Clapton at over 65 was a marvel. The 2nd third was an unplugged section that featured "Wonderful Tonight" and "Tears in Heaven."  The final third was a Robert Johnson homage replete with "Crossroads."  The encore had "Sunshine of Your Love"  and a Joe Cocker cover sung by Paul Carrack.  Paul Carrack was in fine form covering his own songs "Tempted" and "How Long."
The only complaint was the lack of "Layla" which he has dropped off some of his live shows. Clapton's sound live is sonically on another level than his albums.  8.5/10

 

[RUMAY408]

Fleetwood Mac KFC Yum! Center Louisville, Ky 4/11
23 songs spread over 2 and 1/2 hours.  7 of the 11 songs off Rumors.  Stevie Nicks limited her vocals on the first half of the show.  I suspect she is trying to avoid the problems she's had on previous tours when she overstrained her voice. By the end of the show she was letting her voice go and the audience responded.  Lindsey Buckingham was spot on through out the show, he never held back either vocally or with acoustic and electric guitar.  Buckingham has a unique playing style more consistent with "Classic Spanish Guitar. "  I saw Buckingham on a solo tour years ago and he was equally as good. The Nicks/Buckingham duo is better than the sum of its parts.  The material was strong and the fact that Nicks and Buckingham have such a strong artistic and personal history added to the chemistry.  John McVie and Mick Fleetwood provided a strong rhythm section.  Mick Fleetwood was faster than I anticipated.  The highlights for me were "Landslide" and "Don't Stop."  So far the setlist has not varied much check out FM setlists.
Rate 9/10.

 

[Spareribs]

I saw Colbie Cailat on her recent tour that she just finished a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic. 

 

[okie]

I saw Kiss and Aerosmith back in 02, probably the best concert I have ever seen. In the last 8 years I have seen Styx twice, they were also spot on the money

 

[Tsujigiri]

Just saw Garbage in Las Vegas last night. It was a great concert, the venue they held it in was small and personal, and the band's personality really came through.

 

[Oregonian]

Sade in Portland Oregon 2011. 10/10, amazing sound, video, and she is hot as hell.

 

[RUMAY408]

KC & The Sunshine Band were the headline act for the local Childrens Hospital Charity fund raising event.  The headline acts were Chicago last year and Huey Lewis and The News the year before that.  KC quit smoking last year and has tacked on 50lbs.  He can still dance and prance around the stage.  KC cowrote his hits and included a no. 1 hit he cowrote for George McCrae "Rock Your Baby."  The "Disco Ball" was beaming while he played "Boogie Shoes", "Shake Your Booty," "That's the Way (I Like It)," and "Get Down Tonight."  The dance floor was crowded and I generally had a good time.
7/10
Laura Bell Bundy was the opening act.  She had a lot of energy and could dance and sing.  The material she used was an issue at least for me.  She needs to figure out her act.  She played one of her own songs which I thought worked for her, but most of the act was covering other artists.  I would describe it as "Katy Perry does a little bit Country and a little bit Rock-n-Roll."  Instead of doing the Tina Turner version of "Proud Mary" I would recommend doing the original Fogerty version and coming up with her own style.  
5/10

 

[RUMAY408]

The Black Keys Nashville's Bridgestone Arena 5/3/13
20 Songs over 1 and 3/4 hours.
Strong song writing and solid performances.  I was surprised by Patrick Carney's ability on drums.  Dan Auerbach's musicianship I took as a given.  The duo were particularly impressive on the older material in the middle third of the show. "Everlasting Light," featured the only significant prop used during the show.  A spherical ball (disco ball?) shot light around the auditorium.
8.5/10 rating overall, 9/10 for play and sound, 8/10 for the stage show.  An auditorium this size needs better blow up cameras on the act.
 
The Flaming Lips were the opening act. A weird pairing with a blues inspired band.  Sometimes these combos work.  I never thought Kool and The Gang would synch with Van Halen, but that actually felt right  (same era of music). The Flaming Lips light show was one of the more spectacular ones I've seen.  The music and sound were another matter. The 1st song "Look...The Sun Is Rising" was so loud I thought I was going to resonate out of my seat.  As the show went on the sound improved.  The David Bowie cover "Heroes" and their own "Do You Realize"  were well done.  An argument in sued behind us during the show as a Flaming Lips fan passionately defended the bands act to a Black Keys follower. How about pairing a band like the Alabama Shakes with The Black Keys now that would have made more sense. 
7.5 overall rating for The Flaming Lips, 9/10 for the lights and 6.5 for the rest of the act.