The best concerts you've ever seen:

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Apparently we likely won't be seeing concerts again until 2021. Which is basically the most depressing aspect of this whole thing. Like what's even the point of living

The best live shows of my life (one show per artist):

30. Tool / Primus: @ Glen Halen Amphitheater 2017
29. The Pixies @ Coachella 2015
28. White Stripes @ Red Rocks 2005
27. The Knife: @ Coachella 2014
26 A Tribe Called Quest @ FYF 2017
25: Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeski @ Red Rocks (2016?)
24. Brockhampton: @ Austin City Limits 2018
23. Courtney Barnett: @ Cochella 2016
22. St Vincent: Austin City Limits @ 2018
21. Run the Jewels @ FYF 2017

20. Warpaint @ Coachella 2014
19. Nas performing Illmatic in full with guests @ Coachella 2014
18. Grimes @ FYF 2016
17. Doomtree @ The Fox Theater 2011
16. Mac DeMarco @ Coachella 2015
15. Local Natives @ The Fox Theater 2010
14. Rage Against the Machine: @ Coachella 2007
13. Modest Mouse @ the Madonna Inn 2018
12. Rudimental @ Coachella 2014
11. Radiohead @ Coachella 2017

10. Blood Orange w/ guests @ FYF Fest 2016
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers / Snoop Dogg @ Filder's Green 2002
8. Built to Spill @ Coachella 2015
7. Sonic Youth @Coachella 2007
6. Jamie XX @ Coachella 2015
5. Nine Inch Nails, Bahaus, TV on the Radio @ Red Rocks 2006
4. LCD Soundsystem @ Coachella 2016
3. Anderson Paak (Dre and Kendrick made surprise appearances) @ 2016 Coachella
2. Marilyn Manson @ the Filmore Auditorium the day after George Bush was re-elected 2004.
1. Arcade Fire @ Coachella 2014. I didn't love them before this. Now they are a favorite band

I'm almost certainly missing somebody. Quick! Somebody end quarantine before I make another list.

What are your all's?

 

[Englishbob]

U2 Wembley stadium (the original one) Joshua Tree tour supported by The Pogues and Lone Justice.

 

[Rip_City]

Thanks for making this thread, @DownIsTheNewUp.

Sadly, I've only just started going to concerts on my own since the start of '18. I have only been to around 20 starting from then, with the majority being at smaller venues. I'm trying to to make up for lost time

My top 3 of those I have seen:

1. Daughters / Lingua Ignota [Dec. '19 @ Roseland Theater]
2. Julia Holter [Mar. '19 @ Doug Fir Lounge]
3. The Comet is Coming [June '19 @ Doug Fir Lounge]

Honorable mention to: Bon Iver / Sharon Van Etten [Sep. '19 @ Moda Center]

 

[Matt M]

Love that you're actually able to put them in order. I go through the box of old tickets and just shake my head at trying to rank them. I may try though, I have time...

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Love that you're actually able to put them in order. I go through the box of old tickets and just shake my head at trying to rank them. I may try though, I have time...

I mean portions of it could easily be shuffled. But the top 18 or so are all seared into my memory. And several in the top 10 (LCD, Arcade, Anderson, Blood Orange, Sonic Youth) turned a band from an artist I liked into a band a love.

Side note, there may a or may not be a direct correlation between Sunday Coachella sets, little tabs of paper that Hunter S Thompson was found of and where a number of these landed on this list. Half of the top 10 to be precise.

 

[wokeupnew]

Wokeupnew's favorite concerts. | Concert Archives

Easily create your own concert history or database of all the concerts you've been to. Tag friends, share concert photos and videos, see setlists, and more!

www.concertarchives.org

copied this list on my phone so there’s a weird extra column

	Date	Concert	Venue	Location
	Oct 18, 2012	The Mountain Goats / Matthew E. White	House of Blues - Boston	Boston, MA	​
	Jul 27, 2010	The National / Beach House	Prospect Park Bandshell	Brooklyn, NY	​
	Mar 08, 2017	The Radio Dept. / GERMANS (US)	The Bowery Ballroom	New York, NY	​
	Nov 06, 2016	Jens Lekman / Emmy the Great	Music Hall of Williamsburg	Brooklyn, NY	​
	Sep 13, 2013 – Sep 15, 2013	Riot Fest 2013	Humboldt Park	Chicago, IL	​
	May 13, 2015	The Tallest Man On Earth	Calvin Theatre & Performing Arts Center	Northampton, MA	​
	Sep 12, 2014 – Sep 14, 2014	Riot Fest 2014	Humboldt Park	Chicago, IL	​
	Jul 30, 2010	Spiritualized	Radio City Music Hall	New York, NY	​
	Jul 15, 2017	The National	Basilica Hudson	Hudson, NY

 

[Matt M]

I mean portions of it could easily be shuffled. But the top 18 or so are all seared into my memory. And several in the top 10 (LCD, Arcade, Anderson, Blood Orange, Sonic Youth) turned a band from an artist I liked into a band a love.

Side note, there may a or may not be a direct correlation between Sunday Coachella sets, little tabs of paper that Hunter S Thompson was found of and where a number of these landed on this list. Half of the top 10 to be precise.

So many shows have other things thrown into them that alter the "how good" rating. And it can go either way. I've been at shows that I thought sucked and people just raved about. But if you can get yourself in that sweet spot, there's nothing better.

 

[AndySlash]

i've been lucky to have seen a lot of great shows by a lot of great bands and it's hard to rank them. but when asked what is the best concert i've seen, i usually end up saying this one from the vote for change tour in 2004:

Vote For Change Tour

Paste Magazine is your source for the best music, movies, TV, comedy, videogames, books, comics, craft beer, politics and more. Discover your favorite albums and films.

www.pastemagazine.com

the vote for change tour featured several lineups touring the swing states in 2004 largely to promote john kerry over george bush in the upcoming election. bands/artists like pearl jam, dave matthews band, john mellencamp, ben haprer, dixie chicks, my morning jacket, james taylor, bonnie raitt, and numerous others were part of the tour. minnesota was a swing state in 2004, and the st. paul bill was bruce springsteen & the e street band, r.e.m., and bright eyes, with a special appearance by john fogerty. neil young, who had popped in as a guest at other vfc tour stops featuring the other bands, ended up making an unannounced appearance at this show.

frankly, despite the lineup, i primarily went to see r.e.m. i had a couple springsteen records and thought the rising was a good album, and had often heard his live shows were great, so i was anticipating seeing his set but wasn't overly excited or anything. and bright eyes was relatively new to me and simply was hoping they'd play the calendar hung itself, the one song i was really into. spoiler alert: they didn't.

bright eyes played to a half arena, but it was a good start to the show and i came away appreciating them more. r.e.m. came out guns blazing with the one i love and wtf, kenneth, but the evening really turned when stipe invited neil young out to play on country feedback, one of the best r.e.m. songs, period. they also brought out bruce to sing on their closers bad day and man on the moon. i mean, that's fucking nuts if you're an r.e.m. fan, to get to see them play with those two guys in the same set.

then there's bruce's set, which featured every fucking performer in the house that night peppered throughout the set, culminating with everyone on stage for patti smith's people have the power. just look at this setlist:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Born in the U.S.A.
Badlands
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
The River
Souls of the Departed (with Neil Young)
All Along the Watchtower (with Neil Young)
Johnny 99
Centerfield (with John Fogerty)
Deja Vu (All Over Again) (with John Fogerty)
Fortunate Son (with John Fogerty)
The Promised Land (with John Fogerty)
The Rising
Because the Night (with Michael Stipe)
Mary's Place
Born to Run (with Mike Mills and Peter Buck)
-----
Proud Mary (with John Fogerty)
Rockin' in the Free World (with Neil Young, R.E.M., John Fogerty and Pegi Young)
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (with John Fogerty, Neil Young, Pegi Young, R.E.M. and Bright Eyes)
People Have the Power (with John Fogerty, R.E.M., Neil Young, Pegi Young and Bright Eyes)

the immediate post-show vibe was so energetic and hopeful that change was coming. walking out of the building that night i knew i'd never see anything quite like that concert again. the experience certainly lifted my hopes at the time despite not being super high on kerry, but then a month later i'd be turning off the tv on a late tuesday night feeling like the country really let me down. i can still vividly recall the next morning's drive into work, it really was the first time i felt america acted against its own best interests. and boy howdy do i wish it was the last time i felt that way.

thankfully, there is a pretty good bootleg video of the springsteen set out there, as someone filmed the giant screen for the duration of the show instead of trying to film the stage. i wish the r.e.m. portion, namely the neil sit-in, was filmed or recorded, but that doesn't seem to be the case. here's a couple vids:

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

i've been lucky to have seen a lot of great shows by a lot of great bands and it's hard to rank them. but when asked what is the best concert i've seen, i usually end up saying this one from the vote for change tour in 2004:

Vote For Change Tour

Paste Magazine is your source for the best music, movies, TV, comedy, videogames, books, comics, craft beer, politics and more. Discover your favorite albums and films.

www.pastemagazine.com

the vote for change tour featured several lineups touring the swing states in 2004 largely to promote john kerry over george bush in the upcoming election. bands/artists like pearl jam, dave matthews band, john mellencamp, ben haprer, dixie chicks, my morning jacket, james taylor, bonnie raitt, and numerous others were part of the tour. minnesota was a swing state in 2004, and the st. paul bill was bruce springsteen & the e street band, r.e.m., and bright eyes, with a special appearance by john fogerty. neil young, who had popped in as a guest at other vfc tour stops featuring the other bands, ended up making an unannounced appearance at this show.

frankly, despite the lineup, i primarily went to see r.e.m. i had a couple springsteen records and thought the rising was a good album, and had often heard his live shows were great, so i was anticipating seeing his set but wasn't overly excited or anything. and bright eyes was relatively new to me and simply was hoping they'd play the calendar hung itself, the one song i was really into. spoiler alert: they didn't.

bright eyes played to a half arena, but it was a good start to the show and i came away appreciating them more. r.e.m. came out guns blazing with the one i love and wtf, kenneth, but the evening really turned when stipe invited neil young out to play on country feedback, one of the best r.e.m. songs, period. they also brought out bruce to sing on their closers bad day and man on the moon. i mean, that's fucking nuts if you're an r.e.m. fan, to get to see them play with those two guys in the same set.

then there's bruce's set, which featured every fucking performer in the house that night peppered throughout the set, culminating with everyone on stage for patti smith's people have the power. just look at this setlist:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Born in the U.S.A.
Badlands
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
The River
Souls of the Departed (with Neil Young)
All Along the Watchtower (with Neil Young)
Johnny 99
Centerfield (with John Fogerty)
Deja Vu (All Over Again) (with John Fogerty)
Fortunate Son (with John Fogerty)
The Promised Land (with John Fogerty)
The Rising
Because the Night (with Michael Stipe)
Mary's Place
Born to Run (with Mike Mills and Peter Buck)
-----
Proud Mary (with John Fogerty)
Rockin' in the Free World (with Neil Young, R.E.M., John Fogerty and Pegi Young)
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (with John Fogerty, Neil Young, Pegi Young, R.E.M. and Bright Eyes)
People Have the Power (with John Fogerty, R.E.M., Neil Young, Pegi Young and Bright Eyes)

the immediate post-show vibe was so energetic and hopeful that change was coming. walking out of the building that night i knew i'd never see anything quite like that concert again. the experience certainly lifted my hopes at the time despite not being super high on kerry, but then a month later i'd be turning off the tv on a late tuesday night feeling like the country really let me down. i can still vividly recall the next morning's drive into work, it really was the first time i felt america acted against its own best interests. and boy howdy do i wish it was the last time i felt that way.

thankfully, there is a pretty good bootleg video of the springsteen set out there, as someone filmed the giant screen for the duration of the show instead of trying to film the stage. i wish the r.e.m. portion, namely the neil sit-in, was filmed or recorded, but that doesn't seem to be the case. here's a couple vids:

Funny how my #2 is directly related to the 04' elections too. I'll never forget that night. I was a senior in high school but had been unable to vote for Gore. Lived in the suburbs just south east of Denver which at the time were extremely conservative. I had fairly diverse taste in music in high school (Floyd, Simon & Garfunkel, the White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Outkast and the Chili Peppers ranked among my favs), but Manson was EXTREMELY close to my heart.

The election was the night before the show so everyone was in a bad mood (most Manson fans lean liberal for obvious reasons). It was at a small venue that fits maybe 2000 people tops, and the opening act that night was some European group that nobody had heard of and didn't speak any English. They had a ton of musicians in the group though and the stage was littered with instruments. Except that they weren't particularly good either and simmering tension in the room snapped when the crowd started booing. That band started cursing at the audience at which point, somebody took off their (goth) boot and threw it and the lead singer. Next thing you know stuff is being chucked in all directions and the band is fleeing. Manson proceeded to come out and play for 3 hours straight. Performance art, talented musicians, and, most importantly, cathartic release in it's purest form. At one point Manson grabbed a sax that had been left on stage and started playing it.

It's unfortunate that drug addiction completely rotted him. Funnily enough, that was also the night I quit cigarettes after some guy I trying to bum a cigarette off of, gave me the exact right speech. A miracle really considering how oppositional-defiant I was as a teen.

 

[Djxfactor511]

I get asked this question a lot by my family. I think my answer changed a lot until this - Foo Fighters Lollapalooza after show in 2017 at Metro.

We were within 10 feet from the stage (the place is small to begin with). They come out with this crazy setlist, bring out Perry Farrell for Mountain Song. One of Bowie's guitarists (don't remember the name) was in the balcony and got a few shout outs. I also caught Dave's pick.

Riding the L for the first time ever at 2am after the show was like a dream. I have the gig poster framed above my desk in my office.

Foo Fighters Setlist at Lollapalooza 2017 Aftershows

Get the Foo Fighters Setlist of the concert at Metro, Chicago, IL, USA on August 4, 2017 from the Concrete and Gold Tour and other Foo Fighters Setlists for free on setlist.fm!

www.setlist.fm

 

[Poly-Rythmo]

Here's my list. I used to review concerts for a living so went to 4-5 a week, but these are the ones that emotionally stand out for me...

Radiohead - Glastonbury (1997)
Oasis - Earls Court (1995)
Gillian Welch - Shepherds Bush Empire (2003)
REM - Madison Square Garden (2003)
Jeff Buckley - Wolverhampton (1995)
Orchestre Baobab - Oslo (2017)
Stone Roses - Wembley Arena (1995)
Buena Vista Social Club - London (1999?)
The Rolling Stones - Twickenham (2003)
The Charlatans - Wolverhampton (1994)

 

[dansomeone]

My top six seven eight ten (I stopped counting) concerts, in chronological order:

ELO - Chicago Stadium - 1978 (first concert ever, my nine-year-old self was so excited he threw up in the stadium restroom)
Blue Oyster Cult - Red River Valley Fairgrounds, Fargo ND 1982
Peter Gabriel - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls OH 1983
Nirvana w Mudhoney - Memorial Hall, Kansas City KS 1993
Stone Temple Pilots - Sandstone, Bonner Springs KS 1994
Son Volt - Blue Note, Columbia MO 1997
Ween w QotSA - Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS 1999
My Morning Jacket - Uptown, Kansas City MO 2011
Torche - Czar Bar, Kansas City MO 2013
Paul McCartney - Sprint Center, Kansas City MO 2014

edit: I am thankful for this thread, as it has brought on a flood of memories. Here are some more shows I was lucky to have witnessed that I just recalled:
Pink Floyd - Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis 1987
Robert Plant - Met Center, Bloomington MN 1988
Bob Mould - Grand Emporium, Kansas City MO 1991
Smashing Pumpkins - Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS 1993
Swervedriver w Therapy? - Bottleneck, Lawrence KS 1994
New Pornographers - Bottleneck, Lawrence KS 2003
Spoon - Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS 2014

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I’m just going to post a few to start off and then add as I go through my stubs.

Beastie Boys w/Fu-Schnickens, & Big Chief-May 30th, 1992 @ Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, FL

Beastie Boys w/Rollins Band & Cypress Hill-
November 15th. 1992 @ Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa, FL

Nirvana w/The Breeders & Come-November 28th, 1993 @ Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland FL.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

I’m just going to post a few to start off and then add as I go through my stubs.

Beastie Boys w/Fu-Schnickens, & Big Chief-May 30th, 1992 @ Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, FL

Beastie Boys w/Rollins Band & Cypress Hill-
November 15th. 1992 @ Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa, FL

Nirvana w/The Breeders & Come-November 28th, 1993 @ Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland FL.

Extremely jealous of all 3 of these and forever frustrated that I could not snag tickets to the Coachella they played last decade.

 

[scotthilk]

Top 5 all time. First and only time seeing Rage. Rock The Bells, 2007, in San Bernardino.

 

[willcoll]

Channeling my inner Rob Gordon, my top five favorite concerts attended:

1. The Cure/Love & Rockets/The Pixies - September 4, 1989 - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre - Greenwood Village, Colorado
2. Gang of Youths - March 19, 2018 - The Basement - Nashville, Tennessee
3. Pearl Jam (Day on the Hill 1992) - May 2, 1992 - University of Kansas Campus - Lawrence, Kansas
4. Nirvana/Mudhoney - October 21, 1993 - Memorial Hall - Kansas City, Kansas
5. The Church - October 1, 1988 - Uptown Theatre - Kansas City, Missouri

 

[scotthilk]

Some pretty bad ass concerts in here! Anyone else use Setlist.fm? Love having all of my shows archived there.

2001 - Blink-182
2002 - SOAD, NOFX
2003 - Rancid, Foo Fighters, Dropkick Murphys
2004 - NOFX, Pixies
2005 - 311, SOAD
2006 - Primus, RHCP, Gnarls Barkley, Les Claypool, Franz Ferdinand, CAKE
2007 - RATM, Arctic Monkeys, Cypress Hill, Kid Rock, Wu-Tang, Public Enemy, Incubus
2008 - Apollo Sunshine, Weezer, Vampire Weekend, Hot Chip
2009 - Matisyahu
2010 - Apples In Stereo, of Montreal, Hot Hot Heat, NAS, NOFX, Les Claypool
2011 - The Cool Kids, Jimmy Buffett
2012 - RHCP
2013 - Vampire Weekend, Big Boi, Primus, CAKE, Phoenix, The XX, Slightly Stoopid
2014 - The Blood Brothers, Run The Jewels, !!!, YACHT, DFA 1979
2015 - Ben Folds
2016 - RHCP, Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Dave Matthews, NOFX
2017 - Jay-Z, RHCP, CAKE, Rancid, Brian Wilson, Rebelution,
2018 - The Eagles, Zac Brown Band, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Iration, TV Girl, Offspring, Pennywise, The Vandals, LIT, Justin Timberlake
2019 - RHCP, George Clinton, Fishbone, Cage The Elephant, Spoon, Beck, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Paul McCartney, Mad Caddies, Muse, J-Boog,Rebelution
2020 - ?!?!?!

Bold are some of the best.

 

[AndySlash]

i always use setlist.fm. AndySlash's setlist.fm | setlist.fm

 

[sonic pharmacist]

In no order

Tool opening for Rollins Band at Iguana’s. July 18, 1992
Oingo Boingo, San Diego State Univ, June 13, 1993
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, San Diego Sports Arena, April 23, 1991
Peter Gabriel, San Diego Sports Arena, July 23, 1993
Sonic Youth, SOMA, July 20, 2002
Radiohead, Bayside San Diego, June 26, 2006
Paul McCartney, Univ of Montana, Aug 5, 2014
Metallica/Guns N Roses/Motorhead, Pasadena Rose Bowl, Oct 3, 1992

 

[scotthilk]

My top six seven eight concerts, in no particular order:

ELO - Chicago Stadium - 1978
Nirvana w Mudhoney - Memorial Hall, Kansas City KS - 1993
Stone Temple Pilots - Sandstone, Bonner Springs KS - 1994
Son Volt - Blue Note, Columbia MO - 1997
Ween w QotSA - Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS - 1999
My Morning Jacket - Uptown, Kansas City MO - 2011
Torche - Czar Bar, Kansas City MO - 2013
Paul McCartney - Sprint Center, Kansas City MO - 2014

So jealous