Best/Worst Concert Experience

[mightyzep247]

First is the worst: I was in a 700-800 person venue seeing Blues Traveler and it was a great show(although very, very packed) but towards the middle-the end of the show, John Popper started throwing out his harmonicas(he had tons) and I was right up front. Every time he threw one near the front I would get trampled and I didnt really mind that, although I got all bruised up from it. The thing that made it the worst was that John was threw a harmonica right to me but some drunk guy behind me stole it out of my hand and ran away. I was pretty pissed off. but it was okay after that because i got to meet three of the five members of BT, including John Popper.

I have a couple ones for the best.

1. After a Ringo Starr and the All Starr Band show at Radio City in NYC I met Billy Squier, Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), and Greg Bissonette. I also almost met Levon Helm, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, and Colin Hay but they all just walked by.

2. When I was seeing Mountain in 2006, Leslie West started talking to me as he was onstage. Also, I got one of Corky Laing's drumsticks and one of Richie Scarlet's bass picks. I also got to meet Richie and Corky Afterwards.

3. At a Robert Randolph and the Family Band concert in '06 i was almost right up front for the show and at the they did a raffle to win a Babicz Guitar signed by Robert. My dad had the winning ticket so after the show we got the guitar and walked around to the side of the venue where the tour bus was and we got to talk to Robert and his keyboardist Jason Crosby. We got to meet his bassist Danyell too.

If anyone has any concert stories, good or bad, please feel free to post them, I would love to hear!

[ArmsofAtlas]

I've only met Zakk Wylde, at a BLS show in 05. Him and his band came out and started passing out budweiser, for everybody waiting in line, then he was hangin by his bus tellin stories, and I just walked up to him. He was on his way out, so didn't get to chat.

I caught a drum stick at a Mars Volta show. Thomas Pridgen is their drummer and he has been a drumming legend since he was 10 years old.

I have been up close a few times and got noticed by Slash, Scott Weiland, Rich and Chris Robinson, Stone Gossard.

[alien]

I had a chance to meet Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan after a show in Antwerp.Of course everyone wanted to meet Vai , but i had made an appointment via email with Sheehan to trade some bootlegs.He was surprised that i had some liveshows on cdr from his sideproject NIACIN , so i gave him some discs , and he put me on the guestlist.Great guy.

[Matthew!]

I caught a drum stick at a Mars Volta show. Thomas Pridgen is their drummer and he has been a drumming legend since he was 10 years old.

Dayummm son! That's awesome.

Portugal. The Man, almost 3 weeks ago. Me and my friend were really excited to see them again, especially since they're originally from a town about 40 minutes from where I live. So they're an instant classic here, people go crazy. My friend and I brought cd's and sharpies in hopes of getting them signed by the band, and since re-entry wasn't allowed, we had to carry them in our pockets the whole time.

First of all...best show I have ever seen. When they were walking offstage, the audience was cheering for an encore. Their singer/guitarist John Gourley turned around, smiling, and made direct eye contact with me before walking back to the mic to announce that they'd do one more. That was awesome.

Then when they finished, we snuck backstage. We talked to their bassist, Zach Carothers, he was really nice and I'm sure he recognized me going crazy during the concert. Also got my cd signed by their keyboardist, Ryan Neighbors, but he wasn't very talkative.

[alwizard03]

I had Sex with a Hot girl that I have never seen before or since Yes a 15 minute stand She was beautiful

and We Went in the womens bathroom with a whole lot of gals laughing at us and slipped into a stall and did it then She slipped off back to Her Friends ALLMAN Brothers, Marshall Tucker ,Wet Willie , Charlie Daniels Louisiana Superdome 31 August 1975.

Worst Jazzfest 2007 Allman Brothers Show after several days of Rain it was really hot out and the ground was Mud with a record crowd packed together pushing and shoving just sucked .Only high point the Band played great.

[Dzldoc]

Best shows, too many to remember them all

Worst show was Joe Cocker at the Warehouse in New Orleans

when he first came on stage or staggered rather carying a fifth of something

he yells to the crowd "Hey Everybody" then procedes to blow chunks into the first row.

[MadScreamingGallery]

I've had many "best concert experiences" - too many to list here but, at this point in my life, they are beautiful memories.

I wrote about my worst concert experience here: http://forums.ledzeppelin.com//index.php?s...ncert&st=20

Best shows, too many to remember them all

Worst show was Joe Cocker at the Warehouse in New Orleans

when he first came on stage or staggered rather carying a fifth of something

he yells to the crowd "Hey Everybody" then procedes to blow chunks into the first row.

He did that at one of his concerts that I attended - I think it was in Virginia.

[alwizard03]

I've had many "best concert experiences" - too many to list here but, at this point in my life, they are beautiful memories.

I wrote about my worst concert experience here: http://forums.ledzeppelin.com//index.php?s...ncert&st=20

He did that at one of his concerts that I attended - I think it was in Virginia.

Its all that shaking around He does while singing it shakes up his insides and out it comes.

[Hickory Man]

Best shows.

Van Halen

1979

1980

1981

1982

1984

Rush 1981

The Who 1982

Yes 1984

White Zombie 1992

Suicidal Tendencies 1994

Worst shows

AC/DC - 1987

The Offspring 1997

[Charles_Obscure]

Best:

Roger Waters, in 2006, during the Great Gig in The Sky. It was a very emotional moment for me. Even though I was in the nosebleeds, it was ecstatic.

Honorable mentions to:

Beastie Boys -- a special gig, the Dress to Impress Gala Event; the same date as my birthday.

Totally insane night!

Worst:

Frank Marino & Mahagony Rush. They were the second opening acts for ZZ Top at an outdoor festival in Quebec City, in 2005. Frank had problems with all his gear due to the heavy rain that occured during the day. The bassist and drummer had to keep on jamming while Frank and 3 roadies or techs were tryin' to fix the problem.

Plus, Marino didn't impressed me at all.

[marolyn]

best...zep at the O2...have never felt that kind of electricity in the air at a concert before...

worst...ted nugent at pensacola naval air station 1996. first acts of night ranger and bad company were great but then ted was so cheesy when he came out on stage hordes started walking out...

[ArmsofAtlas]

Dayummm son! That's awesome.

Portugal. The Man, almost 3 weeks ago. Me and my friend were really excited to see them again, especially since they're originally from a town about 40 minutes from where I live. So they're an instant classic here, people go crazy. My friend and I brought cd's and sharpies in hopes of getting them signed by the band, and since re-entry wasn't allowed, we had to carry them in our pockets the whole time.

First of all...best show I have ever seen. When they were walking offstage, the audience was cheering for an encore. Their singer/guitarist John Gourley turned around, smiling, and made direct eye contact with me before walking back to the mic to announce that they'd do one more. That was awesome.

Then when they finished, we snuck backstage. We talked to their bassist, Zach Carothers, he was really nice and I'm sure he recognized me going crazy during the concert. Also got my cd signed by their keyboardist, Ryan Neighbors, but he wasn't very talkative.

Why thank you.

I need to check out Portugal...... and a few other of those proggy/jazzy/crazy bands that itunes recommends to me b/c all my TMV.

I didn't realize everybody was gonna post their best/worst shows.........

Page/Plant 98- First show and I was pretty green, and it took me a bit to find the appropriate mindset. I didn't know what concerts were all about, and this one still blew my balls off

David Gilmour 05- The closest you can get to Pink Floyd, these days, much closer than even Waters, at at pretty small theater(2500-3k) I had goosebumps for the entire set of Floyd songs

Pearl Jam 6x- If you haven't seen them, do it. It's a whole different vibe, especially if you are into them. 80% of the crowd is singing along to every song. They change their set, and never come of as over rehearsed, cookie cutter bs.

Velvet Revolver- Just a high energy show. Right up front. Watching a legend like Slash up close was spectacular

Black Crowes 3x- 2x I was right up front and these guys just freakin rock, the other time they blew Tom Petty off the stage. Made him look pathetic

Tom Petty- a few years before he buried himself by having the Crowes open for him, he put on an amazing show. Caught him 2 years in a row, with a virtually identical setlist and both times it was awesome

I only go to shows that I am 90% sure are gonna be awesome, so just about everything I have been to could make a case for the top 5, but there have a been a few stinkers.

Bob Dylan a few years ago about made me pull a... we'll say a Joe Cocker <supposed to be vomit

Tool really phoned it in on the last tour. Seen them 4x(2x for 10k Days tours) and the last one was so f'in weak. Good show unless you compare to how awesome they were a year before.

[Roxie]

I've had many great concert experiences thankfully. One that comes to mind is seeing Motley Crue in 2000 and being front row center. Nikki Sixx came over and sang a few lines of a song directly to me. I don't think I breathed or blinked during that moment.

One of the worst was seeing Megadeth in Buffalo in 1995. I was near the front and somehow my friend and I ended up getting "caught in a mosh". Luckily we made it out quickly and unscathed, but it was NOT a fun experience.

[LedZep4Ever]

I have seen many great concerts, starting with my very first, in November of 1975 (Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, Ohio). The warm-up band was Montrose, followed by Foghat and the headliner that evening was Black Oak Arkansas.

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who and The Rolling Stones were all fantastic and are all at the top of my list.

Although I am going to say my worst experience was the December 3, 1979 – The Who concert at Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio.

It’s not due to the performance of The Who.

It is too what I witnessed before and after that evenings concert.

Eleven people died that evening, due to asphyxiation.

I still have vivid memories of seeing/watching paramedics’ working on the lifeless body of one young man.

Looking back, I believe changes should have been put in place two years earlier, after the 1977 Led Zeppelin (April 19 & 20) shows. When 2,000 people gate crashed the April 19 show and got in without tickets only to leave people with tickets outside and a riot erupted.

For the April 20 show, we had to show are tickets before crossing the bridge in order to get to the arena side.

The Who concert had such an impact on me, at that time in my life (as I was 19 years old), it took me better than two and a half years to attend another concert.

That was Rush, which was ironically at Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio.

[bluexylophone]

Best show experience ever would have to be seeing Wilco last June at Warsaw in Brooklyn Not only was it great to bag a pre-sale ticket with incredible ease, but Warsaw is located about ten blocks from my childhood home and neighborhood.

And watching a band like Wilco (who usually play theaters and even sold out Madison Square Garden on New Years Eve '04) in such a small room was simply beautiful.

It was also one of very few times I felt like I was a part of a crowd, a crowd that truly loved the music and were all singing along to the lyrics and loving the band.

I even have a recording of the show and am happy to relive it with just a push of the play button.

Wilco as a band, btw, are highly recommended. One of the greats.

[Styrbjorn]

I'm waiting for someone to post who was at a certain show in Tempe, Arizona back in 1977.

[Hand_Of_Omega_91]

A couple.

Worst:

BB King/Gary Moore - Wembley Arena 2006: My mum breaks her leg badly inside the venue as we are taking our seats just before Gary Moore comes on stage. What makes it worse is that it was BB King's farewell tour.

Foo Fighters - Earls Court 2005 - Stupid me forgets my glasses and me and my mate are right at the back so I couldnt see a bl**dy thing! Gig sounded great though lol.

Best:

Jimi Hendrix Live At Monterey DVD Premiere (and tribute gig), London Hippodrome 2007 - Me and myMum get unexpectadly upgraded to the £125 ticket seats and the VIP tickets, get to meet Gary Moore and Billy Cox.

Leonard Cohen - The O2 - 2008 - Best gig of my entire life! Touched me emotionally on many levels and I was crying tears of joy throughout the gig, it was THAT good!

[bigzepfan]

Best: Zep at the 02. Nothing compared to that night and probably never will. After 150 shows it was my first time being front row. Right in front of Jimmy. Quite honestly it was like a different state of mind almost surreal.

Some other greats: Pink Floyd in 1988 at meadowlands. Unbeleivable emotion in the air. One of these day I will never forget.

Plant/Page 1995. five shows - every one was spectacular. I guess the first time hearing the eastern version of kashmir was unforgettable. I thought way better than 98 tour.

January 2007: Ozzy with Zakk. I was front row in Worcester. I got to High-Five Zakk.

New Years Eve 2007/2008. Velvet Revolver in nyc. One of their last us shows.

Woodstocks 94 and 99.

Yes - reunion tour with the revolving stage and both lead guitarists.

Guns and Roses, 1987, middletown. The crowd went NUTS.

My first - Molly Hatchet 1980 Poughkeepsie. Fun times.

Worst experience: Korn/Zombie It was a great show. but somebody was bodysurfing and landed on my head...causing me to go face first into the guy in front of me and it smashed my nose open and I was bleeding profusely in the middle of the crowd. That sucked. They rushed me back to the first aid behind the stage..which was cool but i got soooo interrogated for being on drugs it's not even funny.

Worst performance: Rob Zombie at the Chance in NYC. He belittled the crowd so many times it was ridiculous and only played for a little over an hour. I'd never pay to see him as a headliner, but since he warms up ozzy...the sad part is i always liked zombie. don't know what his problem was that night.

The guitar player for jake geils band. He doesn't rock anymore. I got up and left. Didn't know he changed styles of music.

[Bong-Man]

This is easy....

Emerson, Lake, & Palmer......March 4th, 1978 @ Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI.

We left from my friend's house in a 1966 VW split-window bus....7 of us packed in a foreign tin-can. We were about two miles from home when we blew the right front tire. Of course we had no spare. We started walking back to our neighborhood, all the while trying to figure out how we were going to get to the show. No one else had a vehicle that fit 7 people, so we had to come up with two cars somehow. I didn't have my own car at the time, but my friends knew my parents were easy. They eventually talked me into asking Dad for the Caprice Classic (this was akin to asking Red for the keys to the Vista Cruiser). As we were walking to my house, two of my friends decided that it would be a good time to take a couple placidels (heavy barbituates that were popular in the 70's).

When we got to my house, my dear Mother, always the gracious host, decided it would be a good time to pass out some Marathon candy bars to every girl & boy. We grabbed the keys and the chocolate, and headed Downtown. As we got about half-way Downtown, the two drug addicts in the back-seat started to get off on the placidels they had taken. To make a long story short, they got into a chocolate fight. This resulted in my Dad's entire velour back seat getting striped with chocolate and caramel....I mean everywhere, including the ceiling.

So we finally get to Olympia Stadium, and of course we are late. ELP is already playing so we rush to get inside. However one of my chocolate stoner buddies, who was acting very disoriented, got stopped by stadium security and searched. Behold ! A large bag of pills is found, and he's detained. One of us stays with him, and they show up at our seats about 10 minutes later. At this point, I can only guess that the chocolate and beer didn't mix well with the drugs, and he begins to projectile vomit in his seat. If this wasn't enough, we were sitting in front of an aisle-way. For the next 10 minutes, I watched every person that walked by slip on my friend's vomit, including two ladies that fell to the ground on top of it. After watching the second one fall, and feeling the heat mounting from the innocent sitting around us, it was time to make a move. A friend and I relocated to some empty seats backstage, where I proceeded to watch ELP real close, with the worst possible sound imaginable. From a distance, we could still see people skating across my friend's vomit several sections away.

The show ends, and we go back to visit "The Marathon Man", curious to see what kind of shape he's now in. He was sound asleep in his seat. It took us a while to rouse him, and he was barely hanging on as we escorted him out the door. We get outside, and one of us decides it's a good time to start a fight. Couldn't even tell you what it was about.....perhaps an innocent puke victim seeking revenge from earlier in the evening ? To make another long story short, we were way outnumbered. We all ran but we were trapped in an enclosed parking lot that surrounded the building. We ended up having to hop a 10 foot fence with prison barbed-wire strung across the top just to get away. The poor Marathon Man was literally dragged and thrown over the fence, and to this day he has no memory of how that large rip in his jeans and the cut on his leg occurred.

The next morning I was roused out of bed by my Mother. Good ole Dad was on the phone from work, and he wanted to discuss chocolate. The nerve of the guy !

[L 7]

Best

Led Zeppelin of course. 5-18-1977

Bad Company

Stevie Ray Vaughn/Jeff Beck

Worst

Getting arrested at Lynyrd Skynyrd for public intoxication.

Ted Nugent

Aerosmith 1978. A sonic assult at 120 decibels. My ears bled for days.