What are your top 10 best gigs ever?

[Six String]

Jethro Tull - TAAB tour
Alice Ccoper - Killer Tour
Bruce Springsteen 1976 (in between contracts so no album to tour)
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense Tour
U2 War tour
Peter Gabriel Fourth PG (Security)tour
Alejandro Escovedo @The Palms 2002
Richard Thompson @The Palms 1990 w/Henry Kaiser opening
Randy Weston Volcano Blues tour
Charlie Haden - Nocturne tour

[sloopjohnc]

1. Joanna Newsom - Manchester Palace 2010. It just felt like a privilege to be there, Joanna at her absolute peak with her best backing band, and Roy Harper awesome in support.

Stopped reading after this.

[Jimbly]

In no particular order

Dexys Midnight Runners - The Bridge Tour Edinburgh playhouse
Kraftwerk - Computer World Tour Glasgow Apollo
Yes - Going for the One tour Glasgow Apollo
Jackie Leven any gig
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs Tour Edinburgh Playhouse
Blue Nile - Peace at Last tour Glasgow Concert Hall
Mingus Big Band - Jazz Standard NYC
Prince - 3rdeyegirl - Glasgow Hydro
Tony McManus - PRS Experience Annapolis.
Zappa plays Zappa - Apostrophe. Hmv Picturehouse Edinburgh.

And a special mention to Eels Blinking Lights tour, songs about dying and death. A few weeks after my Mum died. Strangely life affirming.

They also served
Peter Gabriel, U2, Simple Minds, Rush, The Chieftains, The Bothy Band, John Otway, Robert Fripp (in three different guises)

[Minnie the Minx]

1. Kraftwerk - Tribal Gathering, Luton 1997. Probably not their best gig, but fucking hell the atmosphere was astonishing. When the curtain pulled back and "Numbers" started, the whole place erupted into bedlam. More than anything else, the sheer fidelity was what moved me. Crystal clear and bass moving your whole body - you couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't speak for about 4 hours afterwards.

Everything else is a bit meh in retrospect really.

[Darkness_Fish]

1. Joanna Newsom - Manchester Palace 2010. It just felt like a privilege to be there, Joanna at her absolute peak with her best backing band, and Roy Harper awesome in support.

Stopped reading after this.

I had no idea Roy Harper was so disliked...

[Pool Hall Richard]

1. Led Zeppelin - 02 Arena 2007
2. Smashing Pumpkins (Acoustic show) - Raymond Revue Bar Soho, 1993
3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Royal Albert Hall, 2012
4. Eric Clapton - Blues Show, Royal Albert Hall 1993
5. Anthrax - O2 Forum, Kentish Town, 2017
6. Black Crowes - Brixton Academy 2008
7. Motörhead - The Forum, London 1994
8. U2 - Earls Court 1992
9. Bob Dylan - Royal Albert Hall 2013
10. China Crisis - The Horn, St.Albans 2016

[Darkness_Fish]

10. The Legendary Pink Dots - Trocadero Transfer - 11 September, 1997

Probably top of my list of bands I'd love to see. They hardly ever play Britain, and if they do, only London.

[martha]

10. The Legendary Pink Dots - Trocadero Transfer - 11 September, 1997

Probably top of my list of bands I'd love to see. They hardly ever play Britain, and if they do, only London.

I've been really lucky in that I've seen the Dots 17 times since the first time I saw them in 1987. In my opinion they were at their best when Niels Van Hoorn played with them. He brought a special level of fun and warmth to gigs with his wandering horn blower tours of the audience that made the whole bands interaction with the audience better... more engaging and entertaining.... Ka-spels current lineup doesn't really seem to show the same sense of humor and fun that the Dots used to have live.

[bobzilla77]

No particular order, some that really moved me more than usual.

The Who - San Diego Sports Arena 8/00 - front row seats for the best Who show I ever got to see, shortly after they returned as a 5 piece band & were still doing extended improvised encores along with some great catalog stuff I never thought I'd see live - Bargain, Don't Even Know Myself, Relay.

Prince - Sayers Club fall 2012 - being in a tiny room (about 150 capacity maybe?) with him was thrilling enough but the set they did was largely built to showcase Prince's guitar playing, which was just ridiculously good. And there was an exceptionally rare sighting of Andre Cymone, playing guitar and singing on Dance Electric. It just barely shades the shows I saw at the LA Forum in 2011 and the Palladium in 2015 where he kept us rocking for over 3 1/2 hours and left us wanting more.

King Crimson - Berkely 8/82 - I had seen the band at Princeton U earlier that year and wasn't sure what to make of them, having never heard their albums before the concert. I ended up at the Berkely show by accident, was just hanging around in town and started talking to some people in line, who ended up giving me a gratis ticket. That night, I got it, and became an instant fan.

Flag - Moose Lodge Redondo Beach 2013 - This was the first full set by the former members of Black Flag at a private gig, in the same building where Real Black Flag played its first show. It was really as good as I could possibly have hoped.

Matt Groening's ATP Fest Long Beach 2003 - Magic Band, Stooges, Sonic Youth, Mission of Burma, Watt/ Hurley duo playing Minutemen songs, Carla Bozulich & Nels Cline, Terry Riley, Contortions, Shins, Mars Volta. Every act on point in a comfortable field with a great sound system on a nice day.

Mudhoney/ Davendra Banhart ATP 2006 - Scientists, Flesheaters (81 lineup reunion), Jandek, Bert Jansch, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Black Mountain, Country Teasers, David Dondero. And I got to play too! Somehow the oddness/ naturalness of Jandek really opened me up for Jansch and Ramblin Jack, I was blubbering into my glass of wine while Jack sang this nice song about his dog.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse w/Patti Smith, LA Forum 1996 - I've seen him a lot of times and he's usually really good, but this was just searing from start to finish, and Patti made a great support act.

Kiss, Pittsburgh Civic Arena Sept 1976 - I've said it before, to an 8 year old, seeing the opening of this show was like watching Superman fly into the room and pick up a tractor trailer and throw it through the roof. WOW!

PJ Harvey - Knitting Factory 2001 - Intimate show from the Stories... tour, my favorite era of hers. Absolutely the best live sound I've ever heard at a loud show.

Brian Wilson - SMiLE at Disney Hall 2004 - I'd been obsessed with the album for years, and getting to see it performed in a gorgeous orchestral hall with killer acoustics was incredible.

Regressive Aid - Princeton Arts Center spring 1983 - These were guys who lived near me, put out their own records and played the local bars, doing instrumental music that had elements of funk, hardcore and weird prog, played fast and aggressive with all three members sometimes playing percussion. They were like nothing I'd seen or heard, but they were also friendly, humble dudes who were happy to talk to a clueless 15 year old about their music. I think they were probably the most influential band on me, ever. I'll note the first time I saw them which led to me sneaking out of the house to watch them from outside the window when they played a place within walking distance.

Suicidal Tendencies/ ISM - Trenton NJ spring 1985 - my first hardcore show, a total revelation. I went to some other better gigs but this one stands out as being a mindblow.

Replacements - Trenton NJ summer 1985 - I'd heard a handful of their songs on college radio and liked them a lot, but after this show - one of their actual good ones where they just drunk enough - made them my favorite band for a while.

Butthole Surfers - Boston, Channel December 1987 - The full on psychedelic experience.

Kraftwerk 3D - Hollywood Bowl 2016 - Ridiculously impressive, the best-ever use of technology to make a large venue become intimate.

Bridge School Benefit with the Who, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Tom Waits, Pearl Jam, Green Day - besides the great music, a really nice day and a charming event, just great vibes from the audience & performers. And the kids, the beneficiaries of the Bridge School, were onstage all night. When Pete Townshend dropped a F-bomb, you could hear an audible giggle and see the kids laughing their heads off. "Oh no! I forgot where I was for a minute!" Not just a cute show though - the Who performed Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands for what may be the only time ever. And it was the first time I saw Brian, who was incredibly moving even without much of a voice.

Biblical Proof of UFOs - The Complex, Glendale January 2005 I think? - their last show with the Joe Shipman lineup and the best career-spaning set I ever saw them do. Tragically overlooked band from LA via Cleveland.

Dirty Three - Spaceland 1996 - I'd had them recommended to me by a friend and was kind of grumpy staying up til 11:30 to make their set. But once they started I was memerized. They took me from zero to ten in no time flat.

Ornette Coleman - UCLA Royce Hall 2009 - Had Flea not jumped onstage for the last half hour, it would have been EVEN BETTER.

[sloopjohnc]

Replacements - Trenton NJ summer 1985 - I'd heard a handful of their songs on college radio and liked them a lot, but after this show - one of their actual good ones where they just drunk enough - made them my favorite band for a while.

Just outside my top ten. Saw them in 2000 at the Marquee, jam-packed. Chris Mar was still in the band but Slim Dunlap had replaced Bob Stinson. They were touring for Pleased To Meet Me - I'm kinda glad I didn't see them in more of their drinking stage. They put on a great rock 'n roll show.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

1. My Bloody Valentine (opening for Dinosaur Jr.). Liberty Lunch Austin, Feb 1992. Nothing I've ever seen has come close to this. Disorienting, amazing.

2. Mudhoney, Liberty Lunch Austin, fall '91. My first experience of a band just flattening a room. Changed my life. Urge Overkill opened and was very good as well.

3. R.E.M. Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, March 1989. Smallest venue on the Green Tour, and my first real rock show. I was surprised at how much they actually rocked. I know this was the end for some of you guys with a few years on me but they put in a great show that sealed their hero status for me during an impressionable time in my life.

4. Come at TT The Bears in Cambridge, MA, winter sometime between 94 and 96. For a time, Come was a perfect band to me. Two loud guitars, raspy vocals, powerful rhythm section. I saw them whenever we could on the east coast, but I remember shows at TT's the best.

5. Stereolab, Liberty Lunch, Austin, Halloween 1996. Holy shit they just wrecked shop. I think it's hard to imagine how great they were live. I saw them everytime I could.

6. Luna at the Trocadero in Philadelphia. 1993-96. I was always there, with a few dozen friends from school. They were always great, though I'm sure the Penthouse tour was best. First time I saw them was at the TLA in Philadelphia, opening for the Sundays. They played a lot.

7. Original Sins at the Fun House in Bethlehem, 95-96. Don't remember exactly when but I saw them there a few times. They were always extraordinary.

8. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Convention Center Arena, San Antonio March 1990. Ragged Glory tour, Sonic Youth and Social Distortion opening, 17th Birthday. Saw him last year with Promise of the Real outside of New Braunfels and he might have actually been better.

9. Lord High Fixers, wherever, Austin, late 90s. Free Garage Meltdowns a go-go. What a band. They had it all, including chaotic live shows. Tim Kerr put together a few bands after this, but they lacked the nucleus from Sugar Shack that held it down. Some of my favorite shows ever.

10. Jesus Lizard, Austin and Philadelphia, mid 90s. They were just off the chain. If I had to single out a show, it would probably be the first time I saw them at the Troc, in the mid 90s.

Honorable mentions to Brian Wilson SMiLE tour, Paul McCartney at Dallas Thunderdome about seven years ago, Sugar at the Troc, Kraftwerk in San Antonio last year, Flaming Lips on their first WB tours, and something else I'm sure I forgot.

[pig bodine]

Alice Cooper/ZZTop late 1973 Utica Aud My second concert
Grateful Dead Cornell University 1977 - a famous show among Deadheads and heavily bootlegged
The Jam. Utica NY 1978. Some bar who's name I forgot. I was underage.
Minutemen Maxwells 1984
Bad Brains CBGBs 1983
Black Flag. Buffalo 1983. The unrecorded 5 piece with Chuck and Dez. There was a fatal stabbing after the show
Boredoms opening for Sonic Youth Buffalo @ 1991
Black Uhuru opening for the Police Syracuse 1981
Thin Lizzy/Queen Syracuse 1976
AC/DC opening for Rush. Albany 1977

[bhoywonder]

8. Beck, Midnight Vultures Tour

Yeah, that was pretty special, thinking back to it. Great stage set, stunning performance. Debra sticks in the mind

9. Swans Manchester 2010. Lots of good gigs in 2010 in Manc, it would appear. Swans just reactivated, before they went too prog with The Seer.

I saw them maybe 3-4 years ago, and thought they were incredible still. A real assault!

6. Black Crowes - Brixton Academy 2008
9. Bob Dylan - Royal Albert Hall 2013

I was at these too. Great shows, both!

[Darkness_Fish]

9. Swans Manchester 2010. Lots of good gigs in 2010 in Manc, it would appear. Swans just reactivated, before they went too prog with The Seer.

I saw them maybe 3-4 years ago, and thought they were incredible still. A real assault!

I've seen 'em 3 times (soon to be 4), but the second time was really disappointing, on The Seer tour. Part of that was due to the over-crowded small venue, but part was also due to the overly repetitive nature of the music. On the plus side, Sir Richard Bishop was superb in support. That man can play a guitar.

[Nuts]

That was hard work - I'm sure there's some corkers I've missed but hey ho (definitely a big gap in the 90s - what am I forgetting??)

Radiohead - Hammersmith Apollo - 2006
PJ Harvey - Brixton Academy - 2016
Dead Kennedys - Lyceum - 1981
Elvis Costello - Hammersmith Palais - 1984
Smiths - GLC South Bank Festival - 1984
Suede - Brixton Academy - 2011
Paul Weller - Hammersmith Apollo - 2015
Pixies - Brixton Academy - 2004
Beastie Boys - Glastonbury - 1994
Elvis Costello - Glastonbury - 1987

[joels344]

1. Kraftwerk in 3D - Moogfest 2014
2. Leonard Cohen - Asheville, NC 2009
3. Faust - Asheville, NC 2009
4. Lou Reed - Asheville, NC 2008
5. Swans - Asheville, NC 2011
6. Elvis Costello - Knoxville, TN 2008
7. Sigur Rós - Asheville NC, 2013
8. Built to Spill - Asheville 2016
9. Guided by Voices - Asheville, NC 2012
10. Beach House - Asheville 2012

[Hightea]

Pink Floyd-7/4/77- MSG - 10th row on the floor, firecrackers, m80's and PF. Amazing but dangerous show as fireworks were being thrown all over the place.
David Bowie -11/28/78 - Spectrum, Philly - first time seeing Bowie and parts of this show became the Stage Album-5th row center as my brother slept at the Spectrum for tickets.
Neil Young -9/23/78 - RUST NEVER SLEEPS” TOUR -3rd row for most of the show
One for Woody Show- 9/21/00 - Benefit for Allen Woody of Govt Mule who had died. Allman Brothers, Phil Lesh and Friends, Black Crowes, and Govt Mule with several guests. Warren Haynes played the entire time(except two Crow songs)- 7 hours.
u2 - 11/22/81 - Ritz(now Webster Hall). Never heard of the band but my girlfriends brother begged me to drive him to the city for the show. They opened with Gloria and I was hooked.
King Crimson- 2/26/82 and 3/6/82 - Rutgers and Alexander Hall, Princeton- first shows with the new KC.
Gong Unconvention 06- 3 days in Amsterdam with my favorite band and all the gong family bands including the reformed Steve Hillage Band.
Woodstock 94 - 3 days(2nd in the rain) lots of great performances.
Kraftwerk - MOMA, NYC -4/10/2012- Autobahn show-first night of their 8 day run. Won tickets and loved the small museum setting.
Tori Amos-Beacon 10/11/01 - was the third night in a row seeing her. This was a month after 9/11 and Tori had us in tears.
tie: Radiohead - 10/11/00 - Roseland(2nd row) and Radiohead 8/17/01 Liberty State Park (last time we stood looking at the Twin Towers)

Honorable mentions: REM(several shows in the early days), Grateful Dead-Raceway Park 77(with Marshall tucker/New Riders), Coachella 04, PJ Harvey(Pianos, NYC - guest list only-under 100 people-6/04),NEARfest (all 10 of them), Patti SMith(CBGB 79), Lou Reed Bottom Line 80, ATP 08-Catskills many more

[Hugh]

1. Jethro Tull - 1976 Calgery Stampede Showground
2. Genesis - Wind and Wuthering tour 1977, Edinburgh Playhouse.
3. Planet Gong - Floating Anarchy 77 tour, Edinburgh George Square Theatre
4. Bruce Springsteen - The River tour 1981, Edinburgh Playhouse
5. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs tour, Edinburgh Playhouse (although Franks Wild Years tour might have been even better)
6 .Elvis Costello and The Attractions - The Spectacular Singing Song Book tour, Edinburgh Playhouse (Friday night )
7.. As above - Saturday night.
8. Van Morrison - No Guru; No Method, No Teacher tour, Edinburgh Playhouse
9. Gong - 2032 tour, Edinburgh Playhouse
10. King Crimson, 2015, Edinburgh Usher Hall, Thursday night. I'm sneaking in the Friday night as well as joint 10th

[bobzilla77]

King Crimson- 2/26/82 and 3/6/82 - Rutgers and Alexander Hall, Princeton- first shows with the new KC.

Wow, two of us at the same Princeton show - in about a 600 capacity venue. I recall they did an early & late show, but still!

Alexander Hall is one of my favorite venues I've ever seen music in. I got to perform there myself when the Trinity Choir performed Haydn's Creation there. Also saw Fripp doing a talk/ Frippertronics show, David Johansen, Mamas & Papas and Stanley Jordan there. Oh, and also, the Flying Karamazov Brothers!

[Count Machuki]

1. Kraftwerk in 3D - Moogfest 2014

whaaaat that was my number one, too! I went to both nights!
all right!