Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Now it's always tough to pick the best band you've ever seen live as sometimes quality of performance is overiden by emotional and situational factors but Metallica just blew me away. 2008 had been a good reading, I'd had a fantastic time with the Manics, Rage, Justice & MGMT standing out in particular, but the sunday had fallen flat, Slipknot had pulled out, and Tenacious D had step up and made the day fun, but we'd gone an entire day without actually rocking and this was the friggin metal day. Then suddenly a the crunch of Creeping Death sounded out and it was as if the sound had been turned up to 11, they were noticably louder than any other band the entire weekend. Metallica were also crisper and clearer, and they flew through the perfect set, only Cyanide and The Day That Never Comes post-dated 1991. It was amazing, I screamed my lungs out as Kirk soloed endlessly. It was amazed the hype coming into the festival was for Rage Against The Machine but by the time Sunday finished I'd forgotten they had even played, they weren't in Metallica's league, no one was. Picking a favorite track is tough as they played the dream set list but Ride The Lightening stood out just above the others. Enjoy:

Now along with Metallica when asked who the best band I've ever seen live is, I always answer Daft Punk. It's probably the greatest experience I've ever had live, I've been right up the front for metal bands, indie bands, rap acts, pop stars, hell I was even at Live 8 but nothing compares to Daft Punk. It was undoubtably the most mental crowd I've ever been in, a nonstop two hours of mixing, moshing and dancing, it never ended, I must have moved accross the entire field and back again in the surge. I lost all my friends, was dripping in sweat but I loved every moment of it. Musically it was was perfect, the mixing was sublime blending tracks seemlessly never stopping for cheers, and the light show was beyond belief. Daft Punk are the best dance group of all time and once you've seen them live you realize they can stake a mighty claimed to being the best live act of all time. Oh my Friend Krish (the indian dude) is in this video in the front row screaming into camera, I lost track of him after the first bass lick in Technologic.

There's always a special feeling when you see your favorite band live for the first time, it was even more special with the Strokes as I'd been trying to see them for five years! The tickets always sold out in seconds, but finally I got my chance at Wireless Festival. They will always rank as one of the greatest acts I've ever seen, not because they played the best set, they were good but not Metallica good but because it was the most Rock and Roll performance I'd ever seen in my life. Julain wankered off his face came on Stage and drunkenly Blurted "Hello we're the Strokes" then slipped and fell on the back of his head, he stood up gave a nonchalant laugh and they then launched into Heart In A Cage. Fab randomly got up toward the end of Juicebox and did a jig on top of his drum kit, this is still one of the most surreal sights I've ever seen at a gig, and best of all during New York City Cops Julian went into the crowd, got pulled in upside and sung the entire second verse upside down in the crowd and he performed it perfectly. They even blew through in a cover a Lou Reed cover for good measure. It was so spontantious, so drunk and so fucking Rock 'n' Roll and so earnest and indie, I don't think'll I'll ever see another performance like it.

Ah Muse what can I say I don't think there's a more consistantly awesome live band than Muse. Each and every time I see them they seem to have added new tricks, added bigger solos, better lights, bigger props. They continually top themselves. While their bombastic wailings often flounder on record, live they are peerless. Probably the third best band I've ever seen in terms of sheer quality. They get better each and every time, I've seen them headline three festivals in three years and all I can say is bring on the fourth. The Performance at Isle Of Wight was a special highlight as it was Matt's Birthday and while we waited for the encore the crowd sang "happy birthday", it was a nice touch.

Surprises are quite often the best things in life, when your not prepared for something to be so good, and it knocks you off your feet, it's a special experience and one that you'll never forget. Coming into the Reading 2005 I was familar enough with Doolittle but I wasn't prepared for just how great the Pixies would be. You really have to experience Frank Black's scream live and in person, it rocks you to the core and its sublimely counter balenced by Kim Deal's soft harmonies. I was completely enthralled by their performance and the finale sing along of Where Is My Mind? is one of the greatest set ending moments I've ever witnessed. Unfortunately Reading wasn't filmed that year so you'll have to settle for a substitute.

Radiohead were the exact opposite of the Pixies, I was expecting brilliance, I'd set an impossibly high standard in my head, surely Radiohead could only dissapoint? Fuck that, they were brilliant. Watching Thom Yorke dance accross the stage to 2 + 2 = 5 was a joy to behold, as was the danceathon of Idioteque, the bounceathon of The Bends, the huge sing alongs came from every direction Karma Police, No Surprises, Paranoid Andriod, High And Dry, No Surprises Creep and of course Just. However the song that stole the show and that I found incredibly affecting, perhaps more so than any other song I've seen live was Street Spirit (Fade Out). Which was strange as I'd never really taken to it in the way that others had, but once I'd seen it live out in the cool night air, I suddenly understood the tracks power. Radiohead are unparrelled as an emotional affecting live act. As for the video selection I've already had Street Spirit in the singles list so go there if you want to see that awesome live show instead I'm opting for the groovy genius of National Anthem.

Now I have to include Morrissey because to be quite frank he's the funniest front man I've ever seen, his stage banter is beyond belief. Whether he's spewing political bile, making self depricating jokes, ripping on the festival organizers or taking the piss out of his own band. The highlight came at V when he told the crowd "Now this the part of the show where I'm supposed to ask you how your doing, or if your having a good time, but you have to understand I just can't, it's not me, I do care about you, I do, I just can't say it, you understand". Aside from that he put together a epic all encompassing set at V Festival and quite simply the best openening forty five minutes I've ever seen at Wireless Festival in 2008, enjoy.

So I don't want to go on and on, I've just picked out a few highlights, I'm leaving out so many including the Stones and Springsteen, but these are the seven that come instantly to mind. I'll probably do some more live lists another time.