Greatest live solo you’ve actually witnessed

Kittyfrisk

I have had so many great memories overwritten so frequently that few verifiable ones stand out now.
I do recall seeing 'Ten Years After' in Newcastle City Hall in 1970 & being totally blown away by them & Alvin Lee in particular, although they were all as tight as fuck. A great band.
He was playing & de-tuning/re-tuning on the fly while playing solos using a drumstick as a 'pick'...FFS!
Simply mindblowing to a young lad & probably anyone else that was there.
I lusted after an Epiphone 335 from Kays catalogue for years afterward, but even paying weekly, they were too rich for me 
A bit like this, but obviously this is not from the gig I was at   
Try 5m 30s if you aren't patient 

bingefeller

Steve Vai playing Tender Surrender in Dublin on the Ultra Zone tour 2000.

rlw

February 14th, 1974, The Rainbow.

"Valentine" by Roy Harper released by Harvest Records.

Jimmy Page plays lead acoustic on 'Me and my woman' which is amazing.

Then does the same on 'The same old rock' and brings the house down.  

guitars4you

vasselmeyer said:

Gary Moore at the Manchester Apollo with a band project called Scars with Primal Scream's drummer and Skunk Anasie's bass player. He moved from his blues stuff into a far more aggressive Hendrix-influenced rock sound. I was about 6 metres from him on the first row of the balcony and he absolutely RIPPED. He played Les Pauls, Strats and brought out an Explorer for a couple of numbers, but the extended version of Parisienne Walkways was simply astounding. I've never seen anyone in such control of an instrument at such volume, moving between delicate touches and screaming bends. 

I'm so glad I saw him before he died. 

Seen Gary live a few times inc with Thin Lizzy  - Black Rose tour - Seen him in his 80's 'rock' days and 2/3 times in his blues based days - But would have loved to have seen him with Scars - Great album and to be honest I've forgotten about it and not played it for a while - Kind of Free meets Hendrix 3 piece as you mentioned 

SteveRobinson

This one. Two gigs before this video though, Liverpool Empire 7 February 1977

SteveRobinson

bingefeller said:

Steve Vai playing Tender Surrender in Dublin on the Ultra Zone tour 2000.

I was at the Manchester Apollo gig of this tour (Eric Sardinas support), back row of the circle.

I fell asleep during Vai's set, might have been the extended bass solo though.

fretmeister

Vai with Mike Keneally and Eric Sardinas doing "The Attitude Song" at The Astoria (but not the video release - that was later).

It was the tour before the Ultrazone one. Had Phil Bynoe on bass.
They did it again on the Ultrazone tour with Tony McAlpine and Billy Sheehan but the Keneally / Bynoe one was better.

This one is the TM and BS version though as the other wasn't recorded:

starts at 2:09 ish





 

icu81b4

Years ago whilst at an airport I bought a guitarist mag to read whilst on holiday, the attached cd (remember those) had a track called Luminous Flesh Giants (I think) by a chap called Joe Satriani, it featured a run down the fretboard that I assumed must be a work of studio jiggers pokery in order to achieve it, anyway months later when I managed to get to one of his gigs he played this song flawlessly.

I think I gave up playing guitar for a while after that. 

Logie

Steve Vai “ For the Love of God “ at the Bournemouth International Arena during the G3 with Satriani and Fripp.
He’s not really my cup of tea musically wise but credit where credit is due

NPP

I haven't been to too many great live gigs. The greatest solo I've ever witnessed was played by Thomas Hesse, guitarist of the relatively obscure German band Pee Wee Blues Gang (https://www.peewee-bluesgang.de/), on some mid-summer afternoon in the late 1980s in the rather unpromising setting of a comprehensive school hall. Hesse was (and maybe still is) the real deal - playing an old Strat and Les Paul through Plexi and Fender heads running in parallel in the 80s when everyone was using rack systems or Rockmans, and turning the drive, chorus and delay up to 11. Hesse's solos were really tasteful and told a story, and I still recall that one solo on that particular afternoon captivated me so much that I forgot to breathe (despite being completely sober and not under the influence of any mind-altering substances).  

stickyfiddle

Ooooooh I forgot the obvious one. The only time the proper Pink Floyd played during my lifetime and I was there close enough to the front to take it all in and fill my brain. I'm by no means a super fan but it's still absolutely burned into my brain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4uEaZQ2Kg

scrumhalf

If instrumentals count then the version of Zap that Eric Johnson played as an encore at the Marquee in 1991 has to be included.

Gobs were smacked, jaws hit the floor and flabbers were well and truly gassed.

A quite brilliant end to the best gig I've ever experienced.

Philly_Q

scrumhalf said:

If instrumentals count then the version of Zap that Eric Johnson played as an encore at the Marquee in 1991 has to be included.

Gobs were smacked, jaws hit the floor and flabbers were well and truly gassed.

A quite brilliant end to the best gig I've ever experienced.

I was at that gig, but I must admit I can't remember any specifics.  And no I wasn't drunk.

Voxman

I saw the 35th anniversary concert of Frampton Comes Alive at the Hammersmith Apollo. So many great solos but his playing and solos on 'Do you feel like we do' is still particularly enjoyable especially when he uses the Voice box so effectively. 

I know by definition that he's played all these songs probably thousands of times but his quality of playing, phrasing and wonderful feel really are something special. I was lucky enought to be able to speak with him for a few minutes after the concert, and what a genuinely lovely, kind, unassuming guy he is. 

maltingsaudio

Voxman said:

I saw the 35th anniversary concert of Frampton Comes Alive at the Hammersmith Apollo. So many great solos but his playing and solos on 'Do you feel like we do' is still particularly enjoyable especially when he uses the Voice box so effectively. 

I know by definition that he's played all these songs probably thousands of times but his quality of playing, phrasing and wonderful feel really are something special. I was lucky enought to be able to speak with him for a few minutes after the concert, and what a genuinely lovely, kind, unassuming guy he is. 

As an aside, I was at the Old Grey Whistle test recording of Peter Frampton in the Dacorum Pavillions Hemel Hempstead. Great half an hour gig, played 3 songs I think then that was it. We were chucked out and went down to the Great Harry where John Otway and Wild Willy Barret were playing . Not sure which show left the biggest memory that night!

SteveRobinson

Voxman said:

I saw the 35th anniversary concert of Frampton Comes Alive at the Hammersmith Apollo. So many great solos but his playing and solos on 'Do you feel like we do' is still particularly enjoyable especially when he uses the Voice box so effectively. 

I was at the Manchester gig, yes flawless playing and his voice was still good. Did you get the commemorative DVD of your gig @Voxman?

menamestom

flying_pie said:

I honestly can't think of a gig I've gone to where I've really focused on a guitar solo. 

This.  They are good at the time but I generally remeber overall performances and never really the solo.

Philly_Q

maltingsaudio said:

As an aside, I was at the Old Grey Whistle test recording of Peter Frampton in the Dacorum Pavillions Hemel Hempstead. Great half an hour gig, played 3 songs I think then that was it. We were chucked out and went down to the Great Harry where John Otway and Wild Willy Barret were playing . Not sure which show left the biggest memory that night!

Both venues long gone!

Creed_Clicks

Logie said:

Steve Vai “ For the Love of God “ at the Bournemouth International Arena during the G3 with Satriani and Fripp.
He’s not really my cup of tea musically wise but credit where credit is due

I am not a fan of Vai but that solo in particular is brilliant.

maltingsaudio

Philly_Q said:

maltingsaudio said:

As an aside, I was at the Old Grey Whistle test recording of Peter Frampton in the Dacorum Pavillions Hemel Hempstead. Great half an hour gig, played 3 songs I think then that was it. We were chucked out and went down to the Great Harry where John Otway and Wild Willy Barret were playing . Not sure which show left the biggest memory that night!

Both venues long gone!

I know big shame , it was at the Pavillions where I saw the Curved Air gig which I mentioned in my original post, and far too many bands to mention!