Best Concert

[kentwinterton]

What is the best concert you've been to and why?

[fazool]

I've been to a lot of concerts. Our whole family loves concerts. I've neem to so many and some were the best intimate venue concert, some were the best event, best band, best set, best sound, "best" for different reasons.

But, if I picked one it would be 1985 Heart's huge eponymous album tour, with near-local Honeymoon Suite opening.

You can tell from the picture that this was the pinnacle of the 80's. My best friend and I had floor seats.

It was a good lineup, especially Heart as headliners.

But even to this day, three -and-a-half decades later HMS's performance was still the best rock concert I've ever seen.

They sounded perfect. The setlist was perfect the audience was so into it - everything was perfect.

Seen them many times in recent years and it's amazing that they sound perfect. One of those bands who managed to totally keep their sound, vocals and everything.

[bufflehead]

Atlantic City Raceway. 1974. Santana opened for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

[Skarsaune]

I couldn't pick one. I started a top three and when it got to 5, I gave up.

After 40 years of concerts, I can't say I remember them all - but there are some very memorable ones.

[Mr. Paul]

Arena show: Bruce on the second leg of the Darkness Tour at McNichols in Denver.

Best crowd: Bruce at MSG

Mid Size venue: Tom Waits at the Paramount Theater in Denver

Intimate performance: Tom Rush house concert last summer

[mr. beaumont]

Christian Atunde Adjuah at the Beverly Art Center, Chicago.

It was a weird show...not exactly a household name on the South Side of Chicago, almost zero promotion, and really bad weather probably kept folks away too...place was empty, so I got front row center seat. The band played like they were playing to a packed house of screaming fans, even though there was probably under 20 people there. It was just fantastic.

[BenBreeg]

I used to have my top 5 kind of ready at the tip of my tongue, now not so sure, but here goes:

1- Iron Maiden, any show but this last tour was maybe the best
2- Prince- guy was like 5'2" or something and his persona dominated an entire arena, not to mention the incredible musicianship
3-Harry Connick, Jr- great band, great showman
4- Jane's Addiction- to me, epitome of a great rock show, combination of attitude and great catalogue
5- Steve Morse Band- he is probably my favorite electric player, they finished playing and pretty much hopped off the stage (Gilly's in Dayton) and talked to everybody until close

[M19]

1977. Chicago. Donovan opening for Yes, with Rick Wakeman back. Going for the One tour. First time I heard Close to the Edge live. Lasers. The pinnacle of musicianship and showmanship.

At least, I THINK I remember it.... Not sure how we found our car afterwards. Lost my cousin for a bit.

[jaymarsch]

Wow! That is a tough one as I have been to lots of concerts over the years from full-blown arenas to someone's living room and everything in between. Here are a few of the more memorable ones in no particular order:

Gordon Lightfoot at the Circle Star Theater in maybe summer of 1975
The Circle Star Theatre was a performing arts venue in San Mateo County, California. It was a theater in the round, featuring a rotating circular stage with none of its 3,743 seats further than 50 feet from the stage. Unlike similar venues across the United States, the Circle Star Theatre stage had the ability to rotate slowly in either direction without limit, thanks to the slip ring and brush system that supplied electrical/audio to and from the stage (The stats I pulled from wikipedia). I often wondered what it was like for the performer.
Gordon and Red Shea were on fire that night - I lost count of the encores and I think they would have played all night if it hadn't been for some city ordinance that prevented them from doing so.

Kate Wolf, Malvina Reynolds, U. Utah Phillips and Rosalie Sorrels in Faith Petric's living room in San Francisco in August 1975.
This one was special because it was a total surprise. I had helped to produce the newsletter for the SF Folk Music Club. I was working in the small upstairs office when Faith asked me to come down. She said that there was a birthday celebration and to join in for some cake and coffee. I came downstairs and there around the table were these wonderful singer songwriters. It was Malvina's 75th birthday celebration and after the cake and coffee we sat in a circle and listened to each of them share a new song. Kate Wolf had just finished "Emma Rose", sang it for the group, and blew everyone away.

The Indigo Girls at the Greek Theater in Berkeley I saw them twice at this venue but this one was in maybe 1994 or '95 right after "Swamp Ophelia" was released. One of those perfect evenings - tons of stars, almost downright balmy for the Bay Area and Emily and Amy were sounding sublime. I was there with some good friends, had a good job, and could actually afford decent seats.

Great thread but challenging for those of us who have been going to concerts for decades.

Best,
Jayne

[Busdriver63]

This brings back great memories. Jethro Tull, It’s a beautiful day, opening for The Who, at Tanglewood. Sly and the Family Stone, same place. Anything at the Music Inn, in Lenox.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by Busdriver63

This brings back great memories. Jethro Tull, It’s a beautiful day, opening for The Who, at Tanglewood. Sly and the Family Stone, same place. Anything at the Music Inn, in Lenox.

Thanks for jogging my memory. I remember my first Jethro Tull and It's a Beautiful Day concerts in Chicago!!

Best,
Jayne

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Atlantic City Raceway. 1974. Santana opened for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

I sort of remember that one.

[SCVJ]

1971, lying on my back on the carpet-remnant covered cement floor at Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, TX. I swear, when the music ended I felt like I had levitated about three feet, and slowly sank back down to the floor as the last notes faded out. No, there were no hallucinogens involved, just a little weak Mexican weed that I'm sure had worn off by then.

I saw so many great concerts there from 1970-74. Freddy King, Leo Kottke, Lightnin' Hopkins, Doug Sahm, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson jump into my mind first. I was in my early 20's - what a time and place!!!

Also, the Allman Brothers in 1970, several months after their 1st album came out. They weren't that well known then, and they were the 2nd group to play at an outdoor concert in the baseball field at the Univ. of Texas. Very powerful set. Leon Russell played next, then It's a Beautiful Day closed the show.

Muddy Waters at a tiny club in '72 or so

Little Feat and Ry Cooder in about '76 (with Lowell George)

Stevie Ray Vaughan several times in small clubs before he had a record contract (usually for $2-5). Also The Fabulous Thunderbirds, who I liked better at the time (included Jimmie, SRV's brother)

Albert King in about 1980, small club.

All of the above is the great thing about being so freakin' old!!

[reeve21]

That's like asking which is your favorite child, and you have hundreds of kids

So I'll avoid the question, and mention a few that greatly exceeded expectations. Hopefully I'm not contradicting anything I said the last time this topic came up!

Carole King and James Taylor, together. James was James, but Carole was so much more than I expected.

Pat Metheney and Ron Carter, together. Neither one uttered a word all night but they told quite a story.

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. A very high level of musicianship.

The first of many times I ever saw Bruce Springsteen, mid-70's. I was not at all into him, went kicking and screaming. From the first chord of "Night" I was converted.

[51 Relic]

Small Venue - The Hellicasters and Albert Lee
Medium Venue - Ralph McTell
Large Venue - Dire Straits
Festival - Passenger