"Up with People", sometime in the late 70's. I was around 10 years old. It was great, because it was the first time I was exposed to a LARGE GROUP OF COMPLETE LUNATICS all in one place, and led me down the road to bitterness and the hatred of the general population. I'm sure those events spawned generations of serial killers and cult leaders.
NIN during the “Wave Goodby Tour” in 2009. I saw them at each NYC show, the Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall and Terminal 5. Each show was absolutely amazing.
My first concert was Kiss in 1977 at MSG in a skybox! Absolutely amazing for a 10yr old and his best friends. Faith No More at the Fastlane in Asbury Park was Absolutely amazing!
Blackberry Smoke sucked balls when they headlined at the Roswell, GA outdoor theater previously known as Verizon Amphitheater, a couple of years ago. Their sound engineers had them amped to distortion, where you couldn't even understand their usually well-crafted vocals.
Multiple Iron Maiden shows. Cake in 99 @ Club 5 in Jax. Styx Kilroy Was Here in Abilene Lords of Acid @ the Milkbar Jax
This one is outta left field as maybe my most memorable show I've seen was Bad Religion in the 90's, but we went to see Pink a few weeks ago. I've never been to any sort of pop show. That girl is incredible, I was kinda blown away. Killer stage show of course but her vocals are the real deal. Her back up singers are of course incredible too. Glad I went.
I saw a YouTube video about her. They way she prepares, to be able to belt out vocals while hanging upside down flying around in a harness. She was laying down on the floor on her back, and had a woman (not a tiny waif, either) standing on her stomach, as she sang a few bars of one of her songs at full tilt. Serious core strength with that one.
Hard to place an absolute best. The Cult at Long Beach Arena was rockin. Great show. This is the concert that usually comes to my mind when I think great shows.When they smashed up the drum set during the second or third encore, we knew it was over. The Eagles in 2019 at the Forum were probably best I've seen acoustically. My wife bought the tickets for my birthday and I was not that excited to see them without Glenn Frey. Man was I wrong. Really great performance. Vince Gill is a good replacement for Frey. Garth Brooks in 2019 in Denver was great too. He is a good entertainer. Customer of mine called me on a Friday and asked what we were doing for the weekend for my wife's birthday. He then says "why don't you come out to Denver and see Garth Brooks with us, I have a suite". So Saturday morning at 6 am we were on a plane. The circumstances of how we went last minute, a chauffeured ride in/out, watching from a suite with only about 15 others and a waitress certainly added to the experience. Some of my other notables would be U2 in Tempe filming Rattle and Hum. Depeche Mode at the Rose Bowl. Oingo Boingo and Black Crowes (separate shows) at San Diego State Ampitheatre
As a 14 year old kid sitting in the 4th row of a Queen concert in 1977 was pretty memorable. I wish I was more of a fan before the show as I was after the show. Tie Your Mother Down put the hook in me.
Excellent point on Lamb of God, being up there. I’ve never walked away from a show that an opening band had me instantaneously a fan. LoG is one of 2 bands that did that. I’ve always gone to shows, already a fan of whoever. They were my exception to the rule. Ok, so Lamb of God is in my top 3 of best shows, and each one we’ve gone to now altogether.
I’ve had a few unknown opening acts turn into lifetime favorites… Grant Lee Buffalo opened for Pearl Jam at a 5k seat venue in Cleveland during their first tour for Ten in 92 iirc… that show is way up there on my best of concerts… crazy energy still gives me goosebumps thinking about it… and Geraldine Fibbers opened for Urge Overkill at the Riv in Chicago same era… early 90s… both bands were way different than the headliners and I still listen to them… but PJ almost never and UO only once in awhile
U2 in Philly in 1987 Joshua Tree tour Pink Floyd in Pittsburgh few years later Division Bell Tour NIN at the old Hammerjacks in Baltimore But probably the best lineup I've ever seen was Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Eagles, Earth, Wind and Fire, Journey and Fleetwood Mac all doing full shows in a two day concert in NYC in 2017 right before Walter Becker died of cancer. Great show.
