GUITAR'S GREATEST LIVE MOMENTS!
From the iconic to the infamous to the incendiary, here are the 40 (-ish) wildest on-stage antics in six-string history
From the iconic to the infamous to the (literally) incendiary, we’ve tracked down the absolute wildest on-stage antics in six-string history
A GREAT LIVE moment can mean so many different things. It can be an experience that forever binds the minds of those on stage with the audience in front of them — the perfect setlist matched by the right atmosphere and sonic treatment. A formula that, as easy as it sounds on paper, is like catching lightning in a bottle. But an historic event is often so much more than a strong performance; it can be anything from an unexpected guest appearance or collaboration, something with some unexpected socio-political ramifications — or one of those times when things don’t quite go as planned, which, as every guitarist knows, is always an ever-hovering possibility. If anything, it’s how musicians have reacted in the face of adversity that has left the longest-lasting impressions — rare opportunities to prove their talents are more than just a simple rehearsal to perfection.
There have been a number of on-stage victories for any of the artists featured in this list, though — in our humble opinion — these are 40 of the most definitive events in guitar history. (P.S.: We’ve promised you 40, but our math isn’t so good, so, as always, we’ve thrown in a few extras. Enjoy!)
Mary duels with Paul — on Les Pauls THE COLGATE COMEDY HOUR, 1954
IN THE FIFTIES, when the name Les Paul was spoken, it was often in tandem with that of Mary Ford, his wife and musical partner. The duo were among the biggest recording artists of the early Fifties, cutting 16 top10 hits, including “How High the Moon” and “Vaya Con Dios.” In ’51 alone, they sold six million records. Small wonder that Gibson sought out Les in 1952 to put his name on their new solidbody electric. While Ford was the featured singer on the couple’s songs, she was a fine guitarist as well, as heard in a famous — and 100 percent live — YouTube clip (search for “Les Paul & Mary Ford Live Part 2 Of 3”). It comes from a performance on NBC’s The Colgate Comedy Hour and originally aired in March 1954. In the clip, Les and Mary, each armed with a Les Paul, perform a mock guitar battle during a performance of “There’s No Place Like Home.” And there’s no place on network TV for stuff like this in 2021!
The Beatles light a (figurative) fire THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, FEBRUARY 1964
“SEEING THE BEATLES on Sullivan was a defining moment in my and millions of other guys’ lives, all of us naively thinking, ‘I wanna do that!’” Aerosmith legend Joe Perry tells us. Yes, it’s no secret the Beatles helped popularize guitars more than any band before them. Instrument orders skyrocketed as a direct consequence of their debut live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, which broke records for its viewing audience — going out to 73 million people, almost half a TVwatching nation. “I read somewhere that after the Beatles appeared on [the Sullivan shows] Gretsch sold 20,000 guitars a week, or something like that,” said George Harrison, who played a walnut Gretsch Country Gentleman that day. “I mean, we would have had shares in… Gretsch and everything, but we didn’t know.”
Sister Rosetta Tharpe shreds with fury TV GOSPEL TIME, MID SIXTIES
FOOTAGE OF SISTER Rosetta Tharpe’s earth-shaking guitar work continues to go viral — and rightly so. Very few video recordings exist of Tharpe (who’s often called “the Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll”), which only adds to her legend, though the sheer charisma shining through her playing is strikingly evident. In one of her most famous clips, she’s performing “Up Above My Head” on TV Gospel Time, proudly wielding her ’62 Gibson Les Paul Custom with the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Choir behind her. The sheer ferocity in her playing is, even by today’s standards, phenomenal, which explains why Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Chuck Berry were among her most famous admirers. Getting a bit closer to home, this performance has special significance in guitarworld.com history; when we initially shared a story about this performance, became one of our most-viewed stories in GW history, racking up nearly 200,000 likes on Facebook, which isn’t, you know, all that common...
Bob Dylan’s Strat smokes Newport NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL, 1965
FOR MANY OF the committed folk purists attending this 1965 Rhode Island gathering, Bob Dylan committed the ultimate sin. They were expecting an acoustic performance; instead they watched their poster boy turn up with an unannounced band and plug in to play his first-ever electric set. It was an act of rebelliousness that forged a path for the artists who followed, giving them the freedom to be creative under their own terms. At the time, however, it was quite a lot for the crowd to take in, with radio broadcaster John Gilliland describing how the acoustic prophet “electrified one half of his audience and electrocuted the other.” The following year in Manchester, England, he was famously heckled “Judas!” for the same reasons, forsaking the stripped-down honesty he’d been instrumental in founding to pursue more thunderous avenues of noise.
Jimi Hendrix lets us stand next to his (literal) fire
MONTEREY POP, 1967
VERY FEW IMAGES — if any at all — have epitomized the dawn of a new age for guitar as well as Ed Caraeff’s shot of Jimi Hendrix summoning the fire gods out of his Strat during “Wild Thing” at the end of this landmark set. It’s symbolic for so many reasons, though arguably it’s the sheer look of unabashed amazement and joy on his face, a king being crowned almost in a state of surrender to the flames rising from his pickups. It was, in fact, Hendrix’s second go at the lighter fuel stunt, having surprised audiences in London a few months earlier during “Fire” (the song), and perhaps surprising himself ever so slightly too, later visiting hospital in need of treatment for minor burns. “The dude is probably the most colorful guitarist I’ve ever seen and heard,” says Black Pumas guitarist Eric Burton. “[‘Wild Thing’] is such a staple of American rock ’n’ roll, and it was cool for him to completely own the song [at Monterey].”
Pete Townshend: Axe murderer! THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR, 1967
REGARDLESS OF HOW you feel about people destroying guitars on stage (or elsewhere), there’s no denying the iconic status of that old chestnut — “The Who’s Pete
Townshend just smashed his guitar on stage!” Sure, smashing one’s guitar or bass has become “a thing” since 1967 (just ask Phoebe Bridges, who punished her Danelectro Dano ’56 on SNL back in February), but when Townshend starting doing it, it was new, exciting, dangerous and — most importantly for a band trying to stand out from the very impressive crowd — attention-grabbing. We’ve chosen this particular smashup because it’s immortalized in The Kids Are Alright and happened pretty early in the game. Sure, Pete had turned destruction into an artform by Woodstock two years later, but we’ve got that venue covered, as you’ll see.
Albert King’s blues powers the Fillmore FILLMORE AUDITORIUM, 1968
NO, IT’S NOT B.B. King’s Live at the Regal (widely hailed as one of the greatest live blues albums of all time), but Albert King’s 1968 offering, Blues Power/Live Wire, arguably has a bit more oomph — not to mention those 10 minutes and 16 seconds called “Blues Power,” the opening track. During that track, we hear King — a to-the-bone bluesman — mesmerize a mostly rock-loving San Fran audience while laying down about 33.33 percent of the road map that a very young Stevie Ray Vaughan would soon follow. There are moments during “Blues Power” and “Blues at Sunrise” when you might mistakenly think you’re listening to SRV’s “Ain’t Gone ‘n’ Give Up on Love.”
Jimi Hendrix channels his instrument of war at Woodstock WOODSTOCK, 1969
THE CROWDS HAD drastically thinned by the time Hendrix took Woodstock’s stage on a Monday morning (August 18, 1969), but that didn’t stop him from launching into “The Star-Spangled Banner” and turning his guitar into a weapon of mass destruction. He managed to soundtrack the nightmare of Vietnam in ways no one else could ever have conceived, embodying the frustrations of counter-culture and disenfranchised youth, even reflecting on his own brief stint in the military. Using a maxed-out Fuzz Face, a modded Vox wah and his guitar’s tremolo arm, he was able to transport the crowd into the throes of battle, with bombs raining from the sky and explosions erupting into deafening feedback. Appearing on The Dick Cavett Show a few months after the performance, Hendrix was confronted with the opinion that covering the national anthem in such an unorthodox manner could lead to a backlash. “It’s not unorthodox — I thought it was beautiful,” he said, reasoning that, “I’m an American, so I played it — they made me sing it in school… it was a flashback.”
The Allmans make Southern rock history FILLMORE EAST, 1971
FEW LIVE ALBUMS feel as career-encapsulating as the Allman Brothers Band’s Fillmore East show, recorded over two consecutive nights in March 1971, to the point where it’s these renditions that have since become the renditions. The interplay between the band members over these drawn-out, elongated jams is what set them apart, typifying the kind of natural telepathy every band dreams about. At the very forefront of their brilliance sat Duane Allman, a figure still regarded as one of the greatest slide players of all time, trading against the dynamics of founding guitarist and occasional singer Dickey Betts’ bluesy contributions.
Rory Gallagher risks life and limb ULSTER HALL, 1972
IT IS RUMORED that when Hendrix was once asked how it felt to be the world’s greatest guitarist, he replied, “I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher!” We’ll never know for certain what was said exactly, but the singer-guitarist would have certainly been worthy of such high praise. When he performed at Belfast’s Ulster Hall on New Year’s Day 1972, there hadn’t been a rock concert in over six months — and understandably so. It was at the very height of the Troubles, at a time when more than 10 car bombs were going off a night, though if anyone was going to find a way through the chaos, it always going to be Gallagher, whose father hailed from Derry, the secondlargest city in Northern Ireland, and whose mother came from Cork, the second-largest south of the border. What he delivered that night was some much-needed escapism from the continual unrest and lingering threat of death, using blues to heal and unite on an island where religion and politics had so tragically conquered and divided.
Bob Marley records his first international hit LYCEUM THEATRE, 1975
IT WAS OVER two nights in London where Bob Marley transcended from the frontman
of the Wailers and into a solo artist in his own right, poised for international acclaim. The Live! album that arrived later that year was recorded using the Rolling Stones’ Mobile Studio — also borrowed by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple and Lou Reed — and was mainly comprised of performances from the first night, with Marley covering rhythm and Al Anderson on lead. “No Woman, No Cry” was released as a single, resulting in his first international Top 40 hit... and the rest is history.
Clapton goes strapless WINTERLAND BALLROOM, 1976
FILMED AND DIRECTED by Martin Scorsese for a 1978 documentary, The Last Waltz was a concert organized by the Band that had taken place Thanksgiving Day two years prior. Among the list of celebrated performers appearing that night were Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan, though it’s what happened during Eric Clapton’s set that stole headlines the following day. When his guitar strap gave in only 30 seconds into “Further On Up the Road,” right in the middle of his opening lead, Clapton shouted for Robbie Robertson’s attention; the seasoned Band guitarist instantly cut in with some improvised G minor blues without missing a beat, seamlessly reverting back to rhythm once Slowhand was back in the saddle. Quick thinking! And, broken strap or not, this is one hell of a Strat-packed jam; there are more than enough tasty licks to go around, nicely divided with Robertson in the left speaker and EC on the right.
Van Halen show us what they’re made of PASADENA CONVENTION CENTER, 1977
IF ANY CONCERT marked the arrival of Van Halen, it was this — a widely bootlegged performance in their home city just weeks after recording their game-changing debut. Then only 22, Eddie Van Halen was very much the full package, from those perfectly overdriven tones to his whammy bar stunts and — arguably the most groundbreaking of all — the two-handed licks covering great distance at high speed with natural finesse. Armed with a killer set of their earliest tracks, the quartet were taking no prisoners, which is what makes the recordings such a wildly enticing listen all these years on — dazzling charisma and talent captured in its full, unadulterated glory. Guitar music would never be the same again. “Friends, it’s true, Van Halen is here,” grinned singer David Lee Roth, as Eddie tuned his higher strings. “Do you know when we started out here, there weren’t too many people, but now it appears things have changed!”
AC/DC record their first live album GLASGOW APOLLO THEATRE, 1978
WHEN IT COMES to rock ’n’ roll power, Angus and Malcolm Young will forever be remembered as a whirlwind force unlike any other. The first live AC/DC album, If You Want Blood You’ve Got It, is more hardhitting and direct than any of the Brian Johnson-fronted live releases that followed, with 10 choice tracks from their first five studio albums, including “Bad Boy Boogie” and “Let There Be Rock.” The Youngs strike with such ferocity, it’s a wonder they’re not breaking strings every song — and then, of course, there are those snarling leads ringing from Angus’ SG, cutting and abrasive with sustain courtesy of his 100Watt Marshall JMP MV. Truly electric stuff.
Di Meola, McLaughlin and de Lucía join forces THE WARFIELD, SAN FRANCISCO, 1980
RECORDED FOR THE most part — just as the live album title would suggest — on a Friday night in San Francisco, the three virtuosos sounded truly sublime together. From a technical standpoint, each as trailblazing as the other, it’s the combination of styles and influences at play that makes the recordings such an impressive listen. Di Meola and McLaughlin pick with devastating accuracy, unleashing all kinds of machine-gun fire, while it’s de Lucía who amazes with fingerstyle warmth and flamenco strums. In hindsight, Friday nights in San Fran have very rarely sounded this good.
Keith Richards fights off a stage invader HAMPTON COLISEUM, VIRGINIA, 1981
IF YOU EVER find yourself invading a stage occupied by the Rolling Stones, you might wish to avoid Keith Richards at all costs — because, as one enthusiastic fan found out at the beginning of the Eighties, he’ll probably wave his Telecaster around and beat you with it until you leave. Footage of this event was uploaded by the Stones themselves a few years ago — perhaps as a stark warning to anyone mad enough to gatecrash their set without strict invitation.
SRV gets booed by blues “purists” MONTREAX, SWITZERLAND, 1982
REMEMBER THAT OUR list includes infamous moments — and this one is definitely infamous, especially if you’re an Stevie Ray Vaughan fan. During his performance of “Texas Flood” at the ’82 Montreux Jazz Festival, Stevie reached into his bag of AlbertKing-meets-Jimi licks — not to mention behind his back, where his Strat rests for the final quarter of the epic performance. SRV floored almost everyone that night; a handful of very loud-and-clear blues purists can be heard (and clearly seen in YouTube clips) booing at Stevie, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton. “We weren’t sure how we’d be accepted,” Vaughan told GW in the Eighties. Yeah, but... he must’ve known it went well when David Bowie appeared backstage — and an important alliance was born.
Eddie Van Halen joins Michael Jackson TEXAS STADIUM, 1984
THOUGH THE “BEAT It” solo was performed by Jennifer Batten on most of its live renditions, Eddie did end up performing his part on stage in 1984 when the Jackson Brothers reunited for their Victory tour. As it turned out, Van Halen were playing nearby in Dallas the same day, providing a rare opportunity for the guitar hero and popstar to join forces in front of 120,000 people. “You got it Eddie… Eddie, Eddie!” screams Jackson as a 30-year-old EVH taps away with that world-famous grin.
A young Dimebag Darrell rips it up PROJECTS IN THE JUNGLE TOUR, 1984
YOU DON’T HAVE to look hard to find video footage of metal legend Dimebag Darrell doing what he does best. And while there’s an abundance of material from Pantera’s glory years, it’s a video from their second album tour — filmed in 1984 when the guitarist was 18 — which surfaced some 13 years ago that best showcases just what a world-beating talent he was at such a young age. During an elongated guitar solo, he rips through Van Halen and Randy Rhoads licks at blistering speeds on a trans cherry sunburst Dean ML, almost without a care in the world — proof he was destined to become the guitar hero for a new age.
B.B. King changes a string mid-song FARM AID, ILLINOIS, 1985
WHEN YOU’RE BENDING like B.B., string breakages are par for the course. In 1985,