# Some of the best live bands/concerts you've attended? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043 "2006-08-02T18:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heckxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@Heckxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckxx)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/1 "2006-08-02T18:05:57Z")
There are few things I enjoy more than going to concerts. I tend to prefer smaller shows because I don’t have to wait for hours in order to get to the front, just to get squished against the rail. Anyways, some of the best live acts ive seen: -Muse -Nine Inch Nails -Dillinger Escape Plan -Kill Hannah/Shiny Toy Guns/Clear Static I actually just recently saw Muse when they came around chicago about a week ago. Oh man are they great! Matt Bellamy is a musical genius… ---
**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:** [August 2, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/2 "2006-08-02T18:12:06Z")
Pink Floyd Loudon Wainwright III Elton John/Billy Joel J. Geils Band Allman Brother Band (with Duane) Elvin Bishop Otis Taylor P. D. Q. Bach ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/3 "2006-08-02T18:27:52Z")
Tom Waits (last night!) Ben Folds Reverend Horton Heat (twice) Morrissey Less Than Jake (five times) Social Distortion Sonny Rollins The Pietasters (three times) James Brown Billy Joel (twice, including once with Elton John) They Might Be Giants (twice) The Red Elvises Royal Crown Revue Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers Los Straitjackets Jonathan Richman G. Love and Special Sauce (twice) B.B. King ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/4 "2006-08-02T18:32:45Z")
It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to any, but some noteworthy ones were: Pat Metheny Group (twice) Gregg Allman Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges Dizzy Gillespie Woody Herman Larry Carlton Kenny Rankin Stan Getz Dave Brubeck Preservation Hall Jazz Band (New Orleans and Nashville) Al Hirt Pete Fountain The Wooten Brothers (wedding receptions) Garrison Keillor (not APHC but with Chet Atkins, Johnny Gimble and Jethro Burns) Ray Charles Glenn Miller Band (long after Miller’s time) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/5 "2006-08-02T18:38:38Z")
Dashboard Confessional. I’ve seen them 4 times and it’s great each time. I don’t really like their albums but the interactive aspect of their shows really makes it enjoyable (that and lots of young women coming to swoon at Carrabba 🙂 ) Elvis Costello. The first time I saw him it wasn’t that great (he played the songs too differently for my tastes), but the second time was excellent. He was recovering from throat surgery or somesuch, and it showed because he didn’t waste time with talking to the crowd or taking too long with each song. And that was the good part. He literally didn’t stop in between songs at all: while the instruments around him were providing the closing flourishes of the song he would hold up his guitar, the roadies would rush out with the new guitar and the whole band would just go right into the next one with no pause. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/6 "2006-08-02T18:41:10Z")
A couple that have been mentioned already that were fantastic… Social Distortion They Might Be Giants The Allman Brothers Band (without Duane) and two that haven’t… Primus Pantera (with Darrell) BTW, **Big Bad Voodoo Lou** , I’m totally jealous over The Pietasters. I’ve wanted to see them since I got the Strapped album. They sounded fantastic live. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/7 "2006-08-02T18:43:53Z")
> [@Ol'Gaffer](#): > > BTW, **Big Bad Voodoo Lou** , I’m totally jealous over The Pietasters. I’ve wanted to see them since I got the Strapped album. They sounded fantastic live. They’re nice guys, too. The first time I saw them, in college (around 1997), I took a bunch of pictures. When they returned to town a year or two later, I brought prints with me, and asked a security guy at the club to pass the photos along to them. Steve Jackson shook my hand and invited me backstage to hang with them, where they had trays of food and free beer. One of the guys even offered me some drugs they had (won’t say who or what), but I politely declined. I saw them one more time in 2004, with a slightly different lineup, and they were still great even though they’ve moved further away from their classic soulful ska sound. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/8 "2006-08-02T18:44:00Z")
**Faith No More** **Janes Addiction** **NOFX** (played nonstop for the entire 50 minute set) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/9 "2006-08-02T18:44:22Z")
Best concert I’ve ever seen was July 4, 2000 at the (then) PSI Net Stadium in Baltimore. System of a Down, Powerman 5000, Kid Rock, Korn, and Metallica. The sun started going down when Metallica was playing, and when they started _Nothing Else Matters_ the stadium positively lit up with lighters. It was like a spiritual experience. Just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/10 "2006-08-02T18:45:25Z")
One of the best shows I’ve seen was Yo La Tengo’s album release show for _And then nothing turned itself inside out_ back in '99. Already a seasoned live 3-piece, YLT were augmented by two or three extra musicians, so many of the songs had two guitars, organ, and a second drummer going. It was phenomenal, and certain songs like “Moby Octapad” and “Let’s save Tony Orlando’s House” were just amazing in their fleshed-out versions. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/11 "2006-08-02T18:46:38Z")
My Top 3 1. Radiohead (St. Louis/1997 and Chicago/2006) 2. Tripping Daisy (Hastings/1996) 3. Weezer (Lincoln/2003) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/12 "2006-08-02T18:48:34Z")
The Decemberists always do a great show. They are one of the few bands that actually does good banter between songs. The Smoking Popes were also great to finally see live. Especially after expecting to never see them perform together again (they broke up for about 4 years). ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/13 "2006-08-02T18:50:18Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > The Decemberists always do a great show. They are one of the few bands that actually does good banter between songs. Oooh, I’d love to see them. They’re in my top five “Bands I have to see live,” along with Neko Case, the Dresden Dolls, Belle and Sebastian, and Portishead. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/14 "2006-08-02T18:50:48Z")
The Old 97’s are great live. So’re Rilo Kiley. And Mary Prankster is fantastic as well. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/15 "2006-08-02T18:54:47Z")
Simon & Garfunkel Andres Segovia Ry Cooder, opening for Eric Clapton Diane Schuur Stevie Ray Vaughn/Fabulous Thunderbirds Night Bonnie Raitt John Hiatt Benny Goodman Keb’ Mo’ Grateful Dead Bela Fleck Leo Kottke Buddy Guy Foghat Mark Knopfler Marshall Tucker Band ---
**Author:** ![noodlehaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@noodlehaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noodlehaus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/16 "2006-08-02T19:07:54Z")
The Dictators in Pittsburgh around 2001. They were one of my favorite bands since the seventies but I had never got a chance to see them. My wife and I got a chance to say hi to Handsome Dick, Adny and Ross as they were going in to the bar, and we stood in line at the door next to the singer of another old favorite band, The Cynics. The opening band, The Silver Tounge Devils kicked ass, but The 'Tators, damn, it was the best show I ever saw. It was packed full of actual Dictators fans, from 15 to 60, and everybody was all smiles, having fun and singing along. Hansdome Dick is one of the best frontmen of all time. The only bad part was by the end of the show, my wife was pretty drunk, and she was about ready to kick the shit out of these two kids who kept bumping in to her while they were dancing. They weren’t doing anything wrong, they were just having fun. She was just drunk :dubious: I had to drag her to the back of the bar and I missed them doing “California Sun” as the encore. Still, it was the best show ever. The Dictators put out more energy and charisma than 99% of bands that weren’t even alive when they started. ---
**Author:** ![noodlehaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@noodlehaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noodlehaus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/17 "2006-08-02T19:13:31Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Oooh, I’d love to see them. They’re in my top five “Bands I have to see live,” along with Neko Case, the Dresden Dolls, Belle and Sebastian, and Portishead. Nothing against Belle and Sebastian…I like 'em just fine and have a few of their records…I read a recent show review where the guy said they were like The Smiths without all the macho posturing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/18 "2006-08-02T19:16:16Z")
Well, I’ve seen hundreds, but one that stands out: The ARMS Benefit in LA. 1983. The first set was built around Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Ray Cooper, and others. Then Jeff Beck came out with his band for a set. Then Jimmy Page did an acoustic set, backed only by a bass player. His set ended with “Stairway To Heaven,” of course, and as he launched into those climbing chords near the end, Clapton and Beck joined him. They finished the song, let us absorb the wonder of it for about 5 seconds, then launched into a 3 guitar tear-up of “Layla.” Best concert I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/19 "2006-08-02T19:26:43Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Oooh, I’d love to see them. They’re in my top five “Bands I have to see live,” along with Neko Case, the Dresden Dolls, Belle and Sebastian, and Portishead. I’ll trade you my Decemberists concert on Oct 21st for your Tom Waits… oh wait… tooo late… Sad times. Being in Florida I think you are missing the Decemberists on this tour. Apparently they have a lot of Florida fans that are quite pissed (its mentioned in one of their myspace bulletins). If Colin Meloy does a solo show near you be sure to catch it. Just by himself he is fantastic. I saw Belle and Sebastian do an in-store a few months ago. I only got to stay for two songs because they started way late due to technical problems. I ddn’t relaize there were so many of them in the band. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043/20 "2006-08-02T19:26:00Z")
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Joe Jackson Emerson Lake and Palmer Lez Zeppelin McCoy Tiner Stephan Grapelli … were all very memorable shows. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-of-the-best-live-bands-concerts-youve-attended/367043.md?page=2)