DirecTV has a "free view" of U2's Vertigo tour. I snagged it over night with my DVR and I'm compressing it for my iPod. I might rip it into audio tracks too because I dig that live stuff.
U2 is one of the only bands I can think of that I've loved for years, but never been excited about any particular album release. Rather, they have this incredible body of work that now spans decades and there's so much good stuff in their catalog.
Unfortunately I've never seen them live, and that annoys me. I strongly feel that hearing The Edge play guitar live would be very close to a religious experience. If I don't get to do that before I die, I think I may regret it. Yeah, some people want to see the Grand Canyon or whatever, but me, I want to see what I consider to be quite possibly the greatest rock band of all time.
When I think back to the biggest concert moments I've ever witnessed, there aren't a ton that really stand out. However, here are a few, in no particular order...
Tears For Fears, 1990, doing "Shout." Like a lot of cool concert moments, they did an arrangement that was at least ten minutes long. It was really cool.
Def Leppard, 1992, doing "Hysteria." A lot of people are quick to write off all the bands of that era, but I really think these guys set the trend for everyone else, and had the best guitar and vocal harmony sound in music at the time.
Nine Inch Nails, New Year's Eve, 1994, The Palace at Auburn Hills. Craziest show I've seen, and the among the longest. Pop Will Eat Itself and Jim Rose Circus opened.
Jewel, 1997 (I think), singing "Angel Standing By." Not sure if you know the song. It's basically a lullaby, but I'm not kidding when I say I was almost brought to tears by it.
INXS, 1997, performing "The Stairs." Rainy show, just weeks before the singer killed himself. This particular song always stuck with me because of a line in it: "Do you lead, or are you led? Are you sure that you don't care? There are reasons here to give your life, and follow in your way. The passion lives to keep your faith, though all are different, all are great. Climbing as we fall, we dare to hold on to our fate, and steal away our destiny to catch ourselves with quiet grace.
Toad The Wet Sprocket, circa 1997, performing "All In All." Good stuff. They opened for The Cranberries, who sucked.
Barenaked Ladies, circa 1998, the whole show. Having been a fan for probably six or seven years at that point it was great to see them finally, and for free at that (radio station win). It wasn't their songs... it was their show. I've never seen the Beastie Boys, but BNL did a great job with "Shake Your Rump" and Public Enemy's "Fight The Power."
The Cure, not sure, doing "Pictures of You." Probably the best sad song ever written. Surprisingly great show for an arena concert.
Garbage, 2005, doing "Bleed Like Me." Actually there are a lot of big Garbage moments after seeing them five times, but this was the most recent. The band's polish and Shirley's vocals were just perfect. Amazing stuff.
The magic at shows has been lacking for a long time. I cross my fingers that the next one will have a few of those moments.