Best live group in the 1960’s ?

I totally agree. If I could time travel, I'd go straight to the Star Club in '62 and see them play. Of course, I'd get not only the Beatles at arguably their best in terms of live performance, but Little Richard too.

 

The Beatles took no prisoners whenever they performed live! No one wanted to come behind them! The combination of Lennon and McCartney was unmatched, especially vocally!
It's a total myth that the Beatles weren't a good live band, as Lennon said when it came to straight rock no one could touch them! Also they were so versatile, rock, country, ballads those grueling hours on Hamburg stages really propelled them!
Yeah some like the raw garage Hamburg Star Club sound, but they were just learning, becoming who they would really be. They went from the raw garage sound to becoming the band the world would come to know and love! a tight take no prisoners hard rocking unit!
On the soul side, James Brown and his bands were always a force to be reckoned with, absolutely no one was better on the one!

 

Yes, the thread should probably be retitled "Best Live Group in the 1960's (Besides James Brown and The Famous Flames)" or "Best Live ROCK Group in the 1960's." JB was the complete package as a performer, and he kept his band tight as a mutha. In the late 60's, the only soul act that came close to touching James was Sly & the Family Stone. Well, maybe throw Ike & Tina in there, too...

 

[well aware 6 others have previously posted]

"The Beatles"

"Pre- Cavern Club" was Lennon's take on "The Beatles" at their best.

Saying "Post-Please Please Me" 'Beatles' were the "Best Live Group of the Sixties" to see; because you can still brag about seeing them in the Sixties around the World!

 

still amazing to watch

 

is it true Sebastian couldn't sing while playing keyboards live, requiring a stand-in to play?

 

Mothers of Invention 68/69 band.

 

No, he played keyboards when I saw them in June 1967. And Yanovsky, who had been fired and was working out his last month, was totally professional.

 

I wish. For me they peaked live around the time of the TAMI Show. The '66 show in Chicago, which I might have liked to have seen, was a disaster by all accounts. I didn't have money to go to concerts at that time, I was only 14.

 

thanks, i recall hearing that somewhere

 

Lucky!!!

 

Gotta be The Who

However, I would have loved to go back and see the wild shows by The Pretty Things, The Move, The Creation, The Easybeats, The Velvet Underground, Blue Cheer and early Alice Cooper. I'm kinda curious if CCR in 1969 could give The Who a run.

 

Doors

Depending on the day.

 

The Who, probably.
Also it must have been something to see: The MC5, The Stooges, The Creation, The Remains - OH, they're supposedly the great lost band, their sound was never even close to being captured on record....
The Bobby Fuller Four

 

Jerry Lee Lewis beats them all on his own

 

Case closed.

 

For sure, that was an awesome band. And they were still great even in 66/67 (though unfortunately, these shows aren’t as documented).

 

Definitely The Who. Though Hendrix gave them a run for their money. Musically, I think it's hard to beat Cream also with their extended extended-soloing that basically was the precursor to metal and hard rock in the 70s.

 

My two favorite bands to see live in the '60s were Big Brother & The Holding Company and Quicksilver Messenger Service.

 

Oh yeah! Give me that telephone booth time machine to go back to all of these. Can you imagine? The Cavern in 62, Apollo Theater ditto, Crawdaddy in 63, ANY night the Marquee 64-66! The Filmore in 67. I was born too late so could only see any of these acts past their prime in stadiums. But I bet if you could see them young in their club gig settings, they were all the greatest.

 

The Who...by a wide margin

 

I didn't see any shows in the '60's, but my friend, Jimmy Karstein (drummer for Leon Russell, JJ Cale, Everly Bros, Taj Mahal., etc.,) saw just about everybody back then and he said The Buffalo Springfield was hands down the best live band he ever saw.

 

The best live acts I saw in late 60's : Free, Johnny Winter, Chicago Transit Authority, Blodwyn Pig. Saw Hendrix Experience but it was just so-so and Led Zep
was really sloppy. Jimi seemed frustrated that night. Saw BOG later and he was much better.

 

Hendrix
Doors
Janis