Oh man, i hate it when people don't go to shows because of other people's opinions. If you like them then go, never let critics decide for you.
Well, the only reason your opinion might sway me is because of past experience with Flaw. I 100% get that bands have off-nights though and that any given show could be significantly better or worse than another one. I go to tons of show though, so your opinion won't really make a difference. If I have nothing else to do that night, I'll likely go.
hard to say but about a year ago this local band opened for my ticket home in new york, did the whole WHAT THE FUCK IS UP metalcore guy voice thing, started playing some really bad, generic shit and then halfway into the song their computer fucked up so they couldn't do a bunch of triggered stuff they take ten minutes to get it back, and start the song over and he said the same exact things to "hype" the crowd up worst big band i've seen recently was Marilyn Manson last year. alice glass opened and fucking ruled, and he was just a total joke. I left before the whole fall on stage incident happened because it was so bad
This made me laugh so hard. BEST: Manchester Orchestra/Brand New 2009 right after Daisy was released. Both bands absolutely were on their A-game. Also one of the roughest shows I've ever been too, but the crowd was having fun and singing for both bands all night. WORST: Say Anthing opening for AVA on the LOVE tour. SA are one of my fav bands, but it sounded like they didn't get a soundcheck because their levels were off and continued to get worse throughout their 30 minute set. As a guy who's performed a ton, I get it, not their fault. I really felt bad for them.
BEST Bamboozle Roadshow 2010 (All Time Low, LMFAO, Third Eye Blind, etc.), Clarkston Vans Warped Tour 2010 (We the Kings, Sum 41, Artist vs Poet, Hot Chelle Rae, etc.), Detroit LMFAO @ Central Michigan Unversity, Mt. Pleasant The Wonder Years / Fireworks / Hostage Calm @ Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids Bled Fest 2013 (Andrew WK, Modern Baseball, TWIABP, Mixtapes, etc.) @ Hartland PAC, Howell Vans Warped Tour 2014 (Enter Shikari, Echosmith, Less Than Jake, Attila, etc.), Auburn Hills Patton Oswalt @ Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids Weird Al Yankovic @ Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant Insane Clown Posse @ The Loft, Lansing Vans Warped Tour 2016 (The Maine, Atreyu, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, etc.), Auburn Hills Ben Folds @ The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee The Menzingers @ Gman Tavern, Chicago Vans Warped Tour 2018 (The Maine, 3OH!3, Every Time I Die, Simple Plan, etc.), Cuyahoga Falls
Worst show I've been to was thirty seconds to mars on their last tour. For some reason I decided to get VIP which was a huge waste of money. They showed up late to do the VIP stuff and time with them was rushed. The merch that came with was bad too. The actual concert wasn't that bad. The openers saved this show from being a complete disaster. Welshly arms opened up the night and they sounded great. I didn't care about K.flay, her music is too bland for me. Walk the moon was the best part of the night. They brought such great energy and sounded amazing. I regret missing them on their tour earlier this year. Thirty seconds to mars was up and I was so disappointed. I had seen them before at a festival and I didn't notice how bad their show was then. Maybe because they had a short set. Anyways, Jared seemed like he didn't give a shit the entire day and extending many of the songs was not necessary. He relied on the crowd too much to sing the songs. Halsey showing up to perform love is madness with Jared that night was a surpise. Towards the end I was chosen to be one of the many people to be on stage for Closer to the edge but security didn't want to let me up there so that sucked. After that night I will never be going to their shows again
Best is a toss up between Prince and Rolling Stones, both in arenas. Seeing them really drove home that there are levels to live performances. Suppose an honorable mention goes to Wonder Years when they did those four shows in a day in four different cities. Saw them in Chicago at like 11am and then got super drunk at a house party the rest of the day haha.
The Suicide Machines at the Webster Theater in Hartford, CT circa fall of 2003. They were headlining the Van's Off The Wall Tour. Avenged Sevenfold, the Unseen, and Western Waste opened up. The show itself was tacked onto some battle of the bands thing, so as the night started... The people there for the local bands left. The "street punks" who were there for the Unseen left. And all the kids who were there just to see Avenged Sevenfold left after them. I don't recall the crowd that was left, but it was small. I want to say it was somewhere from 75-100 people. The band got on-stage, acknowledged the lack of attendance with a "fuck it, I guess this is a VFW Hall show now" and Jay jumped into the crowd where he spent the bulk of the set, dancing with the crowd as he sang. I'm not sure if that's the "best" show I've ever been to, but it's certainly the most memorable.
I think my favorite performance I've ever seen was Conor Oberst backed by the Felice Brothers a couple years ago in CT. Worst for me was Motionless in White opening for ADTR/BMTH/Chiodos which people have attacked me for previously but I just don't like that type of music in the slightest
Best show that isn't Hatsune Miku was probably Refused at Fun Fun Fun Fest when they first reunited Worst show was Xiu Xiu (who I love) opening for Swans
Best Shows: Coheed and Cambria- Piere's, Ft. Wayne, In- Afterman Tour Small show, amazing performance. Letlive- The Shelter, Detroit, MI- Random Headlining Show Jason really showed the crowd what he was capable of. My knee is still damaged from this show. Being As An Ocean- The Shelter, Detroit, MI- Counterparts Co-Headliner Holy fuck Joel. Insane Clown Posse- The Loft, Lansing, MI- Riddlebox Tour Say what you will about ICP, they are great entertainers. Worst Shows: Linkin Park/ Incubus- Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI- Honda Civic Tour Both bands were lazy. Makes me sad because everytime I had seen Linkin Park to this point I was very satisfied. The Story So Far- Michigan Lottery Amplitheater, Sterling Heights, MI- Coheed and Cambria/ Taking Back Sunday Lazy as fuck performers. Sounded horrible. Black Veil Brides- The Intersection, Grand Rapids, MI- AP Tour Watched them open for DRUGS, sadly I can't get that time back.
That band is nuts. Only found out about them because their bassist and guitarist were part of Arsonists Get All The Girls as touring members when I saw them.
They were insane. It was super surreal because they were setting up and their singer came up and quietly kind of introduced himself to me and I was like yeah hope you guys have a good set. Then they start and the dude just straight up spazzes out, destroys his mic in 20 seconds, grabs a second one and goes "that was the fastest time it's ever taken me to trash a mic". That set only got crazier from there. If any local band needs to be signed it's Steaksauce Mustache.
Saw that band name floating around a lot in a few diy touring groups when I still used Facebook and never listened to them solely because the name grossed me out too much haha
Worst. Hmmm... to me it's about expectations and a show that left me mad and that has to be Paramore/NFG/tegan and sara, Honda civic tour. Not cause any of the bands were bad but cause of the crowd. Sad
Best 2 shows I've been to Yellowcard (Farewell Tour) I went to the last 2 shows ever. The First night was Ocean Avenue in full along with hits. The second night was the normal set they played on the last run of shows they were doing. I was sad when it was time for the last song which was ocean avenue of course. I really didn't want this show and the band to end.
That had to be the worst crowd I have ever been in ever, I went to the Hershey, PA date and it was my first time seeing Paramore, luckily it got better from there.
It's too hard for me to choose specific shows that are the best and worst for me. Every show is fun no matter what! But with that being said nothing will ever top Enter Shikari's live shows for me