Jump to content

Your Favorite Big Shows and Favorite Small Shows


Recommended Posts

Maybe like your three favorite of each??

Big Shows:

Woodstock 94 immediately came to mind. I went down front solo before the Chili Peppers came on and SERIOUSLY didn't think I was gonna make it out of that pit alive. Then came Peter Gabriel and he blew the place away!

Tibetan Freedom Festival 98 RFK Stadium also up there. Beastie Boys, Radiohead, REM, Pearl Jam and on and on.

PHISH NYE 99-00 of course never seen anything like it before or since

Honorable Mention: Tons of Dead shows but JFK 89 was the absolute tits and the venue was getting ready to be demolished and it was very very old and decrepit.


Small Shows:

Not really that small I guess but the Wilco Tipitinas run a few years ago was a highlight of the past decade. We went in early the 2nd night and rode the rail. A++++++

Flew to Arizona one time in the early 00s for work and saw Robert Randolph was playing some spot. He was just getting kinda big on the east coast jamband scene and I swear this was some cowboy bar out in the damn desert with tumbleweeds literally blowing thru the parking lot. They absolutely tore the roof off that place. Louder than hell.

Black Flag with Rollins at New Horizons (and a bunch of other punk shows) and of course Dave Matthews Band played every Tues night at The Flood Zone in Richmond. When he first started it was $2 and no one would even approach the stage. Just hang at the bar and talk. Next thing you know it was $5 then $10 and a few months later you couldn't breath and people were crawling through the windows trying to get in. And Van Ripers Festival where no one gave a shit who they were either but your ears could tell you that they had a strong set of songs each one better than the last and you knew they would get big whether you liked them or not.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 86
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

How big is "big"? Over 10,000? Over 2,000?

How small is "small"? Under 500?

 

Not sure how to define. Mostly because I've seen a lot of shows that were somewhere in between.

 

For instance, my favorite show of all-time was probably Tom Zé at the Park West in Chicago (1000 capacity). Is that a small venue? Medium venue?

What about The Pogues at the Riviera in Chicago (capacity 2,500)?

 

I've seen Super Furry Animals at Lounge Ax (cap. 300 or so), that was an amazing small venue show.

 

Large venue… probably Violent Femmes/The Pogues/Mojo Nixon and Skid Roeper at Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

Large venue… probably Violent Femmes/The Pogues/Mojo Nixon and Skid Roeper at Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates.

 

For real? What year was this? How'd the Pogues end up on a bill with those guys?

Link to post
Share on other sites

My favorite big time concert was my first one - seeing U2 on their Unforgettable Fire tour, when I was in 9th grade, in the Minneapolis Armory. 

 

As far as festivals go, my all-time favorite was the Guinness Fleadh they threw at Arlington Racetrack in 98. Saw Wilco, Los Lobos, X, Shane MacGowan, Squeeze, John Lee Hooker, Richard Thompson, who else? Quite the line-up.

 

Small Show - seeing Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros at The Quest in Minneapolis. I forget the year. Summer of 99? 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was at that Guiness show. Ended up squished against the fence right in front of John Doe and stayed through Shane McGowan.

 

Large show? Pink Floyd at Soldiers field.

 

Small? Maybe the Judybats at the metro.

I remember it being really sunny and hot, but a cohort somehow swiped an empty gallon jug from somewhere, and we kept it filled with water - we all took shifts of being the jugmiser. 

 

If I recall correctly, that was the very beginning of the X reunion.

Link to post
Share on other sites

For real? What year was this? How'd the Pogues end up on a bill with those guys?

Yup. For real. 1989.

Femmes were the headliners. Mojo opened the show and The Pogues were bridging the gap.

It was the first that I had ever heard of The Pogues, but it was obvious that about half the folks in the crowd where there to see the Pogues just as much to see the headliners. Awesome show. Everyone knew every word to every song that the Femmes played and we all sang along.

The Pogues were just a flat-out riot.

And Mojo was typically hilarious. A wonderful night.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great topic. Let's see...

 

Small shows:

 

1991-12-06 - Bruce Cockburn, The Palace Theatre, New Haven, CT - My first Bruce show, and it was unreal. He had Colin Linden playing and singing backup with him on this tour, but the whole band was excellent. I remember Bruce stomping his foot to keep time during a song, and we could hear it even as far back as we were. I thought for sure the guy had to be a six-footer, and was shocked when I met him a few years later and discovered he was a little dude like me. Incredible guitar player with great stage presence.

 

1993-04-28 - Warren Zevon, Toad's Place, New Haven, CT - Solo Warren might sound boring, but when he switched from guitar/harmonica to piano to huge keyboard setup, it was amazing. Never a dull moment, and I had an excellent spot close to the front. Never expected him to break out old favorites of mine like Frank and Jesse James, but he did.

 

2002-11-03 - Wilco, The Palace Theatre, Gainesville, FL - Interesting, but places called "The Palace Theatre" seem to attract some epic shows. This was the third of five nights in a row that the band played here in the southeast, and they were in a zone. I went to the previous night in Tampa, and it was great, but this little place - more of a club than a theatre, really, and general admission - seemed to bring out the best in Jeff and the boys. Probably my favorite Wilco show ever, it included an early, stripped-down version of Handshake Drugs.

 

Big shows:

 

2010-04-03 - Paul McCartney, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL - Reviewed in After the Show (and probably still in there), this was my first Sir Paul show, and exceeded all my expectations by far. It didn't hurt that I was only about twenty rows back from the stage or something. A 37-song setlist with everything you could want to hear, and not much you wouldn't. Life altering.

 

2003-12-21 - Simon & Garfunkel, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL - Another show of old timers that exceeded all expectations. They were on that night for sure. I think some of the songs were actually better versions in Tampa than the ones used in the Old Friends DVD. This show had a unique moment for me in my concert history: at the end of Bridge Over Troubled Water, when Art Garfunkel hit those amazing high notes, I got goosebumps and jumped to my feet spontaneously, part of a 20,000 person standing ovation. That might not sound unique, but it was; I say "spontaneously" because it was like my body made the decision, not my mind. This is why some of us go to shows, these kinds of once in a lifetime experiences.

 

1988-03-17 - Frank Zappa, Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY - My only FZ show. What else needs to be said? Parts of this show were featured on The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6, and Broadway the Hard Way, so that says something right there.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I remember it being really sunny and hot, but a cohort somehow swiped an empty gallon jug from somewhere, and we kept it filled with water - we all took shifts of being the jugmiser.

 

If I recall correctly, that was the very beginning of the X reunion.

It was fairly warm but not unbearable. The tent with X Shane, Ricard Thompson etc... Did get a bit warm when it filled up.

 

Wilco & Billy Bragg did a meet and greet/Mermaid autograph session. Wilco was late so BB walked up and down the line signing and visiting. Seemed like a real nice guy.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Big shows:

 

The Who - '89, Giants Stadium - From Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands to Baba O'Riley - they rocked it out. The backs of my calves were black and blue from jumping around and whacking my legs on my folded-up seat. Only time that ever happened. Of course, it may have had something to do with the hellacious partying we did beforehand.

 

U2 - '87 or '88, The Joshua Tree tour, New Haven - Goosebumps. Lots of em.

 

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - '87 or so, at an outdoor mill complex in Manchester, NH - MIke Campbell played a few solos that night that were as good as any I have seen.

 

Small shows:

 

The Replacements - Feb, '91, Orpheum Theater in Boston - Maybe the best show I have seen. Loved every minute, from Androgynous to Skyway to Alex Chilton.

 

Big Audio Dynamite II/P.I.L./Live/Blind Melon - Spring '92, the Ritz, NYC - PIL blew my mind. Blind Melon and Live were so young - lots of energy. I still love BAD's grooves. But PIL stole the show.

 

Wilco - Feb, '97, Irving Plaza - Right there with The Replacements' show as maybe the best I've seen. They played with wild abandon. And sliced tomatoes.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh, speaking of life-altering, another great small-venue show.

fIREHOSE and Uncle Tupelo at The Blue Note, Columbia, MO, Halloween, 1989

No Depression had yet to come out and I only went to the show to see fIREHOSE. Didn't really have much interest in seeing the local yokels who played this club once a month or so. But I had heard good things about them, so I thought that I would catch the opening act. They hit the stage, played their first note, and my jaw dropped open--literally. It was after that show that I decided that country music could be cool and that the SONG was the thing, so I was going to start writing them. Yeah, when I said "life-altering" I meant it literally. Oh, fIREHOSE were good, too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Keep in mind I'm From NJ

 

Big Shows:

Bruce Springsteen Giants Stadium...great tailgating...Darkness in its entirety then also the following show Born in the USA too...good times!

Billy Joel last show at Shea Stadium- Guest included Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler and PAUL MCCARTNEY!

 

Small shows:

Wilco- Irving Plaza Feb 97

Elliott Smith- Maxwells not my favorite perse but to see him in a place that holds 200!

Beck- Sessions at West 54th taping. He was playing in the middle of the floor no stage. Held 250 last show of the Odelay tour setlist was bonkers!

Gary Louris- Concerts in the studio, holds 50 and potluck after. Shared some grub with Gary!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe like your three favorite of each??

 

Big Shows:

 

Honorable Mention: Tons of Dead shows but JFK 89 was the absolute tits and the venue was getting ready to be demolished and it was very very old and decrepit.

 

 

That JFK '89 show is the Crimson White and Indigo release.  Just this past Sunday I had the house to myself, popped in the DVD and watched the second set.  An outstanding show! I had forgotten how great this show was.  Seeing Jerry engaged and into it definitely tugged at my heart. A great year for the Dead, and I can't speak to having listened to every show, but this one has to be up there.

 

Great topic, I need to give it some thought.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The Replacements - Feb, '91, Orpheum Theater in Boston - Maybe the best show I have seen. Loved every minute, from Androgynous to Skyway to Alex Chilton.

And one of the coldest, windiest nights in Boston ever.  We parked in the Boston Common garage and my buddy and I still talk about that walk across the Commons to get to the Orpheum.  Fortunately the Replacements warmed us to the core with a great show.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A few of smaller shows that spring to mind was seeing Dylan a couple of times at the Metro and couple of times at the Park West. Tweedy at Lounge Ax a few times was nice, too.

 

Favorite larger shows: Dead at Soldier Field, 1991, also the Lollapalooza's I have been to in the past have been pretty damn good - notably seeing LCD Soundsystem play Daft Punk in my House during their set, then have Daft Punk play directly after them in the same field was pretty cool, also NIN put on a hell of show five or so years ago, Wilco's first appearance was more memorable than their 2nd, seeing Patti Smith sing Gimme Shelter in the driving rain, and lastly The Cure, this past summer.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Big shows-

Radiohead at the first Outside Lands

Pretty much all of the Dead shows I saw

 

Small-

Moby at a private show at The Bowery Ballroom a few years back

Blitzen Trapper at Arch St in Hartford

Pretty much anything at Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT (300 seats), but most notably Dawes

Link to post
Share on other sites

And one of the coldest, windiest nights in Boston ever.  We parked in the Boston Common garage and my buddy and I still talk about that walk across the Commons to get to the Orpheum.  Fortunately the Replacements warmed us to the core with a great show.

Completely forgot how cold it was that night. Thanks for the nudge to my memory!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm going to assume "big" includes arenas (MSG, etc.) on up to stadiums and outdoor festivals, and "small" includes theaters (Beacon, Orpheum) on down, here's some of what I would include:

 

Big:

 

Any number of Dead shows, but these are always at the top of my list, including Roosevelt Stadium 1974 and 1976, MSG 9-20-90, the 1991 Boston Garden run, and the 2 May '77 shows I saw (St. Louis and Hartford). 

Any number of Phish shows, including shows at Worcester Centrum, Great Woods, Boston Garden

Every year I went to Jazz Fest

Every Solid Sound

 

Small (impossible to list only 3, this list will be obnoxiously long):

 

definitely small venue shows would include:

 

B52's and Talking Heads at Central Park and Berklee Performance Center (August '79)

Ramones upstairs at Max's Kansas City

X at the Channel

English Beat at the Channel

Lucinda at Lupos

Los Lobos at Lupos and many places

The Original Meters at the Howlin' Wolf

REM, Harvard gym

 

Theater shows:

 

every Hot Tuna show at the Academy of Music and Capital Theater, '73-75

Allmans with Clapton, Beacon, 3-19-09

Wilco, Orpheum, "Evening With" tour

Wilco, Avalon

Clash, Orpheum (London Calling tour)

New Order, Boston Opera House

Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense tour, and many others

Dead, Uptown Theater, November '78

Replacements, Orpheum and elsewhere

 

Sorry for the list, there are surely others I'm forgetting.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm going to assume "big" includes arenas (MSG, etc.) on up to stadiums and outdoor festivals, and "small" includes theaters (Beacon, Orpheum) on down, here's some of what I would include:

 

Big:

 

Any number of Dead shows, but these are always at the top of my list, including Roosevelt Stadium 1974 and 1976, MSG 9-20-90, the 1991 Boston Garden run, and the 2 May '77 shows I saw (St. Louis and Hartford). 

Any number of Phish shows, including shows at Worcester Centrum, Great Woods, Boston Garden

Every year I went to Jazz Fest

Every Solid Sound

 

Small (impossible to list only 3, this list will be obnoxiously long):

 

definitely small venue shows would include:

 

B52's and Talking Heads at Central Park and Berklee Performance Center (August '79)

Ramones upstairs at Max's Kansas City

X at the Channel

English Beat at the Channel

Lucinda at Lupos

Los Lobos at Lupos and many places

The Original Meters at the Howlin' Wolf

REM, Harvard gym

 

Theater shows:

 

every Hot Tuna show at the Academy of Music and Capital Theater, '73-75

Allmans with Clapton, Beacon, 3-19-09

Wilco, Orpheum, "Evening With" tour

Wilco, Avalon

Clash, Orpheum (London Calling tour)

New Order, Boston Opera House

Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense tour, and many others

Dead, Uptown Theater, November '78

Replacements, Orpheum and elsewhere

 

Sorry for the list, there are surely others I'm forgetting.

Wow. Amazing list. The Los Lobos mention makes me happy. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

This thread makes me realize I'm not really a "big show" kind of person (except for Solid Sounds!).

 

But the small shows that I've loved in recent years include Lucinda Williams at HoB (New Orleans 1999), Old 97s in St. Pete (2002?), Wilco in Gainesville (2003), The Hold Steady at the Cow Haus in Tallahassee (2005), Gillian Welch at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta (2007), and Drive By Truckers in Jacksonville a few years back.

Link to post
Share on other sites

How could I forget:

Blur and Pulp at the Vic, Chicago (cap. 1300)

Parklife tour for the headliners (Blur); His n' Hers tour for Pulp.

First that I had ever heard of the openers. They totally won me over. And then I saw them again when they were headlining….

 

Pulp at the Metro, Chicago (cap.1100)

Different Class tour.

 

Oh, baby!!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Small Show: either the Black Crowes at the Delwin Ballroom in St. Joseph, MN just after Shake Your Moneymaker came out or the Jayhawks at the Red Carpet in St. Cloud, MN right after Mark Olsen left the group.  At both shows the bands really seamed like they were out to prove something.

 

Large Show: Probably Ozzy Osbourne with a then relatively unknown Metallica as the opening act in Minneapolis, MN in like 1986.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...