PVH5150's Top 5 Concerts Attended in 2012

[PVH5150]

Yes, I'm aware, not an album thread, but it seems closely enough related. Any problems, feel free to move it to general chat.

As I only have one more confirmed concert to attend this year (and it's someone I've already seen this year), I figure I'd share my Top 5 shows that I've been to this year. My personal review, photos (if taken) & setlists. I've been to 23 this year, and it was pretty tough to narrow it down to 5. Not many dull moments this year.

#5....
Gigantour 2012
Megadeth, Motorhead, Volbeat & Lacuna Coil
Date: Sunday, January 29th
Venue: Tsongas Center
Location: Lowell, Massachusetts
Attendance: Rough estimate of 3,500, possibly 4,000.
Ticket cost: $49.50

I had found out about this show around this time last year and got wicked excited for it. 1. Hadn't seen Megadeth at this point, and always wanted to, 2. Total Motorhead fanboy & 3. Cristina Scabbia

The show started right around 6:30 and LC was the first band on. It was my first time seeing them also. Overall, I'd give them an ok. Band wise, I'm not really into them. But Cristina's voice made up for some of that, she's great. Doubt I'd see them on their own though.

Our Truth
Upsidedown
Kill The Light
Trip The Darkness
Spellbound

Volbeat was the next band on. Up until then, I had only heard "A Warrior's Call" from them. Shockingly, they didn't play it on this night. Didn't matter though, this show made me a fan of them. Excellent band (especially with Hank Shermann on guitar) & Poulsen's voice is very cool and unique. They came around later in the year with Iced Earth but I was unable to make that show. I'd definitely see them again.

The Human Instrument
Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
The Mirror & The Ripper
Sad Man's Tongue
Hallelujah Goat
Who They Are
Fallen
I Only Want To Be With You (Dusty Springfield cover)
Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
Still Counting
Raining Blood (Slayer cover, partial)

Next was God, Mikkey & Phil, better known as Motorhead. This was my 3rd time seeing them and first time in an arena settings. In a way, I was glad I got to see them in this setting because it gave my ears a slight break. If you've seen Motorhead in a club setting, you know what I mean. They were most excellent as always. Huge plus for opening with Bomber & going right into Damage Case.

Bomber
Damage Case
I Know How To Die
Stay Clean
Over The Top
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
The One To Sing The Blues
Drum Solo
Going To Brazil
Killed By Death
Ace Of Spades
Overkill

Next, Megadeth. Hadn't seen them until this point & I was very excited to see them for the first time. They had excellent sound. The guitars were very crisp and not too bright. I remember about halfway through the show Dave brought some guy on stage and gave him one of his guitars signed by the whole band, which I thought was cool as hell. I'm still kicking myself in the ass for not seeing them a couple weeks ago on the CTE tour. Ah well, win some lose some.

Trust
Wake Up Dead
Hangar 18
Sweating Bullets
Angry Again
She-Wolf
Dawn Patrol
Public Enemy No. 1
Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
Guns, Drugs & Money
A Tout Le Monde (w/Cristina Scabbia)
Symphony Of Destruction
Peace Sells
Holy Wars...The Punishment Due

[IrritatedTrout]

Nice, detailed review. Not to rub salt in a wound but they were amazing last Sunday in Charlotte, much much much better than when I saw them this past May.

[PVH5150]

#4....
Maiden England
Iron Maiden & Alice Cooper
Venue: Comcast Center
Date: Tuesday, June 26th 2012
Location: Mansfield, Massachusetts
Attendance: Bruce said onstage that it was 14,000. Seemed like more though.
Ticket cost: $97.50 (one very rare occasion that I was perfectly ok with being in the pit)

Who is number 1? You are number 4 (not 6). I assume it'd be higher on most other lists, but I have my reasons.

There were many things to love about this show. Hell, it's Iron fucking Maiden & Alice fucking Cooper, what's not to love? Well, let me get the negatives out of the way before I go fanboynuts over both bands.

1. The Comcast Center. I have been going there for 5 summers, have been to probably 15 shows there, and exactly one of them has sounded good. This was not one of them.
2. I had heard in previous Maiden threads that they had a new sound guy for the first time in over 30 years (I could be dreaming, correct me if I'm wrong, please). If true, it sure showed. Adrian is my favorite player in Iron Maiden & I couldn't hear his goddamned guitar until the Seventh Son interlude. Also, Steve's bass was just at an absurd level.

Those were my only complaints about the show itself. Anybody from around here can back me up on the local complaints (Boston traffic, traffic getting out of the venue, beer prices, etc.)

Still, the setlists from both were more than enough to make it into my best shows list for this year. First time seeing both bands and it was superbly awesome.


The Black Widow
Brutal Planet
I'm Eighteen
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Hey Stoopid
Billion Dollar Babies
Feed My Frankenstein
Poison
Wicked Young Man
I Love The Dead (outro)
School's Out (Another Brick In The Wall: Part II medley)

Moonchild
Can I Play With Madness
The Prisoner
2 Minutes To Midnight
Afraid To Shoot Strangers
The Trooper
The Number Of The Beast
Phantom Of The Opera
Run To The Hills
Wasted Years
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
The Clairvoyant
Fear Of The Dark
Iron Maiden
Aces High
The Evil That Men Do
Running Free

[SomewhereInTime72]

Great pics!

[IrritatedTrout]

Awesome. Yeah, you're right about the new sound guy. I didn't notice any major problems in the pit for the four shows I went to (aside from the usual minor sound issues in the pit) but I had friends in the seats telling me the sound sucked for like the first three songs.

Oh, and I think the Boston show was the most well-attended of the whole tour excluding festivals so good job.

[PVH5150]

#3...
A Different Kind Of Truth 2012 Tour
Van Halen, with special guests Kool & The Gang
Date: Sunday, March 11th
Venue: TD Garden
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: Packed to the fucking roof. At least 17,000.
Ticket cost: $265. My first (and hopefully only) purchase from Stubhub.

When you are a Van Halen fan, you learn to be patient. Four years after I first saw them in 2007, they announced the new album and tour the day after Christmas and it was the best present I got in 2011.

Literally the only thing that prevented me from giving this the #1 spot was Dave. He didn't sound anywhere near as good as he did in '07. However, I was focused on Ed the entire night. Seeing him, at 57 years old, completely clean, sober and happy was one of the best things I've ever seen. His playing was off the fucking charts. Al was his usual drumming machine self, which is always a great thing. Wolf improved by leaps and bounds over 2007. The new album has some incredible bass licks.

Overall, an awesome night that I'll never forget.

Fresh
Tonight
Emergency
Misled
Too Hot
Hollywood Swingin'
Jungle Boogie
Ladies Night
Get Down On It
Celebrate

Unchained
Runnin' With The Devil
She's The Woman
Romeo Delight
Tattoo
Everybody Wants Some!!
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
China Town
Hear About It Later
Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover)
Drum Solo
You Really Got Me (The Kinks cover)
The Trouble With Never
Dance The Night Away
I'll Wait
Hot For Teacher
Women In Love
HANG 'EM HIGH (First time played live since 12/11/1982)
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man (John Brim cover)
Panama
Guitar Solo
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Jump

[PVH5150]

#2...
Made In Germany: 1995-2011 Tour
Rammstein
Date: Sunday, April 29th
Venue: DCU Center
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
Attendance: Aside from a few scattered empties in the balcony, the place was packed. Easily 12,000 in house.
Ticket cost: $92.85

Rammstein's first show in Massachusetts in 13 years since the dick incident of 1999. Perfectly fine in any other state, but not in Massachusetts. I swear you have to sign in blood to take a dump in this state. I couldn't believe they were actually returning. I had always heard that their live shows were amazing. This wasn't just a concert, this was an experience. In this one show alone, more pyro was used than in every other show I've been to combined. The ramp going from endstage to center stage and the way it was constructed/motioned was absolutely amazing to witness. I did not bring my camera to this show because I wanted to focus all of my attention on the show because I knew I was in for a treat. A buddy of mine was up front for the whole thing & recorded a good bit of it, so I'll post the Youtube links.

Sonne
Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?
Keine Lust
Sehnsucht
Asche Zu Ashe
Feuer Frei!
Mutter
Mein Teil
Du Riechst So Gut
Links 2-3-4
Du Hast
Haifisch
Buck Dich
Mann Gegen Mann
Ohne Dich
Mein Herz Brennt
Amerika
Ich Will
Engel
Pussy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOgP8MYY0qY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPCLg7CzO9Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLnVWYdoR2Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SJnEuxTebM

[IrritatedTrout]

What is the dick incident exactly? Rammstein and Van Halen were two shows I wish I could have seen this year.

[mastodon421]

There was definitely less than 12,000 people at Rammstien. Really only the floor was packed. My buddies and I had balcony tickets (300 section) and they weren't even open so we got a free upgrade to the 200 section and about 75%-80% of the seats around us were empty.

[kalfitegrdan]

Originally Posted by IrritatedTrout

What is the dick incident exactly? Rammstein and Van Halen were two shows I wish I could have seen this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik327o6FwgI