Best (non U2) gig you have ever been to?

For me, it is a toss up between Radiohead in 2008 and The Elvis Live 2012 show. (yeah, i know Elvis died in 1977) but this show was superb. It was Elvis's recorded vocals played, with his original Vegas TCB backing band. It was such a special night for me. You would have to be me to understand.

PJ Harvey last year at The Roundhouse in London.

There are not many artists who have the balls in their late career to come out and play their new album front to back - a new album that is a quiet, intricate and reflective album made up of slow dense songs.

She absolutely nailed it and held the audience totally captive and frankly spellbound for all 12 tracks.

Then she came out and blasted through a few hits and deep cuts.

Absolutely no bullshit, no bells and whistles - just 5 musicians and their music performed beautifully.



Another that stands out from down the years is The White Stripes at The Royal Court in Liverpool - 2003 or 4 i think it was - was The Elephant Tour....

Absolutely visceral - just pure electricity. How 2 people made such a noise I will never know, it was fucking superb.

For me, it is a toss up between Radiohead in 2008 and The Elvis Live 2012 show. (yeah, i know Elvis died in 1977) but this show was superb. It was Elvis's recorded vocals played, with his original Vegas TCB backing band. It was such a special night for me. You would have to be me to understand.

I have that album. Elvis - The Concert - 1999 World Tour. Opens with See See Rider and closes with Can't Help Falling In Love.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Tacoma, Washington, USA
April 4, 2000

This was my first of many Bruce concerts, and it was really like no concert I have seen before.

This was the E Street reunion tour and they had something to prove, and as Bono would say, they were “on fire”. The Boss and co. were at a great point, they had been away for a decade but weren’t too old (Bruce was late 40’s I believe) and the brilliance of Bruce live is that he takes you on a journey. It’s part political revival, part Gospel service, part somber and reflective, and part frat party. 3 hours of passion, energy, and emotion. He has the crowd crying and dancing and everything in between. About 1/2 way through the show the house lights went on and they tore through a rendition of Badlands that felt like I drank 10 Red Bulls. When I die if the good Lord would allow me to go back to relive 1 song live that would be it.

I found this on YouTube. One of the encores, Ramrod from the River album. E Street with a song that could have come straight outta Animal House.


Set list

01 My love will not let you down
02 Prove it all night
03 Two hearts
04 Darkness on the edge of town
05 The promised land
06 My hometown
07 The river
08 Youngstown
09 Murder inc.
10 Badlands
11 Out in the street
12 10th avenue freeze-out
13 Because the night
14 The ghost of Tom Joad
15 Born in the USA  (acoustic)
16 Jungleland
17 Light of day
18 Bobby Jean
19 Born to run
20 Thunder road
21 If I should fall behind
22 Land of hope and dreams
23 Ramrod

Radiohead in 2017

Best show I've ever seen. Hearing "Fake Plastic Trees" was a dream come true.

Another Roadside Attraction 1993. Headliners were The Tragically Hip, but supporting acts included Midnight Oil and Daniel Lanois.

Seen a lot of great indie-rock bands that I'm sure no one has ever heard of, but as far as the popular ones go i'd say the first time i saw Bob Dylan back in 95.  Small venue and it was pretty damn good performance.  Ironically when I saw him for the second time in 99 when he was touring with Paul Simon, it was the second worst show i'd ever seen.  By the late 90's Dylan couldn't perform for a large venue anymore.
(And the worst show i ever saw was The Grateful Dead in 95 on Jerry Garcia's last tour before his death.  Only show of theirs i saw so maybe it was on par for them, but i just can't get into hour long drum solos and absolutely zero interaction.  Chuck Berry opened but i was late  )