[sachu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by acidbasement /img/forum/go_quote.gif Xavier Rudd What are your favourite live music surprises?

absolutely..he was awesome in portland in september..had been a fan for a long time..the barefooter aussie is awesome!

Others include Nada Surf, Rachael Yamagata, M Ward and My morning Jacket

 

[acidbasement]

I should add Bela Fleck and the Flecktones to my list. I was quite familiar with their 1996 live album when I saw them in 2003, but was totally unprepared for the experience of seeing them play their more recent material. Unbelievable. I was done for the rest of the night - Leftover Salmon played right after them, but I didn't care. Too bad, because I think they would have been good had I not prematurely... you know.

 

[sean3089]

Thin Lizzy in Florida


Bryan Ferry in NY. My wife dragged me to Radio City. I had no idea what was in store.

 

[Brandon B]

X2 on Bela Fleck & The Flecktones... unbelievably good live performers. Every guy in the band is a virtuoso. I saw them at a beautiful venue in northern Arizona, and I was totally blown away by how tightly they managed to play such complex material.

The first concert I ever went to was a Phish show in 1996.. I hadn't even heard of the band.. my brother brought me along because it was my birthday and he had an extra ticket. To this day, I think it was one of the best shows I ever saw, and I've seen a lot since.. I had just started learning guitar, and I couldn't believe the stuff Trey Anastasio was playing.

 

[mbriant]

Two shows come to mind ... both a long time ago and both primarily because of the unexpected theatrics. The first one was David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" tour in 1974 . I'd been aware of Bowie's music since Ziggy Stardust came out but wasn't prepared for the spectacular apocalyptic city stage set, flying saucer, Bowie floating in thin air during "A Space Oddity" and Bowie's hypnotic stage presence the first time I saw him play live.

The second "blow me away" show was the following year in 1975 at Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare" concert, where again, the huge stage setting with human spiders crawling up gigantic webs and the amazing, massive rear projection screen that Cooper would jump in and out of ... appearing to change from real to celluloid character each time ... blew me away. Cooper had actually played at my high school in 1971 while touring to promote his first album and "I'm Eighteen" hit single. He used theatrics then as well, but they were crude and unremarkable compared to what he did during the "Welcome TMNM" tour. I've seen plenty of great live shows, but I can't say that many blew me away ... mainly because I usually knew what to expect in advance. In fact, due to raised expectations, I'd say I've been let down more times than blown away.

 

[Happy Camper]

Would it count if you knew you were going to be impressed but the magnitude was unanticipated?

Pink Floyd in Anaheim, summer 77. Truely a magical show for me. I'd never been to an event that had a rock carnival feel like this. Not just the music, band personalities, stunts, visuals, present company, weather, contraband all was primo. The warmth of the event still pulses in my veins.

We're well into the show when they start with the floats, flying planes, explosions timed to the music. They were touring with surround sound and effects from hugh speaker sets around the top of the stadium.

A true trippy event.

Another time was a business visit to Chicago. Our rep. lived down off Division street and was a great party location. We go to a blues bar in a typical Chicago bar setting. Old, off the beaten path. We came to drink and watch a local talent. Well the seating opens as soon as we get there so we get a front table to the stage when a group got up and left.

After about a half hour, this guy setting at the bar comes to the stage and announces the act came up empty for the night and proceeded to pick up an electric guitar.

I'd only casually heard Buddy Guy so to see the man play his butt off for a bar crowd of maybe 50 made me feel I caught a true artist, passionate in their effort to play to me. I've been fortunate enough to see a few good artists in a bar setting but this was personal. The way he looks at each person in the crowd and plays to you was really powerful and emotional. I was hooked on Chicago-Delta blues.

 

[scompton]

Mentioning stage sets reminded me of another. I saw The Wall at Nassau Collesium. I expected it to blow me away and it exceeded expectations. It was a 4 hour drive from college in upstate NY, but it was worth it.

It's the only time I've seen Pink Floyd.

Edit: As I was typing, Happy Camper posted the same thing about Pink Floyd's previous tour

 

[Happy Camper]

I have a feeling there will be a lot of Pink Floyd memories in this thread. This is Headpink Floydfi after all.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Dave Matthews Band for me is an experience not just a concert. I love his albums but they don't compare to him live.

 

[whaleyboy]

Two jump out at me from the many live shows that I have seen.

First and best live is probably an Austin based musician - Monte Montgomery. I saw him at a crappy venue in San Francisco and had basically zero expectations. A pal dragged me and promised me a dinner if I didn't like the show. I was literally blown away - this guy is amazing live. I don't live in Austin but when I have to go there I try to schedule the trips around Monte shows.

The other that stands out is Wilco. I saw them at the Fillmore in SF, they were opening for a band that I wanted to see which I have now forgotten because Wilco was so flipping amazing. I have seen them more recently and they were still very good but that show when they were just starting to tour still stands out as one of the best live performances ever.

 

[bungle]

I can think of two surprises - bands that I didn't know that opened for another artist. One is Morcheeba, who opened for Fiona Apple. The other was Chicago Underground Duo opening for Stereolab. Both were incredibly good, probably better than the headliners. I've been to enough shows where the opener was lame or not my thing, so those really stick out.

 

[ilikemonkeys]

Gogol Bordela.
Foo Fighters.

Both were an incredible surprise.

 

[paaj]

Perfect Circle opening before Deftones in Amsterdam. Never really heard of them, just that the singer was also part of Tool. Great little performance, great sound... only to be followed by a complete drunk Deftones singer that half way through just laid down and all muddy sounds.
The Perfect Circle performance saved the evening.

 

[goldfinger1111]

Briskeby at 2001 Rock am Ring.
They where the 2nd or 3rd band on saturday.
I instantly fell in love with Lise Karlsnes.

Stumbled across the whole area that day, completely off my mind.

Got the show on tape and watch it every once in a while.

The Shins in 2007.
Perfect show. Sound, music, crowd...everything.

 

[thornygravy]

Believe it or not AC/DC. I've always knew they were good but never acknowledged their talent. Same with Lynard Skynard, both kick ass for some old dudes.

Slipknot in a way, not so much talent wise, but I didn't think they would put so much production value in their stage. Also I thought they would stick to songs that had more singing in them, quite the contrary screamed his ass off.