The best concert experience you've ever had?

Probably Marillion at the Town Ball Room in Buffalo NY. It was the first time I was able to see them live, even though I have been a Fanboy since 1985. It was also the first time they had been in the states as a group in 25 years. It was a small venue with standing room only. but soo worth the sore feet. Two and half hours of sonic bliss for me, not so much for the wife.
 
So many good ones… and the multi-band bills back when, like AC/DC/Journey/Aerosmith in 78. Shows like that happened all the time then.

The first time I saw Kiss in 1977 was a realization of what a rock n roll show could really be. It was a circus atmosphere and the most show I thought I’d ever seen… until…

Transiberian Orchestra tour of 2017. Blown away, crazy good musicians and vocalists, theatrics, literally 360 degrees around me. It was immersive. Best show ever.
 
So many good ones… and the multi-band bills back when, like AC/DC/Journey/Aerosmith in 78. Shows like that happened all the time then.

The first time I saw Kiss in 1977 was a realization of what a rock n roll show could really be. It was a circus atmosphere and the most show I thought I’d ever seen… until…

Transiberian Orchestra tour of 2017. Blown away, crazy good musicians and vocalists, theatrics, literally 360 degrees around me. It was immersive. Best show ever.
First time the Mrs and I went to see TSO was 2010….like a kid in a candy store. Unbelievable experience. There were two years that TSO and the Brian Setzer Orchestra played on the same date. We saw the 3:00 TSO show and then went to Setzer at 8:00 the same night. Fun times.
 
So many good ones… and the multi-band bills back when, like AC/DC/Journey/Aerosmith in 78. Shows like that happened all the time then.

The first time I saw Kiss in 1977 was a realization of what a rock n roll show could really be. It was a circus atmosphere and the most show I thought I’d ever seen… until…

Transiberian Orchestra tour of 2017. Blown away, crazy good musicians and vocalists, theatrics, literally 360 degrees around me. It was immersive. Best show ever.
TSO was awesome the first time i saw them. It was the same show the 2nd and 3rd times, even 3 years later.
 
I’ve seen tons of shows so I’ll probably edit this post a few times as I remember different shows.

The best show I’ve seen was Radiohead at the very beginning of the OK Computer tour in a 500-capacity club. Pretty much a religious experience. So incredible that I’m confident I’ll never see another show that will touch that one.

Other memorable shows:

Front row center for Guns ‘n’ Roses at the beginning of the Appetite tour opening for Alice Cooper, a few weeks before they filmed the live show at the Ritz for MTV. They were absolutely on fire at this point, just a killer, killer show. I had bumped into Axl and Izzy at the local mall the day before and ended up giving them a ride back to their hotel and hanging in Axl’s room with the rest of the band for over an hour.

The Strokes on the tour for their third album. One of the best live bands I’ve seen, absolutely flawless.

Herbie Hancock with John Mayer on guitar and Marcus Miller on bass rehearsing for a show in a small conference room in a hotel where I was the entire audience. When they were done, John excitedly showed me the first signature series John Mayer Strat which he had just received that day, Fender had overnighted it to the hotel. I was the only other guitar player present so he was excited to show it to someone who might give a **** lol. He plugged me into his rig which was VERY INTIMIDATING. :eek:

I’m sure I’ll remember a few more.
 
I shoulda mentioned...

Seeing my son's band open in Detroit at the Fillmore for 30 Seconds to Mars was a real thrill, and they played a great show. Also saw him on tour with The Academy Is, and a couple of shows where other bands opened for his band. Nice venues, big crowds. A lot of fun.

I missed the show where his band opened for Petty/Heartbreakers. I couldn't make it out to CA.

As a dad, this kinda thing matters! :)
 
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Seen a lot of shows but possibly the best formal concert experience I had was seeing Porcupine Tree at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park NJ. It's a kind of small venue, standing only and you are right there with the band, wherever you are in the room. Where we were was right in front of the stage. The crowd energy was really high and everyone having a great time. They were supporting their "In Absentia" album and it was just a fantastic show from one of my favorite groups.

Honorable mention goes to a time I was sitting in Penn Station in NYC and a group of high school student sat down next to my family. They were on their home from a gig at Carnegie Hall because they'd won some national competition for chamber music. So they are good. They had their instruments with them and they decided to have fun while they waited. Turns out that for fun they play bluegrass and irish music and they had that place jumping. All the jaded commuters just having a blast clapping and foot stomping, never seen that much fun being had in that dump of a train station. So I'll put that on my "most fun" list!
 
Soooo many great shows over the years.

The Best:

1) Rush Time Machine Tour, Manchester NH: OMG... Seeing Moving Pictures performed in its entirety and in order was my musical thrill of a lifetime.
2) Def Leppard Adrenalize Tour, Mansfield MA: If you just want to have a great time, these guys are IT. Never seen so much positive energy from a band and the crowd definitely responded.
3) Dream Theater A Change of Seasons Tour, Hampton NH Casino Ballroom: John Petrucci was only a few feet from me. He could have flubbed every other note and I wouldn't have cared but the show was great. Nothing beats small intimate venues with table seating.
4) Ozzfest (Multiple Years), Mansfield MA: Mansfield is such a great venue and Ozzy always brought the goods as far as his performance. The other acts were always good too.
5) Pantera Great Southern Trendkill Tour, The Strand, Providence RI: I love heavy metal but generally don't do the shows. This was an exception. Brutal amounts of energy from these guys and I don't think I've recovered all of my hearing from this one.

The Worst:

No need to list. There is only 1.

1) Lollapalooza 96, Pownal VT: Don't sit in your hotel room at midnight the day before an all day show playing quarters and taking shots with your best friend. That's not a recipe for success when the show is in an open field on one of the most brutally hot days of the year. We made it through 2 acts and called it quits. Maybe this is being unfair to the concert because I'm sure the show was great. We were just stupid. :)
 
Soooo many great shows over the years.

The Best:

1) Rush Time Machine Tour, Manchester NH: OMG... Seeing Moving Pictures performed in its entirety and in order was my musical thrill of a lifetime.
2) Def Leppard Adrenalize Tour, Mansfield MA: If you just want to have a great time, these guys are IT. Never seen so much positive energy from a band and the crowd definitely responded.
3) Dream Theater A Change of Seasons Tour, Hampton NH Casino Ballroom: John Petrucci was only a few feet from me. He could have flubbed every other note and I wouldn't have cared but the show was great. Nothing beats small intimate venues with table seating.
4) Ozzfest (Multiple Years), Mansfield MA: Mansfield is such a great venue and Ozzy always brought the goods as far as his performance. The other acts were always good too.
5) Pantera Great Southern Trendkill Tour, The Strand, Providence RI: I love heavy metal but generally don't do the shows. This was an exception. Brutal amounts of energy from these guys and I don't think I've recovered all of my hearing from this one.

The Worst:

No need to list. There is only 1.

1) Lollapalooza 96, Pownal VT: Don't sit in your hotel room at midnight the day before an all day show playing quarters and taking shots with your best friend. That's not a recipe for success when the show is in an open field on one of the most brutally hot days of the year. We made it through 2 acts and called it quits. Maybe this is being unfair to the concert because I'm sure the show was great. We were just stupid. :)
Time Machine and A Change of a Seasons tours were spectacular. Since 2010 me and a buddy have been doing the package seats for DT. Up close is too cool. Can’t imagine what table seating would have been like.

Did you catch Rush on the R40 tour?
 
Two of them and for different reasons. When I was 16, I saw Bruce Dickinson on his Tattooed Millionaire tour at the Chance in Poughkeepsie. Small venue and a great show for my teenage ultra Maiden fan self
Then, TSO with the family. Such a great show that you can enjoy with the entire family.
 
Sadly no. Life circumstances got in the way of that one. But, I saw them the 3 tours prior so it didn't really feel like a big deal at the time. In hindsight, one of my regrets.
I’ve got a buddy that did the same thing, and feels the same way. If you’re going to go out, reverse chronological order set list and a regressing stage layout is they way to do it. Spectacular.
 
I’ve got a buddy that did the same thing, and feels the same way. If you’re going to go out, reverse chronological order set list and a regressing stage layout is they way to do it. Spectacular.
Thanks for rubbing it in (hee hee), that sounds spectacular! Sorry I missed that...
 
I’ve got a buddy that did the same thing, and feels the same way. If you’re going to go out, reverse chronological order set list and a regressing stage layout is they way to do it. Spectacular.

That was a surprisingly brilliant way to do it, wasn't it?
 
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