Best/Worst Concerts You've Ever Seen

[stevewin]

Best - SRV 1989 at the Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie NY

For some reason no one showed up and the place was practically empty - but you wouldn't know from the way he played. He was sobered up then too, and made little heartfelt comments throughout the show. I was in the 2nd row, and at one point he came over and just sat on the edge of the stage with his feet hanging over and started playing Lenny - and the "crowd" just calmly walked up to him and stood around him. It was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced in my lifetime

 

Honorabe mention Black Crowes - have seen them a few times in what is basically a small club here in Raleigh and they just about blew the place apart each time

 

Worst - Genesis 1983 at Carrier Dome

Last minute road trip in college - most of it was probably the venue - we had the worst seats imaginable - it was like we were so far away we couldn't even hear them. It was like "well - it looks like they might be having fun way down there"

 

Honorable mention John Kay and "Steppenwolf" at a club in Lancaster early 80s (anyone remember September's?). Whatever incarnation of Guess Who at that time opened for them. I want to give a litle slack since it was just a retread tour, but the awfulness of John Kay that night has stayed with me my entire life. When they set up the stage there was a PC sitting prominently on it and that was the first sign of trouble. Me and my buddy left before 2 songs completed

 

My Brush with Rock Star story is a number of years ago we went to a festival in Carolina Beach NC and Elvin Bishop was the headliner. The next day I'm waiting for the elevator in our hotel and the door opens and who is standing there but Elvis himself. So I rode down with him, just me and Elvis hanging in the elevator making small talk ("Enjoyed the show last night" , "Thanks Man") - he could have passed for just any other tourist. Oh - and one time I gave Mike Mills from REM the wrong directions at a celebrity golf tournament - and the next year I saw him again at the same tournament and apologized for giving him the wrong directions the year before (never got the courage to ask him the question that was really burning in my mind - exactly just what the words to Sitting Still were)

Edited October 5, 2016 by stevewin

[Nighttime in Nigeria]

Stevie Wonder at First Niagara Center last November. Way, way too long of a show and not entertaining at all except for a couple brief songs. Was falling asleep in my chair. Lots of people left early. Wish I would have been one of them.

Good to know it wasn't just me who thought it was a pile of crap. Think it actually got a favorable review by the Buffalo News.

[bbb]

Good to know it wasn't just me who thought it was a pile of crap. Think it actually got a favorable review by the Buffalo News.

 

Everything does unless it's country rock (exempting the Dixie Chicks, because they are liberal). All conservative country acts are horrible per Jeff Miers.

 

[bbb]

OK, almost '80. Pretty close for me. I knew it was winter because it was wet and freezing and windy and just horrible. They only had 2 doors open for the whole arena and they were next to east other creating a serious log jam. I was there with a half dozen guys from our college rugby team. The lights went down and they started showing Quadraphenia and evryone thought the show started while we were outsize freezing. It got so bad we were focused on getting out, not in. We were big and strong enough to get out. Others were not. People died standing up, crushing the air out of them. Horrible night. We saw ambulances, but thought nothing of it. Got back tot he bar after the concert and everyone freaked out asking questions. We had no idea, but then they broke into Monday Night Football announcing it. Very sad and eerie night.

 

Wow - I can't believe you were in the middle of that horrible night!

The Cincinnati Who show was December 79, I saw them in the Aud the night after. Kinda saw them anyways, I had crap seats in the back of the floor.

 

You and I were at a lot of the same concerts. This one I awesome seats. 1st row golds by the stage. Time Magazine's cover story of The Who had all their pictures from our section. Obviously, the story was about the night before............There was so much security at that concert!

 

[Maury Ballstein]

Worst. No doubt who opened for Bush. (Knock off the jokes I was young)

 

Best. G love and special sauce at Town Point Park in Norfolk for free.

 

or Rage against the Machine, Mettalica, Soundgarden at Lollapalooza at Rockingham Speedway.

Edited October 6, 2016 by Ryan L Billz

[ricojes]

 

Least Favorite:

• Beach Boys (forced to go by girlfriend at the time)
• Rod Stewart

 

just to opposite for me, my girlfriend at the time forced me to go to Rod Stewart twice! Once at the CNE and once at the Aud, but he really wasn't too bad. Saw the Beach Boys at Seneca Niagara Casino when they were doing free shows every year, they were ok.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

 

Worst -

Supertramp at the Aud in 1985. The most boring concert I have ever seen and it wasn't even close. Was after Hodgson left. Guess you had to be a hardcore fan to enjoy that one.

 

I am and I did

just to opposite for me, my girlfriend at the time forced me to go to Rod Stewart twice! Once at the CNE and once at the Aud, but he really wasn't too bad. Saw the Beach Boys at Seneca Niagara Casino when they were doing free shows every year, they were ok.

Saw Rod at the Dome in Syracuse - just wasn't into what he was doing at the time. As for the Beach Boys - played Ted Nugent at full blast from my Sony Walkman for the entire show.

[Augie]

John Mellencamp at a small venue in Savannah, GA about 25 years ago also stands out as a great one. Great energy! And they sold beer! Thank God we had a limo with friends that night.....

[May Day 10]

If I had to pick one of each:

 

Best: Pearl Jam in Buffalo in 2003

 

 

 

Worst: Motley Crue and Kiss at Darien Lake a few years ago. Just not my thing. Overly choreographed and constant, hollow pandering

[Cugalabanza]

Worst: Motley Crue and Kiss at Darien Lake a few years ago. Just not my thing. Overly choreographed and constant, hollow pandering

Did Paul Stanley ask the crowd to shout and then say, "I can't hear you!" Then, did he invite one side of the crowd to try to shout louder than the other side? So lame.

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

Did Paul Stanley ask the crowd to shout and then say, "I can't hear you!" Then, did he invite one side of the crowd to try to shout louder than the other side? So lame.

"Is that all you can do, Buffalo?"

"Last time we were in Buffalo, y'all were a lot louder than this!"

 

 

Didn't see the show, but I can totally hear him saying that. They probably also sang one line of "Gotta lose your mind in Buffalo, Rock City!"

[Chef Jim]

Did Paul Stanley ask the crowd to shout and then say, "I can't hear you!" Then, did he invite one side of the crowd to try to shout louder than the other side? So lame.

 

Kiss was my first concert. 1976 Niagara Fall Convention Center. I had just turned 15 the day before. We left home about 10am and sat in the parking lot for hours smoking cigarettes and other things. We got to listen to the sound check through the doors. Quite a thrill for a young kid to hear a sound check. When the doors opened up we were probably 10-20 feet from the stage. Brownsville Station opened up and it was great. They finished and everyone began the crush to the stage (no seats on the floor). It was pretty scary so we bailed and went up in the bleachers. Still a great show. There was no pandering 40 years ago from them as I can imagine there is today. Just some good rock and roll all night!

 

Oh and one thing I remember that was cool. I went with my bandmates (I was the drummer) and was amazed at the number of sticks the drummer for Brownsville Station went through. There was a guy there whose sole job was to refill a rack of sticks he kept going to. I thought "****, I have to tape mine up whenever I break one."

Edited October 6, 2016 by Chef Jim

[Gugny]

 

Kiss was my first concert. 1976 Niagara Fall Convention Center. I had just turned 15 the day before. We left home about 10am and sat in the parking lot for hours smoking cigarettes and other things. We got to listen to the sound check through the doors. Quite a thrill for a young kid to hear a sound check. When the doors opened up we were probably 10-20 feet from the stage. Brownsville Station opened up and it was great. They finished and everyone began the crush to the stage (no seats on the floor). It was pretty scary so we bailed and went up in the bleachers. Still a great show. There was no pandering 40 years ago from them as I can imagine there is today. Just some good rock and roll all night!

 

Oh and one thing I remember that was cool. I went with my bandmates (I was the drummer) and was amazed at the number of sticks the drummer for Brownsville Station went through. There was a guy there whose sole job was to refill a rack of sticks he kept going to. I thought "****, I have to tape mine up whenever I break one."

 

Damn, a year earlier and Rush would have been opening for them.

[Cugalabanza]

Kiss was my first concert. 1976 Niagara Fall Convention Center. I had just turned 15 the day before. We left home about 10am and sat in the parking lot for hours smoking cigarettes and other things. We got to listen to the sound check through the doors. Quite a thrill for a young kid to hear a sound check. When the doors opened up we were probably 10-20 feet from the stage. Brownsville Station opened up and it was great. They finished and everyone began the crush to the stage (no seats on the floor). It was pretty scary so we bailed and went up in the bleachers. Still a great show. There was no pandering 40 years ago from them as I can imagine there is today. Just some good rock and roll all night!

 

Oh and one thing I remember that was cool. I went with my bandmates (I was the drummer) and was amazed at the number of sticks the drummer for Brownsville Station went through. There was a guy there whose sole job was to refill a rack of sticks he kept going to. I thought "****, I have to tape mine up whenever I break one."

I actually kind of like Kiss and I've seen them live. I just don't have patience for that cheesy crowd work stuff. It reminds me of a lame meeting at work when somebody goes, "let's go around the room and have everybody talk a little bit about what they do..." Makes me want to sneak out of there.

Damn, a year earlier and Rush would have been opening for them.

Is that the famous tour where Kiss had turnstiles of hot girls and were trying to get the guys in Rush laid, but Geddy, Neil and Alex were too busy doing crossword puzzles and ironing their silk robes or something? (I'm not making fun--I like Rush. It's just a funny story.)

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

I actually kind of like Kiss and I've seen them live. I just don't have patience for that cheesy crowd work stuff. It reminds me of a lame meeting at work when somebody goes, "let's go around the room and have everybody talk a little bit about what they do..." Makes me want to sneak out of there.

 

They're no Beatles when it comes to songwriting, or Led Zeppelin when it comes to musical talent, but KISS is very good at what they do.

[Chef Jim]

 

They're no Beatles when it comes to songwriting, or Led Zeppelin when it comes to musical talent, but KISS is very good at what they do.

 

They "invented" something that was very different. They weren't the first to combine rock and roll with theater but they took it to the next level. Though our band was more southern rock (Allman Brothers, Skynyrd etc.) it was because of Kiss we incorporated blowing **** up during our performances. Nothing like being 14 and getting hauled into the principal's office on Monday morning and getting bitched out for almost setting the school on fire during the freshman dance.

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

What's with all the Beach Boys hate? They're early stuff is pure rock and roll in the likes of Chuck Berry, Little Richard etc. Great harmonies, and Brian Wilson is musical genius.

[bbb]

just to opposite for me, my girlfriend at the time forced me to go to Rod Stewart twice! Once at the CNE and once at the Aud, but he really wasn't too bad. Saw the Beach Boys at Seneca Niagara Casino when they were doing free shows every year, they were ok.

 

I went to both those Rod concerts. I had had tickets a number of times before and he either cancelled or I had to bail.................I'm a huge Rod fan.

 

[Nighttime in Nigeria]

What's with all the Beach Boys hate? They're early stuff is pure rock and roll in the likes of Chuck Berry, Little Richard etc. Great harmonies, and Brian Wilson is musical genius.

Agree with this. Saw them in 2012 at Darien Lake. Pet Sounds is the greatest album ever made.

[Pete]

best two- Metallica in 1984? at Agora Ballroom Hartford in front of maybe 300 people. And I have seen the Ramones many, many times- always a great show! My most memorable one was in the late 80's at Toads Place. I brought a dozen of my friends from an uppity town, and it was culture shock for them. They loved it! We owned the pit(strength in numbers). One of my friends lost his shoes in the pit, borrowed another pair, and then lost them. Between us we lost a few pairs shoes, a wallet, and a hat. After the show when it started to clear up, they swept up the floor. There were many people sorting through a huge pile trying to find something lost. And to top it off, after spending some time trying to locate missing shoes, we walked out the side door and I literally bumped into Joey Ramone. He is one tall dude. Simply put, the Ramones were an amazing band!