Most extraordinary concert you've assisted ...

[El_hefe]

Hmmmm, how can one judge the "best" concert? Was the band playing playing at it's peak.... or were your companions & the rest of the bill at their crackling best that night? Or did you have just enough of some substance that made you understand what the purpose of life could be?

The first: Rolling Stones, summer 1965 Dublin (just as "Satisfaction" was released) 5 guys with small amps in a small theatre, mics probably going through the house PA, trying to be heard over the non-stop sonic screams of hundreds of teenage girls.

The worst: Either one of the many times the Dead couldn't gel live or.... Blind Faith (E. Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker....) @ Madison Sq. Garden '71 or 70 I think. Played lifelessly for about 30 minutes then left the stage, no encore. The audience tore the place up & stole a lot of the equipment.

The Best: Can't choose between the first time I saw Hendrix @ The Fillmore - the week his 1st album came out - the opening act was an "unknown" group then called Sly & the Family Stone... OMG what a show.
OR.....
Led Zep a year or so later at the Fillmore, their first show there. Truly awesome live show.

Yes, sigh, I was also at Woodstock, no shit,( 39 yrs ago) I'm mfing old.... anyone else here? Best. Concert. Ever.

[saifan]

Radiohead at MSG during the "Hail to the Thief" tour.

[budeluv77]

I've seen Phish 97 times! The most extraordinary was Big Cypress for Millenium New Years!

[borhino]

Brian Setzer at Poplar Creek in 1986. I'm not a big "Rockabilly" fan, but this guy put on one hell of a show.

I saw that show too! Good show.

My five favorite

Springsteen (Tunnel of Love Tour - 6th row)
Springsteen (The River Tour - 10th Row)
Springsteen (Reunion Tour - 4th Row)
Springsteen (The Rising - Good, not great seats)
Springsteen (Soldier Field)

[hippifried]

First: Canned Heat, new years 1967/8

Worst: (a tossup) The James Gang with Chuck Berry. Not that the music was bad, but there were problems & a late start. Then in order to get back on schedule, they pulled the plug on Chuck Berry in mid song after about 15 minutes. I wonder if those clowns have the slightest clue how close they came to having a full scale riot on their hands. By the time the James Gang came on, nobody cared.

Then there was the trip to Tucson to see Jefferson Airplane. The band tried to play around her, but Grace Slick was so fucked up that she kept interfering in the songs & ended up starting a fight with Paul Kantner. What a waste.

Best: (more tossup) Early '69, a show with the Standels, Sweetwater, Blood Sweat & Tears, Iron Butterfly, & the Byrds. Iron Butterfly's drummer turned around & puked after his 45 minute solo during Inna Gadda da Vida. It was a highlight. All in all, a great show, but some people got upset with the Byrds because they were promoting their Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. Yee haw.

Then in Nov '73, there was a show with War, ELO, & a couple of bands that nobody had ever heard of at the time that turned out to be a pleasant surprize. That was Blue Oyster Cult (first band up) & ZZ Top (pre beards & plastic). 3 Dog Night was supposed to headline, but they got rained out. Oh well.

Most memorable: Summer of '69 at an outdoor "festival", this guy came on at sunset between Lee Michaels & Spirit. He called himself Pulse. Just one guy surrounded by congas & various other drums with a set of sound oscillators & lights that projected his shadow on a screen in back. He started off with a simple rhythm that built in intensity for 45 minutes to a crescendo with a blast of flash powder on the front of the stage & he was gone. He came back out to wild cheers a couple of minutes later & slapped hands with the audience then left again. Never heard of him before or since, but it was impressive.

Other memorables:
Jeff Beck
The Mothers of Invention
King Crimson (Robert Fripp was the first guitar player I ever saw do a solo with all harmonics)
Larry Coryell
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones with Take Five
Chet Atkins with Leo Kotke
BB King with Freddy King
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Several Grateful Dead Concerts
The Allman Brothers with Boz Skaggs (pre-disco)
Steve Stills (a 3 part show with a rock band then a solo set then a big band)

There's more, but I gotta go do laundry.