Music Forum / Best Live acts

My mate's band Everybody Be Cool do a pretty good live show, much better than their recorded stuff.

Same for my other mate's band, Club Le Shark, total classic glam rock I love it. Complete with radio controlled guitars and mics for audience intereaction! Never have I sweated so much.

Big acts, 2 many dj's was pretty damn electric, Bon Iver was so emotional, Ray Lamontagne two years ago I almost cried and CSS were great, supported by Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong who had a great stage presence.

Hmm, a tentative top 5:

Dinosaur Jr, The National, The Roots, The Smashing Pumpkins, Jurassic 5

In that order. Dinosaur Jr was unbelievable. The sheer volume of it physically moved you. I love The National and the first time I saw them I was actually the first person in line and they didn't have a barricade in front of the stage so I was literally inches away. Amazing show. Their drummer blows my mind. (Though they didn't play 'Friend of Mine' the two times I saw them for some reason) And The Roots, well what can I say. They're all such complete musicians. And they had a brass band with them, and Talib was there and Jill Scott and Erykah Badu played the bass. And of course ?uestlove on the drums. I've only seen the Pumpkins once (well, twice since it was a 2 day show) and I wasn't able to acquire pit tickets so I was kindof far away, but the shows were great. I just wish 'Gossamer' went on longer. Like say 2 hours. That'd be good. And lastly I have to mention J5 because that was the most fun I've ever had at a show. Too bad they broke up last year. (runner up goes to Chali 2na's solo show cause he had an awesome live band).

Oh crap, I forgot Battles! The set I saw at Coachella was only 45 minutes or so, but it was fantastic. I'm looking forward to checking them out whenever they actually tour in this area. They're totally unlike every other band I've ever seen. Pure awesome.

I can also attest to the greatness of the Roots and Battles. Saw them at Lolla '07 and '08 respectively. Still bitter about not seeing Battles at the Blind Pig last year... I was three people back when the tickets went and it was due to people "holding spots in line" for their friends...

If it wasn't below freezing and lightly raining I would've just went around back and listened through the loading dock...

Rush - Althouth it's been nearly 25 years since I've ssen them in concert

i think its their ability to control a crowd, without even asking, their stage presence, their total energy. people just feel where theyre coming from.
there are alot of acts wich are good in studio, but let us down abit live. i personaly think muse cover all bases.

No offense or anything, but any good band can do that.


I'm not saying they are 'bad' but I don't see anything special in them.

No offense or anything, but any good band can do that.
I'm not saying they are 'bad' but I don't see anything special in them.

Matthew Bellamy is one of the most consistent singers and his enthusiasm is infectious, first to his band mates, and then to the audience. They also have a willingness to take risks and improvise even at the expense of sounding 'correct'...

But more than anything it's reputation... Their level of violent spontaneity and enthusiasm used to make their shows truly unpredictable in terms of what would come out right and what would turn into a garbled mess for three minutes before suddenly breaking into a melodic crescendo. Now they've gained enough mainstream success that they seem to think they need to put more and more of a polished sheen... Shame...

They're very good but it's the thing that happens when a band outgrows the venues they should be playing (concert halls with open floors) and starts playing stadiums... U2 belongs in statiums... Muse belongs in concert halls with minimal lighting, amps feeding back, jam sections that weren't rehearsed... Not opening for MCR...

I don't understand why no matter how successful a band is they think they need to be 'bigger', not better. Fuck that. But I feel like it's happening to Muse, it's been happening to Coldplay... Hell it's happened with Modest Mouse.

Maybe they're just evolving, and it just happens that they're all going in directions that don't really work for them. But I think they got a taste of success and want more. Not to say that it's a bad thing, just that it seems really forced.

[/rant]

Ride6

I don't understand why no matter how successful a band is they think they need to be 'bigger', not better. Fuck that. But I feel like it's happening to Muse, it's been happening to Coldplay... Hell it's happened with Modest Mouse.

this is the greatest thing that anyone has ever said about music.

End Discusion On Muse Live.

this should settle it.

Mathew Jonson by far best imo.

Other good ones:

Justice
Modeselektor
Pendulum

Now they've gained enough mainstream success that they seem to think they need to put more and more of a polished sheen... Shame...

That probably explains it, I've only listened to their recent albums.

That video hasn't changed my mind on them as a live act though, but I don't want to start an argument.

Edited by Dr_Dude, 15 January 2009 - 05:34 PM.

The best Muse gig was Montruex 2002...

Absolution marks the switch-over point where they started embracing increased successes. While I feel good for them as people I can't stand to think of what they're show will be like in another decade if this continues.

It's also worth noting that Citizen Erased was best performed at Glastonbury 2004.

Muscle Museum @ Montreux:
http://www.youtube.c...wPPncR-Arc&NR=1

Bliss @ Montreux 02:
http://www.youtube.c...3oHYAem1SQ&NR=1

I donno. Muse were brilliant live, still great; but you really have to like their music to appreciate it.

Ride6

EDIT: A big part of it was that back then Matt didn't have delay on in voice all the fucking time... That and his voice was mixed lower, so he sounds like he's singing for his life.

EDIT II: The Hard Lessons... I hate to say that you have to be there, but they're so much more dynamic in person... Something professionally shot with multiple angles might do them justice, but this definitely does not: http://www.youtube.c...nb9B27fxBk&NR=1

Ride6, im sorry.
i would have to disagree.
i much prefer the first 2 albums, (origin of symetery is my favourite album ever) im not a bandwagon jumper guy thing who only likes the electronica of their newer albums.

montreax (imo) wasnt their best gig.
i dont know what is, but i dont think muse are done yet.

dont hate me.

Ride6, im sorry.
i would have to disagree.
i much prefer the first 2 albums, (origin of symetery is my favourite album ever) im not a bandwagon jumper guy thing who only likes the electronica of their newer albums.

montreax (imo) wasnt their best gig.
i dont know what is, but i dont think muse are done yet.

dont hate me.

Ride6, im sorry.
i would have to disagree.
i much prefer the first 2 albums, (origin of symetery is my favourite album ever) im not a bandwagon jumper guy thing who only likes the electronica of their newer albums.

montreax (imo) wasnt their best gig.
i dont know what is, but i dont think muse are done yet.

dont hate me.

Nice triple post.

We can agree to disagree. That's fine... And I realize that Matt couldn't keep up that level of reckless abandon forever, we all get old eventually. It just seems a shame that their show has become so polished. Sure it's still intense and exciting, but it isn't raw or surprising.

Ride6

^Wait don't you two agree their first two albums were best?


Anyway, the acts I really need to see (along with the previously stated) are some punk bands and some dance music. Something where people aren't static. I'd also go see a metal band if I wasn't so afraid of the rest of the crowd.

The best show I probably ever saw was Ampere at the fest. Fucking off the chain. Everybody jumped up on the stage and ended up knocking the drum set over. Also some dude jumped off an amp and over me and ended up kicking me in the head.
Might have only been a 15 minute set but damn it was awesome.

Intensity can make up for length.

I was agreeing to disagree about their live show, not the albums. Showbiz and OoS are definitely their best albums; the newer ones have some great songs but aren't as consistent.

Ride6

Springsteen.

Am I the only one that was let down by Radiohead? Totally not worth 60 dollars to see. The songs were like the recordings, the stage presence consisted of Thom dancing around and outside of the lights and My Iron Lung it wasn't anything any other band could do. Maybe I'm just not as big of a fan as everyone else is...

If you're going to be big, you have to surprise the crowd, play the same song but in a different way, do a cover or two and get everyone on stage involved.

I think the best act I've seen was Wilco
As far as best covers... Of Montreal for doing Baby I'm a Star and I Would Die 4 You.
Best Supporting Acts: The Extraordinares, So Many Dynamos, and Final Fantasy
Best Live rendition of a song: Damien Jurado doing I think it was Gasoline Drinks into Survived By Her Husband. Hearing that live was jarring next to the rest of the show.
Let downs: Islands, Bloc Party.

Edited by penguinBOB, 09 March 2009 - 11:26 PM.