I saw the Vines in Birmingham, Alabama just before they released their album in the summer of 2002. NME had them pegged as the "new Nirvana" and they were already darlings for the rest of the British press with the lead singer's "unpredictable"and "reclusive" nature. Based on their four-track demos that I downloaded off of the internet, I really liked them. At the show, a pre-"first album" OKGo opened. They were alright, but they were sort of a really cheap version of the Features as I look back on it. Anyway, the Vines played, the place was packed, and the singer came half-passed out, just as I wanted. After the show started, I began to think, "man, they suck." The drummer was a talentless hack and the singer sang worse than a wounded duck on crack. A few months later, MTV jumped on the bandwagon and VH1 still uses them in every show that they air, except for "I Love the 80's" which just plays Man-eater by Hall & Oates in every episode (that's not a bad thing though).

Anyway, I offer up the Vines as the most overrated band that I've ever seen in concert. Dave Matthews Band concert last year comes in second, only because they are obviously overrated. And, for the record, I was only at the DMB show for the sweet college girl ass. Seriously.

Third was the Shazam. What a let-down.


(Edited by richarddawson at 12:02 am on Oct. 23, 2003)

I'm not trying to be contrary for the sake of it, but I'm going to have to say the Flaming Lips. I've seen them twice this year and both times I really looked forward to it and was pretty let down. Big balloons and animal costumes only take you so far. It also bothers me that Wayne Coyne goes to great lengths to emphasize how great Flaming Lips shows are. The music just doesn't seem to speak for itself, which is what I look for in great shows. I don't like the new "whose birthday is it?" schtick, after which Coyne has said both times I've seen them, "Now just think 20 years from now you'll remember something really special...that you were wished a happy birthday at a Flaming Lips show!!"

(Edited by etcetera at 10:58 pm on Oct. 22, 2003)

I've only seen The Flaming Lips once and it was at the Uptown Mix this summer. I was expecting not to enjoy it soley because of the crowd, but I was pretty blown away...that is when they were actually playing. Wayne talked between every single song, and sometimes the breaks were upwards of 6 or 7 minutes. That almost ruined it. If they'd just shut up and play, they would be one of my favorite live bands.

As for overrated, one local band is really coming to mind, but I've decided to stop dissing local bands here, because who knows when it will come back and bite me in the ass. I'll give you a hint thought- it's not Slack.

i took my sister to see Matchbox 20 for her birthday a few years ago....that was a complete waste of time...even she didn't like it....

i saw creed at a festival......worst 60 minutes of my concert going life.......

i've seen quite a few shitty bands while attending festivals....
just to name a few:

offspring
3 doors Down
Run DMC (it was horrible)
Hoobastank
Trapt
Saliva
Evanescence
Ok Go

the lsit goes on and on. i hate going to a festival and having to sit through many many shitty bands to see the one (or two) that i came to see.

Hmm. I've been to two DMB concerts because girlfriends of mine wanted to go. I've found the talent in that band to be top-notch. I really enjoy them live and liked it enough the first time to go out and buy two of their cds. I will say though that the last two albums they put out sounded like they sucked. It's the only jam band that I like. Not ashamed.

I've seen Lifehouse twice. Once opening for Everclear, and the other opening for the freakin' ROLLING STONES. How Lifehouse managed that, I'll never know. They were just bad, though. I'm always happy after seeing any band that I want to see. The only one that comes to mind was Bob Dylan at River Stages a couple years ago. I just wasn't into it at all and I still don't have any desire to listen to Dylan to this day. Plus, the crowd sucked and I can only ignore a crowd when it's a band I really like.

I saw the ROLLING FREAKING STONES in 1989 at Cyclone Stadium in Ames, Iowa. Had to be the worst show I have ever seen in my life.

Its pretty bad when you're a senior in high school going to a Stones show and realizing that the $40 of hard earned summer cash (that was a waaaaaaaay pricey ticket in those days) was going down the tubes faster than a fix of smack in Keith's veins.

It was the Steel Wheels Tour, and the freaking set was probably sticking 4 stories out of the top of the stadium!!! People with crappy seats could see Mick better when he was 90 feet in the air.

Let me put it this way. In Living Colour opened for them, and blew their limey asses outta the stadium. I have never forgiven them, and in fact I turned down a meet and greet with them during Voodoo Lounge because I couldn't assure my boss (or me for that matter) that I wasn't going to give Mick and company a piece of my mind... Ripping off old hippies is one thing, but scamming 40 clams plus another 25 for a t-shirt because "this could be the last time" from HS kids, Grrrrrrrr Frog SMASHHHHH!!!

(preparing for the rotten tomatoes & jeers):

Wilco. Not that they're bad, just that I was way more psyched to see them than their show merited. I even left early. Same thing with Modest Mouse, though I probably had lower expectations for that show to begin with.

zz top...oh, wait...i expected them to suck.

(Edited by damon at 8:37 am on Oct. 23, 2003)

Wu Tang Clan.

Bob Dylan

he was great to see, but he was very underwhelming.

worst? Sponge... most overrated? i don't rightly know. i don't think i've seen any highly overrated bands... none that i can think of, anyhow.

and rd, don't be ashamed of seeing dave matthews. while incredibly overrated, a lot of their stuff isn't bad.

i saw creed, and i honestly don't remember much about the show at all, therefore it was boring and sucked. the most overrated local band i saw was ingram hill, who opened for the features the first time i saw them. they just sucked.

I'd have to say Red Hot Chili Peppers Don't get me wrong, I enjoy/enjoyed many of thier songs, especially Under the Bridge which I remember from my grade school days. But their songs are only good after they have been polished up from the studio. In the reality, on stage Anthony Kiedis can very rarely hit the right pitch with his voice. RHCP have added many dimensions to rock music, and definitly have thier own sound, but I think their talent is overrated.

Other than that, pretty much all of the mainstream pop and R&B bands are overrated, mostly image oriented rather than talent oriented.

Oh, i thought of another, John Mayer, Unfortunately I've seen him 3 times, all for free, except when Counting Crows opened for him this summer, but he is insanely overrated, and he's also an arrogant turd, loving every minute of his Dave Matthews rip off, bubble gum image and sound.

(Edited by GrungeSlobTearPants at 11:21 am on Oct. 23, 2003)

ill do it. the lucky guns.

the lucky guns are highly regarded enough to be "overrated?" well thats news to me. and for all intents and purposes, the most highly overrated artists include:
-Led Zeppelin
-Alicia Keys
-Lauren Hill
-Bright Eyes.

You've seen Zeppelin in concert? DUDE! You've got to be old.....
But I'm not exactly sure how one of the most influential rock bands of the century can be defined as "overrated" Do you just think they werent that influential? or do you think they lack musical talent? We can listen to their albums now and think they are good, but maybe not that amazing, but back in the day, the things they did were revolutionary and experimental, setting the tone for what many rock musicians do and sound like today.

(Edited by GrungeSlobTearPants at 12:33 pm on Oct. 23, 2003)

I respectfully disagree. I saw them on the Californication tour for the sole purpose of seeing Foo Fighters open. After being blown away by Dave and co., I was expecting to be very underwhelmed by Anthony and co. In reality, I thought they still had a great deal of energy. This to me was an exception to the rule that a band willl suck when they grow older and quit drugs. Or have they?

No, for real, the show one year ago this past summer really sucked. It was at AmSouth and even my friend who was a pretty big fan said that he was very underwhelmed. Tim Reynolds not being there was the most consistent reason I heard amongst other people trying to explain why it sucked. They were talented, but the music was just dragged out for too long. It was boring. Maybe I should have been stoned.

Oh, i guess i was just referring to the most overrated music in general. Most of the Zeppelin i have heard is white blues, a 'la Eric Clapton (also overrated). I just can't listen to the shite' no matter how great the actualy musicianship is. That i can respect, not enjoy.

I'll admit it. Sometimes there are some artists who I'm so biased towards, I'll enjoy a crappy show they might put on.

Answer the question!

yes, they are overrated.
and, if we are talking about in general, i think we can obviously say KISS even before led zepplin.

(Edited by stopforme at 3:59 pm on Oct. 23, 2003)

Is it legal to even mention Kiss and Led Zeppelin in the same breath?

Well if we are going down this path, what about Elvis, The King. Was he really not the king? He's just some white guy playing blues too.

(Edited by GrungeSlobTearPants at 3:47 pm on Oct. 23, 2003)

they both suck.

in response to the wilco judgement, i think people go to wilco shows expecting something different than what wilco wants to do. i mean, isnt "heavy metal drummer" enough to satisfy you and your kind?

There were probably people dancing on the other side of the venue. I mean, "Heavy Metal Drummer" is good, but it ain't that good.

Aaaagree. I saw him because a girl worked at Abercrombie and they played his cd in the store. (Who would've thought.) I had never heard him at the time, all I knew was David Mead was opening for him, so I went. Mead with just his guitar blew John and his farty band away.

i agree that KISS sucks, but it pains me to see zeppelin placed in the same class. achilles last stand has to count for something.

Yeah, but who cares about elt's opinion? Those of us actually interested in music know that Zeppelin was the pinnacle of rock. I'm pretty sure that elt thinks that title is held by Dio.

Holy Diver ROCKS!