Good afternoon people!
Out of nowhere, Disarm by The Smashing Pumpkins got played on the radio. Made me think back to 1996 when I saw them live in Rotterdam. Amazing concert, probably the best concert I've been to.
Just curious: What has been the best concert you have ever been to? What made it so special?
Randy Newman 2011
Lamb of god.
Metallica 2008 in Istanbul.
While Pink Floyd at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Feb of 1988 was the best overall experience for me, I always loved the atmosphere and intimacy of the pub performance. The Mansfield Tavern in Brisbane's south was my hangout of choice in the 80's, where I saw multiple classic Aussie bands (and the occasional overseas act) so close you could touch them - INXS, The Angels, Dragon, LRB, The Models, Australian Crawl, The Church, The Party Boys, Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, Divinyls, Radiators, Hoodoo Gurus, etc.
Brian Wilson on the Smile tour at Thebarton Theatre was amazing. They’d just done the official release of the album and played it in full. He was clearly well past his prime but he looked happy to be playing this music, and the band and singers around him were incredible. The sound quality was great - every voice and instrument was clear. Took my dad and he still talks about it.
Gorillas about 10 years ago, with De La Soul supporting. Huge light show, amazing band, heaps of guests. I’m not a massive fan of Gorillaz but it was a hell of a show. De La Soul in a little show in a tent as part of the Adelaide Fringe festival was also awesome. Just three dudes in a stage with a De. Barely any light show. But the crowd was pumped, De La were energetic and it was so much fun.
Massive Attack at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. The venue is basically a big grey concrete hanger. Suited the mood of their music perfectly. Sound was incredible. Light show was minimalist and stark and effective. Kanye on the Yeezus tour at the same venue was similar - good combo or artist, tour design and venue. Kanye was a jackass (played the same song three time in the set, went on a 10 minute rant about his designer jacket and being a “serious artists”), but it was fun in its ridiculousness.
New Order at the Big Day Out. They would have been touring the Get Ready record. Went to watch them while killing time before another act I was keen for. Wasn’t a fan before they started playing (a bit before my time so I never really was exposed to them beyond the big singles). Was a huge fan afterwards.
Same story with The Drones at Laneway Festival. Knew of the band, but never listened to them. Became one of my favourites after the show and they never failed to put on a great performance. Same festival had Girl Talk as the headliner and it was one of the funnest sets I’ve seen. Crowd was partying and singing out at the top of their lungs, dudes in wheelchairs crowd surfing, people getting up on stage, fun time.
Iggy and the Stooges. Didn’t know what to expect. Love his/their music but I’m always weary of seeing older artists who are well past their prime. Turned out Iggy had more energy in his 70 year old body than the rest of the crowd combined. He was bouncing all over the stage. Made me feel like an old fart. It was incredible.
A friend tried to get me to fly over to Melbourne to see Daft Punk but I couldn’t scrounge up the cash at the time. Always regretted it after hearing about the show.
I’m flying out to Perth to see Björk in March. Hopefully that will be added to the list.
Kiss, Ozzy, Sepultura, Biohazard at Donnington in '96 was great.
Bloodhound Gang in Moscow 1999
NOFX in Moscow 2007
Lady Gaga in Antwerp 2010
So many old KVNTS in the comment section
Few spring to mind, and yes very campy, embarressing but great fun and memories at the time
Janet Jackson still on my list to do
1986, Rugby Park, Rockhampton, Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms Tour, nothing like this had happened to this place before or since.
Jealous.
Justin Timberlake 2nd tour, my wife went to both, said the 1st was epic. Usher was very good, JLo - not my cup of tea, but great performance.
Worst was Jodeci at enmore, 2 didnt come, so KC and JOJO and then I think it was KC that passed out of stage. Lucky it was free, if i paid i would of been pissed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLeXoMwc7eo
Poison open up and say ahh
Gunners - Calder Park
Michael Jackon MCG
Billy Joel - Tennis centre
Cold Chisel, UNSW Roundhouse, 1980
I saw Twenty One Pilots in Adelaide a couple of years ago. They were great.
Transvision Vamp
Boys 2 Men
Milli Vanilli 1989, Bristol Connecticut.
Everything about the concert, the dedicated fans and the beautiful choreography. It was all so genuine.
I saw Genius G-Z-A of the Wu Tang Clan perform his entire Liquid Swords album from start to finish at the Metro in 2003. I was very high.
The Clash @ Bristol Colston Hall. I was at school and definitely well under 18 and terrified that the bouncers would not let me in. They didn't care and I was waved in.
Incredibly loud and full of passion. A bargain at 3 quid.
Bit of a shame as it has been hard to top that gig since.
TISM - Big Day Out 1997 - and O'Week UQ - circa 1997
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7RQcH9DYGg
Faith No More - circa 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58WyvJTQbac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utR8PTl37Qc
Body Count - festival hall…. Followed closely by The Disposable Heroes of Hiphopracy at the Metro who supported Sonic Youth who were… Meh
Body count you lucky b.stard….
Daft Punk
Tiesto Elements of Life
Tomorrowland
Hans Zimmer
Above & Beyond Acoustic
Everyone saying Michael Jackson, ok guys you don't need to flex on us that hard. But seriously if I could go back in time I'd definitely want to go to an MJ concert.
The MJ cirque show in Las Vegas is excellent.
Nas at The Forum performing Illmatic was incredible.
Green Days American Idiot in Sydney back in mid 2000's was brilliant but then I saw Frank Turner here in Newcastle maybe 6 years ago and that was an awesome smaller concert of a few hundred people. Though tbh seeing Thy Art Is Murder, KillSwitch Engage and Parkway Drive at the NEX would be the best.
+1 for that Green day show. If you're talking the SCG gig, they had Jimmy Eat World and MCR in support. What a lineup.
And +1 for anything Frank Turner. The man is a legend.
A memorable one was definitely Living Colour circa 1993 at the Holden Pavilion.
Nirvana 1992 (possibly 93?) at Coogee Bay Hotel. Front row in the mosh!
Iron Maiden Flight 666 tour at Acer Arena was awesome. Even if the people in the row behind us were telling us to sit down…
Above and beyond at ARQ nightclub in Sydney in 2004
They came downstairs before their set to hang out with us, have a few drinks, take pics and shoot some pool
The Darkness, late 2010's
Defqon in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.
Imagine Dragons @ Olympic Park.
Rammstein at The Palace in St. Kilda, 31/1/2001 (according to this website: https://affenknecht.com/rammstein-tours/2001-2/).
Relatively small venue, sweaty, loud as hell and super enjoyable.
Also saw Killing Joke at The Hi Fi Bar, 23/11/03 (https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/killing-joke--2).
Damn good show, though memory is slightly hazy due to excess beer consumption.
Did Rammstein still use fire in the small venue? Lol
No, but they did have the inflatable boat. :-)
There are some that standout in the memory for a few reasons
Nirvana - November '91 - everyone had the same T-shirt
At the Drive‐In - Dec 2000 - every local band were there being stunned!
Television - June 2002 - better than the record!
Michael Franti and Spearhead - lots of times - just the best vibe!
Underworld - everytime I see them I can't believe they're that age and still banging them out!
I'm hanging for when Coldplay finally announce an Aus tour. Based off of pictures of other countries it looks spectacular and I can't wait. Dunno if it'll be marvel Stadium or Rod Laver that they choose in Melbourne.
Jamiroquai @ Newcastle Entertainment Centre, 2005
Muse, I've been to every concert in Perth since 2008, and they've all been brilliant.
Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band, Fremantle Blues and Roots festival, 2015.
Hans Zimmer @ RAC Arena, 2017
John Mayer @ Rod Laver Arena, March 2019 (every concert of his has been brilliant but there was no support gig for this, just 2.5 hours of JM guitar goodness.
Ben Folds Five @ Fremantle, November 2012.
Chris Cornell @ Perth Concert Hall, December 2015.
Michael Buble and Naturally Seven @ Sandalford Estate, March 2011
U2 & Jay Z ANZ Stadium Sydney 360 Tour 14 December 2010 and the next day saw Linkin Park at Acer Arena. An Amazing Two Days!!!
Judas Priest around five years ago at the Enmore Theatre. I'll never forget Halford rolling onto the stage clad head to toe in leather on his Harley.
Seeing dad's who grew up with Priest having their kids on their shoulders and just soaking up every second.
Unbelievable gig - just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
No.1 - Easily Michael Jackson at the MCG in 96
Honourable mentions…
George Michael at Marvel
Moby at Royal Exhibition Buildings back around 03ish (this was amazing)
Muse at Festival Hall 07
U2 at Marvel in 06
Electronic…
Tiesto @ Salt Nightclub Melb Nov 2000
Gods Kitchen 2001
Welcome 2001 (Sasha&Digweed 6 hour set)
John Digweed 6 hour set GU019 launch party at Chevron
Gods Kitchen Global Gathering 2001 Stratford Upon Avon
I could keep going but ill be here for an hour haha
Mental as Anything, pogoing at the Cloudland Ballroom, Brisbane - 1979
Angel City, Doc and the Bros. pulling out all the stops to impress US record execs, Country Club, Reseda Calif - 1980
The Darkness
Has anyone seen Pavarotti live in concert or The Three Tenors? Now that would of been amazing to see!!!
La Dispute at an abandoned house in Huskisson in 2009.
It was right before they blew up and I convinced my mum to let my youngest brother and I go whilst we were on holidays there, drove home on my Ls straight afterwards
Wtf? This sounds awesome. How does this even happen with a touring American band?? So random.
It was a different time in the late '00s but a local support for the whole tour would put together a tour, have the other locals sort out venues that fit in with their dates, and then sort out everything for the main act to come out to. I don't think you can really do it anymore the DIY scene has dropped off a fair bit.
U2 at Slane Castle in Ireland at the conclusion of their Elevation tour. They had Chilli Peppers and JJ72 supporting them. Was huge!
Bluejuice January 2012, Marlin Hotel, Ulladulla 👌🏻
https://youtu.be/j2N32PIYVHc
New Bluejuice music after 8 years!
https://scenestr.com.au/music/after-an-8-year-absence-blueju…
My all time fav concerts I've been to are
Chemical Brothers 2011
Roger Waters 2013
Blur 2015
The Cure 2016
Honorable mention to the cover band The Australian Nirvana, saw ages ago in 2001 in London when I was 19 and it was the best thing ever
Rage Against the Machine - Live at Finsbury Park 2010 - had to go in to a lottery to get a ticket to the concert to celebrate #1 Christmas song in the UK
Tame Impala - Mona Vale Hotel 2009 - about 25 people in the crowd before they blew up big time, meant we were all front row!
Daft Punk - Alive - Sydney Showground 2007 - so well choreographed
Florence and the Machine - Alexandra Palace 2015 - an amazing voice in a special venue
The Prodigy - Future Music Festival Brisbane 2013 - it was mid-afternoon and the crowd was just LOOSE
Guns n Roses - Sydney Arena 2007 - rocked out so hard we ended up being invited on the band bus and back to the after party
Love Parade - Duisburg 2010 - amazing line-up and atmosphere, was caught in the crush getting in, but we didn't know about the mass fatalities until after the event
Dandy Warhol's great for their cool ways. Woman on the keyboard was cool as.
Supergrass, Fremantle WA. I do like my British music and they can raise the roof and a half when jamming. Enjoyed this the most.
Machine gun felatio were dirty and loved it.
Sneaky Sound System Cairns was epic.
Didn't gel much with Eskimo Joe, thought they preferred loud music than actually playing their music live.
Black lung (one of David thrussells projects) - Melbourne…had a couple of stage performers who used angle grinders pushed into their groin (believe the performers were known as c**t grinders) and sprayed the audience in hot sparks repeatedly through the performance. They might have done some other flame performances too…went well worth the music. Marilyn Manson at a bdo out was pretty cool as was Rage against the machine…it might have been livid or bdo … new order. Been to lots of great outdoor doofs and they have very warm place in my heart for amazing performances
Best Wolfmother
Worst Hilltop Hoods
Gangstar - 2003
Masta Ace with live band - 2016
Kanye - 2006
KRS-One - 2014 I think
Beastie Boys Big Day Out
Rock the bells 2006 - Wu Tang, Rage, Blackstarr, Cypress, MF Doom, Nas, EPMD, Public Enemy, Immortal Technique to name a few.
Gutted my old man wouldn't take me to MJ.
Saw avalanches the other day and they were rubbish. Symphony orchestra out played them. Gorillaz and Freddie Gibbs recently also notable
I've seen my fair share of great bands at their own shows including Metallica, Foo Fighters, Kiss, Rolling Stones, Def Leppard, Spiderbait, Jebediah. However the best would have to be Big Day Out Adelaide 2008 shortly after Rage Against the Machine reformed and I saw them along with Silverchair, Regurgitator all perform same day.
Oh shit! I forgot the most randomly amazing one…
Vangelis live at the Temple of Zeus, Athens June 2001 (from a rooftop overlooking it)
Yeezus tour
MJ - skipping uni to line up to get tickets adding to the memory.
special mentions:
MC Hammer in 1990
All-4-one - not really a concert, but they performed in a shopping mall before they made it big.
kd lang at the State Theatre in Sydney, November 2011. Judging by appearance and behaviour, there seemed to be a lot of North Shore mums in the audience, but it really was a fantastic show. After so many years, proof that kd lang still had it to bring together a great show with great audience respect and connection.
Bjork at Big Day Out in Melbourne 2008 was a highlight too, as well as Arcade Fire who performed just before Bjork.