Whether you're jumping up and down in the pit, standing in the back nodding your head, or chilling on the grass way behind the crowd, there's nothing like live music. So take us to those sweaty cellars and balmy summer festivals, and tell us about the best live show you've ever seen.
Tell us the story in writing or in video form, and feel free to include images or clips if you have them. The only requirements are that it be any show of live music - magicians don't count, sorry - and that you were there in person. The best seven stories get $5 apiece. And if you're coming late to this bounty, don't worry, it won't be the only time we run it!
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I'm not typically one for live music events, preferring soundtracks and that kind of thing. You're more likely to find me in an opera or a concert hall than at a rock festival or rave party. However, my occasional forays into live concerts are always memorable, especially one spontaneous experience I had while abroad.
Out of the blue, my PR manager called with an intriguing offer: "Hey, want to go to a concert? We need coverage there." Curious, I asked who was playing. When she said The Offspring, I didn't hesitate, immediately gearing up with my cameras.
Alone and needing to be in multiple places at once, I set up one camera for automatic shots on top of a light tower, while I positioned myself in the photo pit near the stage.
The concert was a throwback to my teenage years – the music of The Offspring resonating with familiar energy. But what truly stood out was the sheer force of the crowd's enthusiasm. Even though I wasn't the intended recipient of this wave of emotion, it nearly engulfed me in the best way.
Standing there, amidst the throng of fans, I felt part of something larger than myself, something truly magnificent. The experience was not just about capturing images, but also about capturing a feeling – an indelible part of that night's collective energy.
Great story, and how cool you got to get so close! I've seen the Offspring a few times and it's always a great time - perfect mix of hits and deep cuts. Love that band.
I have so many good nominations for this one, but if we are after the absolute best, I have to go big.
Queen + Adam Lambert 4th November 2017, Budapest.
I'm sure you have all seen the '86 Queen concert recording from Budapest. My dad worked for the Hungarian Film Studio at the time, so he was at the concert for work and he came home with a cassette tape recording. He died a year after Freddie, and I was listening to that cassette until the tape tore...
I've seen Q+AL in Wembley before, but I had to see them in Budapest, because Budapest gets a special song, to quote Freddie 'From Queen, to you'. So for the next tour I paid a fortune to get VIP tickets and queued since morning to be front row. It was the first concert where I didn't take a picture or recorded anything, because I wanted to live in that moment.
Adam understands the crowd and plays them like a fine instrument, no matter where you are, you have the feeling he is singing for you only Best showman I've ever seen. Down to Earth and humble, not trying to replace Freddie. Brian and Roger has so much energy still, I would have easily paid that money just for Brian's guitar solo.
Support band? Queen doesn't need a support band. You pay to see them, and that's exactly what you get with a 2,5 hrs setlist.
Instead of picking one particular song, here is a great compilation of the setlist:
Mine would be the Eurovision Song Contest final 2023 in Liverpool and I'm going to count this as being a music festival. Apologies in advance but this is a long story.
I was so looking forward to getting tickets for the final hosted in the UK and probably my one and only opportunity to go, but they sold out in seconds. I checked every day for more tickets or people refunding them to be relisted with no joy.
So on the eve of the final id just finished playing fortnite with a few people and it was gone 11pm. I thought, right let's just have one last check just incase people have had friends drop out at the last minute or something. Amazingly for the first time ever when refreshing, a single ticket would appear, but be instantly unavailable a split second later. Somehow I managed to be the fastest person to click on one of the few tickets that appeared (1 ticket allowed only)! I paid my money, found a hotel in the city centre and booked it (at a horrendous price), then went to sleep.
Next morning I got up, explained to my wife (who fortunately was supportive) I was off to Liverpool for 2 days on my own with no notice, quickly had breakfast, jumped in the car and off I went down the motorway! There was a train strike that day of course so the roads were very busy and it took what felt like forever to get into the city centre and check in. Fortunately I did get a few hours before the doors opened to take in the city atmosphere, everywhere was absolutely packed in the outdoor festival zone and the whole docks area. You could barely move.
The show itself was so impressive, everything from the set design, the lighting, the amazing friendly party atmosphere. My favourite act was Australia's voyager and Finland's Käärijā.
It turned out my seat was a block of 4 and all 4 tickets had been put up for sale that night at the same time, I was sat next to 3 women from across the country who had all come on there own with 1 ticket like I had and bought them at the same time that night. They were great company, whoever they were! We all chatted all night through the performance and had a great time together.
I can honestly say the whole thing was the most amazing music festival experience I have ever been to and the whole experience will never be topped for me I am sure. Not just the amazing show with amazing people and atmosphere, but also how it was such lucky timing to get one of those 4 tickets. The spur of the moment independent thing to just buy the tickets that night without consultation with anyone and then leave the next morning straight away on my own to a city I'd never been to before to a show on my own!
Bonus pictures for evidence! I barely took any as I’m one to enjoy the experience rather than constantly take photos and video, so phone was away all night other than pre show and a couple during the interval prep while the tv had cut to various promo vids.It looked like they had a lot of problems and panic getting that liver bird setup that went up to the ceiling (and on tv you only saw coming down with someone on it).
Lol yeah... I've added a couple of pictures for evidence and also show off how well the arena was presented with the stage design and all. (and also submitted a bug report via the google form for something).
Due to some fairly extreme social anxiety around crowds, I haven’t been to many, but in 2009 Disturbed (my favorite band at the time) was touring Indestructible and I saw them at the Arco Arena. That concert introduced me to Skindred who I really dug for a long time to follow and, naturally, Disturbed was sick.
I had a decent phone at the time and during Ten Thousand Fists I got an epic shot of David Draiman with his foot on a stage amp, microphone held up in salute, backlit by a perfectly timed flare of the lights, standing before a sea of raised fists. That image could have been a poster, man. Could have been a poster.
That's interesting! I saw Disturbed at Alexandra Palace in 2019 and they were supported by Skindred then, too. Love both bands, amazing show. This was after Disturbed's cover of Sound of Silence and... yeah, that live was something else. Do you still have the photo? :-D
Brandon Saller is an incredible vocalist with powerful pipes. I originally got onto them as a teen, admiring his multi-instrumental abilities - particularly that he could play drums and sing clean vocals simultaneously. Since a line-up change, he's become the main frontman, and another drummer has taken up the sticks. Believe it or not, they're not a favourite band of mine, but a tale of two halves makes them the best band I've seen live.
I was fortunate enough to see them early in 2023 while they supported Bullet For My Valentine. The venue had incredibly clear audio equipment that put the vocals front and centre. Usually, most local places drown the voice out with distorted instruments. Such is the sound of harder rock. That already tipped it to be one of my all-time favourite gigs, but it was the reason. Instead of a rinse-and-repeat routine, they felt more like a garage band. The whole crew had fun on stage, laughing, sharing inside jokes, and changing up who played what.
Surprisingly, they started playing Whitney Housten's I Wanna Dance With Somebody, a song no one expected from Atreyu of all bands. They stopped just as he started to sing and were met with a myriad of boos. We wanted more, but it was just meant as a joke. Atreyu promised that those who attend their headline tour later in the year would get to hear it in full.
Fast-forward to late 2023, and they were once again stellar performers. The crowd restlessly shouted and screamed for the cover in between songs, but the band played dumb. The singer and bassist shrugged and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." The curtain called, lights faded to black, and that was it. No cover... at least until the guitarist came out with a saxophone in hand.
Apparently, he'd only bought the instrument on Amazon a couple of months prior, so he could only tease a few things he'd learned. There was a snippet of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up, Tequila by the Champs, and, of course, George Michael's Careless Whisper. They were a bit shaky at best but a great deal of fun. Then, the rest of the band joined him for the moment everyone had been waiting for. The crowd was in uproar, shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs. It was the least rock moment at a rock gig and the thing I've enjoyed live more than anything.
As someone who is decidedly music through and through this is tough. How do I even begin to quantify what best even entails?!
So I'm going to be greedy, as is tradition with my channel and my love of High Fidelity I'll give you a top 5 in no particular order.
Reading 2001 - my first ever proper concert. The first band I saw? Run DMC. A pretty solid first band to ever see live!
Nine Inch Nails at the Royal Albert Hall - the aircon may have had to be switched off resulting in an uncomfortably warm concert but god damn did they put on a hell of a show. Just pure Trent energy throughout.
Weezer in Brixton - I remember going with my friend and her boyfriend at the time and I left them for dust because I was so excited and just threw myself into the crowd. An incredible set and very grateful I got to see them at a smaller venue!
MC Lars - Any MC Lars gig I've been to has been incredible. I'm on the liner notes of one of his albums, and I think out of the 20+ shows I've been to, I've ended up on stage with him at least 14 of those. Including, at the Roundhouse for the sell out Bowling for Soup show where he was supporting. https://youtu.be/e6BykCI7DnI
David Ford - a tough one to pick as I've seen so many of his shows and it's the fact he's just a dry witted, friendly guy that knows how to entertain that pips him into a top 5 ahead of the likes of Smashing Pumpkins and Yellowcard. If you haven't heard of David Ford he was the lead singer of a short lived indie rock band called Easyworld back in the early 00s. If you want to check out a fine example of his work look no further than the song State of the Union on Youtube.
It was Brixton Academy! Tegan and Sara of all people were the support act! My favourite London venue has to be Koko. I've always had bad luck with Brixton gigs getting cancelled!
This is a really tough one for me. Music plays such a huge part in my life and has since I was very young.
If I had to choose one I think it would have to be Hella Mega Tour where we saw Weezer, Fall Out Boy and Green Day. Green Day were my absolute FAVOURITE band for a long time, since I was about 8. I never got the chance to see them and it always upset me. Due to various issues the Glasgow show had been postponed multiple times (COVID and a few other things) but because it was delayed so heavily I was able to go. Weezer and FOB put on incredible sets themselves, big fans of both bands so it really was just a perfect concert for me but when Green Day came out it just felt like the most healing thing ever before they had even played a song yet. I could badger on about how much I loved this concert but I'll stop by just sharing my absolute highlight. They played one of my all time favourite songs, a song that means a lot to me; which felt really special to me because they NEVER play this song, its called "Waiting" (https://open.spotify.com/track/390SemxFYgPZ3FfGVqiIqt?si=4d5110bf984a4f5c ) and obviously they played it for us because we had been "waiting" a long time for them to eventually be able to put on the show and as soon as I heard the opening chords I was a MESS, that song gave me a pinch of hope in some really tough times and I was hearing it live in a field with my sister by my side when life was going better and it just felt really poetic. That memory will never leave me for all the best reasons.
Honourable mentions to Blink 182, The Killers and The 1975 for other incredible gigs. I've never really been to a "bad" gig, they all hold a special place in my heart and always will.
I saw the London show last year! Absolutely incredible. I've seen Green Day before and expected big things, but they surpassed them, somehow. I'm a fan of Weezer and Fall Out Boy too but had never seen either of them live, and they were also amazing. Really, truly great show.
My best gig experience was definitely seeing Gojira in Manchester.
I hadn't been to many metal gigs before and was a bit nervous but everyone was so nice! I was definitely overthinking it because Gojira is on the lighter side anyway. Moshing was so fun because I could just let a bunch of energy out while listening to really good music. Also their opener was alien weaponry, who I listen to a lot now and really enjoy, but I don't think I would have stumbled across them otherwise.
Best gig... that's a hard choice and I don't think I can pick exactly one favourite. As others had said, all gigs had, one way or another, been special. Let's pick two of them:
Depeche Mode gigs
They are Depeche Mode, do I need to say more? Dave Gahan has a presence on that stage, he is larger than stage, their music comes alive, it flows with emotions, it's more than just music. I've seen them more than once and yet... when the grain field moves and Dave Gahan sings how "I'm taking a ride with my best friend" it's an emotion, when everyone claps on time with "All I ever wanted All I ever needed" it's an emotion, or when clings to the microphone with his "personal jesus" just as so... and these are just 3 of the recurring moments that cannot be missed in any of their concerts. Yes, I love Depeche Mode.
Lacuna Coil at Fabrique, their home show
Lacuna Coil had been one of those bands that "were there when nobody was" so seeing them live had been on the to do list for many years. Coincidentally, it also happened to be the first gig I went alone. I'd do it again, 200%. Cristina is as charming on stage as she is when you meet her at conventions and you see that they are truly passionate about what they do. Another "coincidence" was that it was the year of Comalies XX so they made the whole Comalies album... 20 years after releasing it and it felt like... particular... We all had grown: they had grown just as I did. Hearing, singing those songs, loving them just as you did back in the day, even if years had passed. Also, I had to jump with some care as I held their signed vinyl in between my legs wrapped in my hoodie... for the whole, near 3 hours concert... 😅 (and those 2 right in front of me that kept that kissing for the whole concert and I was like "out of the way! I don't give a... that you're kissing! Out of the way!!! Also, don't fall on me, my vinyl! - the encounters you have at concerts...)
For me, it's every single Rush gig I have been to. Just amazing every time.
Standouts though have to be Nirvana in 1990 at the Edinburgh Calton Studios. It was memorable because they were gaining fame and also memorable because I stage dived and threw up mid-flight. I was not popular. The set was a little short for my liking at only 40 minutes but with L7 in support, it was a truly great night. I felt pretty rough the next day.
Another that I have to mention was Faith No More at the Venue in Edinburgh in 89. It was their first tour with Mike Patton for The Real Thing album and he was on fire. So much energy it was complete madness, probably the most energetic I have ever seen a singer. At one point he was hanging from the support beams above the crowd without missing a note. A truly great vocalist who does a lot of voiceover work, even in videogames. Remember The Darkness?
A band I never missed which sadly didn't last long but I need to mention was The Beyond. What a great sound and every gig was a complete delight. I just wish they had continued and kept the same sound as their Crawl Album which is still one of my favourite albums.
This is tough! I spent far too much time and money whilst I was at Uni going to gigs and travelling to see bands in my yoof. Things havent changed now that i've "grown up"! - recently travelling across Europe following (not stalking) metallica around was a highlight - this was 2019, and pre-COVID - little did I know what was going to happen in less than 6 months later!
Here are some highlights...
Metallica Night 1 & 2 in San Francisco for the 40th Anniversary 2021 - up in the rafters, but what a setlist and show - deepcuts, mates, happy dayz!
Machine Head at Brighton Concorde 2 - sweat rolling from the ceilings, insane pit. met the band afterwards and chatted for hours with beerz until 4am!
Metallica Mannheim 2019 - end of the Euro stint, a dozen shows under my belt that tour, countless memories, plus the black ticket roamers wore Hawaiian shirts!
Dadi Freyr at Cambridge Corn Exchange -saw DF at EVE Online Fanfest - he blew me away!
Esoterica at La Scala 2023 - if ever there was a band that deserved to make it - it is esoterica. go check them out, fantastic songs, amazing production. Nice people as well.
Trivium at Brixton Academy, Black Crusade tour - they crushed it!
Muse, Teignmouth Seaside Rendezvous 2009 - homecoming show, first time in 15 years playing Teignmouth!
Ghost - Nottingham, 2021 - so nice to see Ghost on a headline tour
Clint Mansell, Royal festival hall - 2016 - uneasy listening - i cried. LOTS. such an emotive and soul searching chat and confessional
Tool, Brixton Academy, Lateralus tour cycle - just perfect
