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  1. U2 use far too many playback tracks nowadays to be considered a real "live" band to me, they just perform extraordinary shows. In between all the prerecorded samples there's not much room for interaction and improvisation which I consider essential. A modern U2 gig to me is more a show than a live concert. Back in the Red Rocks and Live Aid days they were mountain movers.

    Neal Morse absolutely blew me away with his dutch prog band last year. Big Country were among the best when Stuart Adamson was still alive, and so were the Alarm before 1991. I'm sad to admit that I wasn't impressed with the Page&Plant tour. Bruce Springsteen was impressing when I saw him play for almost 4 hours. Wishbone Ash have to be thrown in, they are a really great force live. I've not yet seen Frank Marino's band Mahogany Rush myself, but their live records are out of this world. The very top spot has to be occupied by either Cream or Jimi Hendrix' Band of Gypsies I'd guess.

    A few other extraordinary live bands have already been mentioned.

    Alex
  2. Originally posted by Alex:U2 use far too many playback tracks nowadays to be considered a real "live" band to me, they just perform extraordinary shows. In between all the prerecorded samples there's not much room for interaction and improvisation which I consider essential. A modern U2 gig to me is more a show than a live concert. Back in the Red Rocks and Live Aid days they were mountain movers.

    Neal Morse absolutely blew me away with his dutch prog band last year. Big Country were among the best when Stuart Adamson was still alive, and so were the Alarm before 1991. I'm sad to admit that I wasn't impressed with the Page&Plant tour. Bruce Springsteen was impressing when I saw him play for almost 4 hours. Wishbone Ash have to be thrown in, they are a really great force live. I've not yet seen Frank Marino's band Mahogany Rush myself, but their live records are out of this world. The very top spot has to be occupied by either Cream or Jimi Hendrix' Band of Gypsies I'd guess.

    A few other extraordinary live bands have already been mentioned.

    Alex


    very true , i'll give The Mars Volta a worthy mention aswell, not a big band, but the pure talant and emotion they put into their live shows is top class

  3. Let's see...all for different reasons, but this are a few:
    U2 (obviously. Because of inivation)
    Radiohead (extremely proffesional, gives shivers)
    Depeche Mode (Shy Martin and shirtless Dave...awesome)
    Muse (Matthew Bellamy is a guitar hero)
  4. Originally posted by Alex:U2 use far too many playback tracks nowadays to be considered a real "live" band to me, they just perform extraordinary shows. In between all the prerecorded samples there's not much room for interaction and improvisation which I consider essential. A modern U2 gig to me is more a show than a live concert. Back in the Red Rocks and Live Aid days they were mountain movers.

    I get what you're saying but I personally don't there's much wrong with that - I quite like it in live gigs where some strange sound or backing track starts playing and you don't know where it's come from, kinda helps me get lost in everything but that's just my own take on things I mean, I think it would be cool if additional parts were played live on stage with guest musicians playing them but clearly the band think otherwise.
  5. Originally posted by Alex:U2 use far too many playback tracks nowadays to be considered a real "live" band to me, they just perform extraordinary shows. In between all the prerecorded samples there's not much room for interaction and improvisation which I consider essential. A modern U2 gig to me is more a show than a live concert. Back in the Red Rocks and Live Aid days they were mountain movers.


    Alex, I disagree on this....I have been to two U2 concerts recently (Vertigo 2005) and it´s not like they don´t sing and use playback tracks....they do sing and play and improvise (Love is Blindness in Argentina, Who´s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses in Chicago, Angel of Harlem just hours ago in Berlin)....What they use is normal stuff to add to the performance because they are a four member band and it is hard to translate all the studio sounds to live performances well...They do have a backstage keyboard player that plays during walk on, breathe and city of blinding lights mainly because Edge is on the guitar.... Other than that they use effects for synths that are activated by the Edge...just type in youtube Dallas Schoo (U2´s guitar tech), in the vids he shows how the Edge does some stuff like in ISHFWILF from Elevation 2001 synths and watch the mistaken One from the first night of U2360 and pay attention to how when edge stops the strings stop. It´s not like they are faking what they play like Madonna did for some songs here in Brazil when she took the microphone away from her mouth and the song kept going......Just posting my opinion..If you have an example of where they use playback...real playback...please post.... I would like to know because I would be disappointed because you pay a ticket to see them, not playback crap...and I am sure bono does not lip synch...and they used some stuff to add up to their performances back then...The Unforgettable Fire´s beggining. Alex, sorry if I was rude...didn´t mean to...just posting what I think .
    By the way....I just commented live performances of the band I´ve seen, but I think that the Who and Pink Floyd should be amazing too
    Sorry, again, if I was rude
    Thanx

  6. Originally posted by NLOTH_Victor:[..]

    Alex, I disagree on this....I have been to two U2 concerts recently (Vertigo 2005) and it´s not like they don´t sing and use playback tracks....they do sing and play and improvise (Love is Blindness in Argentina, Who´s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses in Chicago, Angel of Harlem just hours ago in Berlin)....What they use is normal stuff to add to the performance because they are a four member band and it is hard to translate all the studio sounds to live performances well...They do have a backstage keyboard player that plays during walk on, breathe and city of blinding lights mainly because Edge is on the guitar.... Other than that they use effects for synths that are activated by the Edge...just type in youtube Dallas Schoo (U2´s guitar tech), in the vids he shows how the Edge does some stuff like in ISHFWILF from Elevation 2001 synths and watch the mistaken One from the first night of U2360 and pay attention to how when edge stops the strings stop. It´s not like they are faking what they play like Madonna did for some songs here in Brazil when she took the microphone away from her mouth and the song kept going......Just posting my opinion..If you have an example of where they use playback...real playback...please post.... I would like to know because I would be disappointed because you pay a ticket to see them, not playback crap...and I am sure bono does not lip synch...and they used some stuff to add up to their performances back then...The Unforgettable Fire´s beggining. Alex, sorry if I was rude...didn´t mean to...just posting what I think .
    By the way....I just commented live performances of the band I´ve seen, but I think that the Who and Pink Floyd should be amazing too
    Sorry, again, if I was rude
    Thanx




  7. U2, followed by Foo Fighters - sneakily right up there
  8. U2 because the snippets, the cover versions to the Beatles, Abba, Lou Reed, (C'mon Everybody at the JT Tour!), Bono's messages to the audience, the wide range of musical ideas they translate into visual onstage. I mean, such things can only be done under a deep inspiration. Stay Berlin 09.

    Springsteen because the man is absolutely insane and goes on for hours. His closing acts are peerless even now he's 60! Saw him last year and the final 2 songs, Dancing in the dark and American Land were heaven. American Land is unbelievable onstage... and just when you think is over, bum, the band starts again, on a flat out of nowhere!

    I can't figure out any other band who comes close to those likenesses.
  9. U2, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Muse and Jane's Addiction are my top live bands, (not that I've seen them all) in roughly that order.

    old school Guns N' Roses were also top quality, with the Use Your Illusion tour and whatnot.
  10. Rolling stones were extremely disappointing at Slane when I saw them. I also thought Scorsese couldn't even make them look good in their film (suffered perhaps because U23D was out just beforehand).

    Radiohead are awesome live, as is 'the Boss', easily the best showman around. Michael Jackson was more about the performance than the music, which is good and all but the best should be both.

    Who said the Beatles?!? For all their fame and glory they were terrible live. Terrible. They got away with it a lot due to their lung-busting screaming fans.

    I think a lot of smaller acts deserve a mention; Arcade Fire were up there from what I saw and heard. Jimi Hendrix was an underrated performer. AC DC, Queen & Talking Heads too deserve a mention.

    But U2 have to be up there. They've continually mixed great concert rock songs with an enthusiasm that bonds with every crowd and seal the deal with providing outlandish stage sets that leave people stricken with awe and amazement. Zoo TV, PopMart & now 360* are all huge landmarks in stadium rock. If only they worked on alternating their setlists more!
  11. idk if its been mentioned, but radiohead are absolutely mind blowing live
    oh, and for a big band with a large catalog, they change the setlist every night
    hmmmm lol

    as for the playback discussion, it would be impossible for u2 to play much of their (especially newer) stuff
    without it. i suppose it could be done, but most of their songs would sound naked. even they way they record is heavily layered, its one of the things i actually love as it adds a lot of complexity
  12. I'd add the Stooges as a possibility(before the reunion).
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.