What's the best concert you've ever been to?

**mcpapa** · Oct 21, 10, 06:53 PM

As long as Broadway shows don't count (and I'm assuming we're not calling them concerts), I'll go with two.

First concert I attended - The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt in Landover, Maryland.

Jackson Browne and America (they actually rocked in concert) at Merriweather Post Pavilion) a couple of weeks before I went off to college.

**Jim Schue** · Oct 21, 10, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Colonels_Wear_Blue

Ahhhhh Sudsy's...

I got to see Modest Mouse play there way back...one of my brothers actually caught a Smashing Pumpkins show there. That would have blown my head off.

Is Sudsy's a thing of the past? I've not been on Short Vine in years.

**Colonels_Wear_Blue** · Oct 21, 10, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Schue

Is Sudsy's a thing of the past? I've not been on Short Vine in years.

Yeah, it's been closed for two or three years maybe. The building's sitting vacant. Short Vine has gone from being an interesting little culture and arts district to a pretty solid dump. I think Sudsy's changed hands once or twice in the years prior to closing, which lead to the decline in decent acts booking shows there and its eventual demise. Bogart's might have one or two shows that are borderline worth seeing each year (thanks to the misguided management of LiveNation), and Top Cats/Fat Cat's has turned into more of a plain old bar with a stage in recent years - although I did see Muse perform there in '04. I think pretty much everyone there had their faces melted off seeing them play in a venue that small. My ears rang for like three days...literally. I don't think Top Cats has paid for an act to play their place since some time around that show though. I think the only places that are still kicking up there are Mike's Music and The Cupboard.

If you want to go see a decent show around greater Cincinnati nowadays, you're best off focusing your attention on the Southgate House, The Madison Theatre, The Mad Hatter/Radiodown, or the 20th Century Theatre in Oakley. (Or Louisville, Columbus, or Indianapolis.)

**Habib** · Oct 21, 10, 08:08 PM

^ That Muse concert was awesome, especially since you can't see them in a venue like that anymore.

**Colonels_Wear_Blue** · Oct 21, 10, 08:24 PM

Saw Hum perform at Top Cats years ago too. It was pretty rocking...and they hung around and shook everyone's hands at the door as they left. It was pretty awesome.

**iamapt** · Oct 21, 10, 10:25 PM

Tie between Elton John at Middle Tenn University when he introduced Good Bye Yellow Brick Road, such a great begining in dark with "funeral foe a friend", lights gradually came up to a layer of fog even with the keyboard, looked like he was suspended in the fog. The other was Jackson Browne, someone had previously mentioned. Also at MTSU, he played thru intermission while his band took break. Said he was booed off stage years before in Tenn and was going to make it up. He did.

**Flotsam** · Oct 21, 10, 11:12 PM

A couple of years ago I went to see the Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Taft. Their opening act was Junior Brown. I am not a country music fan by any stretch, but Junior Brown on the double neck guitar was amazing. I saw Leo Kottke at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington and Eric Clapton at Riverfront Coliseum. I would rate Junior the most entertaining guitar player of the three.

**stick1** · Oct 22, 10, 12:42 AM

DMB (talented)
ACDC (unreal energy)
Garth Brooks (first big show he put on a great show and the crowd was very involved)
Pearl Jam (camped right by the outdoor theatre so it was a great time)
Black Crowes (had very low expectations because they bombed when my friends saw them but they were great on that night)
Buffett (fun because all the different generations and atmosphere)
I've seen a bunch but those were the 1st that came to mind. Tesla was good but the lead singer fell off his bar stool and passed out right in the middle of it. It was the 5 man acoustical jam tour.

**Sandman** · Oct 22, 10, 01:08 AM

Springsteen at Rupp, Tunnel of Love tour.

I've seen a lot of good ones, still waiting for one to top this.

**BoondockSaint** · Oct 22, 10, 05:18 AM

My favorite was either DMB/My Morning Jacket/Ben Harper in Dayton on the Vote for Change tour or Rage Against the Machine with Queens of the Stone Age opening for them in Alpine Valley a few years ago. Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots would be close behind.

I'm headed to the Voodoo Festival next weekend in New Orleans, pretty stoked about this trip. Great music for 3 days and Halloween on Bourbon Street. Not to mention the Sunday night game is the Steelers @ New Orleans. It's gonna be one crazy weekend.

**mcpapa** · Oct 22, 10, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by Flotsam

A couple of years ago I went to see the Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Taft. Their opening act was Junior Brown. I am not a country music fan by any stretch, but Junior Brown on the double neck guitar was amazing. I saw Leo Kottke at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington and Eric Clapton at Riverfront Coliseum. I would rate Junior the most entertaining guitar player of the three.

Then he must have been pretty impressive. I've never had the pleasure of seeing Clapton in concert (although I am old enough to remember "Clapton is God"). But I did see Leo Kottke back in the 70s. He was good enough that I can't remember who he warmed up for.

But then again, I can't remember a lot of things from the 70s.

**mcpapa** · Oct 22, 10, 05:20 AM

I know he's wearing a cowboy hat, but at first glance it looks like he's got a sack of flour on his head.

**quickslick** · Oct 22, 10, 08:18 AM

Another vote for Leo Koettke (with Norman Blake opening)
Definitely different than mainstream .. but worth every red penny I paid for it.

**TAC** · Oct 22, 10, 08:23 AM

David Bowie, around 1990 in the outdoor amphitheater in Indy. He had a 1-900 number to requests songs you wanted to hear. He played every hit and vowed never to play them again in concert. i saw him years later in Vegas with 9" nails and the only song he played that I had heard of was "pressure".

**mexitucky** · Oct 22, 10, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by raiderbird

I would say the best concert I have ever been to was the Kiss/Aerosmith Concert. I was in the 2nd row middle stage and it was unreal. Pretty cool!!

You need to get out more. Just kidding

Luckily I was able to spend most of my summers in college working at Riverbend setting up the concerts and usually running spot lights for the shows. While it wasn't their "show," my favorite set was by Audio Slave at Lollapalooza. I always enjoyed Dave's show.

**NKY Bandit** · Oct 22, 10, 10:13 AM

Guns N Roses with Aerosmith at Buckeye Lake was great......Kiss at Rupp was super.

I saw Steve Earle play the bar at the Holiday Inn (?) in Prestonsburg. That was a riot!

**Blue Magic** · Oct 22, 10, 10:24 AM

Jay-Z @ Bonnaroo this summer was the best show I have ever seen.

**malachicrunch** · Oct 22, 10, 10:26 AM

Rolling Stones 1981 Rupp Arena.

**Alabama Larry** · Oct 22, 10, 11:04 AM

Led Zepplin 1975/Eagles 1975/Grand Funk Railroad 1973/Bob Dylan/Queen/Bad Company/AC/DC/Harry Chaplin/James Taylor/Fleetwood Mac/ZZ Top/Foreigner/Neil Young.