Great Live Peformances

Bomby · 05-30-2009, 02:51 AM

I'll start this off with a few from one of my favorite artists, Elliott Smith:

It's rather uncool amongst circles of Elliott fans for this to be one of your favorite songs, but nonetheless it is one of mine. It's probably even more uncool to love this performance of it:
YouTube - Miss Misery - Elliott Smith (Live at the Oscars)

This song has always had personal resonance with me, especially after one of my old friends passed away from a heroin overdose recently. This "rock" version isn't as haunting as the acoustic original, but it sounds good nonetheless:
YouTube - Elliott Smith "Needle In the Hay" Electric 9-2-00

This is from his last concert before his death, which makes it a rather sad and touching video. It also sounds like he's going to cry (especially when he sings "situations get ****ed up"), which just adds to the sadness. The beauty of the performance, however, is that from 2001 to early 2003 Elliott had become notorious for terrible concerts due to being so messed up from drug addiction. After he got clean, for the last six months or so of his life, his performances were back in shape, as is seen in this video:
YouTube - Elliott Smith Say Yes

Such a sad and untimely passing. R.I.P.

***Cosmonautical*** · 05-30-2009, 06:50 AM

Never really heard anything about Elliot Smith before. Pretty decent music.

Nine Inch Nails and Dillinger Escape Plan perform NIN's Wish, live at Adelaide 2009:

Click to view video.

**Galefore** · 05-30-2009, 02:52 PM

Bon Iver is an amazing artist, and he (Justin Vernon) puts deep personal meaning into each of his songs. It shows here, where he just sits there, just him and his guitar, and he just lets loose. It lacks polish, but it makes up for it in soul.

YouTube - Bon Iver - Skinny Love Live on Jools Holland.flv

***CaptHayfever*** · 05-31-2009, 12:34 AM

The Monkees were reportedly an outstanding live band. (I say "reportedly" because they haven't performed as a quartet in this country since I was old enough to walk, though when I saw just Micky & Davy play a few years back, they were excellent.)
They put a lot of effort into giving an interesting concert highlighting each of their individual specialties & group strengths.
It's particularly notable because the audience-scream-level--at least for their first couple years--was on par with Beatlemania; the Monkees could have gotten away with just standing there playing songs exactly the same as always since you couldn't hear much anyway, but they chose not to.

Weird Al's concerts are the stuff of legends. He covers set/costume changes with clips from nearly 3 decades of music videos & TV specials, as well as original footage.
He mixes in songs that he has no intention of releasing (usually unapproved parodies) or obscure album tracks from 15 years ago along with all the singles.
His band is simply amazing; there's a reason I keep nominating Steve, Jim, & Bermuda in that best-of-each-instrument poll.
And there is no way to describe the power of the Yoda Chant. It must be witnessed.

They Might Be Giants does great shows, even with completely numb hands, as I've seen firsthand; they played Mardi Gras in St. Louis in '07 in 25 degree (Farenheit) weather.
Lots of quick-witted banter, interesting adaptations of their songs, smooth musical adlibs, & some really cool-but-random covers.
TMBG is also not afraid of playing stuff the audience might not recognize; they worked 2 of the Venue Songs, a podcast-exclusive tune, a polka from their first EP, & a tune from one of their children's albums all into the first set of a two-set show played in front of a mostly-drunk crowd (they also played "Drink!" of course). The conclusion of the show was an epic medley of "Birdhouse in Your Soul", "Istanbul", & "The Joker", which was subtlely foreshadowed a while earlier when they changed the end of "Fingertips" to sound like "The Joker". I had quite the "oh!" moment, lemme tell ya.

It's getting late; I'll add some more another time.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

LinkManDX · 05-31-2009, 02:04 AM

The 1989 concert in Seattle that Metallica released on DVD was pretty epic:

Click to view video.

***CaptHayfever*** · 05-31-2009, 07:19 PM

Ooh, I just remembered I've done threads for 3 excellent shows I went to a couple years ago:

Y-O-U @ Blue Fugue (Columbia, MO), 2/2/07

TMBG @ Soulard Mardi Gras, 2/17/07
(Missing from my setlist: "Why Did You Grow a Beard?")

Polyphonic Spree @ The Pageant, 8/4/07
(Missing from my setlist: "American Dream")

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

05-30-2009, 02:51 AM	#1
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Great Live Peformances I'll start this off with a few from one of my favorite artists, Elliott Smith: It's rather uncool amongst circles of Elliott fans for this to be one of your favorite songs, but nonetheless it is one of mine. It's probably even more uncool to love this performance of it: YouTube - Miss Misery - Elliott Smith (Live at the Oscars) This song has always had personal resonance with me, especially after one of my old friends passed away from a heroin overdose recently. This "rock" version isn't as haunting as the acoustic original, but it sounds good nonetheless: YouTube - Elliott Smith "Needle In the Hay" Electric 9-2-00 This is from his last concert before his death, which makes it a rather sad and touching video. It also sounds like he's going to cry (especially when he sings "situations get ****ed up"), which just adds to the sadness. The beauty of the performance, however, is that from 2001 to early 2003 Elliott had become notorious for terrible concerts due to being so messed up from drug addiction. After he got clean, for the last six months or so of his life, his performances were back in shape, as is seen in this video: YouTube - Elliott Smith Say Yes Such a sad and untimely passing. R.I.P.

05-30-2009, 02:52 PM	#3
Galefore EXPLOSION GOD OF MUSIC Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Some studio somewhere Gender: Posts: 8,275 Thanks: 1,361 Thanked 826 Times in 535 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Bon Iver is an amazing artist, and he (Justin Vernon) puts deep personal meaning into each of his songs. It shows here, where he just sits there, just him and his guitar, and he just lets loose. It lacks polish, but it makes up for it in soul. YouTube - Bon Iver - Skinny Love Live on Jools Holland.flv Last edited by Galefore; 05-30-2009 at 03:03 PM.

05-31-2009, 12:34 AM	#4
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	The Monkees were reportedly an outstanding live band. (I say "reportedly" because they haven't performed as a quartet in this country since I was old enough to walk, though when I saw just Micky & Davy play a few years back, they were excellent.) They put a lot of effort into giving an interesting concert highlighting each of their individual specialties & group strengths. It's particularly notable because the audience-scream-level--at least for their first couple years--was on par with Beatlemania; the Monkees could have gotten away with just standing there playing songs exactly the same as always since you couldn't hear much anyway, but they chose not to. Weird Al's concerts are the stuff of legends. He covers set/costume changes with clips from nearly 3 decades of music videos & TV specials, as well as original footage. He mixes in songs that he has no intention of releasing (usually unapproved parodies) or obscure album tracks from 15 years ago along with all the singles. His band is simply amazing; there's a reason I keep nominating Steve, Jim, & Bermuda in that best-of-each-instrument poll. And there is no way to describe the power of the Yoda Chant. It must be witnessed. They Might Be Giants does great shows, even with completely numb hands, as I've seen firsthand; they played Mardi Gras in St. Louis in '07 in 25 degree (Farenheit) weather. Lots of quick-witted banter, interesting adaptations of their songs, smooth musical adlibs, & some really cool-but-random covers. TMBG is also not afraid of playing stuff the audience might not recognize; they worked 2 of the Venue Songs, a podcast-exclusive tune, a polka from their first EP, & a tune from one of their children's albums all into the first set of a two-set show played in front of a mostly-drunk crowd (they also played "Drink!" of course). The conclusion of the show was an epic medley of "Birdhouse in Your Soul", "Istanbul", & "The Joker", which was subtlely foreshadowed a while earlier when they changed the end of "Fingertips" to sound like "The Joker". I had quite the "oh!" moment, lemme tell ya. It's getting late; I'll add some more another time. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

05-31-2009, 07:19 PM	#6
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	Ooh, I just remembered I've done threads for 3 excellent shows I went to a couple years ago: Y-O-U @ Blue Fugue (Columbia, MO), 2/2/07 TMBG @ Soulard Mardi Gras, 2/17/07 (Missing from my setlist: "Why Did You Grow a Beard?") Polyphonic Spree @ The Pageant, 8/4/07 (Missing from my setlist: "American Dream") And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"