Best live performance you've ever witnessed.

I'd like to hear about what people consider to be the best live performance they have ever witnessed. It doesnt neccesarily have to be a band, it could be a play, musical etc.

Mine:

Tool at the Hammersmith Apollo, Tuesday 13th June 2006.

I've been to a fair few gigs in my time, but i was totally blown away at this one.
Initially i was a little disapointed in the lack of support band, and i'd heard that the set was going to be quite short,
but once the gig started i forgot all about that. Tool are a very visual band, and they had setup 4 massive screens behind the stage which were playing out trippy visuals (some from their music videos which, if your a tool fan, you'll know are stunning in there own right)
The sound was a little muddy, but the bass felt like being kicked in the gut, (i think they might have almost hit "the brown note" ). The energy the band gave out when they were playing was phenomanal, and they played every song perfectly.
I could have listened to them play all night, and the scary thing is that this gig was just part of the warm up tour!


Anyone else? I'd particularly like to hear from some of the older members, about some of the gigs they might have attended "back in the day".

I went to see Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds...it had a 3D Richard Burton Head suspended above the audience, a 30 foot fighting machine, pyrotechnics and lighting, impressive CGI graphics on a huge screen behind it and the Ulla-dub-Ulla band! It was cool!

DAD at Stiften Rocker in Århus.. Oh and Kashmir played also.

Originally Posted by Lord Tomyris

I went to see Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds...it had a 3D Richard Burton Head suspended above the audience, a 30 foot fighting machine, pyrotechnics and lighting, impressive CGI graphics on a huge screen behind it and the Ulla-dub-Ulla band! It was cool!

I went to see that as well!! at Wembley Arena, and it was bloody amazing.
The people they got in to play the Parson Nathaniel, the artilleryman and Beth were excellent (probably better than the singers that came on from the original album)
Its one of my favourite albums, so i was very happy to actually get to see it played live,

The one i'm most happy i was at would be Nirvana at the Kilburn national in 91, they hadn't really broken the UK at the time, and Nevermind was still unrealeased, so many of the songs were from Bleach with a few of the soon to be classics thrown in, i had no idea how truly mental the crowd was going to be, and having arrived strait from work and feeling tired i stood with my friend at the bar to the rear of the hall.

The lights went up and the band walked on stage, it was still pretty quite no huge cheer or screems, i looked around at the venue, one i'd never been to before, it looked like an old dance hall and was really plush and clean, art nouvo decorations and huge hanging light fitings, nothing like the usual black walls and greasy floors i was used to,

So there we are, at the back drinks in hand, Kurt is mumbling something which is bearly audible, i think about the Gulf war, or maybe the thanks for coming speech, lovely/my favorite city blah blah, the lights drop, and the atmosphere changes, the hairs on the back of my neck start to buzz, and then.............

Set
Drain You • Aneurysm • School • Floyd The Barber • Smells Like Teen Spirit • About A Girl • Polly • L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (jam) • Sliver • Lithium • Breed • Been A Son • Negative Creep • On A Plain • Blew • Molly's Lips • Territorial ****ingsNotes

* Before "Breed," there was a quick jam on the unknown song from 11/30/91.
* Former Vaselines lead singer Eugene Kelly sang with Kurt on "Molly's Lips."
Circulating Recordings

* AUD #1 - audience audio
o Equipment: unknown > Sony WM-D6 (cassette)
o Lowest Generation: ANA(1)
o Length / Sound Quality: 60 min / B+
Uncirculated Recordings
* soundboard audio
o Equipment: soundboard > unknown (DAT)
o It is possible that the soundman, Craig Montgomery, recorded Nirvana's set, as he did with Shonen Knife's set.
Other Performers
Captain America • Shonen Knife

I don't remember much of the gig (it was a long time ago), the whole place erupted from the front of the stage to the back people went mental, drinks were thrown into the air and crowd surfing reached a new high, people built pyramids in the middle of the crowd and lanched themselves into the seething masses below, the only bit i remember of what the band were doing was during a lull between songs, Kurt challenged the crowd to a gobbing contest and was promptley covered in spit, although he did manage to catch one. :wink:

I'm only 15, and so far, I've seen 2 live performances. I have seen some stuff on tv, but that doesnt count...The 2 live performances I've seen were The Black Eyed Peas (in their Monkey Business promotion tour) and G-Unit, 50 Cent's group, (promoting the Massacre). I am not a big fan of both those groups, but The Black Eyed Pease were quite good, waaay better than I expected they would be. For 50 Cent: I never really liked that guy, and I just went there because my brother liked him. His 'performance' was just crappy. The beat was so loud you couldn't even understand what he was actually saying.

I would love to see a live performance by OutKast, Gnarls Barkley, Bubba Sparxxx, Killer Mike, the Goodie Mob, Backbone (the rapper), Cool Breeze, Witchdoctor, Konkrete, Sleepy Brown, or any other Dungeon Family member

The only real live show I saw was when Raghav came to Leicester. That guy rules...

White Zombie '95. I still have the back injury to prove it , great fn' show!

Only seen one I'm afraid but I thought it rocked and according to others it was indeed a good show.
It was Arcturus at KB 15 november last year. A sweet show.
Remind me the next time to bring ear plugs tho . My ears hurt like hell for a few days and yet I was at the back.

Mariah Careys Fantasy concert at Madison Sq Garden. The most amazing vocal performance Ive ever seen. Next would be the Whos 10th aniversary concert at the same venue and then Pink Floyd, the Wish you were here - Animals concert.

hmm, this is a tough one....

I went to the Rolling Stones opening concert in America last year, in Boston. That was an amazing concert. It started off admirably. The lights went out, it was pitch black. Suddenly, on the very top of the stage (Picture of the stage below, found a picture online) These huge eruptions of fire shot out, I could feel the heat on my face. The second the fire erupted, the beginning of "Start me Up" happened, and Fenway Park literally erupted into a frenzy....

Also, last September, I saw Paul McCartney in the Fleet Center in boston. I enjoyed his concert more, and the fans seemed more, attached to the concert. He started off with Magical Mystery Tour, and ended with an amazing combo song, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, blending into the Song "The End" and then going back into the song "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)". Both bands were excellent.

I would have to say McCartney was better though, just because after the concert was over, I slept for 13 hours and lost my voice for 2 days....

Unfortunatly for me I've not seen a proper live performance (some cover bands at the most). I'm seeing Guns and Roses in July, and probably going to be seeing Muse at Leeds festival this year. And Muse are meant to be one of the best live performances around at the moment.

I also saw White Zombie in 95 and they were indeed awesome,but alas,that day I had gone to see Soudgarden,and they were **** poor.

Best gig ever would be a toss up between Faith No More 93 (festival,absolutely shite hot show) or Nirvana 92 (Kurt doped to the eyeballs with smackhead pregnant wife in the wings).

I would probably,at a push,say Nirvana,simply because they are the greatest band in the history of the universe...but faith no more come a very close second...

oh...I completely forgot the pixies......

Can you count radio roadshow it was in yarmouth saw it there but iwould like to go to a iron maiden, judas priest and or dragonforce show one day

I would say the best band I've seen play live was ZZ Top last year at the Clay County Fair. They always seem to put on an amazing show. I also saw Black Crowes in Sioux City & Staind/Theory of a Deadman, they were both great performances. Unfortunately I wasn't old enough to go to a Nirvana concert when they were around.

Probably Seigmen at HULEN rock club this February. I work in the aforementioned Rock club so I have seen a lot of conserts. Other highlights, Beck the Manic Street Preachers and Motorhead in 01. Kaizers Orcestra in 03, David Bowie in 04, and Bare Egil and Brimstone Solar Radiation Band in 05 (went to latter consert with no expectations, great band.)

Going to Roskilde festival this summer so Im sure I will see some great conserts there, although club conserts are better than stadium/outside (my view), Headliners include Bob Dylan (seen him before) Morrisey, Deftones, Guns 'n Roses and about a hundred other bands/artists, some huge celebs other not.

Slayer!!!!!!!!!!!

hmm its betwen L.A Guns an Gilby Clarke both of them where class live. A local band from Ireland called Twisted Rose are also great live.

Worst live band ive seen was Fozzy...the ex wrestler Chris Jericho's band...man they where bad!!!what a waist of money that night was ok well it was only £10 or something but still

I know what it will be: MUSE. Live. Reading Festival. Latest album is brilliant and i love their music. They also owned at Glasto 04.

This time tommorow I'll be seeing Guns n' Roses