Best concert you've ever attended?

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Boone

Boone

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Since there are conversations going on in other threads, thought this might be an interesting thread topic?

I'd like to know what've been your most amazing experiences, as well as the show you never made happen that you wish you had.

I'll start. Now - keep in mind - I'm a child of the 60's, so that obviously colors some of my choices.

Best I've seen?
I've seen Bruce and the E Street Band 10 or more times in every decade since the 80's. There is no other band I would want to see live more than Bruce. My favorite tour - the Darkness on the Edge of Town tour - mainly because it's really the only album Bruce ever did that was pure guitar-driven kick ass rock. It is the rawest, most powerful album he's ever done, and it was effing magical to see Bruce and the E Street Band in their prime just ripping it.

One of the best shows I ever saw was my first. Boston, on their first big tour, at the Capital Center. They were incredible.

And in recent years, I would have to say Brandi Carlile is my favorite performer. Seen her and the twins numerous times, including very early on in her career when no one knew who she was and I got to watch from 10 feet away and chat with her after the show, a memory my daughter who introduced me to her will never forget.

Concert I never made happen and regret most? It's easy. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I think Petty is one of the most underrated artists of his era. I literally cried when I heard of his passing. I don't know why I never made it a point to see him. A distant 2nd for me would be U2.
 
It's hard not to say Notorious BIG since I dont know anyone else that has seen him in person and I was in the very front. I also loved Lynard Skynard, Imagine Dragons and Def Leapord. I still think Imagine Dragons would an AMAZING Super Bowl Halftime show.
 
Boone said:
So list your many favorite children lazybones...
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Off the top of my head? Boston, Ozzy, Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, Metallica, Scorpions, Pink Floyd, Rush, AC/DC, Van Hagar, Heart, Kiss, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Accept, Twisted Sister, ZZ Top *, Yngwie "Fucking" Malmsteen, Crack the Sky, Triumph, Mountain, .38 Special, Dokken, Pantera, The Pretty Reckless, Robert Plant, Plant/Page, the Firm, Twisted Sister, Ted Nugent, Yes, Huey Lewis and the News, Cheap Trick, Kix...there's more, but those are the good ones...except for ZZ Top

*very disappointed...during the Eliminator tour...very well done, but a very short show.
 
I think the question though was - what were your MOST favorite experiences...
 
A single concert at this point for me is very tough. I have lots of different tastes, but predominately hard rock and metal obviously. Some of my highlights are:

*Rush in 1997 (very long show, was two separate sets called “An Evening with Rush”)

*Ozzfest in 2004 (Priest had just reunited with Rob Halford. Also, the original Black Sabbath line-up played as well)

*Motley Crue “Carnaval of Sins” tour in 2005.

*Metal Masters in 2008, including Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath with Dio), Testament, Motörhead, and Priest.

*Judas Priest at Meriweather Post in 2010 celebrating 30 years of their American breakthrough album “British Steel”

*Van Halen in 1998 with Gary
*Van Halen in 2004 with Sammy
*Van Halen in 2007 with Dave

*Bad Company in Solomon’s Maryland in 2015.

*GnR in 2016

*Sammy Hagar in 2024

*Metallica last month and in 1997 at the Cap Centre

Outside of rock and metal Rascal Flatts put on a great show in 2007 in Baltimore.

Forced to choose a single show, I would have to go with Van Halen in 2007. Only because I grew up a MEGA fan of that band and seeing Dave and Eddie share the stage for the first time when I never believed that it would ever happen was surreal. Their first tour after the reunion with Dave was their best of the three. Only downside was Michael Anthony was not a part of it, so it was not a full reunion of the classic line-up.

There are countless others. Those are my highlights. I LOVE live music.
 
My biggest regret is not catching any of the Rush shows after their return in 2002.

Now I can’t because Neil is gone.
 
Commander PK said:
A single concert at this point for me is very tough. I have lots of different tastes, but predominately hard rock and metal obviously. Some of my highlights are:

*Rush in 1997 (very long show, was two separate sets called “An Evening with Rush”)

*Ozzfest in 2004 (Priest had just reunited with Rob Halford. Also, the original Black Sabbath line-up played as well)

*Motley Crue “Carnaval of Sins” tour in 2005.

*Metal Masters in 2008, including Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath with Dio), Testament, Motörhead, and Priest.

*Judas Priest at Meriweather Post in 2010 celebrating 30 years of their American breakthrough album “British Steel”

*Van Halen in 1998 with Gary
*Van Halen in 2004 with Sammy
*Van Halen in 2007 with Dave

*Bad Company in Solomon’s Maryland in 2015.

*GnR in 2016

*Sammy Hagar in 2024

*Metallica last month and in 1997 at the Cap Centre

Outside of rock and metal Rascal Flatts put on a great show in 2007 in Baltimore.

Forced to choose a single show, I would have to go with Van Halen in 2007. Only because I grew up a MEGA fan of that band and seeing Dave and Eddie share the stage for the first time when I never believed that it would ever happen was surreal. Their first tour after the reunion with Dave was their best of the three. Only downside was Michael Anthony was not a part of it, so it was not a full reunion of the classic line-up.

There are countless others. Those are my highlights. I LOVE live music.
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Thank you - you just slayed it. :cheers:
 
Steve Vai. OMFG, I was right with him about 6 feet away, thought I was gonna die.
Rush. No explanation necessary.
Mana. (Mexican rock band, fucking awesome.)
Malmsteen. (Saw him at least a dozen times, even at his worst...have picks and his cigarette butts to prove it.)
 
I'm not sure about the best concert I've been to, but the funnest one I've been to, was seeing the Beach Boys on the Mall for the 4th of July in the early 80's. I think that was the year that Nancy Reagan had to get involved for them to play that year since the Interior Secretary Watt had banned them from playing since the Beach Boys attracted the wrong crowd. I guess I was the wrong crowd that year.
 
Ashburn Dave said:
I'm not sure about the best concert I've been to, but the funnest one I've been to, was seeing the Beach Boys on the Mall for the 4th of July in the early 80's. I think that was the year that Nancy Reagan had to get involved for them to play that year since the Interior Secretary Watt had banned them from playing since the Beach Boys attracted the wrong crowd. I guess I was the wrong crowd that year.
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I was an enlisted Marine at that time and brought some Marine buddies up for that one. I remember we had a big cooler full of beer in glass bottles. A mounted DC police officer came up to us and said 'You can't have bottled beer here. Get rid of it'. I got a little attitude and started to take the beer over to a trash receptacle. The police officer stops me again and says 'Hey! What are you doing?!' 'I'm getting rid of it!' I replied. He lifts his mirror shades up and says 'I said get rid of it. I didn't say throw it away. Have a good 4th Marines'.

That was a fun show and I believe that was the last Beach Boys show on the mall.
 
Ashburn Dave said:
I'm not sure about the best concert I've been to, but the funnest one I've been to, was seeing the Beach Boys on the Mall for the 4th of July in the early 80's. I think that was the year that Nancy Reagan had to get involved for them to play that year since the Interior Secretary Watt had banned them from playing since the Beach Boys attracted the wrong crowd. I guess I was the wrong crowd that year.
Click to expand...

I was at that one! IIRC, I believe that was their first one on the mall and the best one. Nancy Reagan saved the day! The weather was perfect - clear blue sky, sunny, low humidity. It was a super nice day. We brought beer in - canned Budweiser on ice in coolers. Bottle rockets too. Whistling Moon Travelers - left over from Spring Break. Great time! Getting home on the metro was not much fun though.
 
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