Live Music On TV: Most Moving Moments

[elduave]

Don't know what made me think of this, but I started thinking about the most moving musical moments televised (that I viewed live). First thing comes to mind is Live Aid. U2 first. I had never heard the song Bad before. Dancing with the girl=floodgates.

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

Also at Live Aid, Queen turned a song I didn't like into a moment I'll never forget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3SDtxst9Bs&feature=fvst

U2 did it again at the Amnesty International concert with Pride. I love the camera shot as it pulls back after the bit with the monitor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8u24GmV7L4

Extreme at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert floored me. First, Gary & Nuno came out and played Love Of My Life and More Than Words. Then, the medley to end all medleys. Google up the Gary & Nuno stuff, but you *must* watch this medley (in two parts):

I can't find it, but Paul McCartney on SNL in '93 doing Hey Jude around Christmas time really pulled me.

Although not broadcast live, I remember watching this the night it premiered. Although the "moment" is when Peter & Ace joined the band, I'm equally moved by the opener. You knew it was going to be a special night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-5b4c19oSQ

The Who bled American at the Concert For New York:

Hey. It's these guys again. The jacket:

Like with U2's Bad, here's a song I had never heard before watching Live 8. I thought The Killers really seized the moment:

So. What are yours?

[Steve Haynie]

I saw the Extreme/Freddie Mercury Tribute video before. That one really is amazing.

[David B]

Yeah, I love the Radio Ga Ga performance. Roger Taylor wrote that song.

[pesocaster]

Easy.....

The moment I "Heard" what an electric rock guitar SHOULD sound like.....

When Queen was on SNL 1982... playing Crazy little thing called love.... when Brian May switched to the Red Special... that first chord ..... the heavens parted, and the god of thunder and might sang with the angels.... I still get goose bumps when I think of it.... the tone he got during that performance is the sacred pinnacle of rock guitar tones in my book.

Crappy youtube.... would love to get a HD version of this:

[atquinn]

Everyone's going to laugh at me, but I was absolutely stunned by it's greatness when I saw this on the Grammys. Hated this song before that.

-Austin

[zenmindbeginner]

I will say that every Saturday night on PBS, Austin City Limits has the best and most profound musical performances on broadcast television. And they do so with a minimum of advertising and a decided lack of fanfare. I think that every band or artist that is a serious musician has graced that stage.

For a specific moving experience, I'm sure nobody can forget seeing Tal Wilkenfeld playing bass for Jeff Beck during the

.

We were all gobsmacked for sure... I myself developed a personal taste for kinky haired Australian slacker virtuosos for sure.

Of course, I am one of those biased NPR/PBS junkies that can't get enough "liberal" entertainment. lol!

[alantig]

kd lang covering Roy Orbison's "Crying" at his Songwriter's Hall Of Fame induction.

Alan

[crunchee]

I'm dating myself here, but I remember watching this particular show as a small child on the family B&W TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3zFJfGS5E8

I may have seen The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, but my memory is fuzzy from being so young at the time--but I was freakin' HOOKED on them from seeing them on TV and hearing them on the radio. They're essential to my music library, natch.

Maybe it was the 'Bieber hair'.

P.S. I nearly forgot--their having a TV cartoon show here in the US (pre-Yellow Submarine)--which The Beatles actually had very little if not nothing to do with--didn't hurt. I used to watch that ravenously, too.

[Ted]

Don't know what made me think of this, but I started thinking about the most moving musical moments televised (that I viewed live). First thing comes to mind is Live Aid. U2 first. I had never heard the song Bad before. Dancing with the girl=floodgates.

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

Dave, Thanks for this thread.

A good friend of mine just lost a friend she loved very much at a young age earlier this week. When I saw your thread with BAD in it it just hit the mark for me after her loss.

Thank God for The Unifying and Healing Power of Music--Especially, LIVE MUSIC!

[JohnnyB]

Oh, I think the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in Feb. 1964 had some impact. I remember that night pretty vividly, sitting on the floor and watching along with my brother and mom & dad. Sullivan was still broadcast in black & white then.

I don't know if it was live, but the broadcast when Michael Jackson performed Billie Jean on stage and introduced the Moon Walk brought down the house. My jaw dropped open on that one.

[hamerboy_]

Whatever that concert was a few years ago when Pink Floyd re-united. Gave me goosebumps.

Speaking of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, my mom gave me a cut-out from the newspaper or t.v. guide that she saved from the original broadcast.

-Bobby

[Crwth145]

Everyone's going to laugh at me, but I was absolutely stunned by it's greatness when I saw this on the Grammys. Hated this song before that.

-Austin

Not laughing (call me crazy)... that was awesome!

[Rockola]

The next day at work, the regulars that I would connect with about music/instrument stuff all had the same music buzz from this performance. it still stops me in my tracks.

Vince Gill - Warmth of the Sun

[doody]

Still gives me chills. When I saw it live it literally brought tears to my eyes.

[LefThanDed]

Elvis Costello on SNL 1977 stopping a song and abruptly launching into "Radio Radio".

Arcade Fire on Austin City Limits. (They're ok... but live they really deliver the goods)

Anybody else catch a glimpse of Janet Jackson's boob at some Superbowl performance?

[atquinn]

Still gives me chills. When I saw it live it literally brought tears to my eyes.

Seconded. Plus you had the Patriots winning in dramatic fashion. Movie-script worthy.

-Austin

[The Shark]

Eric Johnson's 1988 ACL show. Fantastic. The best tone I've ever heard on "TV"!

[nervous]

It was this very performance in 1978 that put things in motion for me:

Shortly after this they came to my town performed in a 3000 seat theater and that was my first ever live concert (with Pat Travers as the opener). These two things altered a part of me permanently.

[Feynman]

For me it was John Mayer playing at the Michael Jackson tribute. I didn't even watch it, but it affected me deeply.

[zenmindbeginner]

For me it was John Mayer playing at the Michael Jackson tribute. I didn't even watch it, but it affected me deeply.

Oh hell yeah! The Steve Porcaro tune sounded amazing played by Mr. Mayer, he bested everyone on the stage that day. John is such a phenomenal player anyway...

[3of5]

This one worked for me.

[belgian]

All the rockpalast broadcasts in 77/78.

Home parties with a bunch of friends, broadcasts started at 10 PM and ended at 4 AM.

[Brian Harmon]

First thing I though of was soon after Joe Strummer died when Elvis Costello, Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Dave Grohl, and others performing "London Calling". I get chills every time I hear the original, but I remember getting emotional when seeing this.

[edgar_allan_poe]

One of the best vocal performances of all time IMHO. I have heard countless people say George should have toured with Queen but I couldn't disagree more. This song was made for his voice, but it is a small representative of what the lead singer of Queen would need to pull off and George just doesn't have that kick ass rocking voice that he would need to pull off that gig.

I'll give a huge +1 to the Extreme medley. I saw that on TV when it happened and damn near died. Cherone was ruined by his time with VH. They tried to make him into Sammy and for the life of me I cannot figure out why they did that. Everyone blames Cherone for that fiasco but I seriously doubt that he had *any* input on the sound of that album. If they would have just let him do his thing they would have kicked ass...but alas, it wasn't to happen.

[DavidE]

Thank goodness for Youtube.

One of the best vocal performances of all time IMHO. I have heard countless people say George should have toured with Queen but I couldn't disagree more. This song was made for his voice, but it is a small representative of what the lead singer of Queen would need to pull off and George just doesn't have that kick ass rocking voice that he would need to pull off that gig.

There is, was and will be only one Freddie Mercury. No question. But I would have to hear George on a few more Queen tunes before counting him out as the perfect voice for the band after Freddie. His version of Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me with Sir Elton John was just incredible. As overrated as George is, he just may be under rated.

Here's Queen with Freddie with Somebody to Love.