OT-What's the best concert you ever attended?

I got pissed at work today and started playing some Hendrix. I'm pretty sure it was so loud that nobody wanted to interrupt me. I was also air guitaring so people stayed away but it made me realize how much I need to get away soon and go see more live music events.

This is a diverse board with a wide ranging age group so I was wondering what YOU would say was the best concert you ever attended and where the venue was for the performance. I was also hoping ProspeCt makes an appearance.

I'll go first. I have eclectic music tastes but a lot of the concerts I attended were dictated by either girlfriends at the time or by fellow drunks who I call my friends. I've seen X, The Blasters, Oingo Boingo, The Rolling Stones, U2, Dave Matthews, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Allman Brothers, Blues Traveler, Phish, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Flogging Molly, Big Head Todd, Tom Petty , blah blah, blah... I could go on-and this is not counting pubs and smaller venues. I really wish I had seen some concerts in the 60s-70s especially, "Jimmy plays Berkeley" but I digress. My best concerts to date were as follows:

U2 2001 in Boston. I think we were all being filmed for a DVD later.

Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh 1982 in Santa Barbara. I was 12 or so with my dad and older brother. We were the only ones not smoking pot at the time.

Rolling Stones 2006 in LA (also in Oakland in 93? or 94?) Great concert. I also saw dragons and gnomes at the Oakland concert but that's another story altogether.

What about you guys? Spill the beans...Go Bears!

Four all told, two of them is Lisbon, Portugal about 20 years ago:

1 - The Pogues in a small indoor venue downtown with very poor ventilation (which meant the "grassy" air quality was high). - Sean McGowan before rehab, fantastic!!!

2 - Paul Simon, Rhythm of the Saints tour at Sporting Stadium - warm summer night, lots of beer, Olodum drum beats unleashed

others

3 - Ladysmith Black Mombazo at Zellerbach about 20 yrs ago - moving, very special

4 - any of the recent Flogging Molly shows at the Fox Oakland - loud, rollicking, fun

Big Brother with Janice, Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. Lotta smoke. Good Gawd, the ladies.

:newnana:

BB King at some tiny little auditorium in downtown Berkeley. Don't remember the name, might've even been BHS gym? Many years ago when I was in HS. Unreal. So small and intimate and informal. Just sat in awe and soaked it all in. One of my treasured memories, and I'm not really a concert guy (but then again this was not really a concert per se, that's one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much).

So far, I envy all of you bastards. Great music and great venues.

1) Electric Blues:
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band with Michael Bloomfield on guitar and Sam Lay on drums, ("Got My Mojo Workin") and the Steve Miller Blues Band with Boz Scaggs on guitar and Tim Davis on drums ("Who's Out Lovin Your Old Lady"), both in a single concert at the Filmore Auditorium, spring 1967.

2) Classical:
(Tokyo based symphony, sorry, can't remember which one, they have several), playing Dvorak's New World Symphony, Ark Symphony Hall, Tokyo, spring 1993.

bobodeluxe;842117341 said:

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big brother with janice, grateful dead and jefferson airplane. Lotta smoke. Good gawd, the ladies.

:newnana:

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kmpx?

Junior year at Northwestern, a fraternity brother knew I was hanging around the house for the weekend, called me up and wanted to know if I wanted to come to Thanksgiving dinner, meet his cousin and his Dad had 4 tickets to CTA as they were known then.

Inside auditorium with a nice haze. Never forget the intro from the local hot DJ: "Ladies and gentlemen, the boys are back home where they belong, Chicago." 2 1/2 hours non stop, great brass, and a fantastic non stop weekend for the 4 of us.

At the basketball arena at NU saw Sly and the family..., Association and The Temptations. Great shows for the time.

Another fraternity brother wanted me to go with him to some gathering in upstate NY, but I had to decline. He came back changed in so many ways...

Day on the Green July 1974: C S N & Y, The Band, Joe Walsh and Barnstorm, and Jesse Colin Young. It was like walking through the Louvre--almost too many masterpieces hanging on the wall to appreciate them all in one sitting.

MoragaBear;842117351 said:

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Day on the Green freshman year at Cal with the Police, The Fixx, Thompson Twins, Madness and Oingo Boingo in '83. The Police were incredible. I actually picked up a dvd recently of them at that concert behind the scenes. Wish they had the other acts, too.

Miss the old Day on the Greens. They had some amazing lineups.

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The Police and Madness in their heyday ON THE GREEN? :headbang

Damn...

:beer:

Talking Heads, Greek Theatre, Berkeley 1983.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/talking-heads/1983/greek-theatre-berkeley-ca-3bd39858.html

God, I went to so many concerts in my youth it would be hard to pick. Some were crazy, some loud, some energetic, some more fun cause of the friends I was with and some just cause of the music and vibe. Most of my concert going was in the mid 70s and 80s so not as much current groups. Stones at the Cow Palace was awesome and I know this will sound weird, but Elton John puts on one of the best concerts for a solo act. I have to admit, during my high school years and after, I went to pretty much all the initial years of the "Day on the Green" at the Oakland Coliseum put on by Bill Graham, where 2-4 mainstream bands played every summer. Not the best venue but I had a blast rocking out and getting wasted in those early days of summer...... Some of the groups totally didn't go with each other but no one cared...I mean, who would think the Dead would be playing with the Beach Boys....LOL

I'll list the ones I went to the first couple of years...I went to most of them through 1981. Saw Led Zepplin in 77 I think when it was one of their last USA tours...they were all a blast.

1974 - Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

1974 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Band, Joe Walsh, Jesse Colin Young

1975 - Chicago, The Beach Boys, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

1975 - Edgar Winter Group, Johnny Winter, Lynyrd Skynyrd,

1976 - Boz Scaggs, Tower of Power, Santana, Jeff Beck, Journey,

1976 - The J. Geils Band, Jeff Beck, Blue yster Cult, Mahogany Rush, Sammy Hagar

1976 - The Beach Boys, America, Elvin Bishop, John Sebastian

I went to many more through 1981 when I moved to San Diego for grad school but the early ones were the best. You can see all of who played at this link. Many a famous and fabulous group for decent prices...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_on_the_Green

Cal_Fan2;842117357 said:

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God, I went to so many concerts in my youth it would be hard to pick.

I'll list the ones I went too......

1974 - Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. 1

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Would never have pegged you for the Grateful Dead my friend. :rollinglaugh:

I agree with you on Elton though...

If anyone says they saw CCR within the first 8 rows, I'm gonna be sick. That's another group I wish I caught. Before my time though...

Coldplay last year at the Hollywood Bowl

Number 031343;842117349 said:

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1) Electric Blues:
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band with Michael Bloomfield on guitar and Sam Lay on drums, ("Got My Mojo Workin") and the Steve Miller Blues Band with Boz Scaggs on guitar and Tim Davis on drums ("Who's Out Lovin Your Old Lady"), both in a single concert at the Filmore Auditorium, spring 1967.

2) Classical:
(Tokyo based symphony, sorry, can't remember which one, they have several), playing Dvorak's New World Symphony, Ark Symphony Hall, Tokyo, spring 1993.

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Michael Bloomfield was a bad bro, bro. When Dylan blew everyone's mind at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival when he "went electric," Bloomfield played lead for him. Unfortunately he had a bad drug habit and OD'd on heroin. What a waste of a great talent.

liverflukes;842117358 said:

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Would never have pegged you for the Grateful Dead my friend. :rollinglaugh:

I agree with you on Elton though...

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Ha....I really wasn't a Dead Head but it was the thing to do plus in hindsight, I'm so glad I saw them. I was more the anything between Journey to Chicago to Led Zepplin to Stones etc. More the mainstream rockers though I did like the Zepplin/Bad Company/Pink Floyd/Blue Oyster Cult bad boys of the day as well....Looking back, I'm so glad that I saw most the the prevalent groups of the day.

Anyone see Pink Floyd live? I hear that's a trip too

liverflukes;842117359 said:

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If anyone says they saw CCR within the first 8 rows, I'm gonna be sick. That's another group I wish I caught. Before my time though...

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They played a dance at St. Elizabeth's High School before they hit it big. Eddie Money played dances at our frat. Fee: $500. He was great and a good guy.

bearister;842117365 said:

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Michael Bloomfield was a bad bro, bro. When Dylan blew everyone's mind at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival when he "went electric," Bloomfield played lead for him. Unfortunately he had a bad drug habit and OD'd on heroin. What a waste of a great talent.

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Saw Bloomfield at the Monterey Pop Festival with his then newly formed group, the Electric Flag, in summer 1967. I thought they were good, but the "hard drive" factor was a notch lower than Butterfield. I was sorry he left Butterfield, he was a significant force, and neither, though very good, was quite what they were together. Very sad he blew himself away. As you note, a major, and sad, waste of talent.

liverflukes;842117369 said:

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Anyone see Pink Floyd live? I hear that's a trip too

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yup......1975 at the Cow Palace. The year I graduated from High School. It was the "Wish you were here" tour....my fav album at the time.

Cal_Fan2;842117374 said:

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yup......1975 at the Cow Palace. The year I graduated from High School. It was the "Wish you were here" tour....my fav album at the time.

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Pics or GTFO...How about this one:

Cal_Fan2;842117374 said:

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yup......1975 at the Cow Palace. The year I graduated from High School. It was the "Wish you were here" tour....my fav album at the time.

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:cry: That was probably an awesome concert!

Madness: ucla 1983
The cure : Hollywood palladium 85
The smiths 85: palladium
U2 85. Hollywood , before the edge was emasculated.
The cult, 1986 santa Monica civic
Radio head London , Brixton academy 97
The Adict's, slims last month

U2 - Joshua Tree Tour at the Cow Palace 1987

liverflukes;842117376 said:

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:cry: That was probably an awesome concert!

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The parts I remember were.....:p

Sting and Natalie Merchant at the Bull Ring (Plaza de Ronda) in Malaga, Spain in the Spring of 1996.

Why? Long story short: Ended up hammered and back stage post concert and partied with both Sting and Natalie Merchant with a group of American friends I was with. Between concerts they played "Jammin'" by Bob Marley and every time he said jammin we all took shots... #GoodNightNow

liverflukes;842117375 said:

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Pics or GTFO...How about this one:

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Wow! That's awesome. Great poster too. As for myself I'd have to say Coldplay at the Hollywood Bowl '02 or '03.

Black Eyed Peas -- Ludacris and LMFAO opening -- Tacoma Dome 2010. Great energy, great effects, sets, and wardrobes.

liverflukes;842117359 said:

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If anyone says they saw CCR within the first 8 rows, I'm gonna be sick. That's another group I wish I caught. Before my time though...

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Well, grab a barf bag, 'flukes. CCR actually played at our fraternity house (under their previous name, The Golliwogs) in the mid-sixties. I believe we paid them $75 plus a keg.

I was also in the front row when Hendrix played his first gig at the Fillmore in '67. He played 2 sets, as did Jefferson Airplane (Gabor Szabo was the third act).

Those were the daze. Is the room spinning now? :bigpuke:

Lollapalooza '96 @ Spartan stadium. Metallica, Soundgarden, Ramones, Screaming Trees, Devo. . I was a senior in high school at the time and my big brother (8 years older) can up with a plan. I cut school for the first time, walked down the street to our schools baseball field, waited in the dugout until I heard a honk. Jumped into a Suburban and that was a start of a great day. I don't know how he pulled it off, but he got me a bracelet for alcohol at the concert. So now I was cool, drinking beers with the big boys and then the trees started to get passed around. The next step was to find a 'chick' to hang with, which I did. We went off to the side and she opened up a sandwich bag that contained what looked like something soaking in soy sauce. She took something out and told me to chew on it and of course I did, she was hot! An hour later when Metallica came on stage, and Lars Ulrich started playing the drums (double base), I was in heaven. One of the best times I've ever had. My folks were pissed at my brother when we got home at around 2 am, but it was well worth it.. You only live once.

Tom Petty @ the greek was a great concert, too.

GoBears58;842117378 said:

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The smiths 85: palladium

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You're killing me, man.

I was just getting into the Smiths when they announced their breakup. So I never saw them live. Aarghh!!

:headbang