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OT: Best concert you've been to.

Jimmy Buffett in Las Vegas. He played for over 3 hours with just a 15 minute break filled by a couple of Grammy award winning backup artists. He came back out after they turned up the lights and the arena was half empty. He was still sitting on the front of the stage playing for the parrot heads when we left. Amazing.
 
litespeedhuskerfan said:
Blue Oyster Cult in the late 80's somewhere about an hour from Omaha. Not because of the concert itself, I barely remember it..... but because on the way there we got pulled over doing 100+ with enough alcohol and other stuff in the car to be in some pretty big trouble. No ticket, or car search, just a friendly warning to slow down. Those were the days. Now your car would be impounded, with several tickets, and it would be on your record forever. If I had to pick a concert I actually remember, it would be Bryan Adams in '86 at the Civic, because I took one of the best looking girls in our class and everyone was "wishing they were me that night" (Meatloaf ripoff, couldn't resist).
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Those were the days!!! I highly doubt you'd get a warning this day and age
 
5. REM at the Civic Music Hall in '84 or '85. The DBs opened and IMO upstaged REM.

Du.. wasn't 10,000 Maniacs on this bill too? I saw REM at the Music Hall in this time period and was just as excited to see 10,000 as I was them. The Wishing Chair had come out that previous spring/summer.. Natalie's hair was past her waist, Stipe did 7 Chinese brothers with just Buck if I remember right.. what a night!
 
I've been to so many concerts in my life.. some of the highlights:

James Brown in Japan in the early 2000's.. was able to meet him too.

Helmet in South Omaha at the Diamond Hall.. '91? That was an awesome show.

That RHCP/Smashing/PJ show at Peony Park in the early 90's.

Prince at the Hollywood Bowl.. '98 I think? Then saw him do one of his infamous after show concerts at this spot called The Key Club. Used to be known as a hair metal spot known as Gazzarri's back in the 80's.. Larry Grahm performed a 20 minute bass solo and a good majority of it was on the shoulders of one of the patrons. Chaka Kahn also made an appearance that night.

RATM at this tiny club in LA called The Dragonfly. I think it was after their 2nd album. They blew the roof off obviously.

Willie Nelson's 70th birthday show at LA's Greek Theatre. Great night.

Ice Cube in Omaha at the Music Hall. This is when he went solo. Early 90's. Ice commanded the stage like a punk rock rap god. Several mounted cops waiting outside.

The 1'st Lollapalooza in KC and then in Denver. NIN blew me away as they KILLED IT at 4 in the afternoon.

Billy Bragg at HOB in Hollywood.. late 90's early aughts.. can't quite remember. Big fan of his.

Phoenix at the Palace in LA on their first US tour. Thought they were awesome.

The Fixx at UNL. Probably '89? Saw The Pixies in Lincoln too in this era.

HR of Bad Brains. Saw him maybe 3 times in LA in the latter 90's. First time tho was at this rinky dink bar across from The Palace on Vine. Probably one of the most underrated artists of our time. As impressive as the Bad Brains were, his solo work is right up there and might even surpass the Brains on some days for me.

Morrissey. I've seen him a bunch. Saw him at the Hollywood Bowl last fall. Powerful show. One show tho sticks out; a Hollywood Palladium show in the 90's. I had upstairs VIP. Typically in those days that VIP area for any show would be full of loudmouth A-holes. That show however nobody in that section said a damn word. All eyes and ears were focused on the Moz.

So many more.. god I love concerts.
 
LUVNHAIGHT said:
I've been to so many concerts in my life.. some of the highlights:

James Brown in Japan in the early 2000's.. was able to meet him too.

Helmet in South Omaha at the Diamond Hall.. '91? That was an awesome show.

That RHCP/Smashing/PJ show at Peony Park in the early 90's.

Prince at the Hollywood Bowl.. '98 I think? Then saw him do one of his infamous after show concerts at this spot called The Key Club. Used to be known as a hair metal spot known as Gazzarri's back in the 80's.. Larry Grahm performed a 20 minute bass solo and a good majority of it was on the shoulders of one of the patrons. Chaka Kahn also made an appearance that night.

RATM at this tiny club in LA called The Dragonfly. I think it was after their 2nd album. They blew the roof off obviously.

Willie Nelson's 70th birthday show at LA's Greek Theatre. Great night.

Ice Cube in Omaha at the Music Hall. This is when he went solo. Early 90's. Ice commanded the stage like a punk rock rap god. Several mounted cops waiting outside.

The 1'st Lollapalooza in KC and then in Denver. NIN blew me away as they KILLED IT at 4 in the afternoon.

Billy Bragg at HOB in Hollywood.. late 90's early aughts.. can't quite remember. Big fan of his.

Phoenix at the Palace in LA on their first US tour. Thought they were awesome.

The Fixx at UNL. Probably '89? Saw The Pixies in Lincoln too in this era.

HR of Bad Brains. Saw him maybe 3 times in LA in the latter 90's. First time tho was at this rinky dink bar across from The Palace on Vine. Probably one of the most underrated artists of our time. As impressive as the Bad Brains were, his solo work is right up there and might even surpass the Brains on some days for me.

Morrissey. I've seen him a bunch. Saw him at the Hollywood Bowl last fall. Powerful show. One show tho sticks out; a Hollywood Palladium show in the 90's. I had upstairs VIP. Typically in those days that VIP area for any show would be full of loudmouth A-holes. That show however nobody in that section said a damn word. All eyes and ears were focused on the Moz.

So many more.. god I love concerts.
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Love Billy Bragg, but very disappointed that he and Wilco didn't get along very well during the Mermaid Avenue album sessions. Jay Bennett (RIP) was instrumental in setting up those sessions, because he loved BB, and for Wilco and BB to almost come to blows about these albums was disappointing news to me.
 
Love Billy Bragg, but very disappointed that he and Wilco didn't get along very well during the Mermaid Avenue album sessions. Jay Bennett (RIP) was instrumental in setting up those sessions, because he loved BB, and for Wilco and BB to almost come to blows about these albums was disappointing news to me.

Interesting that you say that.. I also saw the making of that doc. Honestly after Jay Bennett left Wilco I too stopped following that band. Pretty sure it was also Bennett who wrote that melody to California Stars as well as being hella responsible for how Summerteeth turned out (my fave Wilco album). Not a fan of Tweedy on how he treated Jay. Wilco just aint been the same for me.

Du are you a Miracle Legion fan?
 
wseattlesker said:
Interesting lists, heavy on the rock legends. Let me add:

Steve Martin (I guess that qualifies as a "concert") in Pershing Auditorium in Lincoln in about 1970, at the height of his standup career and just about the time "King Tut" came out. Great audience that included local "two wild and crazy guys" and "American girls with big American breasts."

Steve Martin was juggling cats and doing king tut in 1979. Cheap Trick opened for him. Agree it was a great show.

Some others of note:

Most bizarre (but with an electric audience nonetheless): Stephen Hawking (The Universe in a Nutshell tour) here in Seattle.

I've had the good fortune to see many other great performances live, some that come to mind--Rolling Stones, Mannheim Steamroller, Transiberian Orchestra--total sensory overload (all in Seattle), Donovan (K.C.), Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, YoYo Ma, Liza Minelli & Joel Grey, Neville Brothers (small club), Pud Brown (small club), Dave Brubeck (all in New Orleans), the Byrds, BeeGees (both at UNL. BeeGees sang their biggest money maker, a Coca Cola commercial), Linda Ronstadt when she was still with Stone Pony (UNL-East Campus), Elton John and Billy Joel (Tacoma).

Extraordinary theatrical/dance performances that come to mind: Sandy Duncan in Peter Pan on Broadway, Richard Burton in Camelot (New Orleans), Cynthia Gregory and Mikhail Baryshnikov (New Orleans), and Alexander Gudonov with the Bolshoi (St. Louis).

Other memorable live event: Bobby Kennedy speaking at UNL not long before he was murdered.
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1) U2 cotton bowl ‘97 with Rage Against the Machine opening—- unreal pairing

2) Pearl Jam 2013 Dallas- they freaking played 38 songs!

3) Willie Nelson - billy bobs texas late 1990’s
 
HuskerDana said:
1. AC/DC 4x......Great Every time.....
2. Foo Fighters .... x2 at the MAC. Regardless of what you think of the band.....they put on a hell of a live show.
3. The Who in KC about 88?
4. Zac Brown Band. I am not even a country music fan. My wife made me go....lol. They do put on a hell of a show.
5. Third Eye Blind
6. Alice in Chains
7. Tesla...saw them twice. Great both times.
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My brother said the same thing about the Foo Fighters- even if you don’t like their music you have to see them live....
 
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Bugeater said:
Just wondering what the best concert you ever went to? Could be your kids at school, a Philharmonic performance, rock, country, whatever. I've been to a variety over the years, not a lot, but Van Halen in 1980, The Eagles, a few classical music performances, The Cars, Pavarotti, a few 50's & 60's variety concerts with groups from those era's. I think the two I enjoyed the most were the Eagles and the Bee Gees, the former at the Cow Palace 1980, the latter back in 1989 in Melbourne. Both groups seemed to be perfectionist and it showed when they got on stage. You?

Best. Grand funk railroad in Omaha
Ted nugent in Lincoln
Kiss in Lincoln
Black oak Arkansas in Omaha

Worst: black sabbath in Lincoln. I think they used a cardboard cutout of ozzy it was that bad
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Havent been to a lot but
Florida Georgia Line was a great show
Yellowcard in Vegas many years ago was fun.
311 way back in HS when they were at Edgefest was a fun time.

Took the wife to Lady Gaga and Timberlake concerts when they were in town, FGL was more fun.

Also seen Blake Shelton twice now, once in Lincoln, once in Omaha. Cousin ran backstage operations for him on those tours, so I got free VIP tickets to both.
 
Purely as a spectator: All That Remains, Hatebreed, and Five Finger Death Punch.

As a performer opening for a big band: Tantric and Gemini Syndrome
 
1. Grateful Dead at Soldier Field
2. Widespread Panic at Red Rocks 2002
3. Gov’t Mule at the Paradiso in Amsterdam 2007
4. Tedeschi-Trucks Red Rocks 2019
5. My Morning Jacket New Years 2018 Broomfield
6. Jane’s Addiction 1991 Omaha
7. Nirvana Aksarben
8. Pearl Jam with RHCP
9. Widespread Panic New Years in Nashville after music city bowl
10. Sturgill Simpson at Red Rocks.
 
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c2o said:
Prince.
Does not matter where.

Faith No More at the ranch bowl.
Maybe 200 people there and it was freaking amazing.

I was there to bowl.
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I miss the Raunch Bowl!! That show was awesome; frankly you could have “attended” from Bergan Mercy just as well - loud af!

Another Ranch Bowl favorite was bowling with Frank Black before his show.
 
Jeremara said:
U2 Zoo TV in 1992
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The show in Arrowhead is probably in my top 5. I love music and go to a lot of concerts though, so hard to choose. Went to the 1st 2 shows in San Diego for Vertigo. First night was a sh*t show, but they were open about it and made it awesome. 2nd night was way more crisp.
 
Live shows start and end with Springsteen from the standpoint of energy, pacing, theming (at least 70s/80s Springsteen). Any of the folks that are now touted as "best live shows" likely took their cues from Springsteen. And will readily acknowledge that.
 
Tuco Ramirez said:
Agreed. If your ticket has a seat number on it, it's just a different experience, and one that I don't enjoy as much.

My favorite largish show was Jane's Addiction at Aksarben back around 1989. It was the first time I was in a huge pit - swapping sweat with a few dozen of your favorite strangers to some outstanding primordial beats - physical without violence - a sexless orgy. Towards the end, beaten and exhausted, I rolled back to the back of the crowd and they played "3 Days." It was a very sparse set consisting mostly of statues and red lights. Watching that song, with that set, with that crowd still flailing wildly in front, they could have performed a human sacrifice on the stage and it wouldn't have seemed out of place. Just a mind blowingly good time.

As far as small shows, I'll go with several of the many times I've seen the Reverend Horton Heat.

My favorite small venue is the Metro in Chicago.
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Chickasaw Mudd Puppies!!!! Set the stage perfect for that night. That Jane’s show is also one of my top 5.
 
Okay, okay....in all seriousness. AC/DC (all five shows were great), Foo Fighters (MA Center) ZB Band....and I am not even a country fan.
 
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