The Hives at the Birmingham Academy in 2006, the sheer energy of their performances is something I've never seen again. A pity that their records can't seem to capture their live presence.
LCD Soundsystem at Outside Lands in 2016, the performance was streamed live on youtube.
Peter Adrial playing at a campfire. His original songs are tuned into a rural midwest sensibility, and have a lot to do with the land and the people that live there. The rain had finally subsided and the moon came out between the clouds. Breathtaking!
I saw Russian pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja (play Beethoven) in Paris, at the Theatre Champs Elysees. The location where riots broke out for Stravinsky’s ’Right of Spring’. I was up high in the balcony and the seats are so steep that I had a fear of heights.
I have been lucky to see a number of really great shows over the years but I show that was (and is as they are still touring and I was fortunate to see them two nights in a row last year) undoubtedly the most amazing live experience I've ever seen is Sigur Ros. I saw them the first time for their untitled album ( ). I went with very low expectations as I loved them on record but was having a hard time figuring out how it was going to transpose live but was utterly floored. About 12 spontaneous standing ovations from the crowd, the hair on my neck and arms stood on end about 10 times and at one point I looked across the aisle and the gal across from me was bawling her eyes out. People often liken it to a spiritual experience but they are NOT a religious band. It is just a simply indescribable and amazing show. I highly recommend.
Just put on The Tubes - "What do you Want From Live" 2LP Live record. Brings back great memories of seeing the Tubes on tour shortly after this album was released. Seriously, maybe the craziest live show I ever saw. Was an incredible experience for a young farm kid from KY.
The Cleveland Orchestra this past weekend did Quiet City by Aaron Copland. Had me in tears. What a great orchestra. wow. They truly are one of the best.
The most memorable for me was The Allman Bros. Band, 1971, Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh Pa. Duane blew me away, it was the end of the tour just before he died.
However, in 1974 Knebworth Park outside of London, the following bands had a terrific day, Van Morrison, John McLaughlin with Vassar Clement and John Luc Ponty, The Doobie Brothers, highlighted by th Allman Brothers coming on stage at 9 PM and saying we have never been to Europe before, we are going to play every song we know.
At 12:30 they said the last train was leaving in 45 minutes, so here is one last love song and then the bass line for Whipping Post began.
My most memorable concert I attended was the last one, it was Muse who played at their own home town of Teignmouth in Devon in England. In my life time I have attended numerous concerts played by famous groups and artists. However Muse just smashed it from start to finish, every song of theirs was a 'rock' anthem and the crowd just went wild. Its rare for me to witness a concert where every single song is exciting and there was not one single boring part. In the past I have seen many great groups where there always be atleast a boring song or those ever so long solos of the 70's, by the drummer, bass and lead guitarist (all on their own) masterbating their own egos, although it was a good time to line up at the bar to get the drinks in..!
Hands down it was David Gilmour in Chicago about two years ago. Unbelievable sound quality that drove me into my seat. My two sons and I flew there. At 70, he can still do it like he used to.
I was just reading unreceivedogmaspost about going to free concerts in Central Park. I remembered seeing Country Joe and The Fish playing there in the late 60’s . When I looked this concert up, I discovered I was part of history being made that night.
Country Joe sang their classic anti-VietNam war protest song, "Fixin’ to Die Rag" (You know the refrain "One, two, three, four, what are we fighting for? Don’t ask me I don’t give a d___, next stop is Viet Nam").
Unbeknownst to me, I just read that was the first time Country Joe ever had the crowd chant a different four letters than F-I-S-H for the FISH cheer. After he called out "Gimme an ’F’ ". I remember being surprised at the audience participation chant turning into "F____ the war" and assumed that’s how they always did it live. Perhaps it wasn’t the greatest moment in history, but I was certainly into it at the time. No match for the Dylan concert I mentioned above, but cool none the less now knowing I was there when that passionately obscene anti-Viet Nam war rallying cry was born.
shkong78 & glupson, Thank you so much for your kind words. She earned her doctorate from Georgia Tech in Psychology. Very proud of her, she is the first Phd in our family.
kacomess, I would have absolutely loved to see Captain Beefheart in concert. What a musician Don was. It took a while for his music to grow on me, but when it did, it went deep.
shkong78, Autumn leaves is one of those songs that will live on forever. FWIW Bob Dylan has it on was of his albums as does Mark Lanegan. If you're interested I suspect you can find them both somewhere online.
The The in Boston at the Paradise, circa 1987. It was their first time in the U.S. and they had been playing big stadiums in Europe. Since few in the U.S. had heard of them at this point, the promoter only booked 3 shows, LA, Boston, and NY, all in small clubs. They had this massive sound system that, at the Paradise, filled a good portion of the room. There were maybe 400 of us there. They opened with Giant, the repeating bass line at the beginning going on for 10-15 minutes before they walked out. Amazing and overwhelming show.
For me this years most memorable concert was Michel Schenker at the grove in anaheim. The set was almost 3hrs long the singers from all incarnations sof the Micheal Schenker Group on hand and on stage together at times. I was right at the partition to the stage. Great music went with 4 of my friends all of us were blown away.
First place: Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band + It's A Beautiful Day at the (abandoned) Fox West Coast Theater in Long Beach, California, circa 1972. Second place: The Mothers of Invention at the Phoenix Star Theater just after the release of "Freak Out" in Phoenix, Arizona, circa 1966.
Third place: Blodwyn Pig at the Splinter Brothers and Sisters Theater (actually, another abandoned venue in Phoenix), circa 1970.
I would have to say Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon tour is my most memorable concert I have ever attended and it was one of the very first concerts I attended.
Where to start? I have ticket stubs from James Brown in the 200-seat Y-Court building at college (UNC): $2.00--1965??
First concert, PP&M, 1962, Norfolk Auditorium, I think.
Next was either the Rolling Stones or Ray Charles--got to look at the stubs to see which was first as I saw them both--at the Dome in VA Beach. No longer there--sat about 400 people--1963.
Beatles at DC Stadium (now JFK, I think) 8/15/1966, and they sounded EXACTLY like they did on record that night.
Linda Ronstadt, Yes, Allman Brothers, plus more I can’t remember at the wonderful famous SPORTATORIUM in Hollywood, FL, in the 1970’s. Anyone who was ever there has a memory of the place...it was a great concert venue at the time and like many others I saw numerous shows there. Gotta check my ticket stubs to see all of them
Most memorable?
Tampa Stadium, July 4, 1976.
Loggins and Mesina, last tour, Fleetwood Mac (Rumors) and The Eagles (Hotel California)
NEVER forget it...and I have been to many more since.
Two of my children are also music lovers. My oldest saw the following concerts with me: Grateful Dead Bob Dylan Dark Star Orchestra (A couple times) My youngest: Wilco My Morning Jacket Bob Dylan moe. And next week we'll see LOW together! I've tried to talk my daughter into going to a few concerts with me but she really isn't into it. She did earn her Doctorate today though!!!! I'm done bragging (for now)
It would have to be Elton John, by himself, playing in Lakeland Florida several years ago. It was spectacular, just him and his piano, in a relatively small venue. We were close enough we could see his fingers playing the keys!
An honorable mention goes for Harry Chapin, also solo, playing at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon Iowa. One of the students got up on stage with Harry and sang too, they both were great together. I can’t imagine it wasn’t rehearsed at some point. This one too was in a very small venue. Harry did these concerts somewhat to get to talk politics for a bit after, and it was embarrassing as some of the people were getting up and leaving. Extremely rude.
I’m not a huge fan of Bob Denver, but I saw him too, and it was just so much fun to listen and enjoy. My college girlfriend had wanted to go, so we went, and I got to hear somebody I wouldn’t have chosen on my own.
I’ve seen Debbie Harry, Blondie, several times back in the ’80s, truly spectacular.
I can remember The Moody Blues, but memorable in a different way, as every song was about twice as fast as it should have been. They must have had a plane to catch.
Vividly Memorable-a little eclectic and in no order:
Adrian Belew - small club in Milwaukee Steely Dan - “Aja” start to finish in Milwaukee in 2014? Daniel Lanois- at the Ark in Ann Arbor in 1991? Steve Reich- at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor in 1990? St.Vincent- “Masseduction” 2018 in Milwaukee Peter Gabriel- at SPAC in 1994? Paul Simon- milwaukee 2017 Royal Crescent Mob- Apollo’s in Columbus in 1985
I think around 1990 Deep Purple decided to play a little unscheduled warm up show at Hammerjacks in Baltimore, MD. Pretty small venue and it was like being a fly on the wall in an intimate rehearsal with Ian Gillan sitting on a bar stool wearing shorts, Ritchie Blackmore still using his Echoplex, Roger Glover on bass and Ian Paice on drums. It felt like I got a living room seat with some rock legends and no one knew this was going to happen until around 4pm that day when a local radio station made the announcement and we immediately hustled to get in line. I was barely old enough to get in.
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