The best concert experience you've ever had?

[danktat]

Three day event in Plattsburg NY that Phish threw in 1996. When they played The Divided Sky at sunset that first night, and the hallucinagenic I was on had fully peaked RIGHT THEN, I could have stopped seeing concerts at that point. I have not been able to top it since.

I know this video is almost 17 minutes long.....but if you are a guitar player at all, it is worth watching all the way through. The composition of this song is ridiculous. Then you have to remember it was played LIVE......and that I was there. It is one of the reasons I play now.

It is doing something weird so if you can't see it, just click on the link.....

 

[11top]

Shortly after the Wild Flower album came out by Sheryl Crow, my wife and I were invited by Peter Stroud to go backstage after their show. Sheryl Crow opened for John Mayer that night. After we had a chance to meet and talk to her, we were standing back stage with Peter, and Mayer’s entire band walked up beside us. After he and his bandmates chatted for a minute or two, I remember John asking if they were “ready.” They put their hands together and said “123 let’s go.“ To my surprise, a door behind us opened up, and the crowd went wild as John Mayer‘s band headed through the door to the stage. It was a rush watching them hit the stage greeted by the roar and bright lights.

 

[Texsunburst59]

My top concert experiences had to be.
1. Talking my way backstage to meet George Lynch on my 17th birthday.
2. I saw Gilby Clark touring in support of his solo album at a Holiday Inn conference room in Ft. Smith Arkansas and it was the most fun I've ever had at a concert.
3. Clapton with Derik Trucks in his band. I looked over at my wife, who's a die hard country music fan, when Clapton and Trucks were trading licks and she was having a "WOW" moment.
4. Sneaking a bottle of Jack into the Motley Crue concert the year Whitesnake opened up for them. My best friend and I had nosebleed seats and made our way all the way up to the second row center. I think I was still 16 but may have been 17 at this time. I thought the spinning drum set was the coolest thing ever.
5. I saw Alter Bridge on their first tour at a small theater in OKC. It was the first concert I went to with my wife when we were still dating. For a die hard country fan, she was really loving AB. We saw Kenny Wayne Shepard there a few weeks later.
6. My very first concert was Night Ranger with Van Zant opening. I'll never forget it. It was general admission and I was right up against the rail dead center.

Back in '08 or '09 I got to open up for Night Ranger at an outdoor summer festival in Laredo Texas.

After we got off stage, I got to hang with Brad Gillis for about 10 minutes and took a few pics with him, before the band got on stage.

After they got on, I went to the front of the stage and there was a deep barricade that kept the crowd about 20 feet from the front of the stage.

A few band members and I watched the whole concert in our own little Private Idaho, all by ourselves.

I happened to be right in front of where Brad was playing, and after the encore, he came to the front of the stage and handed me his signature Night Ranger pick.

The band sounded pretty good for a bunch of old guys, and the icing on the cake was that Joel Hoekstra was the other guitar player on stage with Night Ranger.

 

[Fro]

@ScottR
Thank you for starting this thread. It's brought back many great memories.

 

[JJJ]

The most profound for me was seeing Sunn O))) live in 2016

It was a very sharp correction to the way I perceive and listen to music. I will remember that gig until the day I die

 

[matonanjin]

Always wanted to take one of these cruises...maybe someday...

Move it way up on your bucket list!

 

[11top]

Back in '08 or '09 I got to open up for Night Ranger at an outdoor summer festival in Laredo Texas.

That’s very cool. Reminded me of the show where I got to play a couple of songs with Diamond Rio (a long time ago).

 

[alantig]

Ghost puts on an amazing show. I'm not sure how well it'll translate to the arena setting... but their concert hall shows are great!

I’ve seen Ghost numerous times - clubs to headlining an arena that seats about 6k, I think. The show translates well. It’s bigger in the arena, obviously, but I saw the same tour at the beginning in a theater and at the end in an arena. Perfect both times.

And related to sound man complaints - I saw John 5 at a Hard Rock a few years ago (and several times since). We were right behind the sound board, and a guy kept coming over and yelling at the sound guy to turn it up. The sound guy finally turned and yelled back, “Why would I touch this? It’s perfect!” And it was. Still the best sounding John 5 show I’ve seen. Talked to the sound guy after and told him I was glad he didn’t listen to that guy. He said, “I know, right? Why risk screwing that up?”

 

[Warmart]

I've seen my share of shows, never SRV - unfortunately. The one that stands out the most, for the sheer sonic surprise factor alone - that would have to be Tesla when they opened for Def Leppard's Hysteria tour (Hampton, VA circa 1988?). They started playing while the lights were still on and the power of the first riff just blew my doors off. They put on a helluva show that night, just pure rock with glorious tone. Here I was all excited to see Def Leppard, with Rick Allen back drumming, and tbh - Tesla blew them off the stage.

Worst concert experience? That would be 1986, Biloxi, MS with BTO and Van Hagar on the bill. Me and a couple Navy buddies drove from Pensacola, FL to Biloxi, drinking beer most of the way, like dumbarses. Got there plenty early and hit the mall for some grub at an Orange Julius. Something from there gave me some massive food poisoning and within a couple of hours I was in terrible pain. I missed all of BTO while I "voided" on the beach from both ends - I had no other option. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be at the show! After that, I felt good enough to go in the arena and found my buds. Hagar and Van Halen were good, and I'm happy I got to see Eddie live - but what a cursed day that was.

 

[Texsunburst59]

That’s very cool. Reminded me of the show where I got to play a couple of songs with Diamond Rio (along time ago).

That's AWESOME 11top.

That's so cool being on stage with Jimmy. That guy is JAW Dropping amazing.

They're an amazing band.

I also got to open up for Diamond Rio 2 times.

The 1st time was on their very 1st tour supporting the 1st album.

After sound check I got to hang with Jimmy and talk shop.

He showed me his rig,and was boasting about this new amp brand called Matchless.

He said he got an amazing deal on the amp, and only paid $1200 for it, but I'd never heard of it before.

The second time was at an outdoor festival and there was catered food where everybody got to hang out after soundcheck, and again I talked shop with Jimmy.

Diamond Rio is one of the best bands I've gotten to open up for over the years. The musicianship and vocal chops are top notch.

 

[Warmart]

That's AWESOME 11top.

That's so cool being on stage with Jimmy. That guy is JAW Dropping amazing.
Diamond Rio is one of the best bands I've gotten to open up for over the years. The musicianship and vocal chops are top notch............

Ok, for best Country concert, I'm right there with y'all. Diamond Rio was fantastic. Saw them at the little cozy MD Theater in Hagerstown, and you could tell they were loving the acoustics of the place - the looks on their faces showed even they were surprised how good they sounded! Can't imagine playing WITH them!

 

[11top]

That's AWESOME 11top.

That's so cool being on stage with Jimmy. That guy is JAW Dropping amazing.

They're an amazing band.

I also got to open up for Diamond Rio 2 times.

The 1st time was on their very 1st tour supporting the 1st album.

After sound check I got to hang with Jimmy and talk shop.

He showed me his rig,and was boasting about this new amp brand called Matchless.

He said he got an amazing deal on the amp, and only paid $1200 for it, but I'd never heard of it before.

The second time was at an outdoor festival and there was catered food where everybody got to hang out after soundcheck, and again I talked shop with Jimmy.

Diamond Rio is one of the best bands I've gotten to open up for over the years. The musicianship and vocal chops are top notch.

Jimmy O is so far out of my league; just an amazing player.

I was in a battle of the bands where the winner got to open the show for Diamond Rio. We didn’t win, but the sponsor asked me if I’d like to play a song with them at the show. Even though I was very nervous, I thought I’d never forgive myself if I said “no.” I was to meet with the band for lunch the day of show, and so the week before I worked out 2 greatest hits songs so I’d be ready. At the luncheon they asked me what I wanted to play, and I told them. They said, those are not on the set list; my stomach rolled. They said, no big deal; go see our manager at the venue (close by), and choose something off our list.
So, I did, and was handed the list. I thought “How hard can ‘Meet in the Middle’ be?,” headed home with a few hours til showtime, and learned the song. I arrive at the gig and I’m talking to Gene, the fiddle player, who asked me what I learned. When I told him, he said, “Did anybody tell you we play that down a half step?” (Stomach rolls again). I rush to tune my guitar down a half step, and I hear them tell my hometown crowd “We have a guest player.” I come out from behind the stage, and the song starts.
Towards the end of the song, Marty the singer comes back and stands beside me. Since this is live, and a different version than recorded, I asked Marty how this ends. He looked at me kind of funny, and said......”I don’t remember.” LOL! So, I’m watching Jimmy as the song ends and continues into “That’s the Way Your Love Makes Me Feel”, and he is getting a different guitar. I start to walk off the stage, and he says, “Stay here and play it with us.” I replied, “I don’t know it,” and he said, “I’ll tell you the chords.” No problem, right? EXCEPT, his “new” guitar is not tuned down a half step like mine. As he’s telling me the chords and I’m hitting “bad” ones a half step lower, I was horrified as I figured out the problem. So, what did I do? I pulled a Milli Vanilli, turned my volume off, and performed like Chuck Berry for the rest of the song.

 

[Warmart]

Jimmy O is so far out of my league; just an amazing player.

I was in a battle of the bands where the winner got to open the show for Diamond Rio. We didn’t win, but the sponsor asked me if I’d like to play a song with them at the show. Even though I was very nervous, I thought I’d never forgive myself if I said “no.” I was to meet with the band for lunch the day of show, and so the week before I worked out 2 greatest hits songs so I’d be ready. At the luncheon they asked me what I wanted to play, and I told them. They said, those are not on the set list; my stomach rolled. They said, no big deal; go see our manager at the venue (close by), and choose something off our list.
So, I did, and was handed the list. I thought “How hard can ‘Meet in the Middle’ be?,” headed home with a few hours til showtime, and learned the song. I arrive at the gig and I’m talking to Gene, the fiddle player, who asked me what I learned. When I told him, he said, “Did anybody tell you we play that down a half step?” (Stomach rolls again). I rush to tune my guitar down a half step, and I hear them tell my hometown crowd “We have a guest player.” I come out from behind the stage, and the song starts.
Towards the end of the song, Marty the singer comes back and stands beside me. Since this is live, and a different version than recorded, I asked Marty how this ends. He looked at me kind of funny, and said......”I don’t remember.” LOL! So, I’m watching Jimmy as the song continues into “That’s the Way Your Love Makes Me Feel”, and he is getting a different guitar. I start to walk off the stage, and he says, “Stay here and play it with us.” I replied, “I don’t know it,” and he said, “I’ll tell you the chords.” No problem, right? EXCEPT, his “new” guitar is not tuned down a half step like mine. After a few “bad” chords I was horrified and figured out the problem. So, what did I do? I pulled a Milli Vanilli, turned my volume off, and performed like Chuck Berry for the rest of the song.

^that^ is legendary stuff! I'd have been a wreck without a shadow of a doubt.

 

[iLookLikeElvis]

Like many of you, I've seen more than I can remember nowadays. But some notable ones, in no particular order:

1. Les Paul at Iridium in NYC, when it was located across from Lincoln Center and he played every Monday night. This would have been around 1997.
2. Bob Dylan at the Supper Club in NYC, 1993. I was in college, slept out at Tower Records in the Village for the free tickets.
3. My first Grateful Dead show, 6/14/1991 at RFK. The only time I heard Dark Star live.
4. The White Stripes in Coney Island, September 2005. Witnessing a great band in their prime.
5. Leonard Cohen at the Beacon in 2009, his "comeback" tour IIRC and one of the first shows at the renovated Beacon, where I've seen countless shows.
6. The Cure at Eventim Apollo, London on 12/23/2017. An incredible, nostalgic night.
7. Nick Lowe w/ John Paul Jones on bass/mandolin at Union Chapel, London in 2014 (bonus: John Doe as opening act). A lot of talent in that tiny venue.
8. Medeski, Martin & Wood with Nels Cline at the Blue Note NYC, 12/2012. Nels is a ferocious guitar player and the whole band was on fire.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Jimmy O is so far out of my league; just an amazing player.

I was in a battle of the bands where the winner got to open the show for Diamond Rio. We didn’t win, but the sponsor asked me if I’d like to play a song with them at the show. Even though I was very nervous, I thought I’d never forgive myself if I said “no.” I was to meet with the band for lunch the day of show, and so the week before I worked out 2 greatest hits songs so I’d be ready. At the luncheon they asked me what I wanted to play, and I told them. They said, those are not on the set list; my stomach rolled. They said, no big deal; go see our manager at the venue (close by), and choose something off our list.
So, I did, and was handed the list. I thought “How hard can ‘Meet in the Middle’ be?,” headed home with a few hours til showtime, and learned the song. I arrive at the gig and I’m talking to Gene, the fiddle player, who asked me what I learned. When I told him, he said, “Did anybody tell you we play that down a half step?” (Stomach rolls again). I rush to tune my guitar down a half step, and I hear them tell my hometown crowd “We have a guest player.” I come out from behind the stage, and the song starts.
Towards the end of the song, Marty the singer comes back and stands beside me. Since this is live, and a different version than recorded, I asked Marty how this ends. He looked at me kind of funny, and said......”I don’t remember.” LOL! So, I’m watching Jimmy as the song continues into “That’s the Way Your Love Makes Me Feel”, and he is getting a different guitar. I start to walk off the stage, and he says, “Stay here and play it with us.” I replied, “I don’t know it,” and he said, “I’ll tell you the chords.” No problem, right? EXCEPT, his “new” guitar is not tuned down a half step like mine. After a few “bad” chords I was horrified and figured out the problem. So, what did I do? I pulled a Milli Vanilli, turned my volume off, and performed like Chuck Berry for the rest of the song.

What a killer story.

I was nervous just opening for an amazing band like that, much less being on stage with them.

I give you a lot of props stepping on stage with a band like that.

No guts, no glory!

I forgot to mention that the 1st time we opened for them, we had already learned one of the songs "Nowhere Bound", which wasn't one of the radio releases.

We were a heavy harmony band and that was one of our better songs.

We had the "Nuts" to ask the band if they minded if we played one of their songs.

They said to go ahead since is wasn't part of their set list.

We played it that night, and they complimented our version after we go off stage.

Whether we really did justice to the song or they were just being nice, I'll never know.

Man those were fun times.

 

[Davey]

Jimmy O is so far out of my league; just an amazing player.

I was in a battle of the bands where the winner got to open the show for Diamond Rio. We didn’t win, but the sponsor asked me if I’d like to play a song with them at the show. Even though I was very nervous, I thought I’d never forgive myself if I said “no.” I was to meet with the band for lunch the day of show, and so the week before I worked out 2 greatest hits songs so I’d be ready. At the luncheon they asked me what I wanted to play, and I told them. They said, those are not on the set list; my stomach rolled. They said, no big deal; go see our manager at the venue (close by), and choose something off our list.
So, I did, and was handed the list. I thought “How hard can ‘Meet in the Middle’ be?,” headed home with a few hours til showtime, and learned the song. I arrive at the gig and I’m talking to Gene, the fiddle player, who asked me what I learned. When I told him, he said, “Did anybody tell you we play that down a half step?” (Stomach rolls again). I rush to tune my guitar down a half step, and I hear them tell my hometown crowd “We have a guest player.” I come out from behind the stage, and the song starts.
Towards the end of the song, Marty the singer comes back and stands beside me. Since this is live, and a different version than recorded, I asked Marty how this ends. He looked at me kind of funny, and said......”I don’t remember.” LOL! So, I’m watching Jimmy as the song continues into “That’s the Way Your Love Makes Me Feel”, and he is getting a different guitar. I start to walk off the stage, and he says, “Stay here and play it with us.” I replied, “I don’t know it,” and he said, “I’ll tell you the chords.” No problem, right? EXCEPT, his “new” guitar is not tuned down a half step like mine. After a few “bad” chords I was horrified and figured out the problem. So, what did I do? I pulled a Milli Vanilli, turned my volume off, and performed like Chuck Berry for the rest of the song.

That is awesome! Great story.

 

[Wakester]

I must be getting the same thing that is killing my mom, I forgot one of my favorite shows was Tori Amos from the Loge Row 1 Center at Shea's in Buffalo. It was her Scarletts Walk tour. I had perfect view of the stage, Tori, the Bass player and Percussionist. I kinda freaked out at first, that there was no guitar. but once I got into the flow, I didn't miss it at all. She put on an amazing show with, I think, 2 encores.

 

[Tucson Thump]

August 24, 1966.

I'm 14 and the Byrds are playing four feet away from me when they swung through Columbus.

 

[nadnitram]

A day I will NEVER forget. And a nice souvenir to remind me.

Awesome! Paul has my favorite voice in all of rock and roll.

 

[nadnitram]

I have some serious runners-up (including a two-year stretch where I saw Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and an all-day event that featured the Guess Who, Steppenwolf, Meat Loaf, and Blue Oyster Cult).

However, even though it wasn't a paid event, my best experience ever was a jam. My uncle is really good friends with Jimmy Ibbotson of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. When we visited my uncle in Evergreen, CO, in 1973 (?), Jimmy hung out with us for the week. The nights just naturally evolved into guitar pulls. In that setting, the music wasn't performance, it was joy. I was only 5, but I've never forgotten that feeling.