40 Of The Best Bands/Artists I’ve Seen In Concert

This article was originally published for The Odyssey on September 25, 2016.

Concerts are my life. If you’re a concert enthusiast like myself, you know how amazing it can feel to be in the center of a crowd, seeing some amazing performers, singing and entertaining for your entertainment. It’s crazy how exhilarating it can be to stand with hundreds, if not thousands of people who share the same music taste as you at least in one way.

I have been to over a hundred concerts and have seen so many fantastic artists and bands that I’ve made a list. I’ve narrowed down my favorites to 40. Maybe we have some of the same favorites!

So in no particular order, with a favorite song from each of the artists, here are my top 40 favorites that I’ve seen perform live!

1. A Day to Remember

I had to put one of my absolute favorites down early on in the list. I have now seen A Day to Remember three times in concert. They absolutely blow my mind every time I see them perform. The energy that they bring to the stage is so crazy, I love their crowd and I love the way they pump up the crowd.

2. Duran Duran

Duran Duran was one of the first concerts I ever attended with my mom. I instantly fell in love with their music and have actually seen them twice. The last time I saw them was at the Tower in Philly with Neon Trees.

3. Bruce Springsteen

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCEEEEEE. If you haven’t seen the boss, definitely add him to that bucket list and get out there and see him. He is so fantastic live! I have seen him once and was completely blown away.

4. Peter Gabriel

If you ask literally any of my friends, they will tell you that I may have a slight obsession with Peter Gabriel. I saw Peter Gabriel with an orchestra at the Mann in Philly a couple of years ago with my family, and although he did not play much of his eighties music, the crowd was super ready for it when he did. I’ll never forget the guy in the back right corner shouting, “Play ‘In Your Eyes’,” after every song that wasn’t, in fact, ‘In Your Eyes’.

5. Billy Joel

Another classic you have got to see if you’re about that life. I would go see Billy Joel a thousand times, and that is not even an exaggeration. Even as he gets older, Billy is jumping around like he used to when he was younger. He is still so full of life, so full of heart and emotion. A fantastic show, it’s almost like he never stops singing!

6. Journey

This one is pretty recent, I just saw Journey with Arnel Pineda, the new singer, last summer! Before you go and knock the new singer, I encourage you to go see them! Arnel sounds so eerily similar to Steve Perry and if you close your eyes, it’s almost like he’s there. It’s so crazy how energetic and happy he can be on stage. I came from the show feeling so incredibly happy with good vibes consuming my entire being. It’s so wonderful for someone like me to be standing in the crowd and seeing someone up there completely living the dream.

7. The Go-Go’s

If you don’t know the song ‘Vacation’, you’re living under a rock. My mom got me tickets to The Go Go’s one year for my birthday, and it was such an awesome show! I know I keep saying that about every show, but seriously the Go Go’s were such a cool thing to see, especially since they are now on their very expensive farewell tour, which means I got to see them before they essentially put the musical life down.

8. Paramore

This is it, my absolute favorite band on this list. Paramore. Paramore first came into my life in the seventh grade and I instantly fell in love with the music. I got to see them for the first time with one of my best friends and it was such an elaborate experience, I’ll never forget it! I saw them again during Monument Tour and then in October of 2018 in Philadelphia.

9. Fall Out Boy

I saw Fall Out Boy during Monument Tour as well. I saw them in Hershey and had the most amazing time. The Monument Tour is one of my favorite tours that I’ve ever been to; I’ll honestly never forget it.

10. Three Days Grace (With Adam Gontier)

I felt it was necessary to add this because the year after I saw the band, Adam Gontier left the group. Matt Walst now tours with the band. To be able to see a band in full before such a pivotal member leaves is so crazy to me. It just goes to prove that every concert you go to will never be the exact time in another time and place. Each moment during a concert is so fleeting and so unique because those exact moments will never occur in that same exact way ever again.

11. Earth Wind and Fire

Do you remember the twenty-first night of September? I saw Earth Wind and Fire with my mom a couple of years ago and the concert was fantastic. They are all so full of life and good vibes and are still so in love with the music, it makes my heart happy. I love concerts where you can dance and really dance with other people, and that was definitely one of those concerts where everyone was shaking it.

12. Glen Tillbrook of Squeeze

I adore Squeeze. My parents and I saw Glen a few years ago with this awesome local band and though he played a lot of solo pieces, he also played a few Squeeze songs, which was so cool. It’s awesome when people go solo and still play the songs of their previous band. We saw him at World Cafe Live and even met him afterward, which is so super cool to have been given that experience.

13. Styx

With loads of hits and classics, it was hard not to put Styx on this list. I've seen them and met them a few times at shows, which is super cool.

14. REO Speedwagon

Another band to add to your bucket list if you haven’t already. Kevin Cronin blows me away every time I see him on stage anywhere, nonetheless live. They are so fantastic live and so nice – I’ve met them at the stage door as well.

15. Pvris

If you’ve never heard of Pvris, you should look them up right now. I’ve seen Lynn and the guys twice now and each time they were so energetic and so passionate about their set.

16. The Who

I’ve been so fortunate to have been able to go see all these amazing acts live, including The Who. My entire family trekked out to this concert as well, and it was well-worth it. To be able to say that you’ve seen The Who is monumental. They are killin’ it up there, let me tell you.

17. Panic! at the Disco

I saw Panic! for the first time at my college, Shippensburg University, last September. It was so cool to be able to see them in the Field House and it was definitely one of my favorite shows. I truly believe every album that Panic puts out is gold.

18. Ed Sheeran

For another amazing birthday present, my mom and I went to see Ed Sheeran at the Mann in Philly. It was honestly one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. It’s just Ed up there for a couple of hours with a guitar and a couple of pedals. He does everything himself! He’s another artist you can tell is totally in love with what he does. Ed was fantastic and so passionate.

19. Have Mercy

I first stumbled upon Have Mercy after a friend played a song casually in the car on the way to another concert. I immediately fell in love with the song and the band. Their album ‘A Place Of Our Own’ is one of my favorites. I could listen to it over and over. Have Mercy is just one of those bands that seem like they’ve been through some stuff, and they get it.

20. Rise Against

My love for Rise Against stems back to middle school. I've seen them twice now, both in Philly. They don’t tour on the east coast too much, so we go see them every time we get a chance to.

21. Twenty One Pilots

I just saw Twenty One Pilots a couple of summer ago and had an absolute blast. Never have I been in a crowd where the band actually comes out into the crowd to play. Ten out of ten, I would recommend seeing them in concert, if not for the music, for the experience alone. There is so much love and positivity in the crowd.

22. Bring Me The Horizon

I love Bring Me The Horizon so much, I’ve seen them a total of four times now. I feel like they can do no wrong. If I liked their screamo in middle school, I’m bound to follow them through whatever. I loved ‘Sempiternal’ and ‘That’s The Spirit," despite others not completely agreeing with the new direction they've taken.

23. Blink 182

Saw Blink a couple of summers ago with A Day to Remember, which was cool. Even though I had lawn seats, it was practically a sold out show and they were so loud, it was like we were right up front. It was unreal to have been able to see them, they put on a great set.

24. Hollywood Undead

I saw Hollywood Undead at Rock Allegiance one year. ‘Desperate Measures’ was a large staple for me in middle school. It was an album that I listened to every day.

25. Howard Jones

Howard Jones can really put on a show. I realized that I had also been listening to Howard since I was a baby and recognized a lot of his music.

26. Chasing Safety

I’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon Chasing Safety twice at two shows I had no idea they were performing at. They put on a great set both times that I saw them and definitely have enough energy to make it out there in the big time.

27. Pat Benatar

Pat Benatar is a gift to society. She and her husband Neil are the dream team. Together they are the most badass rock duo I’ve ever seen. Buy all of Pat’s albums. Gain confidence like you would have never even thought you could.

28. Real Friends

I love Real Friends so much it’s hard to put in words. I found them in a time in my life where I felt that all their songs were directly speaking to me. I’ve seen them live once at Warped and they were amazing. I will literally never forget that crowd.

29. Beartooth

Beartooth is another band I feel like came into my life exactly when I needed them to. I’ve seen them now twice at Warped Tour and both crowds have been crazy amazing. A little rough, but friendly throughout.

30. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Time to get funky here. I saw TSO a couple years back with my family and really enjoyed their concert. I’m not sure that I’ll ever go again, but they have some pretty alternative Christmas music out there. Their music is just so creative and unique that you have to give it a listen if you haven’t already.

31. Taking Back Sunday

I saw TBS a few years ago with Tonight Alive at the Tower in Philly and am so glad I convinced my brother and friend to go.

32. The Amity Affliction

I’ve seen Amity now twice. I saw them once a few years ago at Warped Tour and then again at Rock Allegiance. They are always so great when they perform, it’s like they are having the time of their lives up there on stage.

33. Rick Springfield

I saw Rick years ago with my mom and could not have been happier. I think it’s so cool to go to concerts of acts that were huge when my mom was growing up, and then seeing those same people who grew up with his music still rocking out and getting down at the shows.

34. Foreigner

Saw Foreigner not too long ago with my mom and it was so cool. It was awesome to say that I got to see Mick Jones rock the house.

35. Falling in Reverse

I regard only two bands as having the craziest, craziest crowds, and Falling in Reverse is one of them. It sounds fake because most of the people that attend these shows are young, small girls, but it’s crazy how many of them are crowd surfing and jumping around. If you don’t get injuries at a Falling in Reverse show, were you even really there? That being said, I’ve seen them twice, and both times the crowd was ridiculously amazing.

36. The Hooters

If you don't hear 'Beat Up Guitar' in Philly, are you even really a Hooters fan? Seriously always have a good time at The Hooters concerts - especially when they perform at the Keswick.

37. Slipknot

I also started listening to Slipknot in middle school, around the same time my brother started listening to them in high school. I saw them a couple of years ago with Korn and it was so cool. They put on such a great show, it’s like Corey Taylor never ages.

38. Seether

I’ve seen Seether twice I believe, once with Three Days Grace at Rock Allegiance in 2012, and once at the WMMR BBQ a couple summers ago in Camden. They are great live.

39. The Offspring

If we were going to put this list in order, The Offspring would be at the top. With an absolutely crazy and rowdy crowd, I was separated from my friends instantly and didn't find my way back to them until the end of the show. Their crowd was so packed, the most I’ve seen the stadium packed all day, and the crowd was so fluid with their movements, it was almost impossible to gain your footing.

40. Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold is a great classic, and they rarely tour the east coast. They went over their set time and still came back for an encore. Even though my feet felt like they had fallen off, I am so happy I went.