# Return of the son of what are the best rock concerts you've seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 19, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951 "2021-09-19T22:35:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/1 "2021-09-19T22:35:14Z")
Really enjoying the [most disappointing concert](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-disappointing-concert-youve-ever-been-to/950196) thread, and being reminded of a few _meh_ live experiences I’ve had got me thinking in the other direction. I did a search and AFAICT the last time there was a “best concerts” thread was seventeen years or so ago (can that be right?) so I figured… I used to go to a ton of concerts but between tinnitus, price creep, and musical tastes that don’t match who’s usually on tour, that slowed to a crawl even before the pandemic, but if I had to come up with some of the best experiences, they’d include: **A Bowie Celebration** (Toronto 2019). I know I cited Bowie himself in the disappointing shows thread, so it’s odd that this one makes my tops shows roundup, but whatever. Mike Garson and Earl Slick joined by folks like Bernard Fowler, Sass Jordan, Corey Glover on vocals Emm Gryner on vocals, Charlie Sexton on guitars and vocals and, it goes without saying, a guest appearance by Chris Hadfield on “Space Oddity.” It was absolutely unreal, two plus hours of brilliant-sounding classics **The Streets/Lady Sovereign** (Toronto 2006). Glorious sweaty bacchanalia capped by Skinner’s backup rappers were pouring booze over the people right up front. It was also just a great night of music. **Pere Ubu** (Montreal 1991). I’ve seen them five times over the decades, but the Worlds in Collision tour was the only one with one of the Fontana-era lineups. Being able to hear “Waiting for Mary” as well as an acoustic version of “Final Solution” was a dream come true. **Big Audio Dynamite** (Los Angeles 1995). My second concert after moving to El Lay, and my second at the Viper Room (the first was,hilariously, Donovan). Just a monumental dance groove, and I’m amazed I was that close to rock royalty in Mick Jones. I’m sure I’ll think of more, but what were some of your best gigs? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/2 "2021-09-19T22:44:03Z")
Caljam II (1978) at the Ontario Motor Speedway, with: Aerosmith, Foreigner, Heart, Mahogany Rush, Dave Mason, Jean-Michel Jarre, Rubicon, Santana and Bob Welch. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/3 "2021-09-19T22:45:23Z")
For me it would be **Pink Floyd** , the second circuit of the **Momentary Lapse of Reason** concert. I saw it at the LA Coliseum. Only Floyd could make that place sound great. It is a horror show for other concerts. But boy did Floyd sound great and put on a great show. **Pink Floyd** at Giant Stadium for the **Division Bell** tour. 993 or 1994? **The Who** at Giant Stadium Early 90s. They played for 4 hours I think. **Plant & Page** at the Meadowlands around 96 or 97. They had the Newark Boys Chorus and at another point a hurdy gurdy man. It was a strangely awesome concert. Incredible live version of Kashmir. **Pete Seeger’s 90s birthday celebration.** As members of Clearwater we were able to buy floor seats at Madison Square Garden for this incredible event. > **[Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday](https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/pete-seegers-90th-birthday/5/)** > > A Group Of Famous Friends Mount A Musical Salute ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/4 "2021-09-19T22:51:27Z")
I was at the first US show of the **U2** Joshua Tree tour. Boston, I was still in high school, so, 1987? Great show. **Cake** in a tiny little place in San Diego, ca 1996. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/5 "2021-09-19T22:54:04Z")
The two best concerts I’ve ever seen were both by Universal Congress Of. One took place at the Club Downunder at FSU in 1988 (I was the audio guy there for a couple of years) and the other was about 14 months later at a small club in Tallahassee called The Warehouse. AMAZING shows. Hands-down the two best concerts I’ve attended; absolutely no question. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/6 "2021-09-19T23:02:32Z")
**P-Funk All-Stars** played a free show at the University of Maryland circa 1995, then another one at University of Maryland Baltimore County about 5 years later, give or take. **Redman** was one of the openers for one of those. Anyways, they didn’t get on and jump off stage just because it was a free show, **P-Funk** played for at least 4 hours each time, full band, full concert set. I mostly remember the first show when one of my friends was super hammered and was running around the crowd with a backpack full of beers, just handing them out randomly. Every 20 minutes or so he’d stumble back around, shove a beer in my hand, say something incoherent, and melt back into the crowd. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/7 "2021-09-19T23:27:54Z")
So many to mention from the late 70s to the early 80s. Pink Floyd in 77, the Police in 83, Boston in 78, Genesis in 84 and the Who in 79 were outstanding. Neil Young, Bowie, Queen, Journey, the Stones were fucking awesome in their prime and the list goes on. I feel sorry for kids that only have seen them once they got old or on YouTube, just not the same energy. I grew up during a musical Renaissance and knew it at the time so I went to a live show like every other week. The 90s were cool to, Black Crows, GNR, and Pearl Jam rocked live. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/8 "2021-09-20T00:00:12Z")
Pink Floyd, Boston Music Hall, 1972. The “Meddle” tour. 2 1/2 hours and they played eight songs. “Careful with that Axe, Eugene” was chilling. Elton John/Billy Joel J. Geils Band at Union College Chapel, early 70s Otis Taylor, Albany Empire State Plaza Rock and Roll 9, a festival near Miami. Allman Brothers, Edgar Winter (with Johnny sitting in), Mahavishnu Orchestra, Elvin Bishop, Jo Jo Gunne, et al. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/9 "2021-09-20T00:21:39Z")
So many great shows to choose from. Here are five off the top of my head: ELP - San Francisco Civic 1974 Peter Frampton - Winterland 1975 KISS - Oakland 1976 Pete Townshend - La Jolla Playhouse 2001 The Monkees - Santa Barbara 2012 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/10 "2021-09-20T00:25:45Z")
Two of the best shows I’ve been to were ones where so few tickets were sold for the second performance that they just let us stay: Johnny Clyde Copeland at the Village Vanguard, 1983. This was enhanced by a bunch of gospel type singers who were sitting in front of us at a table and who sang along fantastically the whole show. Richard Thompson solo at Poor David’s pub, 1991. Since it was mostly the same people, it more or less turned into an all-request show. ETA: I just realized that neither of these is a rock concert, but whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/11 "2021-09-20T00:36:24Z")
**Anti-Flag and Sick of it All** , plus two other opening acts I don’t recall, at Barrymore’s in Ottawa. My buddy refused to go see them. This is the biggest concert I’ve ever been to. A few hundred punks crammed in cheek to jowl, the front of the stage nothing but amplifiers, a sound so thunderous it literally blew my hair back and my spine got jackhammered from the floor vibrating. Stupendous. That was some hardcore punk at its finest. **Dayglo Abortions** , Ottawa, on the day of Desert Storm. They have a song, “Proud to be Canadian,” which is a bit of a sarcastic jab at the experience of being in the welfare office. But that day, maybe they changed up the lyrics, but it was a thunderous, weirdly patriotric tune. Weirdly patriotic because it’s not really a Canadian trait, or a punk trait. **Amok and Anonymus** several times in Gatineau. Amok had long, melodic guitar interludes, but Anonymus always brought thunder to any venue. Amok would step up their game. There was a lot of shredding. You’d get the usual mosh pit, plus headbangers keeping the perimeter. High-fives for my headbanging brothers. **Grady, Nashville Pussy and Reverend Horton Heat**. Sometimes I didn’t listen to hardcore punk. Haha! A few hundred people, a lot of beers, and a lot of music I got into. Though Nashville Pussy stole the show, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/12 "2021-09-20T00:40:13Z")
**The Who** in 1979. It was a 4,000 seat venue, we had balcony seats, front row center. Second place: **Paul McCartney and Wings** , Wings Over America Tour, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, 1975. Third place (because it was my first concert): **Kiss** , Cobo Hall, 1975. The album Kiss Alive was recorded during this (and a few other) performance. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/13 "2021-09-20T05:24:29Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > The Monkees - Santa Barbara 2012 Arlington Theatre? I was at that one. Not counting several small club experiences, my favorite concert was Desert Trip in 2015: Dylan, Stones, Neil Young, McCartney, The Who, and Roger Waters. We bought stage front tickets instead of going on vacation that year. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/14 "2021-09-20T14:15:04Z")
**The Rolling Stones with Santana and Iggy Pop at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, 1981.** I was barely 17. The acoustics at the Silverdome were terrible, but hey, it’s the Stones. Santana was on their ‘A’ game and put on a great show. A lot of people said they were out to upstage the Stones and succeeded. Poor Iggy opened and got booed off the stage. After less than 1/2 hour he sarcastically said “thanks for being such a wonderful audience” and took off. I remember a janitor coming out and sweeping off the stage a bunch of trash that had been thrown at him. **Stevie Ray Vaughn at Saint Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, 1983.** This was soon after he had left Bowie’s band to go solo, and he wasn’t too big yet (‘Pride and Joy’ was just getting radio play), so this was a small venue and we were right up at the stage. SRV had about a dozen different guitars on stands up on stage and took turns playing all of them. When he was playing a '50s Telecaster some idiot in the crowd shook up a bottle of beer with his thumb on the opening and sprayed it all over the stage, including on Stevie’s Telecaster. He kept playing without missing a beat, and a roadie took off after the guy. Don’t know if the roadie caught up with him or what the guy’s fate was if he did. Coincidentally, Bowie was in town, having played Cobo Hall earlier. There was a rumor Bowie would show up and join Stevie up on stage, but unfortunately it never happened. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/15 "2021-09-20T14:33:09Z")
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at Wrigley Field, Chicago, a few months before he died in 2017. It was just a great show with wonderful energy. Was raining for most of the show and everyone was wet but no one cared. I remember my wife was having a bad day and was cranky about coming out, then having to stand around in the rain but it didn’t take long before she was thanking me for dragging her out. Imelda May at the Park West in Chicago in 2014. Promoting her last album before her divorce and she changed her look/music. She had amazing energy and the show just flew by. Was a lot of fun. Also, ironically, since the show was mainly older people, they had chairs out instead of the standing room only stuff and people mostly stayed seated to enjoy her high energy show rather than competing to see who could block the most views of the stage. Best of both worlds! I have a good number of shows dating back to the 80s but if I could relive one of them, it would be one of those two (well, probably the first since I could always see Imelda May again) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/16 "2021-09-20T14:33:33Z")
**Jethro Tull**. I was in high school, all my friends were into “classic rock”, so I went by myself. Big sign “Tull Sold Out”, but I asked anyhow… “You’re in luck, young man. Their manager just returned some of his tickets.” This was an orchestral concert hall and those were box seats, each of which had overstuffed plush swivel seats, and waiting in pitch blackness was comfy. Classical piano starts, eventually a tight spot hit the pianist and his bright white suit. Long étude, but then suddenly the guitar kicks in and it’s [“Locomotive Breath”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i19d1QnstsA)… … but nobody recognizes it. Because the _Aqualung_ album wouldn’t be released for another month. We got the whole album as a preview. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/17 "2021-09-20T14:59:01Z")
> [@digs](#): > > **Jethro Tull**. I was in high school, all my friends were into “classic rock”, so I went by myself. Wait, I thought the term and concept ‘classic rock’ didn’t come about until maybe the 80s, when bands of the Jethro Tull era— Stones, Who, Zep, etc. were past their prime and ‘classic rock’ radio stations started springing up to cater to Boomer’s set-in-stone musical tastes. ‘Aqualung’ was released in '71. What would your friends have considered ‘classic rock’ back then-- Elvis? Bill Haley & the Comets? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/18 "2021-09-20T15:07:10Z")
I’d actually typed “all my friends were into Now-Considered-Classic Rock” and decided it was too awkward. And you caught me. My friends listened to a lot of REO Speedwagon, Allman Brothers, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk. Good music, but lyrics you had to really listen to was not what they’d look for in a concert. I guess that was my point: early High School is tough enough without realizing you have no friends that share your tastes/sense of adventure. (Of course, this was Milwaukee in the late 60s/early 70s, when “workin’ on my car” was the biggest interest for guys. There were even guys who’d say “Can’t go, got bowlin’ on Friday nights.”) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/19 "2021-09-20T15:27:40Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’d actually typed “all my friends were into Now-Considered-Classic Rock” and decided it was too awkward. And you caught me. > > My friends listened to a lot of REO Speedwagon, Allman Brothers, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk. Good music, but lyrics you had to really listen to was not what they’d look for in a concert. I see. I would include Jethro Tull in with those other bands as ‘Now-Considered-Classic Rock’, but I get that you’re also making a distinction between Prog-Rock and more straight-up, ‘just plain Rock’ bands of that era. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951/20 "2021-09-20T15:45:01Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@blondebear](#): > > > > The Monkees - Santa Barbara 2012 > > Arlington Theatre? I was at that one. Yep, it was so much fun that I went to the show in Cupertino a few days later. I also saw the 1986 Reunion tour–my main memory of that show was the Beatles-level screaming of the fans. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-son-of-what-are-the-best-rock-concerts-youve-seen/950951.md?page=2)