Here is a list of the top 5 performances, followed by a list of good, mediocore, and poor performances that I have been to. This does not have to do with the merit of the band, only the performance they gave that night (or their best show I have been to). I can't remember them all, but these are the ones that stand out in one way or another... so that should say something in itself.
TOP 5 PERFORMANCES
1) Daft Punk
To be honest, you just had to be there. That’s all I really have to say about it, sorry.
2) Muse (2)
My previous post, after I saw them for the first time
“Best show of the weekend by far. Last year at ACL I told a lot of people about Muse and ended up regretting not going when everyone told me what a great show they put on. This year I was going to see Arcade Fire again, but decided to go with my friends to see Muse. The performance was beyond electrifying. Every song sounded like it was the last level of a video game. The absolute best instrumentation I witnessed all weekend was that of Matthew Bellamy. When he wasn’t shredding up some finger tabbing solos that make the panties drop behind his head as he was convulsing on the ground, or using the side of an amp for a slide, he was playing the piano as if he were in a elegant dinning ball room. The lighting effects were out of this world, I was beyond amazed. There even was a little 5 minute jam session completely freelance with no lights or anything. Most all the music played came from the albums 'Absolution' and 'Black Holes and Revelations'. MUSE FTW!”
3) Rage Against The Machine (2)
There was something incredibly awesome about seeing them reunite for the first time in some 6-8 years. I have never even remotely seen that many people at one show (the paper the next morning quoted 180k but I think it was a little bit overstated), people were literally coming back from being up front in the mosh area with blood dripping down their faces. They had about 30-50 extra cops that rode around in ****ing assault teams because they were afraid of a riot. The band played flawlessly as if they had been playing together the whole time. I have never felt like there was so much pent up craziness in one place at one time ever. The second time I saw them I was more sober, so I really enjoyed the music even more…. I think I almost killed someone when Calm Like A Bomb came on.
4) Pearl Jam
One of the first concerts I was ever able to convince my parents to let me go to. These guys were already pros at live shows by this time, and known for putting on some of the best live performances. They did not let down. I cannot remember a whole lot about the set list (young and intoxicated), but a few notables they played were ‘Evenflow’ ‘Alive’ ‘Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World’. If they would have played ‘Yellow Ledbetter’, then I might have never gone to college and tried to start a rock band, but instead I have a white collar job... red wine drinking sonofabitch.
5) Ghostland Observatory (3)
Most of you probably haven’t heard of these guys. I reviewed them after I saw them at ACL last year, and I have to say they put on quite an electric performance. These are my boys from Austin and they live up to the “Keep Austin Weird” tagline. Ghostland are 2 members, the mastermind behind the scenes (he wears a cape when he performs) takes care of the drumming turntables keyboards bass and whatever needs be. Then there is the lead singer and sometimes guitarist. Work with me here for a minute; Imagine if Freddy Mercury had babies with Pocahontas, and then one of those babies took dance lessons from Michael Jackson. Now imagine that awesome creature ripping the ****in stage up. What, you don’t believe me? See for yourself
YouTube - Ghostland Observatory - Dancing to Vibrate
GOOD PERFORMANCES
Arcade Fire
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Roger Waters DSOTM
Minus the Bear
Justice (2)
Arctic Monkeys (2)
Modest Mouse
The Mars Volta
Ratatat
Final Fantasy
Of Montreal (3)
The Raconteurs (2)
The Roots
Infected Mushroom
My Morning Jacket (2)
The Octopus Project (3)
The Rosewood Thieves
Thievery Corporation (3)
Ghostland Observatory (3)
Flaming Lips
Boys Noize
LCD Soundsystem
John Butler Trio
Coheed & Cambria
Pixies
Bjork
DJ Tiestso
Bennie Benassi
Explosions in the Sky (2)
Kraftwerk
Fatboy Slim
Gov’t Mule
MEDIOCRE PERFORMANCES
Tokyo Police Club
Bloc Party
Okkervil River
The Shins
Architecture in Helsinki
Matisyahu
Willie Nelson
Hot Chip
Deftones
Blonde Redhead
Interpol
MGMT
Vampire Weekend
Prince
Widespread Panic
The Allman Brothers Band
Mates of State
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Gnarls Barkley
Girl Talk
POOR PERFORMANCES
Death Cab for Cutie
Cold War Kids
Air
Bob Dylan & His Band
John Mayer Trio
Battles
Tegan and Sara
Robert Earl Keen
Cat Power