Best concert you've ever been to?

[phillybri]

I saw the Barenaked Ladies here on Raleigh last Friday, and while it wasn't the best concert I've been to, it was pretty damn close.

My favorite concert was Van Halen at the Philadelphia Spectrum in 1995. Awesome show as well as my first show.

What about you?

[XNASA]

1. The Clash - Aragon Ballroom 1979

http://www.gpjones.free-online.co.uk/Bands/Clash/recordings/1979/79-09-14_ChicagoFM/Chicago%2079%20mp3.html

The only band that matters.

[RetroLounge]

59. You suck. And I mean that in the best possible way!

I would have loved that show!

RL

[Tikki]

91. THE CLASH-Santa Monica Civic... February 1979

Truly amazing musicians and music.

Bo Diddley and The Dils opened that night.

[rucky]

2. KISS - Psycho Circus Tour. Dodger Stadium, Halloween 1999

also The Who - Cotton Bowl, 1988

Bowie - Starplex - 1991

Tom Waits - Wiltern, 2000

Radiohead/Spiritualized - Universal Ampitheater, 1997

[redqueen]

28. I saw that Bowie show too

some twits just fucked it up for me by continually throwing stuff at me for dancing. Lazy fucks should have bought seats if they wanted to sit on their asses the whole time (was on the lawn).

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Police/Go-Gos -- Philadelphia Spectrum -- late 1981

My second show.

And the ticket was only $15 for a front/center seat.

They've all gone downhill after that.

--bkl

[Richardo]

32. I saw that tour in Denver - awesome!

But so was Dire Straits at Red Rocks...and each and every Tower of Power concert I went to in the mid-to-late 70s...

Damn! Hard to choose... I'll go with Talking Heads at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip. L.A.; 1978; Ticket: $5.50 :)

[Beaverhausen]

54. Ooh! I was at that concert! How fun were the Go-Gos?

I was off on Sting's side. That was a good show. Not the best I've been to but good nonetheless.

[Dogmudgeon]

68. The Go-Gos were excellent

And this was after Gina Schock was diagnosed with her mitral valve problem (which has since been repaired).

IIRC, they did a few songs from the soon-to-be-released Vacation album, like Cool Jerk and Beatnik Beach.

Speaking of "girl groups", I also saw the Bangles a few months later in a small room called the Halloran Ballroom in Halloran, NJ. Miles Copeland had brought them in from the Left Coast and was getting them exposure under their new name -- it was about their fourth concert after having changed their name from The Bangs to The Bangles. They did three or four sets -- one of which was all 60s covers, including a big chunk of Alex Chilton/Box Tops/Big Star songs plus the long-lost Sweet Cream Ladies.

They were still dressing like punks then, and were certainly not the "sex symbols" they became a few years later. But they were magnetic, and the ugliest one, Susanna Hoffs, who then looked like a wet wharf rat, had this very non-mystical aura. They were astounding, and in 1981, very few punk/new-wave acts had made retro and/or literary references a part of their set list. It took a whole long year-and-a-half before their EP was released.

This week I got two pleasant surprises along the same lines: First, Hilary Duff has recorded a version of Our Lips Are Sealed which is actually quite good. Little sister Haylie sings the bridge ("Hush my darling, don't you cry ..."). If Duff can break away from the overproduced-little-girl scene, she's got potential.

Second, Mandy Moore and Michael Stipe recorded God Only Knows as part of the Saved! soundtrack -- and it's the best cover of that song that's ever been made, IMHO. I may also be the best-ever Beach Boys cover. It's got that alienated-intelligent-teen-growing-up vibe going on that Brian Wilson captured for Pet Sounds. Moore is starting to remind me a little of April Stevens, too, a nightclub-chanteuse-gone-rocker from the 50s-60s.

But enough of my babbling!

--bkl

[ilovenicepeople]

56. I saw the police that year

with third world as the opener ticket's were $6.50.My favorite concert would be any of the 5 times that I saw Frank Zappa.

[Beware the Beast Man]

4. Mudhoney- Graffiti- Pittsburgh, PA- Spring '93

By far the best show ever, big or small. Great set; they were extremely tight and cool with the audience. I was impressed.

[RetroLounge]

63. Mudhoney is great live

Saw them at Marquette University in the early 90's...

RL

[Bok_Tukalo]

5. Stray Cats - Busboys

Bronco Bowl in Dallas - 1983

[Richardo]

33. Now THAT sounds like fun...

:)

[CarolynEC]

6. Peter Gabriel

... the tour that became "Plays Live." (1982? 83?)

Just the performance of "Biko" alone was practically life-transforming!

[Magrittes Pipe]

7. Nick Cave -- Chicago Theatre, April (or was it May?) 2002.

Honorable mention to the Makers and Thee Headcoats on the same bill in Green Bay, circa 1997.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

27. The Bad Seeds are a kick-ass live band.

God, I love 'em.

[Magrittes Pipe]

29. Oh, yeah.

And Cave is still the only man I've ever wanted to fuck.

NOBODY left that theatre without wanting to fuck him.

[rucky]

31. that just reminded me to add PJ Harvey to my list

never seen cave, but have a bootleg video (Murder Ballads tour). After the live version of Into My Arms, I'll have to agree with your assessment.

[pocket]

30. I saw that tour, it was fantastic

at the Wiltern Theatre in LA.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. Tori Amos - 2001 Wang Theater Boston

[Magrittes Pipe]

10. Huh huh.

You said "wang."

[Screaming Lord Byron]

12. Fuck, that's scary.

Talk about group-mind. :scared:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

11. Haw-haw!

You said wang. :D

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

15. You two are tools!

you've proven it :D

[Magrittes Pipe]

22. Huh huh.

You said "tool."

[Screaming Lord Byron]

9. Radiohead - Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver - Aug 2003.

That or the Afghan Whigs in a tent, or Underworld in a railway tunnel, or REM at Glastonbury. Ooh. Or The Pixies. Or the Harry Smith Project at the Royal Festival Hall in London '99 with Nick Cave, the McGarrigles, Jarvis Cocker, Van Dyke Parks, Bryan Ferry, Beth Orton, PJ Harvey, Jimmy Smith, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Gavin Friday and several others.

[Magrittes Pipe]

14. The Afghan Whigs in a tent? Cool.

Closest I came was seeing them in a shithole (Bogart's in Cincinnati).

The tent woulda been better (superior restroom facilities and cuter barmaids -- even those named Horst).

[Screaming Lord Byron]

19. Yeah, it was on the Black Love tour with the expanded line-up.

In a sweaty 2000-capacity tent. Rockin'.

[demnan]

13. Winton Marsalis - Wolf Trap Farm Park 2002

[Parche]

16. best

Phil Collins, Wilturn Theatra, LAX Sep 1991
Benifit concert for the homeless

[MissMillie]

17. Shawn Colvin

Hampton Beach Casino, August 1, 1998

[mac56]

18. Tom Petty/Nick Lowe

Met Sports Center, Bloomington, MN. 1982.

[OneBlueSky]

20. Stones . . . Madison Square Garden . . . 1971 or 72 . . .

opening act: Stevie Wonder . . . amazing show . . . close second is Springsteen, any of three concerts I've attended . . . two in a small theater in a college town, one in the Worcester Centrum . . . think I actually liked the smaller shows better, though the Centrum show was certainly more elaborate (Born in the USA tour) . . .

[ProfessorGAC]

21. King Crimson - Park West

It was on the tour for "Beat". Most amazing display of ensemble playing i've ever heard. Only rock show i ever walked away from with my mouth hanging open in stunned amazement.

Playing was superb. Sound was impeccable. And, the lighting wasn't meant to distract or astound. It was just to add to the music. The music was clearly the MOST important thing, and it showed.
The Professor

67. I saw an ensemble kind of like that

some guy named Robert Fripp by himself at the World Financial Center atrium/garden about 4 years ago. :hippie:

[sendero]

75. One of my enduring regrets..

... is never seeing King Crimson live. And I had at least 2 opportunities. WTF was I thinking? :smoke:

[daa]

23. CS&N Richmond, VA

like 1987 or so, the first show after David got out of jail in Texas. At one point they commented, "We are really on tonight man". And they were.

[redqueen]

24. Peter Gabriel.

I saw Eric Clapton where Mark Knopfler played as well... Erics okay but I freakin LOVE Knopfler... awesome show.

But I'd have to say Peter Gabriel was my all time favorite. Saw him on the tour for US, and he was amazing as always.

Another great one was Robert Plant. Oh and The Smiths... favorite concert experience as a teen. :)

[russian33]

25. Cher, the long ass farewell tour...

..also enjoyed Puff Daddy and the Family tour about 7 years ago, before he got cocky and self-centered...and Wyclef came to a college near mine, about 6 years ago, he was amazing.

[redqueen]

26. Oh and TOOL!

Damn, those guys rock ... saw them three times - once in a bar in Deep Ellum, and they're amazing. Gabriel still beats 'em, though. :)

[rucky]

40. I saw Nirvana at Trees in 1990

never heard of 'em at the time.

WOW.

the Toadies were another great Deep Ellum act.

[redqueen]

44. I never saw the Toadies. :-(

I saw some good bands at Trees, but I was too drunk, so I forgot who they were. :)

[regularguy]

34. David Bromberg. Glassboro NJ 1982?

Also:
Zeppelin MSG 1977
Ben Folds 5, Philly 1998
Brecker Brothers: Seventh Ave South(?) NYC.

[On the Road]

35. I Had an Ecstatic Experience in Preservation Hall in 1983

When some of the originals like Willie and Percy Humphrey were still playing. The hall was jammed and my ex and I were just about to file out after standing for a couple of sets when we noticed two empty seats behind the band. (It's a tiny place with no separate stage.) I asked someone nearby, and he said that those seats were usually reserved for friends and family, but since they were empty we could use them.

On that last set I could reach out and touch the drummer. They were in one of those grooves where the instruments were all weaving in and out in perfect harmony. It was one of those wonderful epiphanies that don't come along too often.

Oh, and Miles Davis was great on his "Tutu" tour.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

36. Jimi Hendrix Experience

I saw them on Saturday, August 17th, 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium. I saw both the afternoon and night shows. In the afternoon, Hendrix was not doing stage gymnastics and eating guitars but just playing and wailing. He brought out a red Les Paul guitar and cranked up "Red House" and did one of the greatest blues guitar performances I've ever seen. That night, he was on the same bill with the following acts:
-Eire Apparent (doing their version of "Gloria")
-Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes
-The Soft Machine
-The Vanilla Fudge
That night, Hendrix was even better, doing wild versions of "Can You See Me" and "Stone Free" along with his other hits.

I also saw Jimi Hendrix the next year when I moved to the west coast. I saw him on Saturday, May 30th, 1969 at the Berkely Community Theater. I bought my ticket about 2 months early and had an aisle seat ON THE FRONT ROW!!! Hendrix was even better, playing the most incredibly bluesy and fast guitar riffs I've ever heard in rock. Hendrix was not only technically astounding, but he played with deep, deep feeling, displaying his experience from the years he spent in the deep South backing Ike and Tina Turner, the Isley Brothers, etc. Also on the same bill was Tower Of Power.

To me, although I've seen a lot of artists live, including an incredible up-close (I could reach out and touch his guitar) concert by the late and great jazz guitarist Joe Pass, Jimi Hendrix stands out in my memory like no one else.

[BigMcLargehuge]

37. Rollins Band and Corrosion of Conformity

Club Babyhead, Providence RI, 1991

The End of Silence Tour. I was so close to Rollins I could touch him. Better yet, the COC guys stepped on my fingers (I was right at the stage) throughout their show. At the end of the set the lead singer offered to buy me a beer for my trouble. I spent the second half of the Rollins show hanging out at the bar with Corrosion of Conformity.

Wicked nice guys,

[bowens43]

38. Pink Floyd - Animals tour Cleveland 1977

80,000 people.....

[JSJ]

78. it was a fine spectacle...did i hallucinate it or did...

...the show start with a 747 swooping in low over the stadium?

[rene moon]

39. U2 and the Beastie Boys

U2 in 2001, Beasties in 2000 and 1992.

[mrboba1]

41. G'n'R, Metallica and Faith No More.

in one concert.

before Metallica sucked, G'n'R fell apart, and Faith No More disappeared

:P

(G'n'R is Guns & Roses for those uninformed)

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

42. Rolling Stones

San Diego, 1972 (thereby giving away my age).

[midnight armadillo]

43. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

either in Concord NH or Boston area in 96 or 97. It was a show with Paul McCandless on bass clarinet and other stuff. Whoa. Totally kickass. After the show the drummer, Futureman, could be found drumming with some local teenagers on some trashcans in the lobby. What a class act!

Concord. It was in concord.

[fudge stripe cookays]

45. Todd Rundgren, The Terrace 1989.

The "Nearly Human" tour. He had a full gospel choir behind him and everything. It was amazing.

Pat and Barbara from Timbuk 3 stood near me most of the time too. I love Austin.

[DemWitch]

46. Aging myself here, but... Pink Floyd

Animals... 1977... Boston... first time for a live concert, first time in Boston, first time I, uhmmmm, "smoked", and after the concert first time I became knowledgable of the sins of the flesh... watta night...

[ceile]

47. Raul Malo June 03

At the Continental Club in Austin.

[GOPisEvil]

49. I saw him and The Mavericks at SXSW this year.

They sounded good.

I saw them about 10 years ago at Gruene Hall - another great show.

[Jo March]

48. Indigo Girls

Last August at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. That was my favorite of all time.

The next would be Over the Rhine at Stella Blue's in Asheville.

I've seen a lot of concerts but those two are my favorites.

[Roon]

50. Roger Waters Radio K.A,O.S tour..

I saw Pink Floyd a few months later for their Momentary tour and Roger blew them away!

There was only like 5,000 people at Roger's show...it was soooo awesome!

[Dukkha]

52. me too

Both shows in September 1987. I remember the Waters concert was on his Birthday. I loved both shows but Roger is clearly "Pink".

[FrankBooth]

51. The Who/The Clash Fall of 1982

The Kingdome in Seattle, about a month before the Clash broke up for good.

Actually, the sound in the dome was so bad that we really couldn't hear The Clash too well, but The Who was amazing.

[1gobluedem]

53. The Temptations and the Four Tops together

The real ones, not the replacements traveling around now.

[Dookus]

55. The 1983 US Festival:

Day 1:

The Divinyls
INXS
Wall of Voodoo
Oingo Boingo
English Beat
Flock of Seagulls
Stray Cats
Men at Work
The Clash

I skipped Day 2 (heavy metal day).

Day 3:

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul
Berlin
Quarterflash
U2
Missing Persons
Pretenders
Joe Walsh
Stevie Nicks
David Bowie

Yeah, that was a good concert.

I also went to the 1979 No Nukes concert in NY. That was pretty cool, too.

[Beaverhausen]

57. Pretenders warmed up the night before Live Aid at a small club...

...in Philly- The Chestnut Cabaret. Getting to be that close to Chrissie was amazing. She and the guys were great. I think it was one of the first shows they did after losing 2 of the original members due to overdoses.

When she sang "Back on the Chain Gang" and cried...we all cried with her.

[pnb]

58. Iron Maiden and Accept

Nassau Coliseum 1985.

Motorhead and Manowar in 1988 second.

[SaveElmer]

60. Bruce Springsteen - 1984

Born in the USA tour...the guy played for 5 hours with one 15 minute break and no opening act...unbelievable!!!

[skjpm]

61. Wings-1976

This was such a special moment for me. It was the highlight of my fandom for Paul McCartney which had begun when I was 3 in 1963. Band On The Run is still my favorite album.

[RetroLounge]

62. Man, so many to choose from...

Pink Floyd, Soldier Field, Chicago, 1977

Ramones, Haymakers in Palatine Illinois, early 80's.

Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Chicagofest, 1980 or so.

Nirvana @ The Metro in Chicago, 1990 (Before Nevermind, 30 people)
Nirvana @ The Metro in Chicago, 1992 (After Nevermind. sold out)

Brian Setzer Orchestra in Milwaukee a few years back.

Cheap Trick, Limelight, Chicago, mid 80's.

Jane's Addiction @ UW-Milwaukee, 1987.

RL

[Catfight]

64. Cowboy Junkies, Tampa Theater. n/t

[bobthedrummer]

65. The Jimi Hendrix Experience with opening band The Soft Machine

I was tripping that night...

66. Louis Armstrong - Stanford , Calfiornia 1966

the Byrds, Manhattan Kansas - 1973
as part of this show-
David Bromberg, Ramblin Jack Elliot, Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth, Doc & Merle Watson, the Byrds, Joan Baez, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Earl Scruggs.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 1974 -- the day "On the Beach" was released. with Jesse Colin Young and the Beach Boys opening.
CS & N came out before Young and then he joined them on stage and stole the show.

Jeff Beck -- Blow by Blow Tour, Chicago, 1975 with Mahavishnu Orchestra as opening act.


Gary Burton Quintet w/ Eberhard Weber -- spring 1975 in a very small club in Evanston. the Quintet consisted of Burton, Weber, Steve Swallow, Mick Goodrich and a 19-year old Pat Metheny. Ralph Towner and Paul Bley opened and sat in with Burton.

3 members of the Art of Ensemble of Chicago doing a side project 1975.

And many more since then. Once you get to a certain level it's useless deciding which is best.

[onebigbadwulf]

69. U2 Elevation tour concert

We saw Bono signing autographs outside for about 20 minutes, seriously 4 feet away from us. Cameras all over him.

Then the concert opened with No Doubt who rock. Then U2 played their best songs of all time.

Masters of music.

[Magrittes Pipe]

70. Honorable mention: the second time I saw the Dead Milkmen, back in '93.

They opened with V.F.W. and segued right into... I forget, because of what happened next.

I fell down in the mosh pit (for the Milkmen?) and some asshole in jackboots stepped on my eye.

I mean, ON MY FUCKING EYE.

I stumbled out of the pit, hands over face. My hands were starting to get wet -- I figured I was tearing up in my right eye, AS IT HAD JUST BEEN STEPPED ON.

Got to the back of the hall, and looked down. My hands were coated in blood. And, as it was MY blood, I was justifiably upset.

Went to the bathroom (the only time I EVER went to the john at this particular, grody establishment), and washed my eye. I looked up, as I could finally see (a good 10 minutes after the incident), to find a 1-inch by 1/2 inch gash -- pretty much covering my entire right eyelid. I went back to the show, and went to the balcony. I bought a soda (I was 17) and sat at a table for the rest of the show.

Afterward, Tom and I went to his sister's apartment at UD. I looked at my grotesque eye, had a few Olympias, and laughed. Slept it off, and in the morning, the wound was (mostly) closed. Of course, I had a shiner that covered the entire right side of my face.

I had a date with my girlfriend, a flute recital of hers, and we were going with... her PARENTS.

Well, I'll spare you the rest. But that was definitely a qualifying entry in the contest of:

BEST CONCERT EVER!


On edit: A DUer tended bar at this particular establishment. I was quite smitten with said DUer, but I was 17, and she was... not. I'm sure she saw many a bloody teen boy in those days, so I imagine she doesn't remember -- still, it just goes to show: you can ALWAYS go home again.

[yvr girl]

71. I've always had good concert luck, but two stand out

1. Harry Connick, Jr. in Vancouver a few years ago. It was the first sunny day in Vancouver for weeks. The audience was in a really good mood. People from the rain belt will know what I mean. Harry and the band were really on. His aunt (who shares a hairdresser with moi) was there, so I think the concert was special for Harry too.

2. Barenaked Ladies (before they were famous south of the 49th) half-way up Whistler mountain. Great concert, awesome view.

[RandomKoolzip]

72. Sleater-Kinney, in some skater kid's living room, New Orleans, 1995

Best concert of any band I've ever seen. Just about thirty people, all packed into some kid's living room, on a mild winter day in late 95 in New Orleans. No PA, just amps, drums, vocals through a bass amp. Janet Weiss wasn't the drummer; instead, there was a woman from Australia who had a hubcap set up on a cymabl stand on her kit (she was SOLID, like Bun E. Carlos or John Bonham).

Sleater-Kinney astounded me; it was like a whirlwind. I've never seen a band that's had as much impact on me live before.

[medeak]

73. just came from Eric Clapton

opening act Robert Randolph and the Family Band was show stopper

[hatrack]

74. Five of the best - in no particular order . . .

Talking Heads, fall 1979, Memorial Hall KCK - Fear Of Music tour. There wasn't a single person in the place who wasn't dancing on their folding chairs

U2, summer 1983, same venue - War tour - similar, but this time I bent my metal folding chair into a V bouncing up and down on it.

Weather Report - winter 1980, Uptown Theater, KCMO - It was the five-piece with Jaco on bass and Bobby Thomas on percussion - fucking amazing performance by the most arrogant band I've ever seen - they didn't say one word to the audience - but who cared?

Itzhak Perlman, winter 1995, Hanamaki Japan - violin and piano - Buhdee buhdee buhdee that was all, folks, and all you needed. Got to meet him backstage afterwards. He's a super nice guy with massive hands which made me wonder how he actually plays the damn thing.

Mary Chapin Carpenter, June 2004, Uptown Theater, KCMO - Touring to support Between Here and Gone - superb two-hour plus performance from a woman with a voice like smoked honey.

[sendero]

76. Dates me...

... but I saw the Stranglers perform in a small club here in Dallas. Now, it could have been the intimate atmosphere, it could have been the music, or it could have been "something else" - but it was a great show.

Cocteau Twins in 1991 was a close second :)

[bookfreak]

77. Pink Floyd

Totally awesome, despite the fact that it was cold and rainy.

[slutticus]

79. TOOL

Oct 2001, Houston

1st row!

I paid $300 for that fucking ticket.

Yes. I'm a ToOL freak.

2nd best: Tori Amos at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, 2nd Row.

[drhilarius]

81. TOOL as well.

Saw them in Greenville, SC. My brother said that the Atlanta show was extraordinary, but, for such a small venue, the Greenville show blew me away.BTW, appreciation went up after seeing that Maynard gave money to Kerry.

on edit: Keenan, Maynard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
TOOL and A Perfect Circle/Entertain KERRY, JOHN F (D)
President
JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT INC. $1000

[SemiCharmedQuark]

80. Rolling Stones

But as far as collection of concerts, Rockfest 2000, up until Kid Rock and Metallica since they both sucked.

[T_i_B]

82. One Minuite Silence

at the Army & Navy in Chelmsford. Legendary gig I tell ya!

Failing that how about seeing Muse (then unsigned) in another small Chelmsford venue with only 14 people watching or Asian Dub Foundation at V2003?

[Earth_First]

83. Phish -Big Cypress

This was their millenium gig down in the Florida Everglades National Park, within the Seminole Indian Reservation. Second day, they played their 'sunrise set' beginning at midnight 1999 > 2000, the sunrise set was 7.5 hours long, no breaks, intermissions, etc. with THE most beautiful sunrise I had ever experienced in my life comming up over the Florida everglades to the Beatles "here comes the sun" paying lightly over the PA...

anyone who was there understands...

[Warren DeMontague]

94. I saw Phish at Biddy Mulligan's, in Chicago, in 1991...

200 or so people.

I was like, hey, these guys are going places.

[NashVegas]

84. Chris Whitley & the Flaming Cowboys - June 1997 (?)

There was no let up, it was like being slammed against the wall for three hours. Haven't really been able to enjoy a concert since then. Everyone's so polite in comparison.

[auburngrad82]

85. REM Monster Tour

Last day of the tour in Atlanta 1996

Also, Springsteen in 1982 (I think) in Atlanta

[Kong]

86. Jimi Hendrix, Baltimore, 1968

[vi5]

87. The top 10 or so for me...

I don't always remember the exact years or venues:

Prince: Purple Rain Tour (although his recent one comes close)
Iron Maiden/Judas Priest around 1982 or 1983 or so
Black Flag: One of their last tours around '84, '85, or '86
The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead tour
The Cure: Disintegration Tour
Van Halen: 1984 tour
The Cro-Mags: sometime in 1986
Fugazi: In On The Kill Taker Tour
Superchunk: No Pocky For Kitty tour
Peter Gabriel: So tour

[SHRED]

88. 1975 or so...

George Duke and Billy Cobham at the La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas, CA.

Jeff Beck during the "Blow by Blow" tour and of couse Zappa ranks up there also.

[noonwitch]

89. 1984-Bruce Springsteen at Joe Louis Arena

The first leg of his tour. He hit the Silverdome later, but I saw him at the Joe. JLA was relatively new then, and it is not as big as the dome or the Palace, so the sound was great. Bruce played from about 9 until 12:30 or so, with one 20 minute break and no warmup band. It was awesome.

I saw the Stones in 1989 at the Silverdome. They put on a pretty good show, too, but it wasn't as long. They had a good warm-up band with them, Living Colour.

[The Great Escape]

90. Electric Light Orchestra...Roanoke (VA) Civic Center...1978

Out of the Blue Tour...My first concert and easily my best. "The Police" at Rupp Arena in Lexington KY in 1982 was a distant #2.

[Warren DeMontague]

92. The Grateful Dead. No one else even comes close.

I've seen some great shows with other folks, but... uh... nothing ever in the same league.

In terms of specific shows that were life-changing, here's a few:

3-3-87 Henry J. Kaiser, Oakland, CA
7-17 and 7-19-89 Alpine Valley, East Troy, Wisconsin
4-28-91 Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, Las Vegas

Just to name a few.

Honorable Mentions go to---
Compton Terrace 1990
Eugene, Oregon 1990
and many others..

[gpandas]

93. traffic-civic arena-pittsburgh

band was "from the canteen" group