Which band blew your mind away live?
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There are lots of great live bands but maybe these were most memorable for various reasons:
Magma (just hypnotic), Lazuli (very entertaining live band every single time), The Pineapple Thief (great prog rock with incredible drummer), The Musical Box (playing and re-acting old Genesis. Too young to see the originals but just in time to see the remakes), Le Silo (super high energy duo or trio, don't even remember, but man that was wild), Aranis (they don't exist anymore unfortunately) -
Phish number one for me.
Unexpected awesome live shows: Blondie, Violent Femmes, The Proclaimers
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Quite a few:
- Underworld
- Chemical Brothers
- Beastie Boys
- Black Grape
- Puressence
- Songhoy Blues
- Pulp
- Alabama 3
- Jim White
- Portishead
- Beth Gibbons (of Portishead, but solo)
- Kog and the Zongo Brigade
Probably a few others
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ADRV
Cajun and Creole art nerds throw the best parties.
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KC Roberts and the Live Revolution tend to release highly produced tracks, but awesome live too.
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Thievery Corporation
Amazing
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That worked out!
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Glass Animals, hands down best concert I’ve been to! My GF wasn’t thrilled about going but by the end she was dancing like crazy. They’re much more impactful and energetic live than their recorded stuff would make you think!
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Slift, they are an amazing experience live! Three guys from France with a live sound that's just massive. You'd never think it's just the three of them. Amazing show, lots of energy and the visuals make it a perfect experience. Mind blowing!
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I've seen a lot of great shows, but:
- The Octopus Project: I've seen them live at least four times and they never disappoint. just great fun, really talented folks. watching them trade instruments mid-song is always a delight.
- Battles, during the Gloss Drop tour: wow, the ability of those musicians. never seen anything like it.
- Open Mike Eagle: I don't know if it was his most "on" day ever or if he's always like that, but I was absolutely transfixed. captivating performance.
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Whipping Boy, an Irish alt rock band, late 90s Birmingham: I’d never even heard of them before a friend dragged me along. Jaw-flappingly stunning vocals, great songs, lyrics, instrumentation. Thought they were going places, especially on finding a couple of singles/EPs and the album Heartworm, but they broke up not long after. I bought everything they put out and still love when their stuff randomly plays on shuffle.
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A little old school here, but Tom Petty and the HB were always fantastic live, I got to catch them several times.
I also once was socially-dragged to a Sheryl Crow concert at the Ryman, and even though she's not usually my thing, that show was fantastic. She had a bunch of folks from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra playing with her band that night, and I've never seen a group of classical musicians have so much fun. They really made it an unbelievable show.
My favorite concert story was that we went to a "Best of the 80s" concert in Indiana in the late 90s when I was a teen (bands that performed included Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, and a few one-hit wonders I'm struggling to remember right now). At the end, the promoters took the mic and apologized to everyone that the show was ending a little early, the closing band, Missing Persons, couldn't make it. My friends and family I was there with laughed our asses off the entire way out of the arena, but it didn't seem like a single other person there got it.
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I saw Stephen Page live as part of some group doing a Christmas concert. His vocals absolutely stood out from the others and was just so powerful. I wish he was still with the Barenaked Ladies, but I've still enjoyed a lot of their work without him.
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Tauk - they blew me away from their albums too, but after having seen them live for the 2nd time last week, figured I had to post. Their drummer is incredibly hard-hitting and energetic, and keeps it going for 3+ hours
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between the buried and me has never disappointed!
Josh Scogin in any band he's in (the chariot, norma jean, '68)
broken social scene
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I saw Against Me in 2004.
‘nuff said.
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death grips, quite literally as I started up front and got way overwhelmed and slowly started moving back as the show went on. it got to the point where I got outside and proceeded to puke in the trashcan. great show though!
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Pantera and White zombie in 1997. Metallica in 1993. Ozzy and Sepultura in 1998. Those bands were unbelievable to see live at the time and blew me away. Still vividly remember those concerts.
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Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie both had amazing stage shows in the last decade. I can't compare them to shows back in the day but if you get a chance they're still worth it.
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None. It's like they've never really lived up to the hype and attending live music events has somehow always made me uncomfortable. Same with movie theatres.
The most immersive and impactful musical experiences I've had have been me sitting alone listening.
