What are some of the best vocal and guitar performances you have ever heard?

[ZoSoRose]

Thought it would make for some cool gig discussion

Vocals-

Axl- All 3 times I have seen him, I know his voice post 2010 gets flack but he was on fire the shows I have seen

Steven Tyler- The first time I have seen Aerosmith in 2010 he was just on fire. Saw them again in 2012 but he wasn't quite as good.

Robert Plant- I have seen him twice, once on the Raising Sand tour and another this past August with the Sensational Shape Shifters. Holy shit, that second show was incredible. His voice has aged so well, and that performance was just stellar.

There are a lot of other honorable mentions too- Bono, Roget Daltrey, Myles Kennedy, Sammy Hagar, Toshi of X Japan, Klaus Meine, and others

Guitar-

Slash- I've seen him 5 times total and the 2 best times are my favorite guitar gigs- The Hall of Fame and in Detroit in 2012. Its Slash at his best, enough said.

Guns N' Roses- The third time I saw them in 2012 was awesome. All of their tones were fantastic, the playing felt a bit more raw or unhinged (maybe cause it was a small venue idk), everybody was just so into it. 2011 was great too.

The Rolling Stones- Saw them last year, Keith, Ronnie, and Mick Taylor kicking ass.

Van Halen- Diamond Dave wasn't at his best, there were some sound problems, and the video screen didn't work half the time. That being said, the gig was amazing if not for one important thing- Eddie Van Halen!

Honorable mentions- Eric Clapton, The Who, Buckethead, Satriani, Metallica, X Japan, Rush, Aerosmith...

Fuck, a lot of my honorable mentions are interchangeable with the ones I listed and there are loads I have missed. Anyways, I love good gigs

[Crash Diet]

lol at 20111-12 Axl/GNR in a greatest guitar and vocal performances thread appearance

Edited February 23, 2014 by Crash Diet

[ZoSoRose]

lol at 20111-12 Axl/GNR in a same greatest guitar and vocal thread appearing

I'm telling you, man. He was really good! It could easily be because I was there but I have a boot of the 2011 show (I think Russ made it) and it is pretty darn good!

[Facekicker]

I saw Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac live a few years back. Unbefuckinlievable.

Tom Petty

Rolling Stones

AC/DC

Springsteen

Slash

Really great performances from the usual suspects

Saw the Wailers a few years back - they were great, forget who did vocals but he was very good. The sound from the band was just phenomenal.

Saw GNR in 2006 and 2010

It was good but just fell short of the above.

[WhazUp]

Vocals:

Chris Cornell I saw twice solo acoustic and twice with Soundgarden the past few years. Holy shit does that guy still have it, every show he was completely on point and his range is still amazingly well intact

Eddie Vedder with Pearl Jam last year was really good, he puts a lot of passion into what he sings

I also saw Robert Plant last year and I was really impressed at how amazing he still sounds, what he doesn't have in sheer high range he has in a great melodic sense and great power

Guitar:

Lindsey Buckingham really surprised me when I saw Fleetwood Mac last year, he did an extended solo on I'm So Afraid that really stood out as one of the best guitar moments I have experienced live

Guthrie Govan was playing with Steven Wilson's band and of course that guy is just fucking insane, everything he did drew cheers from the crowd

I have seen Eric Clapton twice, once with Derek Trucks back in 2007 and once with Steve Winwood around 2010 I believe, both of those shows were amazing and Clapton's guitarwork was like a "Blues 101" lesson

I just saw Joe Bonamassa at a small jazz club in Los Angeles like two weeks ago with a funk band and that was amazing

I have seen Rush four times and Alex Lifeson killed it every time

And Van Halen both in 2007 and in 2012 - Eddie still has it!

Edited February 23, 2014 by WhazUp

[Gordon Comstock]

I'm sure there's a lot more, but off the top of my head....

Vocals:

-Axl in 2010

-Baz, opening for Guns in 2010

-Sully Erna (Godsmack) @ Cruefest 2009

-Eric Nally (Foxy Shazam) @ Bumbershoot festival 2012

-Steven Tyler @ Vancouver 2010. Saw them in 2006 as well, but he was better the 2nd time

Guitar:

-Buckethead in 2012

-DJ Ashba.... @ Cruefest 2008. I like him a little less each time I see him now that I actually think about it, but I was really impressed when I saw Sixx: A.M.

-Mick Mars. He's been awesome each time I've seen Motley, actually he's the only consistently good thing about Motley.

[TeeJay410]

Slash is always fantastic live

Say what you will about their music as most criticism is warranted, but A7X puts on a hell of a live show.

Blink 182 is fun live. Their guitarist vocalist is horrible live at singing.

The current misfits lineup is pretty embarrassing. I knew going in it wouldn't be great and I was only there for the novelty, but it was bad.

[Iron MikeyJ]

lol at 20111-12 Axl/GNR in a same greatest guitar and vocal thread appearing

I'm telling you, man. He was really good! It could easily be because I was there but I have a boot of the 2011 show (I think Russ made it) and it is pretty darn good!

I was at that gig as well, I was honestly shocked how good Axl sounded. He fucking sang his ass off and it was a great concert. We all love to give Axl and nugnr shit, but it was one of the best rock concerts I have ever been to. I saw original nugnr back in 2002, but the 2011 show was WAAAY better.

I also saw VH at the palace in 2012, that was also a good show (eddie and alex were on fire) but I agree Dave was a let down, especially after seeing Axl a couple of months earlier.

[J Dog]

Vocals:

Axl - '06. Did not disappoint at all. Maybe the best I've heard.

Gwen Stefani - She really impressed me.

Steven Tyler - I have to agree with others. When I saw them he proved to me he is a great rock singer.

I probably shouldn't include him as one of the best I've seen, but lots of people bash Perry Ferrell live. When I saw JA he went way above my expectations.

Guitar:

Slash - As great as I was expecting.

Prince - He really gained a new level of respect from me.

Tony Iommi - One of the few times I really felt like pulling a Wayne & Garth, we're not worthy, we're not worthy. He jumped way up on my list.

In general: Weezer, Rob Zombie, and Ziggy Marley were all shows I was so-so about going to see and ended up just loving all of them.

And some love for big Snoop Dogg. Most rappers suck live. Not only did Snoop not suck, but it was one of the funnest shows I've ever been too.

Edited February 25, 2014 by J Dog

[ZoSoRose]

lol at 20111-12 Axl/GNR in a same greatest guitar and vocal thread appearing

I'm telling you, man. He was really good! It could easily be because I was there but I have a boot of the 2011 show (I think Russ made it) and it is pretty darn good!

I was at that gig as well, I was honestly shocked how good Axl sounded. He fucking sang his ass off and it was a great concert. We all love to give Axl and nugnr shit, but it was one of the best rock concerts I have ever been to. I saw original nugnr back in 2002, but the 2011 show was WAAAY better.

I also saw VH at the palace in 2012, that was also a good show (eddie and alex were on fire) but I agree Dave was a let down, especially after seeing Axl a couple of months earlier.

That was the Van Halen show I was at, too! I loved the gig even if Dave wasn't great. I was in the last row and still enjoyed the hell out of it! Plus I am glad it was Dave up there, he was still great to watch

[Demon Wolf]

[Broskirose]

Slash is always fantastic live

Say what you will about their music as most criticism is warranted, but A7X puts on a hell of a live show.

Blink 182 is fun live. Their guitarist vocalist is horrible live at singing.

The current misfits lineup is pretty embarrassing. I knew going in it wouldn't be great and I was only there for the novelty, but it was bad.

I think you missed the point of the thread darling.

[bacardimayne]

Myles Kennedy was amazing when I saw him live. Slash too.

Paul McCartney was incredibly solid for 70.

70 year old Paul singing lald in its original key > 50 year old fat Axl singing it a half step down (or 30 year old Axl for that matter)

Edited February 25, 2014 by bacardimayne

[ZoSoRose]

I saw Paul McCartney in 2011, it was absolutely brilliant

[Snake-Pit]

[Snake-Pit]

That's best vocal and guitar performances; for me.

[moreblack]

In honor of his passing today, here's Paco De Lucia, alongside John McLaughin and Al Di Meola in one of the best live guitar albums ever.

[Guest Len B'stard]

In honor of his passing today, here's Paco De Lucia, alongside John McLaughin and Al Di Meola in one of the best live guitar albums ever.

Paco De Lucia is dead? Aww fuck me, what is this, the Len jinx, whenever i get into someone i either find out they've been dead since the the late 70s or they die soon after, fuck me, i should have a word with the Dead Pool lads and have em look over any new music I'm getting into, thats a sure fire fuckin' way of knowing whoose gonna croak in the next year or so, Barca Girl only put him my way a few month ago. Tell ya what, he could play his arse off that boy.

[moreblack]

In honor of his passing today, here's Paco De Lucia, alongside John McLaughin and Al Di Meola in one of the best live guitar albums ever.

Paco De Lucia is dead? Aww fuck me, what is this, the Len jinx, whenever i get into someone i either find out they've been dead since the the late 70s or they die soon after, fuck me, i should have a word with the Dead Pool lads and have em look over any new music I'm getting into, thats a sure fire fuckin' way of knowing whoose gonna croak in the next year or so, Barca Girl only put him my way a few month ago. Tell ya what, he could play his arse off that boy.

Even when he was just playing chords, he was phenomenal.

[ronaldo9]

Best guitarist I've seen live is easily Buddy Guy. Amazing talent and knows how to put on a good show.

My favorite vocal performance was probably Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They filled in at the last minute for Leon Russell as the opening act for Bob Dylan in 2011. Hadn't heard of them before that show, but they were great and Giddens really showed off her voice.