The Most Epic Live Performances

Ever Caught on Film

I’ve decided to punish myself by trying to decide what goes on this list, and in what order.

5. Michael Jackson; 1988 Grammy’s: Man in the Mirror

Even if you’re not a huge Michael Jackson fan (I’m not), you gotta give it up for this heartfelt performance.

He leaves it all on stage here, performing a brand new tune for the first time live in front of the Grammy’s audience live, nationally broadcast. Balls.

Beautiful song, lyrically deep and sincere. Great dancing and production all in service of delivering the message.

4. The Beatles; Rooftop Concert: Don’t Let Me Down

You forgot how cool they were.

After years of no live performances, the Beatles illegally went to the top of the studio building and performed new songs from what would be the Let It Be album.

There’s also a sweet McCartney led version of Get Back in this set, but Lennon takes the day with a smokin’ version of Don’t Let Me Down.

Awesome jacket, John. And Ringo. And George.

3. Jimi Hendrix; Live at Woodstock: The National Anthem

Did you know that Jimi was a combat paratrooper?

Yeah, turns out after jumping out of a plane into enemy territory, performing in front of thousands of people isn’t so scary.

Anyway, this one is rough, because you also have Jimi playing the Monterey Jazz Fest, igniting his guitar on stage.

But… the National Anthem here says EVERYTHING: the 60s, culture revolution, peace movement, etc. But it says it all with love for the country.

Behind everything: Hendrix LOVES America, that’s why he can’t stand what it has become.

2. Bob Marley and the Wailers: ? 1976, Jamaica

Bob Marley is always part musician, part political philosopher, and part shaman.

In this performance, all these threads unite into an explosive and dramatic event.

Marley was the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt (his wife was grazed in the head when hitmen with machine guns fired on their residence). This concert occurred 2 days after this attempt.

But that isn’t even the most dramatic thing.

Jamaica was the scene of extreme political unrest and violence, with bloody riots in the streets as the two rival parties clashed (this video has some footage of these events).

The concert here begins with Bob’s performance of “War”, a setting of a speech decrying racial and social oppression. It calls for a leveling of inequality as the price for peace in the face of ongoing violence.

But even that isn’t dramatic enough. In the midst of this concert, Marley uses his presence and the power of the performance to force both party leaders together, where they are essentially shamed into shaking hands and agreeing to ends the clashes.

1. Queen: Live Aid at Wembley (1985): Radio Gaga

I was a Queen fan even in between the times it was cool to be a Queen fan ;)

Freddie is an absolute force of nature, and this show captures it in its totality. An epic call-and-response with several tens of thousands of audience members.

Full-on Freddie physicality unfettered by inhibition.

This is one of those moments where the show is so huge that it feels like the world will never be the same. Epic.