Imago said:

You've seen Arts And Deacy live? "Mescal" used to get lots of play in goth clubs here a long time ago. Loved that song until I read the lyrics.

Loreena McKennitt in London and in Cyprus. both shows were great

Deep Purple. They were promoting that Bananas album

those are the only good ones i think

considering i've only been to two concerts. in which i was invited and did not have to pay for the ticket.

Dream Theatre was opening for YES- it was alright

GWAR-That shit rocked! GWAR is the best live showever! they went to hell and fought satan.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleroes- Nobody is better than Joe Strummer, nobody

George Clinton- fantastic

Marleys- I refuse to rate them as individuals, the whole family is just the best

War- Too much fun and still kickin after all this time

Pearl Jam- saw them twice, great both times

Nirvana- okay this makes six, but I saw them in a small university venue and they were amazing.

By far the best:

Fishbone - Paradiso in Amsterdam (1993 or 1994 i think)

I was deaf for 3 days after that...lol, but what an energy, power and drive that band had!

Other honorable mentions:

Prince - Lovesexy in The Kuip stadium, Rotterdam (1988), shitty sound (no roof, very windy), but my first real live-concert.

Urban Dance Squad - Werfpop, Leiden (around 1989), like a whirlwind, loud and in your face.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Melkweg, Amsterdam (1992 i think) - Jon appeared high as fuck (and rather creepy to me), but what a nice slap of raw, noisy blues-punk-rock!

Mary Black - De doelen, Rotterdam (2008) - Her delivering a really mesmerizing, acoustic version of Song for Ireland: such great vocals.
[Edited 8/16/09 14:44pm]
[Edited 8/16/09 14:45pm]

sextonseven said:

YES!

I saw them in a Irish pub near Sembach Germany. There were no more than 30 people in the audience and I met and spoke with the handsome and charismatic lead singer.

I complimented him by saying that they didn't get caught up in the regular sylelized trappings of goth music.

he responded with, "UGH. I don't even want to think about goth! Now, Rock 'n' Roll--I'll talk! "

He was charming. I was drunk. The show was great.

Unfortunately, I went to the show by myself cause none of my friends wanted to stay up late that night so I had this mindblowingly good time and nobody to share it with.

sextonseven said:

OMG, send me the lyrics!

I never paid attention to the lyrics.

They were a minor phenomenon in Germany during the early 90s. When I was there this year, I couldn't find them stocked at the music stores there.

1DirXtion said:

The Bucharest show being sold separately on DVD is the same show that is included in some editions of The Ultimate Box Set. Some Ultimates have 4 CDs, and no DVD. Others have the DVD.

1.Jimmy Rosenberg
2.All 13 times I saw prince.
3.All 3 times I saw funkadelic
4.Bowie 4x
5.Duran 3x

I've seen alot of shows but these were really cool.
[Edited 8/17/09 3:19am]

In no special order:

Prince
The Mars Volta
Ani DiFranco
Seal
Erykah Badu

Prince - Lovesexy 1988 (Philadelphia)
Madonna - Who's That Girl 1987 (Philadelphia)
David Bowie - Glass Spider Tour 1988 (Philadelphia)
Duran Duran - Notorious Tour 1987 (Philadelphia)
The Time at The Quest Minneapolis March 1997 (Terry Lewis was sitting in on bass that night, and of course The Quest was the old Glam Slam on N. Fifth St.)

Imago said:

you may have gone TO the show by yourself, but it sounds like you didn't go home alone

Bjork in Chicago ~ life opening

Bjork in Toronto ~ twice

Tori in Toronto. She was completely possessed that night.

Prince ~ I've loved all of them but the first time I saw him was truly special for many reasons.

Sigur Ros in Ann Arbor ~ the most surreal show I've ever seen

David Bowie in Detroit

Tricky in Pontiac and Toronto

Depeche Mode in Pontiac ~ mesmerizing

I've only added shows I've seen in this half of my life.
[Edited 8/16/09 17:17pm]

* Michael Jackson ( and with the Jacksons)
* Prince (all I can't count how many times)
* Marilyn Manson
* Sade
* D'Angelo

Anxiety said:

Wat was the prank?

JayJai said:

Wasn't there a prank where a curtain came up or something, and everyone thought it was Prince standing there, but it was just a mannequin? I remember hearing that back during the tour, in some magazine.

Beck
Aerosmith
Madonna
U2
Tina Turner

Bela Fleck and The Flecktones / Take 6 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, 1990 - first concert ever.

Už Jsme Doma at Iowa State University, Ames, 1998.

Fugazi / The Faint at Kobol Hall, Omaha, 1998.

Guided by Voices at 40 Watt, Athens, 2000.

TV On The Radio at Bottletree, Birmingham, 2009.

exenn said:

I know that show was off the chain. I've seen Bela and the tones a couple of times, met Victor a couple of times, he's a real cool guy. Never seen Take 6 but I am a fan, they are dope!!

It was a great first concert experience, and this was The Flecktones' first tour for their first album. I miss Howard. Saw Victor in Ames with his brothers in 1998, and that was pretty damned exciting too.

Take 6 were, when they still had Mervyn, truly unique,

1. Badu / Arena Theatre / 09
Theatre in the round, this was a charity show; very laid back, chill, not about the money (read: stoned) Badu, weeks after she gave birth to her 3rd child. Danger was morphed into something otherworldly.

2. Tina Turner / Staples/ 00
My 17th row to the right where she played much to the crowd ( I could see her back muscles outlined), she blew "Help" and a whole in my 19 year old soul.

3. Janet Jackson / Oracle Arena / 08
yes i know some of it was mimed for the killer dance routines that recreated her classic vids but this was showmanship, audience ecstasy and eye candy as no other production has given the fans

4. Prince / Cox Arena / 04
The heartache, sexual hunger, and unshakeable confidence of funky swather swallowed the arena whole - and that was just his singing voice. He broke out Lets Work, Pop Life, Kiss...mmm mmm mmm!

5. Madonna / HP Pavilion / 06
Unparalleled energy and in the 8th row! With the catwalk in place and only being three seats out from it, I finally got the up close / personal / raw TALENT of simmying, shaking, unrestrained vocals and choregoraphic wizadry - that undefinable it that she showed them in danceteria. And that disco, final section - FIYHAH!

HONORABLE MENTION
TLC at the Pond - bad seats, still the loudest I've ever screamed when the lights went out and hearling Lisa rap live was of another world

Teena Marie 2003/2004? Anaheim- she sang for 3 hours straight! She took request and she was rocking it all 3 hours!

Culture Club 2004 San Diego- Seeing one of my idols after such a long hiatus was a long overdue dream come true!

Prince 1983 San Diego- Seeing Vanity 6, The Time and Prince all in one night?! I'm still not worthy!

Prince 2000? Jam Of The Year- Getting to see him scaled down in an auditorium just feet away was too cool!

Teena Marie 1990? Redondo Beach- I met and talked with her Mother after the show and gushed like a little schoolgirl!

ernestsewell said:

no - they did like three or four songs, then prince said "good night, indianapolis!" and they went off stage and the houselights came up as if the show had ended...and then after a few minutes, the lights went back down, they came back on stage and prince said "APRIL FOOL!"

it was my first concert ever. i about had a heart attack.

Down - Birmingham, UK. 2008

Heavy Blues/ Southern Rock/ Metal/ I Don't Know WHAT You'd Call It band featuring Phil Anselmo (former Pantera lead singer) and Corrosion of Conformity frontman Pepper Keenan on guitar.
Awesome! Powerful, passionate, groovy, heavy....sweet!


Morrissey - Birmingham, UK (I forget the year but he previewed tracks from You Are The Quarry)




Manic Street Preachers - Wolverhampton, UK. 1994


Touring then-new album The Holy Bible - Great band, on great form.


Big Country - Birmingham, UK


(The late Stuart Adamson pictured, RIP.)
Not one of my favourite bands of all time, if I am honest, but easily one of the best gigs - great energy, really good atmosphere. Adamson had bags of self-effacing charisma. Good fun!

Some skinny motherf*cker with a high voice...- O2 Arena and IndigO2 club aftershow


The gig itself was cool but not probably wouldn't have made my top five on its own, same for the aftershow, but add the two together and it was a great experience, very enjoyable.







BIG live music fan here, I have to add.

This is very difficult as I´ve seen so many concerts in my life.

I would have to mention:

Radiohead, OK Computer Tour, 07/02/1997, Cologne. I´ve seen them many times since and they are still great, but as OKC is my favourite album, I have fond memories of this tour.


Pink Floyd, The Division Bell Tour, 08/02/1994, Cologne. Still the greatest show on earth. Even U2 can´t come close with the 360-Tour (though it´s great)


Morrissey, Maladjusted Tour, 12/08/1997, Hamburg. I adored him since I was a teenager, so seeing the man live for the first time in a small club in the red light district in Hamburg with maybe 300 other people was fantastic. He had such a raw energy that night.


Prince, Aftershow, 12/27/1998, Cologne. I´ve seen every tour since Diamonds & Pearls, but this was my first aftershow. I was in the first row and even danced on stage with him later.


Metallica, Wherever We May Roam-Tour, 11/24/1992, Dortmund. Just WOW! I´ve never lost that much sweat at a concert. They were at teir peak, touring the black album.

Nelson4Life said:

The Mars Volta are SO good live!

Imago said:

The lyrics were in the CD of theirs I used to have. All I remember now was the chorus was "Look for the Hopi" over and over.

Prince SOTT Utrecht NL
Prince ONA Rotterdam NL
Pink Floyd A momentary lapse of reason tour, Rotterdam
Lenny Kravitz 1993, Rotterdam
Stones Urban jungle tour Koeln

runners up:
Roger Waters In the flesh, Rotterdam
Level 42 2009 Utrecht
Zuchero 2008 Utrecht
Tom Jones 2000 Rotterdam
and many many more....
[Edited 8/17/09 9:09am]

I've seen so many concerts in my life that this list is going to be ever-changing, but here are five that stand out right now:

1. Garth Brooks - Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Houston Astrodome), 1992. Garth had just blown up. The Gulf War was on. Garth and his band walked from the livestock penning area to the stage (stage was in the middle of the floor, so it as about a 50-yard walk). They all had dusters on, and Brooks' sister was carrying an American flag. We went NUTS. And then Brooks absolutely tore the roof off the Dome. I was in the skybox section, at the top of the Dome, and I actually felt the floor shaking. Tremendous show.

2. Jerry Jeff Walker - Claudio's Restaurant, 1998. This wasn't really a concert, but it will always stick in my mind. JJW had played the American Cancer Society benefit that night, and afterwards my wife and I went to get his autograph. I noticed JJW drinking a whiskey and Coke. Since I'd heard he'd quit drinking, I told my wife, let's stick around because this could get interesting. Sure enough, about 6 of us went with JJW to a little bar/restaurant at 1:30 AM. Luckily, I suggested JJW bring his guitar. To make a long story short, we listened to one of the greatest songwriters ever IMHO play a private show for us. We had to leave at 4:00 AM on account of a babysitter, but JJW played until 5:30 AM. Pure magic.

3. Tamar with special guest Prince - Houston, 2005. I put this concert in not because I got to sing with Prince, and even impressed him with my stage moves (as far as I know, and no one will ever convince me differently, LOL). And not because during the show, some big dude accused me of spiking his wife's drink with ecstasy, which must have explained why she was hitting on me (none of which was true but it was hilarious anyway). Simply put, I have never seen a human play the guitar better or more pleasing to my ear than that night. I stood in line for basically 5 hours to see this show, and I'd gladly do it again.

4. The Del-Lords - Fitzgerald's, 1986. The best rock band that never made it big. These guys were fantastic. Beyond fantastic. Truly, truly talented. They have a greatest hits package that might still be available. If you like real American rock, I highly suggest it. If I ever win the lottery, I am going to pay these guys whatever it takes to get them back together and play an "I Won The Lottery!" concert for me and all my friends. You'll be invited!

5. Bruce Springsteen, "Born in the USA" tour 1985/"Working on a Dream" tour 2009. I saw a couple of these shows - the BITUSA tour was the first time I'd ever seen Springsteen live. I couldn't believe the energy! He actually wore me out. He kept playing and playing and playing and I just couldn't scream any more. Fast forward 25 years to the "Working on a Dream" tour, and guess what? The man - who will turn 60 next month - has not lost an ounce of energy. Holy moley! But the best part of the show was that it was my daughter's first Springsteen concert, and when I asked her what she thought, she said, "It was great, but you know what the best part was? Seeing YOU so happy!"

errant said:

It was such an incredible rush for me, he could have read the phonebook. I was 18 at the time. I had the time of my life. Ive seen him a total of 6 times now.