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Who are the 5 best live bands you've ever seen?


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1. Wilco/Tweedy LRS

2. Cowboy Junkies (shows from black-eyed man and prior)

3. My Morning Jacket (I'd watch him play anything, anytime)

4. J Mascis/Dinosaur Jr. (volume rib damage plus heart-breaking notes)

5. Snodrass/Price (most real and earnest performance I ever witnessed)

5.1 Chris Whitley (one time, solo performance)

5.2 Morphine

5.3 Soulhat

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Wilco (well duh!)

Queens of the Stoneage (like a force of nature live)

The Pixies (saw them on their reunion tour a couple of years back and they were better than when I last saw them 15 years ago)

Crowded House (one of the few bands who regularly manage to break down the barriers between the band and audience)

Rory Gallagher (one of the first concerts I saw back in 1975 and it's still etched on my brain)

Graham Parker and the Rumour (in the late 70s/early 80s these guys were unbeatable)

J Geils Band (the tightest, most dynamic live band I ever saw)

The Datsuns (old school rock and roll done with homour and panache - break out those air guitars!)

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals (hit and miss really - saw him two years and it sucked - but saw last month in Sydney and he and the band were on fire - a terrific show)

Neil Young (finally saw him in concert a few weeks ago in Sydney and was blown away - age shall not weary him!)

The Black Keys (I find them a bit dull and stodgy on record - but on stage they build up an amazing head of steam)

Lou Reed (specifically the Berlin show he put on here in Sydney a couple of years back as part of the Sydney festival. I think this is the best live concert I have ever seen)

 

 

Thats more then 5 - but what the heck.

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I just picked the first few concerts that came to mind. But on the list also would be:

 

Yes (Squire, Anderson, Howe, Wakeman & White)

Springsteen

Afghan Whigs

The Alarm - Maybe 30 people there.

Dino Jr

Stones

Genesis

ELP

Peter Tosh

The Who - First farewell tour 2x in 82.

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I just picked the first few concerts that came to mind. But on the list also would be:

 

Yes (Squire, Anderson, Howe, Wakeman & White)

 

a lot of people love bruford, but that lineup kicked ass

 

Genesis

 

with gabriel or phil? i saw both and they were vastly different but both mind-blowing. the first few phil-led tours were incredible, but nothing like the lamb tour and live musical box with peter singing

 

ELP

 

saw 'em about 8 times and always dazzling. what emerson was able to do live was insane. lake an underrated singer too. and palmer was a powerhouse. was just listening to a live pirates from the works tour ... just phenomenal

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Go for it! Buck the system! I picked 15.

Ok, I'll try again - in no order (except the first one :stunned )

 

Grateful Dead

Zappa

Miles

Phish

David Nelson Band

Crimson

ELP

Yes

Bowie

John McLaughlin (w/ Trelok Gurtu)

Return To Forever

Jeff Beck

Nels Cline Singers

Allmans

String Cheese Incident

The Who

Wilco

Neil Young - you pick which backup band - I love em all

Rush

Sabbath (Black & Blue Tour '80 - best metal show ever, imo)

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a lot of people love bruford, but that lineup kicked ass

 

with gabriel or phil? i saw both and they were vastly different but both mind-blowing. the first few phil-led tours were incredible, but nothing like the lamb tour and live musical box with peter singing

 

saw 'em about 8 times and always dazzling. what emerson was able to do live was insane. lake an underrated singer too. and palmer was a powerhouse. was just listening to a live pirates from the works tour ... just phenomenal

 

Bruford was long gone before I ever even heard of Yes. Oh well.

 

Genesis was Phil - I saw them 2x on the and then there were three tour. Good show but lost interest in them shortly after that.

 

I saw them once on the works tour. It was pretty entertaining, quite pompus but Palmer was stunning with his acrobatic drumming.

 

Zappa

 

Forgot I saw him 2x in one day.

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Roger Waters (Performing 'The Wall' in Berlin 1990)

Neil Young (Finsbury Park early nineties)

The Jayhawks (At the Borderline Club in London, early nineties)

My Morning Jacket (Manchester Acadamy 2008)

Bob Dylan (Brixton Acadamy 1995?)

 

That Dylan show was amazing. Elvis Costello was support. Of the current acts I would definately say My Morning Jacket, along with Wilco, are the best around.

 

G

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My family rents a house over the summer in Cape Elizabeth, a few towns over from Portland....I love that whole area.

 

Portland is great, very laid back, and never overly crowded....you ever been to Becky's?

My in-laws own a place on one of the islands in Casco Bay. Portland is a GREAT little seaside city. Perfect place to spend a long weekend. Becky's is a great little breakfast joint. I'm also a big fan of watching the Red Sox @ The Dry Dock. Enterprise Records on Congress St. is one of the best used vinyl joints I've been to.

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Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Wilco

INXS

J. Geils Band

Cheap Trick

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J. Geils Band

Nice. I never had the chance.

 

I'm holding out hope that they'll decide to cash in with a reunion tour -- that'd be one reunion tour I'd pay good money to see.

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The Cramps - 1993, 328 Performance Hall, Nashville

The Ramones - 1989, Bogarts, Cincinnati

Wilco - 2005 - 930 Club, DC

The Flaming Lips - 2000 - outdoor venue, Nashville

Nine Inch Nails - 1994 - Woodstock '94

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Me too. My friend and I snuck in a camcorder which we wrapped in a plastic bag and placed on the bottom of a cooler (the venue allowed coolers). We videotaped the whole show and security didn't seem to care.

 

I saw them the first time they played Chicago (at Metro) with Mudhoney and Bullet LaVolta.....I didnt get what the big deal was. Mudhoney, on the other hand, was very good. Then I saw them open for Neil Young when he had Booker T and the MGs backing him and I still didnt "get" it. Oh well.

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