Best live gigs you've seen.

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Aristotle Pickett

Aristotle Pickett

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In no particular order:
-Bob Dylan- Palais Theater , Stkilda 1992
-Neil Young- Plenary, Melb city, circa 2014
-Roky Erickson- Meredith Music Festival , circa 2013
-Dinosaur Jr.- Barwon Club ,Geelong Circa 1992
-Rollins Band- Barwon Club ,Geelong Circa 1992
-Cat Power- Melbourne Zoo, circa 2018
-Dirty Three- Meredith MF, circa 1995
-Motorhead- Forum Melb , Circa 2013
-Powder Monkeys- All over Melb 1991- 2000
-Don Walker- Northcote Social Club , circa 2017
-The The - Festival Hall, Melb, circa 1989
-Nile Rogers- Meredith MF circa 2015
-RL Burnside- Byron Bay Blues Festival circa 1998
-Jane's Addiction- somewhere in the city, circa 1991
-Splatterheads- all over Melb, 1989- 1999
-Seminal Rats- all over Melb, 1990- 2010
-Destroy All Monsters- Sarah Sands Hotel , Brunswick, circa 1991
-Turbo Negro- Meredith MF, circa 2011
-Mudhoney- HABA, Rye , 2023
-Sun Ra Arkestra- Forum Melb, circa 2011
 
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A nice selection above. I was at some.

Without much thought I'll add:

The Celibate Rifles - various venues through the 90s to their last ever gig at The Corner.
Cosmic Psychos - as above but still going with a very different line up.
Devo - The Palais
The Church - The Palais
Midnight Oil - Sydney Myer Music Bowl and The Palais
Ween - The Forum Theatre
Radio Birdman - Rock City, Nottingham
Hoodoo Gurus et al - The second edition of the Falls Festival
The Cruel Sea - The Corner at the peak of their run
TISM - The Metro Sydney late 90s
 
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 25, 1979
Bob Dylan - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, 1978 + 3 other times
Peter Tosh - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, March 1983
The Sex Pistols - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, 1997
The Birthday Party - Seaview Ballroom, St Kilda circa 1982 x 2
Sun Ra Arkestra - Bennett's Lane, Melbourne, 2012 (got to meet the legend Marshall Allen afterwards)
The Ramones - LaTrobe Uni Union Hall, Melbourne, 1980 (met them before the gig)
INXS - River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1985 with an audience of 75,000 insane Latins + 1980 as support for The Ramones and 1982 at the Gladesville Hotel, Sydney
Kraftwerk - Princess Theatre, Melbourne, 1981
Harmonia - Corner Hotel, Richmond, 2012 (met Dieter Moebius before the gig)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Festival Hall, Melbourne, 1985 + 1993 (I think, at the same venue maybe)
Jah Wobble - The Metro, Sydney, March 1982
James Brown - The Forum, Melbourne, 1988 (incredible) + Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, 1997 (not so good)
Prince - Melbourne, 1992 and 2012
David Bowie - VFL Park, Melbourne, 1983 + Entertainment Centre, 2004
Brian Eno - Sydney Opera House, June 14, 2009 (asked him some questions in his media conference on May 26 and met him afterwards)
Burning Spear + Lucky Dube - The Palace, St Kilda circa 2000
Patti Smith - Sydney and Melbourne, 1990s
Grace Jones - Sydney, 1982: I patted her on her butt and lived to tell the tale!
Richard Thompson - Womadelaide, 2001
TISM - Meredith 2001 and Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, 2022
Lou Reed - 3 times over the years, last one was in 2007
The Rolling Stones - SCG, 1996
Skyhooks - The Lyric, Geelong, 1993
Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim - The Basement, Sydney, 1983 + Sydney Town Hall a few days later
Van Morrison - Melbourne circa 1983
The Clash - Sydney circa 1982 (actually they were terrible but I'm glad I saw them for 'historical' purposes)
Mulatu Astatke - The Horn, Collingwood, 2016 (met him post-gig) and at Coopers Union, Melbourne a few days later
Mamoud Ahmed & Ali Berra - Melbourne, 2018
Miles Davis - Hamer Hall, Melbourne, 1988
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant - Sydney, 1996
Pharaoh Sanders - Melbourne, 2015
Toots & The Maytals - Collendina Hotel, Ocean Grove, 1983 (met and had a drink with the guys after the gig)
The Neville Brothers - Melbourne, 1991
Leonard Cohen - Melbourne, 2009
David Byrne - Melbourne, 2009
Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Corner Hotel, Richmond, 1999 + Seaview Ballroom, St Kilda, 2001
John Cale - Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne, 1983
The Beach Boys - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne circa 1978
Fleetwood Mac + Santana - Calder Raceway, Melbourne, 1977
Lindsay Kemp Dance Company - Sydney, 1982
Hunters & Collectors - The Strand, Sydney circa 1982 (their first-ever gig)
Bo Diddley - Eureka Hotel, Geelong, Christmas Eve, 1978 (shook the great man's hand after the gig)
The Divinyls - Coogee Bay Hotel, Sydney circa 1995
Midnight Oil - The Wool Exchange, Geelong circa 1998
The Cruel Sea - can't remember where or when but probably early 2000s
Jose Feliciano - Crown Casino, Melbourne, 2000
Jimmy Cliff - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, 2006
Wynton Marsalis - Portarlington, 2000
Iggy Pop - three nights in-a-row at the Seaview Ballroom, St Kilda, 1983
Dave Graney - Meredith, 2001
Michael Jackson - Olympic Park, Melbourne, November 13, 1987
The Stranglers - free gig at LaTrobe Uni cafe circa 1980 + again at some concert venue circa 1984
The Cure - circa 1984
Mental As Anything - can’t remember when
Dragon - Centennial Hall, Norlane circa 1977
Jo Jo Zep - LaTrobe Uni circa 1980
…Plus some others I’ve forgotten about
 
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catscratchfever said:
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 25, 1979
Bob Dylan - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, 1978 + 3 other times
Peter Tosh - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, 1983
The Sex Pistols - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, 1997
The Birthday Party - Seaview Ballroom, St Kilda circa 1982
Sun Ra Arkestra - Bennett's Lane, Melbourne, 2012 (got to meet the legend Marshall Allen afterwards)
The Ramones - LaTrobe Uni Union Hall, Melbourne, 1980 (met them before the gig)
INXS - River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1985
Kraftwerk - Princes Theatre, Melbourne, 1981
Harmonia - Corner Hotel, Richmond, 2012 (met Dieter Moebius before the gig)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Festival Hall, Melbourne, 1985
Jah Wobble - The Metro, Sydney, March 1982
James Brown - The Forum, Melbourne, 1988 (incredible) + Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, 1997 (not so good)
Prince - Melbourne, 1992 and 2012
David Bowie - VFL Park, Melbourne, 1983 + Entertainment Centre, 2004
Brian Eno - Sydney Opera House, 2009 (asked him some questions in his media conference and met him afterwards)
Burning Spear - The Palace, St Kilda circa 2000
Patti Smith - Sydney and Melbourne, 1990s
Grace Jones - Sydney, 1982
Richard Thompson - Adelaide, 2001
TISM - Meredith 2001 and Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, 2022
Lou Reed - 3 times over the years, last one was in 2007
The Rolling Stones - SCG, 1996
Skyhooks - The Lyric, Geelong, 1993
Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim - Sydney, 1983
Van Morrison - Melbourne circa 1983
The Clash - Sydney circa 1982 (actually they were terrible but I'm glad I saw them for 'historical' purposes)
Mulatu Astatke - The Horn, Collingwood, 2016
Mamoud Ahmed & Ali Berra - Melbourne 2018
Miles Davis - Hamer Hall, Melbourne, 1988
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant - Sydney, 1996
Pharaoh Sanders - Melbourne, 2015
Toots & The Maytals - Collendina Hotel, Ocean Grove, 1983 (met and had a drink with the guys after the gig)
The Neville Brothers - Melbourne, 1991
Leonard Cohen - Melbourne, 2009
David Byrne - Melbourne, 2009
Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Corner Hotel, Richmond, 1999
John Cale - Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne, 1983
The Beach Boys - Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne circa 1978
Fleetwood Mac + Santana - Calder Raceway, Melbourne, 1977
Lindsay Kemp Dance Company - Sydney, 1982
Hunters & Collectors - The Strand, Sydney circa 1982 (their first-ever gig)
Bo Diddley - Eureka Hotel, Geelong, Christmas Eve, 1978 (shook the great man's hand after the gig)
The Divinyls - Coogee Bay Hotel, Sydney circa 1995
Click to expand...
Great list.
 
Aristotle Pickett said:
In no particular order:
-Bob Dylan- Palais Theater , Stkilda 1992
-Neil Young- Plenary, Melb city, circa 2014
-Roky Erickson- Meredith Music Festival , circa 2013
-Dinosaur Jr.- Barwon Club ,Geelong Circa 1992
-Rollins Band- Barwon Club ,Geelong Circa 1992
-Cat Power- Melbourne Zoo, circa 2018
-Dirty Three- Meredith MF, circa 1995
-Motorhead- Forum Melb , Circa 2013
-Powder Monkeys- All over Melb 1991- 2000
-Don Walker- Northcote Social Club , circa 2017
-The The - Festival Hall, Melb, circa 1989
-Nile Rogers- Meredith MF circa 2015
-RL Burnside- Byron Bay Blues Festival circa 1998
-Jane's Addiction- somewhere in the city, circa 1991
-Splatterheads- all over Melb, 1989- 1999
-Seminal Rats- all over Melb, 1990- 2010
-Destroy All Monsters- Sarah Sands Hotel , Brunswick, circa 1991
-Turbo Negro- Meredith MF, circa 2011
-Mudhoney- HABA, Rye , 2023
-Sun Ra Arkestra- Forum Melb, circa 2011
Click to expand...
I reckon I was at over 90% of those shows and I reckon you must have seen me in one of my various bands given how many times we played with the Powder Monkeys, Seminal Rats, Splatterheads, et al
 
I saw Transvision Vamp at Selinas twice on two separate tours back in their (very short) heyday. I don't think I've felt that much energy at a concert before or since. Being in my early 20s I went straight down the front into the moshpit, and was a drenched pool of sweat at the end.

Honourable mentions:

Alestorm at the Metro on their last tour. So many of their tracks are written specifically for the audience to join in. When the entire crowd does so, it makes for a great atmosphere.

The Wailers, after Bob Marley died, would have been mid-late 80s at Selinas. Junior Marvin was up front and the rest of the band was the same one that supported Bob. Awesome.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, last November at the Metro. They're exuberant and out-and-out FUN! I went with my daughter and was one of the oldest people there, which bothered me not at all. YOLO.

Black Sabbath on The End tour, 2016, at whatever the indoor arena at Sydney Olympic Park is called these days. No Bill Ward and the other three well into their 70s, I wasn't expecting too much. Boy, they delivered. The sound that rolled over the audience when they kicked off "Children of the Grave" was incredible.

AC/DC on the Razor's Edge tour, 1991 or 1992. They weren't just doing stadium shows back then and a smaller venue (Sydney EntCent) really worked well. They opened with "Thunderstruck" and closed with "For Those About to Rock", and everything else in the middle was pure magic.

Dixie Chicks in 2017. "Goodbye Earl" with a backing montage of battered women was very poignant, although the highlight was probably a cover of Bob Dylan's "Mississippi". And I was one of the few people in the audience who recognised that the music played during a 3 minute interlude while they re-arranged the stage was a bluegrass version of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades".

Which brings us to Motorhead, one of my all-time favourite bands. I saw them several times but the best was probably a show at Luna Park in 2013 or thereabouts. They always gave it everything. Always. "Just in case you came to the wrong show, we are Motorhead and we play rock and roll."
 
Norwegian Blue said:
I saw Transvision Vamp at Selinas twice on two separate tours back in their (very short) heyday. I don't think I've felt that much energy at a concert before or since. Being in my early 20s I went straight down the front into the moshpit, and was a drenched pool of sweat at the end.

Honourable mentions:

Alestorm at the Metro on their last tour. So many of their tracks are written specifically for the audience to join in. When the entire crowd does so, it makes for a great atmosphere.

The Wailers, after Bob Marley died, would have been mid-late 80s at Selinas. Junior Marvin was up front and the rest of the band was the same one that supported Bob. Awesome.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, last November at the Metro. They're exuberant and out-and-out FUN! I went with my daughter and was one of the oldest people there, which bothered me not at all. YOLO.

Black Sabbath on The End tour, 2016, at whatever the indoor arena at Sydney Olympic Park is called these days. No Bill Ward and the other three well into their 70s, I wasn't expecting too much. Boy, they delivered. The sound that rolled over the audience when they kicked off "Children of the Grave" was incredible.

AC/DC on the Razor's Edge tour, 1991 or 1992. They weren't just doing stadium shows back then and a smaller venue (Sydney EntCent) really worked well. They opened with "Thunderstruck" and closed with "For Those About to Rock", and everything else in the middle was pure magic.

Dixie Chicks in 2017. "Goodbye Earl" with a backing montage of battered women was very poignant, although the highlight was probably a cover of Bob Dylan's "Mississippi". And I was one of the few people in the audience who recognised that the music played during a 3 minute interlude while they re-arranged the stage was a bluegrass version of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades".

Which brings us to Motorhead, one of my all-time favourite bands. I saw them several times but the best was probably a show at Luna Park in 2013 or thereabouts. They always gave it everything. Always. "Just in case you came to the wrong show, we are Motorhead and we play rock and roll."
Click to expand...
Motorhead at the Forum I think it is in Flinders street in about 2015 was great
 

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Best:
  • Los Lobos - Adelaide, 1988 - they walked out, found the venue was only half-full, looked at each other and said :"**** it" and tore into the tightest 90 minutes of full-on Tex Mex rock and roll.
  • Springsteen - Born in the USA tour, Melbourne Showgrounds 1985. Somehow, that band juts has a bigger, deeper sound than anyone else, like a rumbling engine.
  • John Mellencamp - Adelaide, 1988
  • Deacon Blue - Glasgow 1990 - part of the Day Out festival with 100,000 Scots
  • Taylor Swift - Melbourne 2015, last show of world tour so it was an event
  • Rickie Lee Jones, Perth 1983
  • First Aid Kit - Melbourne - first Australian tour downstairs at Max Watts (?). Finished singing a cappella to a small room. Awesome.
  • Ute Lemper, London 1989
  • Diana Krall, Melbourne 2002
  • Little Simz - Melbourne 2023
  • Maria McKee - Birmingham 1990
  • Beth Orton - Cambridge 1996
  • Kirsty MacColl - Cambridge 1998
  • The Pretenders - Perth 1982 - last show or original line-up before 2 members OD'd
Honourable Mentions:
  • Neil Finn, Cambridge 1996
  • Jimmy Buffett, Perth 1987
  • Trombone Shorty, Corner Hotel 2010
  • Rolling Stones, Glasgow 1990 - hilarious for the way a roadie led Keef out to the microphone, propped him there and then took him back at the end. Still managed to tear out those licks.
  • George Thorogood - Melbourne 2023 - hammy but fun
  • Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Melbourne 2014
  • The Church, Perth 1982 (support for Pretenders)
Too many others that I can't remember
 
The Stone Roses at Future Music was incredible. Used to playing in stadiums I've no idea what they thought about playing before about two thousand people as the sun went down at a festival where they were a bit of an anomaly on the bill in the first place but they didn't let anyone down.
 
october 1979 AC/DC Glasgow apollo
1980-1981 monsters of rock festivals castle donningtom
1980 reading rock and blues festival
early 80s seen the following quite a few times, AC/DC ,rush,rainbow,scorpions,black Sabbath,Sammy Hagar,van Halen,Robin trower,thin Lizzy,def Leppard,Judas priest,Michael schenker group,ufo.
1984 u2 barroland Glasgow.
Barnsey,choirboys,James reyne Queensland 1993 ish
2016 Joe bonamassa Perth concert hall .

Probably missing so many ,great memories .
 
Rusty Brookes said:
I couldn't believe it when I saw them in 2000 in the US and was amazed they actually made it out here.
Click to expand...

The Hoodoo Gurus invited them out for their music festival if I remember correctly. It was their first and only Australian tour. Would be awesome if they came back to do another pub tour.
 
ibd77 said:
The Hoodoo Gurus invited them out for their music festival if I remember correctly. It was their first and only Australian tour. Would be awesome if they came back to do another pub tour.
Click to expand...
Eric Bloom will turn 80 this year - unfortunately his voice is pretty much done now. And they can't get anywhere near the speed they use to in their heyday but it's amazing that they're still going.
 

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