What shows kick ass? Was it the band, the performance space, the crowd, your company?

Was it the age you were at the time?

What makes you love going to live music?

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Answers

Actually, the best concert I've ever seen was the Foo Fighters and the Chili Peppers when they were at UMass. It was the first Sunday in April, I'd partied all weekend, and the concert was just the best way to end it. And I moshed, for the first time.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Oh, go ahead and brag, you non-chair-nailed-to-the-floor-havin' concert goer.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Izzy's, a horrible mexican restaurant/punk club in Northern California, 1994 or so...I'm standing on the merch table with my hands on Marc's shoulders, he's taking photos. Norman is standing next to me, singing along with every song that the Process is ripping out a few feet away on the pathetic excuse for a stage. I'm halfway watching the band and halfway keeping my eye on my friends in the pit...Meghan is a tough girl, but that big guy with the blond mowhawk doesn't fuck around. Gus is trying to scam beer and Randy it going at it like a go- go dancer a few feet away. I stop suddenly, and think..."remember this. you'll never have this moment again. remember your friends and how happy you are."

you know what? I was right. Marc is in Kansas now, I'm in Wisconsin, Meghan in back in Northern California, Norman was in LA last I heard, and Randy, well, no one really knows what happened to Randy.

I've seen some bigger name bands and been to some more impressive shows since then, but that moment will always stand out in my mind.

Allison

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

TMBG @ La Zona Rosa 09/99 - this was the first time I had ever seen TMBG and I was completely bowled over. Flans came out in the audience with his drum and did the whole conga line thing and I was just in pure heaven. I love TMBG, I'm a fan for life.

the Aquabats @ Del Mar Station (Reno, NV) 12/97 - I wrecked my car that night and was totally depressed but when the lights dimmed inside that little club and the smoke machines started, my heart was fluttering. Out they came one by one in this little fantastic light display, it was just the most fun I have had at a ska show in my entire life, the Bat Commander made my night.

Scared of Chaka @ Del Mar Station, 09/97 - Scared of Chaka was one of my favorite bands in high school and they put on one high octane show. I've seen them more times than I care to count, but this one was extra special. The lead singer, Dave, he's just a dynamo and he doubled in that show by singing for the Motards! It was really amazing and just straight up drunk punk fun.

Furious George & FYP @ someone's basement - This show really sticks out in my memory because before the show I got to talk to George Tabb (Maximum Rock N' Roll columnist and Ramones-addict at large) and he was just a really nice guy, also, about 5 additional bands showed up and played, it was nucking futs. Furious George rocked, but that night was marked by FYP's show. Some of the stuff that went on was so depraved and disgusting I can't even type it out, but shortly afterwards (a few weeks later), one of the band members killed themselves. It just really sticks out.

EVERY MU330/Blue Meanies show EVER. These two bands always seem to be touring together and if you want a fun show, go see them. I've seen them at least 4 times (two of them at Emo's in Austin) and they're just absolute fun.

I love live music for a lot of reasons, one of them being that songs never sound quite the way they do as they do live. I've even changed my opinion of bands after seeing them live, it's just something you have to do! (ex. I used to HATE the Get Up Kids, but when I saw them live, I gained a newfound respect for them. Once you've seen someone play Slayer's "Raining Blood" on a Moog, you aren't the same.)

I've always been a big fan of smaller, more intimate shows (i.e. basement shows, house parties) because well, it's just more fun. That's probably a big part of the reason I hate most mainstream music (aside from the fact that it's all crap); I don't want to stand around watching my favorite band onstage, at least at a punk show I get to meet them and sing along right into the mic. You can't beat that. Oh yeah, and the $7 t-shirts and $5 cover ain't half bad for cheap folks like me.

Sorry I blathered so much!

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

I loved, Loved LOVED having the opportunity to see the Nine Inch Nails while I was in England. Admittedly, I don't go to too many concerts but this one totally rocked ass. I was scared going in being this puny little white chick, the only one in line NOT wearing black (Hey, I didn't have anything clean!) but once we got in and the opening band (Atari Teenage Riot) stopped SUCKING it became the hugest party ever. My friends left me alone by the sound booth to go mosh but I didn't care because I made new friends where i was and none of them tried to kill me. The coolest part was on the way out we ran into this girl who had made a minidisc recording of the concert and sent all three of us copies. I haven't stopped listening to that thing since and now that I'm back in the States, I can't wait to see them again. I'm going twice this weekend while they're in the NY area. ROCK ON! NIN FOREVER

-Karen

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

I can't believe I forgot this ...

I saw Beck when he was on tour in support of Odelay and I don't think I've ever danced that much in my entire life. He put on one hell of a show as did the Deacon, Smokestack and the rest of the gang. Worth every penny. ($14 to be exact.)

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Ack! Don't tell me I'm about to become That Other Allison...

One of the best concerts I have ever seen was The RHCP like, 11 years ago before I even knew who they were at all. My boyfriend, who was 4 years older and much cooler than me, made me go see them at this random place and people were going INSANE for them. It was so much fun. I have loved them ever since.

Around that same time, I saw Edie Brickell perform - she was high, I gave her a bead necklace from the edge of the stage, she put it on and smiled at me - I thought I was in love with her.

I saw Lyle Lovett (LYLE!) at an outdoor venue in a driving rainstorm. He rocked, of course.

The hands down, all-time best HAD to be when I was in college and saw David Allen Coe at The Varsity (nasty 50 year old bar)in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was gross. It was hot. It smelled like something dead. His bass player looked like Satan's redneck cousin and kept leering at me and my friends. None of this deterred me from having the time of my life.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Dave Matthews at South Park Meadows, in Austin. The absolute best musical experience I have ever had. I all started with a 2 liter 7 up bottle filled with Stoli's (vodka) and a dare. The next thing I remember was trying to moon a car full of girls that cut us off on I- 35 on the way. We got there, concert started, pizza, pot, and more alcohol passed around. Remember being on my then boyfriend's shoulders in a bra and shorts. Unfortunately, my boobs weren't (and still aren't) big enough to attract the attention of the ultra-sexy Dave. We were with a friend who is a stripper and I think I wanted to see who had bigger boobs, she won. The last thing I remember: stumbling towards the car and seeing a person with no shirt on and one shoe. He was running towards us yelling "you don't know what I've been through!", and hugging me. We had lost him about three hours ago when he went to pee. He still gets shit for that.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Paul McCartney-- spring of 93, i think. I had the album it was for but I can't remember anything but "biker like an icon" which was all dumb. But he played for three hours and he played everything you wanted to hear. "Hey Jude" went on for fifteen minutes.

Violent Femmes-- in a dilemma before Lollapallooza '94, I had to choose between the Violent Femmes or Nirvana/Breeders. I chose the Femmes, since Nirvana/Breeders were in that year's Lollapalooza. My bad. But the Femmes put on a kick-ass two and a half hour show with no opener that rocked Liberty Lunch.

Porno for Pyros/Reverend Horton Heat-- couldn't ever see Jane's Addiction. They broke up, and the reunited tour sold out in ten minutes. The first Lollapalooza didn't go to Houston. I settled for Porno for Pyros. what they lacked in music (there was just one thirty- minute album, after all), they made up for with stage show. Naked spinning trapeze girlies, sadistic suicidal clowns, water guns, and Perry Farrell, which I would have done anything for. It was worth the near suffocation. Couldn't stand Horton Heat, but everyone sang the entire "Paul's Boutique" album while waiting for the Pyros set to be up.

Stone Temple Pilots/Butthole Surfers-- I spent the entire Surfers portion of the show trying to get my car jumped, since I had left my lights on. I remember STP just had "Core" out then, and they really rocked.

Dead Horse-- Houston band. The earliest "sneaking out of the house" memories. They aren't together anymore, but their pit was the first I really moshed to. Their cover of "Rock Lobster" was wonderful.

Lollapalooza 93-- (was it? can't remember the years anymore)-- Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry, Soundgarden, Ice Cube, Jesus and Mary Chain, Pearl Jam, and the wonderful Jim Rose Circus Sideshow. My feet hurt for days. I almost died. It ruled.

Lollapalooza '94 (pretty sure)-- Green Day, the Breeders, Tribe Called Quest, George Clinton and the P-Funk all-stars, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, howmuchfunwasthisshow?

Nine Inch Nails/Jim Rose Circus Sideshow/Marilyn Manson-- Halloween night. Would have been absolutely wonderful had it not been in the Erwin center. I don't care. I'll sit down to watch Trent. I'll cover myself in mud for him. Marilyn didn't even have "sweet dreams" out yet, so really he just scared the shit out of all of us and then cut his chest open on stage. Yo.

B-52's/Toad the Wet Sprocket-- that was a dancing good time. I was thirteen I think. I remember seeing college kids dancing in each other's arms wearing christmas hats and thinking, "I can't wait to have that."

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Oh, and my first concert was Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. The concert hall in Jackson, MS was small enough that we could all stand around the stage and watch her.

I thought she was the coolest girl ever.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

This falls under best and worst. Tori Amos. Why so good? Her concerts (Pre Choirgirl Hotel) were nice sit-sown concerts. Her and the piano and there was almost a feeling of sprituality in the air. Everyone listed to what she had to say..

Now her concerts with the band are general admission, standing room, and at the last concert of hers I was at, someone had the nerve to start a MOSH PIT. Wtf??

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

1992 or 1993? Fall Liberty Lunch Seaweed/Green Day/Bad Religion.

This show was fargin' incredible. The liberty Lunch Crowd did thier usual "sit on the ground until the headliner comes on" thing...but then something unexpected happened. Green Day took the stage and by the time the got started the place was packed.Everyone was on thier feet. Green Day played the almost all of the Dookie album months before its release. They played a ton of songs from "Kerplunk" and a couple from "Smoothed out..." The crowd broke the barrier at the front of the stage and Billy Joe said that if we didn't back up Bad Religion was not going to play. He treated us with a mellow tune from when he was with Pinhead Gunpowder and all was fine. Green Day also did their famous 80s rock medley...Bang your head..Eye of the Tiger..ect.

Then greatness took the stage in the form of Bad Religion. the played easily 35 songs in about an hour and 15 minutes. For those of you who have never seen this band...you are missing out...they put on a helluva a show.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

PRINCE/THE ARTIST. He rocks like no other! I got to see him for the first time in 1998 after being a fan since the 4th grade. Seeing him in concert, on stage, live, was so amazing, I can't even put it into words. I actually cried when he came on stage...so not me but I was so overcome I just couldn't control myself. I got to see him twice in 98 and 3 times last year. Every show was different and every one was wonderful. One of the shows he brought Carlos Santana out to jam with him. It was sooo COOL! One might think that Prince has an ego problem and wouldn't be down to share his stage, but he was so cool, he just backed up and let Santana rock, giving him big props. The man may be 42 but he can still dance his juicy little ass off! Seriously kids, if you ever get the chance to see him live, GO! You will be so glad you did!

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

my god, WEEN last summer at stubb's in austin. the girls going nuts at the end, actually enacting "LMLYP" (cover of a prince song), while there was a spectacular light show (stars falling) in the sky. it was so much fun, and i was so happy that my little sister was visiting, so she could see it.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

The Scabs 12/30/99 with Rose and Jess. We had the best time ever. I also enjoyed Tori Amos at the Backyard in Austin. It's this outdoor venue in the hill country that's amazingly beautiful. It was perfect for her. I was a little disappointed that she didn't play more from Little Earthquakes, but isn't it always like that?

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

- The Pogues, with Joe Strummer standing in for Shane McGowan at the Warfield in San Francisco - because we all expected it to suck without Shane, and not only did it not suck, it was so energetic that the audience had the floor bouncing in time to the music

- Any show of Barenaked Ladies, Moxy Fruvous, Blue Rodeo or Great Big Sea, because all of them tour like crazy and are amazing muscicians to hear live - they're all different, but my favourite one is always the one whose concert I was just at

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

I saw Big Head Todd at Red Rocks in the summer of 1995. I remember it fondly not because of Big Head Todd and not because of the abundance of gin I drank on the way there, but because Red Rocks is probably the most freakin' sublime place to attend a concert in the entire world. I just stood there in a drunken haze, staring at the lights, mountains, and stars, trying to channel the spirit of Bono singing "Sunday Bloody Sunday" there in 1983.

words diminish

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Goldfinger @ the Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS. January 17, 1997.

Hands down.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

ska against racism was a good show just becuase the musicians were all chill and after they played they joined the audience to see the other bands.. very nice and freinly environment.

a little better than that was when i saw incubus play an acoustic show 3 feet in front of me and then an hour later in the venue at the sno-core tour. it was awesome.

and the very best show i've gone to is the Long Beach Dub AllStars back in september. i saw them again in february or march, and i got to meet them and i got autographs and a drumstick, and i even worked for them as a roadie, but their show really sucked. opie was in a pissy mood and it was just.. bad. it's never as good as the first time.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

well, in '96, i think, i went to a page and plant concert with five of my girl friends. we had these awful, nosebleed seats, but at 17 and 18 years of age, we were all in love with robert plant. (he's still dead sexy). so, suddenly, this guy with an english accent walks up and he was all, "are all six of you ladies together?" and we were all, "yeah..." and he goes, "well, i'm the tour manager for page and plant, and we always save the first three rows to give out at the show, so scalpers don't get them. so, i was wondering if you would all like to sit in the front row tonight..." "HELL YEAH!!!" oh, my god, were we excited... :) it was amazing, we each swore that robert stared at us and winked, we smoked cigarettes like the naughty girls we were and had a wonderful time.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Tori Amos, a few months after Cobain's suicide, in a tiny restored- victorian theater: her first encore started with the first verse of "American Pie"... after she slowly sang "the day the music died" she faded into that slow, sad, spacey version of "Smells like Teen Spirit"... the hairs on my neck were standin' up.

Tori's "Choirgirl" tour, her first with the band; hard rock for grown- ups. Opening with "Precious Things" just knocked me out.

Neil Young, "Harvest Moon" tour. It was grunge day at starplex; Neil out-grunged 'em all, with this soft thunder of the gods. "Down by the River" was hypnotic.

Denton's local heroes the Mushroom Groovy at the velvet E, a small club... I went with a ballet-studying makeup artist and some of her friends... we danced to their ska-punk-funk til our necks were whiplashed. And everyone knew the words to "Roll it up": "I want marry- wanna, I like smoking gan-jaaa"

U2's war tour... man, they were good then, in a small hall... The Ramones at the Agora Ballroom, any Wilco show... and Morphine. Morphine on the side stage at the Horde Festival. I went just to see them. It SUCKS that Sandman died. Everybody danced under the stars like maniacs... perfect, perfect, perfect. And my cool chick friend got to play groupie and spent the night with Mr. Morphine himself. "Do you think I'm a slut now?" she asked... "No, I just think you're even cooler than ever".

.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

04/00 - fiona apple. SOOOOO incredible. crying, screaming, the whole thing. with my best friend, and just...sigh. tori amos, lilith fair, etc. are amazing, but damn yo. there were only a couple hundred people, it rained, it was an amphitheater...so gorgeous. sigh. im so in love with her.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Monster Magnent/Pearl Jam/Soundgarden at City Collisem- First balls to the wall concert. Meet E. Vedder and some guys from Soundgarden. Moshpit gallore.

Jim Rose Circus/Marilyn Manson/NIN- Pammie is right. The Erwin Center sucks ass. The only reason I didn't go to see the Foo's and Chilli's. Good show, but I got thrown out of this one. Just went back in another door, but still... Some guy freaked when the fox decomposed in reverse at the end of Hurt.

Jim Rose/Godsmack @ Austin Music Hall- totally bad ass

Pariah CD release party for To Mock a Killing Bird @ The Back Room- these guys were gods back then. Some members now in The Meat Puppets.

No Doubt/Bush/Counting Crows/Jewel/ect. ect.- the largest rock concert in the U.S. Held at a race track outside of Dallas. Free tickets. Expensive beer.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Ben Folds Five at the Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS. Small enough venue to still be considered an intimate setting. Somehow they fit a baby grand piano, drums and mikes on that stage. Ben trouncing around, jumping on the piano, throwing his bench on the keys, general mayhem....and the cover of "video killed the radio star" as the encore...perfect end to a perfect show.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

The first show I will admit to attending (meaning the second) was Radiohead in Salem, Oregon when they were on tour in '97 for OK Computer. It was great. I went with my best friend and though we couldn't see past all the mean tall people half the time, we danced and jumped up and down so we could see the important stuff, like Jonny playing the xylophone and Thom being crazy. I still drool over that show.

The coolest live show I've ever seen was TchKung!, which *was* an interesting, anarchist collective of musicians and performers. I saw them three times, but their last show in Seattle at RKCNDY was probably the best. They staged a riot with fake FBI agents and hoses (low water pressure, though, of course) and caution tape; using power tools to make sparks fly off of big metal barrels; and singing along to all the anti-corporate, anti-establishment tirades. The crowd writhed and moved like a bizarre creature. I was smack dab in the middle of the balcony and saw everything. It's kind of hard to explain, though, but it was a frickin' cool show. I can't give myself over to the actual sentiments so much, but the energy is amazing.

Some other shows I enjoyed: Pink Martini
Cat Power - calming, anyway... a whole operahouse full of punk rockers at Bumbershoot last summer watching this shy, quiet woman sing her songs.
Red Elvises - exceedingly goofy, but I was disappointed in their recorded stuff after seeing the live show.
Pain - they just rock. I love Pain.
Jason Webley - accordianist in the Seattle area who opened for TchKung! once, but I saw him again unofficially playing Bumbershoot. Always good to get a crowd with a rousing rendition of "Aardvark": "It starts with an 'A'--Aardvark, aardvark--It ends with a 'K'--Aardvark, aardvark--It's not easy to say!...But try anyway!" to the tune of, um... the title escapes me now because I suck, but a well-known classical piece prominently featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey. His CD was $5 and had several amusing and poetic, lyrical pieces.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I need to see another show one of these days. Arena shows are buggy.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

In 1994, ani difranco came to my college's Take Back the Night rally. There were about 500 or so of us, fresh from chanting our way through downtown and ready to party. Ani had us in the palm of her hand from the second she came on stage. People were out of their seats by the end of the first song, and we stayed up and dancing all night. I'd only heard a few of her songs, but everyone else was singing along on the choruses or cheering on the nastier lyrics. She took all our energy, amplified it, and threw it back out at us. It was really something else.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Alanis Morisette last spring at the Skyreach Centre in Edmonton.

She absolutely ROCKS in concert. I mean it, she's great. She has such energy, and she's so into it. She really brings the crowd into the show, if that makes sense.

However, this was in a hockey arena. Arena concerts suck because of the lack of acoustics. I was on the floor, and there were times that I couldn't hear anything. Also, people seemed to think Alanis was still in her teenybopper phase. There were WAY too many kids there. I mean 5-6 year olds, as well as pre-teens and whatnot. These people do not have enough angst to understand Alanis Morisette. The opening band was Sloan. The group of pre-teens behind us were chanting "Slo- oane" over and over through the whole set. After their set, the lead singer came down to the floor, and the pre-teens went up to meet him. They came back squealing "Omigod! I met him! I het him! I touched his hand!" At this point I was tired of them, and I turned around and said "Yeah, well I f*cked him before the show." My friend couldn't believe that I said that. It felt good to see the utter shock on their faces.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Wow, I love this subject! Going to see live bands is my absolute favourite past time for me - it even just beats watching good stand-up comedians. Nothing can beat the raw energy you get from the crowd and the feeling of letting go in the mosh pit. It's priceless.

Out of all the concerts I've been to I would have to nominate Tool as the one that stands out the most. It was '97.... I think... at an outdoors mulit-line-up type festival in Sydney and I was about 22yrs old. There were other good bands on before them, but when they came on the whole crowd became memorised (which is quite an achievement considering some of the drugs people were on). They were all painted blue and moved on the stage in a way that was eerily beautiful. And of course the mosh pit was mad.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

hm, I would say the 1981 Rolling Stones FIRST farewell tour (as opposed to their many other farewell tours). Greg Kihn and J. Geils opened for them. In the Seattle Kingdome! I was 18, and bulletproof. Well, I certainly was that night, considering the amazing amount of substances I had gotten ahold of. I started out with a 6-pack of malt liquor tall boys, and kept 'trading up', so to speak. By the time the concert was in full swing, I was enveloped in a warm hazy glow, on the floor level of the Kingdome, listening to the 60000 people and feeling the noise reverberate off the walls in this giant, concrete container.

The flip side of this would be two years ago, when I saw Joe Jackson at the El Rey Theater, In Los Angeles. I was 6 feet away from him the whole time, surrounded by fellow fans/worshippers. Pretty cool hearing your idol sing, that's for sure!

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

RHCP at woodstock 99. overall most of the bands sucked but the chili peppers just put such a awesome groove throughout the whole crowd. I was with some of my friends i was 18.
Smashing pumpkins at kent state this past easter. they are such a good band period but they were awesome over 2 hours of pumpkins. the best was at the end when they did TWO encores and billy corgan reached from the stage and walked across shaking hands.
At The drive in the grog shop (local club in cleveland) they were really good high energy they also kicked to guys out for being jerks.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

damn i hate (but secretly enjoy) having to list yr favourite concert /band/artist coz whatever you write , ten minutes later you are like.......'sheesh i forgot about _____ and now it is too late. ______ are so much better.' anyway: rock: the breeders 1994 Sydney Uni ,The sisters were smiling drinking and having fun......but just the crowds reaction was amazing. electronic: chemical brothers , melbourne big day out 2000. A complete show which left you just standing there waving anything you could around...totally captivated by the awesome sounds/visulas they were displaying. indie/pop/british/whatever: Stone roses 1996(?- damn my memory is going) , enmore theatre. They were there together and it was the last year before they called it quits. folk/mellow:smog , 1997 hobart. The smallest venue , with about 60 people...just listening to bill callahan and his guitar. unbelievably intimate. But yeah i guess showsi have seen as an older punter i seem to enjoy more , as it is music i now find better than when i was 18. I now feel very old going to see some bands when the crowd is full of 17 yr olds running around whilst i cringe going: i used to act like that and i thought i ruled the world. shows that rocked the more i think about it include: blur, corduroy, living color,railroad jerk, beastie boys, radiohead, jeff buckley ,beck ,elastica , supergrass.......and the list i guess would go on and on.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

I'm with Emily. Best show I ever saw was in 97: Radiohead during the OK Computer tour. I saw them in Dallas, where I hooked up with some buddies of mine from Oklahoma City. I had bought four tickets (I had to buy a subscription to Ticketmaster's Suck-Ass magazine in order to keep the operator on the phone to order the tickets exactly at 10 a.m.), and they were good, near-the-front balcony seats. It was at Fair Park Theater, which is small and intimate and we were just blown away. When they tour later this year, I AM SO THERE.

Others were Tori Amos during her Under the Pink Tour (I got to go backstage on the pretense of writing a story for the local newspaper and I got to give her a hug and get an autograhed picture) and Cowboy Junkies at La Zona Rosa. Tiny, intimate venue, great voice on that Margot Timmins.

I will continue to go see U2 in concert, no matter how old they get or how big their screens are or how much their new albums aren't as good as their old ones. THey just put on a good show.

Oh, and Pearl Jam back when they were just starting out. That was great. And more pot smoke than I've ever seen in one place.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Indigo Girls at The Backyard in Austin, TX, June 1998. The Girls are my fave, and they are freaking amazing live. And The Backyard is a gorgeous place to see a concert; it's surrounded by huge trees that hang over your head. You feel like you're in a big treehouse full of music and fun.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Tori Amos at Wolftrap was amazing.

Also, Aretha Franklin. There's no other like her. One of the highlights of my life. I can still picture Mike and Nanette now.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Paul Simon - Rythym of the Saints tour back in.. ok, I don't remember. College. A concert I was drug to, mind you. "Paul Simon? But he's so.. old." He had this huge world band backing him up and I could have happily sat and listened to him for the rest of... oh, at least a year.

Koko Taylor - The Yacht Club in Iowa City, Iowa. A tiny little basement club with only 6 booths, so we cut class and arrived at 3PM to stake out a seat. Koko was running her sound check and sat down and played Junga with us. This tiny little (5'3" tops) grandmotherly type (I think she was 63 at the time), and when she opened her mouth I knew why there are just some people in the world who are destined to be blues singers.

Best concert I didn't see: my ex-roommate and I were watching MTV one day when U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" came on. I mentioned that I would have loved to see that show and she said, "Umm, I was in the front row." To prove it, we went out and rented the video, and there she was, smack dab in the front row, gazing up at Bono with 17 year old angst. Bitch. ;)

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

I have to go with Trevor on the Chemical Brothers at the Melbourne Big Day Out. That was simply amazing.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2000

Only ever been to a very few concerts in my life, but these are probably the two best.

1) Massive Attack, Enmore Theatre, 22/6/98. That was a real future-of-music type of night. Mezzanine had only been out for a few months and for the first time I really loved this band. I'd liked them to a degree before but never this much. Amazing to watch on stage, tooRobert del Naja playing the immobile skinny white guy, Andrew Vowles the blank-faced, faintly psychotic-looking turntablist, and Grant Marshall the writhing African sex god. And of course you had to love Horace Andy too.

2) Placebo, Metro Theatre, 16/8/99. I was worried that this one might get cancelled cos they'd called off their show in Brisbane the previous night and this was the last show of the tour, no possibility of reschedule but it went ahead, even though the bassist was playing with a broken arm and the ever-lovely Brian Molko was in an evidently foul temperventing at someone who threw a cardigan at him during one song that he would rip them a new arsehole if they or anyone else tried that again. It ended with Brian overturning an amplifier stack and stalking off amidst a shitstorm of noise. Awesome stuff.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Oleander opening for Collective Soul last year. You might not think Collective Soul could put on an asskicking, rockin show -- but aha, you'd be wrong! They're definitely a live band. And Oleander. Fuckin amazing, right up there with doubleDrive.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

TMBG House Of Blues November 1999
front row right in front of flans! it was so awesome, they are my favorite band and it was my second time to see them live.

Oingo Boingo 1990 a few days before halloween. i was a senior and i got tickets for my birthday.
caitlyn


-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

The Meat Puppets: At South St. Seaport, NYC. I think the concert was for Earth Day or something. I have no idea as to the date, but the show was free, and outdoors, which puts it right at the top of the list. The first time I'd ever been in a "pit" though I remember people doing some tripped out version of a ho down in it. There was this tall skinny dude with hockey hair who stunk of cheap beer, dressed in a black leather jacket and sun glasses who kept pumping his fist in the air shouting, "rock and roll!!!" I wonder whatever happened to him.

After that I'd put Weezer (saw 'em twice at Roseland, NYC) and The Smashing Pumpkins (Lollapolooza '94 at Downing Stadium...it rained so bad that day we sunk in mud above our ankles...I had to buy three t- shirts and burn cigarettes to keep warm, but it was worth it).

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Led Zeppelin, January 1975, Rotterdam - My parents took me along, and at 11 years of age, that show changed my life. I took my first drum lessons shortly after.

Sex Pistols, December 1976, Paradiso, Amsterdam

Graham Parker & the Rumour / Thin Lizzy, June 1978, Pinkpop festival

The Jam, December 1980, Utrecht - a few days after Lennon was killed. Very emotional.

The Cramps, July 1981, Amsterdam

Siouxsie & the Banshees, December 1982, Utrecht - with Robert Smith (The Cure) on guitar, shortly after 'A Kiss in the Dreamhouse' was released. Definitely their finest hour. (Check the 'Nocturne' live album for comparison.)

John Cale, February 1984, Amsterdam

Prince, June 1987, Utrecht - 'Sign o' the Times' tour. His finest hour. (Check the movie of the same name, which was shot one week later in Rotterdam, for comparison.)

Paul McCartney, November 1988, Rotterdam (One track recorded there appears on the 'Tripping the Live Fantastic' album)

Rolling Stones, May 1990, Rotterdam

Pearl Jam, May 1992, Pinkpop festival

Sheryl Crow, January 1994, Amsterdam

Sass Jordan, July 1994, Amsterdam

Aerosmith / Black Crowes, July 1999, Nijmegen (I took my 13-year-old son along, which made it a really special night)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Oops, I forgot Plant & Page, June 1995, Rotterdam.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

The Cure--10/89 The Disntegration Tour

***My friend began to hyperventilate when Robert Smith walked on stage to the strains of Plainsong. Great Concert. Unforgettable.

They Might Be Giants 1989/90 (I can't remember)

***I've seen 5 TMBG concerts. This was the best. Just John and John. No band. No fanfare. Extrememly cool.

Depeche Mode--1990

***Excellent. Danced my ass off.

WORST CONCERT EVER---Morrissey 1991. The Lesbian Folk singer Phranc opened, she played longer than he. I think Morrissey spent maybe 40 minutes with us. Maybe. Ugh. Worst. Concert. Ever.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Old 97s on the "Too far to Care" tour in '97? at some bar in Champaign IL. Neko Case in '99 at some obscure bar in Charleston, IL. Robyn Hitchcock at the Foellinger Auditorium in '95 or thereabouts; Soul Asylum doing the first warm-up stop on their "all of a sudden we're big rock stars" tour in '92. Any Poster Children show, whenever, wherever. Trip Shakespeare at Mabel's in the early '90s (the tallest band in the Midwest). Poi Dog Pondering at Mabel's.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Very best was REM at the Pyramid in Memphis, Augustish 1997. They sang Man on the Moon, and Micheal Stipe did this little Elvis impersonation thing everytime he sang "Andy are you goofin' on Elvis". I don't even like Elvis, but it was so cool since we were in Memphis.

Also good was Eric Clapton, also at the Pyramid in Memphis, Octoberish 1994.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Any BNL concert...last time i saw them, Rufus Wainwright opened and he was fabulous.

Say what you will, but the Bloodhound Gang puts on an excellent live show.

ScarletKim, if you like Prince, you should come to Minneapolis sometime and go to his house. Every few weeks or so he does an impromptu show out there. My roommate and her boyfriend are complete Prince addicts and they are on all these secret mailing lists and stuff to find out when he's going to play. They go out there and wait in line till 2 am to be let in to see him play the piano and stuff.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

The Eagles, reunion tour. Irvine Meadows (I don't remember the date, damn this brain of mine). Perfect weather with a little breeze. Drunk. My best friend Matt. Don Henley, yum. No moshing, no sweaty people. Probably sounds pretty boring to most of you, but it was my favorite concert ever.

Concert that never was? I was working at Chili's in Houston and left my tables to hold on line with Ticket Master to get tickets to REM. Some of the other waiters were fans too, and they covered my tables, so I could get us all tickets. I have never seen REM in concert and I was so looking forward to it, but I ended up having to move back to California before the concert. I still regret that.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

I too was at the maasive attack show at the enmore in sydney and yeah, it was incredible. The atmosphere when they were all on stage was felt right through the crowd. anyways for mind the highlight was angel. And andy horace is a tripper......coming on stage completely off his trolley , fumbling around , laughing , having fun (which many performers dont seem to do anymore ie. billy and his bitches)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Pamie, Edie is the coolest girl ever. I've been meaning to buy 'Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars' again for a while now.

I'll be sounding really old now, but I went to an awesome Sting concert at the Royal Albert Hall a few weeks back. This venue is the coolest in the world - the sound in there is fab, and it's absolutely beautiful. And I'd got us super-cool tickets - at the side of the stage but around a bit - say a 45 degree angle to the stage - about 10 rows to the front. We could see the individual beads of sweat on the man's forehead.

I've never been a huge Sting fan, but in concert he rocks. He sang all the cool old stuff - Roxanne, Let's Stay Together, all that, and the good recent stuff. And his backup band and vocals were excellent. The music was very 'jam-session', and everybody was dancing in the aisles by the end of it. Best #60 I've spent for a long time, and Sting is the most fit old guy I've seen for ages. Yum - he's my new Old Age Pensioner Celebrity Boyfriend.

Another cool concert was two years ago on my birthday at the Shepherd's Bush empire (real dive, like a very big pub, but very atmospheric) - an NZ band called The Muttonbirds (yes, I know you'll never have heard of them, but they're a similar style to Crowded House - that's about the standard style for NZ bands - all guitar and poetic vocals). Anyway, I went to this with my best NZ friend in London, they played all their songs (it was about a 3 hour gig), we sang and danced and got nostalgic, and the final song was a great track called 'Wellington' - which is where I used to live. I've not felt so homesick before or since.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Another vote for TMBG here. I've seen them live twice in the past couple of years after being a fan since I was 14. They played a relatively small venue (about 500 people) both times and the crowd totally bonded - we had a conga line going and everything. And luckily, the Johns were not above playing their old stuff in favor of the new album. I hate it when bands only play their new stuff...

Other great concerts: Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello (apparently I have a thing for older British men), Barenaked Ladies (seen them three times and they never disappoint), Live, Pet Shop Boys, and That Dog (who sadly broke up shortly after I saw them - sniff).

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

I forgot about Holly Cole at the Theatre St Denis in Montreal. My god, is she ever amazing in conert! She's funny, and she always tries to speak French-- even though she can't. This was after Dark Dear Heart came out, so she had a few songs from that, as well as her more well-known Jazz stuff. Her voice is so amazing, and she sounds as good or better live than on disc. I can't believe I forgot her!

I'd also like to see Jann Arden in concert, because I'm told she's really funny on stage and she's just a great musician.

Weird Al was a lot of fun. I saw him at the same place, St Denis, and we started a mosh pit for Smells like Nirvana. That guy is so whacked in concert. My friend Marty and I started to Polka during the polka medlies.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

All of the Cure concerts I have been to, especially Disintegration. Depeche Mode (twice), Erasure (3 times), NIN (once). I love to go all out pretend goth every now and then - black clothes, extreme dark makeup, big stomping shoes, etc.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Not trying to make anyone feel any younger but ... Best show I ever saw was Supertramp during their Breakfast in America tour way back in the late 70's. Their performance was extremely polished, all of the guys had great stage presence, and they carried off everything so professionally. They even started on time, not the usual hour or so late. They also showed this movie on a huge screen during the song "Rudy", really fit the song. Guess you had to see it to appreciate it.

Another really good show was Dickie Betts and Great Southern. Saw them someplace in Seattle, again in the late 70's. The most remarkable thing about that show was the bass player. His left arm was fine, had a hand & 5 fingers that worked. His right arm though - amputated just at or below the elbow. I think he had a pick embedded into his stump. It was outrageous watching him thump his stump on the bass. He could really play too. Those southern rock tunes had some really great bass lines, and he could crank them right out.

The next best was watching Molly Hatchett open up for the Outlaws. Whoda thunk that Molly Hatchet would blow the Outlaws right off the stage. They were really impressive. Some of the Hatchet guys joined in for a big guitar orgy sometime during "Green Grass & High Tides" Never saw sooooo many guitars on stage at once.

There, that make some of you folks feel younger??

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Ooooh, best show: Guster at the Portsmouth Music Theatre in New Hampshire ('98). Unlikely, right? But it was so great. Sweet local band, AMAZING sound, all my best friends... the venue was small ornate theater... there were seats, but we were all standing and dancing... it was so charming... the perfect place to see 3 humble boys in bright yellow jeans play their hearts out.

Garbage ('99) at the Roseland in New York was good as well. Bright lights, big city and all. I had just met my boyfriend's friends. Shirley Manson rocked, and Butch Vig & co. pounded... yeah, that kicked.

All the shows I saw at UNH held their own memories, even the cheesy ones, just because it was such an idyllic time... Alanis Morissette, Live, the Verve Pipe, Tonic before anyone knew who they were, Coolio, the Fugees... I went to see COOLIO!? Christ. Even that was fun.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Patti Smith at CBGB's in 1977. She was just returning to performing after breaking her neck. Came out in a neck brace but took it off after 2 or 3 songs. The most magnetic performer I ever saw.

The Clash at the Agora in 1979.

Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden in 1975.

The Ramones at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel(Providence, RI) in 1977.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Damn how could I forget??? Just last February... Continental Airlines Arena, E. Rutherford NJ...the FREE MUMIA concert for Mumia Abu Jamal, the cop-killin journalist political prisoner guy. It was Bad Religion, the Beastie Boys, and Rage Against the Machine on one bill. You calculate the coolness quotient.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

When I was at Maryland, some friends and I camped out for U2 tickets and got great seats on the field at RFK Stadium about 15 rows from the stage. It was all my college friends the summer before my senior year, and it was one of those moments where even at the time you wish you could somehow seal the whole thing into memory. It's a lot of cash, but U2 put on a great show both times I've seen them.

Also, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones just played a show at the 9:30 Club here that you could only get tickets for by winning them from a local radio station (count the many grammatical errors in that sentence and win valuable prizes!). It was an internet contest, however, and there was some sort of a snafu where nobody knew they had actually won until three hours before showtime. People showed up anyway, but it was a small enough crowd where it felt like they were playing in someone's basement, and the band rocked.

And I love live music for the same reason I love live theatre or comedy ... the audience can make a difference, and there's always the possibility that you'll see something nobody else has ever seen before.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

The best concert I ever saw was in the fall of 1991, and I was 17 years old. My girlfriend and I had not been asked to the Homecoming dance for the FOURTH year in a row (sniff), and we opened up the paper to see what we could do that night. We ended up at a hotel in downtown Houston at a Temptations concert (this is obviously before they started dropping like flies). This was a very dressy event -- lots of older folks in very nice outfits, valet parking, all that jazz.

We were two of maybe a dozen white folks -- everybody was jamming the ENTIRE time, and we almost got to sing the chorus of "My Girl" on stage with them. (Meaning we were in line to do it but didn't get picked. Damn!) And we'd just picked that concert at random and knew as many Temptations songs as any white teenager from the burbs would. They kicked so much ass.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

This goes waaaay back....

In the late 60's when I as in high school me and various friends used to go to concert/dances at Avalon Ballroom, Fillmore Auditorium and Winterland in San Francisco. For $2.50 you saw 3 bands do 2 sets each, including Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton and many more. No assigned seating; you could dance, sit, drink, smoke or anything else you wanted. Band members would mingle with the audience between sets. AND they gave you a souvenir poster when you left....

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Phish - 1995 Bronco Bowl (Ft. Worth)

New York Philharmonic - 1995, Central Park (conducted by Bobby McFerrin)

U2 - 1992, Erwin Center (Austin; my first ever trip to Austin)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

oh god, i am so jealous of person who saw patti smith in '77...my god. how amazing that must have been. sigh.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

So many shows, so little time...

Elvis Costello at the Orpheum in Boston -- can't remember the year, 86? 87? It was supposed to be an acoustic set, and he had this huge spinning song wheel that audience members got to spin -- he would then play their selection. At the end of the "regular" set (an hour and a half, at least), the Attractions came out and they did another HOUR of material! Kick ass!

TMBG -- about six shows so far, all great. How can you beat John and John?

RHCP/Smashing Pumpkins/Pearl Jam, Worcester Centrum(?maybe), MA, 1991? I'm terrible with dates. Don't get scared -- two out of three were really good! I was told that I'd like the Smashing Pumpkins (feh), so when the first band came out I thought it was them (we didn't know the order) -- and they ROCKED. The second band SUCKED so badly I almost left, but of course I was there to see RHCP so I stayed. Turns out the opening band was Pearl Jam (it was the week that "Ten" was released so I hadn't heard them yet), and the suckage band was Smashing Pumpkins. They ALMOST tainted the show, but I've managed to successfully block it out...and PJ and RHCP were so good it made up for it.

Richard Thompson, Iron Horse Cafe, Northampton MA, 198? (also any show anywhere anytime) Acoustic, amazing. Any Richard show will knock you on your ass.

RHCP, UMass/Amherst, outside concert, free admission, naked, socks, you name it they did it. Sometime in the 80's. (Hey, it was a long decade)

The Residents, 1986? -- ok, more of an event than a concert, but certainly 'wicked pissah.'

Laurie Anderson, Harvard University, 1995? Spoken word/music thing. Very cool. Also in the 80's, the "United States: Live" tour.

Violent Femmes -- a friend of mine was friends with Gordon, so I got to shake his tiny little hand. Way cool. A few years later I saw him in The Mercy Seat doing gospel with his HUGE girlfriend (she was like 6'2" and he's like 5'3") -- also fun.

Joe Jackson -- I've seen him a couple of times and DAMN, he's just so COOL. I love everything he's ever recorded.

REM -- mid 80's, did so many cool cover songs at the end of the set. "Moon River" is one I remember...

Dream shows I wish I'd seen: the few XTC shows before Andy Partridge stopped touring. The Thomas Dolby tour. Nirvana. Morphine more than once. Sigh.

(In retrospect, I sure seem stuck in the 80's! It's not entirely true, I swear!)

I'll stop here. Of course I've forgotten a ton!

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Man this is a question to make some of us feel old.

Best light shows in a concert I have been at would have to go to Queen in 1976 at The Jube, The Original VanHalen almost any tour excellent live shows. Def Lep 1990 great lazers. Biggest: U2 in Dublin Ireland summer 1985 and the hometown crowd rocked. Oddest: I saw KISS in about 1975 in a tiny arena maybe about five hundred people who didn't know what the hell to think.

I havent been to a live concert in a while other than Classical music, About two months ago we saw a Soprano sing with the orchestra and a guest oboe (sp?) player. She was incredible and when her voice could go no farther the oboe would take over, her voice and the oboe flowed into each other so you could not tell when one changed for the other, it was heavenly.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

WAH! I KNEW I'd forget something great...1983?, Brandeis University in Waltham, Adam Ant with opening band . . . INXS! It was Adam's "Strip" tour and during that song he stripped off his shirt and tossed it into the audience. I was a screaming girly-fan at the time and managed to get a corner of it and held on for dear life. About 8 people each had a grip on it and NONE of us were letting go. Finally some guy whipped out a knife and cut up the shirt into strips, so we all ended up with little strips of his shirt. I split my shred with a friend and we both rolled them up and wore them around our wrists for the next year or so. Adam! *sigh* (And INXS were great, too!)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Prince's "Jam of the Year" concert in San Antonio was incredible because I finaly got to see Prince and the people that I cared about most were there.

I have to say that the most fun watching someone play was the Fat Boy Slim concert at Austin Music Hall. He had the entire audience in the palm of his hand. Not to mention he only di like 3 U.S. gigs, so I felt lucky...

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

I don't even know which forum to put this under, but check this out:

Free concert. Houston. 1989. The Bangles. (maybe it was 1990?) They opened our new tollroad by PLAYING A CONCERT ON IT. Ha.

Would have sucked except my mother was the manager that overlooked that strip of road at the time. We just went up on the balcony and watched the show from right above the girls. My pre-teen body was stoked.

"Close your eyes... give me your hand, darling. Do you feel my heart beating? Do you understand? Do you feel the same? Am I only dreaming, or is this burning an eternal flame?"

Ha.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Le's see...I saw the Barenaked Ladies and they were awesome. Wonderful Showmen!

I saw Moxy Fruvous with my brother a couple of years ago and had a blast. Tthey are also great showmen and funny funny men. I even got to meet the band (most of them) and got their autographs and took their pictures and acted like a total geek.

I saw Guster TWICE this year and LOVED it. Those kids are TERRIFIC. If they come to your town, go see them. Buy their album.

I saw the Bacon Brothers with my sister. They were good, although I didn't know all of the songs too well. My sister was going CRAZY throughout the show, so my table had Kevin Bacon's attention all evening :)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000

Oh, I forgot the Cowslingers. If you live in the midwest and you get a chance to see a Cowslingers show, run don't walk! "West Virginia Dog Track Boogie" live is the most hilarious thing you've ever heard. And they rock, too.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

Wow, what an incredible topic. Reading other people's posts brought back a lot of good memories and helped me to remember great concerts that I'd forgotten about.

James Taylor played Proctor's Theater, right in my home town. This was 1989 I would say. My girlfriend and I got what I thought were horrible seats, they were right next to the stage but they were on the extreme lefthand side. It looked like we were going to have to sit sideways all evening.

Not so! Somehow the stage was set up so James was practically right in front of us, and he was in unbelievable form that night. His voice was incredible, somehow much smoother and more powerful than on record. He was also enjoying the acoustics of this fine old theatre himself. At one point he was explaining to the audience how he loved performing in great old venues like this when he stopped and started to laugh. Shaking his head, he said: "I just sound so fucking sincere, don't I?"

I was down in New York in 1980 and saw a New Age/Jazz band called either "James White and The Blacks" or "James Chance and the Contortions" (the performed under both names) It was in a small club.

The band was incredible. James Chance was playing some incredible sax, but he definitely seemed chemically enhanced...

There was this one pudgy girl in a leather jacket who kept sitting on the stage, and James had a problem with that, occasionally swearing at her, and then actually using his microphone stand to fork-lift her off the stage. Still, she climbed back on again. Then during an instrumental break in a song he took a FLYING LEAP off the stage landing right on her! I couldn't believe my eyes! The two of them landed right at my feet and he started slamming her head into the floor. A couple of the bouncers and a friend of mine managed to wrestle him off her and help him back on stage... just in time for an incredible sax solo. While he was writhing on the floor, one of the slinky girl singers lowered the microphone into the bell of the sax. Very, very suggestive.

The girl who got her head pounded seemed to be none the worse for wear... she was up dancing, shaking her finger at him as if to say "you naughty boy."

The fact that he was able to climb back on stage for his solo made me wonder if it was all staged... Kind of doubt it though.

However, probably the best concert I ever attended was Peter Gabriel, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Summer of 1983. I've never seen a performer seduce an audience in quite that way. He opened with "I Have The Touch" daring the audience to touch him. Nobody wanted to - he was wearing some very creepy face makeup. While singing he'd lunge toward the audience and they'd pull back. However, for the last song of the night ("Lay Your Hands On Me") he walked into the audience and they passed him around for what seemed like 20 minutes. It was a very moving experience.

However, I later learned that while he was being passed around, someone stole his cordless microphone!! He had to cut the love-fest short and get back to the stage. This was when cordless mics were new and very expensive. Gotta love the people in my area...

Finally, when I was in college, Bob Marley played live at my school on his "Babylon By Bus" tour. The only word I can think of for Marley's performance was masterful. He had us in the palm of his hand, and the concert ended with an extended call and response between Marley and the audience. Incredible.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

Hey, Bill, I was at that SPAC Peter Gabriel show, too! Small world...

The best show I ever saw was a group called Defunkt, at the Jabberwocky in Syracuse, NY, in '81 or '82. The Jab was a pit, very nasty, but Defunkt was amazing. I love to dance, but they nearly did me in. Other amazing shows: Zappa, three different times in Syracuse, the Police (in Buffalo), my first concert: Aerosmith, 1977, at a tiny downtown theater (yeah, they sucked in concert back then but I didn't care), Steely Dan's reunion tour in '93 at Meriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland.

Thanks to the other oldtimers for sharing. I've never heard of most of the bands mentioned here!

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

this is not a favorite band, just a great experience.

when i lived in vermont ('94)i was dreadfully home sick for friendly people. then one day on the college campus i saw a flyer for a private rev. horton heat concert for students only. yippie! a home state/town band up here! just for me! so i went and so did 55 other people, the band was not vert popular up there. there was a free food and drink buffet and plenty of room to run aroud and dance and actually have fun! a large part of the crowd came with the band so i made friends and got to hang out with the band, until they just made me sick and i had to get away from them. they mistook me for a low life groupie when i just wanted to hang with some texans. but it was a great time!

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

The best concert i've ever attended was the 10-31-99 Widespread Panic show in New Orleans. My brother, his girlfriend and I drove from north Alabama to NOLA for the weekend of Panic shows. The show on NOLAWeen capped off a three night stand at the UNO Lakefront Arena for Widespread Panic. I though after the first night that the next show couldn't be any better, it was and I was almost shaking with anticipation about what they might pull off on the third and final show. It was fantastic, over three hours of great music with them playing their songs and busting out some covers especially for the occasion. They played Riders on the Storm (the Doors), Won't Get Fooled Again (the Who), and The Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix). I love this band (i've seen them 47 times) and it was great seeing my first Halloween show. The crowd was also great, with the majority of the sold-out crowd dressed up in costumes. It was definately the best concert/s i've ever experienced.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

I live in a REally little town in a pretty little province, so there don't tend to be concerts here that I really want to go to, therefore I think I've been to 6 in my short life span...the two best definilty being the weekend long ones

The first Rockfest 98, Moncton NB-Peter Frampton, Pat Benetar, Heart, Lynard Skynard, Styx, Steppenwolf, Forigener IT was such a blast..2 days long, camping out..expensive as hell water, but u know! :) I sat in the front for it all, what a blast!

Second Summersault 98- Our Lady PEace, Moist, Sloan, BTK, Joydrop, I Mother Earth, Jonny Favorite Swing Orchestra...and a ton of others. a GREAT canadian band experience :) It poured like crazy and mud slideing was the way to go (dont even think bout keeping clean) I met I mother earth, got my picture taken, front row until I nearly suffocated in the mosh pit and some hot guy rescued me and plus i was with 10 of my closest buds..it was kick ass.

I can't wait till the summer cuase Im going to see the great big picnic in Halifax. All kinds of celtic music (good ol east coast maritimes stuff.) and Great Big Sea :)

My dream is to see RHCP, Tea Party, Van Halen, and Metallica..those are my concert goals :)

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2000

Never bothered to rank them, but the ones that stand out:

1992. Suicidal Tendencies at some *tiny* theatre in the Hamburg Reeperbahn. Lucky to have survived all those drunken, pissed off Germans. Never listened to that boyfriend's entertainment suggestions again. Definitely the most intense show I ever saw.

199...7? 8? Blues Traveler at the San Jose Shoreline Ampitheatre, which is a weird but functional venue. I was on the lawn, where EVERYONE was stoned off their ass, and complete strangers were snuggling on each others' shoulders watching the light show.

1994. Henry Rollins at the Berkeley Greek Theatre. Memorable because I stood less than 6 feet from Hank. Swoon. There was some real enormous nutjob in the pit sucker-punching people. I kept expecting Hank to just come down on the asshole's head, but no such occurance. Henry disappointed me that day.

1999. Kristin Hersh AND Brendan Perry at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Intimate, very old theatre, worshipful audience. A soul-satisfying experience.

1994. Hepcat, Slim's in San Francisco. Wild night of much beer, crazed art students, and dancing until I could no longer feel my legs. Ska is a drug.

Oh, god. How could I forget? 1997, Barenaked Ladies. Laughed so hard at their in-between-song antics that I thought I'd pulled muscles. They are still my favorite act to see live, hands down.

And Finally....Your Favorite Band! Every year, Gilroy Garlic Festival (where I discovered them), and various other venues I travel to to get my fix. Red Elvises. Check 'em out at http://www.redelvises.com They freaking rock, and I have already converted masses to their cause. Anyone that so much as *mentions* the bumpersticker is forced to hear an album, and so far the reaction is always - "where do I buy it?"

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2000

Edie Brickell fans--

Austin. Stubbs. June 9th. Edie Brickell and New Bohemians.

How cool is that?

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2000

ummm, to whomever mentioned guster, they did a free show in boston last summer and it kicked ass.

james taylor at the newport folk fest in '97 (?) rocked as well, he did the most amazing version of steam roller i have ever heard. i took my dad to that one for his birthday...

dave matthews in '97 (?) was wonderful as well...

and of course, my first concert ever can't be beat: new kids on the block... my best friend's parents rented a limo and bought us tickets to see them on her birthday. i have to admit, i was thrilled at that one. ;)

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2000

Best show(s) ever?

Rush - Hold Your Fire tour, 1988 (?). This was my first concert, ever. I was pretty big into Rush then, although not as big as the next time they came around on the Presto tour and I sang every lyric of every song. But this was my first concert so it has to win.

Bad Religion/Vandals 1991 (?). This was one of my first punk rock shows with a band that didn't go to my high school. I was pretty into Bad Religion and Dead Kennedys throughout the latter part of high school (88-91) but I never knew what shows were going on unless my friend's band was playing, which were always the local shows with the same three bands - Sylence, Aggressor, and The Moshmellows.

Neutral Nation reunions, 1996, 1999. Neutral Nation were from my hometown, but a good eight years older than me. They were the band that got me into punk and to this day the only punk band that I will stand up front and sing along to all night. Usually I am stuck behind a merch table at a show and if I'm not I'm usually not all that into the band or the stage is croweded with macho jerks. Nuetral Nation are fast and fun and they still have a hellofalota showmanship.

Trial, Daysgone Al Barkley's basement, 1997. The show itself was ok, a small basement show with crappy acoustics, but I spent the entire night after the show talking about gender roles and male-on-male sexual violence with Greg, the singer of Trial. He and I became good friends and that band probably kept me involved with hardcore for a good year or two more than I should have been.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2000

Yay! Someone else likes Great Big Sea! No one I know has even heard of them.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2000

The first concert I ever went to was Queen and Billy Squier when I was about 12. It kicked ass. My brothers were not thrilled having to take me, but hey...I knew where their stash was.

My oldest brother got roped into taking me to see Duran Duran the next year. Oh to be a squealing 13 year old in love with John Taylor. I remember everything about that concert. I even have the shirt I wore and the tour shirt. sheesh.

INXS in Oklahoma City on my 15th birthday. I was in the front row and Michael Hutchence pulled me on stage!! wooo hooo! I was disappointed that I was taller than him, but I was still thrilled! I have that tour shirt, too.

Pearl Jam....Dallas....July '98 (or was it '97?). I loved it. Except that Dennis Rodman had to spoil things for me.

On the 26th, I'm going to see Oleander and Tonic. I love Oleander. They better kick ass. Then on June 2nd, Stone Temple Pilots are going to be in OKC. I can't wait to see how Scott Weiland is going be sober.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Pearl Jam in 1998. My first PJ concert...fun, fun!

Guster, Sarah Slean, and 54-40 (along with Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo, but I liked the first three bands the best) at the Stardust Picnic in 1999.

54-40 in October of 1998. My first 54-40 concert, and it was rockin'.

The first Lilith Fair. It was amazing!

Tori Amos for Choirgirl.

Ani Difranco in 1999.

These concerts were great to me because the artists were making amazing music, and seemed really into it and energetic. They were usually more hardcore than their albums, and changed the songs a little (or a whole lot). And I went to these with my friends, and they were just a lot of fun to be hanging out and listening to great music with them.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Smashing Pumpkins in March of this year. They played at a small club (that holds 1000 people max.) downtown Toronto. It was wicked!!! I never really liked the band until I saw this show. They played for over 2.5 hours!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Piper,

Im from the maritimes, its almost a requirement to like great big sea *L* Monica

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

I saw Ani DiFranco (for the first time, no less) at Paradiso in Amsterdam this past November. My friends told me she wasn't at her best, but I thought it was pretty fucking rad- there were only several hundred people in the whole place, and there were but 3, count 'em, THREE people between me and the stage.

Her opening act was a duo called Bitch and Animal, who were totally hilarious and wonderful- highly recommended.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

Bjork at the House of Blues in Chicago was awesome. She was very very beautiful, was wearing a short white leather dress with these crepe-y, pleated wings, and the whole top half of her face was painted white. She just had a chamber orchestra and a DJ as her "band". We were up really close to the stage, and could just feel her presence. But, there were these gang-like guys wearing devil's horn headbands, who were really obnoxious and tried to start a brawl in the tightly-packed audience.

Some other good shows that stand out were bands that played in my college's free non-alcoholic Friday night concert series. Elf Power rocked. They were so fun. And they didn't have any place to stay, so after their show they came to stay at my house (my roommates are in a band and like to schmooze if they can). Also Bright Eyes was awesome. Very intense and angst-y, and one of their songs made me cry. Low was really good there, and Kristen Hirsch, and Sleater-Kinney....a lot of good bands have played those free shows.

Back when I was an unshakably devoted Tori fan, I saw her Under the Pink tour. That was good, but I think it may have been mostly that I was overwhelmed to be in the same concert hall as my soul-sister. I was a sophomore in high school. I don't think I'd feel the same way now...

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2000

Big Head Todd and the Monsters in... '97? They played in Sioux City, Iowa. First time I had any real exposure to them, but I was very impressed. Todd is a mad genius on the guitar. He broke a string, threw the guitar to the floor and grabbed another one off the stand, barely missing a beat. I was all the way up front, after moshing my way into madness. It was great. Live music is something everyone has to experience close up, to the pulsating speakers.

I saw Jackyl and Aerosmith in Sioux Falls, South Dakota around 1992. Steven Tyler put on a real show for everybody... at one point he got on the floor and started flopping around like a fish, so funny.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2000

I have three favourites - Nine Inch Nails/Jim Rose Circus/the Melvins which was my first concert back when I was a freshman in high school. That Enigma guys was really nice, and rather trippy to talk to. I couldn't stop admiring the tattoos. KMFDM my senior year of high school. I can't remember who the opening band was, but the lead singer hopped into the audience naked and was obviously hopped up on something illegal. Savage Aural Hotbed - these guys just put on an amazing live show. The music is all percussion stuff with oil drums and chainsaws and the like and I was just blown away by the whole theatrical aspect of their show.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

I haven't had a whole lot of experience with concerts, but here goes.

I'd have to say that my favorite concert was Guster. I had actually gone to see the opener, Owsley, and didn't really expect much from Guster, since I wasn't all too impressed with their stuff on Napster.

Owsley was cool. He played a short set and I was one of two or three other people in the place that knew who he was, so it was cool. I got to meet him when Guster was setting up, which is a plus.

But then Guster blew me away. They came out and played some songs, and it grew on me quickly. They talked with the audience - they were funny. They made fun of the Beach Boys.

I'm seeing Guster at the Fox in Boulder on Friday (my band, Leading Stanley, is playing the Fox in July - ha ha), so maybe they'll do even better?

Another good show was Weezer just a few weeks ago. The day of the show, a friend gave me tickets to go see the Get Up Kids (Weezer's opener) record an accoustic session at a local radio station - I was stoked, especially when I got to meet them and hang out with them for awhile after the recording was done. I also met one of Weezer's guitarists (not Cuomo) after the show. Weezer wasn't all that impressive live - little audience interaction, the typical, unchanged songs, etc. - but a highlight was when some stoned hippie climbed into the rafters and was swinging from them like a monkey. The crowd cleared a spot under him (I was right at the edge) as Weezer did an extended version of the closing of "Surf Wax America". I looked at the band and every single member was just kind of slightly playing their instrument, mesmerized by the swinging monkey hippie.

The Offspring in Denver were alright, as was Dave Matthews Band back in '98.

I saw Ben Folds Five at a medium-sized place in Denver, too. They played "Guilty" for the first time since their very first show - it was the last time they played it, too, since they just recently broke up.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

i'd have to agree with what's his face there about Butthole Surfers at Berkeley in 1993. Either that or the other show in northern NY that I can't remember the place during the same tour. Butthole Surfers... they used to be the be-all end-all of shows, didn't they? Yes they did. Mmmmmmm.

I just saw them at the World in NYC. Excellent show. Paul was cool. :-) Girlfriend never saw 'em before and was happy as fucking hell to have seen this "thing" I kept talking about. Catch 'em this time if you can. I've a feeling they're almost done with as a band.

-- Anonymous, October 25, 2001