What's the best big arena concert you have ever been to?

[trondi]

I Would say the best concert that I have ever been to is a 3 way tie.
1. Tool 1994 at the Santa Cruz civic center.
2. U2 Pop Mart tour 1997 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
3. Tool Lateralus 2001 excel energy center St. Paul MN.
all 3 of those shows were amazing, and near spiritual experiences for me.

No drugs either.

First time I saw Tool I really didn't like the all that much. I liked the song sober, but that is it. I remember walking through the door, and being impressed with the quality of the sound, and that they weren't rushing the songs.
They played No Quater and I was completely sold. I have been a big fan of Tool ever since.

The Pop mart tour for U2 was the first time I got to see them so that was cool.
I was a little worried when I got to my seat, which was a killer floor seat, because the first band was on and it sounded like supreme shit. it was really echoing really bad. It was in the Metrodome and that place is a big echo chamber. U2 came on and it sounded great, I think the spent over a million on the sound so that was impressive and the show was off the hook. The band was spot on, and it was really uplifting. Really spectacular show.

First leg of Tools Lateralus tour was great. I bought the Lateralus record, but found it hard to get into. I felt it was a little self indulgent, and over long. Live it was amazing. It's like you need get the translation of what the album is about by seeing Tool play it live first. After that show The Laterauls album was one of my favorites.


What about you?

[TylerB]

By The Way tour 2003
Air Canada Center in Toronto
The Mars Volta, Queens of the Stone Age, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

It was awesome.

[MickC]

I think mine would have to be either Metallica at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, or AC/DC at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

The Metallica one had shitloads of pyro, (especially when the played "One"!!)

[rdc2007]

Queen in 1980 (when they had the #1 single & album in the world)


Hands down that's the tops. I've seen McCartney, Rush, Pink Floyd, Van Halen (and Van Hagar), Alice Cooper, Kiss... too many to name.

But in 1980, Queen had the #1 single in the world, the #1 album in the world, and the #1 tour. They were at the height of their powers and they blew my 15 year old mind. In all the years since, I swear I've never been to a louder show but the sound was so clean. It was my second concert ever and my first that wasn't a big festival. I nearly got trampled on the way in. Yeah, that's the one.

BTW, tickets were $9, t-shirts were $8, and programs were $4.

Well, I'm off to the strip joint for my bud's bachelor party. Viva la tits!

[BlackCrypt]

I have never seen a "major" band in an arena. Mainly because I do not consider the HOB and arena.

Amphitheater - Metallica @ DeerCreek, closely followed by Aerosmith at the same venue.

At the HOB, Drowning Pool, right before Dave died.

[BigMac63]

The Who in Kansas City on their farewell tour.

[strommsarnac]

I've seen lots of bands in open and closed arenas. From Gabriel to Living Color. Rush, Boston, Floyd, Page, Tull, Seal, Styx, tons.

I'd say the best are tied.

1987 Pink Floyd at Ohio State's Buckeye stadium. It was incredible. Wasn't as good when they came back in 1994, but maybe it's because I wasn't as wasted then.

I think it was 1985, Legend Valley (Central Ohio) is really a farm. They've had some really good concerts there though. Got there on Friday night, drank a lot in "outside" the gates. Thousands of people hanging out, passing drinks around and stuff I was never into. Saturday was a few bands, don't think I ever knew who they were. Sunday was three bands, one got booed off the stage. People were throwing mud at them. Someone not very known then came out and said "Dudes, that's was wrong. Sure they suck, but please don't throw mud at us". That was Jon Bon Jovi. They played for about an hour, maybe hour and a half. Then it was Def Leppard. It was insane there.

It was supposed to be about 72 and mostly cloudy. Turned out to be 91 and full blazing sun. 3 fire departments brought their big engines and were spraying the crowd all day long. I heard reports on the radio that week that there were an estimated 130,000 people there on both days. I got so sun burned, even through my shoes. I was too drunk to care though.

Funny and sad story. I went with my best friend and other friends. He was a skinny dude, had a congenital heart defect but didn't let that stop him from having a good life. We had a few 110 cameras to take photos of all the hot chicks. Got so many I couldn't remember them all. Years later, him and I were going through old photos and I found one that caught my eye. I was quite stunned. Hot chick, big boobs, very wet white totally see through one-piece suit. Big rocker chick hair that was popular in the 80's. I said "hey do you remember much about that weekend at Legend Valley?" He said, "Not really, I was pretty wasted and stoned". His wife said "Legend Valley? You guys were there?". I said "Yep, were you?" She said "Oh god yea, it was freaking awesome, I got so drunk I ran around in a white suit and guys kept throwing water on me. I didn't know why until a friend said they could see everything through the suit!".

You should have seen the look on her eyes when I turned the photo around. Totally priceless. Not to mention weird that none of us realized we were all there years before they started dating.

Sad part is my friend passed a few years later and his wife moved away and took both the kids with her. I used to see them a few times a week and haven't once for over 12 years.

[mhump23]

Probably the best big arena show for me would be Pink Floyd in Jacksonville Florida during the Darkside of the Moon Tour way back in the day. What is now Surround Sound they called 360 or Quadrophonic sound back then and the Floyd was a master at it. Their music seemed to come at you from all directions and it was so clean and clear you felt like you could touch it. ..... or was that the mescaline?

Saw Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Sonic Youth and Social D in Atlanta in like '91 or 2 and that was fucking hot!! So good that we drove to Miami just to see the same show again three days later! Better the first show for sure though.

Really the best shows for me are more often than not great performers in SMALL venues. Saw King Crimson in 2003 in a tiny place in Santa Rosa, CA(home) and was on like the 8th row center in a 500 seat place made for classical music and.........................................oh my. I am getting goosebumps thinking of that show!!!! Great talent, great music, and a great tiny venue made for an incredible performance! It really might have been the best I've ever been too!

[bbanner]

It's a tossup between Pearl Jam and Metallica. I really enjoyed both, but I guess Metallica because I couldn't move my neck the next day. But best live performance in general, queens of the stone age. They were awesome in the smaller venue in MSG.

[SexyLion]

U2 - Joshua Tree in RFK, the one where Bono feel off the stage and broke his collar bone...