Bands that are great live

Riddle101

Some bands are pretty crap live, but there are others that give standout performances nearly every time. Which bands do you think are great live?

My list
Queen - I've never seen Queen live, but i've seen a lot of old live versions of the performances and I think they are great. Freddie Mercury to me, is the best frontman ever, he puts a lot of heart into his performances. But I the whole band is really good live, everyone remembers Queen at Live Aid 1985, as probably the best act that played at the gig.

Iron Maiden - I think another band that give great performances live, is Iron Maiden. I missed their gig in Belfast last year, had to sell my ticket. But I heard it was really good. As well as that I think Bruce Dickinson is another frontman who is just really good, he got so much charisma.

Metallica - From a personal standpoint i've seen them twice when they played in Dublin in 2008 and 2009. Both concerts are memorable to me, but also I thought they were really good both times. I constantly hear friends and other Metallica fans talk about when they played Dublin in 2006 and that it was probably their best gig here. As well as that they have always been one of the standout acts at live shows, like for instance the Big 4 shows concerts. Plus they've got some really good and memorable live dvds like Cunning Stunts, and I've seen videos of them playing Nimes as well which were both great.

Sliptknot - Lastly i'll put Slipknot down. They have so much raw energy when playing live it's unreal. Their fan interaction is great too, if you're not rocking out to them they'll make you rock out if you like it or not.

Joe_Dull

I was extremely impressed by In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Primordial and Killswitch Engage at Metaltown in June. All of them were flawless performers with great stage presence and a knack for working the crowd.

By contrast I thought Opeth were pretty uninteresting on stage (although I enjoyed the music).

Mr. CooL ICE

Kiss.

I had been a fan of the band for a while, but the gig did more than solidify that for me. They were so good live that they ruined all future gigs for me. As soon as the gig was over, I accepted that no other gig could ever be as good as that. Even saw RATM a few weeks later and although it was fun, all I could think was "well, they're no Kiss". For about 3-4 days after the gig, I just had a smirk on my face and in a weird way, felt sorry for anybody who wasn't at the gig.

Lawrence1895

- In Extremo
- Rammstein
- Therion
- Rage+Lingua Mortis Orchestra
- Slayer
- Cannibal Corpse
- Bolt Thrower
- Hypocrisy

Those impressed me through the ages, great stage performance.

And for the fun part, Eisregen, chatted with them for ages 10 years ago, they even played unplugged, after the power went off

Cherry_Cola

Cancer Bats are absolutely insane live, always a great time!

Alexisonfire are great too, my tickets for their last ever European shows arrived this morning, can't wait!

scudzilla

I've seen so many live bands over the years, i'm gonna answer the question but with the word 'Consistently' good.

Out of all the bands i've seen, the one who has been excellent every time, never a bad show (seen them maybe 10 times) have to be Slipknot. The energy, aggression, interaction, is just awesome. Close runner up is Maiden, always great, get what ya see sort of thing.

Seen Metallica the most (maybe 25 times) and they've had a few poor shows in there so wouldn't class them as greatest live

GLaDOS

Best I've seen live is probably Porcupine Tree, Rush, Roger Waters and Rammstein, hard to pick a winner form those 4.

nocoverart

Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Rodger Waters
Tim Hecker
Soap&Skin

Cill94

When I saw Gwar at Graspop, I got drenched by blood pumping from a 4 foot plastic wang. Pretty hard to top that.

GLaDOS

nocoverart wrote: »

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Really hope I get the opportunity to see them

Shreddingblood

Protest the Hero
Machine Head
Trivium are very good live too, not a huge fan anymore but they're almost album quality live and they're very nice to their support acts with their sound quality, unlike some bigger bands.

Mushy

Pearl Jam are the best band I've seen live. Blow the likes of Slipknot away (bored ****less gimmicky crap). Long set lists, crowd interaction, songs that are just awesome on CD and better in an arena, appease to every fan in the building.

Riddle101

Mushy wrote: »

Pearl Jam are the best band I've seen live. Blow the likes of Slipknot away (bored ****less gimmicky crap). Long set lists, crowd interaction, songs that are just awesome on CD and better in an arena, appease to every fan in the building.

It's not a competition to see who's better live. Maybe Pearl Jam are better , but Slipknot are still good live as well.

MrJoeSoap

Muse 2000-2007 or thereabouts.

GonzoPunch

Saw Tool a few years ago, (when I was really into them) and was blown away. But if we're talkin about a band I enjoyed live but not recorded then Franz Ferdinand would be top of the list. Never enjoyed their albums or even listened to them on the radio but loved every minute of their set when I saw them.

PickledLime

I think seeing Rush last year is the highlight of my gig going life. I've watched thier numerous live DVDs countless times too.

Getting to hear Pearl Jam play 'Indifference' live (think it was 2006 i caught them) sent chills down my spine, absolutely beautiful stuff.

Hands down the most intense band i've ever seen live is Suffocation (in Whelans, 2008). Although not from the gig, this is a pretty accurate representation of what happened that night (the sheer force and physicality of their music life is akin to being steamrolled out of the way!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpUHfjXb-6Q

yknaa

Another vote for Kiss. Also loved Dan Baird in Whelan's this year. Amazing stuff.

frag420

RATM - just pure unadulterated energy and power. Amazing live!!

Pearl Jam - Seen them once and that was the last time they played Dublin. Made me regret not going to see them before that when I had the opportunity.

SOAD - Saw these guy circa 1999 and they were insane. Met them afterwards and they were sound out.

Slipknot - Saw these guys the same day as SOAD and I was blown away. I remeber thinking these guys are going to go huge!! Havent seen them since but would if I got the chance.

Lastly I recommend seeing the Oddsocks Revival if fast, funky Kiss tinged rock is your thing. Check em out on youtube. Real fun live band.

karaokeman

Green Day are unreal live, I've been to bands who play long setlists and they just get boring, but when I saw them at Marlay Park it was over 3 hours and they properly gave it their all. Billie Joe is a very charismatic and energetic man for his age.

Elrollo

Hell - Absolutely magic, possibly the best crowd interaction I've seen in a long long time!

Havok - these folks were a good laugh on stage in the Pint, great fun with the lead guitarist.

Metallica - saw them when they played Master of Puppets in its entirety, great gig and Hetfield even brought his kid on stage for the crowd to sing Happy Birthday haha!

Cill94

karaokeman wrote: »

Green Day are unreal live, I've been to bands who play long setlists and they just get boring, but when I saw them at Marlay Park it was over 3 hours and they properly gave it their all. Billie Joe is a very charismatic and energetic man for his age.

I don't listen to Green Day anymore other than the odd time but I was at that gig and it was indeed a superb performance. They played a great setlist full of old classics and I remember the surreal moment when it started raining during the last song Wake Me Up When September ends, literally as he sang "here comes the rain again". Best value for money from any gig I've been to.

rednik

I saw Thin Lizzy several times between 77 and 83 and they were fantastic live. The new line up are excellent live and put on a great show. Nobody will ever replace Phil but the music lives on.

ConstantLove

I'd say these would be Hammerfall,Sabaton,AC/DC, Judas Priest, Trivium, Kamelot,

Turtyturd

karaokeman wrote: »

Green Day are unreal live, I've been to bands who play long setlists and they just get boring, but when I saw them at Marlay Park it was over 3 hours and they properly gave it their all. Billie Joe is a very charismatic and energetic man for his age.

I would include Green Day, but only the first gig you attend. After that it all becomes cliched and repetitive.

Would agree with whoever said Alexisonfire, seen them in the Olympia and thought they were brilliant, but their gig in Temple Bar was unreal.

Just Like Heaven

Yeah I don't really like Green Day but I was at reading last year and what I saw was great. Same can be said for Kiss, can't stand them but live they still bring a class show.

RATM, Converge, Maiden, Roger Waters, Napalm Death, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen are some of the best live bands that have been great consistently for years and years. Alice in Chains, Meshuggah and stuff like Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper as well.

Lamb of God still bring it every time. In terms of younger bands I think Cancer Bats and Enter Shikari are two of the best shows touring regularly at the moment, unreal stuff. Was never a massive fan I wish I had seen Suicide Silence when Mitch was alive, was supposed to be a fairly ferocious show.

DUBACC

AC/DC, Rammstein and RATM were amazing gigs!

Say Your Number

Airbourne - An incredible live act, so energetic and definitely the loudest band I've ever heard.
Black Country Communion - Saw them in Vicar St. two years, it's a shame the way they imploded a few months ago.
Slash - Though the setlist was a bit dodgy but still it was very enjoyable.
Muse - A friend of mine dragged me along to see them a few years ago, I won't be their biggest fan. but they do put on a great live show.

LindowMan

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Muse 2000-2007 or thereabouts.

Yeah. Muse are a great live band.

In 2004 I got on the same plane as Matt Bellamy when I was flying from Ancona to London. I couldn't believe it when I saw him sat in between two old ladies on a bench just outside the airport entrance when we were standing outside in a long queue for the flight which went through the entrance doors. He heard me and my friend saying: "It's Matt Bellamy!" and he kept bowing his head down so that we couldn't see his face. I think he didn't want people to recognise him. I think he has a villa in Italy. He was a really nice bloke and helped some of the passengers store their luggage away.

Sephiroth_dude

Ratm for me,best gig ever.

Carraig Fhearghais

Not in rated order! they are all good!!

AC/DC pure energy for the whole set

Europe (believe it or not!!... surprised me too :eek: ) far more rock and energy than their 'poodle pop' reputation would have you believe, and great musicianship

Thunder (when headlining & not having to play through crappy 'support' sound setup)

Thin Lizzy both incarnations (same as above, when headlining)

Rush, just superb show

Sephiroth_dude

Oh and when slayer played cork that was a great gig too.

120_Minutes

LindowMan wrote: »

I think he has a villa in Italy.

He does.

My picks:

Tool
Porcupine Tree
Karnivool
Metallica (best time i saw em was '99)
Oceansize (RIP)

Passenger

120_Minutes wrote: »

My picks:

Karnivool

Have they ever played Dublin?

byte

For me, though admittedly I don't get to see many gigs, would be Rammstein and Roger Waters' The Wall (dunno if you'd classify that as a gig or a show...)

oldscoil

Fugazi
QOTSA
Eagles of Death Metal
FOO FIGHTERS!!!!

Nomeanso, although I haven't seen them perform personally, I have it on several friends accounts that they are amazing.Playing here soon, but can't afford it

LindowMan

Passenger wrote: »

Have they ever played Dublin?

I don't think they have.

They are performing at the Download Festival at Castle Donington in Leicestershire on 15th June, though.

Here's a poster for this year's Download:

RayCon

Bands that Ive seen live that exceeded my expectations :

Thin Lizzy (with Phil)
AC/DC
Rush (every time Ive seen them ... 4 and counting ... this year with be #5)
Kiss
Porcupine Tree
Roger Waters
David Gilmour
The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Ramones


... Ive seen loads of other excellent gigs but those mentioned were just superb.

Have a feeling Steven Wilson would easily fit on that list ... just have to figure out a way of seeing him live .... the Oct UK tour is seriously tempting me .. need to get creative with the finances

Reiketsu

Dir en grey (so much so I bought tickets to see them in Cologne and Paris this morning!). Slipknot have been great every time I've saw them. Same goes for Trivium, Lamb of God, Combichrist, Eisbrecher. All bands I'd recommend catching live if you get the chance.

GLaDOS

RayCon wrote: »

Have a feeling Steven Wilson would easily fit on that list ... just have to figure out a way of seeing him live .... the Oct UK tour is seriously tempting me .. need to get creative with the finances

He will, don't worry. Find some way of seeing him!

RayCon

ScienceNerd wrote: »

He will, don't worry. Find some way of seeing him!

Just got tickets for Colston Hall , Bristol - 15th Oct :cool:

SureYWouldntYa

Kasabian are a top live band, probably one of the best around now. As are Foo Fighters.

The Black Keys are a bit disappointing live though

bnt

Another vote for Rush here - though what they put on is a highly-scripted show. For sheer power, though Dream Theater is quite something = seen them about 6 times, starting at the Marquee gig they later released. I was at both gigs at the Astoria in London back in 2002 (I think), on the second night they played the whole The Number Of The Beast album.

The most fun gig I remember was probably James at the Olympia back in 1999. Tim Booth was literally climbing the walls, all the way up to the balcony, and they always sound excellent too. I can highly recommend them.

I haven't seen Amanda Palmer live, but she's bringing the Grand Theft Orchestra to Dublin on 18 July. From what I've heard of her gigs, weird stuff tends to happen for no apparent reason. :pac:

Nippledragon

In no particular order: Machine Head, Metallica, Everclear, Killswitch Engage, Entombed, Dropkick Murphys and Lamb of God have all been excellent gigs, great energy live. One or two dodgy shows from Metallica but when they are tight are very good, love when they play Whiskey In The Jar at Irish gigs, the place goes mental! Dropkicks at Download were a nice surprise, they fuelled the drunkeness even more, "Irish dancing" pits all over the place!

Useful.Idiot

Machine Head, Opeth, Mastodon (haven't seen them before they released CtS), Primordial, Cynic, Biffy Clyro, God Is An Astronaut, Rage Against The Machine.

Still raging that Mastodon & Gojira cancelled their show last year, was so excited to see Gojira live for the first time. They're meant to be crushing!

galwayrush

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Best I've seen live is probably Porcupine Tree, Rush, Roger Waters and Rammstein, hard to pick a winner form those 4.

Those 4 with Led Zeppelin:cool:

GLaDOS

I'll add God is an Astronaut and Steve Wilson's solo band to that now

RebelSoul

Airbourne - One of the most energetic bands I've seen.

Heaven And Hell - Tighter than tight. Vinny Appice is a beast live.

Edguy and The Answer were awesome when I seen them.

Veil Of Maya.

Pyr0

Heaven and Hell
Cynic
Bolt Thrower
Morbid Angel
Cannibal Corpse
Pestilence
Down
Obituary
Immortal
Judas Priest

Just a few off the top of my head.

Lolly125

korn ok , met fieldy he was a dick, ill nino class in the voodoo lounge and slipknot unreal!!

Passenger

Lolly125 wrote: »

korn ok , met fieldy he was a dick, ill nino class in the voodoo lounge and slipknot unreal!!

Did you only ever attend gigs in 2001?

Lolly125

Passenger wrote: »

Did you only ever attend gigs in 2001?

Haha hay dnt b dissing me im a mammy now so dont get to go to many gigs now