From superstars in stadiums to locals in tiny bars, these 50 concerts changed us forever.
Live music is a mysterious and powerful force. It can lift our spirits like nothing else, and the joy it brings can stick with us for years.
A great show goes well beyond the setlist, or quality of musicianship on stage. It's about the people we're with, the stage in life we're at, the anticipation in the weeks leading up and, sometimes, just the feeling in the air.
The past few years have reminded us just how vital live music is for our wellbeing. So, we want to celebrate it.
We've put together a list of 50 gigs that you should have been at. These are the shows that have stuck in our minds and that we continually rave about to friends. Gigs that helped shape us as music lovers and, in some cases, as people.
These aren't the 50 best gigs that ever happened. That list would be impossible to craft. These are the experiences of musicians, photographers, journalists, Double J listeners, and our own team.
You will have your own gigs that you reckon we should have been at. We want to hear about them.
This is a love letter to live music. A reminiscence on the nights, afternoons, and very early mornings where we felt like nothing else in the world even vaguely mattered.
The performances that gave us a feeling inside that can't be replicated, but that we'll continue to chase with every gig we go to.
Amyl & the Sniffers at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne: 2021
Seeing Amyl & the Sniffers live is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. In October 2021 the Melbourne band gave us a life affirming rock injection in this lush amphitheatre as part of a concert celebrating the end of COVID lockdowns. We'd been starved of live music and the gig felt like a lifeline for fans as well as artists.
Amy Taylor was clearly having a ball, prowling the stage, thrashing her glammy blonde mullet and looking like a muscly, punk superhero in long boots, bikini, and satin blue track shorts. The band was whip tight and I revelled in their ferocious blast, as we screamed along.
Their savage version of Patrick Hernandez's 'Born to Be Alive' felt like a perfectly cathartic ending to a set that had 4,000 people grinning and feeling reborn. – Karen Leng
ANOHNI at Sydney Opera House: 2005
The line-up for the Sydney Festival-backed Leonard Cohen tribute show Came So Far For Beauty was already stacked with gold. Hal Wilner had gathered Nick Cave, Beth Orton, Rufus Wainwright and Jarvis Cocker to sing Cohen's unparalleled songbook.
But it was an unknown performer in a torn black jumper and long dark wig that trumped them all.
I heard the crowd mutter, some sniggering, as she shuffled across the stage. Then ANOHNI, then performing as Antony, opened her mouth and sang. I still remember the audible gasp through the Opera House. The stunned silence when she stopped. And the roar of a standing ovation as we scraped ourselves off the floor. It was astonishing.
She would release her breakthrough album I Am A Bird Now just days later and never be a mystery again. – Zan Rowe
Beastie Boys at Gold Coast Big Day Out: 2005
One of the best things about this gig was the strange musical interlude halfway through. After a high energy start, with Ad Rock, MCA and Mike D bouncing around the stage, rapidly flipping between each other's verses and generally setting the crowd on fire with the classics, they completely switched things up.
They replaced tracksuits with '70s disco suits and picked up instruments to play lounge-funk on a rotating circular stage. It was unexpected and brilliant. The crowd had no idea what to think, especially after such an explosive start.
There were a few belligerent heckles to get on with it and stick to the hits, but for the most part the crowd was stunned, soaking it all up. Because it's the Beastie Boys and they can do whatever the hell they want. – Gab Burke
Björk at Big Day Out, Melbourne: 2008
I remember the anticipation of seeing one of my idols. The sun was streaming over the stage and everyone was just so incredibly excited. My friends and I were right up the front.
Horn players marched onto stage in these really vibrant costumes. It was just so spectacular. Then the crowd erupted when Björk came out. I was overwhelmed. I remember that goosebump feeling when you get to see somebody that you've looked up to for so long.
She was wearing this beautiful gold costume with red feathers around her arms, and she played all her hits, the highlights for me were 'Hyperballad' and 'Hunter'. She combined organic instruments like horns and big drums with all electronic sounds. After seeing her, I was inspired. – Eliza Hull
Sarah Blasko at State Theatre, Sydney: 2022
It's a thrill and a privilege seeing our favourite artists return to live performance. It's the fuel that helps us through the boring life stuff. When Sarah Blasko and her formidable band performed her 2009 album As Day Follows Night in full, it felt like such a joyful release. Perhaps from the emotions that shaped the album, or maybe just the past two years.
Anyone doubting her force clearly hasn't seen her perform. She gets you with the self-deprecating humour, but tonight it was her fierce pride shining through.
Topping the set off with a cover of 'Xanadu' and a thundering 'I Awake', tonight was about sharing that one-off experience. Its ten-year anniversary might have passed, but the reason to celebrate was even greater. – Dorothy Markek
David Bowie at Sydney Showgrounds: 1978
One day at school, my best friend came up to me and said, 'We are going to see David Bowie in November'. Her sister and her best friend had got us tickets.
'Warszawa' started, the most ominous music, and it just was brilliant. Then the lights went up and there was David Bowie, right in front of us. We were looking at him, looking at each other, it just blew our little minds.
The concert was incredible. It was so amazing to see this handsome man with his hair combed down, parted to the right. He had on a fitted white t-shirt and voluminous white pants. He was doing high kicks. He was just perfect and so ridiculously handsome that we couldn't believe it. The stage had fluorescent bars which went horizontally across the back of the stage. It was just amazing.
Sadly, my beautiful friend died when we were in our 20s. So I'm carrying the Bowie banner for both of us. – Leanne from Brisbane
Jeff Buckley at The Metro, Sydney: 1995
As near to a perfect concert as I've ever witnessed.
When Jeff Buckley first came here, Grace had been out exactly a year. The interest in the album had grown steadily across that time, so anticipation for his first tour was now pretty high.
This first show of the tour was important. He knew everyone was expecting a lot. Not only did he and his band deliver that night, they turned in an extraordinary performance, combining immense skill and channelling pure emotion. Great taste too: covers of Cohen, MC5, and then set closer Big Star's 'Kanga Roo'. I still remember just shaking my head.
I saw him play three other times – all great – but this one had that special, rare magic dust. – Richard Kingsmill
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at Cockatoo Island, Sydney: 2009
All Tomorrow's Parties, held at Cockatoo Island in 2009, was anything but your regular music festival, due in large part to it being curated by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
It was a perfect January summer day, the air thick with the industrial harsh beauty of the island's hallowed heritage. The sky squeezed its final rays of light as the orange hues reflected on the main stage, welcoming Cave and his band of Bad Seeds who delivered their inimitable energy to a utopian sea of super fans.
It felt, and still feels, like a religious and unique experience never to be replicated. – Kath Devaney
Christine & The Queens at WOMADELAIDE: 2019
You know those artists… You quite like them, they've made it onto a couple of your playlists, and you plan to eventually see them live one day. When you do, it changes everything.
I went to Christine & The Queens' unforgettable WOMADelaide set as an appreciator of Chris' music. I left as a lifelong fan.
Chris stepped out in a billowing red shirt, flanked by a crew of impeccable androgynous dancers whose flawless, magnetic choreography was reminiscent of a 1980s music video. The French synth-pop hero belted out ballads to a packed crowd watching on in awe.
Sonically, it was sublime. And, despite minimal set design and simple costumes, visually it was pure art. Mesmerising from start to finish, it swept us into a different world we never wanted to leave. – Luanne Shneier
Crowded House at Sydney Opera House Steps: 1996
I was 10 years old, squished into a Corolla on the Pacific Highway on our way to the steps of the Opera House to farewell my favourite band, Crowded House.
I stood on a rubbish bin, clinging to a light post for a view of the stage on the Opera House steps. The crowd couldn't control themselves, I was scared and excited at the sight of bodies flung in the air above the mosh.
At one point, drummer Paul Hester joined Neil Finn, Nick Seymour and Mark Hart at stage front for a cracking run of, 'Locked Out', 'Sister Madly' and 'Italian Plastic'. Soon after, with the sun poetically setting on Sydney Harbour, hearts sank as the band played their final track, 'Don't Dream It's Over'. – Cassie Walker
Daft Punk at Sydney Olympic Sports Centre: 2007
Daft Punk come on and it's that classic 'Robot. Human, Robot', little build that they do. Everyone just loses their mind. Then it drops into 'Robot Rock'. It's the best intro to a show of all time.
I remember it had these incredible, emotional arcs to it. It started fun, then went into this incredibly awesome place, in the original sense of that word, then into something really dark. Then, when everyone was wigging out, they played 'Da Funk'.
The songs were already cool, but the way they structured the set really did something for me. It was like a really good movie, it just flowed so amazingly. All of that without any sort of actual human character up there guiding everyone.
They had a positivity about them. Daft Punk has some sort of ethical goodness. They're there for a party, but you have the sense that they have a heart behind it, which is benevolent. – Dan McNamee (Art Vs Science)
Dirty Three at Meredith Music Festival: 2004
It was a wet Meredith. Wind, rain, flooded tents, all of it. Friday night had pummelled us, and as Saturday rolled on, another storm rolled in, dark clouds threatening in the sky. We feared the worst.
As dusk fell, Dirty Three came on stage. The clouds rolled back into the valley behind the stage and, as Warren, Mick and Jim built, the storm broke off in the distance, sparing us under the stars.
At one point Waz pointed his violin bow up high and a huge lightning bolt cracked dead centre above him, like he was conducting the sky. I’ll never forget the gasp of12,000 people as it happened. Phenomenal. Every time I think about it, I get shivers and cry. – Zan Rowe
Divinyls at Piccadilly Hotel, Sydney: 1983
I had no idea who they were. They hadn't got a record deal. I watched one of the early embryonic performances of the Divinyls fronted by the unbelievably charismatic Chrissy Amphlett.
I'd never seen someone perform quite like that. She had a fringe right down to her eyeline, so she had no eye contact with the audience. She was just completely unpredictable, and she believed every lyric. It was sort of frightening, but at the same time, mesmerising. You couldn't keep your eyes off her.
The band was fantastic. They were a proper Aussie pub rock band: great songs, great rhythm section, but with this unbelievable woman up front just screaming like a banshee. You feared for her safety, the audience's safety, but it mesmerised me. I was hooked. – Tony Mott
Eddy Current Suppression Ring at Annandale Hotel , Sydney: 2010
You could name any Eddy Current Suppression Ring gig as unmissable, they’re just that kind of band. I’ll never forget seeing them at the ‘Dale in 2010 though.
It was the first of two sold out shows and, while you’d assume they could have played a larger venue, that was the point. Eddy Current were made for rooms like this; a sweaty box, with crowds smashed up against one another, and a PA you can’t escape.
They destroyed on this Saturday night. Brendan Huntley wore gloves to enable the crawling he’d inevitably do: over the speaker stacks, stage, anywhere really. Towards the end of the set, he scaled the long bar that ran down the right side of the room, mic lead curled around his hand as he held us all in awe, and kept walking. – Zan Rowe
Faith No More at Festival Hall, Melbourne: 1993
I remember Faith No More coming on stage, they were all wearing boxing robes and lined up and doing some kind of weird dance. Then they launched into this really heavy set. There were some really dark moments in it, but also some really light moments, including an interlude of New Kids on the Block's 'You Got It (The Right Stuff)'.
The energy of the band was so over the top. Mike Patton's voice was so incredibly loud, his screams were from another planet. He prowled the stage like a caged beast, flaying his body around, slamming himself into the foldback speakers and doing poorly executed somersaults. There was a real violence to it all which, for a 15 year old, was quite terrifying at the same time as being thrilling.
[It showed me] the power of a strong show. I don't need the stadium gigs with massive pyro and video screens, just a band really putting everything into it and playing at such intensity. – Robert from Melbourne
The Flaming Lips at The Palace, Melbourne: 2004
I skipped Metallica at the 2004 Big Day Out in Melbourne to see The Flaming Lips on a smaller stage, and their set blew my mind. Everything about it was joyful and unexpected. The sideshow three days later was even better.
'Carmina Burana' blasted out as giant balloons and balls filled the packed band room. Audience members dressed as animals danced on stage to opener 'Race For The Prize'. We sang happy birthday to strangers in the crowd. There was endless confetti, fake blood and philosophy delivered by megaphone.
They covered 'Seven Nation Army' and Wayne Coyne wore enormous hulk hands. A disturbing nun puppet led the singalong for 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'. Wayne paid tribute to Elliott Smith who had passed away just months earlier and invited us all to embrace happiness, to commit to life, to believe in joy. – Ryan Egan
Foo Fighters at Kardinia Park, Geelong: 2022
It was an emotional show. The crowd was just electric. It poured rain half the night, but we didn't care. Foo Fighters were the first major band to come back to Australia since COVID and they just put on the best show. I've seen them a couple of times before, but this topped it.
The crowd was just screaming, singing along. Everyone was hugging people in the crowd. Everyone just got along well, there was no drama, there was no problems. We were just so lucky to be there. They played everything you expected, even Taylor [Hawkins, drummer] got up and sang 'Under Pressure' by Queen.
We didn't know what was going to happen to Taylor. When he passed away, it made the whole show even more just golden in our memories. Sitting here thinking about it now, I'm getting emotional. It's still difficult. But hearing him sing up on stage was just magic. – Michael from Keysborough
Four Tet at Golden Plains: 2019
I'm glad, before we all went into COVID-enforced hibernation, that I got to spend a sun-dappled afternoon moving and dreaming to Four Tet in that sacred supernatural amphitheatre. This was a Meredith/Golden Plains experience bordering on cliché, a long-time cult hero gracing the stage with cosmic energy just as the sun started to hit the trees in just that way.
Limbs loosened, and minds expanded. The packed ampitheatre was testimony to the fact that, over 20 years into his unique, self-made career, Kieran Hebden is still thoughtfully expanding his musical universe and his audience.
Halfway through, Nelly Furtado's voice started to weave itself into the mix, signalling the arrival of 'Only Human', released just days earlier. The 'Sup is considered sacred ground for true music fans, and for good reason. – Tim Shiel
Gang Of Youths at Splendour In The Grass: 2018
Two years and one timeslot later than their Splendour debut in 2016, Gang Of Youths' Saturday night performance felt like a victory lap.
Bringing all the chest-thumping rock catharsis from 2018 album Go Farther In Lightness, it was a spectacle of singalongs, confetti, blinding lights and of course, the charismatic Dave Le'aupepe strutting and crowd-surfing like a born showman.
What separated this show from your usual triumphant GoY set was how the heroic anthems took on a new, now historically significant, dimension regarding Dave’s father.
"He's a bit crook at a hospital in Sydney," Dave revealed ahead of 'The Heart Is A Muscle'. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t make it through the year. The impact of his passing, and the personal revelations it unearthed, became the catalyst for Gang Of Youths’ latest opus, angel in realtime. – Al Newstead
Gurrumul at Deadly Awards, Sydney Opera House: 2008
I'd never heard him at this point. It was just him and his mate [Michael Hohnen] on the double bass. He started doing his thing and he had the whole audience captivated.
Hearing his voice in the Opera House, you could feel it. You could feel that ancient knowledge and wisdom and strength cut through. I hadn't heard it like that before. Growing up I'd hear all the uncles sing in traditional language and stuff, but it was only for doing traditional things. I'd never heard it put with contemporary music. It was a spin out.
I've still got the picture in my head. It was a big stage, and it was just him, front and centre. But it might as well have been army up there the way he done it. – Nooky
PJ Harvey at Enmore Theatre, Sydney: 2001
It took 10 years for PJ Harvey to make it to Australia. Her journey, her stories, had mirrored ours. Raw, rough and raucous teens, our big first loves in our 20s, the death of family members, and the ecstasy of love and lust in new cities, finding ourselves and our people. She'd been our guide across five incredible albums. Our heroine. She was finally here and it was almost too much.
The opener? Just PJ and her guitar, a red curtain, and that unmistakable strum of 'Rid of Me' from side of stage. She walked on, delivered the opening line, and I burst into tears. The whole set was a best of, featuring 'Sheela Na Gig', 'Dry', '50ft Queenie', 'C'mon Billy', 'Down by the Water', 'Good Fortune' and more. It had been 10 long years to wait, and worth every day of it. – Meagan Loader
Iggy Pop at Festival Hall, Melbourne: 1989
When Iggy Pop toured in 1989, no one really knew what to expect. He'd just released Instinct, a patchy album filled with big metal riffage and, before that, the poppy Blah Blah Blah. Neither were Iggy at his best and, coupled with some well publicised stints in rehab, it felt like Iggy had lost his way.
But, from the second the godfather of punk arrived on stage in the grimy old wooden-floored Festival Hall, Iggy showed us he was still boss. The sinewy showman owned the room. He was the most incredible dancer I've ever seen, gyrating with intense primal energy.
He howled and snarled though a set heavy on Stooges classics. Experiencing incendiary songs like 'Search and Destroy', 'TV Eye' and '1969' up close felt like a musical epiphany. Iggy set my love for edgy rock'n'roll performance ablaze, setting a high-water mark to which few artists have come close. – Karen Leng
John Butler Trio at Woodford Folk Festival: 2004
I have seen John Butler Trio many times, but one moment has stuck with me beyond all others. The trio left the stage so John could play a couple of solo acoustic numbers. He played one of his newer songs 'Peaches and Cream' and, as he did, his attention divided.
Side of the stage, his baby daughter Banjo was wriggling out of her mum's grip. Danielle [Caruana, Butler's wife] put her down and she crawled right across the stage to John.
He was so overcome with emotion he stopped playing. She'd never done anything like that before, and the song was written for her. It was a magical moment watching a dad and his complete love for his daughter. He had to restart the song after he'd had a moment with her, and there were more than a few tears in the audience and onstage! – Sarah Howells
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings at Woodford Folk Festival: 2012
Woodford is always a wonderful blur of humidity, heat and chaotically heaving humans. Music wildly drifts from every point of the compass. But, when Sharon Jones hit the stage, the stars aligned. All of us were like cows in the field and stood in the one direction, locked into the Dap-Kings' groove.
Though she couldn't have been further from the streets of Brooklyn, she stomped across that sweaty stage as if it were her home turf. She invited crowd members up to dance in almost every song, as if we were her family. We were all locked in Sharon's embrace. Tragically, it was to be one of Sharon's last visits to Australia, I feel so thankful to have been there. – Henry Wagons
Kendrick Lamar at Bluesfest: 2016
To this day, I’ve never seen a festival headliner that’s blown me away like Kendrick Lamar did at Bluesfest in 2016. Coming in the wake of his instant classic, To Pimp A Butterfly, it was like having a wave of hype physically crash over you. The crowd was ready for it, warmed up by Hiatus Kaiyote, Kamasi Washington and D'Angelo; a truly legendary main stage billing I’ve yet to see topped.
The crowd was heaving from the first beat. Condensation, fed by the breath of a thousand bodies shouting every lyric, rained down. It was wall-to-wall hits, and the sound of the crowd chanting, 'We gon' be alright' as he left the stage is still ringing in my ears to this day. – Stephen Goodhew
LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney: 2010
It was one of those dream double bills. The kings of mid-00s dance punk and synth pop, together at the peak of their powers.
With Hot Chip's Joe Goddard on paternity leave (could you love him more?) it hardly mattered that his musical bear hugs came pre-recorded. As I wormed my way to the front like a proper Nigel No Mates I experienced the full LCD Soundsystem juggernaut, eyes darting from anti-rockstar James Murphy to cool-as-hell-Nancy Whang to the night's MVP, Al Doyle.
We danced ourselves sweaty, with everyone – on and off stage – feeling completely in the moment. It was the magical sweet spot between a mosh and a rave. Where are your friends tonight? Mate, they’re all here! Gigs don't come better than this. – Dorothy Markek
Middle Kids at Oxford Circus, Sydney: 2016
There's something special about standing in a small, sweaty room, watching a band clearly destined for bigger things.
It was no accident that I found myself here, watching Middle Kids play for the very first time at Oxford Circus in Sydney. They had turned heads with their phenomenal debut single, 'Edge Of Town'. The question on everyone’s mind that night… did they have a setlist to back it up? If the number of record deals offered afterwards were any indication, the answer was a resounding yes.
Everything that makes Middle Kids such a killer live act today was on full display from the start; moments of pin-drop silence, stadium sized catharsis and excellent stage banter. Sometimes acts take time to develop, but from the moment they left the stage that night, it was clear this was a band heading for bigger things. – Stephen Goodhew
Midnight Oil at Capitol Theatre, Sydney: 1982
With white lights blazing out from behind the band, I vividly remember steam constantly rising off Peter Garrett's whole body. We were only halfway through the set by this stage too. I learnt about the band's need for oxygen tanks backstage years later, and it didn't surprise me.
This show on the 10, 9, 8... tour channelled every ounce of Midnight Oil's extraordinary determination, talent, passion, and rage. Garrett was on fire, ruthlessly taking aim at greedy developers, politicians and any personality that didn't measure up to their intense scrutiny. The band were incredible and unstoppable. Few acts have gone the distance that Midnight Oil went that night. – Richard Kingsmill
Kylie Minogue at The Palace, Melbourne: 2012
They were only going to be small shows, and only a few of them. It was just Kylie Minogue and her band, as opposed to the giant stage productions.
It was like getting invited to a secret party with her. It was all the hardcore fans that had been with her for her whole career. Everybody knew it was going to be amazing, and she was really relaxed and excited to be there. It felt very intimate, but very exciting.
In the grand scheme of all the Kylie gigs I've seen, it's definitely the best one. When you're a fan and you kind of go to those massive shows, it's nice and the energy is really good. But when you're in a tiny venue with only the hardcore people that love somebody as much as you do, it's different. – Ali from Perth
Janelle Monáe at Sydney Opera House: 2012
Thanks to Vivid, I've ticked a few artists off the bucket list over the years. Though no experience comes close to Janelle Monáe's first Australian visit.
I stuck to her black and white dress code at the time (think 'Tightrope' video) like an obedient fan following some imaginary decree. From the same seat, in the same row, over consecutive nights, my mind was blown.
Not that there was much sitting. Like James Brown in female form, her singing and dancing, her command of the band – and us – as she whipped everyone into a frenzy was electrifying. Throw in a bonus all-time life moment as I held her hand while she climbed over the seats. She totally put some voodoo on it. – Dorothy Markek
Nirvana at The Palace, Melbourne: 1992
I was so excited that my stomach was churning. The timing for Nirvana's only Australian tour was perfect: Nevermind was blowing minds, placing them at the epicentre of the grunge zeitgeist. For me and a few hundred other frothing fans sardined into the stinking hot venue, they were the most thrilling band in the world.
When they kicked into the explosive 'Drain You', the entire crowd became a heaving mosh. It was rough up the front as stage divers flew through the air and bouncers pulled other sweaty punters out to escape the crush. Krist Novoselic slung his bass low, while Dave Grohl was ferocious, his long hair spraying sweat as he drummed like a demon.
I loved feeling the impact of their music physically - rock that loud moves right through you. The memory of that show is burnt into my brain, the intensity amped by the sadness I still feel over the loss of Kurt Cobain. – Karen Leng
Peaches at Revolver, Melbourne: 2002
We were all fanboying out that Peaches was coming over. There was no one there, just a handful of people who were in the know. This eclectic mix of people, kind of like a cabaret show crowd. She was very underground, hardly anyone knew her, but that crowd was just there for her. Hardcore fans.
I remember how stripped back and bare it was, and how great she was as a performer. It was just her and [Mignon] on stage, dressed in crazy leather gear or whatever it was at the time. It was literally just a two person cabaret show, but she managed to pull it off.
She's just got this energy that she's always had and brought it, no matter how small the show was. It was there at the very beginning. It's just kind of expanded and expanded. – Quan Yeomans (Regurgitator)
Pixies at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne: 2007
Standing near the front of the stage at this Pixies show felt like being in a moment out of time. As people around me glanced at strangers next to them, I wondered whether they were sharing my feeling of almost disbelief that this incredible band was right in front of us.
Their reunion had slowly winded around the world for a few years, and for a band with a volatile history we couldn’t be totally sure they'd make it to Australia. But they did, treating us to a set crammed with fan favourites from their seminal albums.
Time hadn't wearied Frank Black's manchild voice, which easily cut through Joey Santiago's spiky surf guitar and Dave Lovering's thwacking drums, whilst I bathed in warm glow of Kim Deal's abundant charms. I missed Pixies at their ascendant peak, but one magic night took me there. – Caz Tran
Portishead at Harvest Festival, Sydney: 2011
Think of an amazing music festival set and what do you picture? Something raucous, with a lot of dancing and spilled beer? Portishead at Harvest was the opposite. It was the kind of performance I didn't think was possible to pull off at a festival; a set whose power was in its silence.
A caveat of the group agreeing to play Harvest was that no other bands could be playing at the same time, lest stage bleed contaminate their atmosphere. Prior to the show, I thought they were being precious. Afterwards, I totally understood. Without that silence, without the respect from the audience to protect it, this set just would not have had the same impact.
That night, Portishead delivered a masterclass in dynamics, one which I've not ever seen replicated, nor expect to ever again. – Stephen Goodhew
Prince at Sydney Opera House: 2016
Every Prince show was different from the last, but his Piano and a Microphone tour was something we'd never witnessed before. From anyone.
Across 28 glorious songs, Prince tossed together his biggest hits with unexpected cuts from his catalogue. He was all alone, but possessed the energy of ten men, leaping onto his piano at one point, bolting across the stage and posing to his adoring crowd at others. It felt like he'd taken over the piano at a party as he joked with the crowd and vamped loosely, before flooring us with an intensely moving performance.
He held our emotions in the palm of his hand. Then he left, and he never came back. – Dan Condon
The Prodigy at Big Day Out, Perth: 2009
Perth's 2009 Big Day Out was an absolute scorcher of a day and, after a sweaty afternoon dancing to Pendulum, I was both exhausted and amped for The Prodigy's set that night.
The Boiler Room had moved outdoors, but the crowd gathering to see the iconic UK outfit was getting too big for the fenced off area, which failed to keep the swarm of punters out. The boisterous mob turned practically riotous at the arrival of Keith Flint's distinctive devilish appearance and manic energy that fed the frenzy.
The unbridled insanity on stage and all around me was like nothing I'd experienced before. It was an exhilarating, mesmerising blur and felt the closest I'd ever get to witnessing underground, anarchic rave culture. I just couldn't get enough. – Lucy Forbes
Public Enemy and Ice-T at ANU Bar, Canberra: 1992
There are so many reasons why this was the ultimate gig. Firstly, it's Public Enemy and Ice-T, two of the most iconic hip hop acts at the height of their careers. Secondly, these superstars were performing in Canberra, of all places. Lastly, I was underage, but my cousin was working security, so he let me in.
So, picture a super young Hau, all wide-eyed with a mind like a sponge, absorbing every powerful lyric, every thumping drumbeat, every screeching sample, and being amongst a rowdy bunch of uni students. Little did I know, a few years later, I'd be gracing that very same stage doing exactly what my musical heroes were doing that night. It was life changing. – Hau Latukefu
Rage Against the Machine at Big Day Out, Gold Coast: 2008
This performance was so powerful even from a distance, standing on the hill with a sea of people in between. Björk had just played to an incredibly disrespectful crowd who booed her and disrupted her set. That part was truly awful.
But it was quickly forgotten when Rage Against The Machine hit the stage. They had just reformed and to see them live, in Australia, after such a long hiatus, was unbelievable. They ripped through all the hits with breathtaking ferocity. They called out political corruption and crunched the shit out of those big guitar riffs.
Zack de la Rocha's vocal delivery was flawless and yes, 'Killing In The Name' had tens of thousands of people going ballistic, jumping and screaming 'Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!' in unison. – Gab Burke
Roc Tha Block: Jay-Z, Rihanna, Ne-Yo at Sydney Entertainment Centre: 2006
It was October 2006. Jay-Z was already a massive star. Ne-Yo was part of the zeitgeist thanks to his hit single 'So Sick'. But Rihanna was just getting started. And that’s what made this concert such a monumental one to be at.
This was before Rihanna was declared a national hero of Barbados. This was before she gained billionaire status. Heck, this was even before 'Umbrella'.
Ne-Yo rocked the stage first, then Rihanna. Remember 'Pon de Replay' and ‘SOS’? Then headliner Jay-Z performed classics like 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder'. Beyoncé joined him in Sydney, but not on stage: that was part of the buzz too. Was she going to? Or wasn’t she? It was, indeed, a moment in history. – Mawunyo Gbogbo
The Saints at University of Queensland, Brisbane: 2007
Most of us spent our lives resigned to never seeing Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper on a stage together. Then, on a July night 28 years after their split, the duo that made The Saints a life-changing force were together again. And they sounded incredible.
Bailey was strange but cool, the poetic firebrand. Kuepper was stoic, yet his guitar was strident. Their classic songs – and they played so many of them – hit as hard as ever. The set passed in a blur, as we screamed along to every snotty, soulful classic.
On paper, it sounds like a great gig to be at. In the crowd, it felt transcendent. We witnessed history, and it wasn't cynical. Rather, it was a reminder that punk rock is ageless and, for better or worse, Brisbane had a small but key role in its foundations. – Dan Condon
Silverchair at Newcastle Entertainment Centre: 1999
I was 16 years old with my best friend. We were both musicians in a local band and we decided we were going to see Silverchair. It was the first big professional concert of a band I'd seen. The first time I'd been at a stadium show.
Daniel Johns did not make a single error. When he screamed in 'Freak', he did the world's most brutal guttural scream and everyone was like, 'Okay, not only can they still rock, he can sing anything and everything'. It was amazing. It was packed. It was at the point of their career where everyone knew that they weren't a phase, they weren't just a young band, they were going to be game changers.
Going to see a professional band of a world calibre at the peak of their career, we realised what was possible. It was like, 'This is what young guys can do'. It blew our minds. – Jimmy Kyle (Chasing Ghosts)
Patti Smith at Hamer Hall, Melbourne: 2017
I was lucky enough to have my mind beautifully blown by Patti Smith. She played through one of my favourite albums, Horses, with the force and momentum of a brand new release.
From the opening notes of 'Gloria' to the palpable pulse of 'Redondo Beach', Patti Smith burst out with a dynamic, purpose and swagger like no other. During the encore, in a moment of celebratory fervour, she grabbed an electric guitar and ripped off all the strings with her bare hands!
It was a true privilege to merely be in the presence of such a legend, let alone witness such a vital and powerfully present performance. – Henry Wagons
Solange at Sydney Opera House: 2018
The music was pristine. Solange was a complete celestial force in the space. With every lyric of every song, we were able to share our collective experience of being vulnerable, not knowing who we are, our identities. This celebration of blackness, having black joy in a space, was electric. It's what I can only describe is the closest thing to a religious experience. I burst into tears straightaway.
It was one of those performances that you can't express to other people how deeply moving it is. You can't really tell them about the energy that was in the room. You leave there feeling connected to everyone, because you know that you had that moment. And no one else will get how that feels.
It was the best live experience I've ever had. And I think it's one of those rare moments, especially in this country, where black people could loudly and proudly celebrate their blackness. – Nkechi Anele
The Strokes at The Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne: 2001
It started with a three track EP that was copping a flogging, a band people could not stop flapping on about. They had the requisite dishevelled look, a fresh take on a familiar rock sound and oozed a ton of disaffected New York cool. By the time You Am I announced them as supports on their Australian tour, the buzz around The Strokes was at fever pitch.
Sceptics amongst us thought that surely no band could measure up to this much hype. But when those scruffy, shadowy five figures assumed their positions on the darkened Hi-Fi Bar stage and launched into their ridiculously taut set, the energy in the room was positively electrifying. Everyone knew they were witnessing something special.
It was hard to argue with the claims that The Strokes were rock's new saviours when, in this moment, everything felt so good and right in the world. – Caz Tran
Tool at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne: 2001
Lateralus is a prog metal masterpiece, so it makes sense Tool's accompanying world tour is fondly regarded as the group operating at the peak of their punishing live powers.
We're talking visceral renditions of their fiendishly complex material, accompanied by their famously trippy visuals and sonic clarity. Faves like 'The Grudge', 'Forty Six & 2' and 'Stinkfist' have rarely sounded better thanks to Danny Carey's juggernaut drumming and Maynard James Keenan writhing in body paint and roaring from the shadows.
'Schism' pried open my third eye, complete with the interpretive dancers from the track's iconic video prowling the stage before being suspended high above it. As any diehard will smugly tell you: "You don't see Tool live. You experience Tool." – Al Newstead
Talking Heads at Narara Festival: 1984
The joy of watching this show, not knowing what to expect in these pre-online days, is something I'll always treasure.
It started with David Byrne quietly walking out onto a completely empty stage carrying a tape deck. Placing it at his feet, he hits play, and a beat starts. It's all very, very awkward. But then he starts strumming the chords to 'Psycho Killer' and we're off. Tina Weymouth joins him for a simple, beautiful version of 'Heaven'. The others gradually appear, as do some legendary guests. The oversized suit, the dance with the lamp, it was all genius execution, and the best songs of their career.
It was so mind blowing, I immediately bought a train ticket to Melbourne to watch it all over again. – Richard Kingsmill
Kae Tempest at Factory Theatre, Sydney: 2020
Hearing Kae Tempest on record is one thing, witnessing them in person is another thing entirely. I decided to head to this show at the last-minute, it ended up being one of the most moving performances I've ever seen.
It was my first time seeing Kae. Their most recent album The Book of Traps and Lessons had already blown my mind the year before. The crowd gathered silently as, backed by minimal beats, they wove their words nimbly in front of us, infusing meaning and purpose into each one.
But it was Kae's command of the space and the audience that really floored me. Their ability to take us to some truly bleak places, before bringing us back with levity, humanity and warmth. It was captivating from start to finish in a way I'd never experienced before. – Caitlin Nienaber
The Waifs at The Tivoli, Brisbane: 2009
Shows from The Waifs are always filled with love, onstage and in the crowd. It's easy to feel like you’ve been welcomed into Vikki, Donna and Josh’s lounge room at pretty much every show.
This gig at The Tivoli was one of their best. Perfect harmonies, cheeky banter, and all housed in one of the best venues in Brisbane. I was standing up on the balcony, behind the ornate railing, as we all sang along with their latest album Sun Dirt Water, plus all the classics.
Vikki was living in Utah at the time, and it felt so special to have The Waifs back together in Australia. We were never quite sure when the next chance to see them live would be! – Sarah Howells
Gillian Welch at The Tivoli, Brisbane: 2004
First it was the silence. As Gillian Welch and David Rawlings scorched through their opening song, the audience made no sound whatsoever. Had someone dropped a pin, it would have been deafening.
Then it was the roar. As the duo ended the song, everybody shot up from their seats and hollered at full voice. It was as rapturous an ovation as I've seen before or since.
I remember tears, I remember laughter, I remember exhilaration. Most of all, I remember 'Revelator'. Welch's perfect voice, Rawlings' dexterous guitar work, the duo's freakish chemistry combining for one of the greatest single live performances of a song I have ever witnessed.
There were goosebumps-on-goosebumps as utter perfection unfolded in front of us. Music so beautiful, organic and expertly played it felt like it should be behind a glass case. A revelation. – Dan Condon
Yothu Yindi at Stompem Ground, Broome: 1992
Some people want to do the Big Day Out or whatever, Aboriginal bands would go 'We want to play at Stompem Ground. That's going to be the ultimate'.
Broome didn't have too many bands coming through, especially Aboriginal bands. [The audience] wouldn't have even heard of half of them before they got on the bill. So, to see all Aboriginal bands in one spot, I think they were pretty blown away.
They'd seen [Scrap Metal] heaps, but when they saw the rest of the bands it was probably better than they expected. I don't think they were ready for it, or could imagine how good these other bands were.
I guess it was a benchmark, that first one. It stamped something in the music industry. – Alan Pigram (Scrap Metal, The Pigram Brothers)