Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Paradiso, NL on 2023-04-09

Hands down best sounding live performance I’ve been to.

It’s a bit sad because I know what the venue acoustics are capable of, and I’ve been to a ton of concerts there, but nothing ever came close.

Clutch at the Trocadero in Philadelphia ~2011

Mago de Oz at the LA Sports Arena in 2008. The production was great and the finale was an arena-wide mosh pit that was so packed you couldn’t even fall down in the crowd if you wanted to. It was like a more peaceful version of the melee in GoT’s Battle of the Bastards.

Two way tie: First is Dethklok on their first tour at the Worcester Palladium. To this day it was the best produced live performance I have ever experienced. Everything sounded immaculate, Brendon arguing with and having whole conversations with himself in charecter was great. Just absolutely phenomenal. Saw them on their latest tour and it was like 90%, so still amazing.

Second was Castle Rat at Sonia in Boston (iirc 2024?)when they opened for Green Lung. Sonia is small af, and they had the PA cranked. It was the only time I have ever regretted not having ear plugs, and actually bought some specifically because of this show. I can’t even describe what the show was like, it was as close to a religious experience as I have ever had (definitely aided by the heat). Green Lung live is a whole other experience (in a good way), but I walked out of that show saying next time I saw Castle Rat they were going to be in a MUCH larger venue. I was wrong, it took two more shows. I saw them at Sonia again almost exactly one year later but they were headlining. The year after they were opening for Amon Amarth and Dethklok.

I saw Linkin Park in 2004. I don’t know how to better explain how life changing the show was than to explain the wild fucking situation I was in.

I was 14 years old and a friend of my parents invited me to see Linkin Park with them. I honestly didn’t put to much thought into it, it was fucking Linkin Park. So a week later my teenage heart was all a flutter preparing to sit in the same sold out arena as THE CHESTER BENNINGTON!

And I don’t know how many of you were teenagers in the early aughts but I was head to toe Hot Topic’d out, heavy HEAVY eyeliner, really caked on foundation that didn’t match my skin tone, red plaid Chuck Taylor High-tops, the whole thing.

And just as I was getting ready to leave my mother came in, pretty fucking fuming, telling me that I was lucky she was such a good mother or I wouldn’t go anywhere near THAT whore sleeping with her husband.

Soooo yeah, it was really fucking awkward the whole drive there. My autistic brain was panicking. I genuinely don’t remember parking, walking to our seats, or the opening bands. I’m 72% sure one the bands was Story of the Year.

But the minute Linkin Park hit the stage my whole body, heart, and soul felt that show. I literally started sobbing when they started playing Numb.

I don’t know how to explain it all other than saying my little 14 year old brain somehow knew I needed to set aside all do the bullshit and take everything in because I was experiencing something that was a one in a lifetime.

Les Miserables. (Sydney, Australia in 2015.)

I found myself in Sydney for work and looking for some way to spend the evening.

I had only ever seen live theater once before in my life (an opera in Vienna), and I enjoyed it well enough so I figured the world famous Sydney Opera House, but it was sold out.

Then I saw Comedian Dylan Moran was in town, but again sold out.

Then I had a choice to make, both Matilda the Musical and Les Miserables were in town. I was familiar with the story of Matilda, but had no idea what Les Miserables was.

I decided on Les Miserables, since it would be new to me, and was completely amazed. It kicked off what is now a lifelong love of theater and I’ve seen dozens of shows (including Matilda many years later in London’s West End).

Brian Bedford and Dai Bradley in Equus, LA 1977.

U2 in 1992.

Both times I saw the Ramones.

ZZ Top 1979. I think. It WAS the 70s.

Grouplove, aka the people behind the “take me to your bestfriend’s house” song from that one 2010ish iPod commercial, surprisingly put on some fucking amazing shows- especially if you can see them at a more intimate venue

Probably either Radiohead or NIN. They were both a long time ago, so very blurry memories of each.

Sigur Rós with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall - 2017

I’ve seen Sigur Rós a few times over the years. They are always fantastic but this one in particular was skin tingling magic.

Fela Kuti. Absolutely transcendent.

Runners up - Henry Rollins, Bad Brains.

Gawd I sound too nostalgic. I have been to some amazing shows more recently too - Janelle Monae in a 2,000 person venue, Cimafunk is great live. Charley Crockett and Leon Bridges, Tyler Childers (I did not love the venue but he is amazing). J Roddy Walston and the Business oh my God what a live act they were, and we got to see them in bars.

But FELA, that really was a special thing to experience.

I’ve seen Muse 3 times, awesome every time. Pearl Jam in '22 was a really great time. X-Ambassadors kills every time I’ve seen them (incredibly underrated band). Nothing More is crazy good live, and seeing Electric Callboy was very worth it.

Tool for their Lateralus tour

NiN for their Year Zero tour

Both were in stadiums and kicked ass. I still think about them.

I would also give a nod to Dog Fashion Disco for a club show I saw them in. Great show. They played a video of someone with no arms and legs getting reading for the day. Like brushing their teeth just using their mouth and nubs. Very odd but entrancing. They also jumped on a trampoline.

High as a kite at a friends house just hanging out after work. My friend just randomly picks up his acoustic guitar and starts noodling. His roommate comes home, disappears for a bit and comes out with a standup bass. For the next 2 hrs they just smoked and jammed for the love of music.

Me: