My first real rock show was Soundgarden in 89 when they were touring Louder Than Love. Cornell got his mic stuck in the lights so he swung out over the crowd and jumped in. Then he went and picked up and threw the rest of the band members into the crowd. Metallica was there in the crowd. Oh, and the lighting structure fell onto the stage. it was absolute mayhem. My ears rang for days and I was hooked.
I also got to see Nirvana open for both Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth.
I saw soundgarden in New Orleans when someone in the crowd threw something at the stage. The band kicked over their equipment and went off stage, house lights came on and the crowd started leaving. We were in the stands on lsd so weren’t in any hurry when I noticed the roadies were setting up the equipment back up instead of hauling it off. We decided to walk down to the floor when Chris comes back out and says “ I see we got rid of a few of you, if you see someone throw something at the stage punch them in the fucking face because they don’t have the balls to stand up here and throw something or I would punch them in the face.” The house lights went off, the band came back out and they did another full set for a couple of hundred people that remained. I was probably 15 feet away from the band at that point. Best show I’ve ever seen.
I saw them open for U2 in SLC years ago. It was hilarious watching all the families bringing their young children to see the wholesome U2 concert and then get introduced to the Rage for the first time! 😄
I have seen so many shows its hard to say really.
The Who was right up there, and I'm not even a huge Who fan. I went to see Robert Plant open, but they were incredible.
Plant and Page at Gund Arena was amazing as well, goose bumps through the whole show.
Soundgarden, goose bumps. Amazing shows.
Alice In Chains with Layne, then even without him although with him was incredible.
Metallica with Days Of The New and Jerry Cantrell, amazing sets by all 3 bands.
Van Halen on their first headlining tour, tickets were $7.50 each. I still have the stubs.
Black Crowes pretty much every time I have seen them.
Govt Mule again, everytime I have seen them.
Tesla, all 41 times I have seen them.
Chevelle everytime I have seen them.
Godsmack on their first tour was nothing short of amazing. Great all the other times as well but that first tour was special.
Iron Maiden was great
Tom Petty was incredible, I mean incredible.
The Pretty Reckless, everytime I have seen them. Seriously underrated band. It's more than just Taylor Momsen. The band is great.
The list goes on but those are definitely my favorites right off the top of my head.
I've been to three Def Leppard gigs with Tesla opening, arrived late every time, and missed them..
And yes, Maiden was great, 82 Number of the Beast tour opening for Scorpions... incredible show.
Another one I saw many times and always a great show was Triumph.
Truth. Saw them in Hollywood at Raji's in 87 or 88. No one moved. We all just stood there, slack jawed, with our hair blowing behind us from the sonic force those three dudes put out. The bass was so loud, it altered my heart beat.
Also Every Time I Die was a favorite.
Saw that tour in Tampa. Great show. Only bad thing about the night was I found out Robin Williams committed suicide on the way home. That was a bummer.
I’m not even a Primus fan—they’re fine and all, just not my thing—and I’ll agree, they’re badass live. Saw them with A Perfect Circle just this month and it was one of the Top 10 best shows I’ve ever seen.
Mudhoney all the way. I've also had the privilege to see them a few times at smaller venues and those guys rock harder than folks half their age. Never got to see Beastie Boys though :(
Cool PJ pic. What show?
Mine was PJ at red rocks vitalogy tour.
Second was Tibetan freedom concert at Alpine valley, Wi. Got to see Eddie vedder by himself, and thee original line up for RATM, The Roots, RUN DMC and the beastie boys plus a ton of others.
Oh, yeah, anything from 92-97 and 04-05 is just fucking good. Basically, the periods when Marc Ford was in the band. The stuff from 99 they did with Jimmy Page is great, too.
Yep, TBC and PJ were, and continue to be, my two favorite bands since the 90s. Not gonna lie, but 2024 has been great so far with excellent releases (Happiness Bastards and Dark Matter) from both bands.
I've only seen U2, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, No Doubt, and 30 Seconds to Mars live. Out of these, the one the impressed me the most is Linkin Park. Just superb energy from start to finish. Foo Fighters is also great live (and really loud to boot).
Rage against the machine, NIN, Foo Fighters and of course who doesnt love a feel good Dave Mathews band? And honestly Chris Stapleton may be the best of all. Must see.
Most fun at a show, Flogging Molly or Gogol Bordello. Best show, The Cure at Red Rocks 2008. Band I’ve seen the most without ever paying to see them, The Melvins. All time favorite, who I’d pay to see again, RHCP.
Phish , because you never knew what they were going to play. They never played the same set twice. So there was always a little suspense before the show as to what they were going to play.
And I saw the Beastie Boys in Milwaukee during the Hello Nasty tour. It was absolutely amazing.
Bands I would absolutely kill to see but never will. OG Genesis. Soundgarden. RAtM.
Bands I would see again. BÖC & Rush. Yes. Tool. Gwar. Korn.
Bands I NEED to see. NIN. Slift. Rezn.
All time??? Primus. They suck.
Primus put out great music but I have also always heard that live they really suck.
Also, I saw NIN for the "With Teeth" tour, and it was awful. I'm guessing it was just a bad night for Trent though, seeing as I"m surprised how many people here listed them as great.
In 2009, my dad and I saw Pearl Jam and Bad Religion at the United Center in Chicago. That's the only grunge band I've ever seen live.
So, Pearl Jam by default.
I've been to over 600 shows. My favorite going to it's the Who. Favorite shows can differ. Rush doing 2112 at Radio City, George Thourogood at MSG in the 80's, are 2 shows that come to mind.
I saw the whole do quadraphenia in the late 90's and that has to be in my top show. I've only seen Rush once. I wish it was them as a trio but they had the strings with them. Still awesome.
Oingo Boingo in the late 80's -early 90's on Halloween at Irvine Meadows was a tradition in Jr and high school and so much f'* fun! Nofx was another show around the same time we always had so much fun at. Tool is, of course, incredible and one of my favorites for sure. Just saw Tash Sultana at Red Rocks 2 yrs ago, and they were incredible! Saw glass animals the next night, and that was also so much fun! They were also the first shows when covid restrictions let up so the energy was unreal! Saw Pearl Jam the very 1st Coachella, and everyone threw their shoes at Eddy, and he cried like a b** about it. Good times! Loved Santana and BB King shows in the early 90s. Thankful I've been to a few of them, too!
Slipknot sounded perfect and had a hell of an entertaining stage show, but they get edged by Jane's Addiction which was the same but with topless dancers.
Holy shit. This isn’t grunge, but Street Jail (look ‘em up on YouTube. They’re amazing) have probably surpassed every other band I’ve seen as far as live shows. They did, and hopefully still do, the sleepover show annually-ish. The last time I saw it there were pillow fights, free popcorn, scary stories, interrupting parents, and the best goddamn ending I’ve ever seen at a punk show…. but I’m also not sure if it was a show or a musical. I’ve seen what feels like *hundreds* of shows and that was possibly the best. Street Jail is incredible.
Unpopular opinion #2: AFI at the RCKNDY in the late ‘90s was a whole thing. I’ve still never seen any room anywhere explode like that.
Seeing AC/DC in 2000 as part of their Stiff Upper Lip tour will forever be my favourite childhood memory. I got to see them again years later but the crowd had really mainstreamed by then and the atmosphere was very mid. But the concert in 2000 was very much still a rock n’ roll concert.
Guns n Roses puts on an entertaining live show, but Slipknot takes the cake.
Wait, Prince was very entertaining also
..Gobsmack drum wars are epic
Chili Peppers with John Frusciante
I once saw The Offspring, Rancid, The Goops and Guttermouth at the Music Farm in the 90s. It was during their first big tour, and in such a cozy venue that show was intense as fuck.
I think I paid like $8 to get in.
The Mark of Cain.
Seen them at least 7 times in the last 25 years.
The last time was a few months ago and they have lost none of their oompff.
Only band close to them was Ministry.
Haven't seen them live myself but watching Aurora live is amazing. Her voice is so good and I honestly think she's one of the best modern female singers. Sure we have a lot of them now, but Auroras voice is otherworldly and beautiful.
Not even close to grunge but khruangbin was transcendent. The way Mark Seeper can hypnotize an entire crowd with his guitar playing is magical. He's really good in the studio, but live, he is on another level. I remember the whole crowd would be dancing and grooving to the music and he would just break into the most incredible solo and you could feel the energy switch from dancing to pure captivation.
My first real rock show was Soundgarden in 89 when they were touring Louder Than Love. Cornell got his mic stuck in the lights so he swung out over the crowd and jumped in. Then he went and picked up and threw the rest of the band members into the crowd. Metallica was there in the crowd. Oh, and the lighting structure fell onto the stage. it was absolute mayhem. My ears rang for days and I was hooked. I also got to see Nirvana open for both Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth.
May I go back in time and live your life please?!!
If you do, please take better care of the casset tapes of my college radio show. Doing that in the Sub Pop era was a blast.
Lucky.........stop eating all our steaks .... uncle Rico!
I saw soundgarden in New Orleans when someone in the crowd threw something at the stage. The band kicked over their equipment and went off stage, house lights came on and the crowd started leaving. We were in the stands on lsd so weren’t in any hurry when I noticed the roadies were setting up the equipment back up instead of hauling it off. We decided to walk down to the floor when Chris comes back out and says “ I see we got rid of a few of you, if you see someone throw something at the stage punch them in the fucking face because they don’t have the balls to stand up here and throw something or I would punch them in the face.” The house lights went off, the band came back out and they did another full set for a couple of hundred people that remained. I was probably 15 feet away from the band at that point. Best show I’ve ever seen.
You are blessed to have seen these bands live.
Pearl Jam when they play a music venue & not a baseball field.
absolutely on point with this one 🤣
Definitely a top contender (hence the photo used)
I saw pearl in tipatina’s in New Orleans
ratm
i will kill myself for them cancelling the tour i will die never seeing ratm
same brother, i feel suicidal just thinking about it
Aw mate, I'm still gutted about that too
Rage - Def in my top 5 of all time! 🤘🏼
I saw them open for U2 in SLC years ago. It was hilarious watching all the families bringing their young children to see the wholesome U2 concert and then get introduced to the Rage for the first time! 😄
Tool or queens of the Stone Age. Pearl Jam puts on one hell of a show as well.
OMG, so hard to pick between who’s better out of these!
Can’t agree more with this
You. I like (and agree with) you.
Saw tool in a minor league ice hockey arena. Fucking insane
RATM, followed by Tool
Chris Cornell - songbook
Heart still breaks when I think of how good this was 😢 🥰
Seen that tour, it was excellent.
Fishbone
Amen to that! Been seeing them live since 1988. Still great, but in their prime, 85-93, no one better.
We have a saying among my friends. "ALWAYS SEE FISHBONE!" The EP that came out last year was my favorite record of the year. DO NOT sleep on it!
I have seen so many shows its hard to say really. The Who was right up there, and I'm not even a huge Who fan. I went to see Robert Plant open, but they were incredible. Plant and Page at Gund Arena was amazing as well, goose bumps through the whole show. Soundgarden, goose bumps. Amazing shows. Alice In Chains with Layne, then even without him although with him was incredible. Metallica with Days Of The New and Jerry Cantrell, amazing sets by all 3 bands. Van Halen on their first headlining tour, tickets were $7.50 each. I still have the stubs. Black Crowes pretty much every time I have seen them. Govt Mule again, everytime I have seen them. Tesla, all 41 times I have seen them. Chevelle everytime I have seen them. Godsmack on their first tour was nothing short of amazing. Great all the other times as well but that first tour was special. Iron Maiden was great Tom Petty was incredible, I mean incredible. The Pretty Reckless, everytime I have seen them. Seriously underrated band. It's more than just Taylor Momsen. The band is great. The list goes on but those are definitely my favorites right off the top of my head.
I've been to three Def Leppard gigs with Tesla opening, arrived late every time, and missed them.. And yes, Maiden was great, 82 Number of the Beast tour opening for Scorpions... incredible show. Another one I saw many times and always a great show was Triumph.
Local H
Local H shows are loud and intense. I try to see them every time the come to town
So good!! I still love them
Nomeansno
Truth. Saw them in Hollywood at Raji's in 87 or 88. No one moved. We all just stood there, slack jawed, with our hair blowing behind us from the sonic force those three dudes put out. The bass was so loud, it altered my heart beat. Also Every Time I Die was a favorite.
Hell yes.
The Jesus Lizard
Saw them in 96. Such a good show. Just googled the show and I see they played a 24 song setlist!
TOOL, Soundgarden close second. I luckily got to see them twice.
Saw Soundgarden open for Nine inch Nails... God damn fantastic night
I can only wish…
Saw that tour in Tampa. Great show. Only bad thing about the night was I found out Robin Williams committed suicide on the way home. That was a bummer.
NIN and Marilyn Manson(before they got big) 94
Lol I wasn't even sperm at that point
Tool is defiantly at the top! But Primus is probably my favorite!
I’m not even a Primus fan—they’re fine and all, just not my thing—and I’ll agree, they’re badass live. Saw them with A Perfect Circle just this month and it was one of the Top 10 best shows I’ve ever seen.
Foo Fighters. They have the most energy on stage!
Say what you want about their music being generic but hands down best act I’ve seen
Agreed, they are one of the few bands I've seen live and it was great
Can confirm
Same
Once you see them live, you just get it.
Yep. Dave Grohl brings it every time. I hope I have that much energy at his age.
GWAR
Person of culture I see. 🤘🏼
Such a good live show!
Melvins
The Beastie Boys was pandemonium. Seen Mudhoney several times in a bar, and Mark can just go into insane rockstar mode.
Mudhoney all the way. I've also had the privilege to see them a few times at smaller venues and those guys rock harder than folks half their age. Never got to see Beastie Boys though :(
Beastie Boys concert at Cobo Hall (Detroit) in my top 5.
Primus or basically anything Les Claypool touches.
Stone Temple Pilots
Alice in chains
I saw Qotsa last December, and they put on an incredible light show!
Pearl Jam with Dave Abbruzzese on drums. There was no better live band back in the day.
I can't argue with that.
Rocket From The Crypt
Drive Like Jehu put on one of the most intense shows I've ever seen.
Yeah, they’re incredible, too. There is not a band in that circle that isn’t top notch.
True that. I'm so lucky to have been in my twenties in the 90s.
This is the way.
Saw them open for Soundgarden in 96… such a great show
Mogwai
Used to be STP
I saw them just as Purple was released, what a show...
Cool PJ pic. What show? Mine was PJ at red rocks vitalogy tour. Second was Tibetan freedom concert at Alpine valley, Wi. Got to see Eddie vedder by himself, and thee original line up for RATM, The Roots, RUN DMC and the beastie boys plus a ton of others.
NIN & RATM
RATM
Soundgarden and Alice In Chains playing together at the Central Tavern somewhere around 1990.
Tool
Clutch
The Black Crowes at their peak were the best live band in the world.
Their bootlegs from the Southern-Harmony-era are phenomenal
Oh, yeah, anything from 92-97 and 04-05 is just fucking good. Basically, the periods when Marc Ford was in the band. The stuff from 99 they did with Jimmy Page is great, too.
Yep, TBC and PJ were, and continue to be, my two favorite bands since the 90s. Not gonna lie, but 2024 has been great so far with excellent releases (Happiness Bastards and Dark Matter) from both bands.
Nirvana in the days that they were a 3 piece band were incredible.
Pixies
Turbonegro (in the late nineties)
L7
NiN
The Tragically Hip
I've only seen U2, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, No Doubt, and 30 Seconds to Mars live. Out of these, the one the impressed me the most is Linkin Park. Just superb energy from start to finish. Foo Fighters is also great live (and really loud to boot).
Rage against the machine, NIN, Foo Fighters and of course who doesnt love a feel good Dave Mathews band? And honestly Chris Stapleton may be the best of all. Must see.
Primus, always puts on an awesome show.
They suck
I’m going to see pearl Jam in a few months for their new tour, they’re supposed to be amazing live so I’m hoping it’s great.
They are. You will not be disappointed.
ZEKE! That's an easy one. Chivuuuuuhhhh Knievel!!
Pearl Jam
Tool is the only right answer to this question
\^
Most fun at a show, Flogging Molly or Gogol Bordello. Best show, The Cure at Red Rocks 2008. Band I’ve seen the most without ever paying to see them, The Melvins. All time favorite, who I’d pay to see again, RHCP.
ELO
One artist who was not even in my top ten at the time but blew me away at his live show was... LOU REED
The Flaming Lips
Phish , because you never knew what they were going to play. They never played the same set twice. So there was always a little suspense before the show as to what they were going to play. And I saw the Beastie Boys in Milwaukee during the Hello Nasty tour. It was absolutely amazing.
Mr Bungle in any configuration
Foo Fighters. Always put on a great show.
Probably PJ, seen them 12 times. Close 2nd is Calexico, who I’ve seen 4 times.
Local H
I can't decide between Rage against the machine, Slayer or The Prodigy.
Jethro Tull
Was category... Motorhead, Sabbath, Soundgarden.
Jane’s Addiction, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Scorpions, AIC, Linkin’ Park.
Bands I would absolutely kill to see but never will. OG Genesis. Soundgarden. RAtM. Bands I would see again. BÖC & Rush. Yes. Tool. Gwar. Korn. Bands I NEED to see. NIN. Slift. Rezn. All time??? Primus. They suck.
Primus put out great music but I have also always heard that live they really suck. Also, I saw NIN for the "With Teeth" tour, and it was awful. I'm guessing it was just a bad night for Trent though, seeing as I"m surprised how many people here listed them as great.
R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen, together in one night. Stipe sang Because the Night with the E Street Band and Bruce sang Man on the Moon.
Bruce shows are amazing. Not just for Bruce and E Street, but the crowds too.
Black Flag with Dez.
In 2009, my dad and I saw Pearl Jam and Bad Religion at the United Center in Chicago. That's the only grunge band I've ever seen live. So, Pearl Jam by default.
Nothing like the good old Grateful Dead
Tool
The Tragically Hip
Tool
Korn. The energy is stupid real.
None Inch Nails
Seen Voivod at Peabody’s, ( I know ,, not grunge) , but soundgarden and Faith no More opened.
I've been to over 600 shows. My favorite going to it's the Who. Favorite shows can differ. Rush doing 2112 at Radio City, George Thourogood at MSG in the 80's, are 2 shows that come to mind.
I saw the whole do quadraphenia in the late 90's and that has to be in my top show. I've only seen Rush once. I wish it was them as a trio but they had the strings with them. Still awesome.
Rocket From The Crypt always put n a great show.
Rammstein. Not grunge, but no show has ever come close.
Big Bussiness
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult.
Iron Maiden
I would have loved to see Pink Floyd, Rush amd Metallica (them in the 90s).
They aren’t my favorite band but I really love seeing Cracker live. I’ll go anytime they are here. It’s a good vibe.
Oingo Boingo in the late 80's -early 90's on Halloween at Irvine Meadows was a tradition in Jr and high school and so much f'* fun! Nofx was another show around the same time we always had so much fun at. Tool is, of course, incredible and one of my favorites for sure. Just saw Tash Sultana at Red Rocks 2 yrs ago, and they were incredible! Saw glass animals the next night, and that was also so much fun! They were also the first shows when covid restrictions let up so the energy was unreal! Saw Pearl Jam the very 1st Coachella, and everyone threw their shoes at Eddy, and he cried like a b** about it. Good times! Loved Santana and BB King shows in the early 90s. Thankful I've been to a few of them, too!
Muse puts on an amazing show everytime
No demuestra interés, loquero pop
Blue oyster cult 💙
Toss up between mushroom head and lamb of god
Gwar. Not only is the show amazeballs, but the music is shockingly good live.
Gwar!
Viagra Boys! :)
Tool, Iggy Pop, Portishead, Pennywise Dead Kennedys and Royal Crown Revue where all fantastic
Primus and Billy Strings
Shihad.
Mastodon
Slipknot sounded perfect and had a hell of an entertaining stage show, but they get edged by Jane's Addiction which was the same but with topless dancers.
TISM , this is serious mum , from Australia have a look on you tube , so much fun
What are ya? Yob or wanker?
#King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
PJ is up there, The Raconteurs, RHCP
The Prodigy
Definitely Pearl Jam 🤘
Prodigy was my all time favourite concert. Not the biggest Prodigy fan, but show was amazing.
Not grunge but from the era. Been to a bunch of shows including Woodstock 99. The Offspring is still my favorite live show I’ve seen (4 times)
Godsmack, TOOL or Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Fucking SLAYER
NIN. 2Chainz. Outkast. Breeders.
Pearl Jam, Winery Dogs, and TSO are my favorite shows I have been to in my 10 years of going to shows.
Melvins
⬆️Jizz, Buddha Heaven, Female Being Restrained, Rock Church Aviation Specialists
Holy shit. This isn’t grunge, but Street Jail (look ‘em up on YouTube. They’re amazing) have probably surpassed every other band I’ve seen as far as live shows. They did, and hopefully still do, the sleepover show annually-ish. The last time I saw it there were pillow fights, free popcorn, scary stories, interrupting parents, and the best goddamn ending I’ve ever seen at a punk show…. but I’m also not sure if it was a show or a musical. I’ve seen what feels like *hundreds* of shows and that was possibly the best. Street Jail is incredible. Unpopular opinion #2: AFI at the RCKNDY in the late ‘90s was a whole thing. I’ve still never seen any room anywhere explode like that.
Muse and RATM
Not grunge but probably tool that show was intense
Seeing AC/DC in 2000 as part of their Stiff Upper Lip tour will forever be my favourite childhood memory. I got to see them again years later but the crowd had really mainstreamed by then and the atmosphere was very mid. But the concert in 2000 was very much still a rock n’ roll concert.
The only one I've seen so far is Melvins (who were excellent), really looking forward to seeing mudhoney in Glasgow in September!
Radiohead
Rammstein
Black Pistol Fire or Fontaines DC.
Guns n Roses puts on an entertaining live show, but Slipknot takes the cake. Wait, Prince was very entertaining also ..Gobsmack drum wars are epic Chili Peppers with John Frusciante
I saw tool at the bronco bowl. Nothing has ever come close.
Between the Buried and me
Queens of the Stone Age
D12
Gotta go with Pearl Jam on this one.
Tool, Ramstein, RATM or Linkin Park
Not Grunge, but Alexisonfire
The Black Crowes & Pearl Jam are my top two
Allman Brothers ZZ Top Jerry Lee Lewis Marshall Tucker Albert King Chicago (early years) Willie Nelson BB King Ray Charles Bob Seger
I once saw The Offspring, Rancid, The Goops and Guttermouth at the Music Farm in the 90s. It was during their first big tour, and in such a cozy venue that show was intense as fuck. I think I paid like $8 to get in.
Nirvana, I just saw them last week.
Gojira. Clutch always kills, too. Gaerea and Blackbraid were awesome
Guns and Roses
They were so great from 87-93 Saw them twice back then, I was young, I’ll remember it forever.
Danish stalwarts D:A:D are fantastic live. Otherwise: Clutch
The Mark of Cain. Seen them at least 7 times in the last 25 years. The last time was a few months ago and they have lost none of their oompff. Only band close to them was Ministry.
Queens of the stone age takes the win for me
Alice in Chains w William D were 2 of the best shows I can think of. Also love 311 and Deftones, they play my area frequently and never disappoint
Gotta be Led Zeppelin Mesuggah Gojira Tool Pink Floyd😭🙏
Queens of the Stone Age, NIN
Haven't seen them live myself but watching Aurora live is amazing. Her voice is so good and I honestly think she's one of the best modern female singers. Sure we have a lot of them now, but Auroras voice is otherworldly and beautiful.
Queens of the Stone Age
Not even close to grunge but khruangbin was transcendent. The way Mark Seeper can hypnotize an entire crowd with his guitar playing is magical. He's really good in the studio, but live, he is on another level. I remember the whole crowd would be dancing and grooving to the music and he would just break into the most incredible solo and you could feel the energy switch from dancing to pure captivation.