# Best/Worst/Most Surprising Concert Experiences?



## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

What is the best concert experience you've had? How about the worst one? I'm talking more about the music stuff rather than being mugged in the alley afterward, but good stories of all types are welcome! What was the most surprising concert experience? 

For example, I saw Tommy Emmanuel back in the mid-90s in a small club. I wasn't much into solo acts and even though I respected Tommy as a musician and enjoyed a handful of his songs, I remember thinking, "How the heck is one guy with an acoustic guitar going to keep me entertained for three hours?" Well, I guess being a life-long entertainer from the age of four gives a guy an edge, because he totally blew me away. I've still never seen anyone have such amazing rapport with the crowd and effortless command of the guitar. Plus, he played a song I requested.  So for me that's the biggest concert surprise and favourite concert all in one.

My least favourite is probably Midnight Oil. I saw Midnight Oil twice, about twelve years apart. The first time they ran onto the stage and played through their songs without really any audience interaction at all. I may as well have stayed home and listened to their albums. The second time the lead singer spent about 45 minutes of their set on a political rant. 

Another cool concert-ish experience was when I used to go for lunch with my sister and we would go to this small basement place that had live jazz. They had some fantastic players and the one thing that struck me about them was the fun they were having, as well as how good they were. Plus I could buy a big lunch for five bucks!

How about you guys?


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## -ST- (Feb 2, 2008)

Saw Foreigner at the PNE in Vancouver last Tuesday.

I was completely blown away by the professionalism and showmanship. Some might be critical about the band or the music or that the only original member in the lineup is Mick Jones. I'll tell you - none of that mattered. There was not a moment in the show where I had any doubt that everyone on the stage was totally committed to the show and to entertaining everyone there. 

http://www.foreigneronline.com/about.html

Note that Bruce Watson (lead guitarist) is not really mentioned on the Foreigner site.


Here's the venue










And the view from my seat - although they had the entire crowd on their feet for the entire show.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Best?

Lots of good ones--but I would go with the Back to the Blues festival I was at last summer.
8 acts, $30 all day--and then when it was over Phil Keaggy and the Glenn Kaiser Band jammed for at least 35 minutes.
Every band was good, lots of great music, a nice casual audience--no mosh pit.
(That is one thing I don't miss about concerts.)
Just people enjoying the music and the others there.
Great atmosphere, and the bands came out & mingled with people.

All around a wonderful day

Worst?
Probably Iron Maiden--I forget which tour--I've seen them three times, and two times they were real good, but the time in the middle they were just going through the motions, and it was bland.
I actually considered leaving.


Although I could also choose as worst the time I thought I was going to see Rush, but my friend lost the tickets, so I never got to actually see them.

Surprising?
Metallica--I've never been a fan of Hetfield's voice, and I thought live it would be worse, but they did put on a good show, and his voice sounded good (I got to see them for free)


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2013)

Years ago. Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.
Played in our small town local bar. Great crowd
interaction. Throughout the show I found myself
thinking 'you guys wrote that! didn't know' to
more than half the tunes.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Tough category to work with. To me, there are several factors that go into making a concert a real experience. First off I discovered many years ago that if you are sitting at the back of an arena vs somewhere within the first 15 rows you are going to experience two different shows. Sound wise and visually. For example I seen The Wall three times and once from 6 rows back on the floor and then once from the top of the Rogers Center. Two completely different shows and experiences. Then there is the band factor and how much you are into that band. Example there would be Boston. I would go see Scholz anywhere, anytime and tell you it was great. 

Putting all that aside I would say the biggest surprise for me would have been Prince several years back when he did a small venue run and played Massey Hall. I knew he could write songs, I knew he was a great entertainer and I knew he could play guitar. But that show was simply outstanding. I was not expecting what we got. He blew me away, especially with his guitar work. Another one would be John Petrucci on the G3 tour several years back. I had heard of him and Dream Theater but never really listened to him. The guy was simply awesome. Probably the best technical guitar player I have ever seen. He can play anything without effort. It was a pleasure to sit front row and just watch him. 

Just so many shows over the years. Been to so many concerts its hard to pick them and many were great.

The biggest letdown would have been Johnny Winter several years back in Toronto. This was before he got off the drugs that his so called manager had him on. He needed three people to walk him out to a chair and his playing was rank, sound was hideous. It was just terrible. He has since been cleaned up and is much better but that night was a total writeoff


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Think I'd put this years Rock & Roll Hall of Fame show in LA as the most fun/best - went as a guest of Rush so my buddy and I got to hang with them and their families for a few days. Had some beverages at the after party with Dave & Taylor from the Foos, spent a solid 20 minutes talking mid-west concert venues (mainly from following the Grateful Dead around for a few years) with Chad Smith from the Chili's. Hung out at the roof top hotel bar/pool with Tom Morello and his wife. Total rock and roll fantasy camp vibe.

Worst show I can think of is The Black Crowes at Casino Rama. Short (just over an hour) and uninspired. The bare minimum of what I would consider a "concert" - more like a like a puppet show...

Logistically, the toughest to get to was the Grateful Dead in Richfield, Ohio in March of '93 - the day the "storm of the century" snowstorm hit as we were on the interstate in Ohio. Took us the better part of 5 hours to go what would normally be an hour - and then the Saturday night show was cancelled due to the weather. Made the Sunday show - but had we known what we were in for before we left I'd have eaten the cost of the tickets and stayed home.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Worst: The Cult opening for Billy Idol in Ottawa in 1987. The singer couldn't carry a tune in a bucket - opened my eyes to exactly what could be fixed in a studio. Fortunately Billy was great!

Other Worst: David Wilcox in Kingston, late eighties. He started about two hours late and then played four songs in an hour and that was it. I can listen to someone noodle endlessly at home, thanks.

Best: I was reminded of this by the OP's Tommy experience. Technically not a concert, but a percussion workshop at the Lunenburg Folk Festival in 2001. There was a professor from St. F-X (I think) and he pulls out a tambourine about the size of the palm of my hand with _one_ jingle on it. I think, "Here we go... an hour of _this_???". But, it was the first night of the festival, and this was the only stage that was up and running, so I stayed. Glad I did - he proceeded to totally blow my mind for the next hour.

Other Best: At the Eaglewood Folk Festival several years ago: I had never heard of Harry Manx, but he had just gotten back from a 5 year stint in India learning to play the "Mohan Vina". He was a "blues guy" so I had low expectations - 99% of blues players leave me cold (though several of my "desert island albums" are blues albums). From the very first note that he played I was totally enthralled. He is still one of my favourite live performers and "Road Ragas" in one of my all time favourite albums.

Edit: Another Best: I was never a fan of Larry Gowan (though "Criminal Mind" is a great tune), but got talked into seeing him at the Ontario Place Forum. He put on a fantastic show! I went home and re-listened to a few tunes - still nothing.


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2013)

bw66 said:


> Edit: Another Best: I was never a fan of Larry Gowan (though "Criminal Mind" is a great tune), but got talked into seeing him at the Ontario Place Forum. He put on a fantastic show! I went home and re-listened to a few tunes - still nothing.


I only seen him once (in a 'rock' band situation). Same place, before 
he went solo. He was in a 'super hero' themed band called Rhinegold.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Surprising: I am pretty sure it was a Nazareth concert in Sudbury in the early 80's. I was standing 2nd row back, which was OK as I am tall and the couple in front of me were not. They seemed very happy, and then the stage started filling with the fog from the smoke machine. As the place filled with smoke, the girl started to crouch down, and then that guy started smiling and smiling! I guess they were into the public place fetish....


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

most surprising would be The Roots...
saw them at Bluesfest last year (?) ...they put on a great show...i don't want late night tv...but i knew they were good...but the show they put on in Ottawa was pretty awesome!


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

best: Screaming Trees mid week at a small bar (86 street music hall). There was maybe 100 people there. Scrawny little singer pretty much hiding behind the microphone stand - but man, oh man did they ever bring it. Saw Smashing Pumpkin at the same bar that same week with a similar sized crowd. also a terrific show.
another best: Afghan Whigs. They just ooze everything rock is made of.
another best - Joe Satriani. This was prior to the G3 series, and he brought out Eric Johnson as his opening act. After seeing his hour, I was wondering how Satriani was going to compete with it. Well, he sure showed us. jaw dropping evening all around.

worst: another vote for Midnight Oil. I hate their songs anyway, let alone to listen to the sanctimonious bullshit for half the time. It was a festival, and after some fun music (pere ubu, hothouse flowers) they just killed all the energy in the crowd.
another worst: Steve Miller band - the only concert I ever walked out of. Once the 50+ year old white keyboard player started rapping, it was time to go.

surprising: Bon Jovi (Waaaay back in the day). I was seeing either Iron maiden or Judas Priest, and Waysted was supposed to open up, but they god held up at the border. Bon Jovi were in town recording Slippery When Wet, so they got the call for the last minute replacement. I'm sure it was their biggest crowd to date by a long shot, but man they looked like they were having fun. It wasn't their primary audience, but they did really well in pulling the crowd in.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

A set from The Dictators at the El Mocambo, some 35 years ago, sticks in my mind as one of the best shows I ever attended. From the very first "1, 2, 3, 4!" until the moment they left, it was in overdrive the whole night long. Given that _hard_ hard rock is not my preference, I was very pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was.

While not "the worst", I was rather disappointed in the ZZ Top show we went to last fall, and the Steely Dan set I took in at Bluesfest a few years earlier. When highly competent people, whom you know are capable of so much more, just go through the motions, it can leave a sour taste.

Several of the most gloriously transcendant shows I ever went to were sets by Quebec cult band L'Infonie at Terre des Hommes in 1969, another at Théatre de Nouveau Monde in Montreal, and then another one at the U de Montréal arena in 1972 or so. These guys were so far ahead of the crowd, it's not even funny. At the Terre des Hommes show, a 22-piece ensemble played a 45-minute rendition of minimalist/trance composer Terry Riley's _In C_, and the band (well, the 8-10 horns, at least; drummers and anyone plugged into an amp had to stay put) moved among the crowd while they played (sheet music on holders affixed to the instruments), handing out sparklers while the light show went on. We were completely immersed in this lengthy trance-inducing piece that snaked all around and through the audience. Never seen anything so all-consuming before or since.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Mine are both old memories from just before I left Winnipeg for good, so 1981-1982.

Best - well, I don't know if it's the best show I've ever been at but most surprising on the good side for sure was Judas Priest at the Winnipeg arena. Halford drove the Harley out on stage and they just KILLED it for 2 hours. I wasn't then and am not now a fan, have never owned a record of theirs and generally am not a fan of late 70's/early 80's metal but MAN was that a good show.

Worst is EASY for me. Me and a buddy were big fans of Billy Squier's first 2 big selling albums. When tickets for a Winnipeg Arena show went on sale, we bought early and got good ones. We skipped the opener to sit in ChiChi's and drink beer by the gallon, then went and took our seats. Billy came *prancing* out on stage, wearing blue silk pajama/balloon pant outfit. The mix was horrid, and not due to the lousy acoustics of the venue. The playing was ragged and so not tough like the albums. We walked out after 4 songs and went back to ChiChi's for more beer.

Then he came out with this just after, and his career tanked.
[video=youtube;fR0j7sModCI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR0j7sModCI[/video]


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## Vox71 (Mar 25, 2008)

I think the most "Surprising Show" (in a good way) was Nirvana at The Opera House in Toronto on Sept 20th, 1991. For those that are Nirvana fans, notice the date? It was 4 days before Nevermind was released in North America. The show was mind blowing. There was easily no more than 80 people in the audience. I was a huge fan of the Bleach album back in college so Nirvana were on my radar then, and I was anxious to see them. The whole band were just chilling at the bar before the show, and I got to talk to each of them, and tell them I was a fan. They were really nice, and down-to-earth. I was blown away to see how good they sounded live. They performed a lot of stuff from the Nevermind album (which i obviously never heard at the time). I was immediately impressed with the "new material". Went and bought Nevermind the day it came out based on that performance. Unforgettable. I still have the ticket stub at home somewhere.


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## Chubba (Aug 23, 2009)

a couple stick out as 'best' - 1992 Canada Day at Molson Park - one of my first big concert experiences - a lot of great music that day - I was already a fan of 54-40 and the Hip, but the Tragically was amazing, at least to my 17 year old brain - I think it was right before (maybe right about when) Fully Completely came out, so they stuck pieces of new or soon to be released music into other pieces, and it was awesome...that was also when Spinal Tap did that cross-Canada tour in one day....it was silly, but part of the experience....I also was inexperienced enough to think a lawn chair would survive that day! lol

Another best was Ben Harper at BluesFest a few years ago (with the Innocent Criminals)....really great show where the band played some great material, but what stuck with me was that leaving the grounds after the show, there was this kind of eerie quiet and calmness about the crowd and everyone leaving - I felt that I had seen something special, so maybe it was me (I think I was sober! lol)....

not too many worsts that I can think of - some crappy sound at the palladium-corel-scotia-tire centre, just echo-ey and bleh...

disappointing - I had tickets to the Toronto Guns n Roses shows that got canceled because of rioting in Montreal the night before...and they re-scheduled the show to a day I had to work, so I had to sell my ticket....to an ex-girlfriend, of all people! lol

I was also disappointed at seeing Tool around that same time, twice, a few months from each other...the first time was amazing, and the second time was the exact same set...


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I forgot about the Hip...I was a HUGE fan, saw them here in Edmonton shortly after we moved here so 1997-8, and they just sucked, there is no kind way to put it.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Bowie in a small club in Toronto many years ago would be up there too. Just too many....


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## -ST- (Feb 2, 2008)

Joe Walsh at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Oh my - some 40 years ago? Now that was a really big shoe. (Sorry Ed).


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

Most surprising - Billy Joel, late seventies. Maple Leaf Gardens. I went as a favor to a friend who's boyfriend at the time wouldn’t take her. I was never much of a fan, but he was outstanding. Great energy, rapport with crowd and his live "Piano Man" still sits in my memory.
Best - Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Works tour. Musically, and visually stunning. 
Worst - Chicago - late seventies. Poorest sound I've ever experienced at a concert.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

So many great concerts. And I'm not sure about worst concerts. I don't know if this would count but the best experience for me was when my wife and I went on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise in '09. 7 days of music, from 11am onward. They had at least 5 stages. There was an outdoor stage, a concert hall, piano bar, 2 or 3 other bars. There were the late-night pro jams that happen every night after the main shows where you could see never-before seen combinations of musicians from various bands playing together. These jams start from around 1 a.m. and lasted well past 3 a.m. every night. I also got to jam with a bunch of guys from Chicago and California on the first night. I thought it was the best musical experience I've ever had. The line up consisted of the following:

Taj Mahal ,The Derek Trucks Band, Irma Thomas, Susan Tedeschi, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, John Hammond, Tommy Castro, James Hunter, Jon Cleary, Ana Popovic, Debbie Davies, Guy Davis, The Holmes Brothers, Sugar Blue, Larry McCray, Floyd Taylor, Jimmy Thackery, Luther Johnson, Terrance Simien, Trampled Under Foot, Scrapomatic, E.G. Kight, Rico Mcfarland, Kinsey Report, Paddy Milner, Homemade Jamz Band


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

Really cool stories, guys! I've enjoyed reading them. 

I wonder how many shows we've seen if we added them all up? Quite a few, by the sounds of it.


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## -ST- (Feb 2, 2008)

Benny Goodman with Gene Krupa at the CNE bandshell. It had to have been one of their last concerts. I remember thinking that Krupa made every part of his kit musical, including the hardware. 


Please click the picture for more details

Sing Sing Sing


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

-ST- said:


> Benny Goodman with Gene Krupa at the CNE bandshell. It had to have been one of their last concerts.


Last concerts... now there's a whole different thread...

I saw Ella and Johnny in their last Toronto shows, and Levon at his second last one. All fantastic shows.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

The best: Queen in Toronto, Maple Leaf Gardens - 1976

The worst and most surprising? I'll have to think about that for a bit.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

keto said:


> The mix was horrid, and not due to the lousy acoustics of the venue.


Hmm, I saw him at a venue known for bad sound, and it was real good sound.
I was impressed by that.
But that may have been different tours as well.
It was different cities.
And I won my tickets from a radio station.


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