What are your top 3 live bands?

13

Comments

  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 17,894
    Tough to pick just 3 as many have said, probably have to be:
    Pearl Jam
    U2
    The Who

    PJ needs no explanation here.

    U2 always brings it live, even if some of the tours are a tad too scripted. They do usually vary things (just a few song) on multiple nights here in Boston, so I've seen some rare stuff (seen Crystal Ballroom performed one of only 2 times, saw them do a 3 encore show on my birthday on the Vertigo tour where they ended with Fast Cars). There's certain cities that they shake things up a bit in, and fortunately this is one as they first broke in the US on Boston radio (RIP WBCN).

    Too young to have seen The Who with Keith, but saw them a number of times with John, that man was a force. First show I saw after he passed the opening notes of Baba were sorely lacking in the crunch they had with Entwhistle. The band played with a fury and energy that is largely unmatched in rock history.

    Hard to leave Bruce and the E Street Band off the list, undeniably one of the great all time live acts. They'll be first runner up.
    Other runners up would include Van Halen, Iggy Pop, J Geils Band, Motley Crue and Scorpions.

    This weekend we rock Portland
  • ComeToTX
    ComeToTX Austin Posts: 8,071
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    This show, another show, a show here and a show there.
  • pjhawks
    pjhawks Posts: 12,941
    PJ
    Springsteen
    Roger Waters
  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,593
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    forgot about mccartney. he was in my top 5 shows ever too. 
    By The Time They Figure Out What Went Wrong, We'll Be Sitting On A Beach, Earning Twenty Percent.




  • 1STmammal2wearPants
    1STmammal2wearPants Worcester, MA Posts: 2,989
    edited December 2020
    Pearl Jam
    Radiohead (2018 shout-out - they really sounded the best I have ever heard them)
    My Morning Jacket 
    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
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,818
    edited December 2020
    edited - duplicate post 
    Post edited by Merkin Baller on
  • clayton12
    clayton12 Athens, GA Posts: 374
    I didnt mention them in my top three, but boy Guided By Voices are amazing live. Still hard to wrap my head around how Bob does it.
  • jjflash
    jjflash Posts: 5,031
    edited December 2020
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    Sir Paul is my #1 have-not-seen-gotta-see-play artist. I'm hoping to go w/ my family on a road trip somewhere to see him play once things get back to normal.
  • jjflash
    jjflash Posts: 5,031
    brianlux said:
    Loujoe said:
    Awesome! I get a feeling you are the true legend Brian. Write that book man. I'll read it.
    Very kind of you to say, Loujoe, but no, not a legend, just another guy in the crowd.
    I wrote this a few years ago.   If you're interested, I've priced them a few cents less than they cost me to have them printed. 
    Someday, I need to do another edition to include a chapter about Steve Wynn and The Dream Syndicate.




    Very cool, @brianlux ! Just ordered a copy. Looking forward to reading it :sunglasses:
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,909
    Pearl Jam
    Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band
    AC DC

    The first two were a no brainer for me.   Springsteen is the only live performance I feel is on par with PJ.   Excellent live shows, varied set lists, generates huge energy from the audience, and plays epicly long setlists.

    I wasn't sure on my #3.  I went with AC/DC because there the only other band I would place in my top 5 concerts I've seen.   The problem is that the show I rank was an outdoor show in Edmonton, where thunder/lightning storms were in almost every direction, and it pissed rain the whole time.  The concern kind of became a fight of both the fans and the band to fight through it.   It made for one helluva epic performance.
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    edited December 2020
    jjflash said:
    brianlux said:
    Loujoe said:
    Awesome! I get a feeling you are the true legend Brian. Write that book man. I'll read it.
    Very kind of you to say, Loujoe, but no, not a legend, just another guy in the crowd.
    I wrote this a few years ago.   If you're interested, I've priced them a few cents less than they cost me to have them printed. 
    Someday, I need to do another edition to include a chapter about Steve Wynn and The Dream Syndicate.




    Very cool, @brianlux ! Just ordered a copy. Looking forward to reading it :sunglasses:

    Thank you, jjflash!  The book will be on it's way soon!  :smile: 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,526
    Tim Simmons said:
    The National
    Daft Punk
    LCD Soundsystem
    LCD even though they play the same set?
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,526
    Thee Oh Sees
    Dillinger Escape Plan
    Pearl Jam
  • mr bungle
    mr bungle Posts: 1,425
    jjflash said:
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    Sir Paul is my #1 have-not-seen-gotta-see-play artist. I'm hoping to go w/ my family on a road trip somewhere to see him play once things get back to normal.
    How have you missed McCartney?  Logistics or choice?  He's been all over the country/globe multiple times over the last 20 years.  Just curious.  Anyways. Yes, you need to see him as soon as you get the chance!
  • GlowGirl
    GlowGirl New York, NY Posts: 12,126
    mr bungle said:
    jjflash said:
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    Sir Paul is my #1 have-not-seen-gotta-see-play artist. I'm hoping to go w/ my family on a road trip somewhere to see him play once things get back to normal.
    How have you missed McCartney?  Logistics or choice?  He's been all over the country/globe multiple times over the last 20 years.  Just curious.  Anyways. Yes, you need to see him as soon as you get the chance!
    Agreed. McCartney was definitely one of the best live shows I have ever seen. The crowd energy was off the charts as well.

  • mfc2006
    mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,491
    My Morning Jacket
    Pearl Jam
    Queens of the Stone Age
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,818
    While they aren't my top three, I have to give a shout out to Iggy Pop & St Vincent. 

    I've only seen them once each, But Iggy & Annie Clark each owned their stages like no one I had ever seen, and had the crowd eating from the palm of their hands. It was really awesome to see as a fringe fan of each act.   
  • jjflash
    jjflash Posts: 5,031
    mr bungle said:
    jjflash said:
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    Sir Paul is my #1 have-not-seen-gotta-see-play artist. I'm hoping to go w/ my family on a road trip somewhere to see him play once things get back to normal.
    How have you missed McCartney?  Logistics or choice?  He's been all over the country/globe multiple times over the last 20 years.  Just curious.  Anyways. Yes, you need to see him as soon as you get the chance!
    Good question. A little of both, I guess. A couple of years ago if finally hit me: Why in the world haven't I seen Sir Paul play? :whistle: I'm in Birmingham so ATL or Nash are both easy road trips. Legacy acts, for the most part, weren't a big priority in my early adult years. Infants/young 'uns then limited travel to out of town shows. Now that the kids are a bit older and have been exposed to lots of The Beatles' music in the car/home/etc it's important to me for them (and me too) to see him while he's healthy. 
  • JOEJOEJOE
    JOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,827
    GlowGirl said:
    mr bungle said:
    jjflash said:
    ComeToTX said:
    clayton12 said:
    Easily My Morning Jacket.

    Pearl Jam

    Drive By Truckers.
    Yep. Deftones are also great. McCartney put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. Those 3 are consistently the best for me too though. 
    Sir Paul is my #1 have-not-seen-gotta-see-play artist. I'm hoping to go w/ my family on a road trip somewhere to see him play once things get back to normal.
    How have you missed McCartney?  Logistics or choice?  He's been all over the country/globe multiple times over the last 20 years.  Just curious.  Anyways. Yes, you need to see him as soon as you get the chance!
    Agreed. McCartney was definitely one of the best live shows I have ever seen. The crowd energy was off the charts as well.

    Always great seeing Paul live....especially since he has such a big catalog from which to choose his setlist!
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,909
    I saw Paul McCartney live less than 10 years ago.  It was at BC Place in Vancouver.   The show was pretty good, but only the front of the floor was standing.  Everyone else was sitting down.  

    Great show and great songs, but it wasn't like a PJ or Springsteen show when it feels like everyone in the vanue is on their feet rocking out.    Then again I'm usually at the front of those shows so I wouldn't notice if people were sitting in the back.  McCartney tickets were so expensive we bought 2nd row tickets on the upper deck to keep costs under control.

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