That was a great show. I drove down from Austin after seeing them the day before there, and the weather was horrible! Ed did a good job of giving props to all the fans out on the grass in that downpour and thunderstorm, though. I probably enjoyed their show the previous year a little more, though- the Throwing Copper tour, when they came to the Woodlands. I was just amazed at how good they were Live, and they still make for a good show when they come around. Otherwise, I've been to plenty of great shows. Probably some of my favorites include the Counting Crows shows I've been to, Pearl Jam in Dallas, the Beastie Boys shows I've seen, as well as the Rage Against the Machine show I caught before they broke up. Outkast was good for a hip=hop show, too.
Seeing Pantera in Dallas was something I'll never forget. I've never seen such a huge crowd be so completely amped for anything. The band came out and promptly stepped on "A New Level." It was like being inside the most insanely fun riot ever. Two pits broke out near the stage and for the entirety of the set there was a steady stream of sweaty drunks squirming through the crowd to get to them and an equally steady stream of bloody and exhausted dues trying to get out. It was Dimebag's birthday and Phil led the whole crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to him. A great live band, man. The first time I saw Rush in '97 or so was great, too. They played "2112" in its entirety, which was really cool. Others that stick out include Black Sabbath w/ Pantera and Deftones, Iron Maiden, and Metallica. Probably the worst concert I went to was actually a mere "show." A few years ago, Bad Brains reformed and went on a tour as "Soul Brains" for whatever reason. I was jazzed, because I was about 2 years old in the band's prime and had never seen them. Well, after Candiria came out and destroyed the crowd with their awesomeness, Bad Brains' rasta crew proceded to take about 2 ****ING hours to set up their massive soundboard, instruments and generally piddle around. The band took the stage and started the first song, and BAM, the PA is blown by their soundboard. Great. They end up patching things and restarting the same song 3 more times before getting through it. The band sounded tight as ever but HR was a mere shadow of a shadow of his old self, there was no energy onstage. Most of the crowd still went off because they had paid to see Bad Brains and would have had a blast if Daryl Jennifer had farted on a snare drum, but I was seriously bummed. Oh, and Candiria sadly informed on my way out (early) that their shirts were 25 bucks because Soul Brains had forced them to jack up their prices to match their own theivery. I'd always heard stories about what dicks the Brains were and after that night I had to believe them. Talented as hell, but douches.
A lot of shows stand out for me: -U2/Pixies Zoo Tv Tour- Summit, 1992 -Beastie Boys/Rancid -Alamo Dome, San Antonio, 1998 -Bob Dylan/ Brian Setzer, UNO Arena, New Orleans, 1999 -Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, 1996 -The Flaming Lips, The Vatican (something on Washington Avenue, 1992-ish)/Some club off of Scarsdale in Clear Lake 1999 and at the Big Day Out, Auckland, NZ, 2002 -David Bowie, Sound + Vision Tour, Woodlands, 1990/Phoenix Festival UK, 1996/ Earthling Tour, Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, 1997 -Bjork, Numbers, Houston, 1996-7..fuzzy memory -Blur/The Rentals, Trees Club, Dallas, 1996 -Issac Hayes/ Arena Theater, Houston, 1996 -The White Stripes- Aerial Theater, Houston, 2003/ St. James Theater, Auckland, NZ, 2003 -The Rolling Stones/ Steel Wheels Tour, Astrodome, 1989
I was there too first concert btw I dont really go to many concerts, here is a list 2001 - Radiohead (Woodlands Pavillion) 2004 - Linkin Park (Toyota Center) 2004 - John Mayer (Rodeo - Reliant Stadium) 2004 - John Mayer/Maroon 5 (Woodlands Pavillion) never did like going to concerts much
Like many of you, I too have seen alot of shows. I have have seen alot of the big bands at the big venues like Ozzy, Pink Floyd, NIN, Metallica etc. But some of the most memorable shows for me have been ones in small/ medium size venues. Here are some of my favorites. MMW @ rockefellers Bad Brains @ Vatican Pigface @ Vatican Rage @ Tower Theatre Kyuss @ some small club in N. Houston Mr. Bungle @ fitz Tomahawk @ fitz Wesley Willis @ Rudz Dead Moon @ Rudz Spoon @ Rudz el flaco @ Rudz ed hall @ Rudz Stereolab @ Blue Iquana Del & Blackalicious @ numbers Sun Ra Arkestra @ Mecca Matthew Ship & Willliam Parker @ Rice U Die Like a Dog Trio @ Barnevelder Mingus Big Band @ Jones Hall Sonny Rollins @ Jones Hall Prefuse 73 & Beans @ Prolitariet Femi Kuti @ Outdoor park in SF "Gatemouth" Brown @ Project Row Houses Rev. Horton Heat, Planet Shock, L7 @ UH
I saw that tour in Orlando. I drove down from Nashville. Ministry OWNED that show. Their set was so freaking amazing that the Peppers seemed weak afterwards. I remember Alain Jorgeson having those bizarro skeletons all over the stage...he was yanking bones off and chucking them into the mosh pit. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were fantastic. That was also a surreal show coz Hurricane Andrew was in Miami so the roads heading down into FL were empty while everyone was evacuating in the lane across the way. Oh, and no tolls on the way there or back. Also a weird story about that show...I was in this weird Jesus sandal period of my life and wore them down to Orlando. Got to Orlando in the evening before and we were at Hooters (yeah....weak) when my buddy Ken said "Hey man, do you have any shoes for the inevitible mosh pit tomorrow?" I realized I didnt, and I was stressing. I was a pretty broke college kid. Then we were walking down some main drag and Ken finds a bag on a bus stop bench....opens it up, and its a pair of size 11 wingtips....a size and a half bigger than I needed, but hey, solid shoes to protect my feet!!!!! Ken called them my "shoes from God". So I wore a Ministry t-shirt, cutoff army fatigues, and polished laceup wingtips (with extra thick hiking socks to keep em on) to Lollapooza 2. Yeah, great look. Those shoes never left the fairgrounds...they were trashed in the mud pit.
I've been to a lot of rock concerts over the years but my vote goes to Rush(of course) on the 30th anniversary tour(R30) in Dallas. Of course, I was on the front row and had never been so close to any band. But, I know of no band that plays as long and hard as Rush. They also put on a rather intense visual feast with lights and the video screen.
Joni Mitchell at the Summit when she was touring with Jaco Pastorius and Al Dimeola in the mid-80's was a great show. Patti Smith at the Backyard in Austin 2 or 3 years ago was a good show. Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Crossroads club in Nacogdoches back in '78 or '79 was awesome. $5 cover charge and 6 feet away from a future legend. The Who at the dome with SRV although I can't remember the year. I think it was their first farewell tour. Emerson Lake and Palmer in Nac '78 or '79. This thread brings back great memories.
Wow -- I remmember that show -- My favorite as well. That was a crazy show, the whole place went wild. Check Your Head "This is the best grocery store we've ever played in." -- I forgot which guy said this.
I really could not point to a particular favorite concert but there have certainly been some very memorable ones. Some of the ones already mentioned bring back fond memories. Rashmon listed Zappa at Hofeinz Pavillion (they used to have concerts their all the time. My very first concert was Uriah Heep at Hofeinz back in 74?). What I remember most about the Zappa concert was wandering around to the seats in back of the stage and watching drummer Terry Bozio in amazement. Another highlight of that show is Frank pouring baby powder all over his hands before a particularly blazing solo. I saw that Pink Floyd concert at Rice stadium that Rocket G mentioned. Can't say that I remember a lot of it other than the weather was dreary and the sound system seemed to have trouble. I think they were doing it in quadrophonic (remember that?) A real concert favorite back in the day was Blue Oyster Cult. I saw them at thest twice and they always (especially their show at the Music Hall) kicked ass. Not necessarily favorite concerts but ones that stand out due to timing and the venue would be REM at Numbers. U2 at the Roxy (in support of October), Led Zep at the Colliseum, Iggy Pop at Cullen, The Clash at Cullen, Ian Hunter at Cullen, Echo and The Bunnymen at Cullen, the Smiths at Cullen, King Crimson at Cullen. Needless to say, Cullen Auditorium on the Rice campus at a good booking agent. I saw the Replacements at some wearhouse out in SE Houston (near the ship channel). It was a ****ing fiasco and perhaps the most memorable of all. I could go but am tired of typing and you guys are probably tired of reading. Too lazy to spell check... WIN
I believe the Pink Floyd has had only two concerts stopped for rain. Their show at Rice Stadium and show back in the 70's at Robertson (Jeppersen) Stadium. I checked the weather report before the Rice Stadium concert, so I brought a pancho. The natural light show with their laser show was instense. The pancho didn't do much for me from the knees down, but it didn't stop us from having a few drinks at the Ale House after the show. Besides Floyd in Rice Stadium Metallica (Binge and Purge) 1994 Dream Theatre 1993 Rush 1998 and 2004, toss out an opening act and you just get all Rush.
My favorite concert was Nirvana when they played at the Vatican in 1991, when Nevermind had just come out about 2 weeks earlier. I was in the mosh pit for the whole show, there only seemed to be about 1000 people or less in the crowd, Kurt Cobain didn't say anything in between songs, Dave Grohl was bad-ass, it was amazing....
To the guy who said 2 John Mayer shows were the best he's ever seen - please never do this again! John Mayer... UGHHHHHH. Saint Louis - I still mourn the end of the Ale House, and I regret ever patronizing the former owner's piecve of crap replacement bar, The Stag's Head... LONG LIVE THE ALE HOUSE!
Hey, don't knock him. John Mayer has real talent and is a great artist. I've been to a few concerts of his and they were great. My favorites overall was: Coldplay ( Birmingham, England) Curiosa Festival (Interpol, Mogwai, Rapture)
