What's the best live performance you've ever seen?

[AMBR]

*Brainstorm - PPV!
*Tad Morose - PPV & Powerfest '05
*Morgana Lefay.. Powerfest '05

Gotta agree with Sh0k0rok with those.

So many shows. Hard to pick a best or favorite since many were so different.

I have to say, though, Nightwish at the Ice Palace in Kitee, Finland was mind-blowing. Not totally flawless, but the energy of the crowd and the lighting/fire/water effects along with the power of the music was an incredible mix. I doubt I'll ever see anything quite like that again.

 

[mitchgx]

I'm old, so I've seen a lot of shows...but the one that stands out to this day is Queensryche on their Rage for Order tour. Their Empire tour is considered their first headlining tour, but while supporting RfO they did a few headlining dates out West (IIRC, the supporting bands were Keel and Black and Blue). It was a small venue, and they were on top of their game. That was when they were doing the goth-glam look, and it made for a great atmosphere. The show opened with DeGarmo sitting by himself on a stool with the stage bathed in green light...he started playing the opening to Neue Rigeul, and Tate slowly walked on stage wearing a full length overcoat. Very cool beginning to an awesome set.

 

[Tess]

Gosh this is hard. I just love live music so much. A band that I normally wouldn't care for on disc I love to jam to live. Something in my blood I guess......

Off the top of my head I am going to say Edguy at PPIII. I was so stunned after their performance.

I may revise later!

 

[STRONGARM]

As far as technique goes - Dream Theater- hand down. Just amazing
As far as overall sound - Nightwish. They aren't my favorite band, maybe in my top 15, but live they were just amazing. I was not prepared for them to sound that good. Tarja's vocals were absolutely flawless, and the rest of the band had the most full, complete sound I've ever heard. I can never find the right words to decribe that show, but I'll never forget it and can't wait to see them again.

 

[King Lek]

So many shows......I have seen many preformances that have blown me away.

The David Bowie- NIN show years back was absolutley fantastic. Especially the way they blended from NIN to Bowie without a stoppage of the show.

Midnight Oil.....Absolutly stunning performance that blew me away, as well as the people I went with who knew little about them. A shame they never came back to the states to play (that I know of anyways).

Back in the day Meatloaf always put on a fantastic concert and show, especially the period when he pretty much was forgotten. Saw him back at the Queens festival in '86. Came on after the Wailers.....late at that he was. Only did a few songs but probably the best performance of all the times I have seen him.

.......Southside Johnny.....would always have the house rocking....always felt like you were part of the party....always a fun night.

soooooo many good shows.....

 

[Walter_Langkowski]

Off the top of my head...

Rush in 1991 at ISU Redbird arena for Roll The Bones tour. Totally mesmerizing.

Faith No More in 1992 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chi for "Angel Dust". If you weren't there then you'll never understand...

Solitude Aeturnus opening for Mercyful Fate in Chi in 1994 for "Through The Darkest Hour". Had never heard of these guys before but completely and utterly blew my mind.

King Diamond in 1998 at the Rave in Milwaukee for "Voodoo". I had seen KD with Mercyful Fate many times before, but this was my first for the KD band. Just awesome with the stage scenery and those classic late 80's Metal anthems.

Iced Earth, Nevermore, and Ion Vein at J.J. Kelleys in Lansing in 1999. I really don't think I need to say much more than that lineup. And it cost $5 for the show. I'm not joking.

The Gathering in Nijmegen, The Netherlands in 2000 playing in a tent in a festival that held 14,000 people. Just a completely awesome experience as TG have some of the best songs I have ever heard. Anneke VG was completely on the vocals that night. Tarja who?

Evergrey at the PP in 2003. Blew my mind. 'Nuff said.

 

[J-Man]

1. NIGHTWISH in Scottsdale Az on the "ONCE" world tour 2004

2. Jethro Tull in 97

3. Yes in 97 also

4. Innerwish at a club in Athens Greece 2003

5. This one will show my age, Black Oak Arkansas in 1972

6. Robin Trower in Munich 1975

 

[lady_space]

Hmmm... there are a lot of shows I've seen that are very good in different ways... energy, musicianship, showmanship, etc., but the one that just (literally!) gave me chills and mesmerized me from beginning to end was seeing Marillion for the first time, in 2002. They played 'Brave' live. I was stunned. Don't know that anything will ever top that, but I'm looking forward to trying.

Shaye

 

[Angrafan]

1. Savatage- Rio de Janeiro 1998! Perfect show! It was my first time seeing them.. First ever Savatage brazilian tour, on the Wake of Magellan tour!

2. Savatage- Monsters of Rock, Sao Paulo brazil... The festival itself rocked (Slayer, Megadeth, Manowar, Saxon, Dream Theater, Savatage, Glenn Hughes)... And Savatage stole the show that night! And a very good portion of the 35 thousand people agreed..

3. Savatage- Chris Oliva tribute show, october 17th 2003


Yeah, I like Savatage

Other honerable mentions: Porcupine Tree, Opeth, A perfect Circle, Radiohead, Pain of Salvation, The Dave Matthews Band, Ark, Bruce Dickinson...

 

[thesungoesdown]

I would have to say ( in no particular order ):

Marillion in Rochester on the Clutching At Straws tour
Tool at the Agora in Cleveland on the Aenima tour
Trouble BWBK fest 2003
Accept Agora 1984
Joe Satriani Peabody's Cleveland Surfing tour
King's X Peabodys 1988
Overkill Peabodys 1989
Hypocrisy BWBK fest 2005
Raven Phantasy Niteclub Clevealnd 1984
Metallica Wasp Armored Saint Variety Theater Cleveland 1985
Venom Slayer Exodus Variety 1985

Just a few off the top of my head...

 

[booB]

Solitude Aeturnus opening for Mercyful Fate in Chi in 1994 for "Through The Darkest Hour".

Solitude Ae-fricking-turnus. You lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky bastard.

 

[roamer]

1. Savatage on the Poets and Madmen tour at the Masquerade in Atlanta- far and away the best show I have ever seen. They just grabbed the audience by the soul and took us for a ride.
2. Angra at PPIII- Last concert of the weekend, and most everyone was exhausted but I thought they edged up over Edguys performance to take number 2.
3. Edguy at PPIII.

 

[kittybeast]

Jeez, having to look back at 25 years of shows, I'm going to go with what comes to mind first.....

1983 US Festival- best show ever for $20 bucks, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Triumph, Ozzy, Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Motley Crue, Quiet Riot

1984 Black Sabbath

1991 Slayer and Testament- I stood on the bleachers and watched the most brutal pit I've ever seen!!!

Any Yes or Rush show I've ever seen since 1986!

Iron Maiden DOD tour, 2 nites, 2 pit, 2 backstage, 2 incredible to describe!

The latest mind blowing show I saw was Queensryche doing the entire Operation MindCrime.....absofuckinlutely phenomenal!!!

 

[FatesFan]

I, like several of you am in my late 30's and have seen many shows over my years. Not many invoving the bands we speak about on this forum however.

Just a few would be:

Van Halen(with DLR), Jorney, Rush, Sammy Hagar, Raven, Slayer, Megadeth, Exciter, Twisted Sister, Nazareth, Dio, Rough Cutt, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax, Ozzy, Metalica, The Police, The Ramones, Yngwie Malmsteen, talas , Steve Vai, Rhapsody, Manowar, Holyhell.......etc.

I have to agree with several on this thread that said:

Queensrye on the Empire tour! This was an amazing show. Mind Crime back to back.....WOW! That was as tight a show as I have ever seen. Every thing was perfect. The lights were awsome. It was like a religious experience. Hands down the best show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The best "amature"( meening before anyone knew who they were and before signing a record deal) performance I have ever seen would have been HELSTAR. When I was a about thirteen or fourteen I had a band that player in a battle of the bands that only had about 4 bands in it. We all pretty well sucked. After we had all played, a few cargo vans pulled up and several long haired hispanic guys rolled out and started unloading marshall stacks, a double bass Tama drum kit, flash pods and all kinds of stuff. Then they proceeded to melt everyones mind as they took the place by storm. We competed again several years later to the same results: They won.

 

[The.Lost.Hatter]

this thread is just freakin EVIL. I can't decide out of the few live performances I've been to...which I can say progpower has helped me out with live performance count, but still! Its too hard a decision so I'll post my top5 favorite live performances.

1) Jon Oliva/Savatage - ProgPower
2) Tad Marose - Progpower
3) Queensryche on tour with Judas Priest - Hifi Buys Amphitheatre (Atlanta)
4) Rhapsody on tour with Manowar and Holy Hell - Masquerade (Atl)
5) Children of Bodom on tour with Iced Earth and Evergrey - Masquerade (Atl)

 

[Walter_Langkowski]

Solitude Aeturnus opening for Mercyful Fate in Chi in 1994 for "Through The Darkest Hour".

Solitude Ae-fricking-turnus. You lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky bastard.

Yeah, I consider myself lucky because as I mentioned, I had never heard of them before and that show is still the only time I've seen them live. Also, they have become probably one of my top tem faves of all time so I consider myself extremely lucky on that!

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Living where I live makes it hard to see good metal shows without traveling and well I am a broke ass.
Iced Earth, Evergrey, COB - Pops St Louis
Life Of Agony (River Runs Again Tour) - Forgot the name of the Venue it was in Lincoln, Neb
Machinehead and God Forbid - Granada Lawerence, Ks
Chimaira and Soilwork - Bottleneck Lawrence, Ks
Opeth and Moonspell - Bottleneck Lawrence, Ks

Soon to top all of them PPVI, I am so pumped for this concert because I dont get hardly any power or prog concerts in this area, and this will be my first festival.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Judas Priest - June 21st 2005 Atlanta
Iced Earth - The Glorious Tour Atlanta Date
Savatage - PP5
Helloween - Rabbits on the Run Tour Atlanta Date

Brent

 

[dargormudshark]

Peter Gabriel-Up Tour

Evergrey-PP4

 

[Layla's Dad]

Top 5 for me:

1) Rush - Grace Under Pressure ('84) This was one of several times I saw Rush at the Omni in Atlanta. This particular time I had very good lower level seats and the setlist and video presentation was perfect. Fastway opened.

2) AC/DC & Cheap Trick - ('78) AC/DC was on the road for Powerage and Cheap Trick for Heaven Tonight. This was held at the Atlanta Symphony Hall.
I actually went to this show because my girlfriend at the time was into Cheap Trick. They opened for AC/DC on kind of a co-headlining thing. When AC/DC
started, I couldn't believe how much energy Angus had, out in the crowd and all. It was an amazing performance.

3) Ministry, Body Count, Sepultura ('92) Helmet were originally to take the slot that Body Count occupied but their drummer had been injured in a wreck a day or two prior. So all three of these bands played with all kinds of intensity as a type of dedication to the guy that was injured. Body Count had played the Masquerade the night before so they easily slid into the slot vacated by Helmet. This gig was at the Lakewood Fairgrounds.

4) Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind ('83) At the Omni again. This was the first time I had seen them despite two previous visits to Atlanta (in '81 opening for Priest at the Fox & a headlining Agora show in '83). I spent the night for tix at the Omni the Friday night before they went on sale. I couldn't believe how intense Bruce was and how perfect Steve played. Quiet Riot opened.

5) Black Sabbath - Born Again ('84) At the Fox from 2nd row stage center. I have never heard anything so loud in my life when Ian Gillan screamed. I've seen Sabbath with Ozzy, Dio, and Ray Gillen but this was my favourite time. Night Ranger opened this one.

I could pick a bunch really but these stand out. Someone mentioned Van Halen's Women and Children First tour. That was a good night. Blue Oyster Cult shows were always remarkable (by the way, Georgians, BOC/Foghat will be appearing in Peachtree City at their amphitheater for two nights in September). I'll never forget the pit I saw at the Suicidal Tendencies gig at the old Metroplex in '86. Total insanity.