Greatest live concert you've ever attended

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120353851#Comment_120353851

Mine is also from that EP 2005 but in my case it was Arcade Fire which had been on in one of the tents. I had only heard of them the week before and was absolutely blown away. The songs were amazing but the energy of the performance was like nothing I had seen before. I think they must have captivated a lot of people because the campsite kept erupting in spontaneous burst of the chorus from Wake Up over that weekend (and also in many subsequent EPs).

I remember that LCD Soundsystem gig too. They were on the main stage. I was grabbing some food and eating it on a bench. I'd never heard of them but I heard that unique and distinctive twanging from Tribulations and was like "WTF is that!" and was immediately hooked. When got I got home I bought two albums: Funeral and the self-titled LCD Soundsystem album and played them both to death. Good times!

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357972#Comment_120357972

I was right in front of the speaker at the front of the crowd. Has to be some long term hearing damage there that'll hit me in later years.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355391#Comment_120355391

I was just too young for this but I remember hanging out outside Pairc UI Chaoimh listening to Moby and watching Blur and The Orb's gigs on RTE. Incredible line up of acts. So many of them have stood the test of time. Probably the greatest ever festival lineup in Ireland.

chewed

Metallica in the SFX 1986. We hung around after the show and met the band and got autographs. Got chatting to Cliff Burton for 10 minutes and he was such a gent. He was tragically killed 2 weeks later. RIP.

Suvarnabhumi

Went to see Iron Maiden at Rock in Rio, that was pretty cool.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354655#Comment_120354655

Came here to post this. I was 16 at the time and got the bus to Punchestown from Bray with a group of my friends. We were all massive Radiohead fans and had just bought Kid A on release. Utterly incredible formative teen experience.

It was a toss up between that and Page & Plant in The Point in 1995. First gig I ever went to, parents brought me along as a kid. I was only 11! Had been brought up listening to Led Zeppelin so was incredible excited to go.

I've been to hundreds of amazing shows since over the years but it's like I've been chasing the dragon trying to capture the same magic in both of the above. 😁

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357815#Comment_120357815

Band I loved and never see live is the cult

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358253#Comment_120358253

I never saw the cult live but did see The Doors with Ian Astbury stepping in as Jim Morrison around 2004. Think it was this show.

I remember it being very very good.

https://www.hotpress.com/music/the-doors-of-the-21st-century-for-dublin-2711387

Dreamweapon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355391#Comment_120355391

My mate still has The Stone Roses bass drum head from that night.

I've been at about 15 of the gigs mentioned so far. It's funny but i have a tendency to split gigs and festival appearances into two different categories. Don't know why.

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358253#Comment_120358253

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358283#Comment_120358283

Astbury was excellent - Had the full on leather gear , the expressions etc .... Played on long after the house lights were switched on ...

Stuart Copeland was on drums too iirc ??

thegame983

Muse @ Oxygen, 2007 I think.

It was all the better cause I didn't really know any of their songs so it was all new to me.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358364#Comment_120358364

Electric was a cracking album.

Wonder what sisters of mercy were like live?

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358364#Comment_120358364

He was indeed! I vaguely remember seeing The Doors Alive a couple of years after that actually, have no memory of that one being any good though!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358398#Comment_120358398

Actually saw them last summer in London. Surprisingly good show for a stage full of oldies 😁

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358409#Comment_120358409

Hey! I wasn't on stage!

tmh106

Can't remember the years, but:

• Bowie in the Olympia
• Leonard Cohen in Kilmainham

citycentre

I've three at the top:

Pink Floyd, October 1994, Earls Court. 14 years old, mind fully blown. Stage, visuals, sound just perfect. May never be topped.

Radiohead, June 1997, RDS. A levels just finished. We organized a coach down to Dublin. OK Computer just released, Massive Attack supporting. One of the best days ever.

U2, August 1997, Botanic Gardens Belfast. First time seeing U2, There with all my friends just before we parted ways to head off to uni or wherever. Face meltingly brilliant - I'll never forget the rush from that ridiculously huge screen coming to life fully just as "Mofo" kicked in. Seriously emotional too, particularly when they played "Please". It was a powerful symbol of the troubles finally coming to an end at the time. Lots of hope in the air.

I've seen some amazing stuff since but the combination of being young and seeing truly brilliant bands and shows can't ever be beaten I reckon. Someone above said it right, it's like chasing the dragon... Special mentions since then to...

U2, August / September 2001, Slane. U2 at their emotional best with a massively up for it crowd, particularly the second gig.

Arcade Fire. September 2005, Electric Picnic. Right up at the front in the middle of one of the wildest crowd reactions I've ever experienced.

Janelle Monae, Black Box Galway, 2011. Seeing a legend in the making give everything to a less than full venue. She made the crowd fully part of the performance and I even got to dance with her...

Christine and the Queens, July 2016. An unexpected delight. Just an incredible performance.

Moderat, June 2017, Forbidden Fruit. Dark, intense and ecstatic.

Bicep, June 2018, Forbidden Fruit.

Nils Frahm, August 2018, All Together Now.

David Byrne, October 2018, The Point. Choreographed perfection.

Markitron

Weezer in Vicar St. 2005

Ramones Belfast October 1980.

OMD Belfast Whitla Hall 1981, arguably at their peak. I was in support band.

Gorteen

Pavarotti - Hyde Park, London in 1991

BraveDonut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354045#Comment_120354045

I could have written that Bruce bit word for word!

Unrealistic

The Waterboys - Kilburn National, London 1989

I'd seen them at a Christmas gig in Galway a few months previously but this one really blew me away. The ticket cost £8 and I loved it so much I went back the following night to try to get into the last gig of the London run, but I didn't have the £25 the touts were asking.

The Golden Horde - a field in Clifden, 1990

Supporting the Waterboys but there's was the set I still remember most from that night. Until then I hadn't realised bands like this existed in Ireland.

Therapy?, Iggy Pop, Teenage Fanclub, Manic Street Preachers, Stiff Little Fingers - Feile 1993

Having some of my favourite bands all playing on the same stage on a Friday evening was magical.

Radiohead - Castlegar pitch, Galway, 1996

This has been described as their first big headline gig and the band seemed to view it as a momentous occasion. We got pit tickets, we got soaked, and we sang our hearts out. I still remember walking home afterwards and not being able to get the closing song, 'Stop Whispering', out of my head. Years later, when bringing my kids to training on the same field, they got bloody sick of me continually telling them I'd seen one of the best gigs of my life there.

John Grant - 16 Tons, Moscow, 2016

I'd seen him in Galway earlier that year and he was excellent. I brought some friends, who weren't familiar with him, to see him in Moscow when I was over there, and we all thought he was amazing. It was embarrassing though that John Grant's command of Russian was flawless (he's a former interpreter) and we felt a bit sheepish that after years living/working there we were nowhere near his standard.

Therapy? - Roisin Dubh, Galway, 2017

I've seen them live a couple of dozen times but this one just clicked. Great venue, band on top form, and a really passionate crowd who had travelled from all over Ireland, Europe and the world to be there. People had flown in from Finland, Belgium, Italy and even one from the USA, just to catch a gig or two on Therapy?'s first extensive Irish tour in almost two decades. It was so good we got in the car and drove to Limerick the following night to do it all over again.

Robert Plant (Saving Grace) - Town Hall Theatre, Galway, 2022

I expected it to be a bit self-indulgent but if a true rock legend is playing a 390 seat venue a few minutes from your home you do whatever it takes to get tickets. Instead it was uplifting and heart warming. A talented singer doing what he loved with a group of equally enthusiastic musicians. No airs and graces, just beautiful music.

Doc07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357972#Comment_120357972

Prodigy, Amazing gig, I was one of the ‘many topless men’😀

Saw them in Leeds last summer and it was amazing. Going to see them again in St Anne’s park in June but won’t be topless!

My best gig might still be when Prodigy supported Oasis in Cork 1996.

Wooderson

Bowie Point 2003

Macca (x2) Glasto

Beasties (x2) EP

Blur Glasto 2009

LCD Soundsystem Tripod 2010

Gillian Welch GCT 2011

All 10/10 shows.

scudzilla

Been to Literally thousands of gigs since 1985, picking the 1 greatest concert will be tough, after a lot of thought it would have to be Donington Monsters of Rock 1988, Headlined by Iron Maiden (Their first appearance), ably supported by Kiss, Dave Lee Roth, Megadeth, Guns n Roses & Helloween.

Sad that 2 fans died during GnR set, crushed as they let in 107,000 instead of the licensed 72,500

honorable mentions

Metallica - Justice Tour, Manchester 1988 - Band were on fire and sooo fuckin angry

Rammstein - Dynamo Festival 1998, Never heard of them before this, but hung around main stage to see these crazy germans who apparently liked fire

Deagol

Queen and Paul Rodgers at the point in 2005. Don't know why, but something just clicked that night - magical experience never to be forgotten. (btw, was at Slane in 86 so I have comparisons)!

PTH2009

Started going to concerts in the 2000s and hard too decide which were the greatest. Seen many legends and hope to continue it for many more years too come

Rush (The O2/3Arena May 2011)- Cant say i would of been a huge fan of the band but the show was immense, setlist was amazing and by god did all band members incuding the late great Neil Peart perform magisically

Bruce Springsteen (Nowlan Park Kilkenny Night 1 2013)- Seen him 4 times so far (soon to be 5) but this one was the best, nice weather, great venue and the Full BITU album live. Had goosebumps when Glen Hansard joined in for 'Drive All Night'

Aerosmith (3Arena June 2017)- The guys still got it and setlist was amazing

U2 (Croke Park July 2017)- TBH all Three U2 shows ive seen were amazing but this one stands out becuase of the Iconic venue and even with a weak enough ending,the beginning and the full Joshua Tree set was sublime

The Cure (3Arena, Dec 2022)- Amaing from start to finish with one of the greatest 'encores' ill ever heard

Michael Jackson in Cork. Was only a kid but even that enhances the experience/memories

galwayrush

Rush 18 times from the UK, Dublin,,Holland and Toronto

Zep - O2 London

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357621#Comment_120357621

TheDocMan

Toss up between:

Flaming Lips - Vicar St 2006

AC/DC - Point Depot 1991

Iron Maiden - Point Depot 1990

Honourable mentions to:

Rage Against the Machine- Tivoli 93

Nine Inch Nails - SFX 94

Arcade Fire - in a tent Electric Picnic

Tool - 2022 3 Arena

Memorable in no particular order:

Whipping Boy, Super Furry Animals, Willand Grant Conspiracy, Micah P Hinson, Lambchop, Alabama Shakes, Porridge Radio, Sharon Van Etten, The Frank & Walters, Faith no More and Smashing Pumpkins

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357038#Comment_120357038

The Darkness are an absolutely great live band, that year was the comeback. Saw them in Cyprus Avenue on Paddy's Day that tour, amazing gig. Each time I've seen them has been an experience, even the first time when they supported Metallica. Somebody mentioned Airbourne in Ambassador as a best gig, that had Stone Gods as support which was essentially The Darkness with different singer (and a blast of an album too).

Other best gigs I'd say Pearl Jam in Dublin 06 or Berlin 2018, Rush in Dublin, QotSA Dublin 08 (Ambassador night 1) or in 2013 at 3arena. Muse in Belfast with Biffy supporting too, and probably most Biffy gigs, always incredible.