Music Forum / Best Live acts

I liked but did not love Bloc Party at Lolla 2008...

I was a bit let down by Radiohead but I disagree that the songs are like the recordings. Particularly those off of Kid A and Amnesiac, except for HTDC, which is perfect anyway. But I was going to be let down because I was listening to and watching live performances by them for a couple years running up to that show. I had a couple of the albums "live" versions made up from my favorite live performances, that sorta thing. There's no way a band could live up to that.

Seeing them was beautifully surreal.

Wilco was fantastic when I saw them... Really need to again. Saw Flogging Molly recently as well... Goddamn was that fun. I hurt all over for several days, but it was great.

Ride6

I was a bit let down by Radiohead but I disagree that the songs are like the recordings. Particularly those off of Kid A and Amnesiac, except for HTDC, which is perfect anyway.

Okay, Let Down is my 2nd favorite Radiohead song after HTDC, but since Steve already mentioned that one I had to cover the other. It should be noted that I mean this purely referring to the studio versions. Let Down doesn't work nearly as well live...

Priceless.

And I agree, Let Down is a good song. I think I'd go with Fake Plastic Trees as my favorite-- though Electioneering, Idioteque, and Gagging Order make it a tough choice. Too many good songs to choose just one. I haven't seen them live myself, so I can't comment on that. Though it seems to me, with all the craziness going on in their studio recordings, I would consider it a compliment that they can recreate so much of that live.

Less Than Jake is easily the most energetic band I have ever seen. Chris and Roger crack me up. They are all also nice in person and Roger and I always seem to talk about their old shows.

Green Day is always reliable for a great show. I've seen them in large arenas and in small theaters. It doesn't matter the size of the venue. They play like the Beatles at Shea Stadium.

Foo Fighters are amazing. Always energetic and puts on a frenzy of a show. But the best concert I have EVER seen was during the Foo Fighters acoustic tour in 2006. It was a thing of beauty.

Worst concert? Creed. I was forced to go. My ex-wife liked them. 15,000 mullets in Pensacola idolizing that douche bag lead singer.

Am I the only one that was let down by Radiohead? Totally not worth 60 dollars to see. The songs were like the recordings, the stage presence consisted of Thom dancing around and outside of the lights and My Iron Lung it wasn't anything any other band could do. Maybe I'm just not as big of a fan as everyone else is...

If you're going to be big, you have to surprise the crowd, play the same song but in a different way, do a cover or two and get everyone on stage involved.

I wish Radiohead fans were better show-goers, I'd really wanted to dance and such, but with everyone standing there I had to just watch. Shame really.

See them at a festival I guess? I danced, a lot. And sang a lot. I'm sure I sounded awful a lot. But it was my first show of theirs and I wasn't going to let any degree of self-consciousness spoil it for me.

Ride6

It wasn't so much self consciousness as it was fear of hitting a drunk and getting beaten up. Cleveland's arena (Blossom) sucks, maybe half the people at any given show on the lawn are fans, the rest are drunks and druggies who came because they have nothing better to do. The local circuit's a bit better but even then still lackluster.

Radiohead still played the shit outta me though. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7wI7tB3585E I'm so glad I was there.

QUOTE(Ride6 @ Jan 15 2009, 12:38 AM)
I don't understand why no matter how successful a band is they think they need to be 'bigger', not better. Fuck that. But I feel like it's happening to Muse, it's been happening to Coldplay... Hell it's happened with Modest Mouse.

this is the greatest thing that anyone has ever said about music.

No way zodiac, it's the complete opposite.
Of course you know I like Coldplay but really the only reason I'm bringing this back up is because they have the COMPLETELY opposite mindset...

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ru8iY_sIHf0

Pay attention at around 1:40, he makes it a point to bring that up in just about every serious interview he's in.
It annoys me how just because people aren't a fan of their music they think they're just trying to get bigger when they're probably the most humble band around right now.

That's also the reason they hired Brain Eno to help them Viva la Vida and their next album, to get better not bigger.

Last sunday I went to Nightwish. It was definitley the best gig I've ever seen! Good setlist, great show and lots of fireworks. There also was a gorgious girl selling orange juice which doubled the quality of that night.

@Comet, I think Ride6 meant soundwise, not fame or ego wise.

Yeah, sound wise. Production wise... Bringing in Brian Eno will always result in bigger sound...

Ride6

I wish Radiohead fans were better show-goers, I'd really wanted to dance and such, but with everyone standing there I had to just watch. Shame really.

i had a seat under the roofed part of the outdoor arena. perhaps not the greatest thing to see the band. sigh.

I went to see Tommy Emmanuel yesterday.
It was 60€ for about 3 hours with a... breathtaking setlist. It was just magical.

Based on festivals.
No real order

-Justice
-MGMT
-Foals
-Digitalism
- The killers

Gigs, No real order.

-Basement Jaxx
-Mark ronson
- Kooks (Liverpool Barfly special Radio 1 intimate gig + leeds festival 06 Radio 1 tent.)
- Air Traffic

Metallica, ALL THE FUCKING WAY!
I just got home from the Magnetic World Tour Frankfurt.
...
...
...
Metal up your asses. They're back.

-Ratatat
-Arcade Fire
-Guster
-The Shins
-J5
-Incubus
-The Crystal Method

going to see Aerosmith and ZZ Top in July

almost got to see OneRepublic and Danger, but both canceled on me the day of the concert.
I'd most like to see Danger live at the moment.

sound and atmosphere-wise, Manchester Orchestra is one of my all-time favorites. they're great on record, but they're mind-blowing in a club. one of my favorite shows of all time.

stage presence-wise, Thursday comes to mind, and Minus the Bear. so good.

oh, and United Nations.

Muse, Tally Hall, Coldplay have all done pretty good concerts that ive been to

Edited by Gwazi, 19 May 2009 - 06:57 PM.

sound and atmosphere-wise, Manchester Orchestra is one of my all-time favorites. they're great on record, but they're mind-blowing in a club. one of my favorite shows of all time.

stage presence-wise, Thursday comes to mind, and Minus the Bear. so good.

oh, and United Nations.

When did UN play a show? I thought they weren't allowed to...

And definitely agree with you on Thursday. Seen them two times (both at Warped) and Geoff just puts so much into each song, I love it.

Others: Motion City Soundtrack, Sugarcult, My Chemical Romance has always put on a great show (especially at the arena tour I saw of theirs a couple years back), Weezer & Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Biggest let down was Coheed & Cambria.

they played a show in DC on Inauguration Day.

Great Concerts
Destiny's Child
The Ting Tings
Kanye West
Kings of Leon

Concerts That Will Be Great
Britney Spears - June 14th
Michael Jackson - July 10th