What is the best concert you ever witnessed?

dm200 · Post by **dm200** » Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:52 pm

over45 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:25 pm Beatles at Shea Stadium, NY. Could not hear a thing with all of the women screaming.

I often wondered about this as well. I know the same thing happened when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.

Capsu78 · Post by **Capsu78** » Wed Feb 12, 2020 4:51 pm

Concert 10 at Pocono International Speedway on July 8 and 9, 1972 was also memorable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_10

It was NO PLACE a 15 yo kid should have been...but I was.
Overnight set started at 2 AM with J Geils Band
Followed by Humble Pie with Peter Frampton
Followed at 4AM by Emerson Lake and Palmer playing in the mist (Lucky man)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSwnXbFyCe0
Followed by Rod Stewart and Faces- before Rod went all pop on us and the Faces had half of the current Rolling Stones members.

Guy I was with and I had to bail during Three Dog Night because we had to get back to our busboy jobs that afternoon.

TheNightsToCome · Post by **TheNightsToCome** » Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:33 pm

PVW wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 8:31 am
TheNightsToCome wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:48 pm Muddy Waters at a small club sometime between 1978 and 1981.
If I were judging this contest, you'd win. I would have loved to see Muddy Waters in his element. Without Muddy, who knows what modern music would be.

Purdue · Post by **Purdue** » Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:24 pm

Springsteen, St. Louis, 8/23/08. Thought among many Springsteen fans to be his best performance since the early '80s (River tour).

Nicolas · Post by **Nicolas** » Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:29 pm

over45 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:25 pm Beatles at Shea Stadium, NY. Could not hear a thing with all of the women screaming.

The Beatles couldn’t hear themselves anymore. That’s one of the reasons they quit touring. Also was it really women screaming or mostly girls?

eddot98 · Post by **eddot98** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:34 am

My best was my first: The Yardbirds on Saturday October 7,1967. I was 2 months shy of my 17th birthday. The venue was the “ballroom” of the now defunct Mountain Park Amusement Park in Holyoke, MA, really an old roller skating rink. There weren’t any seats and I stood about 10 feet away from the left side of the stage. If any of you have or have heard the Yardbirds Live From the Anderson Theater album, that was essentially the show. The band was dressed in psychedelic Nehru jackets, Jimmy Page had a Fender Telecaster painted in the same theme. The sound system was up to the task and it was LOUD! It was several months before the Yardbirds fell apart, so this version of the band was still in top form. They played extended versions of all the hits with long guitar solos and a few new songs that later became Led Zeppelin songs. While I had several albums of similar type music, Mayall’s Beano record, Hendrix, Cream, etc., these were tame compared with this live show. It kind of changed my life as I then became a zealous music fiend searching out similar music, researching the roots of this music, trying to find music like this on the radio, and buying lots of albums and equipment to play them on.
I have lots of similar stories, but that’s for some other time. Great thread!

peterinjapan · Post by **peterinjapan** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:04 am

No one will know it here, but Yumi Matsutoya, one of the most legendary singers of the past 30 years here in Japan. Greatest concert I've ever been to.

mrb09 · Post by **mrb09** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:06 am

Bungo wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:24 am I can't choose a single best, but these were all contenders:

Tom Waits
Richard Thompson
Leonard Cohen
Johnny Cash
John Hiatt

If this were a "finest guitar players you've ever seen" thread, RT would be on my list

Doom&Gloom · Post by **Doom&Gloom** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:44 pm

mrb09 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:06 am
Bungo wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:24 am I can't choose a single best, but these were all contenders:

Tom Waits
Richard Thompson
Leonard Cohen
Johnny Cash
John Hiatt
If this were a "finest guitar players you've ever seen" thread, RT would be on my list

I saw Johnny Cash twice while I was in college and thought both were great performances even though I hated country music at that point in my life. Saw John Hiatt recently and enjoyed it. Would love to see Tom Waits, but not seeing Leonard Cohen has to top my list of concerts I wish I would have seen but didn't.

b4real · Post by **b4real** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:19 pm

Some standouts I've seen over the years were Kris Kristofferson, Jefferson Starship, Bob Dylan, CCR, John Fogerty, George Thorogood, Willie Nelson, and Leonard Cohen. One I never saw but wish I had was Frank Sinatra.

The hands down best was Leonard Cohen in 2013 when he was a spry 79 and did a 3 ½ hour concert, dancing off the stage when it was over. I've never seen a star with such grace, humility, and connection to his audience.

PVW · Post by **PVW** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:41 pm

Not the best, but a good one none the less...

In 2004, I saw Bo Diddly at the Lensic in Santa Fe. He was a bit past his prime and out of sync with the local backing band, but he loved to play and the crowd loved his enthusiasm.

He had a bandage on his arm that he kept talking about and he told a story of seeing the baggage handler kicking his guitar case around the tarmac (one of the most famous guitars in rock and roll). Who knows if any of it was true, but quite entertaining. The last song of the encore went on for so long that you might have thought it was the warm up music for the late night set. I was there with some friends that knew nothing of old blues and early rock, but they had a great time too.

Righty · Post by **Righty** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:04 pm

Not a music buff (and in a different generation that many posters in the thread) - but in my recent experiences I would highlight Jimmy Buffet and Brad Paisley - both put on a fun, not-serious performance.

Billionaire · Post by **Billionaire** » Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:32 pm

It would be difficult for me to ID the best, but here are some of the biggies.

ELP at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ in 1972
John Lennon, Yoko Ono and others at the One-to-One Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden in August 1972.
George Harrison at Madison Square Garden in December 1974.
Paul McCartney and Wings at Madison Square Garden in May 1976. Also saw Paul a few more times since.
Yes, I also saw Ringo and the All-Star band. Summer 2019.
Forty or so Jethro Tull concerts, the first at Madison Square Garden in November 1972.
Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in July 1973.
Deep Purple in NYC, May 1973.
Alice Cooper at Madison Square Garden in April 1973.
Several Bruce Springsteen concerts, the first in October 1976.
Many shows by The Dictators, mostly in NYC and the surrounding area.
The Kinks in 1977, plus solo shows by Ray Davies and Dave Davies.

radeon962 · Post by **radeon962** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:10 am

Prince 1984 Purple Rain Tour at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

16 years old went with friends from high school.

dm200 · Post by **dm200** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:40 am

Now that I think more about it, I cannot remember the year (quite a while ago), but my wife and I attended a Neil Diamond concert at the "Capital Centre" (now demolished) near Washington DC. We really enjoyed it.

dm200 · Post by **dm200** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:41 am

radeon962 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:10 am Prince 1984 Purple Rain Tour at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
16 years old went with friends from high school.

Yes - I recall Prince and Purple Rain from the 80's, BUT I never saw him in person.

finite_difference · Post by **finite_difference** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:51 am

abuss368 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:24 pm I have never been to a concert.

I have been to very few concerts.

But I really wish I could have attended almost all the concerts in this thread.

At the top of my list would be attending a Grateful Dead concert, Nirvana Unplugged in New York.

Oh and Woodstock with a truck filled with bottled water.

GeMoney · Post by **GeMoney** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:54 am

My first concert, Earth Wind and Fire in 1981 at the San Francisco Cow Palace.

over45 · Post by **over45** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:56 am

Jethro Tull / Peter Frampton in Hartford, CT in the 70's was a pretty good concert... I think... some mind-altering assistance going on back then...

Big fan of David Bromberg who sounds the same in person as he does on his albums... for me that is what makes a concert great. Willie Nelson same way.

over45 · Post by **over45** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:59 am

It would be difficult for me to ID the best, but here are some of the biggies.

ELP at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ in 1972
John Lennon, Yoko Ono and others at the One-to-One Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden in August 1972.
George Harrison at Madison Square Garden in December 1974.
Paul McCartney and Wings at Madison Square Garden in May 1976. Also saw Paul a few more times since.
Yes, I also saw Ringo and the All-Star band. Summer 2019.
Forty or so Jethro Tull concerts, the first at Madison Square Garden in November 1972.
Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in July 1973.
Deep Purple in NYC, May 1973.
Alice Cooper at Madison Square Garden in April 1973.
Several Bruce Springsteen concerts, the first in October 1976.
Many shows by The Dictators, mostly in NYC and the surrounding area.
The Kinks in 1977, plus solo shows by Ray Davies and Dave Davies.

Great List. Saw the Kinks in college. Would have loved to have seen McCartney/Wings and ELP... Time to break out the vinyl...

Michael Patrick · Post by **Michael Patrick** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:11 pm

I was thinking about triple bill concerts...

The best one I ever saw was the Radiators, Little Feat, and the Allman Brothers (Dickey Betts/Warren Haynes lineup).

Weirdest was Leslie West sandwiched between The Ramones and Iggy in 1977, at the height of punk. I think I was the only person in the audience cheering for Leslie...

neilpilot · Post by **neilpilot** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 2:47 pm

GeMoney wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:54 am My first concert, Earth Wind and Fire in 1981 at the San Francisco Cow Palace.

A few years ago, Live Nation opened their new outdoor venue in Nashville with a double billing: Earth Wind & Fire and Chicago. EW&F was still very good.

raven frank · Post by **raven frank** » Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:06 pm

Pink Floyd, Animals Tour, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 1977

LynnC · Post by **LynnC** » Sun Mar 08, 2020 3:24 pm

MathIsMyWayr wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2020 12:58 am
LynnC wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2010 11:12 am
gkaplan wrote:
Ray Charles when I was 16 and he was just starting out.
Lynn, I find it hard to believe you're that old. Ray Charles was in his mid-seventies when he died over five years ago. He had several cross-over hits in the early sixties (Ruby, Georgia on My Mind, and so on), and he already was an established R&B star.
Ahh, Gordon, do the math. At 16, it must have been one of Ray's first concerts as he had just brought out "What'd I say?" It was a new song then. BTW, I also saw one of his LAST performances which was awful since he was so ill and died a few months later.

CCR in the early 60's right before they made it big and Doug, Stu and I were all college students at SJSU.

Hell getting old.

LynnC
Was it SJS College then? Just curious.

Yes, It was just old San Jose State! I graduated in 1965. The "U" did not get added until after I left. Very fond memories of my college days. Quite sure many feel the same.

LynnC

dsmil · Post by **dsmil** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:30 am

Bruce Springsteen at Nationals Park in DC in Sept. 2016. Even though I grew up in NJ and my parents are Bruce's age, they didn't play his music in our house growing up. I came into the concert being a very casual listener, who only owned one of his greatest hits albums with about 12 songs on it. I was blown away that this nearly 70 year-old man could rock the house for nearly 4 hours. My fondest memory of the concert was the saxophone solo in Jungleland by Clarence's nephew. I had never heard Jungleland before, and to hear it in person was just an unbelievable experience. Sometimes I wish that I knew his songs like I do now before going to that concert, but going to that concert is the reason that I know those songs now.

On a personal note, my favorite band for the past 15 years is a band called Brand New (any Boglehead Brand New fans?). My most memorable live show for them was in June 2006 at Starland Ballroom in NJ (2k capacity, no seats). They had fallen off the face of the earth for about 2 years, and the anticipation for this show was off the charts (for the NJ emo scene). I can't even describe the heat and amount of bodies slamming into each other in that room, but it was quite the experience.

mrb09 · Post by **mrb09** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 10:28 am

Michael Patrick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:11 pm I was thinking about triple bill concerts...
Weirdest was Leslie West sandwiched between The Ramones and Iggy in 1977, at the height of punk. I think I was the only person in the audience cheering for Leslie...

Heh!

On the reverse side, I saw the Ramones open for Black Sabbath around that same time. Was not an appreciative audience for the Ramones. Although I think many folks in the audience were in fact sedated*

* Ramones joke.

goblue100 · Post by **goblue100** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 10:43 am

I don't go to a lot of concerts, but I just attended the all time best for me. I went and saw the Eagles "Hotel California" tour. They play the Hotel California album track list and then in the words of Don Henley, came back and played every other song they knew. I wish I had seen them when Glen Frey was still alive, but his son Deacon and Vince Gill filled in admirably.

DelcoEE · Post by **DelcoEE** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 10:58 am

I have been to all sorts of concerts but the most memorable was Pat Metheny (with Jaco Pastorius) at a small auditorium at West Chester State College PA. I am not a jazz aficionado but you could just tell there was something magical about the performance.

treypar · Post by **treypar** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:13 am

Poor Peoples Concert Atlanta 1967
Gladys Knight and some other greats. What a great concert!

UVA 1965
James Brown He was a great showman and singer, and he never quit performing. He did so many encores. Can I say that he was just great!

Ga Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium
Rolling Stones
They were great. My seats were just ok but sound was good. Heard them a few years later at the GA Dome but the sound was terrible at that venue.

fourwheelcycle · Post by **fourwheelcycle** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:50 pm

Jefferson Airplane - February, 1967 - live at my small college - free for students!

Also, not a concert, but I was once in an airport sitting next to a guy who was obviously traveling with his band. We started talking and I finally asked the name of his band to see if I might know them. He said "Taj Mahal, I'm Taj".

mindgap · Post by **mindgap** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:00 pm

11/25/1997 - OASIS - Be Here Now Tour - Frankfurt/Germany

hahabye · Post by **hahabye** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:52 pm

Coldplay Miami 2017

abyan · Post by **abyan** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 10:43 pm

Springsteen in DC, sometime in the 1990s. Practically 5 hours long. Amazing.

gr7070 · Post by **gr7070** » Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:20 pm

I sat next to Merle Haggard during wonderful Johnny Cash concert!

Random Musings · Post by **Random Musings** » Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:49 pm

Michael Patrick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:11 pm I was thinking about triple bill concerts...

The best one I ever saw was the Radiators, Little Feat, and the Allman Brothers (Dickey Betts/Warren Haynes lineup).

Weirdest was Leslie West sandwiched between The Ramones and Iggy in 1977, at the height of punk. I think I was the only person in the audience cheering for Leslie...

I went to a triple bill in St. Louis in 1980 or 81 that featured the Allman Brothers. A really odd combination:

Montrose/Michael Stanley Band/Allman Brothers. It was long and my eyes were burning from all the smoke (I contributed).

Love Little Feat....

RM

Barsoom · Post by **Barsoom** » Wed Mar 11, 2020 11:45 pm

I just saw the Eagles last Saturday night on their Hotel California tour.

Pretty good show. They played for 3 1/2 hours.

-B

fundseeker · Post by **fundseeker** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:14 pm

[/quote]
As a side note. Look into "Leonid and Friends" on Youtube. They are going to be at the Northfield Casino in Cleveland this July. Fantastic cover band. If you like Chicago you MUST check them out.

Bob
[/quote]

YES, Leonid and Friends is awesome! Thinking they sound better than Chicago did. There are many great Youtubes of them playing Chicago songs, and the story is that these musicians in Moscow formed this group after this retired musician, Leonid, wanted to perform one the Chicago's songs, and it turned out so well they did many more, became Youtube sensations, and have toured the U.S.

Anyway, if you enjoy great music and watching musicians perform and having fun, check them out! Just a couple of examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEDatFQ3m98
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYV4H9rU6o

matti · Post by **matti** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:41 pm

My best was Metallica in Des Moines in 2009. It was my 6th time seeing Metallica and I convinced my girlfriend (now my wife) to make the 6-hour drive with me. We were right on the rail next to the stage and it was incredible.

Tattarrattat · Post by **Tattarrattat** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:53 pm

Neil Young
Rust Never Sleeps tour
Madison Square Garden 1979
Wow

chuckb84 · Post by **chuckb84** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:57 pm

ELP about 1976. Pretty much at their best around then. Amazing show.

The Who, also about 1976. Keith Moon was alive and kicking, and wow was he amazing.

Mott the Hoople, 1977. These boys struggled so long to become stars and this was the peak of their brief fame. A wonderful concert (and likely a source of some of my hearing loss!)

phxjcc · Post by **phxjcc** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:36 pm

beehivehave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:44 pm Tie between Beethoven's Ninth and Messiah.

Rudolph Serkin - 1973 Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
He was very ill, went off stage for nausea mid-performance; came back finished performance.

First classical performance experience.

That did it for me.

MathIsMyWayr · Post by **MathIsMyWayr** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:52 pm

phxjcc wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:36 pm
beehivehave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:44 pm Tie between Beethoven's Ninth and Messiah.
Rudolph Serkin - 1973 Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
He was very ill, went off stage for nausea mid-performance; came back finished performance.

First classical performance experience.

That did it for me.

Wasn't Zubin Metha the young conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the time?

TresBelle65 · Post by **TresBelle65** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:36 am

Tom Petty & The HB, Canandaigua NY, July 2017. May he rest in peace

Paddygirl · Post by **Paddygirl** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:52 am

Elton John
Philadelphia Spectrum 1970s

Boston, Foghat, Peter Frampton
JFK Philadelphia

Post by **oldcomputerguy** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:59 am

I would have a hard time narrowing it down to one particular concert, so I'll just list a few that remain special in my mind:

Harry Chapin in a solo performance in Nashville in 1979. My best friend at the time and I went to see him, and my friend got to get up on stage with Harry and sing the backup for "Mr. Tanner". RIP, Harry.
The Moody Blues, most recently at the Tennessee Theater in 2012. They rocked the house.
Any performance anywhere by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. 'Nuff said.

Post by **oldcomputerguy** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:03 am

chuckb84 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:57 pm ELP about 1976. Pretty much at their best around then. Amazing show.

Okay, I am now officially jealous. ELP was the band I grew up with (well, them and Yes). I got to see ELP in concert one time, at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, and sadly the orchestra they had touring with them then was so loud that I could hardly hear the band. By the way, I found out yesterday that two days ago (August 23) was the fiftieth anniversary of the very first public performance by ELP. So I'm also officially old.

Dontwasteit · Post by **Dontwasteit** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:25 am

Edgar Winters with Rick Derringer at the Felt Forum (MSG). Amazing!

DrGrnTum · Post by **DrGrnTum** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:45 am

Sept 25, 1968
Jimi Hendrix, Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino Ca.
I was 14 years old. As I look back on it now, I don’t recall getting tear gassed as being a big deal.
It was all part of the “Experience”

https://www.dailybulletin.com/2020/06/2 ... nd-a-riot/

notBobToo · Post by **notBobToo** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 11:16 am

Well, I'm going way back and date myself ...

Led Zeppelin, May, 1969 at Merriweather Post Pavillion (Laurel/Columbia, Maryland). As the opening band for ... The Who.

Doom&Gloom · Post by **Doom&Gloom** » Tue Aug 25, 2020 11:18 am

oldcomputerguy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:59 am I would have a hard time narrowing it down to one particular concert, so I'll just list a few that remain special in my mind:

Harry Chapin in a solo performance in Nashville in 1979. My best friend at the time and I went to see him, and my friend got to get up on stage with Harry and sing the backup for "Mr. Tanner". RIP, Harry.

The Moody Blues, most recently at the Tennessee Theater in 2012. They rocked the house.

Any performance anywhere by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. 'Nuff said.

Saw Harry Chapin twice in the late 70s. Truly a great performer and an outstanding person.
Have seen TSO several times at a few different venues. It is amazing how different their performances look from various spots in the audience where you see it from a different perspective.