Artists/bands you have to see live

Richard Thompson is a strong example. His records can sometimes be a bit dull but live he is astounding. The best guitarist and a very charismatic performer.

Never saw Radiohead and fear I've missed my chance. Been a fan for 16 years and they've only played in my area (90 minutes away) twice in that time. One of those shows was in 2008 and it was raining so hard everyone I knew that tried to go couldn't make it past gridlock. Second time was in 2012 or so, and I wasn't paying attention or knew anyone that could/would drive. Seems like since the accident in Toronto has made them tour a lot less, I was shocked when they only played in NYC + LA for A Moon Shaped Pool.

though they've done a decent amount of non-USA touring since then

Radiohead, that's another one, you are right.

I'd really love to see Underworld some day, they've been one of my favorite groups since I was 12

The Chemical Brothers would also be amazing

Sunn O))) are great on record but you don't get the full rib-shaking, bass alien, DOOM PANTO experience until you see them live.

that reminds me, imo Earth is a good example, I like their records but they fucking floored me live

Otm.

Also, a minor example but Six by Seven were extraordinary live.

yeah Sunn is tops on my list

in terms of bands I've actually seen:

Kraftwerk - not terribly different than just listening to the recent live stuff, but feeling the bass of "Autobahn" reverberate in your chest is really something else

Cornelius - their entire show is synced to a video screen in a way that I find super impressive, since as far as I could tell it really was live

Ween - their music changes a lot live and their set list is always different. More than that, it's just being in that crowd of hippies and weird people, knowing half of 'em won't be able to recall a damn thing about the show tomorrow morning. it's pretty fun.

They Might be Giants - they always seem to bring it live, and I think their personality comes through a lot stronger live than on the records. they were a lot funnier than I expected them to be.

Andrew W.K. - I mean, yeah. even playing to 200 people in a basement he's still larger than life.

Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam.

Fucked Up.

Also second Dirty Projectors and The Hold Steady.

Having tickets for Kraftwerk, Sunn, and Earth this year this thread excites me

Iron Maiden are amazing live. Their albums are good, but the concerts are the business. I saw them five times between 2003-2010, and was blown away every time.

need to see:

paul
bob
neil

SunnO))) really is an ideal answer for this. Total audio/visual/physical/atmospheric/psychoactive experience that their records only hint at.

SLEEP

I have not seen Byrne/Heads or New Order and probably should.

Saw Dylan once almost as an eat-your-vegetables duty. Like, so as to be able to say I had? Dunno. He seemed to resent the presence of the audience, which I guess is part of his schtick.

I have somehow ended up with free tickets to see the Who tonight.

https://presspack.rte.ie/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2014/01/nolans-jumpshoots.jpg

Believe it or not, I did see them live when I was on holiday with my parents in Blackpool. I was but a nipper, I should add.

most cred post on ILM

Low is amazing live.

Saw Dylan once almost as an eat-your-vegetables duty. Like, so as to be able to say I had? Dunno. He seemed to resent the presence of the audience, which I guess is part of his schtick.

and yes, low are the incarnation of the band you have to see live.

I’ve seen Dylan three times, around 20 yrs. apart each time. The middle concert (in ‘97) was lots of fun. The others, well...

Wait — each was around 10 yrs. apart (I’m not that old yet, lol).

I have somehow ended up with free tickets to see the Who tonight.

... at Wembley Stadium. First time I've ever been at a stadium gig and I can't imagine what the attraction is. Nothing to do with the band, they were good, but what is the point of being three miles from the stage and having to watch everything on screens? And having to listen to exactly the sort of boomy reverby sound that you'd expect from trying to play music in a giant fishbowl? Daltrey struggled at times but went off for a while, during an instrumental, and came back and managed "Love Reign O'er Me" without actually keeling over and dying. Eddie Vedder came on and bellowed his way through some Quadrophenia track. There was an medium sized orchestra, which worked pretty well but tended to overpower the band at times. Townshend fucked up the beginnings of two songs and had to restart them and then played "The Seeker" when he should have been playing "Won't Get Fooled Again" and Daltrey started singing before he realized. Once he got started, Townshend's playing was awesome, he is a truly a brilliant guitarist and his singing was a lot more powerful and assured than Daltrey's. Stadium gigs, not for me though.

Ha, I was gonna ask how it was; thanks for the recap! I watched a clip of the new song they debuted, and while I was impressed with Daltrey's voice, the song itself does not bode well for the new record.

Not-particularly-fun-fact: Zak Starkey is playing an all-electronic kit on this tour, made to look like a regular acoustic set. Townshend insisted on as little volume on stage as possible, and that was apparently the only way to achieve it.

I'm gonna say (as I often do) Southern Culture on the Skids. Their mix of Roger Miller, Link Wray, CCR, and the B-52s really has to be experienced live to "get it." One of the best party bands on the planet.

isn't there also a bit of zz top in southern culture on the skids? they definitely sound like a band that delivers the goods live and not on record.

xbxrx

― brimstead, Friday, July 5, 2019 10:04 AM (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Dude, yes. Are they even still a thing? It's been like almost 20 years since I saw them in several wildly disparate venues and it was quite an experience every time. But I somehow never actually listened to their recorded music.

I love recorded Melt Banana but the energy of their live show was W I L D. Like an air of danger and menace held firmly in check by super-posi vibes? If that makes sense?

Maybe a few vague similarities in their trio lineups, penchant for humor, and amazing guitar. Rick Miller from SCOTS gets wicked tone out of a beat-to-shit old Danelectro. I really like their records too, but I've seen them numerous times. xp

Yeah Southern Culture albums can feel like novelty records, though there's a lot going on musically. It all works in a different way live, especially the guitar work, but the gags too. Their fellow Cackalacky weirdo Dex Robweber is on another level live too, though some of the Flat Duo Jets records are back-to-front great. Huge sounds out of lipstick pickups.

I've been waiting close to a decade for Wussy to come to Toronto. (In view of how often I actually check live listings, there's a chance they've been and gone six times in that span.)

Bands that are way better live than on their recordings:

• Man Man
• Gogol Bordello
• Dan Deacon
• Fucked Up
• Courtney Barnett
• The Lucksmiths

yeah I saw Man Man open for Modest Mouse and they were incredible, just non-stop energy which their studio album didn't reflect at all. as for Dan Deacon, I don't think his music sounds a whole lot different live (though the 11-piece band was awesome) - but yeah it's just a whole different experience live

I also saw Dylan live in 2012 as an obligatory duty. It was terrible for all the reasons known and previously stated BUT I did get a chill throughout my body when his voice first croaked thru the arena PA. Worth it

I saw Dylan in, I think, 2005. It was a shit venue (Bournemouth BIC, ffs) and it was mostly going through the motions, in front of some red velvet curtains. Then he played a straight version of I Want You and I could have happily given it all up for him there and then.