Iron Maiden starting off their 2013 Download festival set by buzzing the crowd with a Spitfire, whilst the Churchill "we will fight" speech starts up, launching into Aces High on the "we will never surrender" was a hell of an opening
Tom Sawyer - Rush in Rio was absolute perfection when the Brazilian crowd heard the first note and went into a frenzy. The energy in that stadium was incredible!
For 15+ years I went to the Roskilde Rock Festival during the late 1980's, '90's and 2000's. But I never went to Rock in Rio. In 1985 many of my Brazilian friends had been to Rock in Rio, I really want to experience that festival some day.
@@larsrons7937I was at Roskilde Fest in 1983. Simple Minds, Marilion, Mek Pek Party Band . Don't remember the first song of Simple Minds. ...I think New Gold Dream. 😁
You must have did that one wrong, I saw them in 78 and can only remember Stairway to Heaven and a 45 minute drum solo with Robert Plant switching out with John Bonham at some point in the concert and that's all I can remember other than getting lost after it was over.
Queen mid 70's opening with Now I'm Here, great starting riff, Freddie running from one side of the stage to hot the spotlight and suddenly an explosion with Roger's screams. Got the blood pumping.
Another great opener is hearing Axl’s scream “ You know where you are?!… You’re in the jungle baby!!” while the music around Slashes lead builds up. Then boom, the epic riff melody that sends crowd crazy
That Metallica footage is from Monsters of Rock, Moscow 1991. Epic attendance of 1.6 million people with only 56 injuries and 0 deaths! Absolutely their biggest crowd ever!! So awesome!
Mettallicka , literally took soviet era communist ideology and showed the door to the boushivic revolution!!! , they need to go back there & finish the job !!!
Iron Maiden with Churchill’s speech then they come in with Aces High is just absolutely kills it with a Supermarine Spitfire out over the stage and audience
Exactly! I've seen them quite some times, but The Legacy of the Beast tour opening.... It's in a different league, soooo good!! Gonna see them again in June and i can't wait haha
Yes got to include Iron Maiden. Also Richie Blackmore with or without Deep Purple. Give him a few guitars, amps, petrol, gun powder, & a cameraman, & he will put on an unforgettable show.
Man, I see in your face just what I feel in my soul when I watch these moments. Do you find it hard to explain to people in your life just how much this affects us? My God just great moments. Thanks for sharing
Honestly my last U2 concert began with Where the Streets Have No Name. Seems like it would be no big deal but the stadium is roaring with people waiting for the show to begin when all of a sudden you hear this faint string of the chord progression of the song and as it repeats, it gets louder and louder and louder. Then the just the guitar part starts filling in, building, then the Bass and drums bring it home and the whole thing explodes! I don't know if it was the build of it but it was spectacular!!!!
I just took my niece out to a nice restaurant for her 15th birthday and on the 1.5 hour drive back to her home she wanted to listen to songs that she liked and it blew my mind that they still love 70s, 80s, music. I asked her why and she said it’s just better! I see this a lot with young people now and I’m so happy for it.
Yea most if the new music does not have IT. i work with a couple you g guys & they are in to the Classic Rock era. Bad Company Rush all the stuff I grew up on. It us true they knew how to write with a lil magic Triumph was a great band with opener
My daughter, now 23, Said to me on a couple of occasions while growing up "dad it just isn't fair, you grew up with all of the best music!" And she is right.
100% Marco - To me after 500 plus concerts - that is the #1 concert opener. And I've seen all the top metal acts and have enjoyed them all. But Maiden - and specifically Dr Dr, then Chruchills Speech, then Aces High just cannot be beat. If that doesn't make your hairs stand up then too bad for you!!!
@@bigstevej0460 I wasn;t at that show but was at the Irvine Meadows and also Universal Ampitheater show on the BNW tour and that was a pretty damn good opener I agree. But for me not quite to the level of Aces High.
@@charlestelk6526 Churchill speech was killer . To me every intro is great 👍. Starting listening to them in 1980 when I was 10 and seen every tour since 1984 up until this June at download Festival in the uk 🇬🇧
I have to admit, I just discovered your channel today, and I'm absolutely loving it. I myself am not a musician, but a big lover of music and really love being educated on all of the intricacies that make a song great. You really broke this video down in terms I, again being a non-musician, was able to clearly understand, and now have a deeper appreciation for artists I already loved.
That Rio crowd - WOW! Wish I'd been in amongst that lot. They even sing along to the instrumentals. Those deep keyboard tones in the intro have such weight to them, just awesome.
Came here to say this. Opening chord and 6 seconds later 40,000 Brazilians are singing along. ua-cam.com/video/c2jBLGuVx_o/v-deo.htmlsi=pgWhcKwkffyQzw8M
As a 56 year old rocker I look back and realise we all took for granted the great music and amazing concerts back then. It just seems so lacking today, the youth today really missed out. That's why all these great intros are from a bygone era, but never forgotten. I guess you always have America's got Talent...😄
@steve tarrant I whole hearty agree with you. Today's young people don't understand what real must is.They think listening to techofunck and synthetic sounds is music. They couldn't be more wrong.It takes original thoughts,patients,and most importantly "SKILLS ". Not like OZZY who had to buy his songs from LEMME. K.from MOORHEAD.Now a days they write one or two lines repeat them over and over and they.WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSER. So yeah I'm with you, am happy with my old music on vinyl. LONG LIVE RO
59 & proud of all the concerts I saw starting in 1978!! It was a golden era for live music, REAL music!! Im still going strong. Pearl Jam at MSG on 9/11/22. Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!!! 🤘🎶🤘
Enter Sandman performance was at the Tushino Airfield in Moscow 91. You can see all the Russian soldiers in the 1,6 million crowd. But hey great video as always.
Glad to see you mentioned “In the Flesh” but I have to add one more thing. I saw Roger Waters in 2000 at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. They kicked off the show by flying a plane down the Columbia River and over the stage from the back, then directly over the audience as they kicked it off! Absolutely Epic!!
I actually thought "Pink Floyd" before the list started, but I said..."nah ,Pink won't make it" . But I did think of "Thin Ice" before the bands started playing . I used to walk thru the warehouse where I worked as a cabinetmaker for many years sing the lyrics to "Thin Ice" and people would have a brain spasm when they realized what I was quietly singly. I'm very impressed Guitargate used Pink Floyd, as I am with Black Sabbath. My first Black Sabbath was on an 8 -track tape. They came outta the gate in 1968 playing some of the heaviest metal .
Rush. "The Spirit of Radio." The house lits dim, the audience roars, the "Three Stooges" theme plays, Alex sends those sixteenth notes sailing out into the still-dark auditorium, then the stage lights blaze on with the first big downbeat. Perfection.
Saw Rush 70 times but my most memorable show - and a Top 10 moment in my life - was my first show when they played Radio City in ‘83 . Your comment was how they opened the show and it was 2 hours of ecstasy for me followed by another 4+ decades of them as my Favorite band
Took my partner who didn’t know or like Pink Floyd to Roger Waters the Wall concert. She was blown away with the start, middle and end of this concert ( all of it ) and wanted to go again. Was the most amazing spectacle we have ever seen.
Even though they aren’t my favorite band, hands down, the first time I saw PINK FLOYD on The Momentary Lapse of Reason tour was easily the best concert I’ve ever seen to this day. And I’ve seen A LOT! All the big bands, numerous times each. It’s impossible to describe what that live show is like. That’s the power of a good concert. It hits you point blank right between the eyes and ears! PINK FLOYD is next level live performance. What A SHOW! Saw them 3 times.
How do you not know them and also don’t like them?? That’s impossible. Not know of Pink Floyd. Is he or she Amish?? Never mind rumspringa even they know Pink Floyd.
@@jlynnc9559 I'm not questioning your affinity for Rush, I'm saying that their music is aimed at 12 year old boys and that they have so many live and greatest " hits " records..You rarely ever saw girls at their concerts..their album sales in the end were pathetic and that's just Canada where they get get plenty of air play. Nobody buys their music.
1st song 1st album 1st song live. Live it. The times ive seen VH (not since 81) they opened once with Light up the Sky (only had 2 albums out then) and On Fire. Never opened with RWTD when i saw them. 5×. Rock on dude!
I saw them on their maiden tour in 78 and they pretty much played their entire first album and was completely blown away by EVH and his unbelievable skills on a guitar..
Great video Michael. I love the energy and focus you put into describing the events. It's clear that you're an artist with a keen aesthetic and musical sensibility.
My favorite opening song was at my first RUSH concert --- Moving Pictures in the spring of 1981. The arena was dark (stage not lit with lights) and they opened with 2112 Part I - Overture. FANTASTIC!!
Or the compilation from the R30 tour that is doing the rounds on UA-cam leading into Spirit of Radio. Here's some tunes we may or may not play tonight. We're only on stage for 3 hours and we may well miss some out. Saw Rush on that tour in Manchester.
@@BJMauck Hells Bells Seattle Wa Feb 11 82’ Angus on top of 12x12” stacks ( 3 4x12”) playing opening riff, jumps down on stage right when Malc & Co. kick in.
I was 8 rows back, center stage, in the folding chairs on the floor at the Omni in Atlanta in summer of '82 at the AC/DC concert. They opened with Hells Bells. They brought down a 30-foot diameter brass bell from the ceiling, and the "BONG" noises for the opening notes were made by Angus beating on that bell with his GUITAR! That's number 1. And yes, Thunderstruck is brilliant. If it weren't for Hell's Bells, that would get my vote for number 1.
yip, you cant beat hells bells as an opener, I was lucky enough to have seen them 4 times at the Edinburgh playhouse in the 80s. when they still had the real bell. can still remember the build up to the bell coming down, then the intro, then Brian hitting the bell (no like the current cheap fibreglass one) 3,500 crammed in for a night that you would never forget.
Great choices! Very insightful video about composition of great rock anthems. I’m not a musician but I enjoyed your video as I am a big Rock fan. I also understood your analysis of the songs. Cheers to your love and passion for Rock music.
Great list and can’t argue with the choices. But my personal fave for over the top build and crowd intensity was U2 ‘87 Joshua Tree Tour in Vancouver opening with Where the Streets Have no Name, at a time when the band was at the apex of their career. For a concert opening, nothing has ever matched that moment in time for me. 36 years and 2 months later and it still gives me chills to think about it.
Stumbled across this video - the best part is not the 5 songs... its your enthusiasm .... we all get that feeling when we go to see a band we love. Thanks for posting this.
Nobody…and I mean NOBODY, had a more incredible opening to a concert than the Mighty Van Halen did, in their prime! The lights go down, giant white lights circling about to the intro guitar squeal from the greatest guitarist that ever lived, Edward Van Halen. Then Alex Van Halen joins in along with Michael Anthony as the rhythm section symphony gets the crowd going. THEN up top on the drum riser a spotlight on Dave, as Roth holds his one hand up to greet the fans, leaps 20 feet off the riser in to the splits lands perfectly on the stage and UNCHAINED begins!!! It didn’t get better than that and I’ve witnessed thousands of concerts! Long live the Mighty Van Halen🎸🦁🎤🥁
@@necrom4454 Check out this link. This was from the 1984 tour in Montreal - ua-cam.com/video/-90SPx6Xfwo/v-deo.html - I must add that Van Halen had the best MC to introduce the band before they hit the stage. I believe I read in one of Van Halen’s documentaries, Dave recruited one their roadies with the best voice, to introduce the band in each city as “Hellllooo (insert city name) are you ready to get down, I give you the Mighty Vannnn Halennn” That was enough to give you goosebumps,😀🎸!!!
I have tried and tried to make myself like EVH. I can always admit when someone is a supreme talent, and Eddie sure as hell was! ...but there's just an element of 80's pop in their sound that I just can't make myself like. It would be like trying to make myself like 'Take on Me.' - I can admit it's a catchy song, I clearly see why so many people add it to summer/party mixes... but I hate that sound. That goddamned 80's pop sound. I think, had I had the opportunity to see him live, it would have done the trick... but, alas, I wasn't ever able to catch a show before he passed (and I really made an effort!). So I think Eddie will always be the guy I have the utmost respect for and greatly admire the technicality and innovation of his playing but can't stand to listen too. I really love how passionate EVH fans are about his music. I really want to share in that, but I've always felt Van Halen was the missing link in my playing. I have never learned an EVH lick. Either way, that intro sounds incredible, Friend!
1) Rush, following their film intro with cartoon figures arriving at a concert while the Three Stooges theme music plays, followed by the band launching into "The Big Money." 2) Emerson Lake and Powell running down the first four numbers of their new self-titled album, starting with "The Score." What's so cool about that song is that it starts off with a series of drones announced with cymbal hits, and then Emerson starts up a kind of keyboard retrospective from his side of the stage: a sequenced FM-synth throb (1980s - i.e., the present), a fanfare from the all-analog Yamaha GX1 (1970s), and an open octave on the Hammond with Leslie spin-up/spin-down (1960s). To me at least, it was incredibly exciting.
As soon as I saw the video title I thought of Rush. When I saw them after the Three Stooges theme they launched into Spirit of Radio. Great, great opening for a show!
Yes sir I saw them in Atlanta Ga at the old Omni and we sat about 10 rows down from the cannons and they kick in I couldn't hear for about 5 days ! One of the best concerts I've ever been to.......
Michael, I am a HUGE fan of your enthusiasm, your love for music. I'm no musician myself but I am a music lover and I LOVE your joy of sharing music with us. Thank you - just thank you.
I agree with AC/DC but in 1981 at the Old Boston Garden they opened with “HELLS BELLS 🔔 THEY ROCKED THE PLACE! That should be Your #1 for sure! I Can Still Hear Those Bells Ringing! Hell Yeah!
I am surprised that I had to scroll that far to find Hells Bells mentioned. Personally, I think that Thunderstruck is a bit overrated, has been overused and can in fact be a bit boring. To me Live Wire and Hell Bellsare the ones. Hells Bells was their opener on the BiB Tour in 1980. It was the very first concert I ever attended (went with a friend, we were both 14). We got to enjoy the bluesy 1980 incarnation of Whitesnake as support - and enjoyed that a lot. Then came on the bell and that spine tingling lick, the crowd just went mad with "I'm roaring thunder, pouring rain ..." and my life was never gonna be the same. That concert - of similar intensity as 1979 Let there be rock in Paris - has stayed with me until this very day. The insane performance of Angus in his early to mid-twenties is something you may love and appreciate from a film recording but in truth ... you'll really have no idea what it was like to be there. That sound, that drive and that level of complete and utter madness on stage just could never be bettered.
I saw the San Francisco show at the Cow Palace. Greatest opening I ever witnessed! Bon recently passing I really didn't know how this new guy would measure up in a live show. Angus playing the picking riff in the dark while the bell slowly descends bathed in a golden light, here comes Brian Johnson running around on stage carrying a sledgehammer. He hit that bell so hard you could feel it in your chest. I still get goosebumps remembering that moment.
I saw ACDC with both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson...fantastic. And I saw Black Sabbath in the 70's. I've still got that ticket stub. Wonderful. 😁. I even went to Woodstock when I was 14 and saw Jimi Hendrix at the end. Glad I stayed on the next day after it supposedly ended. 😍
Enjoyed this. My personal favourite opening track is Rush The Spirit of Radio. With Rush’s cinematic videos creating excitement and anticipation, that opening riff just sent a charge down my spine. And the crowd ALWAYS got involved. Air drumming, hands in the air and we were all immediately connected to the band. Awesome!
Greatest band ever. They proved it over and over again. To stay together as long as they did is something no other band has done before or since. Even though the first album has Rutsey on drums they changed quite a bit on fly by night so that is where Rush really started being great.
Van Halen opening with Unchained on the 1984 tour. Ed starts with a pick slide that goes into the intro riff, Alex comes in on the snare, and then Michael comes in with both of them when the lights hit and Dave has done the splits off the stage. And the tempo is kicked up a notch from the studio version. So it just adds to the epicness.
In Vancouver Canada, they opened with Unchained as well. Just imagine it. Dave did 10 flips across the entire stage in succession as Edward played that most epic riff. I thought it was a dream. It was so surreal. It was so crazy noise wise from the crowd before the show and even louder during.. Never heard anything like it. Louder than the band!
Absolutely! I was going to say the same thing. I was at the 1984 show at The Forum in Inglewood, probably the best entrance of any show I have been to! Dave jumping off the drum riser to kick off the show was as good as it gets!
Saw Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the old Cleveland Colosseum in '79. Lights went out, Introduction was made. They started playing Fanfare For The Common Man as the stage floor opened up and they came up through the floor. The entire band was wearing white and all of the instruments were white as well. Totally blown away. I still vividly remember that 40 years later.
Saw ELP in Milwaukee. 'Works' tour. Unbelievable show. They started out with Karn Evil 9 and the system was shorting every time Greg Lake hit a note. The lights went out for about 10 minutes and then they started over - wow! Carl Palmer's solo in Tank was pretty danged awesome, too.
I also saw EL&P 3 times. Boston Garden was the first time. The crowd went so crazy for 5 minutes you couldn't even hardly hear them play. They were also using the cutting edge quad system that night. Sooo very special.
For me it was the incredible opening of "Aces High" complete with a 3/4 size "working" British Spitfire "flying" over the crowd in Houston on the Legacy of the Beast show in Houston in 2019. 🤘I'm seeing them in Fort Worth next year in November for my third Maiden show since 2017. Took me three decades to see Maiden and omfg. Beyond epic. I'm 56. Bruce is the "baby" in Maiden and he's pushing 65 or older I believe. Maiden is the antithesis to bands that "lived the rock and roll lifestyle" who are now pathetic "money grabs." I'm looking at you Crue. Y'all sucked back in the 80s show I saw so...
Loved them all. Love your enthusiasm. We had the best music and musicians back in 80s. It was an amazing experience growing up in America back then. Cheers.
First time I saw Queen they opened with Tie Your Mother Down. Full quad sound pyro and you were blown away immediately. Then it kept going. Boom! Day at the Races tour.
Spot on and I like your wisdom on this matter. Never thought of this. For me I heard the Elton John band at Candle Stick stadium and the opened with Funeral a Friend/Love lies Bleeding. Epic! Another opening was KISS and they opened with Detroit Rock City/King of the Night Time World.
War Pigs and Ozzy, who really does love his job ♥️ Rush… always an experience to see them live and then we took our kids. 💕 they are sorely missed RIP Professor 💔
I don't know mang. I have been to three Rush concerts in the highest prime of their career and the best thing I can say about Rush live is Mediocre in concert and this almost applies to most true 3 piece bands I've seen live it's because the layers used in recording studio doesn't carry over to playing live
I have seen Queen live three times. Believing their concert at Bucharest being their best. But nothing comes even close to the magic of AC/DC performing live. As soon as Angus appears on stage it is showtime. No band comes even close to projecting that kind of energy. Oh, they try by using more volume or distortion or going or a rant using the "F" word a million times per minute but that really does not make you look cool at all.
Agreed, saw Queen may 1976 Santa Monica Civic, Ca. all my hard rocker fans were teasing me because back then freedie was openly gay, and it wasnt too kool with certain crowds . i dont care about thaT SHIT BACK THEN NOR NOW. MUSIC IS god!!
Queen was a good live band, saw them once early on, News of the World tour and The Game tour. The News of the World show I saw was by far the best. They were on at Live Aid, but I thought Bowie was the best act that day. I'll take Zeppelin in '75 over anyone.
My wife got us tickets to RUSH in 2005 for my 40th birthday, I had seen them in '86 but don't recall what they opened with then but in '05 they opened with "Spirit of Radio". When a band opens with one of their biggest hits, one that is on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's "Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" list, you just know the rest of the show is going to be awesome. It was.
With almost 40 years of seeing live performances under my belt and a wide array music genres, Iron Maiden's "Aces High" with Churchill's speech as the intro, is still my number show opener of all time.
I saw the Powerslave tour at Radio City Music Hall.. They must have opened with Aces High??? We were drinking tall boys and SoCo that night. I haven't drank SoCo ever since.....
First time viewer here. I love your passion for these openers, and I'm glad you gave a nod to Rush with Spirit of Radio. IMO this was their best opening during the Grace Under Pressure tour 1984. So energetic!!
Rush concerts were always amazing. When we took our kids it was pretty amazing. My 11 yr old daughter earned the respect of those around us because she also knew every song Long Live Rush!!!
Just stumbled on this vid and besides music being a very passionate love of my life,i was also absolutely magetised to Michael's soothing,well descriptive,passionately put across summarising! I hit the subscribe button straight away!!!💯❤👌
#1 had a smile on my face! I was in the Army 1971-73 and spent 1 year in Vietnam. Paranoid was a cassette I always had playing with War Pigs, Iron Man, Fairies Wear Boots as my favorites. Brought back some great memories!
KISS _ Detroit Rock City they only opened with it on one tour and a few others appearances. Just the way they hit the stage and the bombastic opening is as iconic as Rock and Roll All Night's finale.
Actually I've seen KISS open with Detroit Rock City on several tours. Sometimes the opening song is changed during different legs of a tour. A lot riding on location at the time.
I remember in 96 when they had the semi transparent curtain where you could read KISS. The guitars started, the drum roll. A flash and a bang and it fell down, revealing the band. That is an opening!
I took my two (barely) teenage sons to see Kiss on their (latest) farewell tour. They opened with DRC and they shot more fireworks during that one song than most 4th of July celebrations. It was my boys first ever concert and they had their jaws literally dropped. I’ve see Kiss in their prime but I wanted my kids to see them while they still could. It was awesome for them but more awesome for me.
In life, we are blessed if we love what we do, I found this video to be more informative with more passion than entire live concerts I have attended. You have demonstrated that we are far from the conclusion of the pantheon of iconic and stirring music that has, been, or will be written and performed.. Thank you! Let me repeat that-THANK YOU!
I didn't go to many concerts, but my first concert was in 1973 at madison Square garden I was heading to my seat in the dark and led zeppelin started playing "rock and roll". Thought my head would explode. May not be top five, but I liked it
Man, I never commented on any video ever but this one is top of the charts, never knew nor payed attention to these details, and yes these are all crowd killers, goose bumps all the way, great job man!
Pink Floyd, Pulse/Dark Side of the Moon, '92ish, Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan. Their management group said they would not be touring after the Pulse tour. HA!! Roger Waters kicked off his Us + Them tour at the Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri. Both EXCELLENT shows!
Nightwish openings at Wacken 2013 "Dark Chest of Wonders" and at sold out Wembley arena 2015 "Shudder before the Beautiful" are the best openings of this Century. ⛄👍
Hi you all, i 100% agree with you! Nightwish is of a higher level for sure! Michael problaby never heard of the magnificent Finnish band.. Greetings from the Netherlands 🤘🇳🇱🤘
I saw them in 1973 they open with Highway star. The rhythm section is so tight bass player and I think his name was Glover and Ian pace on drums. I probably haven’t seen as many shows as some of you have but that was an awfully good opening song.
I saw Pink Floyd on Animals in Tampa in 1977, twice on MLOR, (1987-88) Tampa and Orlando, and once on the Division Bell tour in Tampa in 1994. They were and always will be the definitive live music experiance. Sight and sound. 👍😳👍
Saw it at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Starts off with their jet taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport and buzzing the stadium, then all of the sudden they are playing. WOW!
I began going to arena concerts way back in around '70. I have seen so many shows.....but for me, nobody kicked everybody's ass like Joe Walsh prior to his Eagles days. His band was called Barnstorm....and they ripped the sky apart from the opening bell. Steve Miller also had epic entrances. Remember.....I'm talking the OLDER days now. Still have my rock 'n' roll soul very intact at age 67....no intention of quitting now.
I’m right there with you my friend. I’m 62 and there’s no better music than the rock of the 70’s and 80’s. If you’re paying close attention to the music in TV and movies you’ll hear a huge resurgence of this era of music.
Dude, just discovered you today. You're a lot like Rick Beato in terms of your value to the world. To a non-musicians (but trying now in mid life) I find your content compelling. Keep up the good work.
![Live Aid (Queen) Full Concert [1985, London, Wembley Stadium]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PLIAp5nr0q0/mqdefault.jpg)
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Every intro gave me goosebumps.
Well done ..
This is why your videos get blocked. You're using their songs to promote your products. You are making money from someone else's work.
@@danielhendriksen9232 I bet you're fun at parties.
The location of that Metallica show wasn't Donnington, it was in 1991 Moscow, Russia with over 1,000,000 people in attendance.
@James Buxton Oh wont you please welcome home....
Queen…Live Aid 85… opened with the best they had. no special effects. Just walked out there and did it. 30 mins of pure music and the crowd.
I think queen should be in the list too. It’s an iconic concert
I think queen should be in the list too. It’s an iconic concert
A new era began in Wembley that day.
LOVE me some Queen!
No question that you nailed it.
Rock concerts in the 80’s never needed anything fancy….just incredibly amazing music!
I remember going to Day on the Green in Oakland, CA open air.
Same in the 70s with the exception of Kiss of course LOL
@@georgegarvey7338 I would like to have seen the Skynyrd show show on the Green
@@terryfox1575❤
Iron Maiden fear of the dark,en vivo.
People singing guitar lines, bass lines...... every single Word.
Breathtaking
Iron Maiden starting off their 2013 Download festival set by buzzing the crowd with a Spitfire, whilst the Churchill "we will fight" speech starts up, launching into Aces High on the "we will never surrender" was a hell of an opening
That was excellent. I've seen Maiden play almost every year since 1983...every opening is pretty epic
Awesome! But they opened with Moonchild on the 2013 tour.
😂😂😂😂😂😂. Are you for real. Pure garbage
When you say buzzed with a spitfire, do you mean a Spitfire warbird went over the crowd?
@@TheModelMakingHistorian Yes, at a reasonably low altitude. Given the proximity to East Midlands Airport, I'm surprised they were allowed to do it
Tom Sawyer - Rush in Rio was absolute perfection when the Brazilian crowd heard the first note and went into a frenzy. The energy in that stadium was incredible!
Rush Tom Sawyer with the South Park intro
I saw a few shows on the Vapor Trails tour - and it was insane to see them open with TS.
For 15+ years I went to the Roskilde Rock Festival during the late 1980's, '90's and 2000's. But I never went to Rock in Rio. In 1985 many of my Brazilian friends had been to Rock in Rio, I really want to experience that festival some day.
They also open with Limelight a lot. Hail Rush. R.I.P. Neil. Yep Rush in Rio is my favorite live album of all-time. Cheers.
@@larsrons7937I was at Roskilde Fest in 1983. Simple Minds, Marilion, Mek Pek Party Band . Don't remember the first song of Simple Minds. ...I think New Gold Dream. 😁
Saw Led Zeppelin in May of 1973 and they opened “Rock and Roll”. That one has been hard to beat for 49 years.
You must have did that one wrong, I saw them in 78 and can only remember Stairway to Heaven and a 45 minute drum solo with Robert Plant switching out with John Bonham at some point in the concert and that's all I can remember other than getting lost after it was over.
That must have been sooo good!
Absolutely the best opening song ever. Not even close! Bonzo saying "all right, let's go!" just before the first note. Classic.
Rock n roll Madison Square Garden yes this is the ultimate best opening ever!! 1973. Check it out the song remains the same full concert
Saw them at Kezar Stadium in 73. Best. Concert. Ever.
Queen mid 70's opening with Now I'm Here, great starting riff, Freddie running from one side of the stage to hot the spotlight and suddenly an explosion with Roger's screams. Got the blood pumping.
Another great opener is hearing Axl’s scream “ You know where you are?!… You’re in the jungle baby!!” while the music around Slashes lead builds up. Then boom, the epic riff melody that sends crowd crazy
I love how he followed it with, _”Wake up! Time to diiiiiiiiiiiiie!!”_ a line from the film _Blade Runner…_
But Guns opens with Its So Easy
That Metallica footage is from Monsters of Rock, Moscow 1991. Epic attendance of 1.6 million people with only 56 injuries and 0 deaths! Absolutely their biggest crowd ever!! So awesome!
Shut the. hell up play the music
Mettallicka , literally took soviet era communist ideology and showed the door to the boushivic revolution!!! , they need to go back there & finish the job !!!
Not the biggest crowd ever though impressive
more like 600,000
while it is in the top five or ten crowd sizes (I think Rod Stewart holds the biggest record), still amazing!
Iron Maiden with Churchill’s speech then they come in with Aces High is just absolutely kills it with a Supermarine Spitfire out over the stage and audience
Exactly! I've seen them quite some times, but The Legacy of the Beast tour opening.... It's in a different league, soooo good!! Gonna see them again in June and i can't wait haha
The Spitfire is my absolute favorite WWII aircraft. That flying overhead and Iron Maiden?!?! 🤘🙃 Oh Hell Yes!
Absolutely a kick ass opening song.
Yes got to include Iron Maiden.
Also Richie Blackmore with or without Deep Purple. Give him a few guitars, amps, petrol, gun powder, & a cameraman, & he will put on an unforgettable show.
@@wp-fxpyrodesign snap, roll on june
Man, I see in your face just what I feel in my soul when I watch these moments. Do you find it hard to explain to people in your life just how much this affects us? My God just great moments. Thanks for sharing
YESSSSSSSSS! WOOOOOOOOOOO!
Honestly my last U2 concert began with Where the Streets Have No Name. Seems like it would be no big deal but the stadium is roaring with people waiting for the show to begin when all of a sudden you hear this faint string of the chord progression of the song and as it repeats, it gets louder and louder and louder. Then the just the guitar part starts filling in, building, then the Bass and drums bring it home and the whole thing explodes! I don't know if it was the build of it but it was spectacular!!!!
This is my favorite opening ❤
When they asked Larry Mullen Jr what’s his favorite song to play, he said opening with Streets have no name.
GOOOOOSE BUMPS BROTHA! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
If the version in the movie rattle and hum is the same it must have been epic
U2 is pop not rock
I just took my niece out to a nice restaurant for her 15th birthday and on the 1.5 hour drive back to her home she wanted to listen to songs that she liked and it blew my mind that they still love 70s, 80s, music. I asked her why and she said it’s just better! I see this a lot with young people now and I’m so happy for it.
Yea most if the new music does not have IT. i work with a couple you g guys & they are in to the Classic Rock era. Bad Company Rush all the stuff I grew up on. It us true they knew how to write with a lil magic Triumph was a great band with opener
My daughter, now 23,
Said to me on a couple of occasions while growing up "dad it just isn't fair, you grew up with all of the best music!" And she is right.
I’m seeing a lot of this myself these days. It’s really cool.
Wow most of my grandchildren like the old rock and roll to.
Always loved the Churchill Speech + Aces High opening from Iron Maiden. That shit makes you go for a ride real fast
100% Marco - To me after 500 plus concerts - that is the #1 concert opener. And I've seen all the top metal acts and have enjoyed them all. But Maiden - and specifically Dr Dr, then Chruchills Speech, then Aces High just cannot be beat. If that doesn't make your hairs stand up then too bad for you!!!
The whicker man opening at rocking rio which heralded the return of adrian smith
@@bigstevej0460 I wasn;t at that show but was at the Irvine Meadows and also Universal Ampitheater show on the BNW tour and that was a pretty damn good opener I agree. But for me not quite to the level of Aces High.
@@bigstevej0460 I was debating which one to use for the comment lol
@@charlestelk6526 Churchill speech was killer . To me every intro is great 👍. Starting listening to them in 1980 when I was 10 and seen every tour since 1984 up until this June at download Festival in the uk 🇬🇧
I have to admit, I just discovered your channel today, and I'm absolutely loving it. I myself am not a musician, but a big lover of music and really love being educated on all of the intricacies that make a song great. You really broke this video down in terms I, again being a non-musician, was able to clearly understand, and now have a deeper appreciation for artists I already loved.
I'd include Rush's Tom Sawyer performance from their Rio concert. The energy is insane and the mic drop factor of opening with Tom Sawyer....
That Rio crowd - WOW! Wish I'd been in amongst that lot. They even sing along to the instrumentals. Those deep keyboard tones in the intro have such weight to them, just awesome.
Came here to say this. Opening chord and 6 seconds later 40,000 Brazilians are singing along.
ua-cam.com/video/c2jBLGuVx_o/v-deo.htmlsi=pgWhcKwkffyQzw8M
Queen...Tie Your Mother Down. Power rock at it's best! Great selection Mike.
As a 56 year old rocker I look back and realise we all took for granted the great music and amazing concerts back then. It just seems so lacking today, the youth today really missed out. That's why all these great intros are from a bygone era, but never forgotten. I guess you always have America's got Talent...😄
Couldn't agree more. Original and raw art.
@steve tarrant I whole hearty agree with you. Today's young people don't understand what real must is.They think listening to techofunck and synthetic sounds is music. They couldn't be more wrong.It takes original thoughts,patients,and most importantly "SKILLS ". Not like OZZY who had to buy his songs
from LEMME. K.from MOORHEAD.Now a days they write one or two lines repeat them over and over and they.WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSER.
So yeah I'm with you, am happy
with my old music on vinyl. LONG
LIVE RO
59 & proud of all the concerts I saw starting in 1978!! It was a golden era for live music, REAL music!!
Im still going strong. Pearl Jam at MSG on 9/11/22.
Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!!! 🤘🎶🤘
Agree still rockin 57 years young
@steve tarrant I blame the Millennium AND GEN-Z.
Dude this is awesome!!
Thank you for posting this Michael 👍🙏❤️
I love your videos! Keep them coming buddy!!!😊❤
Highway Star deep purple hands down
"You wanted the best! You got the best! The hottest band in the land... KISS!!!" Any song after that well-known introduction... Perfection!
Def considered including that intro
I prefer the GnR one: you wanted the best … well they didnt fucking make it … so here’s what u get … from Hollywood … guns and roses.
more tymes than not would be Detroit rock city .. I saw one tour where they opened w I stole ur love but generally DRC
Shout it out loud
I seen KISS in concert I can still remember every explosion and everything else that went on during the opening song of Detroit Rock City
Enter Sandman performance was at the Tushino Airfield in Moscow 91. You can see all the Russian soldiers in the 1,6 million crowd. But hey great video as always.
Harvester of sorrow in that live in Moscow was absolutely insane
ac/dc opened that concert with thunderstruck, so good.
Damnnnn
Damn right..🔥🤘🔥
I think he may have replaced it with Moscow for copyright after. His timing is off.
Glad to see you mentioned “In the Flesh” but I have to add one more thing. I saw Roger Waters in 2000 at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. They kicked off the show by flying a plane down the Columbia River and over the stage from the back, then directly over the audience as they kicked it off! Absolutely Epic!!
I was there as well.
Saw him in Winnipeg Canada and the show started with that
Too bad Waters is a closeted Nazi with humongous “daddy issues” . Am Israel 🇮🇱 Chai !!!
I actually thought "Pink Floyd" before the list started, but I said..."nah ,Pink won't make it" . But I did think of "Thin Ice" before the bands started playing . I used to walk thru the warehouse where I worked as a cabinetmaker for many years sing the lyrics to "Thin Ice" and people would have a brain spasm when they realized what I was quietly singly.
I'm very impressed Guitargate used Pink Floyd, as I am with Black Sabbath. My first Black Sabbath was on an 8 -track tape. They came outta the gate in 1968 playing some of the heaviest metal .
So you thought youd might like to go to the show*
Simplicity, stage presence, audience participation, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE- QUEEN, Freddy Mercury, We Will Rock You. Light years ahead!
Rush. "The Spirit of Radio." The house lits dim, the audience roars, the "Three Stooges" theme plays, Alex sends those sixteenth notes sailing out into the still-dark auditorium, then the stage lights blaze on with the first big downbeat. Perfection.
Agree completely... I seen that opening a couple of times and no other word describes it but...
Perfect.
I only missed one tour since Hold Your Fire 88
Saw Rush 70 times but my most memorable show - and a Top 10 moment in my life - was my first show when they played Radio City in ‘83 . Your comment was how they
opened the show and it was 2 hours of ecstasy for me followed by another 4+ decades of them as my
Favorite band
@@nickhoagland6568 Seventy?! Dang, man! That's Deadhead-level dedication. Good for you. (Just three for me. I feel like a piker now.)
Perfect...
Took my partner who didn’t know or like Pink Floyd to Roger Waters the Wall concert. She was blown away with the start, middle and end of this concert ( all of it ) and wanted to go again. Was the most amazing spectacle we have ever seen.
Even though they aren’t my favorite band, hands down, the first time I saw PINK FLOYD on The Momentary Lapse of Reason tour was easily the best concert I’ve ever seen to this day. And I’ve seen A LOT! All the big bands, numerous times each. It’s impossible to describe what that live show is like. That’s the power of a good concert. It hits you point blank right between the eyes and ears! PINK FLOYD is next level live performance. What A SHOW!
Saw them 3 times.
saw waters 3 maybe 4 years ago in Madrid,watched the best and waters absolutely blew my mind ,for 50 euro so good lol Mr waters I salute you
How do you not know them and also don’t like them?? That’s impossible. Not know of Pink Floyd. Is he or she Amish?? Never mind rumspringa even they know Pink Floyd.
@@fuzzybutkus8970 she likes Bay City Rollers, Paper Lace, Abba, Dolly Parton, Dr Hook etc Although she did know Another Brick in the Wall
@@philstone3859 Same...Opened with "Welcome to the Machine"...
Rush - 'Best intro ever' into 'Spirit of Radio' is my all time favorite intro.
Rush.... Best intro ever, on UA-cam, great opening, first saw Rush in 1978, 14 years old, simply blew me away
You're probably not listening to Rush these days..music for 12 year old boys...never any girls at their concerts.
@@blackened4meI listen to Rush often. WTF wouldn't anyone that appreciates musicianship? 🤔
lol dumb dumb!!
@@blackened4mebeg to differ….we loved Rush.
@@jlynnc9559 I'm not questioning your affinity for Rush, I'm saying that their music is aimed at 12 year old boys and that they have so many live and greatest " hits " records..You rarely ever saw girls at their concerts..their album sales in the end were pathetic and that's just Canada where they get get plenty of air play. Nobody buys their music.
Van Halen used to start concerts with "Running With the Devil" really set the mood.
1st song 1st album 1st song live. Live it. The times ive seen VH (not since 81) they opened once with Light up the Sky (only had 2 albums out then) and On Fire. Never opened with RWTD when i saw them. 5×. Rock on dude!
Until they wrote unchained which blows rwtd out of the water
Van Halen was excellent in the stadium!
Romeo Delight was the opening song first time I saw them.
I saw them on their maiden tour in 78 and they pretty much played their entire first album and was completely blown away by EVH and his unbelievable skills on a guitar..
Great list. My additions:
Iron Maiden - Aces High
Rush - Tom Sawyer
Loved every minute of this. Thank you, new subscriber
Great video Michael. I love the energy and focus you put into describing the events. It's clear that you're an artist with a keen aesthetic and musical sensibility.
My favorite opening song was at my first RUSH concert --- Moving Pictures in the spring of 1981. The arena was dark (stage not lit with lights) and they opened with 2112 Part I - Overture. FANTASTIC!!
I sure wish I could've been there for that
Or the compilation from the R30 tour that is doing the rounds on UA-cam leading into Spirit of Radio. Here's some tunes we may or may not play tonight. We're only on stage for 3 hours and we may well miss some out. Saw Rush on that tour in Manchester.
just as my ass hit the seat the lights went out :)
I saw that tour - such a great concert.
@@loafersheffield There's a reason you can look that up as the "Best Intro Ever!"
Whatever song AC/DC starts with is automatically top five.
as usual, Tom is correct
AC/DC could start off with Mary had a little lamb and it would be epic.
When I saw AC⚡️DC live, I don’t even remember what song they opened with, but I had goosebumps for 90 minutes straight!
@@BJMauck Hells Bells Seattle Wa Feb 11 82’ Angus on top of 12x12” stacks ( 3 4x12”) playing opening riff, jumps down on stage right when Malc & Co. kick in.
Same with KISS.
I was 8 rows back, center stage, in the folding chairs on the floor at the Omni in Atlanta in summer of '82 at the AC/DC concert. They opened with Hells Bells. They brought down a 30-foot diameter brass bell from the ceiling, and the "BONG" noises for the opening notes were made by Angus beating on that bell with his GUITAR! That's number 1. And yes, Thunderstruck is brilliant. If it weren't for Hell's Bells, that would get my vote for number 1.
yip, you cant beat hells bells as an opener,
I was lucky enough to have seen them 4 times at the Edinburgh playhouse in the 80s.
when they still had the real bell.
can still remember the build up to the bell coming down, then the intro, then Brian hitting the bell (no like the current cheap fibreglass one)
3,500 crammed in for a night that you would never forget.
@@potkettle8185 Very cool! We're like brothers in arms! All good wishes, my friend! 🤘
Great choices! Very insightful video about composition of great rock anthems. I’m not a musician but I enjoyed your video as I am a big Rock fan. I also understood your analysis of the songs. Cheers to your love and passion for Rock music.
I grew up in the 70s, I had the pleasure of listening to some of the most amazing rock and Roll bands of the era. Amazing
Me, too, and we didn't go broke doing it.
@@wendybutler1681 and all seats were the same price. It was first come first serve and a lot of times we camped out at the venue to get tickets
The 70s were ok but they started off trying too hard to recapture what we lost in the 60s. I can’t stand this know it all hosting calling out chords
Same here
Highway Star - Deep Purple... The adeline rush and build up is second to none...
"Burn" is a VERY close second.......
Both my favorite openers of all time. Spotlight kid and kill the king is next .
I can definitely agree with that ✊🏼
Blackmore: four epic openers - Burn, Highway Star, Kill the King, and Spotlight Kid. Name another guitarist who has equalled that?
@@robertritchie2860 none
I've watched this several times, and I'll watch it several times more. WHO wouldnt
Great list and can’t argue with the choices. But my personal fave for over the top build and crowd intensity was U2 ‘87 Joshua Tree Tour in Vancouver opening with Where the Streets Have no Name, at a time when the band was at the apex of their career. For a concert opening, nothing has ever matched that moment in time for me. 36 years and 2 months later and it still gives me chills to think about it.
Totally agree!
I was at that show; best opening I’ve ever seen too!
Agreed. It was the same opening in '87 at the LA Coliseum. Every time I watch it again on Rattle & Hum it gives me flashbacks.
Stumbled across this video - the best part is not the 5 songs... its your enthusiasm .... we all get that feeling when we go to see a band we love. Thanks for posting this.
Agree! This is one of the great parts of social media. The love.
Absolutely the exact same for me, came by it on accident and WOW!! What band were u talking about that u can’t say
.....until Sabbath
Queen, One Vision at Wembley Stadium in 1986 - I still get goose bumps every time I watch it. Just the best opening to a gig ever!
Exactly lol
And Freddie Fucking Mercury bruh
Best frontman ever-
I love how much it’s obvious that you love these songs and what you are doing so much.
Making me appreciate my favourite songs a whole lot more. Love your work
Nobody…and I mean NOBODY, had a more incredible opening to a concert than the Mighty Van Halen did, in their prime! The lights go down, giant white lights circling about to the intro guitar squeal from the greatest guitarist that ever lived, Edward Van Halen. Then Alex Van Halen joins in along with Michael Anthony as the rhythm section symphony gets the crowd going. THEN up top on the drum riser a spotlight on Dave, as Roth holds his one hand up to greet the fans, leaps 20 feet off the riser in to the splits lands perfectly on the stage and UNCHAINED begins!!! It didn’t get better than that and I’ve witnessed thousands of concerts! Long live the Mighty Van Halen🎸🦁🎤🥁
Can you link it pls?
Agreed. I saw Van Halen at their touring peak on the 1982 Diver Down tour. I haven't been the same since.
Brown m&m pueblo colo.
Oh. My. They were changing the laws and adding up the fines hours after that show!
@@necrom4454 Check out this link. This was from the 1984 tour in Montreal - ua-cam.com/video/-90SPx6Xfwo/v-deo.html - I must add that Van Halen had the best MC to introduce the band before they hit the stage. I believe I read in one of Van Halen’s documentaries, Dave recruited one their roadies with the best voice, to introduce the band in each city as “Hellllooo (insert city name) are you ready to get down, I give you the Mighty Vannnn Halennn” That was enough to give you goosebumps,😀🎸!!!
I have tried and tried to make myself like EVH. I can always admit when someone is a supreme talent, and Eddie sure as hell was!
...but there's just an element of 80's pop in their sound that I just can't make myself like. It would be like trying to make myself like 'Take on Me.' - I can admit it's a catchy song, I clearly see why so many people add it to summer/party mixes... but I hate that sound. That goddamned 80's pop sound.
I think, had I had the opportunity to see him live, it would have done the trick... but, alas, I wasn't ever able to catch a show before he passed (and I really made an effort!). So I think Eddie will always be the guy I have the utmost respect for and greatly admire the technicality and innovation of his playing but can't stand to listen too.
I really love how passionate EVH fans are about his music. I really want to share in that, but I've always felt Van Halen was the missing link in my playing. I have never learned an EVH lick.
Either way, that intro sounds incredible, Friend!
1) Rush, following their film intro with cartoon figures arriving at a concert while the Three Stooges theme music plays, followed by the band launching into "The Big Money." 2) Emerson Lake and Powell running down the first four numbers of their new self-titled album, starting with "The Score." What's so cool about that song is that it starts off with a series of drones announced with cymbal hits, and then Emerson starts up a kind of keyboard retrospective from his side of the stage: a sequenced FM-synth throb (1980s - i.e., the present), a fanfare from the all-analog Yamaha GX1 (1970s), and an open octave on the Hammond with Leslie spin-up/spin-down (1960s). To me at least, it was incredibly exciting.
Yeah, Big Money was a great opener.
As soon as I saw the video title I thought of Rush. When I saw them after the Three Stooges theme they launched into Spirit of Radio. Great, great opening for a show!
The Southpark open to Tom Sawyer was the best intermission comeback I've ever seen.
Great selection. Nothing beats an open air Rock concert.
We Are the Champions! Definitely a anthem song!
For me, Queen at the NEC in Birmingham (UK) in the 80's with an explosive version of We Will Rock You
Wow! This guy is able to put into words what millions have felt at these shows
unfortunately using the wrong prepositions ;)
This list is approved. Everyone of them.
Thank you for this, it go me so amped up!
I seen ac dc in 87 in a closed arena and my ears are still ringing from those about to rock! Them cannons indoors were insane!!
Yes sir I saw them in Atlanta Ga at the old Omni and we sat about 10 rows down from the cannons and they kick in I couldn't hear for about 5 days ! One of the best concerts I've ever been to.......
Michael, I am a HUGE fan of your enthusiasm, your love for music. I'm no musician myself but I am a music lover and I LOVE your joy of sharing music with us. Thank you - just thank you.
I agree with AC/DC but in 1981 at the Old Boston Garden they opened with “HELLS BELLS 🔔 THEY ROCKED THE PLACE! That should be Your #1 for sure! I Can Still Hear Those Bells Ringing! Hell Yeah!
I am surprised that I had to scroll that far to find Hells Bells mentioned. Personally, I think that Thunderstruck is a bit overrated, has been overused and can in fact be a bit boring.
To me Live Wire and Hell Bellsare the ones. Hells Bells was their opener on the BiB Tour in 1980. It was the very first concert I ever attended (went with a friend, we were both 14). We got to enjoy the bluesy 1980 incarnation of Whitesnake as support - and enjoyed that a lot. Then came on the bell and that spine tingling lick, the crowd just went mad with "I'm roaring thunder, pouring rain ..." and my life was never gonna be the same. That concert - of similar intensity as 1979 Let there be rock in Paris - has stayed with me until this very day. The insane performance of Angus in his early to mid-twenties is something you may love and appreciate from a film recording but in truth ... you'll really have no idea what it was like to be there. That sound, that drive and that level of complete and utter madness on stage just could never be bettered.
I saw the San Francisco show at the Cow Palace. Greatest opening I ever witnessed! Bon recently passing I really didn't know how this new guy would measure up in a live show. Angus playing the picking riff in the dark while the bell slowly descends bathed in a golden light, here comes Brian Johnson running around on stage carrying a sledgehammer. He hit that bell so hard you could feel it in your chest. I still get goosebumps remembering that moment.
I saw ACDC with both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson...fantastic. And I saw Black Sabbath in the 70's. I've still got that ticket stub. Wonderful. 😁. I even went to Woodstock when I was 14 and saw Jimi Hendrix at the end. Glad I stayed on the next day after it supposedly ended. 😍
That's fucking superb.
Great list! Loved it all! Definitely got me fitted up to start my day
Enjoyed this. My personal favourite opening track is Rush The Spirit of Radio. With Rush’s cinematic videos creating excitement and anticipation, that opening riff just sent a charge down my spine. And the crowd ALWAYS got involved. Air drumming, hands in the air and we were all immediately connected to the band. Awesome!
Hello Hello Hellooo.....Hello.
Yes!
Greatest band ever. They proved it over and over again. To stay together as long as they did is something no other band has done before or since. Even though the first album has Rutsey on drums they changed quite a bit on fly by night so that is where Rush really started being great.
Van Halen opening with Unchained on the 1984 tour. Ed starts with a pick slide that goes into the intro riff, Alex comes in on the snare, and then Michael comes in with both of them when the lights hit and Dave has done the splits off the stage. And the tempo is kicked up a notch from the studio version. So it just adds to the epicness.
Yup. Unchained... it just kicks you in the ass.
Coliseum Cleveland
The one woman bawled when it ended. We all wanted more.
YES.
In Vancouver Canada, they opened with Unchained as well. Just imagine it. Dave did 10 flips across the entire stage in succession as Edward played that most epic riff. I thought it was a dream. It was so surreal. It was so crazy noise wise from the crowd before the show and even louder during.. Never heard anything like it. Louder than the band!
Absolutely! I was going to say the same thing. I was at the 1984 show at The Forum in Inglewood, probably the best entrance of any show I have been to! Dave jumping off the drum riser to kick off the show was as good as it gets!
Firebird Suite that goes right into Siberian Kahtru was a standard at every Yes show in their prime years. Hard to beat that one.
That's my favorite as well.
First concert I attended back in the 70s, and this intro is the best ever
Yes!!! Firebird Suite going into Siberian Khatru was the greatest!!
My #1 desert island album will always be Close to the Edge. Hearing Firebird Suite live always gave me goosebumps. RIP Chris and Alan.
Still gives me chills. Saw it 4 times
Saw Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the old Cleveland
Colosseum in '79. Lights went out, Introduction was made. They started playing Fanfare For The Common Man as the stage floor opened up and they came up through the floor. The entire band was wearing white and all of the instruments were white as well. Totally blown away. I still vividly remember that 40 years later.
Lucky bastard!!!!
Saw ELP in Milwaukee. 'Works' tour. Unbelievable show. They started out with Karn Evil 9 and the system was shorting every time Greg Lake hit a note. The lights went out for about 10 minutes and then they started over - wow! Carl Palmer's solo in Tank was pretty danged awesome, too.
I also saw EL&P 3 times. Boston Garden was the first time. The crowd went so crazy for 5 minutes you couldn't even hardly hear them play. They were also using the cutting edge quad system that night. Sooo very special.
Refer to Rics reply below!☺
Man always wanted to see EL&P doing Brain Salad Surgery. I always thought they were every bit as good as Pink Floyd.
For me it was the incredible opening of "Aces High" complete with a 3/4 size "working" British Spitfire "flying" over the crowd in Houston on the Legacy of the Beast show in Houston in 2019. 🤘I'm seeing them in Fort Worth next year in November for my third Maiden show since 2017. Took me three decades to see Maiden and omfg. Beyond epic. I'm 56. Bruce is the "baby" in Maiden and he's pushing 65 or older I believe. Maiden is the antithesis to bands that "lived the rock and roll lifestyle" who are now pathetic "money grabs." I'm looking at you Crue. Y'all sucked back in the 80s show I saw so...
What a band and what a way to start a show! How can this guy put In top 5 Born in the usa and not Aces High??? Up the Irons! 🤘
When Churchill roars out -And we shall never surrender!
and Adrian starts that epic guitar riff is absolute magic 🤘🤘
Loved them all. Love your enthusiasm. We had the best music and musicians back in 80s. It was an amazing experience growing up in America back then. Cheers.
Good list… but I miss Queen at Wembley with one man, one goal.
It chills me up every time I see it… love it ❤️
First time I saw Queen they opened with Tie Your Mother Down. Full quad sound pyro and you were blown away immediately. Then it kept going. Boom! Day at the Races tour.
I saw Queen in 78, opened with Tie your mother down.
One Vision the songs called.
I love this guy's enthusiasm and pure joy when discussing music.
seriously 💥💥💥
Bonus: he's a damn good guitar instructor too.
Spot on and I like your wisdom on this matter. Never thought of this. For me I heard the Elton John band at Candle Stick stadium and the opened with Funeral a Friend/Love lies Bleeding. Epic! Another opening was KISS and they opened with Detroit Rock City/King of the Night Time World.
Man…LOVE your passion for this!
War Pigs and Ozzy, who really does love his job ♥️
Rush… always an experience to see them live and then we took our kids. 💕 they are sorely missed RIP Professor 💔
Taurus pedals on A Show of Hands🔥👍
Detroit Rock City from Kiss is such a great opener so energetic and such a great song
Loved this. Very insightful and I’m going to find some of the openers I hadn’t heard before 👍
I am with you on this selection, great stuff 🎹⚡️🎸🎤
Times Like These by Foo Fighters is a huge opener. The build up, the explosion. Just magnificent.
Rush’s Spirit of the Radio was always my favorite opener. Speaks so well to the majesty and mystery and magic of music.
Good call, Rush had a lot of iconic openers: Bastille Day, 2112 Overture, Spirit, Limelight, Tom Sawyer
Definitely agree with that.
Rush 🇨🇦!
I don't know mang. I have been to three Rush concerts in the highest prime of their career and the best thing I can say about Rush live is Mediocre in concert and this almost applies to most true 3 piece bands I've seen live it's because the layers used in recording studio doesn't carry over to playing live
@@jimmy7144 OK…
Queen absolutely wipe the floor with any other band live. They were the best live band in history and every opening song was an absolute event 🤘😎🤘🇬🇧
I have seen Queen live three times. Believing their concert at Bucharest being their best. But nothing comes even close to the magic of AC/DC performing live. As soon as Angus appears on stage it is showtime. No band comes even close to projecting that kind of energy. Oh, they try by using more volume or distortion or going or a rant using the "F" word a million times per minute but that really does not make you look cool at all.
The Clash were unbelievable too
dam straight
Agreed, saw Queen may 1976 Santa Monica Civic, Ca. all my hard rocker fans were teasing me because back then freedie was openly gay, and it wasnt too kool with certain crowds . i dont care about thaT SHIT BACK THEN NOR NOW. MUSIC IS god!!
Queen was a good live band, saw them once early on, News of the World tour and The Game tour. The News of the World show I saw was by far the best. They were on at Live Aid, but I thought Bowie was the best act that day. I'll take Zeppelin in '75 over anyone.
My wife got us tickets to RUSH in 2005 for my 40th birthday, I had seen them in '86 but don't recall what they opened with then but in '05 they opened with "Spirit of Radio". When a band opens with one of their biggest hits, one that is on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's "Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" list, you just know the rest of the show is going to be awesome. It was.
I think in 1980 I saw them open with 2112.
That must have been incredible. Spirit of the Radio is the greatest rock song IMHO.
@@ruds2600 seen them two or three times in the 70s and they always opened with
@@leonelfederico245 2112
Rush in Rio opened with Tom Sawyer blew me away. Seen them 10 times over the years and each time they left me speechless.
With almost 40 years of seeing live performances under my belt and a wide array music genres, Iron Maiden's "Aces High" with Churchill's speech as the intro, is still my number show opener of all time.
Am at 36 years, and nothing tops Aces High. Nothing.
@@jmillh01 up the Irons!
Agree
I saw the Powerslave tour at Radio City Music Hall.. They must have opened with Aces High??? We were drinking tall boys and SoCo that night. I haven't drank SoCo ever since.....
Closest second is the wicker man intro in Rio
Thank you very much for this video,, it helps us a lot to select the song for our Rock Mime
This video is very educational. You gave me a new perspective on how music is written to perform. I did subscribe. Thank you.
First time viewer here. I love your passion for these openers, and I'm glad you gave a nod to Rush with Spirit of Radio. IMO this was their best opening during the Grace Under Pressure tour 1984. So energetic!!
Limelight from there “Snakes and Arrows” Tour was always my fave, but I’ve seen them over 20 times, so it’s really hard to pin it down...
Tom Sawyer in Rio is pretty epic!
Rush concerts were always amazing. When we took our kids it was pretty amazing. My 11 yr old daughter earned the respect of those around us because she also knew every song
Long Live Rush!!!
Best opener has to be “best intro ever” on UA-cam….absolutely immense
KISS-Duece. Banger of an opener. Love when the entire crowd yells, "Do it" in the break..
Because this band is vocal driven. Because their lead vocals were crazy sick!!! Everyone in the band supported that vocal. For good reason. ACDC
Just stumbled on this vid and besides music being a very passionate love of my life,i was also absolutely magetised to Michael's soothing,well descriptive,passionately put across summarising! I hit the subscribe button straight away!!!💯❤👌
#1 had a smile on my face! I was in the Army 1971-73 and spent 1 year in Vietnam. Paranoid was a cassette I always had playing with War Pigs, Iron Man, Fairies Wear Boots as my favorites. Brought back some great memories!
AC/DC legendary rockers add up to your formulas , hells Bells among many others
KISS _ Detroit Rock City they only opened with it on one tour and a few others appearances. Just the way they hit the stage and the bombastic opening is as iconic as Rock and Roll All Night's finale.
ua-cam.com/video/qxhYWzajKQk/v-deo.html
Actually I've seen KISS open with Detroit Rock City on several tours. Sometimes the opening song is changed during different legs of a tour. A lot riding on location at the time.
They've opened with drc on loads of tours
I remember in 96 when they had the semi transparent curtain where you could read KISS. The guitars started, the drum roll. A flash and a bang and it fell down, revealing the band. That is an opening!
I took my two (barely) teenage sons to see Kiss on their (latest) farewell tour. They opened with DRC and they shot more fireworks during that one song than most 4th of July celebrations. It was my boys first ever concert and they had their jaws literally dropped. I’ve see Kiss in their prime but I wanted my kids to see them while they still could. It was awesome for them but more awesome for me.
In life, we are blessed if we love what we do, I found this video to be more informative with more passion than entire live concerts I have attended. You have demonstrated that we are far from the conclusion of the pantheon of iconic and stirring music that has, been, or will be written and performed.. Thank you! Let me repeat that-THANK YOU!
Wonderful video, very well spended time, many thanks
I didn't go to many concerts, but my first concert was in 1973 at madison Square garden I was heading to my seat in the dark and led zeppelin started playing "rock and roll". Thought my head would explode. May not be top five, but I liked it
The fact you saw them live is amazing. I'd cut off one of my balls to see them back in the day.
Awesome, you were fortunate to see Led Zeppelin live!
That's probably the best first concert ever. You win!
@@cindymckenna9910 I am the least cool person on the planet, but yeah, that was good
Man, I never commented on any video ever but this one is top of the charts, never knew nor payed attention to these details, and yes these are all crowd killers, goose bumps all the way, great job man!
THX!
Pink Floyd, Pulse/Dark Side of the Moon, '92ish, Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan. Their management group said they would not be touring after the Pulse tour. HA!!
Roger Waters kicked off his Us + Them tour at the Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri.
Both EXCELLENT shows!
I so enjoyed your video.
Brilliant!
😉
Nightwish openings at Wacken 2013 "Dark Chest of Wonders" and at sold out Wembley arena 2015 "Shudder before the Beautiful" are the best openings of this Century. ⛄👍
You beat me to it 😁 much love
Without question the best opening of all time.
Shudder Before The Beautiful in Wembley is a GREAT choice!
Hi you all, i 100% agree with you! Nightwish is of a higher level for sure! Michael problaby never heard of the magnificent Finnish band.. Greetings from the Netherlands 🤘🇳🇱🤘
@@hansv.d.hooven5232 Probably so. Luckily you and I know better. 😅👍
Deep Purple: Highway Star. The bass/drums buildup for the intro is clearly one of the best of all time.
Love highway star, especially when in a leadfoot driving mood.
Made in Japan and Get Yer Ya -Ya's Out - Highway Star and JJ Flash the two greatest openers - they still give me goose bumps after almost 50 years!
I saw them in 1973 they open with Highway star. The rhythm section is so tight bass player and I think his name was Glover and Ian pace on drums. I probably haven’t seen as many shows as some of you have but that was an awfully good opening song.
All windows down, moon roof open, and Highway Star at volume 11, how can you beat that?
Highway Star is a classic.
I saw Pink Floyd on Animals in Tampa in 1977, twice on MLOR, (1987-88) Tampa and Orlando, and once on the Division Bell tour in Tampa in 1994.
They were and always will be the definitive live music experiance. Sight and sound. 👍😳👍
I was at Tampa twice, Division Bell, and The Wall
Saw it at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Starts off with their jet taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport and buzzing the stadium, then all of the sudden they are playing. WOW!
Saw lots of stadium concerts back in the day. I’m psyched at almost 70. Love the picks. Really glad your channel just popped up!!
Great top 5. I need to add Rush 1983 with back to back Spirit Of Radio straight into Tom Sawyer and U2 1987 with Where The Streets Have No Name.
I began going to arena concerts way back in around '70. I have seen so many shows.....but for me, nobody kicked everybody's ass like Joe Walsh prior to his Eagles days. His band was called Barnstorm....and they ripped the sky apart from the opening bell. Steve Miller also had epic entrances. Remember.....I'm talking the OLDER days now. Still have my rock 'n' roll soul very intact at age 67....no intention of quitting now.
I’m right there with you my friend. I’m 62 and there’s no better music than the rock of the 70’s and 80’s. If you’re paying close attention to the music in TV and movies you’ll hear a huge resurgence of this era of music.
Im all in man this is fabulous.this is how i live everyday with music.u got the heart an soul.❤
the perfect Opening song for me is "One vision" of Queen in live at Wembley (and Magic tour too)
“Gimme, gimme, gimme Fried Chicken!” followed by that E flat (Neapolitan) chord … come on, man. Queen. Freddy has complete control of the crowd.
Also, honorable mention..... KISS, Detroit Rock City, was pretty epic opening "back in the day".
The version from Budokan gives me goosebumps every time.
As the best!
that was my #2
Deuce was their earlier opening.
Oh hell yeah.
Dude, just discovered you today. You're a lot like Rick Beato in terms of your value to the world. To a non-musicians (but trying now in mid life) I find your content compelling. Keep up the good work.