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Best Live Band You've Seen?

OldeDude

OldeDude

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Always some good music threads going on around here, and "Best ...." threads are always fun, so who was the best live band you've ever seen?

I was a certifiable concert addict back in the 70's, saw just about every rock band/artist that played in SoCal, and everyone played in SoCal. If I didn't see them it was usually because I wasn't interested, not that I just missed them. Led Zeppelin was about as big as they get back then, saw them numerous times, and it was always a big event, a spectacle, a can't miss show, and they were rarely very good. So who do I think was the best Live Band/Artist I've ever seen? Can't nail it down to just one, so:

For live music and stage presence:
  • Paul McCartney and Wings - Went to two of the three nights they played the LA Forum on the Wings Over America Tour in 1976, absolutely incredible. Check out the concert movie Rockshow, most of it was filmed those two nights at the Forum.
  • Bob Seger - Great live, with or without The Silver Bullet Band. First time I saw him was in 76, the year he released both Live Bullet and Night Moves, last time was just a couple of years ago, always puts on a great show.
  • Humble Pie - Saw their last tour back in March 75, such a great live band, Steve Marriott was such a showman, with an amazing voice.
  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Finally got to see them in 99, and what can I say, they played everything, and were so good. At the end of the set you're thinking "what can they do for an encore, they've played everything?" Then they come out and play three or four more of your all-time favorites!
For the SHOW:
  • Alice Cooper - Hands down, the greatest rock stage show, every time! He (or they, depending on the era) truly brought theater to the rock stage, the show of shows, and really good live music to boot. I've seen Kiss, and a few others that were known for the Show they put on, and they were a lot of fun, but no one could compare to the Show that Alice put on.
 
REO Speedwagon and Styx
 
Foo Fighters absolutely kills it live!
 
Garth Brooks... dude leaves it all on the stage.
 
Most entertaining
KISS
Less than Jake
Reel Big Fish

Best musicianship
Black Keys
Ryan Adams
Guster
Avett Brothers
New Found Glory
 
Pearl Jam and Deftones
 
GoldenBuff said:
Ive seen many great ones. These were particularly notable:

Rush
Neil Young
Rolling Stones
Tom Petty
AC/DC
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I might have put the Stones on my list, but I missed them in the Mick Taylor years, when they were at their best. Saw them in 78, and as good as they were, Ronnie Wood is not a favorite, and doesn't hold a candle to Mick Taylor.
 
OldeDude said:
For the SHOW:
  • Alice Cooper - Hands down, the greatest rock stage show, every time! He (or they, depending on the era) truly brought theater to the rock stage, the show of shows, and really good live music to boot. I've seen Kiss, and a few others that were known for the Show they put on, and they were a lot of fun, but no one could compare to the Show that Alice put on.
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Have to agree with Alice Cooper, seen him twice 5 rows back both times & incredible shows
Bunker Snot said:
Garth Brooks... dude leaves it all on the stage.
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Seen Garth twice, 1st time was at the CO State fair just after his album took off. Side note: he played there the year before 3 nights in row for free, which I was able to catch a little bit of 1 of those shows. Then we took out daughter to see him in Denver this last year & were 18 rows back & he was just as good as was the first time I seen him.

I have to throw in the group Tesla, it was absolutely 1 of the best concerts I've seen.
 
Del McCoury Band
 
OldeDude said:
For the SHOW:
  • Alice Cooper - Hands down, the greatest rock stage show, every time! He (or they, depending on the era) truly brought theater to the rock stage, the show of shows, and really good live music to boot. I've seen Kiss, and a few others that were known for the Show they put on, and they were a lot of fun, but no one could compare to the Show that Alice put on.
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Alice Cooper was awesome! Best show ever!
Best band-Heart
 
Best concert I ever saw was Bruce Springsteen & The E Street band at the Akron Civic Theatre just before the Born To Run album dropped. 3+ hours, Bruce and the band leave it all on stage. At one point he was jumping around so much he spun off the speaker stands & into the orchestra pit (luckily unharmed). I think that was his 2nd ever Ohio concert & one of the early ones outside of the NY/NJ area (local DJ Kid Leo really pumped his music up & there was a lot of Springsteen fans early on).

Muse put on a great show to watch visually. David Bowie also. Even if you didn't like any of the music, those two shows would've been enjoyable just to watch the stage & all the stuff going on visually. (Both put on awesome concerts too, & sounded great).

Cage the Elephant has been great both times I've seen them.

Black Keys were very good too.

Beck was great, both from a sound/music enjoyment standpoint, as well as showman/talking entertainment and his visuals/stage show are awesome too - right up there with Muse & Bowie.

I would also say the band that seemed to have the most fun playing and interacting with the audience was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy when they came by on a Christmas tour. That show was an absolute blast!
 
Same with the OP, Alice puts on one Hell of a show.
And as per usual it can't be nailed down to one band.
Reel Big Fish was a blast to see, besides the crowd interaction they genuinely seem like they love doing what they do.
Steel Panther though has to be the best show I've seen when combining all factors. It's great musically, while the lyrics are juvenile the show is just so much fun. Along with it being an event.
 
rallo said:
Most entertaining
KISS
Less than Jake
Reel Big Fish

Best musicianship
Black Keys
Ryan Adams
Guster
Avett Brothers
New Found Glory
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Did you happen to catch the LTJ/RBF coheadlining tour?
 
I haven't been to many concerts, but the Garth Brooks concert was by far the best. He absolutely leaves it all on stage. He is wide open the entire time.

2nd best has to be the concert Hootie and The Blowfish did at a college here in Georgia right after their album Cracked Rear View came out. The actually tried to get out of the concert at first as they could play much bigger venues, but played anyway and absolutely killed it. Even came back out for an encore after there was hardly anyone left in the venue. They just came out and jammed. It was very cool.
 
MichiganGripRip said:
Did you happen to catch the LTJ/RBF coheadlining tour?
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It would have been circa 2003-4ish, and yes they were playing together in MN or Milwaukee (I can't remember where). MxPx was also in on that stop. I haven't caught any of their recents tours though. When did you last see them?
 
Best would be Dream Theater for me.
 
rallo said:
It would have been circa 2003-4ish, and yes they were playing together in MN or Milwaukee (I can't remember where). MxPx was also in on that stop. I haven't caught any of their recents tours though. When did you last see them?
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I saw RBF in 2011, and I saw them together in... 2016/7? I think.
 
Five Finger Death Punch

Before them, it was Ozzy on the Ultimate Sin Tour... Bon Jovi put on a great show as well.
 
chile said:
Five Finger Death Punch

Before them, it was Ozzy on the Ultimate Sin Tour... Bon Jovi put on a great show as well.
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Last time 5 finger death punch came thru my city the lead singer was to drunk to sing.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
PatsFan said:
Last time 5 finger death punch came thru my city the lead singer was to drunk to sing.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
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Luckily, we saw them before he took his hiatus because of that...
 
The Who in the 80's, CSNY, U2, Coldplay (surprisingly)
 
Grateful Dead...27 times
 
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