The best concert experience you've ever had?

OK after reading thru the replies I don't feel so bad cause there is no way I can just pick one. Too many had their own different kind of spark that I can't put some over others. Plus, I worked for Bill Graham periodically thru the 80's and saw a ton of acts. So here goes....

Top 3
-Santana in Maryland 1981 w/ Al DiMeola opening & jamming together for the finale. (*Carlos' first tour using PRS)
-Earth Wind & Fire - late 70's Oakland, Ca
-Fania All Stars - Late 70's Cow Palace SF

Notables that I attempt to impress people with.
-Led Zeppelin - 70's Cow Palace SF
-Ted Nugent - " "
-ELO - " "
David Bowie - Oakland
-ZZ Top before they had beards
-Return to Forever - reunion tour
- and all those 80's one hit wonder nu wave bands that filtered thru BillGrahamPresents.
(Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby, Spandau Ballet, The Motels, Gang of Four, Blondie, Missing Persons, list goes on & on)

I could also talk about all the Bay Area Music awards (Bammies) shows I worked in which every Bay Area act that went national won, so we're talking Eddie Money, Huey Lewis, Metallica, Tower of Power, Green Day, Jefferson Starship, Tony, Toni, Tone, Journey, & that list goes on too.

Living in SF in the 70's & 80's was pretty decent musically.
 
OK after reading thru the replies I don't feel so bad cause there is no way I can just pick one. Too many had their own different kind of spark that I can't put some over others. Plus, I worked for Bill Graham periodically thru the 80's and saw a ton of acts. So here goes....

Top 3
-Santana in Maryland 1981 w/ Al DiMeola opening & jamming together for the finale. (*Carlos' first tour using PRS)
-Earth Wind & Fire - late 70's Oakland, Ca
-Fania All Stars - Late 70's Cow Palace SF

Notables that I attempt to impress people with.
-Led Zeppelin - 70's Cow Palace SF
-Ted Nugent - " "
-ELO - " "
David Bowie - Oakland
-ZZ Top before they had beards
-Return to Forever - reunion tour
- and all those 80's one hit wonder nu wave bands that filtered thru BillGrahamPresents.
(Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby, Spandau Ballet, The Motels, Gang of Four, Blondie, Missing Persons, list goes on & on)

I could also talk about all the Bay Area Music awards (Bammies) shows I worked in which every Bay Area act that went national won, so we're talking Eddie Money, Huey Lewis, Metallica, Tower of Power, Green Day, Jefferson Starship, Tony, Toni, Tone, Journey, & that list goes on too.

Living in SF in the 70's & 80's was pretty decent musically.
All those acts in the Bay area and you didn't mention Journey?o_O What gives man?:D
 
One of my recent favorites was Dennis DeYoung. For being 72 he really put on an energetic and amazing show. Backing band played all the Styx library flawlessly, and kind of gave the illusion they were Styx. I found it curious that the guitarists were strikingly similar in appearance to Tommy and James, maybe Dennis did that on purpose. Who Knows.
 
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.

Rush had a very interesting career progression. The final show in LA was the regression back to their original simplicity that was done brilliantly. I didn't watch the last song and headed through the bowels of the Forum towards the bus. No one at all was in that hallway to the exit and Neal came jogging past me and through the exit very quickly. That was the last time I ever saw Neal. Luckily for me I was close to them so had all access at every show since the they started touring. Still hard to believe it's over.
 
Rush had a very interesting career progression. The final show in LA was the regression back to their original simplicity that was done brilliantly. I didn't watch the last song and headed through the bowels of the Forum towards the bus. No one at all was in that hallway to the exit and Neal came jogging past me and through the exit very quickly. That was the last time I ever saw Neal. Luckily for me I was close to them so had all access at every show since the they started touring. Still hard to believe it's over.
I agree. It’s hard to believe. They’ve been a huge part of my life since ‘77, when I was 10.
 
My first concert EVER was a stadium show in Orlando Florida which had the following lineup. You can guess the year.

Firefall
UFO
Blue Oyster Cult
Cheap Trick
HEART (Headliner)
 
Recently I was able to see Machine Head in their 25th anniversary tour. Ive seen them a couple of times before, and obviously they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but part of the 3.5 hour show was the original line up playing the whole first album.

This was an album/ band that meant a lot to me over the years and it was epic seeing it performed in full.

Also this…..

IfK55nz.jpg
 
As the sun sets on all the bands I saw over and over in the 70's, 80's, and 90's, I kinda wanna say all of them were the best in retrospect as I now appreciate the inevitable end. During those times, we're living in the now, it was a common occurrence, and the thought of never seeing these shows with regularity again wasn't even a consideration.

Wait, except one....Boston. I can see why they didn't tour much, they didn't know how. Sound was terrible, PA constantly going out, stage presence was milky at best. Sammy Hagar opened for them though and fortunately salvaged the night, he was just awesome.
 
Rush had a very interesting career progression. The final show in LA was the regression back to their original simplicity that was done brilliantly. I didn't watch the last song and headed through the bowels of the Forum towards the bus. No one at all was in that hallway to the exit and Neal came jogging past me and through the exit very quickly. That was the last time I ever saw Neal. Luckily for me I was close to them so had all access at every show since the they started touring. Still hard to believe it's over.

Yeah, Me and Bodia, (among a few others on here) keep them at the top of the heap. Started for me in '77, too. Sad, but just shows we're getting older...Enjoy it all, guys and gals!!!
 
There are several standouts that must be mentioned - I'll go in reverse chronological order...

The Raconteurs is 2019, Taft Theater Cincinnati. Amazing show. I was initially somewhat annoyed at the "no cellphones" rule for the auditorium, but during the show it made me realize how distracting phones are at most shows - light pollution, things waving in the air - it was fantastic to just vibe with the band, and they were fantastic.

Nickel Creek in 2014, Columbus. Such incredible musicianship.

Alice Cooper, the first time in 2013, I believe, Cincinnati - living legend still giving his all. Have seen him 6 more times since then, always a great show.

The Black Crowes, 1997, Oakdale theater in CT (I think it's been renamed if it's still there). Gov't Mule opened, and I was right up front leaning on the stage.

Kiss, 1996-ish, Hartford Civic Center. I'd always wanted to see them, was deemed too young in the 70s, and refused to see them without makeup. They put the makeup back on and I went to the show and loved every minute of the spectacle.

Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe, New Haven CT, early 90s. Awesome show.

Yes, 90125 tour, mid-80s, Cincinnati - mind-blowing, life changing to young me.

First 2 concerts I ever saw - 1 week apart - 1983. Triumph at Cincinnati Gardens on the Never Surrender tour, with Molly Hatchet opening, followed by Rush a week later on the Signals tour at Riverfront Colliseum. Those shows set me firmly on the path to becoming a musician.
 
Bela Fleck, Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty Trio in 2005 at Meadowbrook in MI
Dylan and Paul Simon at Breslin in E. Lansing in 1999
a very young Nora Jones opening for Taj Mahal at the Arc in Ann Arbor in 2001 or 2002
John Zorn, Dave Lombardo and Bill Laswell at Reggies in 2014
Simulcrum at Reggies in 2018
Phish on fathers day 2009 at Alpine Valley probably takes it though for total experience
 
So I've been emeresing myself in music lately (even more than usual). With all the bad stuff going on in the world, I find it good for my soul just to slap on some headphones/ear buds whatever and lose myself.

As I was going through my music...I started thinking about all the incredible live concerts I've been blessed enough to see over the years. This got me thinking about how much I REALLY MISS live music!

That being said...of ALL the live music you've witnessed, who was the best, most influential, most memorable, or whatever...IF you could choose only one...who, where, when & why? Remember, there can only be ONE!

Here I'll go first...

No big surprise here...hands down Pink Floyd Division Bell Tour May 4th 1994, Legion Field Stadium, Birmingham, AL. Hearing DG play live sent me over the edge and that's the monent I knew I had to learn to play guitar someday...and here I am killin it!:D

 
I made the mistake of taking my wife to a Pantera show. To say she hated it is putting it mildly. I thought they killed. I was right.
I've taken my wife (who likes country music) to see Kansas (twice), Asia, Deep Purple, Rush, Genesis, Dream Theater, and several other of "my bands." There is NO WAY IN HECK I'd take her to a Pantera show! You are a brave man... or something. :p:p
 
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