[Music] Best LIVE band?

[boik]

I'm not one for a big show, but the Devo tour of 79/80 choreographed by Toni Basil was quite something. The most musically exciting band that I saw lots of times were XTC, never less than perfect and always reinventing songs every night. I so miss them.

 

[boik]

New Order were the pinnacle for me, incredible gigs, the band and crowd as one (anywhere but the Brighton Centre). Morris, Hookie and Sumner all uniquely brilliant musicians live or in the studio.

I never saw Queen, but so many other famous bands and performers talk about them being on another level live, they were in awe.

Seen New Order loads of times from the early 80s. Love their music, but I wouldn't say they were overloaded with stage presence.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Impossible to find any consensus here, which is great. The wider the church, the more bands will find the support the need to go on and be creative.

The OP asked for "Best LIVE band" - so I've taken LIVE to mean three things: performance quality, degree of engagement, memorability.

I have a long list of live gigs to chose from big venue bands such as Genesis and Thin Lizzy (superb btw) to a Belgian brand called Trio Dhoore who played the hurdy gurdy in a village hall. I've ended up with two quite odd ones, but applying my criteria strictly they are:

Bear's Den at The Roundhouse (no seats) around 2015. Totally transpoorted by the performance, the initmate nature of it and the way we all felt we were experiencing something together. I went with my daughter (then in her early 20s) but had to leave before the encore (last train). She sent me a video of them leaving the stage to play a live acoustic set in the midst of the audience. God I wish I'd stayed.

Gruff Rhys at St George's Chruch Kemptown in 2011. Astonishing set. What a performer and delivered with such verve and skill. Just wow.

Honourable mention: Lindsey Webster at the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock in 2015 but that was probably because of the amount of weed being smoked by the audience, the fact that we were in Woodstock and did I mention the weed?

Worst live "band" was Paul Young, supporting Genesis (who weren't great - Invisible Touch tour) in 1987. Poor man's voice had long gone and he got massively heckled when he was singing "Every time I go away" as 100,000 people joined in on the bold part.

The night I went the crowd were throwing bottles at Paul Young and he stopped singing and started effing at the crowd!
Thought Genesis were good though.

 

[Machiavelli]

Wow, I'd forgotten about And Also The Trees. Saw them supporting the Cure in the early days.

That was the first gig I ever went to, at Hammersmith Odeon.

 

[Machiavelli]

I've forgotten numerous gigs I've gone to, and that would include some of the best/better ones too. But, in my mind at present, the best include:
Neil Young
Shellac
Elliott Smith
The Pixies
Gillian Welch
Fishbone
Sonic Youth
Radiohead

 

[1066familyman]

Sly & Robbie on their own tour, not as backing musicians, were amazing! Saw them at Lee's Cliff Hall at Folkestone.

Aswad at Brixton Academy just before they became more commercial with the Distant Thunder album. It was a proper stage show, in that the lights and choreography were all on point. Brilliant concert! Although I wish I was old enough to have seen them when they first emerged.

Performer, rather than band. Tiger at Shenola's Club in Hackney. His energy was on another level and had the crowd eating out of his hand. He was THE big thing in Reggae Dancehall at the time, and after that performance, I could see why.

The Books at The Corn Exchange, Brighton.
Actually went to see Clogs, who were good, but The Books were like nothing I'd ever seen before, or since.

 

[Machiavelli]

Sly & Robbie on their own tour, not as backing musicians, were amazing! Saw them at Lee's Cliff Hall at Folkestone.

Aswad at Brixton Academy just before they became more commercial with the Distant Thunder album. It was a proper stage show, in that the lights and choreography was all on point. Brilliant concert! Although I wish I was old enough to have seen them when they first emerged.

Performer, rather than band. Tiger at Shenola's Club in Hackney. His energy was on another level and had the crowd eating out of his hand. He was THE big thing in Reggae Dancehall at the time, and after that performance, I could see why.

The Books at The Corn Exchange, Brighton.
Actually went to see Clogs, who were good, but The Books were like nothing I'd ever seen before, or since.

See my previous post^.
I did remember Sly & Robbie (RIP), and that was part of an impressive run of gigs I saw when at poly in Portsmouth, which also involved REM and The Sugarcubes. Also in Portsmouth, special mention to Dinosaur Jr, which remains the loudest gig I can remember, although I saw them at ATP about 15 years ago and they were dreadful then

 

[Weststander]

Seen New Order loads of times from the early 80s. Love their music, but I wouldn't say they were overloaded with stage presence.

As an early poster said, this thread subject and posts are taste driven.

With Pink Floyd and Coldplay, mentioned in the same breathe as Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The Who!

The New Order gigs, also way back to the early 80’s, were for us were musical nectar. That was our thing. We loved the whole vibe. The thought of seeing ‘stage presence’ Angus Young and Brian Johnson, bloody awful, then and now.

I suspect choices here are strongly influenced by musical passions.

 

[m20gull]

I've seen a couple of nominations for Hawkwind and I will certainly back that up. Two others: Slipknot and Nick Mason and his Saucerful Of Secrets. The last is a great example of a band absolutely loving what they are doing..

 

[1066familyman]

Oooh.... Honourable mention for James Brown.

Each year The Essential Festival at Stanmer Park seemed to expand to include more and more genres other than Reggae.

I was always there for the Reggae, but the year James Brown was there I couldn't resist squeezing in the marquee to see him make his appearance. I'm not a particular James Brown fan, but when he came on stage with his signature moves it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Electric presence for sure!

I've seen a few Reggae legends do similar, the likes of Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown, but for a performer to do that when I'm not really even into his music, I think speaks for itself.

 

[Machiavelli]

... Continuing on my Portsmouth theme, the gig I most regret not going to was Nirvana in 88/89. The artist I haven't seen and most want to is Tom Waits. He hasn't played for about 15 years, and when asked on the subject says 'Gotta keep 'em keen'.
On my list of faves, I should have included Radiohead, who I saw around the time of OK Computer, and I'm desperate to see them again. Take note when you're getting tickets [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION].

 

[Baldseagull]

You typed “personality” though, this what I was picking up on. As it happens, I have actually seen Coldplay perform and Martin seems an adequate and capable front man.

Damning with faint praise.

Personality as a performer, it's a different thing to his personality on a talk show. Elton John has personality as a performer, but is a bit of a bore on chat shows. I have no idea if Elvis was a nice guy or not, but he had personality on stage.

"Best LIVE band" front man surely has to be a bit more than adequate, and good at chat shows?

 

[1066familyman]

See my previous post^.
I did remember Sly & Robbie (RIP), and that was part of an impressive run of gigs I saw when at poly in Portsmouth, which also involved REM and The Sugarcubes. Also in Portsmouth, special mention to Dinosaur Jr, which remains the loudest gig I can remember, although I saw them at ATP about 15 years ago and they were dreadful then

Back in the day I used to flit between three venue's in particular.

Top Rank Suite - Brighton
London Astoria.
Lee's Cliff Hall - Folkestone.

It was standard for the big Reggae artists to play London on the Saturday or Sunday night and Top Rank Suite on the Monday.

I'd quite often double up on a lot of them.

Other big venues were Brixton Academy and The Forum - Kentish Town.

Actually, first time I ever saw Lee Scratch Perry was at The Forum. That was pretty surreal, just as you'd expect

 

[Lower West Stander]

... Continuing on my Portsmouth theme, the gig I most regret not going to was Nirvana in 88/89. The artist I haven't seen and most want to is Tom Waits. He hasn't played for about 15 years, and when asked on the subject says 'Gotta keep 'em keen'.
On my list of faves, I should have included Radiohead, who I saw around the time of OK Computer, and I'm desperate to see them again. Take note when you're getting tickets [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION].

Seen Radiohead a couple of times last time at Old Trafford about 4 years ago.

Apparently it was the first time they’d played The Bends for about 5 years.

I was pretty bored tbh.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Best gigs in no particular order...
Nirvana 92 reading
Cure prayer tour
Stone roses early 89
British sea power at old market
Pixies - I think it was 88

 

[1066familyman]

As an early poster said, this thread subject and posts are taste driven.

With Pink Floyd and Coldplay, mentioned in the same breathe as Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The Who!

The New Order gigs, also way back to the early 80’s, were for us were musical nectar. That was our thing. We loved the whole vibe. The thought of seeing ‘stage presence’ Angus Young and Brian Johnson, bloody awful, then and now.

I suspect choices here are strongly influenced by musical passions.

Most of the choices seem to be rock bands. I've never seen a rock band live in my life, and never will. It's the music genre I most dislike.

I thought the thread was about the best live band we've seen. Not THE best live band, as there clearly isn't one. It's just a matter of personal taste.

 

[matbha]

Iron maiden, non stop energy

 

[Weststander]

Most of the choices seem to be rock bands. I've never seen a rock band live in my life, and never will. It's the music genre I most dislike.

I thought the thread was about the best live band we've seen. Not THE best live band, as there clearly isn't one. It's just a matter of personal taste.

I’ve had this debate on and off since sixth form.

Most folk into ACDC just can’t accept that people get immense pleasure from a vast array of other musical genre. Loathing synths, dance music, johnny come lately (creative geniuses), dj’s.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

... Continuing on my Portsmouth theme, the gig I most regret not going to was Nirvana in 88/89. The artist I haven't seen and most want to is Tom Waits. He hasn't played for about 15 years, and when asked on the subject says 'Gotta keep 'em keen'.
On my list of faves, I should have included Radiohead, who I saw around the time of OK Computer, and I'm desperate to see them again. Take note when you're getting tickets [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION].

Noted!

 

[1066familyman]

I’ve had this debate on and off since sixth form.

Most folk into ACDC just can’t accept that people get immense pleasure from a vast array of other musical genre. Loathing synths, dance music, johnny come lately (creative geniuses), dj’s.

It's all subjective. Well, other than that Rock music is utter shite. That's just a simple FACT. But the rest is subjective