Worst rock concert you've ever been to?

Molly Hatchet circa 2010. They could not sing, play, and looked like absolute idiots on stage. They just needed to retire a decade prior. They were in downtown St. Petersburg, FL and my dad and I were already down there, and I grew up listening to them. $10 at the door at Jannis Live, so we said fuck it let's see Molly Hatchet and stay down there a few hours longer. It was just sad to see.

We saw the opening band that was a southern rock tribute band of some form and they actually kicked ass.

Molly Hatchet came up, my dad and I were pretty excited. One song in... Maybe they needed to warm up. Second song, no better. Four songs in my dad (a lifelong fan) said to me "wanna go" and I agreed. And we left.

I have seen dive bar performances better of their songs than what they were doing.

I would have rather not gone and had my past memories of their records TBH.
 
Wasn’t the worst ‘show’ but the opening acts. Horrible!
Yngwie opening for AC/DC. 1985.
Just a horrible loud mess.
AC/DC was great. :rock:
Krokus opening opening for priest.
Again. Horrible loud mess. Priest came on... crystal clear awesome.
That was the Turbo tour.
 
For me it was Motley Crue. I got tickets from work so no loss but it was bad. I think it was one of their last farewell tours. I think Alice Cooper opened. Anyway, Mick Mars had a lot of sound issues and they stopped the show and Vince Neil was complaining on the mic. Then Nikki Sixx tells everyone to sit down and he tells a story. Weird. I left at that point. Not a fan anyways just went for fun. They were not good live anyways.
 
Mailman1971":34gjt7ew said:
Wasn’t the worst ‘show’ but the opening acts. Horrible!
Yngwie opening for AC/DC. 1985.
Just a horrible loud mess.
AC/DC was great. :rock:
Krokus opening opening for priest.
Again. Horrible loud mess. Priest came on... crystal clear awesome.
That was the Turbo tour.

Yngwie and AC/DC in '85, you are talking about the Fly on the Wall tour, yes?

i saw them too, and Yngwie was exactly as you describe. i had floor seats, first row of the second section back, so a large walkway stretching the length of arena was directly in front of me. very handy for a kid that couldn't see over all the adults.

Yngwie was so loud i was in pain. his tone was just an ice pick through my ears. i couldnt tell wtf he was playing, and this was arguably his peak form. it was agony.

AC/DC was great even though that album is weak. they were still killing it in 85; Brian Johnson was hitting the notes, the rhythm was tight, and Angus was Angus. during Hells Bells (i think?) Angus got on a security guy's shoulders and they went through the crowd. Angus never stopped playing or head banging and they went right past me down the walkway. if i reached out i could have touched the SG. i watched as Angus hopped off the dude when they got into the tunnel and then Angus took off sprinting to get back to the stage.

Angus Young, definitely my first guitar hero.
 
Yup. Fly on the wall tour. Yngwie running all over stage. Couldn’t understand the vocals. Just a mess. Too loud honestly. And ice pick sounding.
No thanks. :yes:
 
dirtyfunkg":oj8rclrw said:
155":oj8rclrw said:
mastadon, complete shit sound, sloppy playing not a good thing to say about it...

FWIW, I saw Mastodon on The Hunter tour in 2011 or 2012 and it was terrible. Truly terrible.

I saw them again in 2018 opening for Primus, then last year again opening for Coheed & Cambria.

I gotta say it... Mastodon is now one of the best live bands out there. They put on a CLINIC on how to play a metal show. Super tight, singers on key, everything.

I really think that Brent and Bill switching to modelers has made a huge difference. Super clear sound but still raw. They did the whole Crack the Skye album last year and, dude... wow.

I also think they sobered up which helps a lot with the playing.
I totally agree. I saw Mastodon years back and they were terrible. The sound sucked and they were not tight at all. I also saw them in ‘18 with Primus and they were masterful. Amazing show all around. It was like a completely different band.
 
scum and posers 1988 saratoga springs
this was when they were at their best?
they were "opening" for aerosmith
fatatxl was out of key and just terrible
slash?
a guitar hero?
why?
bitch please
what a fucking hack
most overrated band ever
the other 3 idiots in the band were drunk or high or both and it was like watching the worst bar band ever on a big stage
it reminded me of how lucky i was to see so many incredible local NYC bands that played out a lot in clubs
cro mags
crumbsuckers
tt quick
murphy's law [fun]
overkill
and many others
 
I gave this a lot of thought and actually could not come up with a 'worst'.

I honestly do not have any bad memories of any concerts for any reason. I think that might be because a.) I don't get very critical of live performances and I give a lot of benefit of doubt; b.) I'm usually pretty wasted and c.) I honestly have not seen a bad show.

I went to the AC/DC - Yngwie show and don't remember it being bad, and I don't even like Yngwie.

When I look at my concert list I'd have to pick the Chicago concert I saw in the early 90's because I don't remember it much and I was never really a Chicago fan. Bad reasons.

I HAVE seen many bad shows on Youtube but I don't think that counts because I wasn't there. I've purposely steered clear of bands like Crue, Ratt, Kiss, Skid Row, etc etc because I know my bar is set pretty high on them and I'd rather just keep my memories of those bands from there glory days intact. I took huge risks in seeing Van Halen or Guns & Roses for this very reason.

As far a Slash being a hack. I'd say he's got a lot good soul and tone to his playing. Overrated? Maybe. Try listening to some of his acoustic stuff -like what he did for Guitar Center. If you still hate him after that then so be it.
 
Beyond Black":2u7s52q7 said:
dirtyfunkg":2u7s52q7 said:
155":2u7s52q7 said:
I also think they sobered up which helps a lot with the playing.


bingo. i know both of the guitarists used to hit it pretty hard.

people used to say my band sounded like mastadon, all the time, when they first came out (mid 2000's), before they came into their own.
i can see why. our style had similarities, but we were always blasted by the time we got on stage, and sounded like we might be good if we weren't so drunk and sloppy trying to play off not being drunk and sloppy. :LOL: :LOL:
 
a few of the worst for me:

I tagged along with some pals to see Coal Chamber in the summer of 2000. I got so bored, i fell asleep in the back lobby of harpos waiting for it to be over.

Danzig, on his last tour. Sounded like the lunch lady was yelling at me all night. :thumbsdown:

i've probably seen more good bands, have bad gigs than anything.
-In Flames early 2000s, in cleveland. I had seen them the night before in detroit, and it was killer(seen em 12 times in their hey day). My friends and i fought a nasty hangover and drove to cleveland the next night to see them, and when they hit the stage, it was clear that they in WAY worse shape than us! Anders was like half awake, Jesper was red as a fire truck, and he sat on the drum riser almost the whole gig. The rest of the band barely moved, and it was just like they were fighting to get through the show. made me feel better about my own hangover that night. :confused:

-Deicide in 2001, when Glen Benton Busted me fliming the show front row without permission... you never want all eyes on you at a death metal show when you've just highly pissed off the front man. :doh:

-I saw dream theater on a particularly OFF night for James Labrie. I had brought a friend with me, who was on the fence about DT, some i'm like "trust me, come see em live". Man, he fumbled 90% of his high notes and sounded winded all night. I've seen them do 3 hr gigs and James would hit every note... not this time. Also John petrucci slopped up that big sweep picking lick in the fatal tragedy solo. :aww:
 
romanianreaper":qmtkyjye said:
ClintN667":qmtkyjye said:
spacebard":qmtkyjye said:
Manowar, boring as hell


my ex guitar teacher was their guitarists until he got caught with child porn about a year and a half ago. When I was getting his info I asked what band did he play for and he said Manowar. I almost cancelled right then. I remember seeing Manowar ads in magazines when I was a kid. I thought they were some brutal band and then when I first heard them I was immediately not a fan.

I remember years ago when that drummer from Judas Priest got busted for some child molestation or porn thing. The new drummer is way better anyway but still sucks.

Bite your tongue.. Scott Travis is much better than he leads on. Listen to some older Racer X live albums - he was an animal. For some reason, he's been quite restrained since joining Priest. But, make no mistake, he's no slouch.

My contribution is Aerosmith, back in the mid-80's. These guys were famous back then, for getting too fucked up to play. Like, sloppy drunk.. Tyler and Perry, pretty much ruined that one...
 
^heroin didn't help

I remember the story Nikki Sixx told in his 'Heroin Diaries' that he would have to drink a fifth of Jack (or something along those lines) before a show if he was strung out just so he could feel 'normal' enough to go on stage.
 
Ive only seen a few shows that had little redeeming aspect.

Motley Cru.....Girls, Girls,Girls Tour at The Tacoma Dome. Whole band just sounded off and out of sync....they kept the spots alwaya on the stripper/dancers all night to try and draw attention from Vince.

Dokken opening for Priest on the Turbo tour. Gawd, he couldn't hit a note if it was 10 foot tall and nailed in place

Lastly was Mother Love Bone, Meekers Landing in Kent,Wa somewhere around late 89 early 90. They were a good year or so from being competent enough to be even on that club stage.
 
dirtyfunkg":3k57ynfn said:
155":3k57ynfn said:
mastadon, complete shit sound, sloppy playing not a good thing to say about it...

FWIW, I saw Mastodon on The Hunter tour in 2011 or 2012 and it was terrible. Truly terrible.

I saw them again in 2018 opening for Primus, then last year again opening for Coheed & Cambria.

I gotta say it... Mastodon is now one of the best live bands out there. They put on a CLINIC on how to play a metal show. Super tight, singers on key, everything.

I really think that Brent and Bill switching to modelers has made a huge difference. Super clear sound but still raw. They did the whole Crack the Skye album last year and, dude... wow.

I also think they sobered up which helps a lot with the playing.

Did they switch to modelers? I know Bill started using an AxeFX for effects, but I know I’d be hard pressed to ditch his Friedman setup + AxeFX if I had the chance to roll with it. Brent, I can’t imagine that guy ever going to a modeler. Possibly if someone set it up for him for live use. They both got sober over the last few years which was most definitely a big help. Brent’s had some pretty rough shows, vocally, for sure. I think their more current albums (all which I LOVE) have definitely lent themselves to performing live, with Brann, Brent and Troy splitting vocal duties based on whose voice worked better for the parts.
 
GreatRedDragon":q61usy7i said:
RevDrucifer":q61usy7i said:
Zakk Wylde doing an acoustic set. It was my first time seeing Zakk, been a fan for the majority of my life and I was pretty anxious. Was hoping for a night reminiscent of that vid of him doing “Machine Gun Man”, what I got was him plugged into his fucking pedalboard, full on distortion and a wah pedal just noodling away. That was the last time I remember having a cold and when I sneezed I just left. It was bad enough without me sneezing around a bunch of people.

Thankfully, I saw him with Ozzy about 3 years ago and it was KILLER.

I saw one of those acoustic shows.

I don't think it counts as an acoustic set when your acoustic has an EMG and you're running it through a pedalboard, sounding exactly like you do on electric. It was pretty cool to hear the old P&G songs but it was not was it could have been. Same with the Book of Shadows tour he did.

I don't even bother to go to BLS shows anymore. Big fan, but it's the same set every time and it's never the shit I wanna hear. I did see Zakk Sabbath last summer though and it ripped my motherfucking head off. That was a show.


After seeing Zakk with Ozzy a couple years ago I definitely know Zakk can still bring it, I think he just needs to be reigned in a bit from noodling nonstop between songs. That “acoustic” set was just a wankfest. Zakk was monumental in my early years of playing, I was bummed.
 
napalmdeath":2x1a6yxm said:
Bite your tongue.. Scott Travis is much better than he leads on. Listen to some older Racer X live albums - he was an animal. For some reason, he's been quite restrained since joining Priest. But, make no mistake, he's no slouch.

My contribution is Aerosmith, back in the mid-80's. These guys were famous back then, for getting too fucked up to play. Like, sloppy drunk.. Tyler and Perry, pretty much ruined that one...

Oh no, I think my comment came out wrong. LOL! I meant that it sucks that the original drummer was a pedophile. Scott Travis is an awesome drummer!! Sorry for the confusion.
 
Panzer917-30":ogf8uw0p said:
Motley Cru.....Girls, Girls,Girls Tour at The Tacoma Dome. Whole band just sounded off and out of sync....they kept the spots alwaya on the stripper/dancers all night to try and draw attention from Vince.

I was living in Germany during that time and anxiously awaiting Crue coming over. They had to cancel the whole European tour due to their issues. Sucked.
 
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