Best Live Performances I Have Attended

As the month of August is starting to wrap up, I have been thinking a lot about all the things that seem so foreign to me now that COVID-19 has taken over the world. One thing that sadly seems so foreign is concerts and live music. I have been missing live music so bad that I have even gone back in my camera roll to watch the shitty quality iPhone videos I have of concerts from the past. And people say we never go back and watch those…ha! Anyways, since I have been reminiscing on concerts from the past, I figured I would share my top 10 favorite concerts/live performances I have attended. (Apologies for the low quality concert photos. For the sake of reminiscing, let’s just pretend they are way better quality than they actually are.)

Now for starters, we should discuss what makes a live performance so special. I am a sucker for pretty much any type of live music even if I don’t know the band simply because I enjoy the ambiance of it all. Something about just being there and seeing a group of people come together to create beautiful music is so exciting. However, there are always those types of performances that completely blow you away and leave you on a “concert high” for the days following it. The kind of concerts where you become aware that you are actually there in the crowd witnessing this amazing celebration of music while you can feel all the instruments in your chest. That feeling when the whole crowd is on that same wavelength and everyone is simply happy to be there and be a part of that moment. Those are the types of concerts that stick with me. That being said, some of my most favorite concerts were shows that I didn’t really know the band or artist that well, or maybe I was somewhat indifferent about the band going into the show but then the performance left me feeling like the biggest fan in the crowd that night. Some of my favorite shows are ones where they were bucket list shows of some of my favorite performers and they exceeded the expectations I had. Simply put, just the performance being your favorite band or artist doesn’t make the concert good, it is the energy! So, in no particular order, let’s dive in:

Muse

Muse is the perfect example of a show where I was a bit indifferent towards the band but was immediately changed after the concert. I knew a few of their songs and knew they were a good band, but never really got into them. I ended up at one of their shows because they were playing at the Austin City Limits Music Festival one year and they seemed to be the better option of the two headliners that night. I ended up in a pretty good spot for it being at a festival and when the band came on, the energy completely swept me off my feet. The crowd for that concert was insane! Everyone there was truly so thrilled to be seeing them and it felt like one giant group of friends. I ended up next to a group of people who came all the way from Australia to attend the festival and they were huge Muse fans. I ended up jumping around and dancing the whole concert while having the time of my life. The band had such a fun energy and it really felt like they were partying along with us. Not to mention, their light show made for an even better vibe. After that concert, I realized I was a Muse fan and went back to listen to all their stuff just to try and relive that amazing show. If you get a chance to see Muse, even if you are not a fan, I highly recommend.

Paul McCartney

Now Paul McCartney was one of those shows that was a bucket list show for me. I was beyond excited when I found out that he was headlining the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2018 and immediately made plans to see him. When the time came to actually see him, I was so excited I could barley contain myself. I was seriously like a little kid waiting to open presents from Santa the whole day. With all the suspense building up to his performance and me letting myself get way to excited, I literally burst into tears the moment he started playing! I could not help myself, it was just so surreal to actually be there getting to watch my favorite Beatle perform some of my favorite songs. I truly never thought I would actually get to see Paul McCartney and it finally happened. Aside from my own personal excitement, the crowd at that show was amazing as well. Everyone was so respectful and happy to be there, which is sometimes hard to come by at festivals. When he sang Hey Jude the whole entire park sang along and the emotions were high for everyone, you could just feel it. It felt as if we were all angels in some heavenly choir singing together (I know, I am dramatic). Paul himself is also an AMAZING performer. I am not saying I am shocked or anything, he has been doing it for so long, but he really went above and beyond. He interacted with the crowd, told stories, shared fun photos on the screen, and played multiple different instruments (including a psychedelic looking piano). All in all, it was an amazing experience and one of the best days I have ever had.

Fleetwood Mac

The Fleetwood Mac concert was another one like Paul McCartney with it being a bucket list show and a show that I didn’t think I would ever have the chance to see. I have been a Fleetwood Mac fan as long as I can remember and Stevie Nicks is a true goddess in my eyes. I actually surprised my mother with the tickets to this show for her 50th birthday so it was already a fun celebration for us. The funny thing about this show was that getting there was somewhat of a disaster. It was freezing cold out and was drizzling all night. The traffic to get to the show was insane and the lines outside where taking forever while we stood in the freezing rain. Once we got to the front, they wouldn’t let us in due to the strict bag rules (we had small purses but apparently not small enough). We were so stressed about getting into the show in time that we hid our purses in the bushes instead of waiting in the long line to pay for a locker and ran straight in. (And yes, the purses were still there once it was over, untouched!) Once we got in we were wet, cold and a bit frustrated. However, we quickly grabbed a beer and found our seats just as the band started to play The Chain. As soon as they started playing all the frustration and stress getting to the show completely went away. The band was so energetic; they played so many of their fan favorites and even shared little tidbits and stories in between. This tour was the one where they had Mike Campbell and Neil Finn replace Lindsey Buckingham. And as much as I would have adored having Lindsey playing with them, Mike and Neil did an amazing job. The visuals of the show were breathtaking as well and helped add to the witchy and mystic vibe that Fleetwood Mac carries. When Stevie started singing Landslide, myself, and I am sure the majority of the audience, were in tears. I was so happy to be there and getting to hear these songs live. Moments like that make me feel like my heart is about to burst. Again, I know I am dramatic. Overall, the whole show was a 10/10.

Eminem

Eminem was another show I got to see while attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I have always been an Eminem fan and grew up trying to rap every word to his songs in the car. When his show started he came on stage just bursting with energy. He really played into the crowd and made everyone feel like we were all just jamming out with our closest friends. He performed so many of his crowd favorites and even surprised me with some of the older stuff he did. When he performed “The Real Slim Shady” and “Lose Yourself” the entire crowd lost it. Everyone was jumping up and down matching every word that came out of his mouth. Another thing I really enjoyed about this show was that the people in the crowd were actually so cool and respectful. People were making sure everyone had a drink and/or smoke, they were helping each other find their friends, they were rapping along to the songs with complete strangers, and practically making friends with everyone around them. Being the rapper that Eminem is, he obviously comes off pretty tough but when he performs, he seems so genuine and happy to be there. Attending that show made me love him as an artist so much more.

Mumford & Sons

As it seems to be a trend with me, I also saw Mumford & Sons at the Austin City Limits Music Festival one year. I had been a fan of theirs for a while and had heard that they were great performers from a few different people. I had listened to Mumford & Sons quite a bit from high school and on into college so they have a bit of “coming of age” nostalgia for me. I ended up with a pretty good spot for their show and even had my own little space to dance around. From the moment they came on stage, they were totally into it. They brought such a light and energy to that stage that it made the whole concert seem so comfortable and welcoming. Being that the type of music they perform is very folk rock but also a bit emotional, their delivery of the songs was phenomenal. I felt like I was on some sort of cloud just dancing along to their songs and feeling all the lyrics as I had for so long. Some of their songs like “Below My Feet”, “The Cave”, and “White Blank Page” have such intensity in the emotions that they give off that hearing them live was just unbelievable. The energy that the band created in that space made me feel like I was in my own little world enjoying my own personal concert.

Ice Cube

Another Austin City Limits Music Festival show, Ice Cube was one that took me by surprise. I had enjoyed Ice Cube’s music for a while before I saw him but he was one of those artists who I liked but didn’t really freak out over. Well once I was at his show that completely changed. He was so charismatic on stage and really put the whole audience in a party mood. I ended up hearing songs of his that I had totally forgotten about and was jumping around the whole show. He talked to the crowd, shared stories and even joked around. He made it seem like he really was just some dude up there enjoying some good music. The people in the crowd were also so fun and energetic; the whole vibe of the area was immaculate. People were dancing around with strangers, making friends with the people next to them, and the whole show felt like I was attending some crazy fun house party. Ice Cube was such a great performer that my respect for him increased before I even left the park that night.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were another show I saw at an Austin City Limits Music Festival and coincidently, they were the band that came on after Ice Cube so that was definitely an amazing night for music. I had high hopes for the RHCP after being a fan of theirs for years and holy shit they delivered! They came out swinging with their performance and never stopped the whole time. The energy they brought was so exhilarating that it was one of those concerts that you literally don’t stop moving the whole time, whether it is a swaying or even jumping up and down. For their whole set I felt like I was living some California beach fantasy. Each member of the band was so fun to watch perform, like you could really tell they loved what they were doing up there. When you can tell a musician is really enjoying what they are doing, it makes the performance that much better. The RHCP was a performance that I had looked forward to for so long and they did not disappoint! (I don’t have a photo from this show because my phone had died, whoops.)

Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers is quite different from these other performances I have written about so far. For starters, Phoebe’s music is sad and somber, and not really upbeat at all. Most of the performances in this list are on here for the insane energy they delivered but Phoebe is on this list for other reasons. I saw Phoebe Bridgers at a small venue in Austin called Antone’s and this was before Phoebe was as well known as she is now so my ticket only costs $15. Being that the venue was small, I was already excited because I knew that no matter where I stood, I would have a good view of the show. When the show started she really set the mood with the darker lighting, accented by some twinkle lights and was dressed in all black. She came out on stage and seemed so comfortable and real with the crowd. She talked to the crowd and interacted which is always a plus in my book. She joked around and you could really see the chemistry between her and her band members. Being that her songs are more sad and melancholy, getting to see her perform them so close made for such an intimate experience. You could really tell that the people in the crowd really wanted to be there and appreciated what Phoebe was doing. As lame and weird as this sounds, Phoebe’s concert left you feeling like you do after a good, long and much needed cry. I didn’t cry at her show but the performance was all so raw and real that it felt like I had. Myself and a bunch of other people in the crowd knew every song even after she would humbly say things like “I am not sure if y’all have heard this one” to which of course, most of us had, being that there were so many real fans there just happy to see Phoebe starting the get the recognition she deserved. Overall, the show was such a great experience and I am so happy to see Phoebe Bridgers doing so well, especially with her newest album she released this year, Punisher.

Lana Del Rey

Lana is another show I saw at Austin City Limits Music Festival and I think it was in 2014. I believe she was the show right before Eminem came on, what a line up right?! Now I was really pumped for Lana Del Rey because I had spent the past year listening to Lana all the time, whether I was studying, driving, or even just cleaning around the house. Lana herself gives off such “cool girl” vibes and seems so retro yet modern at the same time. Her on stage presence was just that, she was simply so cool and classy with everything she did. At one point she walked out on stage smoking a cigarette and just started chatting with the crowd and sharing fun anecdotes in between songs. Lana just radiates femininity and being in her presence makes you feel badass just being there. Her voice sounded so beautiful and sultry that it felt like she was practically hypnotizing the audience. Her performance had the power to make a huge music festival feel like we were all at a small tiny venue, and that is a hard thing to do!

The Foo Fighters

And the last, but not least on this list are the Foo Fighters. The Foo Fighters were another Austin City Limits Show and a show that I was happy to be attending but wasn’t a major fan before hand. I had liked a few of their songs and was a fan of Dave Grohl himself but didn’t quite consider myself a huge Foo Fighters Fan. That quickly changed once the show started. Prior to the show, Dave Grohl had broken his leg falling off stage at another concert but was still continuing on with his tour. We had heard that he had a broken leg but what we did not expect was for him to come out rocking on a giant thrown. The fact that this man made himself a thrown that had his guitars on it and all sorts of crazy lights just to make sure his performance was still top notch was crazy. I was absolutely blown away at the energy and intensity that Dave Grohl played while on that stage. It didn’t have to do with the fact that he had a broken leg, but he rocked harder than so many other people I had seen who had perfectly healthy legs. The whole show was so fun and everyone was just lit up with excitement. The Foo Fighters were another band that you could tell were enjoying themselves and that feeling bleed into the audience, which makes for an overall perfect vibe for a show. I jumped and danced around so much I felt like I had just ran a marathon by the time the show was over. Having been to that concert, I had a whole new appreciation for Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters as a whole. (I can’t find my photos from this show but I still had to include a picture of the throne for y’all from NME.com)

Man, reminiscing on all these shows just makes me miss live music that much more. I understand the situation we are in and why we can’t have concerts like we use to, but I am really looking forward to the day where I can be out there in a crowd just enjoying life and the celebration of music again. I mean can you imagine the type of energy the future concerts will have after being away from the scene for so long? Let’s just hope that it is sooner rather than later.

While we are reminiscing, what are some of your favorite live performances and why? Let me know in the comments below!