Your favourite 5 live performances (on YouTube)

Single songs please.

Blur - Supa Shoppa

Graham’s relaxed but tight chords, Alex’s effortless cool, those horns.

The White Stripes - Let’s Build a Home

Such a big sound for two people, and one of those people is Meg White, plus an example in what to do when shit stops working.

Snarky Puppy - Lingus

Larnell Lewis owning a drum kit (everyone’s heard the story, but he was asked to fill in at the last minute and learned the songs by ear on the plane), the whole band being ridiculously tight for funk, Cory Henry completing keyboard.

Elbow - The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver

It’s a beautiful song anyway, but that key change with the choir and orchestra added - my god. Very much enjoy the knowing looks between the band when they realise they’ve done a very good thing.

Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)

Just the best. The energy on stage, the emotion in the song, the excitement in the studio hearing this relatively unknown band for the first time.

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The Smashing Pumpkins - Silverfuck (from Vieuphoria)

Just the embodiment of everything, they were an absolute machine. With the famous Jackboot ending. Love how you can see the anger swelling up inside and overcoming him.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Thru the Eyes of Ruby (Brixton 96)

From one of the most famous Mellon Collie shows. Must have been otherworldly expecting the soft outro and suddenly being hit with that escalating tension and scream into the wall of distortion.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Fuck You (the final show)

There are some better versions out there, but this one gets it for the sound / video quality, the Jimmy wink, the ridiculous transition fills, and that nasty bridge. Pure fury.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Zero (Seoul 2000)

The extended intro, the alternate tuning, the deranged screaming, the faster pace - seeing them do this on this tour was the peak of live music for me.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Siva (Lost Tapes 94, Metro 93)

Sorry, I have to cheat here because I was going to post 93 but realized I had forgotten about 94 and rewatching it just sent me into another plane of existence - the solo at 2:12 is incredible enough but then just after he suddenly jumps and teases the ending and it’s like a shockwave being released.

The 93 version is just so much fun, you can really see Billy’s actual personality coming through. Maybe the happiest and most free spirited I’ve ever seen the band. Love how goofy and laid back he is while simultaneously delivering something so intense and captivating.

Just the greatest and most exciting band in the world, god I love them. I want to post dozens and dozens more.

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That Cory Henry solo is one of the greatest there is. Apparently Larnell Lewis the drummer was called in as a last minute replacement and only flew in (and learned the track) that morning. Unreal.

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Ha I just read that you’d said that already @Mistersteve sorry :joy:

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That bit in Tower Crane Driver… Everytime I listen to it, I get a physical reaction. Its amazing

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He learned the entire set! Blows my mind that not only did he learn it all, it’s one of the best drumming performances I’ve ever seen.

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Don’t really watch that much live music but here’s 3:

This for the sheer intensity and dynamics

Just the simple and plain way Elliott plays here is very moving

Always nice to see Neil rocking out

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No order here, but…

  1. Hot Chip - Dancing in the Dark/All My Friends cover (Glastonbury 2015)

Just absolutely joyous

  1. The entirety of this Dan Deacon tiny desk session for NPR, but especially Sheathed Wings @ 9 mins

The whole room jumping by the end of the session

  1. Arcade Fire on Jools in 2005
  1. Sharon van Etten - Black Boys on Mopeds (Sinead O’Connor cover)

Saw this on her Glastonbury set in 2019 and it floored me

  1. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

Because its the best thing ever

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Nature Boy is just magical.

Oddly, this almost made my list:

Bit different.

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David Yow is probably my favourite frontman ever

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Love the pure energy of this, Janet Weiss at her peak

Stella Mozgawa bossing it

The tour I most wish I’d seen

Love the hypnotic precision of this

This whole concert is excellent, but Doin the Cockroach is probably the peak, jam at the end is amazing.

Interpol at TITP in 2005 because I was there. Took a mate and converted him.

TV on the Radio on Letterman. Gets posted here all the time but it still absolutely kills.

Arcade Fire at Reading. Fucking WISH I’d been at this one.

Beastie Boys Glasgow '99. Fuckin REALLY WISH I’d been at this one.

Robyn at Alexandra Palace. Was actually at this one though. Was crying for about the first half hour. Get goosebumps watching it back. RELEASE THE FULL SHOW YOU COWARDS!

Special mention for this as well. Love it especially for the guy sleeping through a Refused set.

Struggling to narrow down my choices for 4 and 5 so here’s 3

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