Best concert you ever saw..

[Oxyminus]

This topic is not fair...but I'm going to do my best to contribute fully...and this is by no means in order. all these shows were epic beware...wall'o'text incoming

Muse - Wed Apr 14th, 2004. Bowery Ballroom, NYC - like other people here mentioned, Muse puts on a monstrous show. at the time I'd been working at a small record store and had been hooked on Muse for a looooong time. who had gone on record as saying their last time touring the USA went so poorly they'd never come back again. so this show was the first US gig they played in like.....5 years? these guys routinely sell out 20,000 people arenas in europe (and now here too) and were playing a 400-500 person tiny venue...got like 5 feet from the stage, went crazy, lost my voice. bliss.

Muse - Mon Aug 6th, 2007. Madison Square Garden, NYC - ok fuck the coolness of seeing Muse on a tiny stage, cause they deserve a huge stage, and they played to it. relentless attack on the crowd in the best way possible. as I said to a friend of mine about the show later "Muse owns MSG until they decide otherwise" and that remains true.

Radiohead - Fri, Oct 10th, 2003. Madison Square Garden, NYC - I was ready to swear off Radiohead forever, and by an odd mix-up on behalf of ticketmaster, I had 2 tickets to this show after going to the one the night prior (which frankly was disapointing) had numerous people outside offering me tons of money for my tix, and a six pack in the fridge at home to watch the rangers open the season in minny. anyway, went in, and this is when i realized radiohead, when they want to be, are simply the best live band around. flawless set, many jaw dropping moments. Creep randomly comes in the middle of their first set, Lucky to open 1st encore, Airbag to open 2nd encore (and some guy jumped on stage during it!), followed by No Surprises....spent subway ride home considering the point of existance. have a copy of this and listen to it routinely.

Beastie Boys - Sat, Oct 9th, 2004. Madison Square Garden, NYC. was on the floor for this, simply a big party by the band playing to the hometown crowd in the big barn. incredible energy, lots of surprises of stuff i didn't expect to hear, mainly instrumental stuff from ill communication. guys randomly being in the upper tiers during songs...just a big party. i still have yet to watch the dvd of it though, and i was right behind some girl who had a camera.

My Morning Jacket - Fri June 20th, 2008. Radio City Music Hall, NYC - band totally rising to the occasion. the crowd was into the entire show, the band sounded great, venue obviously has great accoustics. felt like the band was just soaking up the moment and ran with it, and you could hear it and feel it. the crowd left the building screaming and cheering in complete joy...rarely see anything like that.

Radiohead - Sat, Aug 9th, 2008. Liberty State Park, NJ. All Points West Music Festival Day 2 - crystal clear sound....like shockingly, unfairly good and clean. opening salvo of Reckoner (long instrumental outro) -> 15 steps -> The National Anthem -> Kid A. pretty much shat myself in ecstasy then and there. again....i cant emphasize just how incredible they sounded, i've never heard ANY band sound that good. toss in Airbag and Planet Telex in the encores and i'm still grinning to myself over this one.

The Black Crowes - Fri, Sept 30th, 2005. Tower Theatre, Philly PA - first of all anyone who dare talk smack about this one can shove it. had, and have seen this band many times, and its always a very good warm feeling like you're just hanging out in your house and your friends band just wants to play some songs. this entire show was representative of what i imagine great rock shows were like in the past. cant put my finger on it, but its just a feeling. great set variety, good jams, marc ford and rich robinson doing great work soloing off of each other. cover of Fearless (one of my fave pink floyd songs...miss you rick wright) and being near 3 hours, it was simply sublime...another one i have a recording of and listen to frequently.

The honorable mentions cause i could go on forever...i go to a LOT of concerts if you didnt notice...

Flaming Lips - Coachella 2004 day 2. NYE 2006 @ MSG. 2002? when they toured with Beck as his opening act and backing band.

Muse - day 2 at coachella 2004. webster hall 2004. hammerstein 2006.

Cream @ MSG...no explenation necessary

Pearl Jam @ Meadowlands 2006

Black Crowes - seeing their 5 show hammerstein reunion run in 2005. seeing them NYE 2007 @ MSG dropping acid for the first time in 5 years. seeing them last halloween at the united palace theatre, dressed as a muppet, on a bunch of VERY good mushrooms. seeing them this march, at irving plaza, the day Warpaint came out, and they did the entire record.

Radiohead - the theatre @ msg 2007.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - fuck its unfair how good they are

---

going to see Weezer @ msg next week. and going to see the Black Crowes 3 out of 4 nights at hammerstein in october, including halloween yet again...

[Lavik]

the number twelve dvd shoot except my g/f was there and had gotten her period that day and had cramps and was sick or some bs and half ruined it for me

i recently saw maps & atlases and was blown away

tera melos was gross

the fall of troy used to kill it but i heard they turned into dicks

tmv #5 tommorrow night

[rezn0r]

Sounds like Pearl Street or Iron Horse...

Good to see that people actually know what's in Western Mass D:

yep the iron horse... noho kicks ass, i was driving out there once a week to see a gf who moved there, who is no longer a gf, so the place is kind of depressing to me, but at least i learned how great it is. i'll be back some day.

[Keria]

All in UK of course ._.; When I went to NY I tried to see Pantera as they were playing a massive show down the street from the Holiday Inn where my college group (lol) was staying. Unfortunately I got owned trying to buy a ticket as it turned out it was 21+ only. Then afterward I was pissed I even went on that educational trip since it turned out that by going on it I missed one of the Moldy Peaches' last shows. QQ

NOFX at Brighton in ~2005? (somewhere in Brighton near the seafront... the forum?) was pretty epic. I got tossed over the barriers at the front and landed on the stage, also got to have a brief chat with melvin about english beer. Hilarious performance and I had a good time.

I saw Slipknot in Brighton in 2002 and although lolSlipknot, it was a great show, with amazing support bands (In Flames/American Head Charge/One Minute Silence). There's nothing like being smacked in the face by a brick shithouse's wallet chain either. Plus got to chat with some interesting people in the 1/2 mile queue to get in.

Um... Le Tigre at Concorde 2 in 2006? Was pretty epic, my friend called me up saying she had a spare ticket the evening of the gig and I LOVED them at the time. Really small venue, great show and easy to get to the front, but was marred by having to leave early to catch a train home and lost my keys on the way luls.

There was some kind of punk show in Camberwell I went to in 2006, in a squatted pub/club called the Red Star (I think). That was fucking incredible, great bands, cheap beer, really friendly people and nitrous oxide balloons on sale for 50p a pop. Finally finished up about 6am and we went out for chips and saw some smackheads fighting in a 24 hour kebab shop, hilarious.

Oh and Stiff Little Fingers and a couple of weeks later The Beat in the Crypt in Hastings, disgusting club with sewage all over the floor, but such nice people there, it's amazing when a fat old punk gets carried away and knocks you over with his slam dancing, then picks you up says sorry and buys you a drink rather than just spitting at you.

Lostprophets at Charing Cross Astoria (?) in 2005 was pretty good, not so much the band themselves(don't really like them but I got a free ticket + train ticket so it was hard to say no to a free trip to london), but Eden Maine supporting were an incredible band I'd never heard of before and there were a few famous people there so it was fun celeb-spotting hehe. Me and my friend spent the whole Lostprophets set taking the piss of the girls at the front combing their hands through their hair while dancing sexy at the lead singer.

[Reality]

don't remember dates, except for

RHCP last year in champaign, IL
Placebo in Detroit @ St. Andrews Place
Third Eye Blind about 5 years ago in St. Louis (The Background was epic, Tony played the ending perfectly)
Third Eye Blind at Konocti Harbor (near San Fran, CA) a few years ago (I flew from central, IL to see this show)
Synth Pop Goes The World in Toronto (Drove there from central, IL) was badass, Mesh <3
Tool (every show I've been to), the show at the Riviera (one of the 4 shows that started the Lateralus tour) in Chicago was awesome
Tori Amos in Wisconsin 4-5 years ago was great too (No Marianne, Jackie's Strength though <3)

[Tomiko]

The K-Rock Tsunami Continued Care Relief Concert
February 18, 2005 at the Premiere Club in Seattle.

Concert Review

Headliner:
Alice In Chains with various people doing vocals including Maynard Keenan & Ann Wilson

Other bands:
Heart
Outtasite w/Sir Mix-A-Lot (Rock version of Baby Got Back was amazing)
Supersuckers
The Children of the Revolution
1 or 2 others

Great mix of music + small club environment = win.

[Silenka]

This topic is unfair because I listen to Japanese music mostly and those artists almost never come to the States and especially not to the East Coast.

That being said, the only real concert I've ever seen is L'arc en Ciel at Otakon in Maryland. Drove all the way down there from Indiana (was visiting a friend, I live in Ohio) for 1 day just to see them.

It wasn't even particularly awesome, as they were probably jetlagged to shit and Hyde was out of breath most of the time because he smokes like 20 packs a day and I'm fairly sure at one point the stage was set on fire >.>

But at least I got to see them, as they are one of my favorite bands ever, and it was really cool to be able to without going all the way to Japan.

[Kurp]

Smashing Pumpkins at the Metro in Chicago in '00. It was their last show before disbanding. Both my cousin, that lives down there, and I were trying to get tickets to the last 2 shows. I ended up getting 2 for the United Center a few nights earlier and he got a pair for Metro. Fucking amazing show and definitely worth not selling the tickets for like $500-1k heh.

Some other stand out shows... Modest Mouse while they were on their Lonesome Crowded West tour. Bright Eyes @ Women's Club Theater playing solo. Doomtree Blowouts!! Songs: Ohia @ 7th Street.

[Arachna]

Not many bands I like tour Western Australia so the only one I'll bother mentioning is Guns N' Roses. They came here last year, Axl was in a good mood too so we got our moneys worth.

[Amarok]

Agalloch/Virgin Black/Vehemence @ Mason Jar in '04
Opeth in Phoenix, AZ for Blackwater Park US Tour
Akercocke/Vital Remains/Noctuary in '05

[Moridam]

GBK! I was supposed to see them in Boston at O'Brien's years ago, but my car died a few days before the show and couldn't find a ride out there. Shame, I imagine that would've been a fun one to see, and I doubt they'll ever be touring again.

[TacoTaru]

Ceremony - Every time I've seen them. They just have incredible energy.

Outbreak - Another that applies, but best at Gateway to the West fest that I played at in 06'.

Mental - At the Muse in Nashville in 05'. Absolutely incredible. It was right before they broke up.

[Groovebox]

I've been to quite a few concerts, but the one that will always stick out as the best concert ever... Pearl Jam at Soldier Field in 1995, absolutely amazing.

[Groovebox]

1. Mars Volta @ The Quest in Minneapolis

4. Gwar @ the Marquee in Tempe, just for the lulz

I saw Gwar, The Misfits and Ozomatli at some Mesa, AZ venue in 1999 >.>

[ono]

HFStival 2005. Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Billy Idol, Social Distortion, New York Dolls, Garbage, Echo & The Bunnymen, Interpol , They Might Be Giants, Louis XIV, The Bravery, Gold Mind Squad.

Was this the year that Interpol played the side stage, on the outside perimeter of RFK? Or did they play the main stage in '05?

[Denchi]

Agalloch/Virgin Black/Vehemence @ Mason Jar in '04
Opeth in Phoenix, AZ for Blackwater Park US Tour
Akercocke/Vital Remains/Noctuary in '05

Hello. Would you happen to know if there are EVER any good concerts in Flagstaff besides hippie stoner bands?

[Trigun]

Muppets on Broadway was flippin' sweet. j/k

Dir En Grey @ Nokia Theatre in NYC

Linkin Park @ MSG in NYC

going to Terminal 5 in NYC this October to see Coheed & Cambria and November for Dir En Grey.

[Azalee]

All of the really amazing concerts I have been to have been fairly recent.

In July my best friend and I took a road trip to San Jose to see Coldplay, which happens to be his favorite band. We just had an awesome time, and I think the whole trip in general made the concert even more enjoyable.

In June I went to the Honda Civic Tour at the Paramount in Seattle... Had never been to the Paramount but it is absolutely gorgeous. Bands playing were: The Hush Sound, Phantom Planet, Motion City Soundtrack, and Panic at the Disco headlining... It was AMAZING. I don't think I have ever been to a more high energy concert. I had never heard the three opening bands, and I was blown out of the water by their performances.

Lastly, a few summers ago I went to Endfest 15, and RHCP was headlining.

Best. Concert. Ever.

[Kaliden]

4-26-2008 Cleveland, Ohio

The Fall of Troy
The Dear Hunter
Foxy Shazam
Tera Melos

I haven't been to many concerts, but that was probably the most fun I ever had.

[Viq]

The week after Alkaline Trio released Good Mourning they played a show at the Worcester Paladium with Pretty Girls Make Graves. It was Andrea Zollo's (lead singer of PGMG) birthday. Halfway through PGMG's set, Matt Skiba came on stage with a cake and started singing Happy Birthday to her. My friend and I rushed the stage with hand made birthday cards for her.

Between that, the countless awesome shows they played at the old Met Cafe in Providence, and the last show I saw before they broke up at the Middle East in Boston, Pretty Girls Make Graves will pretty much always lock down a lot of my top spots for best concerts.

I have a really great time every time I see Mates of State.

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