Worst Trainwreck You Have Seen Live

245

Comments

  • pjpitt89pjpitt89 Posts: 1,859
    It wasn't really a trainwreck but most interesting was a Gaslight Anthem show when they came on stage and told the crowd that Benny had a family emergency and had to leave right before the show. They played about 7-8 songs with the drummer from the opening band filling it. It was kind of cool to see, Alex (bass) basically stood next to the drum kit and coached him through the changes and all, cool camaraderie. After those songs they brought out some stools and played another batch of songs acoustic, which was really cool.

    So not really a train wreck, just different
    9/1/00, 4/28/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/12/03, 10/1/04, 9/28/05, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 6/1/06, 6/27/08, 6/30/08, 8/7/08 (EV), 6/12/09 (EV), 10/27/09, 10/28/09,10/30/09, 10/31/09, 5/21/10, 6/15/11 (EV), 9/2/12, 7/19/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 10/27/13, 4/28/16, 4/29/16, 8/7/16, 11/4/16 (TOTD), 8/18/18, 8/20/18, 9/24/21 (EV&Earthlings), 9/26/21, 9/11/2022, 9/14/2022, 9/7/2024, 9/9/2024, 9/12/2024
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 37,350
    pjpitt89 said:
    It wasn't really a trainwreck but most interesting was a Gaslight Anthem show when they came on stage and told the crowd that Benny had a family emergency and had to leave right before the show. They played about 7-8 songs with the drummer from the opening band filling it. It was kind of cool to see, Alex (bass) basically stood next to the drum kit and coached him through the changes and all, cool camaraderie. After those songs they brought out some stools and played another batch of songs acoustic, which was really cool.

    So not really a train wreck, just different
    good on them for not cancelling and improvising instead. that COULD have been a train wreck. that's a very brave thing to do. 
    "Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk"
    -EV  8/14/93




  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,899
    The opener to Soundgarden I think they were called Red Red Meat.  They were booed off the stage in Chicago.  Cornell lectures us all....shortly after the band broke up too.

    Worst opening act ever...worse than Manson jerking off a dildo almost shutting NIN down in Muncie....worse than than fucking wierd guy opening for Explosions in the Sky...Lichens.....worse than Metal Church inducing projectile vomiting over 3 rows at Metallica...
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,491
    2015 or 16 Headliner Bob Dylan.  Before them we had Ryan Bingham, Wilco and Beck as openers so it was a good show.

    When Dylan sang, or lack thereof, the crowd left in droves.

    His voice was hoarse and monotone.
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,155
    pjpitt89 said:
    It wasn't really a trainwreck but most interesting was a Gaslight Anthem show when they came on stage and told the crowd that Benny had a family emergency and had to leave right before the show. They played about 7-8 songs with the drummer from the opening band filling it. It was kind of cool to see, Alex (bass) basically stood next to the drum kit and coached him through the changes and all, cool camaraderie. After those songs they brought out some stools and played another batch of songs acoustic, which was really cool.

    So not really a train wreck, just different
    good on them for not cancelling and improvising instead. that COULD have been a train wreck. that's a very brave thing to do. 

    that was actually one of the coolest things i've ever seen happen. :smile:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_HYcetFUvg

    8/28/98- Camden, NJ
    10/31/09- Philly
    5/21/10- NYC
    9/2/12- Philly, PA
    7/19/13- Wrigley
    10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
    10/21/13- Philly, PA
    10/22/13- Philly, PA
    10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
    4/28/16- Philly, PA
    4/29/16- Philly, PA
    5/1/16- NYC
    5/2/16- NYC
    9/2/18- Boston, MA
    9/4/18- Boston, MA
    9/14/22- Camden, NJ
    9/7/24- Philly, PA
    9/9/24- Philly, PA
    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,331
    Murder City Devils weren’t great. They set keyboards on fire. Flaming wreck?
    www.cluthelee.com
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,331
    2015 or 16 Headliner Bob Dylan.  Before them we had Ryan Bingham, Wilco and Beck as openers so it was a good show.

    When Dylan sang, or lack thereof, the crowd left in droves.

    His voice was hoarse and monotone.
    Apparently when he’s on, he’s like really on. But yeah, it’s super rough hearing anything he’s done after the Travelling Wilburys. 
    www.cluthelee.com
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,297
    edited April 2022
    Were it up to me (it's not, of course), musicians who are over 70 and who were once great, would  be exempted from this thread.  Anyone with high expectations when going to see an elderly musician are often going to be disappointed.  Not always, of course.  I saw Willie Nelson in 2005 when he was 72 years old and it was one of my all-time favorite shows.  But I would have been happy and thankful to see him in any shape.  One of the long time members of Willie's Family band, Jody Payne (who was 69 at the time) sang one number and he was horse as hell but I admired him for giving it his best shot. 
    In any case, the point I want to make is that I'm thankful and grateful for any great musician who is past 70 and is still around.  A full-time musicians life is a hard life.  We lose a hell of a lot of them younger or much younger than 70.
    "Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
    -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"

    "Try to not spook the horse."
    -Neil Young













  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 9,773
    brianlux said:
    Were it up to me (it's not, of course), musicians who are over 70 and who were once great, would  be exempted from this thread.  Anyone with high expectations when going to see an elderly musician are often going to be disappointed.  Not always, of course.  I saw Willie Nelson in 2005 when he was 72 years old and it was one of my all-time favorite shows.  But I would have been happy and thankful to see him in any shape.  One of the long time members of Willie's Family band, Jody Payne (who was 69 at the time) sang one number and he was horse as hell but I admired him for giving it his best shot. 
    In any case, the point I want to make is that I'm thankful and grateful for any great musician who is past 70 and is still around.  A full-time musicians life is a hard life.  We lose a hell of a lot of them younger or much younger than 70.
    While I'm still trying to think of a trainwreck I'd like to say that David Gilmour at 70 was absolutely phenomenal 
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    edited April 2022
    pjl44 said:
    brianlux said:
    Were it up to me (it's not, of course), musicians who are over 70 and who were once great, would  be exempted from this thread.  Anyone with high expectations when going to see an elderly musician are often going to be disappointed.  Not always, of course.  I saw Willie Nelson in 2005 when he was 72 years old and it was one of my all-time favorite shows.  But I would have been happy and thankful to see him in any shape.  One of the long time members of Willie's Family band, Jody Payne (who was 69 at the time) sang one number and he was horse as hell but I admired him for giving it his best shot. 
    In any case, the point I want to make is that I'm thankful and grateful for any great musician who is past 70 and is still around.  A full-time musicians life is a hard life.  We lose a hell of a lot of them younger or much younger than 70.
    While I'm still trying to think of a trainwreck I'd like to say that David Gilmour at 70 was absolutely phenomenal 
    Mason and Waters are on point as well. 
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 9,773
    dankind said:
    pjl44 said:
    brianlux said:
    Were it up to me (it's not, of course), musicians who are over 70 and who were once great, would  be exempted from this thread.  Anyone with high expectations when going to see an elderly musician are often going to be disappointed.  Not always, of course.  I saw Willie Nelson in 2005 when he was 72 years old and it was one of my all-time favorite shows.  But I would have been happy and thankful to see him in any shape.  One of the long time members of Willie's Family band, Jody Payne (who was 69 at the time) sang one number and he was horse as hell but I admired him for giving it his best shot. 
    In any case, the point I want to make is that I'm thankful and grateful for any great musician who is past 70 and is still around.  A full-time musicians life is a hard life.  We lose a hell of a lot of them younger or much younger than 70.
    While I'm still trying to think of a trainwreck I'd like to say that David Gilmour at 70 was absolutely phenomenal 
    Mason and Waters are on point as well. 
    Yes, true. Roger has been continually touring for so long I take him for granted.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,297
    pjl44 said:
    brianlux said:
    Were it up to me (it's not, of course), musicians who are over 70 and who were once great, would  be exempted from this thread.  Anyone with high expectations when going to see an elderly musician are often going to be disappointed.  Not always, of course.  I saw Willie Nelson in 2005 when he was 72 years old and it was one of my all-time favorite shows.  But I would have been happy and thankful to see him in any shape.  One of the long time members of Willie's Family band, Jody Payne (who was 69 at the time) sang one number and he was horse as hell but I admired him for giving it his best shot. 
    In any case, the point I want to make is that I'm thankful and grateful for any great musician who is past 70 and is still around.  A full-time musicians life is a hard life.  We lose a hell of a lot of them younger or much younger than 70.
    While I'm still trying to think of a trainwreck I'd like to say that David Gilmour at 70 was absolutely phenomenal 

    I'll bet!  That guy is amazing!
    "Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
    -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"

    "Try to not spook the horse."
    -Neil Young













  • ZodZod Posts: 10,657
    Two occassions come to mind:

    1) We saw the Counting Crows in Chicago 2 days after the PJ shows at Wrigley in '16.   Rob Thomas was opening, and he's not my cup of tea, but he did get the crowd into it, and did a solid enough job.  Counting Crows came on, played lots of songs people didn't know, butchered the ones people did know, and the ones they tried to play normal that people know, they did horribly.  It was such a bad set.   People left in droves.  We stuck it out.. but I doubt there was 1/3 of the people left by the time they finished.

    2) REM Groundwork Seattle 2001.   From what I gather PJ was trying to show respect to REM by not being the headlining show that night.   So they insisted REM close it out.   It was a very PJ crowd which is to be expected for a show in Seattle.   PJ only played for 50ish minutes, and it was too short.   I'd say 1/3rd of the arena left after PJ finished.  R.E.M came on, to a crowd that wasn't theirs, and mostly played songs made after their popular albums.  There were a few classics in there (including Eddie coming out and doing end of the word, but overall it was low on hits, and big on songs people didn't know).  People left in droves.  I bet only 1/3rd of the Arena that was left by the time Eddie came out with them for the encore.    I feel like maybe PJ should of manned up and closed it, and REM not playing to an REM crowd maybe would of wanted to do a more casual friendly setlist.

    I've seen other shows that were meh, but these shows come to mind, because there the only ones I could see a constant flux of people running for the exits.
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 37,350
    the message being received here seems to be don't EVER bother going to see Counting Crows. 
    "Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk"
    -EV  8/14/93




  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,702
    edited April 2022
    Not a lot of train wrecks.  Two notable bands who were about to break up and they knew it.  

    Weezer 97
    Gaslight Anthem 14

    GA were just running through the motions. still sounded good but the fire wasn’t there that I had seen five years earlier.   In Weezer’s case they were totally off.  Lots of mistakes.  The crowd still enjoyed it but it wasn’t a great performance.  
    Post edited by cp3iverson on
  • Not a lot of train wrecks.  Two notable bands who were about to break up and they knew it.  

    Weezer 97
    Gaslight Anthem 14

    GA were just running through the motions. still sounded good but the fire wasn’t there that I had seen five years earlier.   In Weezer’s case they were totally off.  Lots of mistakes.  The crowd still enjoyed it but it wasn’t a great performance.  
    I’ve never liked Weezer but I saw them in 95-96 with a group of friends. And wow did the crowd seem to be having a great time. Probably one of the first times and I had experienced/seen that level of crowd engagement 
  • Of The AggieOf The Aggie The ATX Posts: 1,539
    the message being received here seems to be don't EVER bother going to see Counting Crows. 
    Yeah I get that too!
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    This could have been a trainwreck, but it wound up being amazing.

    In 1995, along with many other concertgoers, I put on all my black clothing, Docs, and maybe some eyeliner, and made my way to The Edge in Orlando, Florida, to see goth legend Peter Murphy.

    When I got into the venue to check out what had to be a stellar new goth or industrial act opening for him, I was floored to find this little teenage hippie girl yodeling on the stage. I looked around me, and everyone else was pretty floored as well. I mean, we were all just mesmerized by this hippie girl yodeling on stage at a Peter Murphy concert. Some of us wondered if maybe it was a local kid who just snuck up there. It wasn't, though; it was the legitimate opening act for the show, and her name was Jewel.

    And pretty much everyone there who caught her act that day bought her CD. After that, I knew that she would be a household name in no time.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,195
    brianlux said:
    I must be the luckiest music fan on earth.  I've never seen a show that I thought was a train wreck, never a truly awful show, never one I walked away from feeling cheated.  Like my Pop once said, "I'm a lucky Lux!"
    Same. I've seen a couple of mediocre performers but nobody that was a true train wreck. The only thing I've ever left early was when the Mars Volta was the first of two openers for the RHCP. We went into the concourse for the duration because it was unbelievably loud...I hadn't heard of them so I didn't know any songs. But that's not quite the same thing.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 37,350
    yeah, I don't recall ever seeing a train wreck. left one show early; Xavier Rudd. he wasn't bad, it just got boring after a while, and knowing it was well into the set, my wife and I decided to beat the traffic. 
    "Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk"
    -EV  8/14/93




  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 9,773
    OnWis97 said:
    brianlux said:
    I must be the luckiest music fan on earth.  I've never seen a show that I thought was a train wreck, never a truly awful show, never one I walked away from feeling cheated.  Like my Pop once said, "I'm a lucky Lux!"
    Same. I've seen a couple of mediocre performers but nobody that was a true train wreck. The only thing I've ever left early was when the Mars Volta was the first of two openers for the RHCP. We went into the concourse for the duration because it was unbelievably loud...I hadn't heard of them so I didn't know any songs. But that's not quite the same thing.
    I LOVE The Mars Volta but 05 FTM show I saw was a labor
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,657
    Not a lot of train wrecks.  Two notable bands who were about to break up and they knew it.  

    Weezer 97
    Gaslight Anthem 14

    GA were just running through the motions. still sounded good but the fire wasn’t there that I had seen five years earlier.   In Weezer’s case they were totally off.  Lots of mistakes.  The crowd still enjoyed it but it wasn’t a great performance.  

    It's interesting. I saw Soundgarden in Vancouver at the end of '96, and you could tell there was some friction going on, but they lit the place on fire.   The animosity seemed to improve the show :)
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,155
    wasn't at this one but I remember hearing about it the next day (was considering going to it just cause it was G 'N R and also local band cKy


    8/28/98- Camden, NJ
    10/31/09- Philly
    5/21/10- NYC
    9/2/12- Philly, PA
    7/19/13- Wrigley
    10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
    10/21/13- Philly, PA
    10/22/13- Philly, PA
    10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
    4/28/16- Philly, PA
    4/29/16- Philly, PA
    5/1/16- NYC
    5/2/16- NYC
    9/2/18- Boston, MA
    9/4/18- Boston, MA
    9/14/22- Camden, NJ
    9/7/24- Philly, PA
    9/9/24- Philly, PA
    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • JT167846JT167846 Posts: 938
    Man I've been really lucky with Counting Crows. Twice in Dublin and once in Auckland and they were great every time. Same with Deftones who I've heard are hit and miss.

    PJ Milan 2018 was the closest. Obviously better than London 1. Ed struggled and they only played 18 songs but kudos to Mike who kept it afloat with his pyrotechnics.

    When you have guys like Mike and Matt who can step up for their band mates who can't be at 100% and still give an epic show you have some talent in your band.
    Stars are suns to other people.

    Wellington 1998
    London 2007
    Brisbane 2009
    Stockholm 2012
    Amsterdam 1 & 2 2014
    EV Dublin 2017
    Milan 2018
    Padova 2018
    Boston 2 2018
    Auckland 1 & 2 2024
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,657
    wasn't at this one but I remember hearing about it the next day (was considering going to it just cause it was G 'N R and also local band cKy



    I was in the lineup for the one in Vancouver.   The venue didn't let anyone in, it was pissing rain.  And time passed when the doors were supposed to open, and about half hour late they cancelled the show without letting anyone in.    It made the news as this big riot the next day, but all I remember is 20 or 30 people breaking shit, and 16000+ people running away trying to figure out where to go when police were trying to scatter the crowed.  Then some poor guy got stuck on the wrong side of the police line, tried to run to the crowed and a cop leveled his face with a billy club.   Then people started throwing stones an annihilating the cop car.  Presumedly the show was cancelled because Axl was late.

    Then a few years later I tried to see them when living in Edmonton.  Complete opposite of Vancouver.  If a dude is notorious for showing up late, then plan around it.. lol.   Edmonton had the venue prepped to stay open late.  They left LRT's as station to get people back to town when the show was over.   It ended up being a helluva good show.   Vancouver were idiots and didn't know how to plan for a GNR show, Edmonton was amazing :)


  • eddieceddiec Posts: 3,920
    edited April 2022
    Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens- Dublin 2009 

    I went to see his 1st show back since his decision to quit performing in the '70's. It was sold out and tickets were expensive. He opened with a few new songs that were okay, but everybody was there for his classics, obviously.

    Then he leaves the stage for the 2nd part of the show- what he kept telling the audience was a 'surprise'. This was supposed to be a preview of a new musical he had conceived that was going to open in London. It was a full blown musical of his most famous songs with loads of actors and a full stage design- set to a theme of some kid struggling in life, and it went on FOREVER. In this musical portion were all his best tunes being sung by actors. I actually felt bad for them. The audience completely turned. The whistles and boos were nearly drowning them out and people were streaming for the exits. A song would end and you were just praying it was over, but the actors would come back onstage and start singing songs like Wild World. The audience was losing its mind, literally standing up and screaming at the actors. The whole thing was just so embarrassing, I don't know what Cat was thinking. 

    He came back onstage for the 3rd part and started with another new song he had recently written. More boos. Then he played a few classics which settled everybody down, but the damage had been done. I've never been so uncomfortable at a show in my life. I'd say about half the audience had left before he returned for the 3rd part. He apologised at the end.

    After the Dublin show, he was set to perform a few more shows in the UK. At least for those shows he rejigged the entire thing and shortened the musical part- putting it first if I remember. 






    Post edited by eddiec on
  • iOnlyownMymindiOnlyownMymind Posts: 2,846
    OnWis97 said:
    brianlux said:
    I must be the luckiest music fan on earth.  I've never seen a show that I thought was a train wreck, never a truly awful show, never one I walked away from feeling cheated.  Like my Pop once said, "I'm a lucky Lux!"
    Same. I've seen a couple of mediocre performers but nobody that was a true train wreck. The only thing I've ever left early was when the Mars Volta was the first of two openers for the RHCP. We went into the concourse for the duration because it was unbelievably loud...I hadn't heard of them so I didn't know any songs. But that's not quite the same thing.
    Was that the Excel Energy Center show on the Stadium Arcadium tour?  I was at that show. They were loud, the lead singer went out in the crowd and was grabbing random people's beers and throwing them in the air and then chucked a giant trash can at the back of the floor, haha. I liked the set though but most didn't appear into it at all.  RHCP was good as was the jam at the end with the Mars Volta guitarist. 
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 37,350
    saw the Mars Volta on that tour. Wife and I left our seats and headed to the concourse as well. they were terrible. 
    "Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk"
    -EV  8/14/93




  • 1STmammal2wearPants1STmammal2wearPants Worcester, MA Posts: 2,938
    edited April 2022
    Not sure if it was a trainwreck, but the worst show I've seen was Blink 182 in 2004. They sounded pretty bad. Was indifferent about No Doubt opening, and they ended up blowing Blink out of the amphitheater - what an energetic show they put on.
    2003 Mansfield III 
    2004 Boston I 
    2006 Boston I 
    2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I 
    2010 Hartford 
    2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford 
    2016 Bonnaroo, Fenway I, Fenway II 
    2018 Fenway I, Fenway II 
    2021 Sea.Hear.Now
    2022 Camden
    2024 MSG I, Fenway I, Fenway II
  • JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,302
    Counting Crows produced one of their generation's great albums in August And Everything After, but I've seen them live a few times over the years and they have never been good. 

    Bob Dylan was rough when I saw him in 1999. Can't imagine it's gotten any better. Phil Lesh and Friends opened that night and they were awesome. 

    Mudhoney was AWFUL in 2011, but that was more of a personal taste thing than a trainwreck. That's just how they are supposed to sound and how loud they are supposed to be. 
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
Sign In or Register to comment.