Asklemmy

Slipknot puts on a pretty damn good show.

They're not a band that's in my usual listening rotation, I don't dislike them, they're just not my usual kind of music. When I saw them it was a situation where someone I knew ended up with extra tickets somehow and I was more interested in the other bands they were touring with

I'd say they stole the show but I think they were actually the headliner, so I don't know who they would've stolen it from.

I'm admittedly a sucker for a spectacle, and let's be real, that's kind of slipknot's whole schtick.

Roger Waters: The Wall. Kinda redefined what i would expect from a concert/musical performance

Giant inflatable puppets, building a giant wall out of blocks on stage throughout the concert and projecting imagery onto the new sections as its built, then knocking it down. Fireworks. I think they crashed a prop plane into it to knock it down at the start of the show?

Also kind of a weird show for my dad to have brought 14 year old me to see xD

• REM
• Radiohead
• Flaming Lips
• Marilyn Manson
• Pixies
• RJD2
• Janelle Monae

Porter Robinson and underscores, a few days ago.

Pantera and White zombie in 1997. Metallica in 1993. Ozzy and Sepultura in 1998. Those bands were unbelievable to see live at the time and blew me away. Still vividly remember those concerts.

Muse

Iron maiden puts on one hell of a performance. Bruce Dickinson running back-and-forth across the stage climbing shit, singing with an incredible vocal range at the top of his lungs without missing a beat, costume changes every song or two that match the album covers being projected behind their giant zombie that's shooting fire...

A little old school here, but Tom Petty and the HB were always fantastic live, I got to catch them several times.

I also once was socially-dragged to a Sheryl Crow concert at the Ryman, and even though she's not usually my thing, that show was fantastic. She had a bunch of folks from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra playing with her band that night, and I've never seen a group of classical musicians have so much fun. They really made it an unbelievable show. If you're ever there and can catch ANYTHING at the Ryman, do it... the acoustics are absolutely insane.

My favorite concert story was that we went to a "Best of the 80s" concert in Indiana in the late 90s when I was a teen (bands that performed included Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, and a few one-hit wonders I'm struggling to remember right now). At the end, the promoters took the mic and apologized to everyone that the show was ending a little early, the closing band, Missing Persons, couldn't make it. My friends and family I was there with laughed our asses off the entire way out of the arena, but it didn't seem like a single other person there got it.

MONO

death grips, quite literally as I started up front and got way overwhelmed and slowly started moving back as the show went on. it got to the point where I got outside and proceeded to puke in the trashcan. great show though!

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. 3+ hours of pure enjoyment

I saw Against Me in 2004.

‘nuff said.

Glass Animals, hands down best concert I’ve been to! My GF wasn’t thrilled about going but by the end she was dancing like crazy. They’re much more impactful and energetic live than their recorded stuff would make you think!

between the buried and me has never disappointed!

Josh Scogin in any band he's in (the chariot, norma jean, '68)

broken social scene

Mushroomhead at a small venue were amazing, I've been to the venue so many times and never seen anyone do anything interesting but they were there were impressive lighting and water on the drums that was flying everywhere catching the light. Was great.

Sub Focus and Chase & Status in a tiny little venue (Chinese Laundry in Sydney) that was like a little grotto. Ceiling so low I couldn't even stretch my arms up straight with sweet raining on everyone. Amazing.

Die Antwoord with a load of acid in my system was pretty intense.

Finally the entire Shambhala festival in Canada. The DJ playing obviously increases enjoyment but the stages are so fucking mind blowing that it is without a doubt the best live music experience I have had!

Neil Young + Crazy Horse Bob Dylan + Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

jethro tull played in grant park for the flutist society and due to that played like the most flute intensive songs. hearing that fock flute in person was amazing.

Thievery Corporation

Amazing

Garth Brookes. Saw him at the Tacoma dome like 10 years ago. We were on the floor towards the back and some lady with a headset came up and told us to come up front. At the time I was pretty stoked. Show was awesome. Garth and trisha yearwood were amazing. The stage had some cool mwchanics and the drummer was in a 3d rotating circle thing going upside down and around. Blew my mind. Pretty funny realization afterwards though. The reason we got moved to the front was because we were mexican. We were in a section with nothing but people of color. Pretty funny. Amazing show.

Swans in the To Be Kind era.

Phish number one for me.

Unexpected awesome live shows: Blondie, Violent Femmes, The Proclaimers

Whipping Boy, an Irish alt rock band, late 90s Birmingham: I’d never even heard of them before a friend dragged me along. Jaw-flappingly stunning vocals, great songs, lyrics, instrumentation. Thought they were going places, especially on finding a couple of singles/EPs and the album Heartworm, but they broke up not long after. I bought everything they put out and still love when their stuff randomly plays on shuffle.

I've seen a lot of great shows, but:

• The Octopus Project: I've seen them live at least four times and they never disappoint. just great fun, really talented folks. watching them trade instruments mid-song is always a delight.
• Battles, during the Gloss Drop tour: wow, the ability of those musicians. never seen anything like it.
• Open Mike Eagle: I don't know if it was his most "on" day ever or if he's always like that, but I was absolutely transfixed. captivating performance.

Slift, they are an amazing experience live! Three guys from France with a live sound that's just massive. You'd never think it's just the three of them. Amazing show, lots of energy and the visuals make it a perfect experience. Mind blowing!

Dada Life. Wouldn’t call them a band just a DJ pair. Only one of them played, but the show he put on was incredible. He had all of the things to keep your hands on the air. He was throwing out beach balls, big blowup bananas (which I managed to keep one and he signed it after the show), big balloons and had a big flag that he had the crowd hold up over their heads, he also handed out pillows for a pillow fight we did.

Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie both had amazing stage shows in the last decade. I can't compare them to shows back in the day but if you get a chance they're still worth it.

Primitive Man, on tour for their 2017 album Caustic. They're one of the heaviest bands I've ever heard. I saw them at Lee's Palace in Toronto and they made debris fall from the ceiling.

Spectral Voice opened for them and were also incredible - maybe as good or better than Blood Incantation who they share members with.

Tauk - they blew me away from their albums too, but after having seen them live for the 2nd time last week, figured I had to post. Their drummer is incredibly hard-hitting and energetic, and keeps it going for 3+ hours

...i've seen some pretty epic shows by some pretty epic bands, but the last time i saw muse play, i did not expect to see a F*CKING HUNDRED-FOOT MECHA lunge out from the stage...

City and Colour. Dallas is an incredible musician, and his band complimented him so well.

Everclear in the late 90’s was pretty good.

There are lots of great live bands but maybe these were most memorable for various reasons: Magma (just hypnotic), Lazuli (very entertaining live band every single time), The Pineapple Thief (great prog rock with incredible drummer), The Musical Box (playing and re-acting old Genesis. Too young to see the originals but just in time to see the remakes), Le Silo (super high energy duo or trio, don't even remember, but man that was wild), Aranis (they don't exist anymore unfortunately)