Favorite Live Bands/Acts

[Drifter]

This is only for bands you have PERSONALLY seen live. Simply put, list your favorite live bands and some reasoning.

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Sevendust: I still have a really hard time not listing this as my favorite live shows. Do other bands have better shows? Yes, but in different ways. To me, and to most people fans from Central Florida, it is a personal experience every time. I have seen Sevendust easily over 15 times, in multiple states, and I've met the boys and done the after party thing with them quite a few times. Why is Sevendust so great live? Amazing stage presence, intense crowd interaction, a very personal and emotional show (especially in Orlando since they got their big start here), and some great fans. I could go on and on... from the fact that Morgan plays catch with his drum sticks with the band members AND fans (yes, he throws a stick out, keeps drumming, and the audience throws it back, he catches it, and keeps going); the fact that Lajon connects with fans so much and really drives the crowd, or the fact that at every show the boys lay it down cleanly and professionally regardless of what's going on. An example? In 2002 Lajon's brother was murdered, he learned this five minutes before a show... and still played the concert even though he was emotionally destroyed. That is why Sevendust is, and will always be, my number one pick for a live band.

Now for others?

Incubus: Oh man... even if you're not a fan. Go see them. These guys tear it apart with two hour sets filled with Zeppelin-like improv (at least these days), a solid stage show, perfect sound, and some hilarious covers. I have never been disappointed, not once.
Opeth: What can I say, Mikael and Co. are some of the nicest guys ever. Their live show is stellar, but what's even better is they have fun the entire show. They talk to the audience (actual conversations), take requests, and then proceed to lay down some intense setlists.
Tool: While Maynard is a total cunt, their show is amazing. From the lights, the stage, the emotion... to the fact that Danny Carey is a fucking madman on drums (talk about some precision). Never a bad show. Honestly, you have to be there to believe it. I've always loved Tool. I collect live recordings (audio and video), but I didn't truly appreciate it until I saw them live.
Skindred: Hah, oh man. Ragga-Punk-Metal. Wow. Benji is perhaps one of the best frontmen I have ever seen get the crowd going. Some really hardcore and hilarious crowd interaction. Throw in their unique music, constant live remixes, improv and an pumped crowd and you have a solid show every time (14 plus for me). Every show is different due to their tendency to mix it up and remix songs live.
Nine Inch Nails: Stage show. Period. Go see it. Now.
Porcupine Tree: Steven Wilson and Co. Live? What are you waiting for? Orgasmic. I really can't describe it any better.

Honorable Mentions (Bands I would really like to talk about, but I'm sick of typing)? Alice in Chains, Avenged Sevenfold, Lamb of God, Slayer, Fear Factory, Dark new Day, Crossbreed

Note: I am not including any electronica, jazz or classical music. That's a whole different story for different reasons.

[Sin-Riel]

Alexisonfire and Anti-Flag.
They both rock the fuck out when they play and get the whole crowd into it.
Anytime I see Alexisonfire they always play like there's no tomorrow, when I saw them on Sunday they ended up playing an extra half-hour because the crowd kept screaming for an encore.
Anyone willing to do that shit in my book deserves the thumbs up.
Anti-flag are just hilarious and do a lot of stuff with the crowd, I don't like when they go into this robot voice thing in mid-set about abolishing the Government, it's more annoying than anything.

[eXo]

I'll drop in and give some more reviews, but here's one:

The Spill Canvas.
If you listen to them, you might think it's a lot of new-millennium emo rock yadda yadda stuff, but Nick Thomas is one of the most inventive lyricists I've run across, and if you let yourself like them, it actually goes really well. I've seen them three times now and Nick is to the point of kind of recognizing me, which is the coolest feeling in the world. The fans are generally pretty good-natured ( I saw them in July and there was a girl in a wheelchair that we opened a path for and let to the front ) and no one really cares how stupid he looks dancing to their stuff. They've got excellent stage presence, they talk to their audiences, They also play some interesting covers, like Pat Benatar's Love is a Battlefield. Definitely a band to look into, if only to see them once and take note of how long the fans have been fans.


I'll also back Drifter up on the Incubus claim. I caught them a few years ago when they were touring for A Crow Left of the Murder, and the improvisational bit and just the performance overall were well worth the trip.

[DDR God]

good live bands:
-OPETH (great band)
-Metallica
-My Chemical Romance
-Aero Smith

and more but one of the worst bands to see live is Dragon Force, great band but there stuff is just to ridiculous and not even they can play it at full speed perfectly live-.-

[Dr. Zoltan]

I've only seen Metallica live, they were amazing. :)

Mastodon and Machine Head opened, Machine Head were amazing too, Mastodon coulda been way better but they had sound problems. :(