Pianist, producer, and songwriter Gonzales (real name Jason Charles Beck) is currently attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest solo concert. He's aiming for 27 hours, and at time of writing has around six hours left to go. You can follow the attempt live online. [more inside]
posted by tapeguy on May 17, 2009 - 19 comments

Rock critic Dave Marsh called it "part of rock and roll legend." Truman Capote said "I've never seen anything equal to it." And the film can not legally be shown unless the director is physically present. [more inside]
posted by Joe Beese on Mar 5, 2009 - 61 comments

The stuff of legend, Van Halen's "No brown M&Ms" concert rider (most recently mentioned on MetaFilter here) has made the rounds by word of mouth, and word of internet, for years. Now, the Van Halen 1982 World Tour backstage rider has been found. It consists of 53 typewritten pages and contains the M&Ms prohibition - which actually says M & M's (WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES) - as well as other interesting demands, excerpted at The Smoking Gun. Via.
posted by amyms on Dec 12, 2008 - 91 comments

A (mostly) complete concert by the Elephant 6 Orchestra is available to stream or download. [more inside]
posted by 1f2frfbf on Dec 12, 2008 - 26 comments

Britain's Biggest "Gigaholic". [more inside]
posted by chuckdarwin on Nov 24, 2008 - 42 comments

BUNNY CONCERT. 5 bunny in concert. [SLYT, Via]
posted by homunculus on Nov 17, 2008 - 28 comments

John Prine Live in 1980 on youtube--with interspersed interviews from around his hometown: in his 1951 Ford Custom Club Coupe (Automobile), down by the train tracks (Bruised Orange) on the porch ( How Lucky) and at the Scene of the Crime (The Accident). Previously [more inside]
posted by Potomac Avenue on Nov 16, 2008 - 13 comments

In 1982, Steve Wozniak sank a lot of his own money into creating the US Festivals -- the first large concerts to celebrate the merging of music, technology (and money). For the second (and final) US Festival in 1983, Van Halen was given 1.5 million dollars, up front, to headline the 1983 US Festival. What did they give back to their fans? Well, about eighty-four seconds into their first song, David Lee Roth screamed, "I forgot the f@¢₭n' words!" Along with a swipe at the Clash, the set that followed remains evar a drunken classic of testosterone-fueled pop metal campiness. About 3:20 into this clip, DLR launches into his epic fail version of "God Bless the Child" -- 'nuff said.
posted by not_on_display on Oct 10, 2008 - 36 comments

The theory is one thing - but if you have ever dreamed of having the chance to conduct a full, professional orchestra at a major concert then you are almost certainly (*) out of luck. Sorry. Unless you are a celebrity in which case the BBC might fix it for you (full program trailer on YT). Giving it their first go are actors Jane Asher and David Soul, Drum and Bass star Goldie, Blur bassist Alex James, broadcasters Katie Derham and Peter Snow, and comedians Sue Perkins and Bradley Walsh as they compete to be the "Maestro" [i-player link for UK only unfortunately]
posted by rongorongo on Aug 13, 2008 - 25 comments

Glitter And Doom: Tom Waits In Concert [more inside]
posted by acro on Jul 29, 2008 - 22 comments

Tomorrow, Björk, Ólöf Arnalds and Sigur Rós are teaming up for a free concert - Náttúra - which aims to raise awareness of the proliferation of aluminium smelting plants in Iceland. Held in a large park near the centre of Reykjavik, will be broadcast live on the Nat Geo Music and all of the performances will be in broad daylight with Iceland’s dramatic rolling scenery providing a perfect backdrop to what is expected to be one of the biggest concerts the country has seen. The festival also aims to publicize Andri Snær Magnason's book Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual to a Frightened Nation, an Icelandic bestseller about the environmental situation that will be published in an English translation next month. [more inside]
posted by chuckdarwin on Jun 27, 2008 - 39 comments

The Pointer Sisters rehearse. [more inside]
posted by StopMakingSense on Apr 30, 2008 - 11 comments

New England's best metal site has now gone national.

Thrash out!
posted by auralcoral on Apr 21, 2008 - 75 comments

Peace Without Borders. Colombian singer Juanes put together a concert calling for peace, as a result of the recent crisis between Colombia and Ecuador (and tangentially, Venezuela). Remarkably, it was held from the bridge between Venezuela and Colombia, in what is normally a very problematic border, and it featured the great Carlos Vives, the Dominican Juan Luis Guerra, and others. [more inside]
posted by micayetoca on Mar 16, 2008 - 16 comments

The Bonnaroo lineup announcement is always a big deal, but this morning's was especially exciting because according to the Associated Press and any number of news outlets, the reunited Led Zeppelin would be headlining. Trouble is, it's not true. It's all-girl cover-band Lez Zeppelin. [more inside]
posted by jbickers on Feb 6, 2008 - 33 comments

The proprietor of bantha fodder goes to quite a few concerts. And likes to take photos. [more inside]
posted by LionIndex on Nov 7, 2007 - 23 comments

Mine was The Fixx opening for A Flock Of Seagulls in '82 when I was 12 and it was the first time I smoked dope... I know this is the worst kind of query-Metafilter post but I can't resist. It is a fun article and I bet you have a better story.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman on Oct 1, 2007 - 215 comments

Introducing Nunatak They are an indie-folk fusion band, but you've probably never heard of them unless you've been to Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. Their first live gig will be broadcast 07/07/07 to hundreds of millions of people on more than 120 networks around the world. Al Gore invited them to play Live Earth because the runway at Rothera is too small for major rock stars. And he promised concerts on all 7 continents. They will have a gorgeous stage, performing outside on the ice if the weather is nice, say minus 15F or so.
posted by culberjo on Jun 14, 2007 - 7 comments

The Bang on a Can Marathon is currently in progress at the World Financial Center in Manhattan. This annual Marathon has taken various forms over the years, with a range of lengths, locations and admission prices; this year's features 26 straight hours of music from around the world, with free admission. Bang on a Can is the 20-year-old new music presenting, producing and recording group co-founded by composers Julia Wolfe, David Lang and Michael Gordon.
posted by allterrainbrain on Jun 3, 2007 - 12 comments

The World's Greatest Live Music Show is back on the air [warning: YT-heavy first sentence]. Friday's season premiere featured inspired performances by Arctic Monkeys, CSS and The Hold Steady. Next week: Joanna Newsom, Grinderman, Travis, and more.
posted by chuckdarwin on May 6, 2007 - 33 comments

Sasquatch!, the indie music festival, returns to The Gorge with an impressive line-up headlined by Bjork and the Beastie Boys. As usual, KEXP has a veritable cornucopia of live performances from the artists. If you're wondering what might be in store, check out select songs from The Arcade Fire, M.I.A., Citizen Cope, Neko Case, The Thermals, Viva Voce, Interpol, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Spoon, Ozomatli, Bad Brains, The Dandy Warhols, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Common Market, Smoosh, and Minus The Bear. Bring sunscreen and an umbrella on your short drive from Seattle to George, Washington
posted by 0xFCAF on Feb 25, 2007 - 13 comments

If anyone can put together a kick-ass concert DVD, it's Trent Reznor. For your consideration: Nine Inch Nail's upcoming "Beside You In Time," which will be released in HD-DVD, Blu-Ray and some format from the late-90's they are referring to as simply DVD (this is apparently the first music DVD ever to be released on all three formats). View the trailer and some clips here in 1080P (if you're computer and eyes can handle it). Or, if you're lucky enough to live in one of the chosen cities, attend a screening.
posted by JPowers on Jan 26, 2007 - 48 comments

Massive gallery of concert photos. Some bands, you may not have heard of; others, well there's a few of those too.
posted by KevinSkomsvold on Oct 1, 2006 - 8 comments

SonicLiving is a website which tracks live events (mostly shows) in your home town, and can read in tracks from your last.fm or pandora account to notify you of interesting shows coming up in your area, as long as your area is one of the currently-limited areas they cover. (vide intra)
posted by whir on Sep 21, 2006 - 13 comments

Eyes Of The World A 14-minute Google video of the Grateful Dead playing a mid-70s classic in New Jersey in 1991.
posted by persona non grata on Jul 19, 2006 - 59 comments

YouTube.com: A New Musical Anthropology. A short essay on YouTube, and a long list of punk and hardcore concert videos. NSFW warning: If you go poking around the forum you'll find a lot of porno spam. I haven't checked out all the videos yet, so you're on your own there.
posted by hydrophonic on Jun 20, 2006 - 15 comments

36 years later, the remaining members of The Who will return to reprise their seminal concert recording Live at Leeds. The original record was compiled from one concert, in the Leeds University Refectory, and that's where they'll be playing tonight.
posted by handee on Jun 17, 2006 - 30 comments

Culture Catch is an online "magazine" featuring vid and podcasts of musicians such as Mark Kozelek, American Music Club, Les Paul and Tony Visconti. Plus: Todd McFarlane, Sir Richard Branson, Henry Rollins, Gisele, David Cronenberg and more.
posted by edlundart on Mar 30, 2006 - 7 comments

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are a band that, less than a year ago, were making music without the help of a record label, pressing CDs themselves and selling them at concerts and on the Internet. Then the following happened: June 9: Dan Bierne writes about the band on his MP3 blog, June 14: Pitchfork Media posts a review of the song "In This Home On Ice", June 15: Blogger Gothamist posts an interview with the band, June 20: Blogger Stereogum announces the band's show at the Knitting Factory, June 21: Gothamist reports that David Bowie was in the audience at the Knitting Factory show, and June 22: Pitchfork posts one of a slew of reviews of Clap's first album. Now, they've been named to dozens of critics 'best of' lists, they're playing Conan and Letterman, and are about to embark on a new tour. Why choose today to post an article about a band blowing up written in November you ask? Because their tour kicks off tonight at the 9:30 club in DC, and you can listen to it live.
posted by ND¢ on Mar 8, 2006 - 140 comments

Podbop. Completely stupid name. Not a bad idea. Enter your city, and it will come back with MP3 links and podcasts from bands soon to play in your town, in a "try before you buy tickets" kind of way. Works quite well for the US, other countries look like they need updating.
posted by Jimbob on Mar 3, 2006 - 18 comments

NPR’s Live Concert Series site offers recordings of recent live performances by James Brown, Sinead O’Connor, Iron & Wine and Calexico, Son Volt, My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes, M. Ward, Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, The Decemberists, and live tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET, Colin Meloy.
posted by ND¢ on Jan 27, 2006 - 46 comments

Concert of the century: 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Aerosmith and others rock a bat mitzvah.
posted by ab'd al'Hazred on Nov 29, 2005 - 35 comments

QuickTime panoramas from the annual Sziget pop festival. I love getting these things and spinning them around at full speed but it can be a bit disconcerting with the The Boom Family Snuff Puppets surrounding you. And hey! spot the guy caught lighting up a doobie at the Yann Tiersen concert.
posted by tellurian on Sep 18, 2005 - 2 comments

Sometimes You Can't Fix You On Your Own. (Quicktime and Windows Media.) If there has ever been doubt about Coldplay's burning ambition to be U2, let it be put to rest.
posted by Saellys on Aug 5, 2005 - 85 comments

Freebird!
posted by Tlogmer on Mar 21, 2005 - 99 comments

Music for the Kind : A half-completed tentative lineup for the fourth annual Bonnaroo Music Festival has been announced. With no advertising budget, the festival draws 90,000 fans to the pastures of Manchester, Tennessee for some of the best that live music has to offer. Smaller local festivals, like Langerado and Wanee Festival in Florida, have popped up featuring many of the same artists. Phish may be phried, but the music jams on and there could be a brighter future for selling music than more MTV.
posted by trinarian on Jan 22, 2005 - 12 comments

Kid Rock To Play Bush Inauguration ... The Bush Twins have invited Kid Rock to play their inauguration bash after their father is sworn in to a second term. Rock also played the Republican National Convention. This is a guy who stuck his head through an American flag at the Superbowl and has lyrics that say all women are whores and extol drug and alcohol abuse. (The link has actual lyrics from Rock, so if you are offended by cursing don't follow it.)
posted by nathanrudy on Jan 4, 2005 - 173 comments

Benefit Concert: Calexico in Calexico. The band Calexico will play for the first time ever in the City of Calexico July 9th in a benefit concert promoting border crossing death awareness. Since the U.S. Border Patrol began to document these deaths in 1999, over 2000 illegal immigrants have died in search of a new life in the United States. Calexico, formed by Joey Burns and John Convertino, will donate all proceeds to a non-profit organization supporting humanity.
posted by labotsirc on Jul 6, 2004 - 10 comments

Ever been to Merlefest? If you're a returning guest, Merlefest tickets are now available online. (more inside). Wear your overalls and enjoy some good 'ol "Americana." ( More info inside)
posted by bradth27 on Sep 10, 2003 - 4 comments

Toronto is expecting 450,000 to attend today's Toronto Rocks SARS benefit concert with The Rolling Stones! AC/DC! Rush! Justin Timberlake! The Flaming Lips! Blue Rodeo! And more! CBC TV (2-hour TV special at 9pm ET), CBC Radio (12-hour webcast starting at 12pm ET), and MuchMoreMusic (12-hour TV coverage) will be broadcasting from the event. Are you attending the 'largest ticketed event in North American history'? Ever been to a mega-concert? Let's hear about it.
posted by stonerose on Jul 30, 2003 - 46 comments

Stones 'fail to rock' young Indians The Rolling Stones have failed to sell out their first concerts in India - amid reports that many young music fans are simply not interested in them. [ the best part is the quote " Tell me how many college kids are into Rolling Stones? " by a guy called Brucelee Mani, Bangalore rock musician ]
posted by turbanhead on Apr 4, 2003 - 24 comments

Big Show. No Tickets. No Problem. In case you happen to find yourself about to miss out on the concert of a life-time, because you were 2 spots behind the last person to get tickets before it sold out, have no fear. This article at Relevant shows you how to get into any concert for no more than the actual face-value of a ticket. (In other words, the legal way.) Useful information.
posted by wondergirl on Mar 11, 2003 - 15 comments

My name's not Brian! Ryan Adams gives a fan a refund and asks him to leave a concert when said fan asks him to play "Summer of '69". Have you ever been to a concert where the performer lost it at the audience? I guess even folk rockers can be divas...
posted by PenDevil on Oct 17, 2002 - 119 comments

Let the market decide where Dan Bern will play next. Bern and his band are auctioning off a private concert at the auction winner's house. You can apparently make his appearance as large or intimate as you want. Would a dutch auction like this be enough to build a U.S. tour on?
posted by Dirjy on Sep 5, 2002 - 3 comments

Tipper Gore's Ticket Tangle Seems the reported Gore hustle to get freebies for the Springsteen concernt just one more piece of nonsense to discredit the guy. Ah, so early and things heating up.
posted by Postroad on Aug 10, 2002 - 31 comments

Creed cancles all remaining shows for the remainder of this tour... This is the fourth time a Sacramento show has been cancelled for one reason or another... I think the accident is just a coverup... they just hate us here!
posted by darian on Apr 29, 2002 - 50 comments

This weekend's DialTones is yet another fascinating "found sound" performance. (Let's just hope Andras Schiff's not in attendance.)
posted by Fofer on Aug 29, 2001 - 3 comments

Sen. Helms Takes in U2 Concert It seems that Jesse and Bono are pretty good friends. I just didn't imagine that -- I thought Bono liked Strom Thurmond much better. Show's how politically savvy I am. At least Jesse took his grandkids; I'm sure they would have given him hell for a while for leaving them out!
posted by dwivian on Jun 17, 2001 - 6 comments

You too can play with U2. With a little forethought and practice, a guy named Glen Goland lived every amateur guitarist's wet dream last night in Boston. Have you done anything to make your wildest dream come true? Or, like me, are you just letting it all ride on dumb luck?
posted by dchase on Jun 8, 2001 - 19 comments

"Experience Britney" Ok. The line starts here... (joking;)
posted by justgary on May 18, 2001 - 13 comments