Most Disappointing Concert Ever?

[J.D.]

Ok, first, best...how about WORST (performance)? By that I mean you went expecting a great show and the band sucked, the sound sucked, it was a bunch of political talk, whatever. I've had quite a few of these myself. Don't count opening bands (or this list could get HUGE).

Few memorable duds:

• Rolling Stones (2000s era) - could barely make out the songs the playing was so bad
• Motley Crue - Vince Neil only sang half of the words
• BB King - ok, he was 80 years old and is a legend, but this concert was nothing more than a donation
• Van Halen (with Gary Cherone singing) - unquestionably the worst concert I ever paid to see and actually left well before the end, and EVH looked WASTED to boot

 

[251blckgrds]

Janes Addiction at Deer Creek music center in Indiana 1991. They played for about 15 minutes and left (headliners). Perry said he didn't like the look of the crowd.

 

[marshall1987]

July 4, 1972; RFK Stadium; Rolling Stones..........yep the Stones! They were hours late, sound sucked, played for 55 minutes, then bolted out of there like a cat on a hot tin roof! Pissed off 30,000 people. :hmm

 

[K701]

Gun's N Roses (AKA Axl Rose band) 2012- O2 Arena London. Axl hour and a half late (still doing this?) so had to leave before gig finished in order to get the last train home.

James Brown supporting Chili Peppers (bet he didn't like being the support act) at Hyde Park a few years before he died. Musicians were great, but the atmosphere on stage was tense- really uncomfortable to watch. Brown would stalk the stage and pick on a musician to solo and you could see the fear in their eyes. He didn't do much singing either- another guy who was also about 97 did most of it.

 

[mingus]

Parliament Funkadelic at Street Scene in San Diego in the late '90s. The guitar player comes out wearing nothing but a huge diaper and the band played a solid groove -- for over 30 minutes, when 3 minutes would have been too much of the same repetitive thing. George Clinton finally showed up about halfway through this opening number and just phoned it in the rest of the night. I was extremely disappointed.

 

[Wilko]

Someone mentioned 80-year-old BB King being a donation.

I decided day of the show to go and see Chuck Berry. I was fully aware of how he toured and used pickup bands so I didn't expect some tight show, but this was so bad I was embarrassed for the poor guy. He wold lose his place in the song, lose his place on the fret board. repeat songs and realize it then talk remember and stop mid-lyric. Bitched about the video cameras and big screens and how video taping was not allowed. Then realized what they were and said it was ok. Then he did it again. I have some audio. You can't un-hear it:
cHuck Berry 2011

 

[young angus]

Most disappointing is probably a concert with Hendrix in September 1967. I saw him already in May -67 and it was magic. Then he went to Monterey, burnt a Strat and came back as a legend. But the concert in September that I attended was awful. Not because he played bad, but there was a problem with the rig. Often when he started a solo the guitar was suddenly silent, and then it came back, and then the sound disappeared again. Hendric became more and more frustrated, changed to a white Gibson V, and then to a white SG Custom. The techs changed all the cables and pedals, but nothing helped. Finally Hendrix throwed a silent Strat over the amps, where it suddenly woke up and sounded like an air-plane crash. Hendrix left the scene.

There were not so many people who wanted to see him behind the stage that night, so I had the chance even if I was just 13 years old. So there he stands and I ask for an autograph. When he´s finished with that I had to say something, so I tried with "Good concert tonight!". Hendrix suddenly looked at me for a moment, and then he laughed, shoke his head and said thanks with an ironic smile.

I use to tell this story and the point is that I once made Jimi laugh. :biggrin:

 

[Steve Craw]

I saw Queen in 78 0r 79, when they were supporting the "Jazz" album. I was disappointed in Bohemian Rhapsody, that the operatic part was on tape. Not sure how I expected them to pull it off, being only four of them, but it seemed underwhelming, as did most of their harmonies. I saw one of the last shows by The Black Crowes (my favorite band) on tour with Tedeschi-Trucks (also a favorite) it was a great show, except the volume was so over-the-top loud, that we came close to leaving. Worst performance EVER is reserved for Dickey Betts. I saw him shortly after the split with The Allman Brothers, and left halfway through. I was embarrassed for the man, he was so bad.

 

[Stow]

Janes Addiction at Deer Creek music center in Indiana 1991. They played for about 15 minutes and left (headliners). Perry said he didn't like the look of the crowd.

Amazing to see Jane's.. thats a shame about Perry.. I thought he was cool

 

[ourmaninthenorth]

Not so much disappointing, more like hilarious and sad and all points in between to be honest...Clapton, Fripp, Peter Green, Dylan etc etc....they just didn't scratch that itch on particular nights...which may say more about me than them.

 

[J.D.]

Yeah I saw Dickey play in the late-90s. He was in bad shape. Likewise saw Johnny Winter near the end. Clapton, Stones. All just way way past their prime. As happy as I was to see them playing live, it was very bittersweet.

 

[springhead]

Parliament Funkadelic at Street Scene in San Diego in the late '90s. The guitar player comes out wearing nothing but a huge diaper and the band played a solid groove -- for over 30 minutes, when 3 minutes would have been too much of the same repetitive thing. George Clinton finally showed up about halfway through this opening number and just phoned it in the rest of the night. I was extremely disappointed.

Ha! I saw them late 90's in Brixton, London. Must have been the same tour. I remember the guy in the diaper - or nappy as we'd call it. And I also remember a very long groove/endless guitar solo. I got bored, worked my way through the crowd to the gents, worked my way back and he was still playing the same solo!

 

[corpse]

Worst concert by far was Van Halen on the "pay me" reunion tour with David Lee Roth in 2010 or so. Here at Phillips Arena- worst sound echoing around everywhere- could barely make out the songs. My wife would look at me with a puzzled expression, and I would translate- "Panama", or "Beautuiful Girls". During his big solo Eddie went dead to the house- although you could hear it from the amp on stage.
Note to big rockstars- I am not interested in seeing your kid play with your band. Makes me feel really old.
Second worst show also goes to Van Halen. New Haven Ct, 1982 or so- came on, played for 40 minutes- DLR did his "I will get in a lot of trouble if I do this" schtick with a joint passed to him from the front row- a couple more tunes, then poof gone. Everybody just gaped at each other- "that was it?"

 

[corpse]

Actually Aerosmith at the Stage West in Harford about the same time. Stevn Tyler was incredibly wasted, stumbling through songs and stage equipment. Band took a break after 30 minutes came back on after 30, and disappeared after two or three more songs.
This was during Joe P's hiatus and I am not sure if Brad was even there.

 

[J.D.]

Ooh, almost forgot about Aerosmith. Yeah, one show in particular in the '90s wasn't very good. Steven Tyler was clearly having trouble with the monitors.

 

[dtw576]

Ooh, almost forgot about Aerosmith. Yeah, one show in particular in the '90s wasn't very good. Steven Tyler was clearly having trouble with the monitors.

Ah the memories come back. July '75 in the Sam Houston Coliseum. The toxic twins were already in rare form by then and Steven was the worst of the two that night, by far.

 

[J T]

Van Morrison at the Theater at MSG.

ugh.

He mumbled some unrecognizable versions of his songs then just got up and left. Gone.

Everyone just was like, what happened? House lights came up, it was over in just a few minutes. bah.

 

[dwagar]

Fleetwood Mac, I guess it was the Rumors tour. They were fantastic, perfect, my wife loved them, but all I could think was 'where the fuck is Peter Green?' My wife got me to go on false pretenses.

 

[toxpert]

I feel empathy and sadness where the performer is being pushed by their manager and financial needs...pushed beyond their capability.
Especially when old age sets in... Too many times I have gone to see an aged performer and then seeing them struggling just to make it through the stage time...much less making it through a song.

:dang

 

[J.D.]

Another one in that same boat, Buddy Guy. Old and frail, could barely perform. Most of his short set seemed to be him making silly faces and cracking stupid jokes. Must be a difficult position to be in as a performer.