Shortly, which band is according to you the best live band?

What do you seek in a good live band? I've heard that Dream Theater is pretty boring, but they controll their instruments best. Pantera seems to have had a fantastic live show, but where equally much drunk.

I'd go for Slayer. Crazy atmosphere I saw them. Behemoth would probably beat them, if I'd see them one day.

@Nervel: To me a good live band needs a charismatic frontman, play their songs a little different (why go see a band live if they sound exactly as on the alnums) such as throw in a new short solo or some screams at the wrong place in the songs, you know what I mean. At last, the most important thing for a good live band is not themselves, it's the audience ... a great audience which sings along and everything.

PS. Slayer huh? Can't wait till I see them live in November for the first time!

Have fun seeing them. Kerry King has an awesome beard.

I've seen both Children of Bodom and In Flames live. Maybe it's just because I am not a huge fan of their music, but I didn't enjoy them to a bands fullest extent live. Children of Bodom also had some sound problems and it sounded like a wall of sound sort of, and a lot of In Flames songs sounded the same, though they were still pretty cool. My favorite band I have personally seen live is Nile, but I would love to see Dream Theater and Behemoth live, after that I could probably die happy. I know the former don't really have a lot of stage presence, but I would be in awe most of the time staring at their playing anyways. Especially if they always perform like they do on their DVDs. Behemoth, I have seen many shows of and Nergal is awesome up front, I can't wait until the day I see them live.

For me, the most important thing when I saw a band is the energy, the connection with the people. I have to say that for me this bands have a lot of energy, at least in my experience:

Therion: Ok may be I'm not objective about this band just because I love them but they have so much energy and Christopher is an spectacle by himself!

Nightwish: Really powerful band in live and Tarja have a beautiful voice, real voice!

After Forever: Another amazing band with all the energy and connection with the people. The play a cover of he song 'The Evil That Man Do' and I almost cry of emotion and everyone get crazy

I really enjoy Iron Maiden's liveshows...Bruce Dickinson is so full of energy and nothing beats mooning the audience from the top of the Orange Stage or hanging in one arm singing 20 meters up in a loudspeakertower

The band I must see live is Norther, if I don't ... I'll die unhappy!

I can live with bands not moving around much. Still, I perfer to see them doing something entertaining.

Sure, Maiden are great. They have all these massive Eddies and Bruce waves the UK flag for 'The Trooper' and all. Truly marvellous show. Bodom are great too, but I thought their setlist was more than satisfactory and they seemed to have a blast themselves. I'll be glad to see them at Unholy Alliance again later this year.

I'd like to mention King Diamond. I'm not a massive fan but his theatrics are awesomely entertaining. From putting up faux iron gates infront of the stage, to puppets, dancers, hooded people, grandmothers and more. And he has a bone cross microphone which is awesome. Great setlist with a couple Mercyful Fate songs. Aaaand, he thanked a lot of the crew induvidually and seemed very humble, genuine and enjoyed himself. He also got cake because it was his birthday a couple of days afterwards and I was on the last date of the tour.

I think it's amazing when a band who is far from your favourite makes you leave the venue thinking "Shit, that was one of the best gigs I've EVER been to!"

I'm going to go with the obvious and say Maiden, but Rammstein is a big one also. I have never sen them live but I've seen videos and they're very well known for their insane pyrotechnics on stage, which means lots and lots of FIRE. And it looks kick ass. Bodom is pretty cool too. And of course SLAYER!!! Just because it's Slayer, and Slayer brings THE audiences of all audiences. Screaming along with thousands of Slayer fans is like nothing else, and the guys are ALWAYS 150% into the show themselves. They kicked ass at Unholy Alliance

There's nothing like Metallica. James always knows how to please the public, always playing killer songs and giving the 110% of the band at every moment. They are the best live band. I should state, however, that Rammstein with their fireworks and theatrical performances and In Flames with their insane non-stop attitude were two memorable concerts for me as well. I see that some posters above mine have mentioned Sepultura, and I agree with them - although I don't like their albums very much, I was blown away by their performance last April; Sepultura concerts are pure energy unleashed!

By the way, I'm another sucker for a Dream Theater concert. After having watched their Live at Budokan DVD, I found it pretty clear that I must not die before attending a Dream Theater gig.

I can only say Opeth. I never saw them live, but I saw the Lamentations DVD plus several bootleg concerts, and they sound better then on a CD.

Well I have to say from the metal bands which I have seen live (Opeth, Devin Townsend, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Trivium, Megadeth, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Nevermore, Fear Factory, and Between the Buried and Me) I would have to say that for moshing Arch Enemy is the best band there it was pretty intense. Out of every band though Devin Townsend and Opeth are the most intresting to see they have great stage presence and play their songs flawlessly. This month I am also seeing Behemoth, The Unholy Alliance Tour, and Strapping Young Lad so my mind might be changed. I also found that Dream Theater is a great band to see live if you don't want a big fancy show and you are content on just watching amazing musicians jam out flawlessy because they don't really move around much but when I saw them they played Instrumedely so it was amazing.

here in Portugal isnt common to see bands like Children of Bodom, Opeth, Arch Enemy etc...but the ones i saw i have to say Metallica gave a hell of a good show, sorry but i have to say...Slipknot live is just awesome!

Moonspell oh god Moonspell ...at night under the Full Moon! just great ^^

although i dont like that much Soulfly, i have to admit that they own live.

Fear Factory gave a great show in April here!

Iron Maiden and Metallica are on top of my list

I've seen them both over dozen times and loved every minute of it

The best live bands are without a doubt Despised Icon and Ion Dissonance. Sick attitude.

Well, I think usually if the bands a person likes on tape are doing relativly good or even OK live, they are the person's favourite live act... still I think the best live bands are Children Of Bodod, In Flames and Slayer... so watch our for the European Unholly Allieance tour, which is surely going to be SICK... otherwise I don't think you can leave out Rammstein that have a really really great live show and SlipKnot (rip on me all you want, but the Disasterpieces DVD is probably the sickest concert I've seen taped ) and also Soulfly and Machine Head from the bands I've seen actually deliver pretty tightly...

Still, Children Of Bodom wins it for me

@Ruines- I didn't really like Despised Icon when I saw them live. The main lead singer really annoyed me because he kept on making stupid faces. Plus, they sounded less grind/death metal live than on cd.

The best band that I have seen live is Lamb of God. I didn't even recognize hardly any songs because they sounded so much more brutal live. Randy's voice was ridiculously strong and their overall stage presence was great. I actually saw them in a small club because this was on the day they released As the Palaces Burn and weren't as popular yet. The highlight of the set was the Wall of Death during the song, Black Label. People got seriously fucked up at that show.

I haven't seen Pantera but I heard they were among the best live.

A Dozen Furies. Period.

Slayer. Absolutely mind-blowing live. Words cannot say how cool their show was. A band I was suprised by though was Mastodon, who did a great job live.

Written by Dangerboner on 29.06.2006 at 02:37

@Ruines- I didn't really like Despised Icon when I saw them live. The main lead singer really annoyed me because he kept on making stupid faces. Plus, they sounded less grind/death metal live than on cd.

You were unlucky cuz everytime i saw em (and i saw em a few times seriously) they really put up a really good show.

Slayer was great live but not as great as I was expecting. Actually, in terms of thrash metal, I think Kreator offered a better show, or maybe Kreator was just having a good day and Slayer a bad day? Either way, Kreator's show was far more energetic and exhausting...

My own personal favorite live experience would be New Model Army, it was truly a magical night...

Some more bands that I remember as having great shows:
Dio
Overkill
Opeth
In Flames
Sodom
Fantomas

I dont actually like some of these bands (In Flames, Opeth) but their live chemistry was very good.

I don't like Deicide at all, but of all the concerts I had been in they offered the strongest performance... that band is meant to be heard live!

And well, I had never seen Iced Earth but listening to "Alive In Athens" is enough to realize that they're the greatest live band EVER... most of their studio albums don't attract me at all (the only one I like is "Burnt Offerings"), but Alive In Athens is over-the-top

@Southern Wind- Yes, Deicide is amazing live. They're probably my second favorite live band.

I saw Slayer live and it was exciting but i still prefer Metallica's live performances. Maiden and Metallica are my favourite live bands. Can't do wrong.

probably motley crue or alice cooper. shock rock shows are the best shows to go to. whats not a cool about a 60 year old man cutting off his own head

I'd have to say Metallica. And when I finally see Slayer in November I might change my mind!

Uhmm let me think of all the concerts I have gone ...well My King Diamond has an excellent show ....I mean the make up and just the stage is excellent I love it and every move he mades every note they play they are truly musicians so professional...

Another band I have to agree with my dear Alouqua ..Therion ..they're performance , they don't have any fancy things but ohhhh they have such good energy , I love the way they put the chorus and then the principle singer ....it just great .... so much energy and they all look beautiful onstage and then at the end how all of them bend ahhhh so nice ...

Uhmm let me see what else well Manowar Indeed are the loudest in the world ,they are great ...

Uhmm I'm sure I'm missing a lot but well when I remember I'll come back ...

Written by [user id=5724] on 29.06.2006 at 02:39

A Dozen Furies. Period.

Can you please explain a bit further because I have alot of doubt of them being them best live band.
I have seen this band live and they were terriable. The bass player hit all four strings at the same time the entire set it was the most pointless thing ever. It seemed to me that they spent more time coreographing their moves together to look cool then they did practising because they made alot of mistakes and the songs weren't that great. I also found the singer to be quite annoying because he kept spitting water at everyone.

@Endoftherainbow: I think he was being sarcastic.