Greatest Live Performance Of a Rock Song

[Pard93]

... IMO, Jethro Tull was also very good live but toured the US infrequently. ...

When I first saw this thread I thought, OK here are a few songs that should get mentions:
1. Bruce (Born to Run)
2. Queen (Live Aid)
3. The Who (It seems like their show at the 9/11 concert gets a lot credit lately, but probably something earlier is considered "greater")

And then I thought, it would be nice if Jethro Tull got mentioned, but that probably won't happen.

So thank you (Song For) Jeffrey, you made my day. Some of that early Tull footage is crazy good. Would loved to have seen them live back then. Unfortunately I didn't catch them until later. But Ian Anderson is still quite a spectacle on a stage.

[House G]

One of my favorites was Soul Sacrifice by Santana at Woodstock. In addition to a young Carlos Santana, there is an electrifying drum solo by 20 yo Michael Shrieve (beginning at the 3:05 mark).

[OldPhiKap]

One of my favorites was Soul Sacrifice by Santana at Woodstock. In addition to a young Carlos Santana, there is an electrifying drum solo by 20 yo Michael Shrieve (beginning at the 3:05 mark).

True story:

Santana was supposed to go on late, and Carlos dropped a lot of really strong acid. Due to everyone getting caught in traffic/chaos, the promoter told the band they had to go on early. Someone explained to the promoter that Carlos couldn’t play yet due to said acid; the producer explained that they either go out now or they don’t go out at all.

Long/story short — Carlos is absolutely frying harder than neckbones in Crisco. There is a reason he looks so manic.

[WV_Iron_Duke]

The Saturday before Woodstock we saw the Jefferson Airplane play the longest set ever at the Fillmore East. The JA could do this since Cassidy and Jorma (Hot Tuna) could play while the others rested. Exhausted, they had to play at Central Park the next day. They didn't need worry. There was a new group not, well known on the east coast from the Palo Alto hills, named Santana that also played Saw the JA and The Who play on Tuesday at Tanglewood and then Woodstock (had tickets) on Thursday. Pretty good week for watching rock music.

[YmoBeThere]

So, all the previous answers were great but fall short. Actually on an otherwise overcast muggy evening in New Jersey, July 14th, 1994 to be exact, Bruce Springsteen along with Jon Bob Jovi and a couple of members of the E Street Band, Max Weinberg and Patti Scialfa, covered a Tom Waits song at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. No recordings are known to exist. And while he has done other great performances of the song, this version of Jersey Girl stands above the rest. I was 23.




And not in attendance. Though I did visit my sister who lived in Jersey that summer and spent a couple weeks in the area. So, in theory, I could have been.

[cspan37421]

This one is a video/audio performance with a comment stating it from an Isle of Wight festival:

You sure it wasn't from the Blues Jazz festival on the Isle of Lucy?

<ducks>

[cspan37421]

In terms of non-concert, live performances, there have been a few Letterman performances over the years that have been amazing. I will send over a list later on.

Here's one, IMO. Sure wish it was in HD, and that they didn't have to take out a verse at the end, presumably due to censorship about the subject matter (not curse words).

[jimmymax]

Pretty much just the guitar solo. Missed choice lyrics such as: "Some people... some people like cupcakes exclusively, while myself, I say there is naught nor ought there be nothing so exalted on the face of god's grey earth as that prince of foods... the muffin!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jh6wnmRbvQ

[Reddevil]

I was stationed in Germany in 1985. We had been in the field for most of the winter/spring and without access to much info from the outside world. Back at the barracks a buddy said, "Hey I have a few extra tickets to Live Aid if you'd like to go." I said, "What's Live Aid?" He was not sure either, but said it was going to be a decent concert over in Wembley Stadium. "What about plane tickets?" He said "We'll take a ferry - it's all part of the package." The rest is history. About 12 of us had really no idea of the cultural and historical significance of the event. We learned is was going to be simulcast in Philadelphia where the other "half" of the concert was from others on the ferry. Hmm, intriguing. The concert was good, and there were some awesome elements to it like Phil Collins taking a Concord to Philly after leaving Wembley in a helicopter and seeing him on the Jumbotron a few hours later.

Now the moment that sent shivers down my spine went like this: Robert Plant was listed as a performer in the program. So was Jimmy Page, but not near each other. Phil Collins comes on stage and introduces Plant, Page and John Paul Jones TOGETHER! Collins gets on the drums. Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love, and Stairway! For the first time in like a decade the living members of Led Zepplin played together. It was epic! There were long set up times between acts and everyone was sitting in the stands and in the "pitch". If it were an American football field and the stage were an endzone, we were at about the 30 - next to that big booth or whatever it is out in the field away from the stage in outdoor concerts. Everyone EVERYONE got up in unison. I still get goosebumps. In sounded okay, not great, but the gravity of the moment was awesome! Lifetime memory.

[madscavenger]

Joe Bonamassa With Beth Hart "- I'II Take Care Of You -" Live At The New York Beacon Theatre 5 November 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doy72nl9ZU4&t=34s

[Devilwin]

I was stationed in Germany in 1985. We had been in the field for most of the winter/spring and without access to much info from the outside world. Back at the barracks a buddy said, "Hey I have a few extra tickets to Live Aid if you'd like to go." I said, "What's Live Aid?" He was not sure either, but said it was going to be a decent concert over in Wembley Stadium. "What about plane tickets?" He said "We'll take a ferry - it's all part of the package." The rest is history. About 12 of us had really no idea of the cultural and historical significance of the event. We learned is was going to be simulcast in Philadelphia where the other "half" of the concert was from others on the ferry. Hmm, intriguing. The concert was good, and there were some awesome elements to it like Phil Collins taking a Concord to Philly after leaving Wembley in a helicopter and seeing him on the Jumbotron a few hours later.

Now the moment that sent shivers down my spine went like this: Robert Plant was listed as a performer in the program. So was Jimmy Page, but not near each other. Phil Collins comes on stage and introduces Plant, Page and John Paul Jones TOGETHER! Collins gets on the drums. Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love, and Stairway! For the first time in like a decade the living members of Led Zepplin played together. It was epic! There were long set up times between acts and everyone was sitting in the stands and in the "pitch". If it were an American football field and the stage were an endzone, we were at about the 30 - next to that big booth or whatever it is out in the field away from the stage in outdoor concerts. Everyone EVERYONE got up in unison. I still get goosebumps. In sounded okay, not great, but the gravity of the moment was awesome! Lifetime memory.

That was cool. I recall that. Led Zep an all time great rock band..Queen's performance that day has been rated the best rock performance by many critics..They owned Live Aid..

[accfanfrom1970]

Joe Bonamassa With Beth Hart "- I'II Take Care Of You -" Live At The New York Beacon Theatre 5 November 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doy72nl9ZU4&t=34s

Just saw Joe Bonamassa in Richmond for the 2nd time. Great show. No warm up, two hours and very little chit-chat. “This Train”, Slo-gin, several others. Every song had a step to the side solo that was just so impressive.

[Reddevil]

That was cool. I recall that. Led Zep an all time great rock band..Queen's performance that day has been rated the best rock performance by many critics..They owned Live Aid..

In retrospect they did I suppose. At that time in my life (21) my musical tastes came from the 70"s (non-Disco!). I liked the 1970's Queen stuff, but I was not a fan of the Radio Ga Ga 80's stuff. Madonna was huge too, but I didn't care about her either. It was just cool to be there and soak it all in. Zepplin were like rock gods to me. I had tickets to see them in 77 or 78 - not sure. A month before they were to be in Richmond, VA Bonham died. I was crushed. I took my ticket back for a refund (like $15 bucks back then - can you imagine?) I sooooo wish I had kept it instead.