Bands that need to be heard live?

I like The Winery Dogs ok but listening to them live is such a different experience. I can think of a couple other bands like this but will wait to see what others post.

Here's one out of leftfield.  Little River Band.

I saw them in college and while I liked them well enough on vinyl back then ("Lonesome Loser","Cool Change", "Help Is On The Way", "Reminiscing", etc) I was totally unprepared for how great they sounded live. 

Collective Soul was another one.  I saw them in CT after the release of their second album and holy crap were they a LOT heavier live! 

Elton John is another one.  I've always enjoyed his music but I've seen him live 5 times and every show was different and every show was great.  You need to actually see Elton pounding away on the piano and even playing it with his feet to appreciate how talented the man is.

Bride was always the answer to this for me.

Dale and Co. just brought it live.

LRB has been noted for their talent even if they go shoved into that soft rock format. I enjoy some Collective Souls so that would be interesting to hear.

tohostudios wrote:

Here's one out of leftfield.  Little River Band.

I saw them in college and while I liked them well enough on vinyl back then ("Lonesome Loser","Cool Change", "Help Is On The Way", "Reminiscing", etc) I was totally unprepared for how great they sounded live. 

Collective Soul was another one.  I saw them in CT after the release of their second album and holy crap were they a LOT heavier live! 

Elton John is another one.  I've always enjoyed his music but I've seen him live 5 times and every show was different and every show was great.  You need to actually see Elton pounding away on the piano and even playing it with his feet to appreciate how talented the man is.

A buddy of mine told me the same thing about Collective Soul.

LRB have great harmony vocals and catchy choruses. The only downside sometimes is their lyrics can get a little too sensitive and cheesy (hence their soft rock tag).

I think of them as “Kansas-lite”.

Kings X

The most seen band live by me and I will see them again and again. Just brilliant!

Van Halen, obviously.

King's X, yes! V.H. in the old days maybe.

Lizzy Borden.  
I was never big on them back in the day -- I believe I used to call them "W.A.S.P. Lite" (haha) -- but when I was in college I had a buddy who was a big fan. He practically dragged me to see them at L'amour in Brooklyn cuz he couldn't find anyone else to go with him.  I expected to be "that guy" standing at the back of the room with my arms crossed all night long but a few songs in, I had to admit, Lizzy threw down onstage.

Interesting. I don't mind Lizzy but they are one of those ok bands so maybe live would change my mind on them.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Interesting. I don't mind Lizzy but they are one of those ok bands so maybe live would change my mind on them.

I didn't become an overnight fanboy or anything, but I did buy his "Visual Lies" album after that show, and I stopped giving my buddy so much crap about listening to them, haha. So I guess that counts for something.

I couldn't believe how heavy Alice Cooper was live, when I saw him open for Maiden in 2012.

martinsane wrote:

Kings X

The most seen band live by me and I will see them again and again. Just brilliant!

Preach it brother T!!!!

Eric Sardinas. His album are "ok". His live show will rival anything you have ever seen!

metalinmyveins wrote:

I couldn't believe how heavy Alice Cooper was live, when I saw him open for Maiden in 2012.

I saw Alice on the "Operation Rock N Roll" tour in summer of '91, which was a package that also featured Judas Priest, Metal Church, Motorhead, and Dangerous Toys. I knew some of Coop's radio "hits" at the time, but that was about all, I was there mainly to see M.C. and Motorhead. However, Alice completely wiped the floor with every other band on that bill.

This information about Alice Cooper is interesting.

Just about every band all of us love are meant to be experienced live. But I will name two, that have all already been mentioned.

Alice Cooper is a big one, I have seen him several times and this man is not afraid to open for anybody or follow anyone. He is a showman and great songwriter.

Collective Soul, I liked their album enough but live, holy shit, freaking amazing.

Troublezone wrote:

LRB have great harmony vocals and catchy choruses. The only downside sometimes is their lyrics can get a little too sensitive and cheesy (hence their soft rock tag).

I think of them as “Kansas-lite”.

The harmony vocals were what made that concert great.  They were spot on and unless they were lip-synching to a soundtrack they were the tightest vocals I've ever heard live.

manny wrote:

Just about every band all of us love are meant to be experienced live. But I will name two, that have all already been mentioned.

Alice Cooper is a big one, I have seen him several times and this man is not afraid to open for anybody or follow anyone. He is a showman and great songwriter.

Collective Soul, I liked their album enough but live, holy shit, freaking amazing.

Another Collective Soul vote!  So it wasn't just the show I saw.  I only went to that show because my girlfriend wanted to go and good grief was I glad I went!

Good call on Lizzy Borden. Now mind you I have always been a fan boy ever since getting the Give 'Em The Ax EP waay back in the day. Never got to see him live til about 8 years ago I guess and like the Murderous Metal Roadshow VHS I played religiously Lizzy did a club sized version of that show with fake blood and half naked chix and costume changes. It was amazing and he and the band sound better than ever. I kid you not, he even had a tv with like a black saran wrap screen he sang Visual Lies behind it and kept smashing his mug into it. Looked CAF.

Kings X. I flew 1200 miles to see them last year! Prong is awesome live. Helmet is also great live.

Quote :

Prong is awesome live.

They are indeed. I saw them open for Overkill about five years ago, it was the first time I'd seen them since the early 90s, and they whooped ass. Tommy Victor hadn't aged a day, he still looked the same! Haha

Folk metal in general can be a bit tough to get into on CD, but it really works well live.

Manny wrote:

Just about every band all of us love are meant to be experienced live. But I will name two, that have all already been mentioned.

True. I meant more you were casually into them but live you liked them better. I really liked Queensryche so seeing them live didn't change that. I'm a casual Eagles fan but live they are a different entity.