What is the best concert you ever witnessed?

[oldcomputerguy]

Saw Harry Chapin twice in the late 70s. Truly a great performer and an outstanding person.

On the way out of the performance I mentioned above, Harry was at the door greeting the fans and signing autographs. Somewhere in a storage container here at home, I have a T-shirt I bought at that performance that says "You Can Always Count On The Cheap Seats" and that bears Harry's autograph.

[JD58]

Top were some of the ones while in high school with friends in early 1970s

- Kansas
- Eagles
- Guess Who (opening act Grass Roots)

Really wished I saw early Pink Floyd, but was sick and missed and gave my ticket to my brother... my loss, his gain.

[Doom&Gloom]

Saw Harry Chapin twice in the late 70s. Truly a great performer and an outstanding person.

On the way out of the performance I mentioned above, Harry was at the door greeting the fans and signing autographs. Somewhere in a storage container here at home, I have a T-shirt I bought at that performance that says "You Can Always Count On The Cheap Seats" and that bears Harry's autograph.

Yep. At the two I attended he did that during his intermission as well as after the show. IIRC he donated half the monies he received to an international organization to fight hunger. Seems I recall that he may have established that one himself or been on the board or something.

I wish I had had the foresight to do as you did. Envious of the autographed t-shirt!

Also went back to check my first post in this thread--Harry's was one of the three most memorable concerts I mentioned.

[finfire]

Metallica - Dublin, Ireland - Black album tour
Smashing pumpkins - Dublin, Ireland - 98
Slayer - St Augustine, Fl - 2017
Page and Plant - Dublin, Ireland - 98
U2 - Boston, 2001

[wfrobinette]

I have a lot of Grateful Dead and JGB shows and dozens of other bands under my belt from 84 to present but the best concert I ever saw was Guns & Roses opening for Alice Cooper at Dane County Coliseum in Madison, WI. I only ended up there because I met a girl at a concert the week before. I was bored to death for Alice Coppers set. But GNR OMG!

It was late fall 1987 before GNR made it big. Never heard of them and was about 10 ft from the stage in front of Slash. They blew me away from start to finish with stuff I had never heard before.

By spring of 88 they were headlining theatres and summer were opening for Aerosmith. Then they were headlining arenas

[AlohaBill]

My future fiancée, my UH roommate and I saw Olomana two nights in a row opening a new downtown Honolulu hotel in 1978. Most romantic evening I ever had! We’ve been married 41 years this month.

[Strider]

Does classical count?

NY Philharmonic. Kurt Masur conducting. St. Matthew Passion. Bach. 22 March 2008. Lincoln Center, NYC.

The convergence of this composer, this conductor, this masterpiece of sacred music, and the feast day of Holy Saturday made for an absolutely stunning performance. An eight-minute standing, clapping, cheering ovation.

Strider

[Toons]

James Brown -1964
Jimi Hendrix -1967

[Ramjet]

James Brown -1964
Jimi Hendrix -1967

Jealous

[RonSwanson]

My first concert, Pink Floyd The Division Bell tour in 1994. Nothing else has ever come close nor will it!

[pandersfishy]

It's been a long time, but I even know the date, because I can look it up online. On September 1 of 1967 I was in the Boy Scouts, and we provided ushering for shows at the Indiana State Fair. The headline group was Herman's Hermits (Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter, Hen-e-ry the Eighth I am I am, etc.). But that's not what was memorable. The opening acts were The Blues Magoos (thoroughly forgettable) and the group that made a huge impression on this 13 year old: The Who - on their first American tour. We didn't know who they were, but by the end of their set, I was a huge fan. Especially when they did their trademark act of destroying their instruments on stage, while playing their encore. I became a lifelong fan!

So yes, I saw The Who when they were a warm-up band.

[Student2]

Isabel Bayrakdarian, before anyone besides the locals knew who she was, in a concert hall, about 15 rows away from the stage.

And, long ago, Natalie McMaster, in what was essentially a school auditorium. She never stopped moving.

[Nicolas]

So yes, I saw The Who when they were a warm-up band.

(I love The Who)

My favorite concert was Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Trigger, Pat Brady, & Nelly Belle (the Jeep) at the Wisconsin State Fair, August 16, 1958. What a show.

[jason2459]

Floyd. Dark side and Division Bell.

[Nicolas]

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".

(Love Taj Mahal — especially Giant Step / De Ole Folks at Home)

In 1984 I was in line at Heathrow airport at immigration waiting to enter the country and who should be behind me but John Denver with his manager (I presume) and his guitar case. However I never much liked his music.

In 1968 I bumped into The Doors at O’Hare in Chicago. Jim walked right past me on the concourse. I said to my dad, “That’s Jim Morrison”, he said “Who’s that?”. They were starting their midwest tour. Never saw them perform though. (My sister did). Their 1st album was one of the first I ever owned. I loved the band then and now.

[fourwheelcycle]

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".

... In 1968 I bumped into The Doors at O’Hare in Chicago. Jim walked right past me on the concourse. I said to my dad, “That’s Jim Morrison”, he said “Who’s that?”. ...Their 1st album was one of the first I ever owned. I loved the band then and now.

I've still got The Doors first album, "Real" and as a CD.

People who are old enough remember overhead projectors, where you put your printed meeting presentation on a platform under a lens that projected it on a wall. In 1967, the Airplane's light show was literally a band staffer tapping to the beat on different colored gel packets lying on an overhead projector, projected on a stage-size movie screen behind the band.

[bearcub]

Recent = Tame Impala at Madison Square Garden NYC August of 2019. Past = Yes also at the Garden 197?. Jethro Tull several times. Ian Anderson was awesome in the 70s.

[protagonist]

Woodstock. 1969.

Not necessarily the best performances (comparing rock/jazz/classical/folk is like comparing apples and oranges), but the best experience.

[Kagord]

Floyd. Dark side and Division Bell.

+1, this, Division Bell, this was the height of a concert production, IMHO. I saw, and have the DVD. Unfortunately, they used cheap tape instead of film to capture, David Gilmour has commented a few times on that being a pretty big mistake, he just didn't understand the capture mediums at the time.

sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhYW6e ... .be&t=3321

[Doom&Gloom]

Woodstock. 1969.

Not necessarily the best performances (comparing rock/jazz/classical/folk is like comparing apples and oranges), but the best experience.

Winner!

[mak1277]

Dave Matthews Band & Rusted Root in Fall '94 in a smallish bar/music venue in St. Louis. Just before DMB released their first studio album and made it big.

[GatorFL]

Live Aid, Philly, JFK Stadium, August 1983. I was there, it was like 98 degrees that day. It was an epic 1 day concert that was simulcast between Wembley and JFK. Back then, simulcasting a concert was a huge technological breakthrough. One of the highlights was Phil Collins playing in London early, then jumping on the Concord and playing the later part of the show in Philly. Dollar for dollar, the best investment ever in terms of number of bands/dollar!

[JackieBog46]

Watkins Glen in 1973. We got there a day early, camped offsite in the rain, then headed for the concert site the next day. Had a full day in the sun, still no concert, which would start tomorrow. We were about 60 yards from the stage. Set down to go to sleep at about 11:00 PM when there was some commotion on the stage. It was The Grateful Dead setting-up to play, unscheduled. In my sleeping bag, went to sleep with The Dead playing a slow jam, bathed in purple light. Heaven. Woke up at around 8:00 AM to see about 500,000 additional fans behind us!

[Scooter17]

Hard to narrow it down to one.

The Police, Final Concert - Madison Square Gardens August 2008

Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert - Wembley Stadium April 1992

I agree. Saw Police at Fenway Park. Excellent, true musicians. Wow, was that 2008? Time flys

[Saluki_C]

I saw Weezer and Pixies play a concert last year, it was the first time I thought I might be blown apart by guitars.

[Tonygis]

Definitely Queen. 1977? Hollywood Florida. Freddie Mercury was unbelievable!

[Unchained]

Van Halen - Montreal Forum the summer of 1981. The Fair Warning Tour.

[joelly]

Taylor Swift

[Armada]

In July 1993, the Moody Blues with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra at the Stowe ski area. The stage was in front of the base lodge with the audience on the ski slope above. A magical, warm Vermont summer night under the stars.

[oldcomputerguy]

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:

I thought of one more.

In January of 2006, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performed "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", a work by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Listening to that work there in the Tennessee Theater was the only time ever that a piece of music literally brought tears of joy to my eyes.

[Mr-et-Mrs-R]

In Late 80s, start of the 90s, while I was in college, I worked as a stagehand, security, and gofer for any concert with in 200 miles of Pittsburgh.
I saw (heard? I was working after all) everything that came by, from the guys who could fill a stadium to the close intimate shows that filled a backroom.
The best show was actually in 2018 on vacation celebrating our 8th anniversary, in Tokyo, with Herbie Hancock.
Him, his wife(?), Mrs R and me all shared an elevator at the Park Hyatt.
Herbie holding my iPhone, it playing a jazz song that I had commissioned (for our 2nd anniversary), Mrs. R and I danced a slow dance to celebrate our love.
2nd best: Tie - They Might Be Giants at the 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown, WV, and R.E.M.'s tour around the same time.

[Jeno712003]

Live Aid - Philadelphia

[gvsucavie03]

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:

I thought of one more.

In January of 2006, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performed "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", a work by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Listening to that work there in the Tennessee Theater was the only time ever that a piece of music literally brought tears of joy to my eyes.

I love my recording I have of this tune. 5 Variants of Dives and Lazarus and Greensleeves are also on it (Academy of St. Martin in the Fields?)

I saw the CSO play Pictures at an Exhibition live. I don't know if my ears will ever hear the ending of this piece the same way again. It was absolutely stunning. That brass section is legendary.

[supalong52]

I've been to several concerts, but many have been a let down, the latest being Roger Water's The Wall tour which took place in an open-air stadium. I like smaller and more intimate settings, but the big acts aren't really inclined to do those anymore.

[imbogled]

The Cure: October 1985 at Cleveland Music Hall and Peter Gabriel: Secret World Live Tour 1994 Gund Arena, Cleveland. Peter Gabriel's full concert from that tour can be seen here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azas-1zInJ8

p.s. Lighters not needed while watching the video.