Best Live Bands Right Now

[Martin]

If you like heavy music Power Trip from Texas.

Last year I took my 18 yr old daughter to see Zepperella. Really good all female Zeppelin cover band. Homebase is San Fran but they do play out. Go see them.

if you are ever in the Lou, STL, during Christmas El Monstero are a must see. Phenomenal Pink Floyd act with video lasers dancers acrobats actors. They do Pink Floyd better than Pink Floyd could do these days. They now play songs from every album. 3 hour show for $25. They play a weeks worth of shows. Well worth the trip if you live in the midwest.

 

[Fatroony5]

Have enjoyed seeing Tedeschi Trucks Band the last few summers. Before that used to love to see Dave Matthews Band and as always Phish. Does anyone have any recommendations for good touring acts at the current moment?

Lettuce
The Motet
Infamous Stringdusters
Lake Street Dive
West End Blend
Southern Avenue
The California Honey Drops
Vulfpeck
Anderson Paak and The Free Nationals
Did I mention Lettuce??

 

[Dove]

Lettuce
The Motet
Infamous Stringdusters
Lake Street Dive
West End Blend
Southern Avenue
The California Honey Drops
Vulfpeck
Anderson Paak and The Free Nationals
Did I mention Lettuce??

Saw Southern Avenue at a Blues Festival in PA last summer. Pretty damned good.

 

[Dove]

I will add sizzling blues guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. Mesmerizing.

Davey Knowles out of Wales is really good.

Zac Brown Band, duh.

Local jammers Dead Show with Jeff Martinson.

Stick Figure for new reggae fans.

 

[outlaw]

Dead & Company

Dead & Company is set to return to San Francisco for three headline shows in the iconic Golden Gate Park in celebration of the Grateful Dead’s music. Join us on August 1–3, 2025 for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

deadandcompany.com

Metlife on Jerry's Bday <3

 

[Waquoit]

Uriah Heep was great when I saw them last year as was Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Uriah Heep? I saw then open for Robin Trower over 40 years ago! Do they have more than one song now?

 

[Kathy]

Uriah Heep? I saw then open for Robin Trower over 40 years ago! Do they have more than one song now?

Robin Trower was awesome and Uriah Heep would surprise you.

 

[coloradohusky]

Have enjoyed seeing Tedeschi Trucks Band the last few summers. Before that used to love to see Dave Matthews Band and as always Phish. Does anyone have any recommendations for good touring acts at the current moment?

I just got back from Phish Mexico. If you like Phish, I recommend it highly. Check out The New Motif. Local, but they slay the jam. Btw, Run Away Gin is playing Arch this Saturday. Phish cover band from South Carolina. Theyre good. Also, keep an eye out for Neighbor. Its Richard James’ frm Pink Talking Fish’s originals band. They play every Tuesday night in Somerville mass. So much fun.

 

[coloradohusky]

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Goose, Umphrey McGee, Billy Strings, Cheese String Incident,
Taz Niederauer (16 yo guitarist you have to see), Lettuce, Joe Russos Almost Dead, Stick Figure
For us old timers - Dead and Co, Phish and Trey Anastasio Band

Pigeons and goose, good calls. Jrad obviously. Tab is so much fun. Goose really gets jammy, I saw them open for Pigeons.

 

[Delrayhoops]

Where have you seen Big Sam's Funky Nation? I saw them in New Orleans at Tipitina's maybe 13-14 years ago. Didn't know they came round these parts much.

They come to the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton a couple times a year. They bring it.

 

[-McD-]

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - S.O.B. - Later… with Jools Holland

 

[-McD-]

Oh man.... I've loved the Blasters since the early 80s.... finally saw them a few years back at a club in Collinsville, CT. They opened for Rev. Horton Heat. I think i was the only one there to see the opening act.

I saw The Blasters at Toad's Place back in 1995 with the Beat Farmers (who were also great). Best show ever.

 

[Waquoit]

I saw The Blasters at Toad's Place back in 1995 with the Beat Farmers (who were also great).

Now you got me harking back. I once saw the Beat Farmers open for Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper.

 

[alexd]

I saw The Blasters at Toad's Place back in 1995 with the Beat Farmers (who were also great). Best show ever.

Yes!!!! When in my Plymouth Volare, my friends in college got a steady dose of beat farmers, los lobos, X, blasters, lone justice and Jason & the scorchers.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Lettuce
The Motet
Infamous Stringdusters
Lake Street Dive
West End Blend
Southern Avenue
The California Honey Drops
Vulfpeck
Anderson Paak and The Free Nationals
Did I mention Lettuce??

Krasno isnt with Lettuce anymore right? or the soulive guys join once in a while. I've seen Infamous Stringdusters with Ryan Adams and that was a top 3 show of all time.

 

[JCSuperstar]

Seeing a McD post is like seeing Halley's Comet and will always gets a like.

 

[Milo65]

I saw Blackberry Smoke live, great live band.

 

[Fatroony5]

Krasno isnt with Lettuce anymore right? or the soulive guys join once in a while. I've seen Infamous Stringdusters with Ryan Adams and that was a top 3 show of all time.

Correct. Kras stopped touring with them years ago, but he’ll sit in from time to time, he’s still real close with those guys. Lettuce is my favorite live band going right now, they’re on fire.

The dusters are awesome too, my favorite blue grass group going. Anyone looking to get into a blue grass band that aren’t huge blue grass fans, they’re a good place to start.

Marcus king band, the fritz, caamp, sunsquabi, and dumpstaphunk are some other bands I’ve seen lately and liking these days.

 

[Pawsox]

For those of the progressive music bent, I offer the following:
Opeth - just played the Apollo in NYC. Mikael Akerfeldt on guitar and vocals is amzing. And no more "cookie monster" vocals.

Thank You Scientist - New Jersey's own. Unbelievable live.

Steve Hackett - ex Genesis guitarist is still at it. Playing in Northhampton next week.

Big Big Train - if you liked early Genesis, give them a try. First North American tour coming up in May.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I've seen Los Lobos 8 times in the past 35 years.....they are opening for The Mavericks at Tanglewood in June and headlining at The Indian Ranch in Webster, MA in September. A cool, small, old timey venue on Webster Lake.

Thanks for all of the above (and your couple other contributions to the thread).

I will go to one or both of these.

Originally, I thought there'd be little here for me, except to inspire going through my calendar and determining that since last June 21st (Make Music Day), I've gone out and listened to live music 58 times, but rarely in settings or venues or for artists like those discussed here.

I think my total outlay for show admissions has been under $250, though my 3-day pass to Falcon Ridge Folk Fest was a gift from a friend.

Last night, I stopped into New Haven's Three Sheets for a couple of Tuesday Tacos and the last hour of the NHJU Jazz Jam. I've been to house concerts, town greens, parks, restaurants, a yurt, recital halls, bar, clubs, a video store, churches, a furniture store, art galleries, civic festivals, and, yes, the Polish Falcons club grounds.

LOTS of very good to excellent music of MANY types, and a decent list could be made by what I didn't get to.

QUESTION: Who here has gone to the late summer festival at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI? Recommended?

 

[8893]

QUESTION: Who here has gone to the late summer festival at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI? Recommended?

I've been to Rhythm & Roots almost 20 times, more than 15 of which were consecutive years camping for the full weekend with the family, which grew from two to five over the course of those years. If you liked Falcon Ridge you will love R&R. Highly recommended, and definitely camp. The late night scene in the campground is very cool and there are usually a few great sessions of very talented musicians that you can stumble upon.

The weather is usually stellar, but be prepared for anything from mid-90s and full sun to full-blown Nor'easters or hurricanes, and everything in between.

 

[-McD-]

Yes!!!! When in my Plymouth Volare, my friends in college got a steady dose of beat farmers, los lobos, X, blasters, lone justice and Jason & the scorchers.

Since my wife started up on her concert-going obsession in 2016 I've been filling in my Setlist.fm profile with all the shows that I can remember going to. There are still quite a few that aren't on the list because I haven't been able to figure what the date was. I'm trying to find my envelope with all my old ticket stubs.

 

[sdglast]

Pigeons and goose, good calls. Jrad obviously. Tab is so much fun. Goose really gets jammy, I saw them open for Pigeons.

Totally agree on Goose. They are fantastic. Phish has been amazing these past few years. So tight. Was at the 12/29/18 show at MSG and set 2 was breathtaking. Trey Band is phenomenal. His College Street show last year was awesome!

 

[Kathy]

For those of the progressive music bent, I offer the following:
Opeth - just played the Apollo in NYC. Mikael Akerfeldt on guitar and vocals is amzing. And no more "cookie monster" vocals.

Thank You Scientist - New Jersey's own. Unbelievable live.

Steve Hackett - ex Genesis guitarist is still at it. Playing in Northhampton next week.

Big Big Train - if you liked early Genesis, give them a try. First North American tour coming up in May.

Opeth is great. Get to see Steve Hackett, Jordan Rudess, Marrilion, Flying Colors and more on the cruise I'm going on March 27th.
Big Big Train is good - haven't seen them live yet. Also like Headspace and Anathema.

 

[Pawsox]

Opeth is great. Get to see Steve Hackett, Jordan Rudess, Marrilion, Flying Colors and more on the cruise I'm going on March 27th.
Big Big Train is good - haven't seen them live yet. Also like Headspace and Anathema.

Wanted to do the Cruise to the Edge this year, but the wife killed that idea. Very jealous! Would love to see Riverside, the Flower Kings, Haken, and Glass Hammer again.

I am on a Big Big Train kick now. Will be seeing them in Quebec City and Bound Brook, NJ in May. 600 seat theaters, so it will be very intimate.

 

[Kathy]

Wanted to do the Cruise to the Edge this year, but the wife killed that idea. Very jealous! Would love to see Riverside, the Flower Kings, Haken, and Glass Hammer again.

I am on a Big Big Train kick now. Will be seeing them in Quebec City and Bound Brook, NJ in May. 600 seat theaters, so it will be very intimate.

Small venues - those are the best kind. I'll let you know how the cruise goes- first time. If it goes well would be looking at 70,000 tons of metal next January.

 

[Kathy]

Wanted to do the Cruise to the Edge this year, but the wife killed that idea. Very jealous! Would love to see Riverside, the Flower Kings, Haken, and Glass Hammer again.

I am on a Big Big Train kick now. Will be seeing them in Quebec City and Bound Brook, NJ in May. 600 seat theaters, so it will be very intimate.

Too bad it's May 17th - already have tickets for Symphony X in Philly that day.

 

[superjohn]

Oh man.... I've loved the Blasters since the early 80s.... finally saw them a few years back at a club in Collinsville, CT. They opened for Rev. Horton Heat. I think i was the only one there to see the opening act.

Collinsville, CT. has clubs? Reverend Horton Heat was in Collinsville?

 

[superjohn]

I've been to Rhythm & Roots almost 20 times, more than 15 of which were consecutive years camping for the full weekend with the family, which grew from two to five over the course of those years. If you liked Falcon Ridge you will love R&R. Highly recommended, and definitely camp. The late night scene in the campground is very cool and there are usually a few great sessions of very talented musicians that you can stumble upon.

The weather is usually stellar, but be prepared for anything from mid-90s and full sun to full-blown Nor'easters or hurricanes, and everything in between.

I went to Falcon Ridge a few summers ago and right when we waked in there was a hippie with his junk hanging out of a mini skirt.

 

[80shusky]

The Mavericks. For 30 years....this 9 piece mixes tex mex, cuban, rockabilly, 60s soul, country and rock into their 2 1/2 hour shows.... and Raul Malo has one of the greatest voices in music, compared often to Roy Orbison....

This is awesome. Not sure I would agree "Best live band" because there are so many to choose from (of course this is subject to what kind of music people like not trying to harsh on you) but their sound is great, they are entertaining and different. Thanks for posting this! I'm going searching...