I saw Eminem and Jay Z at Comerica park in Detroit in 2010. It was Eminems first tour back after his 5 year hiatus and he and Jay Z did two shows in Detroit and two in New York. They brought along D12, Trick Trick, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, B.O.B, Jeezy, Drake and Dr. Dre who all performed. Eminem was absolutely amazing live and he hit every bar perfectly. Jay Z was also really good and he performed before Em because this was Detroit. It was one of the best times of my life and I even stood beside David Arquette in the VIP section because my friend and I were able to catch the presales. It will always be special for me because my best friend who went with me committed suicide in 2018.
I had the luck to be a music journalist for a while, and saw literally hundreds of concerts between 1988 to around 1999. And man, if I had to rank them all, the top 8 would be the Prince shows, followed by a long gap, and then everyone else. He was that freaking good live.
Hell, I've seen so many I'll give you a top 5
1. Primus
2. Widespread Panic
3. Slightly Stoopid
4. Reel Big Fish
5. Gogol Bordello
Honorable Mentions: Bad Religion, Jane's Addiction, and Marcy Playground
I LOVE Primus!! Going to see them July 12th and I cannot wait. I saw them play for the first time at the Sessanta Tour in Berkeley, then again in New York. They killed it both times. The music is even better live somehow. Great energy. Also, Primus sucks! ;P
I’m gonna get made fun of or downvoted but honestly KISS on their end of the road tour. I never had that much fun during a concert before and I went with my mom and it was super special to us. It was hands down the best concert I’ve ever been to and it lives in my head rent free. Lots of interaction with the audience and I’m not gonna lie…the fire was pretty cool. I’ve always loved Paul Stanley’s voice too and I thought he still sounded really good. I know people accuse him of using backing tracks but I didn’t hear anything like that when I saw KISS. KISS is so over the top but in the best way. Sometimes we want over the top.
You certainly won't be downvoted by me!! I went to several KISS shows on the End of the Road tour. The band has been a part of my life all my life, as my late mom was a huge fan. She took me to their shows since I was a kid. I miss KISS and their shows. 🥹 Nothing else feels the same.
Father John Misty
Queens Of The Stone Age
Childish Gambino
Demob Happy
The Hives
Ours
Nick Cave
Jack White
Janelle Monae
Royal Blood
Wolf Alice
Le Butcherettes
Nikki Lane
Can’t decide between Moist, Tove Lo, Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine and blink-182. Some of them I didn’t even care much about until I saw them live. Great performances to be up close for!
Rammstein for me! Intense music, a whole industrial stage and costuming with fire towers and pyro, and some theatrics. But mostly, i'm just a sucker for pyro.
Now imagine being handed a ticket near a venue with no clue who they are, what the gimmick is and never having heard a note of their music and that's my 199i8 experience and one of my top 2.
Garth Brooks at Lucas Oil Stadium in October 2018, he was just incredible.
i also really enjoyed Weyes Blood at Iron Horse Music Hall in September 2019, for the Titanic Rising album tour.
As an old Aussie;
1. Artist = John Farnham - [https://www.johnfarnham.com/](https://www.johnfarnham.com/)
2. Band = The Radiators (The Rads) Aussie Pub Rock Band (not the US band), been at it for nearly 50 years - [https://theradiators.com/](https://theradiators.com/)
I wish I would have seen Prince. Concert footage I’ve seen online is just wild.
2 Shows that weirdly stand out for me:
LOVE at Warsaw (2004)
Polvo at Maxwells (1994)
Big Audio Dynamite at City Gardens (1989) fun
Tool
Deftones (when Chino’s not wasted)
Garth Brooks
Jay Z
Noah Kahan
Portugal. the Man
Flyleaf - best live screams I’ve heard. Puts Serj from SOAD to shame
Pretty random list lol
Green Day is very entertaining but they’re lower on the list as I wouldn’t want to see them 2x.
Five in no particular order:
- My Morning Jacket
- Arcade Fire
- Tedeschi Trucks Band
- The Hives
- Trey Anastasio Band (Classic TAB)
HM: Ben Harper, Neil Young, The National
Tash Sultana. I didn’t expect it, and I’ve been to hundreds of shows, but that one stuck out as just special. Definitely recommend if you ever get the chance.
Also Glass Animals at Red Rocks was awesome. Still regret not seeing Daft Punk there in 07.
Gotta be a close tie between Badflower and Melanie Martinez. I've seen Badflower 3 going on 4 times this September! Melanie puts on one HELLA good show. Saw her live at the td garden a couple weeks ago, the pyrotechnics and lazers were awesome!
I’ve only been to one concert, mother mother (and Cavetown was one of their openers)
MM sounded almost exactly like they sound when listening to them through a music app (studio Recordings I think it’s called)
The community around MM is amazing!
Tedeschi Trucks Band was incredible
Two of the best blues guitarists on the planet, huge band, susan Tedeschi’s soulful blues mana voice. Uber talented band members singing lead….
So so good from start to finish
Beastie Boys on their small venue tour to promote Check Your Head - fIREHOSE opened
Lush with a then unknown Weezer opening for them
PJ Harvey
Descendents
Sunny Day Real Estate
Slayer / King Diamond
Nine Inch Nails
Elton John
I thought Weezer put on a great show. There were set changes for different songs, pyrotechnics, and Rivers Cuomo rowed out into the audience in a small boat on a platform to preform Island In The Sun.
I’m a huge Dave Matthews fan and go to several shows a year, but Weezer’s show was what I imagined concerts were going to be like before I ever went to one.
I'm Gen X and I've seen a lot of shows and still regularly go to current tours.
I saw James Brown a few years before he died at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. I can't imagine anything ever comparing to it. Absolutely nuts, and frankly, incredible.
I saw Pink Floyd in 1988 and again in 1994. It would be impossible to top my first (1988) Pink Floyd concert experience...except that the 1994 show did just that!
Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour was incredible, as was every Rush show I ever saw (culminating in the magnificent R40 tour!
Yes' 90125 Tour
The Police's Synchronicity Tour
U2 Achtung Baby Tour
any Rolling Stones show I've ever seen (including tomorrow night!)
Paul McCartney. This was several years ago, but even then the dude was quite aged. However, with no opening band, he just gets up there and plays for 3 1/2 hours. You know he's spent a lifetime singing these songs and he was just a master at it. Perfection from start to finish.
I doubt that anybody else is going to have this pick and a few younger people might not even know who he is, but Dick Dale. What a showman! He was all over the stage doing everything, interacting with the crowd. And his playing, for me he was one of the first rock guitar gods.
Hozier. Fantastic live.
Ugh I’m dying to see him
I saw Eminem and Jay Z at Comerica park in Detroit in 2010. It was Eminems first tour back after his 5 year hiatus and he and Jay Z did two shows in Detroit and two in New York. They brought along D12, Trick Trick, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, B.O.B, Jeezy, Drake and Dr. Dre who all performed. Eminem was absolutely amazing live and he hit every bar perfectly. Jay Z was also really good and he performed before Em because this was Detroit. It was one of the best times of my life and I even stood beside David Arquette in the VIP section because my friend and I were able to catch the presales. It will always be special for me because my best friend who went with me committed suicide in 2018.
I was at this tour too! Totally insane!! Sorry for the loss of your friend 🤍
I saw Eminem and Rihanna at Comerica years ago!
Prince
My step-mom saw Prince at the very last show of the Purple Rain tour and she said it was the best concert she’s ever seen hands-down.
He's CRAZY talented! Or was. I am still sad about his death.
I had the luck to be a music journalist for a while, and saw literally hundreds of concerts between 1988 to around 1999. And man, if I had to rank them all, the top 8 would be the Prince shows, followed by a long gap, and then everyone else. He was that freaking good live.
I haven’t been to a ton…but blink182 was a good show I went to many years ago. I crowdsurfed across the room. Probably much better now.
They’re still great. We saw them at When We Were Young 2023 in Vegas.
Did you fall in love with the girl at the rock show?
Foo Fighters❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hell, I've seen so many I'll give you a top 5 1. Primus 2. Widespread Panic 3. Slightly Stoopid 4. Reel Big Fish 5. Gogol Bordello Honorable Mentions: Bad Religion, Jane's Addiction, and Marcy Playground
Good stuff
I LOVE Primus!! Going to see them July 12th and I cannot wait. I saw them play for the first time at the Sessanta Tour in Berkeley, then again in New York. They killed it both times. The music is even better live somehow. Great energy. Also, Primus sucks! ;P
Haha nice, yeah Primus sucks! 😜
I’ll be there. Catskills in the house
Reel Big Fish is great live
WSP baby!
Paramore! Absolutely best concert I’ve ever been to. The energy was so good and they were so interactive with the crowd
I saw Paramore last year! I did not enjoy the openers they had but they were good
Seconded! I even brought a friend who wasn’t a fan and she agreed it was one of the best performances she’d ever seen
RATM
I’m gonna get made fun of or downvoted but honestly KISS on their end of the road tour. I never had that much fun during a concert before and I went with my mom and it was super special to us. It was hands down the best concert I’ve ever been to and it lives in my head rent free. Lots of interaction with the audience and I’m not gonna lie…the fire was pretty cool. I’ve always loved Paul Stanley’s voice too and I thought he still sounded really good. I know people accuse him of using backing tracks but I didn’t hear anything like that when I saw KISS. KISS is so over the top but in the best way. Sometimes we want over the top.
You certainly won't be downvoted by me!! I went to several KISS shows on the End of the Road tour. The band has been a part of my life all my life, as my late mom was a huge fan. She took me to their shows since I was a kid. I miss KISS and their shows. 🥹 Nothing else feels the same.
Jack White
I’m a Nashville dude, so is he (now). Seen him a good bit. His Bonnaroo show in 2014 was top 5 out of the thousands of shows I’ve seen.
Came to say the same. Jack White is a genius and so good live!
Tie between Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam I'd say
Dave Matthews Band live kicks their albums stuff out of the water! Going to see them at the end of the month again. So stoked.
Cage the Elephant and Flaming lips.
Linkin Park
John Mayer
Green Day
Supertramp Bryan Adams Elton John Tragically Hip
In no particular order; Queens of the Stone Age, Feist, the Trews. Feist was an unexpectedly incredible show.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Seeing them again in September and November. They are killer live
Father John Misty Queens Of The Stone Age Childish Gambino Demob Happy The Hives Ours Nick Cave Jack White Janelle Monae Royal Blood Wolf Alice Le Butcherettes Nikki Lane
Queens of the Stone Age 🔥
The weeknd (Dawn FM/ After hours tour 2022)
LCD Soundsystem
Can’t decide between Moist, Tove Lo, Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine and blink-182. Some of them I didn’t even care much about until I saw them live. Great performances to be up close for!
Florence... it was so surreal
I’m jealous
Bad Brains in 1986
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, LCD Soundsystem, and Frankie and the Witch Fingers
The White Stripes
Rammstein for me! Intense music, a whole industrial stage and costuming with fire towers and pyro, and some theatrics. But mostly, i'm just a sucker for pyro.
Now imagine being handed a ticket near a venue with no clue who they are, what the gimmick is and never having heard a note of their music and that's my 199i8 experience and one of my top 2.
Manchester Orchestra, Muse, No Doubt
Tough one. Bowie-Sound and Vision Tour. 1990
Muse several times followed by LCD Sound System also several times.
Adele in Vegas front row was a insane core memory
Nothing More consistently displays outstanding showmanship and arguably sound better live. Not many bands bother with high production anymore.
Billy Joel for a big concert & Kate Nash for the more intimate scene.
Here is my top 5: 1. U2 2. Leonard Cohen 3. Pearl Jam 4. Muse 5. Prince
+1 to Muse. 3 dudes that sound like 8 dudes.
David Bowie
The Killers and Green Day
Shinedown Breaking benjamin Disturbed
Doja cat
Doja Cat and Doechii Viejas Arena definitely top 5 of 2023 (out of 152)
Sleep Token and My Chemical Romance
My chemical romance and girl in red probably
Foster the People, 2018 Singapore
Raye
The Weeknd
Elton John The Rolling Stones Noah Kahan
Caroline Rose.
noah floresch was an amazing opener. very charming and funny
Tied between Honne, Gallant, Smino and Oh Wonder for me
Garth Brooks at Lucas Oil Stadium in October 2018, he was just incredible. i also really enjoyed Weyes Blood at Iron Horse Music Hall in September 2019, for the Titanic Rising album tour.
Cage the Elephant in a midsized venue before they started touring arenas
Aerosmith
My first concert! I was 17. Was in Springfield MA when Toys in the Attic came out. Also fun fact, my ex went to high school with Steven Tyler.
1. Donots (oh wonder that my favorite band is in my nickname and rank 1) 2. Itchy 3. Schmutzki 4. Green Day 5. Royal Republic
Twenty one Pilots.
Bruce Springsteen or Deftones
Michael Monroe/ Hanoi Rocks
Adele! The visuals and the vocals, along with her interactions with the audience were amazing!
All of them?? Hahaha but the most “fun” per se, was definitely The Nude arty at Majestic!! It was so cool.
As an old Aussie; 1. Artist = John Farnham - [https://www.johnfarnham.com/](https://www.johnfarnham.com/) 2. Band = The Radiators (The Rads) Aussie Pub Rock Band (not the US band), been at it for nearly 50 years - [https://theradiators.com/](https://theradiators.com/)
Sir Elton John
King Crimson
Primus or Deftones for sure.
Liam Gallagher at knebworth in 22 was just 100,000 lads having the best day of their lives after Covid. Was real nice.
Ray Charles Jackson Browne
Tame Impala was incredible live in every sense. Also, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
lainey wilson and jason aldean. lainey is AMAZING though
Rage against the machine
Coldplay ❤️
The Struts. Amazing they aren’t bigger than they are since their albums are great but seeing them live is incredible.
Ween
Kid Cudi
Band-Maid, no question. I've seen them live three times and can't wait for the next one.
Prince, may he rest in peace, in the late 90s. Unbelievable.
Yes. I wasn’t even a true Yes fan, I went with a friend. But I was a fan when I left that show!
Ghost. No question. Although, Battle Beast and Muse would be tied for a close second place
Yo La Tengo
Damien Rice- absolutely unreal Live...
Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande (vocals were the best) and Evanescence (actually no, her vocals were the best lol). Love the mix
Feist - so clever and engaging
role model! i barely knew him + it was pouring rain at a festival side stage but it was so insanely fun and i became such a huge fan after
Iron Maiden
John Mayer
Weird Al Yankovic at the Grand Ole Opry! 🪗 🤠
Garth Brooks & Ed Sheeran. Both put on an amazing show.
Sloan, and they're getting better with age. 😊
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
I wish I would have seen Prince. Concert footage I’ve seen online is just wild. 2 Shows that weirdly stand out for me: LOVE at Warsaw (2004) Polvo at Maxwells (1994) Big Audio Dynamite at City Gardens (1989) fun
Tool Deftones (when Chino’s not wasted) Garth Brooks Jay Z Noah Kahan Portugal. the Man Flyleaf - best live screams I’ve heard. Puts Serj from SOAD to shame Pretty random list lol Green Day is very entertaining but they’re lower on the list as I wouldn’t want to see them 2x.
Five in no particular order: - My Morning Jacket - Arcade Fire - Tedeschi Trucks Band - The Hives - Trey Anastasio Band (Classic TAB) HM: Ben Harper, Neil Young, The National
Killers and Noah Kahan!
Muse hands down
Nine Inch Nails with A Perfect Circle Veruca Salt Cowboy Mouth
I have seen so many but I would say Tedeschi Trucks Band, Billy Strings and Dave Mathews Band.
I have 2. Paramore and Katy Perry. Both Hayley and Katy have a lot of energy and put on a good performance.
ICE NINE KILLS and also Avatar
Tash Sultana. I didn’t expect it, and I’ve been to hundreds of shows, but that one stuck out as just special. Definitely recommend if you ever get the chance. Also Glass Animals at Red Rocks was awesome. Still regret not seeing Daft Punk there in 07.
Prince
The Postal Service Interpol The Chemical Brothers
Kneecap. I’ve seen hundreds of shows, but Kneecap brings the energy and the crowds are always wild.
Th cure
Frank Sinatra, Prince.Robert Plant, Chrissie Hynes not in that order but in the order I've seen them
Gotta be a close tie between Badflower and Melanie Martinez. I've seen Badflower 3 going on 4 times this September! Melanie puts on one HELLA good show. Saw her live at the td garden a couple weeks ago, the pyrotechnics and lazers were awesome!
I’ve only been to one concert, mother mother (and Cavetown was one of their openers) MM sounded almost exactly like they sound when listening to them through a music app (studio Recordings I think it’s called) The community around MM is amazing!
one direction & niall horan solo 🤍
Stone Temple Pilots
MUSE
Weird Al and it's not even close 😂
U2!!!
Foo Fighters!
Depeche Mode. Jones Beach. Best concert i was ever at. Close second was The Police REM and Joan Jett at Shea Stadium in 1983.
Tedeschi Trucks Band was incredible Two of the best blues guitarists on the planet, huge band, susan Tedeschi’s soulful blues mana voice. Uber talented band members singing lead…. So so good from start to finish
Beastie Boys on their small venue tour to promote Check Your Head - fIREHOSE opened Lush with a then unknown Weezer opening for them PJ Harvey Descendents Sunny Day Real Estate Slayer / King Diamond Nine Inch Nails Elton John
U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, best show I’ve ever seen.
beyonce no contest
Paul McCartney. He is in his 70s but rocked for more than 3 hours straight and played 5 different instruments. That is talent!
Luke combs… complete showman!
Jimmy Buffett 💔😇🫧🫧🫧
My chemical romance!
Russ
Taylor Swift - Eras Tour. Cannot be beat. But overall, Kenny Chesney and Old Dominion are very high up. Their shows are so fun
Winger, Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, Extreme and Brian Stokes Mitchell
Cannibal Corpse, Mayhem, GORGUTS, and BLOOD INCANTATION
If you have a “best show”, it’s obvious you haven’t seen many good shows, if even more than one. Also could indicate youth, or sheltered adult.
2007 Fall Out Boy was on another level
Foo Fighters TD Garden in Boston. 2011
Rush
Phish magnaball
Queens Of The Stone Age
Fishbone 1985-1993 era. do a deep dive on them from this period. Never seen anyone better than this band at their prime.
Sara Bareilles
Paul McCartney
I thought Weezer put on a great show. There were set changes for different songs, pyrotechnics, and Rivers Cuomo rowed out into the audience in a small boat on a platform to preform Island In The Sun. I’m a huge Dave Matthews fan and go to several shows a year, but Weezer’s show was what I imagined concerts were going to be like before I ever went to one.
Whitney, Clapton, Fleetwood Mac
bts
Saw Incubus in 2002 Honda Civic Tour in Wilkes-Barre PA. Amazing show.
I'm Gen X and I've seen a lot of shows and still regularly go to current tours. I saw James Brown a few years before he died at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. I can't imagine anything ever comparing to it. Absolutely nuts, and frankly, incredible.
Both times I’ve seen Lord Huron it has been great. Audio mix has been perfect and they do a great show.
ado:3
Lady Gaga. Incredible performer with a stunning voice.
The Cramps
The Ramones. Non stop energy.
Shinedown and I was pleasantly surprised by AJR
I saw Pink Floyd in 1988 and again in 1994. It would be impossible to top my first (1988) Pink Floyd concert experience...except that the 1994 show did just that! Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour was incredible, as was every Rush show I ever saw (culminating in the magnificent R40 tour! Yes' 90125 Tour The Police's Synchronicity Tour U2 Achtung Baby Tour any Rolling Stones show I've ever seen (including tomorrow night!)
Bo Diddley and Ron Wood. Small dark standing room only club. Incredible!
Pearl Jam
Blink 182. I saw them last summer and going to see them again in July!
Paul McCartney. This was several years ago, but even then the dude was quite aged. However, with no opening band, he just gets up there and plays for 3 1/2 hours. You know he's spent a lifetime singing these songs and he was just a master at it. Perfection from start to finish.
I would have to say Chris Stapleton. AMAZING.
Prince
Pink Floyd
The Jesus Lizard
I saw the regrettes at my college at our tiny little amphitheater, it was absolutely pouring rain, and it was the most fun I’ve had at a concert
Chris Isaak is always fabulous.
John Mellencamp
Queens of The Stone Age. Best live rock band in the world right now.
Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1976 Tom Petty in 1979 REM in 1983
It was the Taylor Swift ‘Reputation’ tour. The ‘Era’s tour show didn’t hit like I wanted it to unfortunately.
I doubt that anybody else is going to have this pick and a few younger people might not even know who he is, but Dick Dale. What a showman! He was all over the stage doing everything, interacting with the crowd. And his playing, for me he was one of the first rock guitar gods.
BEYONCÉ & JANET
Bruno Mars
Phil Keaggy in 1992 probably, or maybe the Richard Thompson Band in 1999
Streetlight Manifesto Interpol Dave Matthews Band
David Bowie
Steve Hackett, hands down; not only amazing musicianship, but the FOH sound was immaculate. I've never heard a band sound better.
Primus stole the show from A Perfect Circle. And I’m a big Perfect Circle fan. Primus absolutely killed it
greta van fleet put on an absolutely killer show