Spin Names U2 “Greatest Live Bands Now”
Tuesday, August 29th, 2006
Spin Magazine has a list of the “25 Greatest Live Bands Now”. Here’s the top 10:
10. The Dirtbombs
9. Prince
8. The Hives
7. Green Day
6. White Stripes
5. Radiohead
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Arcade Fire
2. The Stooges
1. U2
I’ve seen a lot of the bands on the list; the Chili Peppers, The Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queens of the Stone Age… all of them great. But there’s no other band that is better live than U2. I’ve seen U2 several times and they just keep getting better. Kudos to Spin for giving top spot to a “non-college” band like Rolling Stone probably would have. Here’s the rest of the list.
As a side note, the worst band I saw live was Nirvana. Serious. Kurt Cobain hid behind a big speaker the whole show.
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Where’s Weezer???? They rock live!
HornyOyster
Where’s Weezer???? They rock live!
Yeah. If you like bands that stand completely still. I agree with Radiohead and U2. The Stooges? Puh-leeze. Incubus was actually one of the tightest live bands I’ve caught.
The Cure was amazing. Saw them on the Prayer Tour (after Disintegration,) in Italy. Still the best non-Radiohead-show I’ve seen. Hands down.
Plus…how can the Foo Fighters not be on that list. They were awesome, too… Of course, I did see them at a secret VIP thing right after the Colour and the Shape came out.
where’s Pearl Jam ???????
Where’s Audioslave ?
What about GWAR?
GWAR.
that is all.
Where’s Pearl Slave?
Audioslave is far away from the list as they should be.
Ok, I’ve seen U2 and un doubtedly deserve he #1 but where is Korn? I haved to swear that the Familiy Values Tour 2006 is a MUST see, if you walk away disappointed your lost, or just don’t understand….Deftones right before Korn OMG!!! What is the bais of the “Best Live Bands?” you cannot beat $9 for seeing 8 bands…Stone Sour, and Flyleaf as well just are amazing in concert. They need more starlight, but heck it’s summer…Some of this list is just bogus hype.
where is iron maiden? blind guardian? children of bodom? lordi? jeez.
nine inch nails.
SPIN’s August 2004 issue called The Hives “The Best Live Band on the Planet”
How is it that in 2 years they lost 7 spots on the list?
I hate SPIN lists.
oops…didn’t see the jacket on the list. my bad.
Tool? I’ve watched many bands over the years, and Tool had the tightest set I have ever seen. Not the most interesting stage show (been to two U2 shows - great energy), but brilliant music. Green Day’s most recent tour was a lot of fun.. and well played.
I can’t help but notice that the Flaming Lips are not mentioned. Anyone who has seen a Lips show knows how big of an error this is.
Where’s Tom Brousseau?
My friend and I saw Radiohead twice this last summer thinking, “man, the upcoming Nine Inch Nails show is going to have a really hard time topping that amazing work.” When we saw NIN, we were very entertained up until a quarter of the way, but about half way through, we forget who Radiohead was.
Seriously, how does Nine Inch Nails NOT make this list? Did you guys even see any of their last tours? They give more energetic, chaotic and violent performances than other band on this list or that’ve I’ve seen. Not only that, the visuals destroy the stage and lighting sets that ALL of these bands offer (including u2). The video footage they use is always thought provoking (not an after thought) and presented in ingenius ways whether its through moveable LED panels (the first band to do so), through a theater screen projecting in front of the still visable band, or through metal mesh cages actually projecting video themsevles. For proof of this, check out “And all that could have been” or go to youtube and type the key words, “ERASER” “NIN” and “MSG” and you should see a performance involving 3 amazing songs and video footage that raised the hair on everybody’s neck and made a lot of eyes teary
I’m on board with the Flaming Lips comment. It doesn’t get better than that except the next time you see them.
Judas Priest.
That is all.
Tool, NIN, and Gwar (about the only metal show you’d go to and buy a white t-shirt on purpose) should definitely be up there. Soul Coughing should have stuck it out. M doughty is an over-rated douche. Beck is always a very fun show.
Weezer hasn’t rocked live for years.
The plastic constellations took the feel-good fun of the weezer shows and kicked it up a notch, minus the sell-out lameness of ‘beverly hills’ and ‘we are all on drugs’
I saw Green Day last May, on their ‘American Idiot’ tour. The BEST live show I’ve seen yet. Hands down. Having been a long-time fan, I’m glad I finally saw them before something happens to them, and they disappear before I get to see them… like so many other great bands (Soundgarden, Rage Against The Machine, although I did see Audioslave last year, altogether a decent show, with Seether).
Well the truth of the matter (funny word truth) is that it is all a matter of opinion. I
guess it is great when every one agrees with your opinion, but then that discredits the fact
that it is your opinion. So take solice in the fact that the general public decides that a
band you do not appreciate is great because it removes one from that crowd. It removes the
burden of doubt from your mind that if you really enjoy this music and every one else does
as well then how do you know that it is your opinion and not just an forced idea.
Another thing to consider about this is that the best live shows are often bands that we have never heard of. Sure U2 made the top spot, but does that mean that they have great shows or just great marketing? Is it really even possible to create a list that covers a wide enough base to really mean anything besides that some editor of some magazine really likes U2?
Whoever compiled this list has obviously never seen,
NIN, TOOL, Kiss, Maiden, Alice Cooper, Foo Fighters.
Bunch of morons.
The Cult was the best live show i’ve even been to, they are incredible live.
whoever mentioned the lips up there…did you not go to the link for the rest of the list.. they’re number 16…
What about that great band (insert favorite band name here) that I like? Everyone who has seen them knows that they are the best!!
Sadly, many have missed the point. Its the “Greatest Live Bands NOW.” Last I checked Cooper, Kiss, Maiden, Judas Priest and the Cult arent on tour now. BTW - nice reference to one of the greatest clubs - Lupos.
Judas Priest is great if you like wathcing and old man reading the lyrics from a teleprompter.
/at least Rob can still sing
I work for Spin Magazine, so I’m getting a kick out of some of these replies…
One word: Slayer.
Bring your ear plugs and riot gear. It’s a hell of a show.
What about Yanni????
The Flaming Lips?? You’re joking with that one right?? I saw them this summer at Lollapalooza and while I will definately give it to you that they have major live presence, my problem with that though is that they were all flash and absolutely no substance. It seems to me that there’s something wrong when the band is stuck in some mindless jam shooting off confetti, talking about how we can save the world, and jumping around between the 2 dozen groupies on stage for half the set instead of actually playing their own songs. Sorry, but I thought they were the most disappointing band I saw of the whole day.
where is The Ethereal Plane?
HELLO????? Where is Tom Petty and the HeartBreakers? They have more hit songs then all these bands combined!
What about New Kids On The Block. They so Rule!!!!!!!!!!
If not my favs NKOTB, then why aren’t The Carpenters on the list. That lead singer chick, Karen, is so hawt, and so skinny, too. I would like so bang her; I’ve heard she has bad breath, though, so maybe not.
How Do Queens of the Stone age come in at 11. They opened for NIN in the fall with Death From Above 1979 and surrounded by those 2 bands their set was completely forgettable
Considering QOTSA opened for NIN last time i saw them that tells you that NIN is better than QOTSA, so obviously you were kidding when you put greenday in the top 10 and forgot NIN…or maybe prince, wasn’t his last cd like 4 years ago, and with no real pop sucess.
Tool is another band that has been around for 10 years or more, a really proven act unlike the arcade fire. Both NIN and TOOL are many peoples definitive favorite…
Obviously there are many other great live bands out there. But seriously, where’s Dave Matthews Band! They put on an awesome show.
How can TOOL not be in the TOP 10, and what idiot compiled this list? I bet he/she owns a Brittany Spears record…
TOOL
Not to seem like too much of a geezer, but R.E.M. still puts on a tight live show. If anything, their live performances have gotten better over the years.
I went to four of the nin shows this year and they were all great. Fragility was still better though; by far my favorite. People are forgetting Andrew W.K. though.
I agree on NIN.
These “I can’t believe that band that is on the list isn’t on the list” comments are kinda sad. RTFA
What about The Carpenter’s?
Most of you have never seen Lucky Boys Confusion live, But their live show is one of the best u can go too. they put on a fantastic show. MPAT
How is Flogging Molly not on the list??????
U2??? Please!! They are douche bags!!
Has no one ever heard of Ben Folds? Or Guster? Or for that matter the Dave Matthews Band? I hate Spin, you don’t have to be loud and crazy with a silly light show to be good live. When Ben Folds comes out and completely has control of the audience from beginning to end with just his piano and his voice, that is a good live show. Oh, and he rocks out too. And you can’t leave a DMB show without thinking that a) Carter Beauford is probably a semi-deity and b) how do they rock out so hard with a damn acoustic guitar and a violin and a sax? Both shows are left wondering when you get to see them again.
Oh, and I threw Guster in there because they’re really cool.
Most entertaining bands I’ve ever seen, and both are still playing concerts:
The Tubes
The Bare Naked Ladies
I’ve been to a lot of concerts in the past 37 years. Many bands have played their tunes, but few have really entertained me like BNL and The Tubes have.
Uh, what about Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - solid gold funky soul straight outta ‘68. Imagine Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett channelled back to us as a woman (not to mention the band is amazing). No pyrotechnics, no light show. A must see in any sweaty little club.
The best live show ever was TOOL at the Gorge in George, WA. Period.
U2? What!? If I wanted to see an egotistical prick fronting a band I’d see whoever Trey Anistasio is fronting these days…
Try String Cheese Incident, Umphreys Mcgee or Yonder Mountain String Band. Hell, George Clinton and the P-Funk didn’t even make the list. I’ve seen them rock long after the lights and electricity were turned off.
Not to mention the couple real punk bands that are left out there…I won’t mention them cause they’ll go mainstream and suck.
The Radiators. Not the punk band, but the New Orleans Radiators. Over 25 years, and still the same line-up. Tight.
linkin park rocks live…who in the world would have put prince on this list?
Sadly, the list shows a terribly slanted idea of what good music is. And U2 is terribly terribly boring in concert, including the Zoo whatever tour in which they ripped off the creative work of everyone that came before them.
Assman Crothers can destroy mortal bands with a wave of his hand
NIN.
Best live show ever. Or, admittedly, the best live show I’ve ever been to, but I’ve seen more than one man’s share of live shows.
How the hell can you not have Rob Zombie mentioned on this. Gwar would be a close second in my book as well. But Zombie Has it all, pyro, great music, animatronic monsters on stage, and great B movie clips in the background. He has the best live show I’ve ever seen.
Guns N’ Roses
nuff’ said
THE FLAMING LIPS are an amazing live show.
Madeski, Martin, and Wood are an amazing live show.
And MADAHOOCHI is an AMAZING live show.
three words - neutral milk hotel - probably a very very small minority have seen these guys, but their performances were moving to say the absolute least.
The Cat Empire. Best Live Performance and crowd response I’ve seen in three years @ Bonnaroo
Can we all just agree that it would be a lot more fun and productive to discuss instead which bands are the WORST live? None of these acts are together any more, but i elect Nirvana, Sebadoh and Denver’s favorite pot-heads, The Apples in Stereo.
Ditto on Lucky Boys Confusion. Best live show from a Chicago local band…ever.
While everyone has their own opinion…Sigur Ros would have to be on the list..if the person who made the list had/has ever heard of them. Tool, NIN should definately be on there…and Radiohead deserves their spot.
Ha, I searched the comments for White Stripes, not a word about ‘em. They undesbutabley, kick ass.
I saw ace of bass last week and they were awesome. i luved that song all that she wants. I think they would be up there with RHCP,U2 and Radiohead.
While I didn’t see the show, the best response I’ve ever seen to a concert had to be when a bunch of friends came back from sigur ros. They were more or less in a dazed, contemplative state, and all of them admitted to crying at least once during the show. Personally, I think the energy doesn’t get any better than a live ska show.
I just saw the Flaming Lips last weekend. I saw them open for Tool about 10 years ago, but didn’t remember them at all since I was just there to see Tool. Well, I know now why I didn’t remember them, it was because they sucked. They blow confetti, show close-ups of their facial hair and dental work, and make big balloons, (not to mention, run around the stage with a dove?) all to divert the audiences attention away from the fact that, uh, oh yeah, the SONG that is playing really, really sucks. YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH,YEAH. The list is a joke.
Spin sucks! Who cares what they think who is the best live band. Personally, it was Nirvana for me! So piss off, Spin!
It may sound lame, but Barenaked Ladies I have seen live in concert 3 times now.
Worth every freakin’ penny.
The fact that you can’t list them but you list Arcade Fire? What the hell?
Personally, I am also not a u2 fan. I think they are overrated in everything they do.
I could go on for hours.
Four words: Dragon Force
Sick Of It All (Oldskool NYHC) 20 years on the books and these guys still turn it out like back in the day!
Also Twilight Singers for the other side of the spectrum.
Cheap Trick! They are the best! DOOOOBY DOOOOOOOOO!
The Dirtbombs? Is this a joke? I smell something fishy here. I respect Mick Collins and company, but seriously, do they have a friend working at Spin? The Dirtbombs actually rank as one of the most BORING live acts I’ve ever seen. A bunch of really OLD guys waaaay past their prime - and hugely overrated simply because Jack White bought a couple Gories records back in the early 90s. Spin has just revealed (once again) how clueless and behind-the-times they really are.
Roger Clynne & The Peacemakers. Not to mention they drink more tequila onstage than any other band.
Rush.
The Dirtbombs should be seen.
Of course The Stooges.
The Mars Volta
MOTORHEAD!
and Slayer should be number one.
Best live band of all time? Queen. But, I think they should throw in Flogging Molly up there. They kick ass live.
Pearl Jam own every band on that list. Period.
Audioslave sucks live Screw them Stick with RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
I’ve been to quite a few live acts and festivals… After the radiohead set t bonnaroo i was left speachless. I felt like a child. Radiohead is def no.1, Flaming Lips are fun as hell, but Wayne rambles too much, My Morning Jacket is rocks best undescovered live act, RHCP have kinda lost their flair. To be fair i still need to see Tool, Muse, Prince, and DAFT PUNK… all of which put on legendary shows I’m sure
Forgot about Sigur Ros…. the laidies i was with straight up cried…
If i’m not mistaken in terms of ticket sales, Tool is the number 1 band…
i believe that The Hives should be number 1 or at the very least number 2. best live band ever!
TOOL, no question. Maynard is insane Live.
queens of the stone age are over rated their better bands than that