This is a very difficult question, for me to answer. I have attended concerts, since I was 16-years-old. I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, where resided, a very famous local rock club, called L’Amour. I believe, it was on 62nd Street, between 15th and 16th Avenues? Their policy was 16 to enter, 21 to drink, so I practically lived there, as a teen.
I saw so many great bands, at that club. White Lion was the house band, because the club’s owners managed them (and later on Tora Tora). Kix, it seemed like, were there, twice a month. Iron Maiden, even played the club, under the moniker, Charlotte and The Harlots. Also, many famous musicians, would hang out there, when they were in town.
So, I will say, most of the live shows I have seen were pretty darn great. Some highlights just off the top of my head: Judas Priest‘s 30th Anniversary show of British Steel, Blue Murder at L’Amour, Seeing Lynch Mob many times, in various venues, Tora Tora at L’Amour, Bon Jovi at MSG for his Slippery When Wet Tour, L.A. Guns at Studio One in New Jersey, Ozzy on his No More Beers tour. Too many to name.
Worst? I really cannot pinpoint, any show that I attended, that was terrible. Usually, if I left a show, highly annoyed, it wasn’t due to the band’s performance, it was predicated on the people sitting, or standing, around me (it always seemed as if I was surrounded by a-holes-LOL.) . Additionally, if a show was far too loud (such was the case when I saw Badlands and Mr. Big), or a band member stormed offstage, and ended the show early, or they wanted to finish watching a movie, and started the show almost three hours late, that would also sour the experience.
Finally, as a vertically challenged female (I am barely 5’1), I found that many of the men, at general admission shows (which was what most clubs were), were very rude. They would all stand in front of me, turn around to notice how short I was, smile, and would never tell me to stand in front of them. Only ONCE, in all of my many, many years of attending shows, did the men allow me, to stand in front of the stage, and that was for a Lynch Mob show. Chivalry, must died in the 50s-LOL!
45 Responses
Best :Marillion at the Ritz 119 East 11th in Manhattan.
Accept at L’Amour March ’84……..so loud…..it HAD to be good.
Worst: Rolling Stones……setlist was good…….but the arrangements had us shaking our heads. They seemed to be half-assing everything.
George, that Crue show, I was there. New Haven 1990. They played for 60 minutes, and after Tommy fell, they said when we come back we will honor the tickets. Nope, as you said, they kept the $. The next time they came back was same state, different city. I remember when Lee hit the floor, 9,000 people all gasped. It was pretty funny, actually, like when you blew up a milk carton with your foot in the cafeteria at school lol
You very funny! They played maybe 15 minutes. On the way home I just thinking of Tommy lees stupid circus act! I don’t remember who opened up for them that night? We were partying so hard back then that we probably just put the Crue cassette in and was over it quickly. Very glad Tommy was ok.and no splatter! Haha!
Worst Concert – Sadly, the 2004 Van Halen reunion tour (San Antonio)…Eddie was a SHAMBLES that night; during his “solo”, he was schreeching out “notes(?)”; next to us was a Dad and his son, who might have been seeing VH for the first…I cleary recall him asking his Dad “What’s he doing” during his terrible solo (and performance). Glad he sobered up by the time we saw the Roth reunion.
Best – tough to say as there have mostly great ones, so here are a handful that stood/stand out:
Dio – Sacred Heart 1986: the Dragon, crystal ball & Sword, incredible (BTW: the show was in Phily, which was filmed & released as the concert video).
Depeche Mode – 2023 Houston…never seen them, but have been a fan awhile; brilliant show, lots of keyboards and effects, but all played LIVE from the stage, and the singer still has his voice; highly recommend if you haven’t seen them!
Iron Maiden – 2024 Salt Lake – Future Past tour: “Alexander The Great” first time live (‘nuff said); still kicking max ass, geat opener in The HU (favorite new band, and the audience dug them); sadly one of Nicko’s last shows (funny moment: soon as they hit the stage, the house sound went Down; came up after a minute or two, and Bruce commented after the second song, “It sounded great up here!”)
First: Kiss first appearance at MSG in 02/77 – Never smelt as much mary jane in my life.
Best: The Police first appearance at MSG in 01/81 – the place shook (I know I was in the nose bleeds). Loved their extended jam sessions
Worst: GoGos at MSG with Flock of Seagulls – the sound system was horrendous as well.
Interesting: Weird Al opening for the Monkees in the late 80s in NJ.
Lots of other shows – those stood out
Great POLICE show, Stewart Copeland broke his floor tom and there was a 10+minute delay…..which made for a ‘Yellow Rose of Texas’ moment. Jools Holland (Squeeze) did a solo performance piano as the opener. It was POLICE very first LARGE venue, and was big news at the time.
I’ve seen hundreds of shows of various genres over my “career”. Not sure these were the best but were certainly among the most memorable.
Triumph on the Allied Forces tour. Great musicians and they were at the forefront of stage production: lasers, pyro, and moving lighting
rigs. Mountain opened, I think. Another great show was Scorpions opening for Rainbow. Always like to see the headliner get challenged by
the opener. Blackmore did not disappoint.
I try to keep an open mind and can’t recall a terrible show. In the category of interesting, Bon Jovi opening for 38 Special.
Fight the good fight!
Silas: Yes, they were playing Do Do Da Da when someone threw a bottle into Stewarts drum and the band went into Yellow Rose. Once the drum was fixed they replayed Do Do Da Da. Agreed, considered big news for an 80s band to play MSG -and man they did not disappoint.
Was fortunate enough to see all three play solo shows in 2024…and they could still regroup (will never happen) and not miss a beat…. and Andy is 80+
Easy…and they are not even my favorite band…I just saw Slayer at Hershey 2 weeks ago. My God, they were amazing!! I don’t think I’ll ever feel that rush of adrenaline ever again when South of Heaven started.
I, as well, can’t think of a bad show.
Seanchristopher, Slayer is my favorite of all the thrash bands! Great you saw them! I’d love to see them again one day! I totally understand the adrenaline you felt while they performed “South of Heaven”. I feel the same way with many of their songs. There is so much energy at a Slayer show. I’ve seen them countless times, and IMO, they blow away EVERY band they perform with cuz their aggression and energy is unmatched and it just feed their audiences.