Swans in the To Be Kind era.
Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie both had amazing stage shows in the last decade. I can't compare them to shows back in the day but if you get a chance they're still worth it.
Pantera and White zombie in 1997. Metallica in 1993. Ozzy and Sepultura in 1998. Those bands were unbelievable to see live at the time and blew me away. Still vividly remember those concerts.
death grips, quite literally as I started up front and got way overwhelmed and slowly started moving back as the show went on. it got to the point where I got outside and proceeded to puke in the trashcan. great show though!
I saw Against Me in 2004.
‘nuff said.
None. It's like they've never really lived up to the hype and attending live music events has somehow always made me uncomfortable. Same with movie theatres.
The most immersive and impactful musical experiences I've had have been me sitting alone listening.
jethro tull played in grant park for the flutist society and due to that played like the most flute intensive songs. hearing that fock flute in person was amazing.
between the buried and me has never disappointed!
Josh Scogin in any band he's in (the chariot, norma jean, '68)
broken social scene
Tauk - they blew me away from their albums too, but after having seen them live for the 2nd time last week, figured I had to post. Their drummer is incredibly hard-hitting and energetic, and keeps it going for 3+ hours
Whipping Boy, an Irish alt rock band, late 90s Birmingham: I’d never even heard of them before a friend dragged me along. Jaw-flappingly stunning vocals, great songs, lyrics, instrumentation. Thought they were going places, especially on finding a couple of singles/EPs and the album Heartworm, but they broke up not long after. I bought everything they put out and still love when their stuff randomly plays on shuffle.
Slift, they are an amazing experience live! Three guys from France with a live sound that's just massive. You'd never think it's just the three of them. Amazing show, lots of energy and the visuals make it a perfect experience. Mind blowing!
I've seen a lot of great shows, but:
- The Octopus Project: I've seen them live at least four times and they never disappoint. just great fun, really talented folks. watching them trade instruments mid-song is always a delight.
- Battles, during the Gloss Drop tour: wow, the ability of those musicians. never seen anything like it.
- Open Mike Eagle: I don't know if it was his most "on" day ever or if he's always like that, but I was absolutely transfixed. captivating performance.
A little old school here, but Tom Petty and the HB were always fantastic live, I got to catch them several times.
I also once was socially-dragged to a Sheryl Crow concert at the Ryman, and even though she's not usually my thing, that show was fantastic. She had a bunch of folks from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra playing with her band that night, and I've never seen a group of classical musicians have so much fun. They really made it an unbelievable show. If you're ever there and can catch ANYTHING at the Ryman, do it... the acoustics are absolutely insane.
My favorite concert story was that we went to a "Best of the 80s" concert in Indiana in the late 90s when I was a teen (bands that performed included Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, and a few one-hit wonders I'm struggling to remember right now). At the end, the promoters took the mic and apologized to everyone that the show was ending a little early, the closing band, Missing Persons, couldn't make it. My friends and family I was there with laughed our asses off the entire way out of the arena, but it didn't seem like a single other person there got it.
Glass Animals, hands down best concert I’ve been to! My GF wasn’t thrilled about going but by the end she was dancing like crazy. They’re much more impactful and energetic live than their recorded stuff would make you think!
I was the DD for my girlfriend’s birthday party and went to a Florence and the Machine show. It was outdoors and as the show got started black storm clouds started rolling in.
When they started “The Dog Days Are Over” all hell broke loose. Sheets of rain, huge lightning bolts and cracking thunder loud enough to drown out the music and the crowd.
But Florence stood there, exposed to it all, diaphanous robes lashed by the wind, not even noticing it as she belted out her anthem. As if she had called down the storm for backup vocals.
I wasn’t a fan before but I am now.
When my eldest daughter was born we were overnight at the hospital and had a huge window in our room. My wife had listened to Florence and the machine a lot while pregnant and we are big music lovers who often have music playing around us. We were up at night feeding our first born worrying about being new parents and fidgeting over what we didn't understand. In the background Florence and the machine was playing quietly. Suddenly a massive rainstorm started seemingly out of nowhere. Crashing lightning. Smashing down torrential rain. Building shaking thunder. We turned up the music and it was like they were just playing for us. It lasted about an hour and I will never forget it.
It was an amazing welcome to the world for our first baby who is now a preteen and your story reminded me of it.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
I already loved their albums when I discovered them in '16, but once I saw them live i was totally hooked. They've only been getting better since, especially after they dumped their second drummer (rip Eric I miss you but you totally held the other drummer back). Every single show I've seen since was such a blast! More and more jammy too, which I really enjoy.
Also, I saw The Colour Haze last Friday and they were much better love than I expected as well.
Barenaked Ladies. Didn’t want to go, went anyway, loved every minute of it
When I was 17 I had a highschool girlfriend who drug me to a bare naked ladies show. I was a heavy metal listener at the time but have always had pretty eclectic tastes throughout kife. I loved that show. I was pretty shocked about it at the time.
I saw Stephen Page live as part of some group doing a Christmas concert. His vocals absolutely stood out from the others and was just so powerful. I wish he was still with the Barenaked Ladies, but I've still enjoyed a lot of their work without him.
That worked out!
Roger Waters: The Wall. Kinda redefined what i would expect from a concert/musical performance
Giant inflatable puppets, building a giant wall out of blocks on stage throughout the concert and projecting imagery onto the new sections as its built, then knocking it down. Fireworks. I think they crashed a prop plane into it to knock it down at the start of the show?
Also kind of a weird show for my dad to have brought 14 year old me to see xD
Muse
Thievery Corporation
Amazing
Slipknot puts on a pretty damn good show.
They're not a band that's in my usual listening rotation, I don't dislike them, they're just not my usual kind of music. When I saw them it was a situation where someone I knew ended up with extra tickets somehow and I was more interested in the other bands they were touring with
I'd say they stole the show but I think they were actually the headliner, so I don't know who they would've stolen it from.
I'm admittedly a sucker for a spectacle, and let's be real, that's kind of slipknot's whole schtick.
Phish number one for me.
Unexpected awesome live shows: Blondie, Violent Femmes, The Proclaimers
There are lots of great live bands but maybe these were most memorable for various reasons: Magma (just hypnotic), Lazuli (very entertaining live band every single time), The Pineapple Thief (great prog rock with incredible drummer), The Musical Box (playing and re-acting old Genesis. Too young to see the originals but just in time to see the remakes), Le Silo (super high energy duo or trio, don't even remember, but man that was wild), Aranis (they don't exist anymore unfortunately)
Mushroomhead at a small venue were amazing, I've been to the venue so many times and never seen anyone do anything interesting but they were there were impressive lighting and water on the drums that was flying everywhere catching the light. Was great.
Sub Focus and Chase & Status in a tiny little venue (Chinese Laundry in Sydney) that was like a little grotto. Ceiling so low I couldn't even stretch my arms up straight with sweet raining on everyone. Amazing.
Die Antwoord with a load of acid in my system was pretty intense.
Finally the entire Shambhala festival in Canada. The DJ playing obviously increases enjoyment but the stages are so fucking mind blowing that it is without a doubt the best live music experience I have had!
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. 3+ hours of pure enjoyment
Iron maiden puts on one hell of a performance. Bruce Dickinson running back-and-forth across the stage climbing shit, singing with an incredible vocal range at the top of his lungs without missing a beat, costume changes every song or two that match the album covers being projected behind their giant zombie that's shooting fire...
I had the privilege to see them live about 8 years ago and it was an incredible show. Dickinson has incredible stage presence; really puts a lot of energy into the show to keep the crowd engaged.
The giant animatronic zombie freaked me out a bit. It was enormous and moved realistically enough to be unsettling since I wasn't that far away from it. Most metal shit I've ever seen in person.
Primitive Man, on tour for their 2017 album Caustic. They're one of the heaviest bands I've ever heard. I saw them at Lee's Palace in Toronto and they made debris fall from the ceiling.
Spectral Voice opened for them and were also incredible - maybe as good or better than Blood Incantation who they share members with.
Tool, always. Propagandhi were also great.
Perfect Circle is also totally worth it.
KC Roberts and the Live Revolution tend to release highly produced tracks, but awesome live too.
ADRV
Cajun and Creole art nerds throw the best parties.
Quite a few:
- Underworld
- Chemical Brothers
- Beastie Boys
- Black Grape
- Puressence
- Songhoy Blues
- Pulp
- Alabama 3
- Jim White
- Portishead
- Beth Gibbons (of Portishead, but solo)
- Kog and the Zongo Brigade
Probably a few others :-)
City and Colour. Dallas is an incredible musician, and his band complimented him so well.
"A". New-wave metal punk. They supported The Offspring back in 2000 when they were touring and blew them completely out of the water (and The Offspring are GREAT live too) and they have been my favourite band ever since.
I HIGHLY recommend their album "Monkey Kong" with some decent headphones.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fkfA9Z2vL9M&pp=ygUQYSB2cyBtb25rZXkga29uZw%3D%3D
Polysics. Great energy.
Dogs in a pile - awesome jam band
In some sense, Powerwolf. The only concert I ever went to, I was really surprised to learn that apparently I hate concerts and will never go to one again.
True Body. Went to a show to see Pharmakon and True Body opened for them. The stage presence was intense and I can't wait to see them again if the opportunity arises
I saw "No Men" play a tiny show and it's still one of my favorites. They put on a great show and also they were super friendly with everyone in the crowd. I saw them another time after at a bigger venue and they even remembered me and my friend.
