10. Ozzy Osbourne (1982) One of Randy Rhoads last performance with Ozzy before his tragic death. We knew we were seeing something special but never really fully appreciated it till years later.
9. Operation Rock N Roll Judas Priest/Alice Cooper/Metal Church/Dangerous Toys/Motorhead With a line up like this how could you not enjoy it. Judas Priest has always been a force live, Alice Cooper put on a great live show, Metal Church is another personal favorite who didn't disappoint and Dangerous Toys and Motorhead. Five quality acts for 1 show made for a memorable weekend.
8. Tool.Messhugah (2001) - Tool's live shows are legendary so I went based on what I heard from Lateralus and Sober. It was perhaps one of the most amazing shows from an audio/visual experience that I've ever been to. Sitting thru Messhugah was, uh, painful but seeing Tool for the first time was oh so sweet.
7. Clash of the Titans Slayer/Anthrax/Megadeth/Alice in Chains - What was interesting about this tour was that all 3 bands did headlining sets yet very night a different band rotated the closer spot. I remember thinking Alice in Chains was an odd choice of openers and quite honestly were a bit disappointing live. The other 3 bands though it was a chance to one up each other on a nightly basis so all 3 bands had to bring there "A" game or risk getting blow off the stage. Megadeth and Anthrax put on killer shows, but Slayer...they just took the energy to a whole nother level!!! The intensity and anticipation was unprecedented for a live act and they delivered. From the opening of Hells Awaits the band just obliterated the audience with The Anti Christ, War Ensemble, South of Heaven, Raining Blood, Jesus Saves, Dead Skin Mask, Seasons of the Abyss, Mandatory Suicide and closing with Angel of Death. I have never been to a show as intense as since before or after seeing Slayer live.
6. Rush/Eric Johnson (1991)
Rush is the consummate professional bands. They've made some great live records and have a ton of great material to choose from so the real question is how could they pull if off live. Those questions were soon answered. The sound at the Palace was fantastic even from our vantage point, the visual presentation was even better and Eric Johnson opening made for a night that will be remembered for a long time.
5. ProgPower USA III - That's pretty bad when you have a line as amazing at Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Angra, Threshold, Silent Force, Edguy, Pain of Salvation and Devin Townsend and you only make a list at # 5 of all time best shows. Yes it was an amazing show, to have a collection of talent in one venue in one weekend was amazing and as always the ProgPower family was incredible to hang with. The only reason it didn't rank any higher is I wasnt' as familiar with all the bands but it was still in incredible weekend and really opened my eyes to how much great music I was missing out on at the time. All of the bands performed very well especially Edguy.
4. Metallica/Machine Head (2010) - Having seen Metallica at the Monster's of Rock really left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time. The venue was an absolute shithole for concerts, the acoustics were so bad where we sat that everything sounded distorted. This for me was big on 2 front, one it was a chance for redemption for a band I've always revered since Kill Em All and two, it was the #1 bands on my wife's bucket list of bands she wanted to see. The concert and days surpassed all expectations for both of us. Metallica put on a fantastic show, playing for over 2 hours, we were about 3 rows from the front, so close you could see the sweat dripping and the band put on a great show. While it may not have been the best live show I've ever seen the experience itself and the fact that I got to share it with my wife made it one of my concert highlights that I'll never forget.
3. Bloodstock UK 2003 - 2003 was a pretty good year for festivals. First the BW&BK show in Cleveland and then later that year Bloodstock UK in Derby England. This show was so memorable in many ways. I've always wanted to go to a European metal show so when Saxon & Nightwish were announced as headliners I saw this as a no-brainer. I got a ticket, a hotel, and had even done an interview with Power Quest before the show for my zine. My time in England surpassed all expectations. I flew in on Thursday and somehow managed to make it to a pub to catch Power Quest and My Soliloquy doing a pre-show warm up gig together. Steve Williams and his bandmates were so welcoming and cordial, I got to meet up and hang out with them after the show. The rest of the weekend was just as amazing. I met up with group of people who kind of took me under their wings being I was the foreigner there and we just had such an amazing time. Steve and the band greeted me Friday as if I were a long lost friend as well. The bands were as memorable also Power Quest, Masterplan, Edguy, Paradise Lost, Biomechanical were all fantastic and Nightwish put on a worthy show of any headliner on Friday, but the weekend belonged to Biff Byford and Saxon and they just ripped through a set that was as powerful and tight as any band I've ever seen. I've never been back to England but my 1 and only trip and this concert left an amazing impression that I'll never forget.
2. ProgPower USA 8 2007- This weekend had it all. An amazing performance from Freak Kitchen on Thursday night, a bevy of bands that included After Forever, Primal Fear, Threshold, Firewind, Pagan's Mind, Communic, Raintime and one of our favorites Sonata Arctica. Im a veteran have going to Progpower shows however this was my wife's first show so I was very excited to share the experience with her. The whole weekend was a completely amazing experience she got to see and feel what everybody talks about. Progpower is like a family reunion with 1400 of your favorite cousins. Everyone is so warm & friendly and there were some unforgettable moments such as Pagans Mind whose set blew me away and Freak Kitchens performance that had everyone laughing and headbanging all night long. Most of the band were fantastic and getting to see Sonata Arctica together for the first time topped it off. We made some new friends and reacquainted with some old ones in what was the 3 funnest days we had up to that point in our relationship.
1. BW&BK 6 Pack 1 2003 - Three bands from this show would likely have made the list individually had I seen them separately but the fact that they all played together at the Odean Theater in Cleveland made this weekend even more special. The bands played to a packed house and featured 12 bands over 2 days. The line up was a who's who in the metal world which included Force of Evil (essentially Mercyful. Fate minus King Diamond), Eidolon, Cage, Falconer, Elegy, Jag Panzer, Kataklysm, Evergrey, Beyond The Embrace and closing Friday nights show was Nevermore. Wolf played an amazing set Saturday while trying to shed their Iron Maiden clone stigma but it was the last two bands that had fans talking for years to come. Trouble was the 2nd to last band of the night and just ripped through an absolutely blistering performance that was so good that Messiah Marcolin commented after Candlemasse's first song, "How the hell do you follow up that performance. Candlemass did an amazing show in their own right but this weekend belonged to Eric Wagner and Trouble, There have been very few shows as good as trouble through the tears and to see Trouble and Candlemass on the stage back to back was an unforgettable experience.
Honorable Mention:
Black Sabbath w/Ronnie James Dio - Toledo Sports Arena
Kiss (with makeup) - Toledo Sports Arena
Prog Power VI - Therion, Stratovarius, Manticora, Orphaned Land, Circus Maximus, Angra, Conception
BW&BK 6 Pack 2 - Katatonia, Primal Fear, Gravedigger, Doro, Brainstorm, Dismember, Flotsam & Jetsam
Lollapalooza 2 - RHCP, Ministry, Soundgarden, Ice Cube, Jesus & The Mary Chain, Pearl Jam, Lush
Chicago Powerfest - Katagory V, Ion Vein, Imagika, Twelth Gate, Tad Morose, Silencer, Archetype, Morgana Lefay
Deep Purple/Emerson Lake & Palmer/Dream Theater - Pine Knob Music Theater
