Best Concerts You've Ever Been To?

TOOL - Fear Inoculum.

The best concert I will (likely) ever go to.

For any of you interested & able to see them - do it. Bring ear protection.

3 Likes

I too have seen Iron Maiden at the Blossom Music Center. I believe it was 2010. Dream Theater (my favorite band) was the opening act. Great show.

2 Likes

I love Dream Theater also! As a drummer myself, I sure do miss Mike Portnoy though. Mangini is a good drummer, don’t get me wrong…but Mike Portnoy has some of the best timing I’ve ever heard in a drummer.

I’m no drummer, but I like both equally. I think Dream Theater misses Portnoy’s song writing ability more than anything else.
I saw Dream Theater in October of 2019 at The Guesthouse at Graceland (Memphis, TN). They performed some new stuff, but they also performed the entire Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory album. It was awesome, and Mangini sounded amazing.

1 Like

They both definitely have their own styles they bring to Dream Theater. Portnoy had the amazing timing. I will say though, I do think Mangini may have better speed through his progressions and transitions. Both are amazing, as is Dream Theater. Metropolis Pt 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper is always amazing to me to hear live.

Sidetracking. Drummers come in all kinds. Watching this shit is ridiculous. Them chops and technique tho…

1 Like

Awesome video. Drumming is something that people take for granted with music. The difficulty of it is hard to express to somebody…really you need to sit down at a drum kit/set and try to play to truly understand the difficulty. I’ve been drumming 18 years and finally can say I’m average. I was shit for many years, lol.

1 Like

Lol yea. I’ve had to have a few discussions about why drumming isn’t the easiest instrument >.>

Yea, coming up on 15 years of playing. Last 4 or so have only been bodhran and mucking around on a pad with my old drumline exercises. RIP drum corps in college. I can’t spend every weekend of the year traveling to practice lol.

Improvising (pretty much) the whole time is quite fun :stuck_out_tongue:. This is a great example of the instrument.

And then there’s shit like this. I can’t even imagine singing and drumming. And the drumming remains tasteful to. Pretty damn great.

Or this 20 year old japanese chick who will be better than all of us ever lol (she’s reallllly good).

Or bass splits (my favorite) (was also here for this one)

2 Likes

That is awesome man. I wish I would have stuck with the Saxophone in high school, but I couldn’t do that and play football at the same time. :frowning:

I self taught myself drums in 2002 because I was sick of fighting with my guitar. But I can say that learning to play drums allowed me to be able to play Bass Guitar much better, so I have been playing Bass for 12 years now. Sold my drum set a few years back, but to a friend that lets me stop by when I want to play, which is really cool of him.

1 Like

Started it in elementary school with sax for a year. Gave up cause music theory to hard for my tiny brain. Took up percussion and kept it up all the way through college. Self taught bodhran for senior project, which was quite fun. Picked up violin at the beginning of high school. Going on 10 years of playing now (and I’m still mediocre at best). Lots of off and on during college, and RIP going to Irish music sessions during COVID :cry: . All my instruments are kinda laying by the wayside during covid for some reason, and idk why.

I know that feeling lol. I still know some stuff, but I really gave up on it a while ago.

1 Like

Like I said, I am no drummer, but I am definitely into it. Haha. The way I always compared the two is Portnoy has better feel/grove and Mangini has superior speed/precision.

2 Likes

It’s been awhile since my youthful concert-going days, though we have Jazz Fest every year in New Orleans (except this year), and have attended at least one day (out of eight) for more than two decades.

Anyway, back in the day (in no particular order because I can’t remember):

Frank Zappa during his ‘Apostrophe’ tour

Todd Rundgren

Bob Marley at the height of his popularity (plumes of smoke emerging from backstage)

Yes doing ‘Close to the Edge’.

The Allman Brothers (but after Duane had died)

David Bowie during his ‘Thin White Duke’ period

ZZ Top (the loudest concert I’ve ever heard)

Elvis Costello many times, including his multiple appearances at Jazz Fest

At Jazz Fest (most sets around 1-1 1/2 hours):

Fleetwood Mac (only Christine McVey not there)
The Eagles (with Joe Walsh)
Jeff Beck
Eric Clapton
The final lineup of the Allman Brothers (with Derek Trucks)
Derek Trucks
Susan Tedeschi
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Bruce Springsteen doing the ‘Seeger Sessions’
Paul Simon (horrible sound system)
Tom Jones
Jimmy Cliff
Joss Stone
The Beach Boys (with and without Brian Wilson)
Steve Winwood
Diana Krall
Robert Plant and Allison Krauss doing ‘Raising Sand’ (one of the real standouts for JF)
Allison Krauss and Union Station
Lyle Lovett and his Large Band
Neville Brothers
Trombone Shorty
Irma Thomas
Weather Report
John Hammond Jr.
Taj Mahal
The Heath Brothers
Flora Purim and Airto
Bonnie Raitt
Dave Bartholemew (at age 100)
Jerry Lee Lewis
David Crosby and Graham Nash

Many others that I can’t remember on account of being a geezer.

I missed Bob Dylan when he was there, and the Rolling Stones were supposed to play last year, but cancelled because of Mick Jagger’s heart surgery.

Cheers!

2 Likes

Please? Can I trade you?

Sure… all were memorable, though Eric Clapton’s appearance was so crowded, we had to stand outside the infield on the race track… EC was the size of an ant. There were large video screens, though, and the sound system was good.

1 Like

I’ve been to quite a lot of concerts over the years, especially a bunch of metal concerts in the 80’s and 90s. Among the most memorable metal shows was The Monsters of Rock Stadium Concert which consisted of: Kingdom Come, Metallica, Dokken, Scorpions, and Van Halen. The concert took place at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis TN in 1988. The concert lasted all afternoon and into the night. Too cool.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis TN is another standout. Taj Mahal was the opening act. Sounded magical.

The third concert that comes to mind is Coldplay during the Viva La Vida Tour (2009) in Nashville, TN. The best vibe of any show I’ve been too. So much positive energy.

Last year, I had the honor of seeing my favorite metal band-Dream Theater-play a small venue in Memphis, TN. They played at the new The Guest House at Graceland. They played some new stuff, and then played Metropolis Part 2: Scene from a Memory in it’s entirety. Scenes is my favorite album by the band, and I got to see the band perform it up close. Killer.

However, the best show I have been to by far, is the Police Reunion Tour of 2007. I attended the New Orleans show. The Police have long been my favorite band and I never thought I would get to see them again. I saw the band’s last original tour-Synchronicity in Memphis, TN (1983 or 1984) as well. The reunion concert is the best sounding concert I’ve ever attended, and Sting sounded the best (it’s really not even close) of any singer I’ve ever heard live. Once in a lifetime experience. Amazing.

2 Likes

Been to? Howard Jones, Love and Rockets, Suzanne Vega, Peter Murphy (2), Janes Addiction, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails, Morrissey (6 times), Beastie Boys, Tears for Fears, Weezer, Paul Weller, Bauhaus, Tegan and Sara, U2 (3 times), Bruce Springsteen (2), Smashing Pumpkins (most boring live band i have ever seen), Green Day, Kaiser Chiefs, Grateful Dead, Sting, Camper Van Beethoven, Butthole Surfers, Echobelly (2), Echo & the bunnymen, The Cure, The Primitives, Tori Amos, UB40, Ash, Superdrag, Cocteau Twins, Elvis Costello, Sugarcubes, Pixies, Ice-T, Public Enemy, English Beat

Bands I didnt see and still feel bad that i missed them. 1. The Smiths 2. Nirvana 3. Oasis

Best show? Morrissey Del Mar - Your Arsenal Tour and also when i saw him at the Hollywood Bowl. Peter Murphy - Love Hysteria tour he was amazing and had such stage presence. Beastie Boys for pure energy and fun and the Cocteau Twins at San Diego Symphony Hall were awe inspiring no one has a voice like Elizabeth Fraser.

2 Likes

Incubus at Red Rocks.

1 Like

Radiohead on the in rainbows tour.

Most concerts I have been to have been very problematic as far as sound goes. Indoor venues are garbage (grew up going to small punk shows), and ive simply been to far fewer outdoor concerts unfortunately.

1 Like

Best punk show I ever saw was Bad Brains with Circle Jerks, Circle One and Public Nuisance at Devonshire Downs in 82

Best Metal - Speed/Death was Slayer, Venom and Exodus in 85

Best Jazz - Buddy Rich around 87 in San Juan Capatrano.

Best Alternative/Grunge - Nirvana for the In Utero Tour at the LA Forum. I was a guest of the Butthole Surfers and had a back stage pass. Met Kurt and Dave and was yelled at by Courtney Love. Also met Eddie Van Halen backstage and Gene Simmons in the Forum Club. Gene bought a round for me, Bobcat Goldthwait and some other guy. The whole night was a blast.

2 Likes

I saw them twice at the Hollywood Bowl…I think the second time was In Ranbows…I like them, but my wife is a huge fan, so we would see them anytime they came to LA.

I am also a hardcore punk from Los Angeles…got into the scene late 79.

1 Like