Who has been the greatest live act ever?

[The_Reverend_M]

I'd find it hard top argue that a band whose singer can't sing live was the greatest live band ever. Bleedin' Springsteen tops them in my book (and I do enjoy flips gigs).

Fugazi, Super Furry Animals & Iggy all top them too

I was more responding to the "best band you've seen live" tbh - and for me I haven't had more fun seeing an act live than them! Dodgy singing voice or not

Shellac are probably up there too ...

 

[chico enrico]

The Godfathers - St Valentine's Day Massacre, various dates, but New Cross in 93 probably

they've reformed and played a St Valentine's Day Massacre at, i think, the Boston Arms this year. My friend's managing them.

 

[phildwyer]

I liked The Skids, but just strikes me as a positively surreal nomination. In fact , i had forgotten I even saw them until they came up here which puts their lasting impression as a 'seminal' live act into relative perspective.

No man, they were fantastic the night I saw them. It was at Grannies, a punk club in Cardiff, above a porno cinema. There was a more or less constant brawl on the dancefloor and they did five encores. Mind you I was 13 and easily impressed.

 

[Ron Merlin]

Chas n Dave

Agreed, CnD are brilliant live! Although Dumpy's Rusty Nuts are pretty ace (café) too. Last saw 'em around 1985.

 

[rikwakefield]

Santana and his band are pretty damn special.

 

[belboid]

Santana and his band are pretty damn special.

yes, but not in a good way

 

[moomoo]

You'll probably laugh but Take That are fantastic live. They really put on a good show and you feel like you've got your moneys worth.

 

[rikwakefield]

yes, but not in a good way

Not from where I'm sitting.

Although my vote would probably go to The Who.

 

[mentalchik]

AC/DC................with Bonn Scott of course.......



*goes all nostalgic*

 

[_pH_]

orbital

 

[paolo]

For me... Mogwai, almost any gig, but RAH surpassed their 'normal' (ie ridiculous) volume levels. Off to see them again Friday as it happens.

 

[MightyAphrodite]

AC/DC................with Bonn Scott of course.......



*goes all nostalgic*

i was gonna say them!

i remember seeing them when i was a teenager, they had to stop right before the last song because the roof of the coliseum started falling (small bits)

 

[Cheesypoof]

Prince.

Stevie Wonder.

The White Stripes.

Bjork.

they are obvious choices. But another astonishing performer, when hes good is

Pete Doherty

he is absolutely hypnotising to everyone that watches when hes on form. Its like catching a butterfly with Pete though he really is captivating when he is sober and has it together during his Jazz After Dark sets.

 

[Orang Utan]

The most fun I've ever had at a gig was The Pogues, but that was my first gig ever. I wouldn't like it now.
Fugazi were pretty compelling and I'll never forget Public Enemy at Reading.

 

[paolo]

Santana and his band are pretty damn special.

They can't be that special. I tried giving away 6 tickets here and noone wanted a single one!

 

[MightyAphrodite]

The White Stripes.

ooooh, good one.


joleneeeeeeeeee *shiver*

 

[Cheesypoof]

ooooh, good one.


joleneeeeeeeeee *shiver*

they are the best live band i have ever seen.

Another tremendous live band were NIRVANA. I saw them way back in the point depot when i was a nipper.

and Blur are excellent too.

peeps might choke to death on their 'sarnies' that i have included Pete in my lineup but i am telling you he is an OUTSTANDING performer when hes on form, Hes young and all, but he has the power of magic like the others do, bestowed from a power within. He needs to harnass it proper, IMO, which would start with him giving up drugs.

 

[Iam]

He's no Speedo, though.

 

[lights.out.london]

they've reformed and played a St Valentine's Day Massacre at, i think, the Boston Arms this year. My friend's managing them.

Yes. They did play a reunion this year. Pretty sure it was the bar at Islington Academy.

**nostalgic for Sid Presley Experience/ The Godfathers of the 80s/early 90s**

Is Pete still permanently pissed off? Has he smiled yet, since 1987?

/end fanboy mode

 

[Bernie Gunther]

Pre-Punk era: Hawkwind (the proper line-up, with Lemmy, Stacia etc) at Liverpool Stadium. Me with a head full of really good acid.

Punk era: Dr Feelgood first, closely followed by the original Damned, no doubt at all about it. With Motorhead on their first tour and the Ramones' famous gig at Erics fighting for third place.

Post-Punk era: nothing really comes to mind as special after that. Maybe Hawkwind again at Stonehenge (see remarks about acid earlier)

 

[rikwakefield]

They can't be that special. I tried giving away 6 tickets here and noone wanted a single one!

so sad I missed that

 

[lights.out.london]

Pre-Punk era: Hawkwind (the proper line-up, with Lemmy, Stacia etc) at Liverpool Stadium. Me with a head full of really good acid.

Was that the live album date? If it had Lemmy in the line up....

 

[Bernie Gunther]

Was that the live album date? If it had Lemmy in the line up....

Nope, not Space Ritual. Same place, more or less the same lineup, but a few years later ... Maybe '74?

 

[lights.out.london]

Nope, not Space Ritual. Same place, more or less the same lineup, but a few years later ... Maybe '74?

Bah! And I wanted to say I 'knew' someone who was there. You coulda kidded on like.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

Thing is, I think you can't really comment on bands you've never actually seen live, or didn't see live in their heyday.

Otherwise I suspect the obvious candidates (at least for my taste) would be Led Zep somewhere around 1969-70, then maybe Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band a little bit earlier and after that maybe Hendrix and/or the Stones and/or the Who and/or Dylan from the same sort of era. At least to judge by live albums, bootlegs and youtube videos that I've seen/heard. Some of that stuff is just stupidly good ...

I mean, have a look at the .

 

[bluestreak]

Well, here's a brief rundown of some of my favourite ever gigs.

Penthouse. Upstairs at the Island, Ilford, c.1995 or 6. Completely ignored by the indie kids, no more than ten people watching them, I'd never heard of them before and had relatively sedate tastes. Fucking superb, threw themselves around on stage like they were possessed, howling and screaming, thundering bass. Fell in love there and then and Gutter Erotica is still on regular rotation.

Corrosion Of Conformity, Deliverance tour, Camden Underworld 1996. Mate had blagged tickets, I was mostly into indie and grunge and was sneering so much beforehand that my mate told me I could fuck off if I was going to moan about it. Came out in love with riffs again. Wonderful stuff.

Atari Teenage Riot, Highbury Garage, about 1998 or 9. Easily the best gig I've ever been to that didn't involve inflatables.

Flaming Lips, any time I've ever seen them ever.

Mogwai, once I got them.

Radiohead, except the time I saw them at Earls Court. The other three or four times were tear-inducingly brilliant. Everything a great band should be.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

Even late, decadent drug-addled Led Zeppelin is pretty tasty.

 

[purplex]

Queen 1986
Obvious or not the greatest showman on earth at the peak of his powers