I know this topic has been done before but my top concerts are:

1. Stones in Missoula,MT '06 - Bigger Bang
2 Stones in Seattle '76
3 Stones in Denver '92 Voodoo Lounge
4 Stones in Seattle '81
5 Alice Cooper in Chicago '73

The Pogues & The Ramones, in Bourges (1992).

The Ramones do the first part. At the end of the Pogues set, Joey Ramone came on stage to sing Honky Tonk Woman.

And a bloody @#$%& young man came across me and ask : 'I don't know this song. Where does it come from ?'
He's still waiting the answer ....
But what a night.

It's hard to say. Do you mean the best musical performances? Or the best overall "show", including the lights and special effects? Or the concerts that, for any number of reasons, turned out to be the most fun? Or the shows that had a certain undeniable, undefinable, "noteworthiness" about them.

Best "performances"

Page and Plant '98
The Who '79
The Who '96
Clapton and Winwood '09

Best "shows"

Pink Floyd '94
Stones '97

Most "fun"

Ian Anderson '03
(front row center, I played a kazoo solo on Locomotive Breath)
Badfinger '97
(15 people showed up to see them play on a golf course)
Brian Wilson '99
(my wedding day, Brian's first solo concert)
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young '00
(their first concert in 25 years, Neil threw a drink at me)
The Who and Robert Plant '02
(great seats, I can hear myself heckling Pete on the official bootleg)

"noteworthiness"

Wings '76
Stones '78
Neil Young and Crazy Horse '78
Simon and Garfunkel, central park, '81
The Animals (all 5 original members) '83
Lou Reed and John Cale (with surprise guest Moe Tucker) '89
Sex Pistols '96
Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell (front row) '98



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-27 14:25 by tatters.

i don't remember

I've seen all Stones tours since 1970.
Funnily, cause often criticized, my best memories are from some 76 shows!

Saw lots of gigs in the 70's. But forgot about most of them.
One that stays in my mind as an outstanding concert was a Taste (with young Rory) gig in Düsseldorf 1970.

Another great one was by Sly & family Stone at a festival in Frankfurt.
Other good ones that come to mind are the Who, Edgar Broughton, Ike & Tina Turner, Faces and Clash (in London) all in the 70's.

After the 76 tour and Knebworth I was in G.B. for some time just when Punk exploded. I saw some great and intense gigs at that time in London.
And some great shows by dutch rocker Herman Brood in the 80's.. .

Stones - Anaheim '99, Dodger Stadium '06
Springsteen - Indy '78, L.A. '88
Allman Brothers - Atlanta '71
Diana Krall - L.A. '02
Dylan/Joni Mitchell/Van Morrison - UCLA '98
Zeppelin - Indy '70, '77
And many more.

Springsteen
Meadowlands- August 1984

The Stooges in 06'...Ron Asheton was amazing.
Bob Dylan in 08', sang a few songs I wasn't expecting, like "This Wheel's On Fire"
Metallica last year.

I was at Dodger Stadium in '06 - can't remember if they played two nights or one but it was a good concert - crazy traffic and crazy neighborhood

# 1 Rammstein @ Palace April 1998 - I had never even heard of this band but was walking by the venue and someone handed me a ticket. I accepted because Rob Halford was on the bill.

# 2 Michael Monroe @ Brick By Brick San Diego March 13 2010 front and center, absoluetly amazing performance

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best multi-act shows

Sep 4/5 1994 Lollapalooza (Smashing Pumpkins/Beastie Boys/Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds/Breeders/L7/Cypress Hill 2nd stage Sep 4/Breeders 2nd stage Sep 5/George Clinton/Maggie Estep/2 mins of Green Day) another one of my all time favorite shows, last Breeders shows with Josephine

Sep 27 1992 Red Hot Chili Peppers/L7 & Joan Jett/Mudhoney/The Fluid/Courtney Love/Hammerbox Palladium (one of the best shows ever, lost about 7 lbs in the pit)

----------------------

noteworthy -


April 25 1990 KISS/Shake City Country Club (private Pirate Radio gig)
(An acquaintance at school won tickets and was going to take some chick he had a crush on but I bribed him $50 and got my mom to provide transportation. Got autograph from Gene Simmons and an autograph and pic from Bruce Kulick. First ever show in a club. They played a real long set, according to KISS Alive Forever, their longest to date. Recently scored some video footage of soundcheck/backstage and an alternate source audio recording of the complete show)

Nov 9 1990 Faith No More/Megadeth/Motorhead/Bang Tango/"GAK" (all star jam with James Hetfield,Lars Ulrich, Axl Rose, Slash, Duff, Sebastian Bach), Rip Magazine 5th Anniversary party, Ozzy and James Hetfield joined FNM for War Pigs and Young MC for Epic

May 7 1991 Megadeth Cathouse (secret show as Vic & The Rattleheads, met band, got autographs, full 90 min set, one of my all time favorite shows.)


Sep 28 1992 Rage Against The Machine Club With No Name (this is the show where the Killing In The Name video was filmed where Zakk gets in a confrontation with the bouncer, no idea what was going on) $8

Oct 30 1992 U2/Public Enemy/Sugarcubes Dodger Stadium

April 20 1993 Grotus @ Whisky A Go Go

May 15 1993 Anthrax Troubadour (best Anthrax show ever, 2nd show with John Bush)

Oct 20 1993 Jesus Lizard/Girls Against Boys/Brainiac Whisky A Go Go
(another one of my all time favorite shows, David Yow spent most of his time on the crowd with a roadie holding on the mic cord so no one got strangled)



Dec 31 1993 Cheap Trick/Dramarama Ventura Theatre (early show/late show)
(another one of my all time favorite concert experiences. Cheap Trick totally changed the set around for each show so I got loads of favorites. Got a bunch of stuff signed after. Clem Burke of Blondie played drums for Dramarama)

April 1 & 2 1994 Breeders/Jon Spencer Blues Explosion/Th Faith Healers Palace

Oct 3/6/7 1994 Nine Inch Nails/Jim Rose Circus Sideshow/Marilyn Manson Universal Amphitheatre
(NIN had the projection setup with an ultra thin curtain in front of the stage where you could see the band behind the projections dependin on the lighting. Absolutely amazing show, only planned to go to one but also went to night 3 which was the best and night 4)

Dec 15/16 1994 L7/Woodpussy Whisky A Go GO

March 24 1995 7 Year Bitch/Grotus/Season To Risk Las Palmas Theatre


April 27 1995 Faith No More/Steel Pole Bathtub/Phunk Junkeez Palladium
(killer show, much longer than their average set)


May 17-18 1995 PJ Harvey/Tricky Mayan Theatre
Oct 2 1995 PJ Harvey/Ben Harper Wiltern

Oct 19 1995 David Bowie/Nine Inch Nails/Prick Thomas & Mack Arena, Las Vegas
(first, and still the best David Bowie show I have ever seen. Love the Outside album and was totally blown away by all the awesome obscure album tracks that filled out the rest of the set)

there's more but now I am bored...

Whenever this question is asked somewhat surprisingly the same show jumps first into my mind: Jimmy Cliff at the Roxy @ late '70's. I loved the show and particularly the well balanced sound. You could look at and hear every instrument. Each song started with that simple reggae rhythm, then built until it ended up sounding like a symphony. Great show. Beautiful voice. Woody was in the audience sitting the next table over with Jo. He was there in part to see the opening act, Ian Dury.

My favorite Stones show was the '69 show, but if I had to quibble with words and say "best" it would be hard for me not to say the '72 show. The '69 show was historic and almost quaint. The '72 show hit you like a Mack truck.

The Detroit Wheels - October 1966 at a teen club in Indy called The Flame. The band let me and another young buddy sit on the side of the raised stage. They tore the roof off the dump.

The Kinks 1979-This was a festival seating show and i was on the barricade dead center between Ray and Dave's extending ramps. Cheap Trick 1978-Same deal; festival seating and right up front. Elvis Costello, Mink Deville, and Rockpile 1978-Elvis's first American tour: awesome bill. Bruce Springsteen 1980- A marathon show on The River tour. Most anticipation I felt before any show as I had been waiting five long years to see what all the hype was about. Saw an arena and stadium show on Born in the Usa tour but somehow the magic was gone. Besides The Rising,I haven't liked any of Bruce' post River out put.David Johansen 1978 and again in 1979- Touring behind his first two solo albums. One of the best pure rock 'n roll bands I have ever seen. Most disappointing show: The Who 1979 Pontiac Silver Dome- This show not long after the stampede in Cinncinati. I was expecting to be blown away, but the music was weak, and it was very very scary being on the floor.

Stones - Les Abbatoirs
Zeppelin - Knebworth
Neil Young Glastonbury
Grateful Dead - Wembley (Halloween show)
Stones - Roundhay Park Leeds Uk
Radiohead- Glastonbury

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band in Human Rights Now @Tokyo Dome Tokyo 1988(best of the best)

Bob Dylan With Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers @Budokan Tokyo 1986
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @Meadowlands New Jersey 1984 after the olympic parade
Bad Company @Budokan Tokyo 1975
New York Dolls @Korakuen Stadium Tokyo 1975
George Harrison with Eric Clapton @Tokyo Dome Tokyo 1991

David Bowie Wiltern Theatre in L.A. Then Stones Dodger Stadium 06 . Then Tom Petty Heartbreakers at Irvine Meadows it was the tour where he was supporting his Boxset (maybe 04 or 05 . Then Iggy Pop and Stooges at Wiltern in 09 or 10 . Never seen anything quite like it . IGGY was in total control of audience . WIERD but AMAZING

So many from which to choose. I guess my criteria will be, if I could see it again:

Newport '69 A 3-day festival at Devonshire Downs in the L.A. area. The acts I saw were Creedence Clearwater Revival, Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Jethro Tull, Steppenwolf, Chambers Brothers, Booker T, and a few others I cannot remember. It was an event! Hot as hell, but some great music.

McCartney in, I think, 2006 in Seattle.

Beatles at Dodger Stadium. Historic and unforgettable.

The Louie Bellson jazz band at a small club in '68 with my dad. I was 18 and into rock, he was into jazz. The club was a few blocks from our house. Guesting that night on trumpet was Doc Severinson. A great show in an intimate setting.

Temptations and Supremes at Melodyland in Anaheim in '67.

The Manhattan Transfer in 2000 on the waterfront in Seattle, with my college age daughter. Full orchestra, great music, warm evening. Very pleasant.

Mountain, Zappa's Hot Rats at the Olympic in L.A.

Ten Years After at the Rose Palace in Pasadena.

Too many to mention,but. . .. The one and only time I saw Bowie at Roseland Ballroom June 16(?) 2000. . .. A greatest hits night plus. . .. Speaking of Roseland, The Rolling Stones gig was great there for that time period and tour. . .. Rumor has it BV was there and he ate at the times Square McDonalds afterward. . .

Springsteen at Madison Square Garden the opening night of a long run in 1999 . . .. You could hardly find a more enthusiastic crowd. . .. It wa just insane with energy. . .. This concert goer of so many shows was truly impressed. . ..

Pink Floyd - Earls Court 14.6.81
Stones - Brixton 19.7.95
Led Zeppelin - Knebworth 11.8.79
Stones - Wembley 29.8.03
Neil Young - Hammersmith Odeon 12.12.89

...way too long a list, and too much effort to think it over...
But I raise my glass to Eddie Vedder solo, live in NYC in some ballroom somewhere, about 3 or 4 years ago.

Oh yeah: BB King in Antwerp (Belgium), around '97; and the Stones in Wembley '99 (both nights), off course.

["I can hear the Bullfrog calling me..."]

The Clash -- Passaic, NJ, March 8, 1980
The Stooges -- Jones Beach, NY, August 8, 2003
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band -- Madison Square Garden, August 21, 1978; Capitol Centre, Landover, MD, November 24, 1980
The Allman Brothers Band -- Beacon Theatre, March 17, 1992 & March 12, 2011
The Rolling Stones -- MSG, November 12, 1981 & January 14, 1998; Verizon Center in DC, March 4, 1999
The Who -- MSG, March 11, 1976 & September 14, 1979; Cap Centre, December 13, 1979
Bob Dylan -- Towson State (MD) University, November 19, 2000

Biggest disappointment: George Harrison, MSG, December 19, 1974



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-23 16:47 by ab.

Rolling Stones: Auburn '69 Atlanta '02
The Who: Atlanta '70
Deep Purple: Lakeland Fl. '85 St. Petersburgs Fl. '07 Katowice Poland '10
Faces: Jacksonville Fl. '72 Readings England '72
Free: Jacksonville Fl. '72
Page/Plant: Atlanta '94
Too others. I could go.
Steve Morse Band: Tampa Fl. '10

The Rolling Stones - both shows at Twickenham 2006. I had front row seats at these gigs and I was also able to get really close to the b-stage at both nights.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - three shows in Stockholm 2009. The Boss played a large variety of songs and it was simply amazing.

Sadly I didn't catch much of anything before 1990

Favourite concert;
Bob Dylan on his 1995 tour.... in Oslo, majestic performance - the best ever "Man In The Long Black Coat" I've heard, even when being objective.....bootleg is called "North Wind Blowing" if insterested

Rolling Stones on their Urban Jungle tour was also a treat

Quote
deeppurple
Rolling Stones: Auburn '69 Atlanta '02
The Who: Atlanta '70
Deep Purple: Lakeland Fl. '85 St. Petersburgs Fl. '07 Katowice Poland '10
Faces: Jacksonville Fl. '72 Readings England '72
Free: Jacksonville Fl. '72
Page/Plant: Atlanta '94
Too others. I could go.
Steve Morse Band: Tampa Fl. '10

Lucky guy... The Who in 1970... oh man.

Quote
DaveG
Temptations and Supremes at Melodyland in Anaheim in '67.

Cool! What was it like?

Quote
StonesTod
i don't remember

Yeah, I know I am missing a few too.

Looking back on it I think the rarest show I ever saw was The Doors at the Darby Park Rec Center in the Morningside part of town of Inglewood in '67. LMF just broke. I walked there. I couldn't drive yet. They were late. They arrived, set up, played 30 minutes at most. I got to hear LMF then they left to play another gig that night. Early in their career and they were grinding. Incredible. It was a gym or something. A hundred kids there, maybe?

Quote
DaveG
Temptations and Supremes at Melodyland in Anaheim in '67.

Cool! What was it like?

It was a "theater-in-the-round" and we were in one of the back rows. But the venue was relatively small and we could see and hear clearly. Just pure Motown, sweet and smooth. Each group had had so many hits by then that we were familiar with just about everything they performed. BOth groups put on a great show.

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band, Wembley Arena, 29th May 1981.

First night of a six show stand on the 'River' tour and the day before I turned 18.

My first ever trip to London. Went there on a 15-hour bus journey!

Only the third concert I ever attended - and a few hundred gigs later, still the best one.

Stones - Wembley 26-6-82 and Glasgow 1+3-9-03
Who - Birmingham 82 and Leeds 06
Motorhead 82 an 84
Dylan - Newcastle 84 and Hammersmith Odeon 8-2-90
Springsteen - Leeds 85
BB King - Sheffield 8?
Chuck Berry - Grimsby 04
Roger Waters 2007
Black Crowes 1991
Macca 2010
Boogie 4 Stu 2011

and many others!

sc uk