Some performances by the students at a local college, ie. lots of brass.

Prince. Amazing show. Incredible artist. His guitar playing was SO good that I have yet to see anyone even close to his skills.

Glastonbury one of the years it was a mud bath waiting for the main act to come - to the main stage, very cold and Michale Eavis who owns the land and puts on the whole show got his five year old daughter to play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little star on her violin' the crowd went wild shouted encore so many times, it was very sweet

In the 1980s I saw Joel Gray in a live performance at the Starlight Theater in Kans City, MO. When he came on stage, I was struck by how physically small he was. But, his performance was so great that it seemed that he grew and grew physically as the perrormance went on. It was a truly GREAT performance!

I also wanted to say Bonzo dod Doo Dah band they were so funny and so packed - (no seats) that everybody sqyuished in could feel each others ribs going up and down and they were jsut crazy manic with so many effects and such rapid turnover your bodies ached ,when it came to an end, from laughing, Vivian Stanshall was a tue artist showman.

Babyface , classic

Well... the live performance where I had the most fun was Vicious Circle. They performed in the basement of a dive bar/hotel. They graciously took most of our requests while we moshed and slammed our way into the wee smalls.

1992, The Bottom Line, NYC: They created a non-smoking section for me in front of the stage. We'd gone to see Leslie West and mountain, but soon they were joined by Clapton, who came onto the stage wearing the glasses/moustache/Big nose disguise - which didn't fool us one bit; THEN Ginger Baker and Keith Richards. They jammed all night. NOTHING like New York City! Oo oo and I forgot Dizzy Gillespie at Carnegie Hall...wait wait there was Billy Joel and Elton John, OYES and Tom Petty at Jones Beach...I can't say just one : (

Believe it or not, Alice Cooper.

He has a certain "magic" as a performer that is very rare.

Was back stage at a kiss concert, pretty funny, they were all dressed up eating a catered roast beef dinner and reading the wall street journal. Rock and roll. Sort of.

Marilyn Manson. He just gave it all and it was amazing.

Dead, Dead and more Dead

I saw the Old Crow Medicine Show open for John Prine a few years back, and they tore it the hell up. Then Prine was Prine.

The Dixie Dregs in a small bar in Murfreesboro, NC back in 1983 or 4.. Steve Morse is one of the most amazing guitarist alive, and to see him up-close like that was an awesome thing. If you like progressive jazz/rock,, you'll love these guys. [houstonpress.com]

I've seen U2 6 times! Fleetwood Mac twice . Loved Tina Turner, Cher, Elton John... love rock and roll...can you tell? Lol

Back in the 80's I saw the Violent Femmes at the Bowery in OKC. It was after they put out their first album. A friend and I hung out with them a bit after and I met Gordon. I was hooked. They were excellent and I saw them many times after that.

John Mellencamp, Willy Nelson & Bob Dylan 2010, Austin, Tx

The best for me was RUSH (Snakes and Arrows tour/ An Evening with RUSH).
Right up there was small venue Iron Maiden.

As far as just pure talent it would have to be the Eagles for me. I should add that they would probably be tied with Eric Clapton except the Eagles seem like they were enjoying themselves more than he did.

Probably "Phentom of the Opera" or "Miss Saigon", but in both cases I have to wonder if spectable influenced my deision.

The best show I saw live with no spectacle, was "A Chorus Line" at the Grand Hotel Dinner Theater in Anaheim, around 1984. (I have been told the hotel was torn down for a Disney expansion.)

I did see Ellen Degenerous in San Francisco way back before she became famous. She only had a just OK night. I also saw Bill Cosby in Las Vegas. He was just OK live. I think I prefer to see comedians on recordings, as you usually get to se them on a better night that way.

Peter Gabriel. Houston, November, 1982. What a superb showman!

Audio only from the tour:

Chicago.

I was lucky enough to see a lot of concerts.
My top 5
The Orb with full band Hollywood Ameican legion hall 1991
My Bloody Valentine The roxy and the Palace 1991
Kyuss ( Queens of the stone age right after high school) Ethyl Meatplow Maxwax at the Whiskey in 1991
Massive Attack The Wiltern 2010
Stone Temple Pilots back when they were called Mighty Joe Young Rage Against the Machine and Sugartooth in the Shamrock which is now Cheetah's a strip club on Hollywood Blvd. I actually promoted that show myself before any of those bands had gotten signed.

Stomp, in Chicago, about 10 years ago. Loved, loved, loved their show.

Sinead O'Connor