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10 best concerts you've ever seen


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I feel like I have done this before but anyway I will try to remember. As some of you, I have been to a lot of shows...since 1981 till today.

 

In no order......

 

 

Live Aid Led Zep Reunion - Sat on fiberglass for 15 hours and took 15 days to get it out of my legs.

 

Neil Young Smell the Horse Tour

 

Drive By Truckers Langerado late night concert at Culture Room

 

U2 Either Sportatorium Unforgettable Fire Tour or San Diego or Joshua Tree Tour...both amazing

 

Page Plant Never saw so many happy faces (95 and 98)

 

Wilco A night with (when the started off with Wilco the song...and computer introduced the band) Fillmore Miami

 

Black Crowes Amorica Tour at Sunrise Musical...could be any other their shows...all really good

 

David Bowie Serious Moonlight Tour, Spectrum...came from camp, night out, car lost power on highway, sat in upper deck behind stage but still amazing. He did Ashes to Ashes in a tube...amazing. Also saw him in small venue (Chili Pepper, now revolution) that was nuts as well.

 

Van Halen 1984 Tour Sportatorium...High School Crazy...found tickets in parking lot on floor

 

Stones Just 2 years ago...amazing energy for 70+

 

Madonna Like a Prayer Tour...Philly...she cancelled the show before and after us...lucky to see that one

 

Diana Ross Sunrise in 1985? Got 3rd Row from box office 30 minutes before...she came out (during reach out and touch) and hugged my GF (now my wife) and she was crying (my wife)

 

Rush Last Tour...sent back in time...just amazing.

 

Bruce Born in USA Tallahassee....failed a Stats Test, drove from Gainesville

 

 

So many other great memories....too many to list...MMJ, Dylan, Dead, Floyd, Who, Kinks, Beastie Boys, Earth Wind, Allmans, Betts, Yes, Jack White, radiohead, REM,Jeff Beck/SRV, The Jacksons, CSN,CNSY......

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I've always thought of my top 5, so that's easy:

 

Grateful Dead, Roosevelt Stadium, 8-6-74

 

Grateful Dead, 9-20-90, MSG (second set was single best Grateful Dead set performance I ever saw)

 

 

DAMN  :thumbup

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That 96 Deercreek Run was so fun.  Many good memories of hanging with my best, best friends.  Last time we all were together.  I swear Trey came out that night, saw/felt the crowd and immediately changed the opener to Divided.  Wasn't he wearing those golden pants?  Awesome.

 

Canal Street!  Played and seen many, many bands there.  Incidentally, Phish played there in 89.  Could you imagine that?  I saw David Nelson a few times with Buddy Cage.  So great.

 

 

I actually saw DNB at Canal St. a BUNCH of times, '98, '00, '01 (THREE TIMES!), '02, '03, and '05. They never went back. Sigh. I picked the third '01 show cause it was close to my birthday, and they did "Give Me Love" as a tribute to George (who had just passed).

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Ironic I see this topic this morning as I am riding back from my number one I believe. Pearl Jam last night at Wrigley. For starters your standing ON Wrigley field...I would pay a lot of money to do that alone. No opener, Eddies home town, last night of tour, Ten turns 25 in a couple of days, just a really , really special feeling in the air. Saw Wilco the night before at Pritzker which was obviously really special too but Eddie just has an amazing ability to take a really huge, epic production and make it really intimate. Easily the best outdoor concert I've ever seen. Maybe I will reevaluate after the buzz wears off but I think I just witnessed something really special.

I was at Wrigley, too, and I believe it may be #1 for me now or at least a close second with Paul McCartney last year.  Can't believe they played Of the Earth!! And, Stone sang which was something I thought I'd never get to see. 

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1. Pearl Jam, Columbia SC, 2016

2. Guided by Voices, Orlando, 2000 

3. GbV, Gainesville, 2000 

4. Green Day, Tampa, 1990 

5. Green Day, Tampa, 1991 

6. Fugazi, Washington DC, 1990

7. Samiam, Tampa, 1991 

8. My Morning Jacket, St. Augustine, 2015 

9. 7 Seconds, Tampa, 1986 

10. Afghan Whigs, Tampa, 1992 

11. The Wedding Present, Atlanta, 1996

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1. Pearl Jam, Columbia SC, 2016

2. Guided by Voices, Orlando, 2000

3. GbV, Gainesville, 2000

4. Green Day, Tampa, 1990

5. Green Day, Tampa, 1991

6. Fugazi, Washington DC, 1990

7. Samiam, Tampa, 1991

8. My Morning Jacket, St. Augustine, 2015

9. 7 Seconds, Tampa, 1986

10. Afghan Whigs, Tampa, 1992

11. The Wedding Present, Atlanta, 1996

Nice the Whigs put on such a great show! Saw them in 99 first time on the 1965 tour one of the most insane shows I ever saw!

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M Ward @DMA Horchow Auditorium - Dallas 3/15/09

Prince @ Empire Ballroom - Las Vegas 5/28/06

The White Stripes @ Bricktown Events Center - Okla City 6/27/03

Frank Zappa @ Dallas Convention Center 10/17/80

Dr Dog - DeltaSpirit - Seth Kauffman @ Lola'Saloon - Ft Worth 9/12/08

Jeff Beck @ Dallas Convention Center 9/13/80

The Black Crowes @ Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium 5/6/93

Van Halen @ Reunion Arena - Dallas 9/10/81

M Ward @ Hailey's - Denton 9/22/06

The Black Keys @ Grinder's - Kansas City 6/4/2010

 

Honorable Mention - Wilco @ ACL Recording Studio - Austin 9/15/07

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In no particular order:

 

Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings (Harrow Harvest tour) - San Diego, CA

Jar Farrar (post Okemah solo show) -the Belly Up in Solano Beach, CA

Pink Floyd (Division Bell tour) - Rose Bowl, CA

Wilco (Wilco The Album tour) - Fox Theater in Pomona, CA

Robert Plant (Manic Nirvana tour) - Irvine Meadows, CA

Justin Townes Earle (Never Gonna Change solo show) - the Belly Up in Solano Beach, CA

Dave Rawlings Machine (2015 tour) - Santa Barbara, CA

Jeff Tweedy (2013 solo show) at Largo in Los Angeles, CA  

Andrew Bird (Break It Yourself tour) - San Diego, CA

Joe Walsh (solo show in 1990 +/-) - Coach House in San Juan Cap, CA

The Avett Brothers (I and Love and You tour) - House of Blues San Diego, CA

 

Bonus:

San Diego Symphony (Star Trek live) - SDCC 2014

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I actually saw DNB at Canal St. a BUNCH of times, '98, '00, '01 (THREE TIMES!), '02, '03, and '05. They never went back. Sigh. I picked the third '01 show cause it was close to my birthday, and they did "Give Me Love" as a tribute to George (who had just passed).

 

Are you from Dayton?  I've played there in several bands.  They always seemed to cater to the more punk stuff.  Not really sure what the Dayton sound was.  I don't think GBV played there much or at all.  Some good band through the years.

DAMN  :thumbup

Damn Damn!

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  1. Tom Waits- NYC 1999
  2. Dr. John - City Winery, NYC 2016
  3. Scott McMicken- Tin Angel Philly 2010
  4. Wilco - NorVa, Norfolk, Va 2004
  5. Dr. Dog - Union Transfer, Philly 2015
  6. M. Ward- NYC 2016
  7. Patti Smith - NYC 2015
  8. Bob Dylan w/ Wilco-  Hoboken, NJ 2013
  9. Dr. Dog - Bowery Ballroom 2015
  10. Heartless Bastards- Union Transfer, Philly 2010
  11. Shilpa Ray- NYC 2012
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Wilco - Big Day Out (January 2003)

Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve - Adelaide Festival Centre (January 1999)

Calexico - Berlin (October 2008)

Leonard Cohen - Leconsfield Winery, McLaren Vale (January 2009)

Gillian Welch - Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide (February 2016)

Ron Sexsmith - The Governer Hindmarsh, Adelaide (July 2002)

Boris - Fowler's Live, Adelaide (May 2015)

David Bowie - Adelaide Entertainment Centre (February 2004)

Portishead - Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide (November 2011)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide (February 2002)

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Are you from Dayton?  I've played there in several bands.  They always seemed to cater to the more punk stuff.  Not really sure what the Dayton sound was.  I don't think GBV played there much or at all.  Some good band through the years.

 

Nope, I'm a good 3 hours away (1 hour north of Indy). Just a big Nelson fan. 

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All you people living close to major cities make me sad  :heartbroken 
I've lived in the interior of BC most of my life, an 8 hour drive to the biggest city, Vancouver. So I haven't seen a lot of concerts locally. Well once Great Lake Swimmers played here, they were ok. And like a fool I once missed Joel Plaskett. I saw a few concerts in 2006-07 when I was in Vancouver for college, but not a lot of the bands I was into played the city in that period. Since then though, I'm now an actual adult with a wife and a career but no kids, so the wife and I have tried to line up our vacations with concerts in the past few years. Long story short, here's a top 5, chronologically:

My Morning Jacket July 18 2003
Sufjan Stevens October 14 2006
Wilco August 20 2007
Magnolia Electric Co August 31 2007

Wilco with Jenny Lewis August 12 2015

Joanna Newsom with Robin Pecknold March 30 2016

 

EDIT: Oh man I just realized I somehow forgot I saw My Morning Jacket in 2003 when I was just a wee lad of 16. I guess it's a top 6 now. 

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Brainiac - February 1997 - The basement of a music building at Georgia Tech. Tim Taylor died three months later. 

Catherine Wheel - July 2000 - They played over 2 and a half hours and I was mesmerized the whole time.

The Replacements - Shaky Knees Festival - May 2014 - Got on the rail between Tommy & Paul, epic rain storm about 30 minutes before they went on stage

Failure/Hum/Torche - Jacksonville - October 2015 - Three of my favorite bands on the same bill in front of about 300 people. First Failure show with Troy in 19 years.

Converge/Cave In/Dillinger Escape Plan - January 1999 - There were less than 100 people there because it was a new venue and the roads were icy. DEP still with Dimitri.

Wilco - Knoxville - September 2014 - First Wilco show, 2nd row stage center. Not a very big fan at the time but the show converted me. The Lonely 1 to end 1st encore and there's a Roadcase

Deftones/Far/Will Haven - Cotton Club - November 1997 - Three more bands I love, Around the Fur had just come out, Water & Solutions wasn't out but Far was playing a couple songs off it

Nirvana - The Omni - November 1993 - First show I went to without a parent, first time I saw a real "alternative" show, a big deal when you're only 14 years old

Hatebreed/Converge/Norma Jean - April 2002 - Hatebreed was good, Converge were amazing (Jane Doe touring cycle) but seeing the original lineup of Norma Jean 3 months before they blew up was such a treat

Robert Plant & Jimmy Page - February 1995 - Unledded Tour - Had great seats, 15 years old and loved every minute of it. Last time those two ever played Achilles Last Stand together

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I've tried, but I can't cut this down to 10.  In no particular order:

 

R.E.M. (1983) Huff Gym, Champaign, IL

Neil Young w/Wilco opening (December, 2008) Palace @ Auburn Hills, MI

Morphine (12/31/98) Riv Chicago

Richard Thompson (April, 2003) House of Blues Chicago

Richard Thompson (June, 2014) Space, Evanston, IL

Alejandro Escovedo (January, 2016) City Winery, Chicago

The Who (1999) House of Blues Chicago

Wilco (1999) Riv Chicago

Bruce Springsteen (1981) Assembly Hall Champaign, IL

Talking Heads (1982) Auditorium, Champaign IL

Wilco (December, 2014) Riv Chicago

Patti Smith w/ Jeff Tweedy opening (November, 1998) Riv Chicago

Drive-By Truckers (October, 2010), Bluebird Bloomington, IN

Waco Brothers (July, 2015) Fitzgeralds Berwyn, IL

Jason Isbell (June, 2014) Castle Theater, Bloomington, IL

 

.

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I can't keep it to 10, so I'm just listing some of the best shows I've seen at the Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL. (I still couldn't keep it to 10)

 

Old 97's (Teddy Thompson opened) - 4/1/2011 (Robbie Fulks opened) - 6/7/2013

 

Slobberbone - 5/19/2011

 

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - 5/25/2011, 10/27/2013, 6/12/2014, 10/10/2015 (all four were great)

 

Candy Golde (w/John Stirrat & Bun E. Carlos!) - 8/25/2011

 

Hayes Carll & Scott Miller - 7/22/2012

 

Richard Thompson Electric Trio - 6/17/2014

 

Cracker (Edward David Anderson opened) - 7/31/2014, (Ike Reilly opened) 7/26/2015

 

Drive-By Truckers (Dexateens opened) - 11/17/2015

 

Robbie Fulks - 4/24/2016

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I can't keep it to 10, so I'm just listing some of the best shows I've seen at the Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL. (I still couldn't keep it to 10)

 

Old 97's (Teddy Thompson opened) - 4/1/2011 (Robbie Fulks opened) - 6/7/2013

 

Slobberbone - 5/19/2011

 

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - 5/25/2011, 10/27/2013, 6/12/2014, 10/10/2015 (all four were great)

 

Candy Golde (w/John Stirrat & Bun E. Carlos!) - 8/25/2011

 

Hayes Carll & Scott Miller - 7/22/2012

 

Richard Thompson Electric Trio - 6/17/2014

 

Cracker (Edward David Anderson opened) - 7/31/2014, (Ike Reilly opened) 7/26/2015

 

Drive-By Truckers (Dexateens opened) - 11/17/2015

 

Robbie Fulks - 4/24/2016

The Castle is a great venue. Really good sound for its size, and they always have a steady stream of top notch talent coming through.

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This is tough but I have been lucky to see some great shows. In no particular order

1. Rolling Stones November 1981 Hartford

2. Grateful dead October 1983 Hartford

3. David Bowie 1983 Hartford

4. Police/REM 1983 Hartford

5. Pearl Jam 1996 New York City night 2 at randall's island

6. My Morning Jacket 2015 four nights at the Beacon

7. Wilco 2010 Hartford

8. Lollapalooza 1994 Greenday, L7, Nick Cave, Tribe Called Quest, George Clinton, Beastie Boys, Breeders, Smashing Pumpkins

9. Roger Waters 1984 hartford Pros and cons

10. Van Halen New Haven 1982

11. Arctic Monkeys 2005 US debut at Mercury Lounge-Couldn't leave this one off the list

 

So many others not on the list.

These days it is all about pearl jam, wilco, and my morning jacket.

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Ah wow I remember the arctic monkeys at mer lounge tixs weed going for hundreds.. Jealous of police Rem

The police shows-two back to back with REM opening.  Stipe had long hair and mumbled a lot LOL.

Had tix for the first night and then scalped a seat for the second night for $40  :blink

The Mercury show was nuts, so packed, but the energy in the room was fantastic and they put on a great show. 

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i never got around to listing my other 5, so here goes.

 

 

Melvins @ The Paradise, 03-04Jun 2011.

I'd seen The Melvins a bunch of times already, but this tour was something special. Over two nights, they played five releases (Houdini, Stoner Witch, Bullhead, Lysol, and Eggnog). 

 

 

Robyn Hitchcock @ TT's, 18Jun 1989

I was kinda late to hop on the Hitchcock train, and finally saw him play on the Queen Elvis tour, at Berklee. At the end of the show, he mentioned that they set up a last-minute show the following night at TTs, and the set list was wildly ranging (i recall "I Got The Hots" and "Old Pervert" from the Soft Boys days, and a great cover of "Across The Universe.")

 

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ The Orpheum, 01May 2002 

I didn't snag tickets for the original October date, but when the 9/11 attacks occurred, they re-scheduled the date and somehow I managed to snag L orchestra, row 5 seats. Seeing Nick up close is unlike any performer not named Osterberg or Yow. Sadly I missed Neko Case's opening while having a beer w/ my friend. I didn't know her at the time.
 

Sonic Youth and Redd Kross @ The Orpheum, 12Oct, 1990

The second time seeing SY, just after Goo came out. My wife and friends and I ate some mushrooms beforehand and walked to our 2nd row seats while Redd Kross was playing. Jeff and Steve McDonald seemed like they 9 feet tall, all hair and legs. Kim Gordon wore silver hot pants. Thurston tried to fuck his amp stack. It was glorious.



I think i'll leave #10 open for now....

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I love these lists...I have to contribute (in no particular order):

 

Bon Iver - 4/11/2008, Madison, WI | Stage Door
Phish - 6/10/12, Manchester, TN | Bonnaroo [Passes, stage seating]
The Other Ones - 8/3/2002, East Troy WI | Alpine Valley
AC/DC - 3/5/1996, Milwaukee, WI | Bradley Center
Aerosmith - 8/5/1994, Milwaukee, WI | Marcus Ampitheatre [FIRST SHOW EVER]
Tom Petty / Pearl Jam - 6/29/2006, Milwaukee, WI | Marcus Ampitheatre
Foxy Shazam - 12/30/12, Chicago | Bottom Lounge
Autumn Defense - 2/21/2014, Chicago | Schubas
Bruce Hornsby - 8/12/2016, Eau Claire, WI | Eaux Claires Festival [played "The Way It Is" in its entirety]
Gov't Mule - 2/3/2010, Milwaukee, WI | The Rave
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