# Best sounding concert I've ever gone to...



## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

Care to guess from the list of some of the artists I've seen live (below)

AC/DC
Alias
Pat Benetar (multiple times)
Black Crowes
Blondie
Michael Bolton
Cheap Trick (several times)
Faster Pussycat
Gloria Gaynor
Buddy Guy
Heart (way too many times)
Roger Hodgson
Joan Jett
Journey
KC & The Sunshine Band
Kiss (way too many times)
Kool & The Gang
Ziggy Marley
Kim Mitchell
Ted Nugent
Pink Floyd
Puddle of Mud
Slaughter (multiple times)
Rod Stewart (multiple times)
Trans Siberian Orchestra
Van Halen (not Van Hagar)
Village People
Violent Femmes
Whitesnake
Winger
Wild T & The Spirit

And the winner is.... believe it or not - Roger Hodgson (former lead vocalist/keyboardist/songwriter from Supertramp). I saw him last April - the sound quality was phenomenal. The fact that it was only him and one other musician on the stage for the entire show made it even more amazing. 

I highly recommend catching his show to anyone who appreciates fantastic songwriting, musicianmanship (is that a real word?) and outstanding sound. He's coming back to Fallsview Casino in late April for 2 shows.

The best part - I was able to score 2 tix


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

We also seen him there on his last visit. Was a really good show. Highly recommended for any Supertramp fan. Seeing your favorite band live can many times be a let down when it comes to the sound and live performance. When you go to see a band and they play the songs live the same way you hear them on the studio version, it is a pleasure. Of all the bands I have seen over the the years the one that comes to mind right away that fits that bill would be Steely Dan. They insist on perfect reproduction of the songs in the live setting. The musicianship is top notch. The Eagles are like that too. Very rarely a blown note and the sound systems are great. I just thougt of another one, The Police.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> When you go to see a band and they play the songs live the same way you hear them on the studio version, it is a pleasure.


I'm of a different mind--when I've been to concerts that sound just like the studio versions, I'm bored. I could have saved the money and stayed at home listening to the album.
I like it when bands take chances and put some different energy into it.

Most concerts I've been to the bands have played most of the songs close to the studio recordings, but not slavishly identical. They may stretch it out, do a different solo, different verse order, etc. And live just seems to have more energy to it. Sometimes there's an opening act that I've found dull in studio recordings, but live they're not overproduced and so they really come through and I wind up liking them, and wish their studio stuff sounded that good.

I have seen some acts that didn't sound good, and that can be disappointing. I've seen bands that just went through the motions as well.

But bands that are into performing, and take chances and go for it get me going more, even if they're a little off that night.

And I like it when they do a song in a new style--even if I don't like it as much as the studio recording, it can still be fun.

But then I tend not to think the same as most people, most of the time.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

zontar said:


> I'm of a different mind--when I've been to concerts that sound just like the studio versions, I'm bored. I could have saved the money and stayed at home listening to the album.
> I like it when bands take chances and put some different energy into it.
> 
> Most concerts I've been to the bands have played most of the songs close to the studio recordings, but not slavishly identical. They may stretch it out, do a different solo, different verse order, etc. And live just seems to have more energy to it. Sometimes there's an opening act that I've found dull in studio recordings, but live they're not overproduced and so they really come through and I wind up liking them, and wish their studio stuff sounded that good.
> ...


No, I know where you are coming from. I agree that an anticeptic live show can be a tad boring. Where I was coming from was more of clear, professional playing and sound. I dont mind the idea of a band changing up a tune a bit or throwing in some extended solos etc. But I have been to shows where you wondered if it was even the same band that recorded the original song. Those type are dissapointing live.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> No, I know where you are coming from. I agree that an anticeptic live show can be a tad boring. Where I was coming from was more of clear, professional playing and sound. I dont mind the idea of a band changing up a tune a bit or throwing in some extended solos etc. But I have been to shows where you wondered if it was even the same band that recorded the original song. Those type are dissapointing live.


I've been to some of those before, and sometimes I'd seen the same band before and it was good show, but then it's like they lost interest.

But there's the thrill of the chase, which is better than the catch you know. 

(As an example, Rainbow was way better live than the albums-which I liked, a real raw but finely tuned sound and performance, and Motorhead was bland when I saw them--I think they were worn out from touring and they were the opening act as well.)


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

elvis costello - hummingbird centre '08
philip glass - hummingbird centre '89
flecktones - massey hall '07


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## demon (Feb 20, 2006)

Allman Brothers Band, best live mix you will ever hear.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

a few that stand out:

Iron Maiden - circa 1988. damn, those guys are a tight band
Billy Bragg - Billy in a cathedral, alone with a tele. somehow, i ended up in the first pew.
Chris Cornell - a couple time in the last few years. Great bands, and unbelievable pipes. he did an unplugged section at each show that was chilling
Joe Satriani - Commodore Ballroom - he's just so fluid and precise.
Johnette Napolitano (of Concrete Blonde fame) - in a very small bar, just her with an acoustic guitar. Her voice send shivers up my spine.


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## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

Ok, just got back from seeing Roger Hodgson again - excellent, excellent show!!! It's amazing how 'full' the sound coming from 2 talented musicians can be.


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2010)

Pink Floyd during the Pulse tour. The surround sound was...jaw dropping.

Close second would be Dire Straits from the On Every Street tour. The sound was huge but just perfectly clear.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

vds5000 said:


> Ok, just got back from seeing Roger Hodgson again - excellent, excellent show!!! It's amazing how 'full' the sound coming from 2 talented musicians can be.


Me too! I just started a thread. LOL


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

iaresee said:


> Pink Floyd during the Pulse tour. The surround sound was...jaw dropping.


+1!!! That was something else!

One thing to keep in mind is size of venue. You can't compare a stadium to a more intamate theater, but the Pulse tour was stadium, and the sound was unbelievable, mind you I was 10th row floors for that one.

Two other acts that impressed me are Sherly Crowe and The Corrs. It was alomost like listening to a cd.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

I for the life of me can't remember the last great concert that I saw where i wasn't disappointed in the sound, I find that most have to really hold back the either highs or lows for our stadium shows out here in the West, these building are just not meant for great sounding concerts and if you are looking for great quality you always have to see shows in Places like the Orpheum theater or The Chan Center, much smaller venues, but I will say that seeing Pink Floyd was more about the show. All of the others Emerson,Lake and Palme,rSlyand the family stone ( and boy did they take me higher that nite ) Stevie Ray Vaughn,Jimmie Hendrix, the Beatles,and on and on I feel blessed to have seen some of the greatest musicians of all times, I can remember seeing James Brown preform out in Horseshoe Bay could that cat move, the worst concert the rolling stones.Ship................mind you to be honest now a days I would rather see a great bar band then some of the new guys live who will never be able to capture their CD sounds live.
Oh and VDS5000 that would have been a great show to see great musicians who know how to entertain with out a big band or sound behind them


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Red Hot Chili Peppers, about 5 years ago at Rexall - a venue distinctly _not_ known for good acoustics. The mix was just right, the volume was loud without being obnoxious, and it was just soooo clear, like you were getting it right from the stage so to speak. And they are loose enough to keep things very entertaining. Have since then seen Muse, Tool, and a couple of other acts there, none of which came anywhere near the fidelity the Peppers had. Muse (about a month ago) had a truly mind blowing stage and light show, best I've ever seen by far.....good tight performance too.


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

Isis at the Commodore last year had a live sound that was so clear it's practically ruined all other shows for me since. I swear you could have heard a pin drop up on that stage.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Hmmm...Oscar Peterson, solo, at the Stratford Festival Theatre. Just him and a piano, no p.a., no band. Saw Bruce Cockburn at the same venue with a full band and it was good too. Haven't seen any rock acts that impressed me sound wise, but I haven't seen that many rock acts.

Peace, Mooh.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

Mark Knopfler at the NAC in Ottawa back in 2008. Perfect.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Deep Purple 1985 Civic Centre Ottawa
Pink Floyd 1987 Grandstand Ottawa
Iron Maden 1981 Ottawa Civic Centre
There were so many back then but they're the ones that stood out....


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

The Gordon Lightfoot spring concerts at Massey Hall in the mid/late 70's.
Segovia at Massey Hall in the 70's.
Harry Chapin at Massey Hall in the 70's.

ooh, almost forgot.
\/ \/ \/ \/ 
Led Zeppelin at Massey H...., no, actually at Masonic Temple(The Rock Pile) in spring 1969.


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## CDWaterloo (Jul 18, 2008)

1. Pat Martino... 2. Pearl Jam 1996... 3. Jeff Healey tie Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba.


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## weener (Apr 9, 2009)

Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Barrie Molson Centre,sound was so clear you could hear the backup singers tambourine,The Nuge opened up and he was painfully loud and not in a good way.


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## Bruiser74 (Jan 29, 2010)

Wow, some great acts listed here, wish i had seen some of them.
For me the best quality sound was Supertramp at Mile One Stadium a few years ago.
April Wine in 93 at the old St. John's Memorial Stadium was great, could hear all three guitars really well.
Tragically Hip at the old Memorial Stadium was wicked too.
Liona Boyd at the Art & Culture center, 1992 or 1993.
Thats the ones that come to mind.
B


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

zontar said:


> I'm of a different mind--when I've been to concerts that sound just like the studio versions, I'm bored. I could have saved the money and stayed at home listening to the album.
> I like it when bands take chances and put some different energy into it.
> 
> Most concerts I've been to the bands have played most of the songs close to the studio recordings, but not slavishly identical. They may stretch it out, do a different solo, different verse order, etc. And live just seems to have more energy to it. Sometimes there's an opening act that I've found dull in studio recordings, but live they're not overproduced and so they really come through and I wind up liking them, and wish their studio stuff sounded that good.
> ...


I see both sides of that coin. I saw Zep three times and you NEVER knew what they were going to do next, which was excellent. On the other end of the scale, I just saw the Eagles last Sunday and I loved that too, the fact that they are touring with 9 extra musicians to make it right shows a lot of dedication to their fans. Somewhere down the middle I would place Queen and Paul Rodgers. He can ALMOST cover Freddy's vocals (rangewise, anyway) and they had an extra keys player and guitar player, which made their music truer to the albums despite the difference in vocal styles. It's all good, I think,
-Mikey


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Bruiser74 said:


> April Wine in 93 at the old St. John's Memorial Stadium was great, could hear all three guitars really well.B


....hmmmmm....i wonder what went wrong.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

vds5000 said:


> Ok, just got back from seeing Roger Hodgson again - excellent, excellent show!!! It's amazing how 'full' the sound coming from 2 talented musicians can be.


I've seen many acts at Fallsview and I'd have to say that, with the odd exception, the sound quality was excellent. I didn't see Mr. Hodgson (wish I had) but, a couple that stood out for me were Chris Isaak (twice - glorious Fender cleans!), and Styxx with Gowan. Great venue for up close and personal entertainment.


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