Greatest live concert you've ever attended

brokenbad

Ok - i'll start this one.

Pink Floyd - Earls Court Oct' 1994........was lucky to get a spare ticket from my cousin in London.

What a memorable gig which i still vividly remember - the musicianship and light show has never been bettered almost 30 years on.

bodhrandude

OP I made it to Manchester for the tour before in 1988, don't know about best Pink Floyd performance, but mine would be Electric Picnic gigs, Iggy Pop & the Stooges at EP 2007, followed by LCD Soundsystem's debut at EP 2005 and Portishead at the 2014 EP. I will also add Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets gig in Dublin last year which was amazing, with Gary Kemp actually sounding great on the Syd Barrett numbers.

Aerosmith, Hershey Park, Pensylvania, 2001.

AerLingus747

Slane 2009

delbertgrady

Kate Bush, Hammersmith Odeon, 2014

HeidiHeidi

Bruce Springsteen, Slane 1985 (😱)

Not just the venue, and the blisteringly beautiful day, and the fact that my leaving cert was starting the following week.

Hands down the best live performance I've ever seen, he absolutely rocked the place, for almost 4 hours non stop.

ETA - With an honourable mention to Billy Joel, who after a lifetime of loving his music I finally got to see a few years ago in the Point/O2/whatever it's called. Plenty posters on here were like "ah he'll start a few of the songs, and the audience will do the rest, he's a busted flush" - well, how wrong they were! I was blown away by his voice, it was an amazing concert. I just hate the venue, and would love to see him somewhere decent.

Mundo7976

Toss up between Green Day in the SFX c.1997 and RHCP in Slane c.2003 (I'm terrible with dates)

Inquitus

Glastonbury's 25th anniversary 1995, hopped the fence, try that these days!

Portishead in the acoustic tent after a late and drunk Evan Dando got bottled off stage. Tricky, Pulp, Orbital, Oasis, Massive Attack, The Verve, Leftfield, Prodigy.........

Fine Cheers

U2 Slane 2001. Squeeze in the Olympia '95. Self Aid '86.

Akrasia

Radiohead, Punchestown 2000. Kid A was only released 5 days before so it was completely new but incredible to see them perform almost the whole album live

https://www.radiohead.com/library/#kida/2000-10-07-live-from-a-tent-in-dublin

fafy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354655#Comment_120354655

As a snapshot - moment in time, that is probably mine also. I’ve seen them on every tour since, sometimes multiple times, but the very first time you see a really great band, thats a unique magical moment, and they really left me, with a Holy Fxxx moment.

Flaneur OBrien

Bowie in the Olympia '97. He was amazing.

or Beck in the Olympia - The theatrics was beautiful. A table brought on for the band to relax around while Beck played some acoustic songs. The band slowly rearrange the table so they end up playing wine glasses, the fruit was shakers etc.

or Prodigy in the Olympia - That was insane. So loud. So hot. So many topless men.

I love the Olympia (once you get past the balcony seats)

Widescreen

couple that spring to mind are Neil Young and Crazy Horse and Blondie in 1996 and 1999 respectively, both brilliant gigs in the old Point.

Queen + Paul Rodgers in 2005 at the Point was pretty memorable too.

Rustyman101

Springsteen Slane 85.

The music the venue the fabulous day and Charlotte from donegal!!!

gameoverdude

A few come to mind. Suede at the tivoli, divine comedy at dublin Castle, therapy at the sfx and Frank black...can't remember!

El Gato De Negocios

Paul McCartney in Glasgow December 2018, genuinely felt humbled to have been at the show.

Meshuggah, Vicar Street, January 2017. Best metal gig Ive ever been to, was 4 or 5 rows back from the front of the stage and I can only describe it feeling like I was being pummeled in the head repeatedly by a silver back gorilla, in the best possible way.

Honorable mention goes to Sabbath in the 3 arena in January 2017. Not that it was a particularly mind-blowing gig in and of itself, but I was a Sabbath fan for a long time and it was the first chance Id had to see them.

Everlong1

U2, Croke Park, 1985. They were touring the Unforgettable Fire album which was a massive turning point in their development. They were on the cusp of becoming the planet rogering behemoth we know and love today - this gig was a month before their legendary Live Aid appearance. A very special gig with an incredible atmosphere.

Special mention to Bowie's two nights in the Point in 2003. It was his last dates before he retired from live touring due to ill health. A great spectrum of songs from across his entire career. Being in the middle of 8,000 people singing along to Life On Mars is one of my happiest gig memories ever.

pauly58

Stiff Little Fingers supporting Tom Robinson, Third World had pulled out from the tour & they came over at the last minute, they were red hot & everyone was asking who are they, couldn't understand Jake's accent.

nice bit of green

Haven’t actually been to that many concerts but they were all acts I really wanted to see so have great memories.

Oasis the point 96 or Bruno Mars the point about 2013/4.

honourable mention James Brown & Roni Size also in the point 98.

Count Dracula

Daft Punk in Marlay Park was really good.

I also saw Underworld in the old Mean Fiddler, Halloween 1995 - that was a great gig, they were still under the grips of the global radar at the time, it was a nice cosy rave up, great gig.

I passed out after snogging a 15 stone Goth at the Cure in the basketball Arena in Hamburg in 1999, that was awesome, the gig btw, that goth may not have even been female, Skunk was widely available in Germany in the last Century.

Some of the best gigs I was at were in your average Bent Elbow county midlands road house. The 4 of Us at the Lavey Inn in 1990 springs to mind, or Moving Hearts playing in Miltown Malby when I should have been in bed.

I drank pints and chatted all thought the early hours with Primal Scream, Robbie Williams and Hulk Hogan's daughter ( yep you read that correctly ) after a Depeche Mode concert, that happened. Brooke was necking GoldSchlaager shots like the world was going to end, I am still pinching myself.

JPCN1

Slane '85 as well.

Say Your Number

Airbourne Ambassador 2008.

Black Country Communion Vicar Street 2011.

Joanne Shaw Taylor Whelans 2015.

Joe Satriani Vicar Street 2016.

Saw Doctors Knocknarea Arena 2016.

Eric Gales Ballyshannon 2022.

P2C

Feile cork 95. Hitched from Sligo. Super line up from madness to stone roses. Remember Chemical brothers finishing in dance tent and everyone moved to the main stand for stone roses and orbital. Super super line up. Even stoped off in sr Henry’s.

mrm

Toss up between three:

Sonic Youth, Top Hat Dun Laoghaire 1991, supported by Nirvana

Godspeed you! Back Emperor, Ambassador 2002, supported by The Jimmy Cake

Primal Scream SFX 1992, supported by Andy Weatherall

Hats off to those who saw Pink Floyd. During my concert going years I understand that big light wheel couldn't fit into any suitable venue in the country so they never arrived.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355341#Comment_120355341

Oasis in the Point march 1996 was a special gig.It was the last time they'd play indoor venues that size.

The Point at time was standing downstairs and they weren't too strict letting people from the seated upper tier come down.It was dangerous but mad exciting for young lads who didn't know any better.

That night was the most mental I'd ever seen it,I'll never forget it.

ednwireland

Thin Lizzy Leeds queen's hall 1983

micar

Muse ....Olympia Theatre in 2004

Arghus

Rammstein in Dublin 2012.

Incredible atmosphere, incredible setlist, incredible pyrotechnics.

evillive

Still after all these years, Ozzy in McGonagles in 1991 and I've seen plenty of excellent gigs it was pretty special.

Last year Nine Inch Nails in Las Vegas was the best I'd seen in a long time a real assault on the senses, blown away

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355676#Comment_120355676

I'm jealous

dasdog

Ozzy Osbourne - 1991, McGonagles. He did a couple of one off rehearsal shows for an upcoming world tour. The place was jammed with sweat pouring off the walls. Everyone I have spoken to that was at it has it down as their number one. Even got a couple of Black Sabbath songs in.

Dance Valley - 1996, Amsterdam (Sloterdijk). Danny Rampling, Eat Static, Billy Nasty, Propellerheads, Doc Scott to name a few. It was the second iteration of a festival has now grown to 90,000 attendance figures and became a blueprint for electronic dance festivals. 

Dweezil Zappa - 2018, Vicar Street. He played four dates in Europe and this would be one. Seated with tables they played Frank Zappa songs for three hours to an unbelievably high standard.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355556#Comment_120355556

Not quite. Oasis played The Point again the following year, 3 nights… December 1997. An ok gig, the one I saw ( with Liam, two were without him ) but they were touring a poor album which strangely featured very prominently in the set list considering the mixed critical response.

can’t hold it to one gig but these deserve a mention… think in fairness the Strummer one wins out, atmosphere, intensity of performance and crowd reaction… tiny venue.

1. Joe Strummer - Liverpool Academy, November 2002
2. Oasis - Le Zenith Paris, September 2002 ( took a chance on this, incredible, they were poor every other gig )
3. Great Lake Swimmers , Borderline, London, May 2009.
4. Morrissey - Dublin Castle, June 2004
5. The National - Olympia, December 2010
6. The Decemberists - Vicar St, Feb 2015
7. Dawes - Borderline London 2015.

loadwire

Radiohead 2001 @ the Odyssey, Belfast. A few days after 9/11. National day of mourning meant no public transport (I think?) and a mad panic to find someone with a car so we could get up to it. The band were tense for the early part of the gig but ended up as a special and cathartic experience. Spinning Plates and True love waits stand out.

Arcade Fire @ Electric Picnic. Just one of those times catching a band in their moment. Weirdly I never really stuck with them, not that I disliked their stuff but I think part of me just liked leaving them at this perfect gig and album.

Pearl Jam @ the point 1996. Day of my 20th birthday. Unbelievable atmosphere, really transcendental experience if that doesn't sound too wanky. This and the 2000 gig in the same venue were both great (and to be honest the memory of both has kind of merged into one). Was at Slane 93 too but those two Point gigs were so intense in a great way.

Neil Young @ Vicar St (Greendale tour). Ticket was a lot of money at the time but me and a mate splashed out and we still talk about it, sad gits that we are.

U2 @ RDS (Zooropa tour) 93? 17 years old, I was SO into achtung baby and it took so long for the tour to get to Ireland. Pretty sketchy memories tbh beyond just grinning throughout and the buzz on the bus back home. Great times.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355817#Comment_120355817

Correct,I had forgotten about those gigs in 97,I think they had peaked and were on the slide by then.

dasdog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355819#Comment_120355819

That U2 Zoo TV show is on YouTube with perfect radio broadcast quality audio and decent bootleg audience camera footage. It was fantastic especially the Achtung Baby songs - first time I ever saw them.

Count Dracula

Someone mentioned Billy Nasty, he played the Ormonde media centre early 90's, that was a great night. I just can't remember all that much of it. I remember it was bright when we were leaving. The sky was purple and red and there where these big fluffy clouds floating all around it.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354626#Comment_120354626

Squeeze in the Olympia '95

I was at that, good gig.

My own favourite.

Radiohead - Harborlights Boston August 1997.

A few months after OK Computer came out, great show and a great venue.

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354045#Comment_120354045

Springsteen in Slane was magic and the leaving cert the following week and getting around my mother to go, 20 of us set off and camped after the concert and how youth and innocent we were.

Dslatt

Swans in Cork in 2010, basically any of the 13 times I've seen them actually.

Hour of 13 in Fibbers ,It was their first or at the very least one of their first live performances, I was and still am obsessed with their first two records, unreal, full of buckie the craic was 90.

James Blackshaw in the Triskel in 2012 or 13, mesmerising.

Olympush

Leonard Cohen at the National Stadium c.1981.

I was 2 rows from the stage.

Remember it was his birthday on the night.

Worst was definitely Bob Dylan at Earls Court 1981. He just didn’t want to be there!

biddy21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356758#Comment_120356758

Was at Bob Dylan KilKenny a couple of years ago, and it was THE worst thing I have ever experienced. Loved him until then

Widescreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355832#Comment_120355832

Actually Oasis played old point again ( 2 nights) in December 2005(almost sure) on the back of the Don't Believe the Truth album which was a big return to form for them. went to one of the nights, usual excellent gig from them.

Dslatt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356941#Comment_120356941

Saw him in Limerick, hands down one of the worst gigs I've ever been to

brokenbad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356941#Comment_120356941

Heard a lot of negative reports about Dylan concerts from people i know - he's probably up there with Van Morrison in that regard

The Nal

Two really stand out.

Bowie Dublin 2003.

McCartney Glastonbury 2022.

witnessmenow

Out of left field, but the Darkness circa 2015 in the Bridge House in Tullamore.

I was a big fan of Permision to Land when it came out, but I didn't really follow them after that. I don't even know how I came across the gig, but seeing as it was so close to me, I said I'd go for the laugh.

They were amazing, honestly it was a hell of a show.

I'm not sure if it was actually the "greatest" concert I've ever been to, but it was by far the concert that exceeded my expectation the most, I was expecting basically nothing and it was genuinely a great show.

Also if you are not familiar with the Bridge house in Tullamore, it's an old hotel that you might have atteneded a wedding or a youth disco at or something, not somewhere you would typically expect to see a great gig!

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357021#Comment_120357021

Saw him a few times. His gig in Dublin in 2014 was glorious. His gig last year went down great too.

Widescreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357004#Comment_120357004

I was at that if it's the Thomond park concert. I remember thinking at the time, fantastic band but no singer! Dylan was cheating the public at that stage although I guess we saw him anyway!

davywalsh7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356979#Comment_120356979

was at one of those 2005 gigs, great night

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Worst gig ever. David Gray at the marquee sometime in the early 2000s. No engagement with the audience whatsoever. Just played white ladder album and disappeared. Got a literal "hello" at the start and a "wow you were great" at the end. Very boring.

Best gig ever. Robbie Williams in slane, 1998 or maybe 1999, can't remember. At the peak of his powers, absolutely had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Went to see Placebo myself but ended up really loving RW.

Im actually a pure metal head, unusual for me to attend either of those concerts but they're the ones that stuck out.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357127#Comment_120357127

Me too.

I had seen a lot of the Britpop bands in the 90s in the US but never got to see Oasis.

So I went to them in Dublin in December 2005 as much of a box ticking exercise as anything, drove up and down from Galway the same night for it.

It was a brilliant show.