[ScottLevi]

Just got back from seeing The Kills live at the O2 institute in Birmingham and dang they were amazing. I haven't seen too many bands live but consider them all legends in their own fields (The Prodigy, Dizzie Rascal, Pendulum, Ocean Colour Scene, Modest Mous, Foals for example)  and didn't get expect this relatively unpopular band to smash them when it comes to live performances.

What about you guys and girls, any incredible live performances worth a shout-out?

[AnitaFox]

I love live music, bands in particular.   I saw Bon Jovi once who were nothing short of amazing. 
One of my guilty pleasures is Robbie Williams.   For me, he is a stellar performer. 
I'm quite lucky in that we have alot of great local bands up here, not that I get out as much as I used to! I will never forget a particularly energetic rendition of Pulp - Common People that got everybody Bon their feet and singing along,  it would rival Mr Cocker himself!
Glad you enjoyed your evening :-)
Cheers
A

[Boydie]

Prince live is was ( ) always amazing - was lucky enough to see him 3 times (Wembley arena, O2 and the Hop Farm)

+1 to Bon Jovi - I have seen them 5 times as my wife is a huge fan (twice at Milton Keynes Bowl, Twickenham, the London O2 and again at Hyde Park) - they have always been awesome shows

Bruno Mars was particularly good at the O2

Beverley Knight at the Albert Hall was pretty special - what a voice!

A more "up and coming" band I have seen a few times lately in London is "The Spitfires" - they are a great little "Jam influenced" mod band - not usually my thing but a friend took me and they give a great show

[Alan Starkie]

Seen The Kinks, Lenny Kravitz, Paul McCartney at the NEC when he was plastered on the front pages of all the papers because he was back doing Beatles stuff since never!

Best gig EVER though was Iron Maiden at the lil' ol' Apollo in Manchester.

They blew everything else out the window!

...bring your daughter, to the slaughter.....

[PopTodd]

Best gig EVER though was Iron Maiden at the lil' ol' Apollo in Manchester.

They blew everything else out the window!

...bring your daughter, to the slaughter.....

Jealous of Maiden. Never seen them, but would still love to.

The very best show that I have ever seen is somebody that many of you may not have ever heard of:
Tom Zé

He is a leading light of the Brazilian Tropicalia movement that got more recognition from his peers than he did from the public, at large. Folks like Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Os Mutantes cite him as an influence, play his songs, and collaborate with him.
He's now 81 years old and still making music that is just as startling as it ever was; just as creative and incredible.

But, anyway, I saw him back when he was a mere lad of 65—at a venue in Chicago, IL, USA called The Park West. It was just as much performance art as it was concert, with the man tearing at his clothes, and using giant power tools as percussion instruments.
The only time he toured the States and he only brought one musician with him, but used a Chicago-based band named Tortoise as the bulk of his backing band. They were phenomenal. Still the best show that I have ever seen.

And I have seen Prince (who is as amazing as you said).
And I have seen Bruce Springsteen.
And I have seen Big Star.
And I have seen so many great bands.
Tom Zé topped them all -- at age 65.

[delb0y]

The smaller the gig, the better for me these days. I've seen Springsteen and AC/DC and The Who and ZZ Top and scores of others all on stages where they've been nothing but mere dots on the horizon. But more recently I've seen Wizz Jones and (separately) Jeffrey Foucault at gigs so small that I could literally have reached out and adjusted their tuning. Jeffrey sang acoustically at one point, the gig was so small, and Wizz climbed down from the stage and had a chat afterwards and I got to shake the great man's hand. Not so long before that I saw the recently departed Louis Stewart at gig where I was equally close (by the way - Louis is by far the finest guitar player I've ever seen live). Those are my favourite gigs and luckily the people I like are generally so obscure that they play those types of shows!

[Boydie]

OMG - how could I forget this one...

I played in the support band at a gig where the band that walked on stage after us was....

Guitar: Eric Clapton
Guitar: Andy Fairweather Low
Keys: Gary Brooker (Procol Harum)
Guest Guitar: Joe Walsh (The Eagles)
Guest Guitar: Pete Townshend (The Who)
Bass: Dave Bronze (Procol Harum)
Drums: Ringo Starr (The Beatles)

It was an insane night and to be backstage (and even play in front of these guys) was a definite highlight!

I can't think of a much better super group!

[ScottLevi]

Holy smokes that is a lineup Boydie, how could you forget something like that for even a split second!

Plenty to be jealous of all round but I'd love the to see The Who and they're in Birmingham next April might give them a try, was they as good as you'd expect delboy 'cos I'm just imagining the price tag.

Forgot to mention seeing Madness in Dec too thinking that should be a good'n

[CaliaMoko]

This will date me in a serious way, but, oh well....

Popular big name performers did concerts at my college at least once a year. I can remember seeing the Cowsills, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, John Denver (twice--once before he was famous), Seals & Crofts. I was on the security team for Seals & Crofts, so I didn't see the whole concert, but I did get to ride the bus with them from the concert venue to where some of their support staff was afterwards. Jimmy Seals talked to me the whole way and Dash Crofts (who was very low key all the way through the concert) slept. I saw them again a couple years after I was out of college, and Dash was a whole different person--very lively. They were both invited to a party I went to after that concert. Jimmy was there, but Dash got lost and never found the place.

My favorite concert, though, was a house concert, so not many people were there and it was a very personal experience. That one was by singer songwriters Don Henry and John Vezner (their big hit was "Where've You Been" sung by Kathy Mattea). Country style. That was just last year, I think...maybe the year before? Not the song, the house concert.

Mostly these days I don't get out much.

Vicki

[tone]

Hmm, I've not been to nearly enough gigs for my liking for reasons far too boring to go into here, but here's my top 5:

5: Beth Orton in a tiny festival tent in about 1998 walked away from Kinikie to see who this lady was, and did not regret it for one minute.
4: The Zutons (supporting the Who in about 2007, the who were a big let down by comparison)
3: The Retreat - now defunct band from my hometown, last seen when I was about 19 so naivete may have played a part in their impact.
2: (The) Make Up - NYC band who came to Brighton, never heard of them before or since by MAN did they cook up a vibe
1: Crowded House 2007 (aside from being my fave band, I'd never seen them live and didn't know what to expect, but they were exceptional and way beyond my expectations)

Honourable mentions to Rufus Wainwright and John Grant, who despite being 2 of my fave songwriters, just didn't quite deliver the emotional kick I hoped for. But they were still excellent.

On my to see list are Ray Lamontagne, Laura Marling and The Staves. Oooh and I wouldn't mind seeing Pearl Jam if their live videos are anything to go by (might be a bit ear-achey though)

[MartynRich]

I saw the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley which was an amazing occasion. I´ve seen Extreme (superb), the Quo, Van Morrision (he stormed off in a huff but still fantastic), Lenny Kravitz, Radiohead and Gary Moore. My best gig though had to be Page & Plant at the NEC. Stunning gig with loads of Zeppelin numbers but my main memory is the accordian solo where the lights were set up so a huge silhouette of him was all across one side of the arena. Very psychaedelic and trippy but amazing musicianship.

[S.T.C]

Best live music doesn't always mean best band or artist. I've seen quite a lot of the big stars and festivals over the years, Amnesty day at Wembley...Tracy Chapman,Sting ,Peter Gabriel and Springsteen i remember as a great event..i was close to the stage............Bowie both at the Milton Keynes bowl and a small Tin Machine gig...Moody Blues...my first heavy rock Reading festival as a 19 yr old really kicked....recently seeing David Gilmour at the roman arena in Nimes was special...but i've also seen lots of small intimate gigs ,some with 'names' others less well known ,these tend to be great live events also.

[PaulAds]

I saw "The Prisoners" supporting "The Ramones" at Newcastle's Mayfair Ballroom around '86 and I thought they were fantastic.

Oddly enough, I don't much care for going to see bands. Never have.

I was home alone watching Live Aid in '85 video recording various parts for my older brother...so I sat through it all...the longest day of my life. Maybe you "had to be there" but I'm very glad I wasn't.

[Binladeda]

 I saw Jo Harmon a couple of weeks ago.  The best
 gig I've been to for ages.  She's on tour atm, so if
 you get the chance......

 She's a local girl who's 'going places', as they say
 Just finished a sell out tour of Holland, and was voted
 best voice on BBC radio 2.

 One of the best gigs I've ever been to, has got to be
 The Stones at Knebworth 1976.  Lynyrd Skynyrd
 blew me away....Free Bird became one of my all time
 favourites songs.

 

 Can you see me...


..

[Jamie]

Here are the ones I can remember!

James Taylor
Carole king
ELP*6
Yes*5
Genesis*5
Black sabbath
Deep purple*2
The stranglers*2
Peter Gabriel
Uk
Led zeppelin
Focus
Uriah heep
Wishbone ash*2
Rory Gallagher
Humble pie
Hawkwind
King crimson*6
Supertramp*2
Sparks
Status quo
Jethro Tull*3
Foo fighters
Biffy clyro*2
Queens of the Stone Age
The fratellis
Prince*2
Frank Zappa*2
Band of skulls*2
Queen*4
Bill brufords earthworks
Bastille
Muse*2
Dizzy rascal
Roxy music*2
Radiohead
John McLaughlin
David Bowie*5
Seasick Steve
The police*2
The who
Fanny
Family
Jack Bruce
Caravan
Gentle giant*3
Greenslade
Strawbs
Van der graff generator
Premiata forneria Marconi*2
Wynton Marsalis
Twisted sister
Simple minds
Mr big
Mott the hoople
Gaz Coombes *2
Beck
Pet shop boys
Temples
Aquilo
Spectors
Martha reeves
Belle and Sebastian
Tom Odell
Peter hook
The undertones
Tom hickox

They were all great in their own way!
Jamie