+1 linomagnus, Midnight Oil really put on a great show in their heyday. Also I should've mentioned I saw The Boss many times in his and it was transcendental - he actually appeared to pass out before last encore 2x - but there are bands now that are at least as good as I mentioned above.
Talking Heads B52’s The Greatful Dead Jimi Hendrix Experience James Brown Bob Marley Ike & Tina Fela Eddie Harris King Sunny Ade Miles Davis (all eras) Keith Jarrett Oscar Peterson -Trio
Now: Kurt Elling John Scofield Abdullah Ibrahim Ben Paterson Brad Mehldau ......
How many of the bands/artists mentioned above have I seen live? I guess we're all about the same age. In addition to the ones mentioned in my post above...a sampling --
I saw Pink Floyd a couple times. I liked them a lot. Wynton Marsalis at the Hollywood Bowl. Outstanding.
The Dictators were bad to the point of being unlistenable. I still got their record, though. A cut-out.
Weird Al. Cute. U2. Just too damn serious. I loved the Grateful Dead's atonal psychedelic jams, but everything else they did left me cold. I couldn't help but tell the truth when folks asked me what I thought of them. I'm sure it's one of the reasons I got so little action in college.
Unless I missed something, not one person here has mentioned this incredibly tight group, Khruangbin. And yes, they can back their recordings with equally, if not more impressive live sets- in the present day!
Soo many bands out there. So much great music in little clubs from bands that never went pop. As one poster alluded to... sometimes you just get a great night where the band does exactly what they want and whatever form of a crowd is there feeds that energy back. And then... Magic.
Big shows: Page and plant '95 (Kemper arena, kc, ks) Phish NYE2k & Phish Deer Creek 2000
Small shows: Man man (Columbus, oh, 2009) Ghostland Observatory (Columbus, oh, 2009) Grlwood (Denver, co, 2019) That trumpet player from out of town that one night at Dick's Den (Columbus, oh, ~2007) The pharcyde (Lawrence, ks, ~1999) Some guy playing his guitar under a portable light next to a cop on a huge horse after all the shows were over one night at the first Bonnaroo (2002) A little band from Nebraska that ended the show by repeatedly dropping this huge chain on the floor (Lion's lair, Denver, co 2016)
Sam here and there is a reason nobody ealks about new shows because the music is so bad and most 80's groups are now waste cases from drugs yes there are some great new bands out there however records company's will have non of that?
Sorry I never saw Midnight Oil Live.Funny my first concert was Allan Sherman..Hello Mother Hello Father.That was like early 60s the Steel Pier Atlantic City N.J..was he good LOL....Saw Joan Jett and Heart at Jones Beach 2019 last show of the Summer .They were good not great.
These days, Tedeschi Trucks gets my vote as best performing group. Of the “classic performers”, Jeff Beck still brings it like few others. And in the day, The Who were all that.
limomangus -- Me and my sister went to elementary school and beyond alongside Allan Sherman's two kids. One day, I think it was Sixth Grade (early 1960's), Nancy Sherman showed up in class with "My Son the Folksinger." She said her dad was shocked that the record was a hit...it contained Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah. His earlier records apparently sold in the tens. In any case, I still have a handful of the guy's LPs.
@limomangus We're showing our age. As a young kid, I remember my parents could not miss a single episode of Lawrence Welk and what 10 or 12 year old kid wouldn't be infatuated with the Lennon Sisters LOL :-)
Yeah Allan Sherman and Lawrence Welk...At least i got to see the driving horse at the Steel pier too....My Grandmother and Greatgrandmother both of them loved them...i had to be quite of leave the room...lol
Ok. I've seen Springsteen live scores of times going back to his days at local bars in Asbury Park (and at least once every 2 years since then to date). He represents more than half of the top 10 shows I've ever seen. (Elton John and John Lennon for a set at MSG being #1). But I saw a guy a few times--for the first time years ago because I had read an article in which Bruce said that he was the best live performer on the planet and that he (Bruce) could not measure up. It was Prince--- who was never a real favorite of mine. Only had and still only have 2 of his albums and don't play them much on the big rig. But live-- the most amazing live performer I've ever seen. Great guitar player often while doing splits, dancing---coordinated moves in tandem with of all of his players. It was like watching James Brown on steroids only with less sweat.
Roger Waters The Wall, United Center, Chicago Yes the Relayer Tour 1976 The Grateful Dead, Hearst Greek Theater, Berkley, 3 shows. Gerry was still with it. Peter Gabriel, Universal Amphitheater, LA 1982 Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, McNichols Arena, Denver. The Works Tour Man I could go on...Smashing Pumpkins Hawkwind, Zappa Too old. Concerts are a young man's game. And they are so expensive! Saw Allman Brothers for $8, Jethro Tull for $10
This is like asking what is the best painting ever.....very subjective. That said, there are many good choices in this thread and I would have a hard time arguing against The Grateful Dead. The Who (1975) may have been the best concert I have seen, although Johnny Cash was memorable too. So many good ones - I appreciate the artists who are energized to deliver their best performances in front of a live audience.
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