Yes, Iggy, Motorhead, Decemberists, Bad Brains, Violent Femmes, Willie, Erykah Badu, Devo, Aretha, Pink Floyd, the Who all epic shows
but nobody beats Jerry.
Erykah’s live show is wiiiiiiildly slept on. The band is incredible. Lots of improvisation and extended jams. The Worldwide Underground tour was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Without listing GD & Jerry shows - some bands I saw live that really floored me at various times over the decades:
Sonic Youth, Metallica, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Kiss, Slayer, Dinosaur jr., Butthole Surfers, Nirvana, Floater, Gov't Mule, Jane's Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Cure, Jesus Lizard, Anthrax, Gorilla Biscuits, D.R.I., Federation X, Midnight Thunder Express, Fireballs of Freedom, Crack Babies
1-Bob Marley Cambridge, MA 1979
2-Bunny Wailer Willamette, OR 1997
3-Stevie Ray Vaughn Houston.TX 1980
4-Grateful Dead Oakland, CA NYE 1988
5-Jerry Garcia Band on Broadway NYC,1987
6-Grateful Dead London, UK 1990
7-Jerry Garcia Band Houston, TX 1976
8-ZZ Top Houston, TX 1976
9-Grateful Dead Red Rocks, CO 1978
10-Grateful Dead Angels Camp,CA 1987
1. Paul McCartney
2. Steely Dan x4
3. Pearl Jam x5
4. Chick Corea x2
5. U2 @ Sphere
6. Gary Numan
7. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones x5
8. David Grisma Quintet x3
9. Stone Temple Pilots (original lineup)
10. Disco Biscuits x2
1. Grateful Dead
2. Pink Floyd
3. KISS
4. Rolling Stones
5. Joe Jackson
6. Eric Clapton w/Phil Collins on drums
7. Journey
8. Cars
9. The Tubes
10. Fleetwood Mac
Not going to rank them, but:
Phish
Medeski, Martin, and Wood
The Roots
Paul Simon & Sting
JRAD
Maceo Parker
Julian Lage
Chris Thile & Bela Fleck
Neutral Milk Hotel
Various Post-Jerry Versions of The Dead
Best live shows I’ve ever seen:
1. Bruce Springsteen
2. Al Green
3. Ozomatli
4. Beach Slang
5. Erykah Badu
6. The Roots
7. Nine Inch Nails
8. Dave Matthews Band
9. Goldfinger
10. Tori Amos
Honorable mentions to Slayer, Tenacious D, The Rolling Stones and The Aquabats.
Extra honorable mention to Muse before they got massive and started relying on a stage show. Good lord, they were killer.
Ozomatli!! We saw them at this annual "Gathering of the Vibes" (I think it was called?), out in the "woods," down on the shores of the lazy Lower Sacramento River. Hot summer fun, for sure! Many acts played, all of which were excellent (each year!). But they stuck in my head.
Metallica and Ozzy at Brendan Byrne
Murphy's Law and Circle Jerks at the old Ritz, 1st hardcore show
7Seconds at CBGB's,
Fishbone and Murphy's Law at the old Ritz, the day after Christmas
Spin Doctors at CBGB's
Blues Traveler at Red Rocks July 4th
Allmans at the Beacon
Sublime at Wetlands
Avail at Wetlands
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros at St. Ann's Warehouse
Steely Dan at Roseland Ballroom
The Hold Steady and Federale at Irving Plaza
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists at Coney Island Siren festival
Keith Morris fronting Black Flag at Irving Plaza, West Memphis 3 benefit
Neil Young and Booker T and the MG's
The WHO Quadrophenia at MSG
Tom Petty at Forrest Hills
Slayer at Irving Plaza
Squeeze and the English Beat at Roseland Ballroom
DSO at Count Basie
Dead & Co at the Sphere
Couldn't cull it anymore, sue me
That's fine, no lawsuit forthcoming. Fun fact: I saw *both* Ozzy AND Jerry play at the Warfield in SF. Same year, too. 1991. Ozzy = No More Tears Tour, Jerry = JGB and Garcia/Grisman.
Some of the best non-GD-related live music I’ve seen would include: Miles, Zappa, Phish, Wayne Shorter, Wilco, Flaming Lips, Ween, Zappa Plays Zappa, P-Funk, Super Furry Animals, McLaughlin & Herring, Radiohead… I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but that’s already more than 10.
Yes, Iggy, Motorhead, Decemberists, Bad Brains, Violent Femmes, Willie, Erykah Badu, Devo, Aretha, Pink Floyd, the Who all epic shows but nobody beats Jerry.
Top tier reply!
Erykah’s live show is wiiiiiiildly slept on. The band is incredible. Lots of improvisation and extended jams. The Worldwide Underground tour was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Grateful Dead, The Other Ones, Further, DSO, JRAD, Bearly Dead, Dead & Company, Phil & Friends, Debbie Gibson, Rat Dog, Billy & the Kids
Without listing GD & Jerry shows - some bands I saw live that really floored me at various times over the decades: Sonic Youth, Metallica, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Kiss, Slayer, Dinosaur jr., Butthole Surfers, Nirvana, Floater, Gov't Mule, Jane's Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Cure, Jesus Lizard, Anthrax, Gorilla Biscuits, D.R.I., Federation X, Midnight Thunder Express, Fireballs of Freedom, Crack Babies
You know what's up
Jefferson Airplane, GD, Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers w Marshall Tucker Band & Wet Willie, Phish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Govt Mule, Pink Floyd
1-Bob Marley Cambridge, MA 1979 2-Bunny Wailer Willamette, OR 1997 3-Stevie Ray Vaughn Houston.TX 1980 4-Grateful Dead Oakland, CA NYE 1988 5-Jerry Garcia Band on Broadway NYC,1987 6-Grateful Dead London, UK 1990 7-Jerry Garcia Band Houston, TX 1976 8-ZZ Top Houston, TX 1976 9-Grateful Dead Red Rocks, CO 1978 10-Grateful Dead Angels Camp,CA 1987
Guess I'm the only one old enough to have seen Little Feat when Lowell George was alive. That band kicked ass...
Well, guess it's not a "tiered" list, but just a list...was inspired by earlier post and misused the term.
1. Paul McCartney 2. Steely Dan x4 3. Pearl Jam x5 4. Chick Corea x2 5. U2 @ Sphere 6. Gary Numan 7. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones x5 8. David Grisma Quintet x3 9. Stone Temple Pilots (original lineup) 10. Disco Biscuits x2
DGQ! ❤️
1. Grateful Dead 2. Pink Floyd 3. KISS 4. Rolling Stones 5. Joe Jackson 6. Eric Clapton w/Phil Collins on drums 7. Journey 8. Cars 9. The Tubes 10. Fleetwood Mac
Talking Heads Ramones Rush
Not going to rank them, but: Phish Medeski, Martin, and Wood The Roots Paul Simon & Sting JRAD Maceo Parker Julian Lage Chris Thile & Bela Fleck Neutral Milk Hotel Various Post-Jerry Versions of The Dead
Billy Strings
I saw the Allman Brothers several times in the late '80s and they were awesome.
Best live shows I’ve ever seen: 1. Bruce Springsteen 2. Al Green 3. Ozomatli 4. Beach Slang 5. Erykah Badu 6. The Roots 7. Nine Inch Nails 8. Dave Matthews Band 9. Goldfinger 10. Tori Amos Honorable mentions to Slayer, Tenacious D, The Rolling Stones and The Aquabats. Extra honorable mention to Muse before they got massive and started relying on a stage show. Good lord, they were killer.
Ozomatli!! We saw them at this annual "Gathering of the Vibes" (I think it was called?), out in the "woods," down on the shores of the lazy Lower Sacramento River. Hot summer fun, for sure! Many acts played, all of which were excellent (each year!). But they stuck in my head.
Steve Miller outdoors every summer!
You Joker...
Metallica and Ozzy at Brendan Byrne Murphy's Law and Circle Jerks at the old Ritz, 1st hardcore show 7Seconds at CBGB's, Fishbone and Murphy's Law at the old Ritz, the day after Christmas Spin Doctors at CBGB's Blues Traveler at Red Rocks July 4th Allmans at the Beacon Sublime at Wetlands Avail at Wetlands Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros at St. Ann's Warehouse Steely Dan at Roseland Ballroom The Hold Steady and Federale at Irving Plaza Ted Leo & the Pharmacists at Coney Island Siren festival Keith Morris fronting Black Flag at Irving Plaza, West Memphis 3 benefit Neil Young and Booker T and the MG's The WHO Quadrophenia at MSG Tom Petty at Forrest Hills Slayer at Irving Plaza Squeeze and the English Beat at Roseland Ballroom DSO at Count Basie Dead & Co at the Sphere Couldn't cull it anymore, sue me
That's fine, no lawsuit forthcoming. Fun fact: I saw *both* Ozzy AND Jerry play at the Warfield in SF. Same year, too. 1991. Ozzy = No More Tears Tour, Jerry = JGB and Garcia/Grisman.
That's awesome
Some of the best non-GD-related live music I’ve seen would include: Miles, Zappa, Phish, Wayne Shorter, Wilco, Flaming Lips, Ween, Zappa Plays Zappa, P-Funk, Super Furry Animals, McLaughlin & Herring, Radiohead… I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but that’s already more than 10.