It has always been rock music’s responsibility to act as a catalyst for great performers to stage shows unlike any other since its inception, bringing together hundreds of thousands of people. It has so much impact on audiences that it has unprecedentedly broken audience records many times. While the modern age is pushing towards streaming live shows or even playing popular music games online, there is nothing better than feeling the energy a venue can have from the performance of a live show.
Discover a little more about the most anticipated and memorable rock concerts of all time in the following count. Each one demonstrates just how rock can bring together so many people in one place, ready to be entertained with their ears, minds, body, and soul.
Woodstock Festival – United States – 1969
As a result of its enormous success, Woodstock became an exemplary event. Sullivan County hosted an event, on 240 acres of land, with over 400 thousand attendees enjoying the best music from this period.
Despite adverse weather conditions, this festival was attended by a generation of fans. There were people everywhere; the ground was muddy. In addition to a world free of conflict, there would be peace on stage as well. Rather than just holding a concert, the purpose was to bring people together no matter their background. The show would not be a cause for war. Therefore, it would be known as a hippie festival. Thus the iconic symbols of peace were born here.
In protest and support of peace, Jimi Hendrix performed the United States’ national anthem on a guitar solo against the Vietnam War. The theme received an incredible reception thanks to Joe Cocker’s performance of The Beatles, “Help From My Friends.”
The Rolling Stones – Havana Moon – 2016
In 2016, the band performed in Havana and was seen by more than 500 thousand people who wanted to see them at close quarters on a large stage. Talent and fame are among the reasons The Rolling Stones are seen more than once on this list.
Due to the concert being offered for free, people from all over the world had the chance to enjoy the best rock music. Mick Jagger emphasized the need for the band to begin a new era in his speech to those present at the concert. His most loyal followers enjoyed his songs despite the difficulties and the long time he spent on them.
Isle of White Festival – 1970
About 600 thousand people attended the annual event on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom when it was first presented in 1970. The best and most recognized artists of this era were listened to and witnessed by almost everyone.
Despite the long list of acts, the public was very excited to see: The Doors, Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Lake & Palmer, Sly Stone, Ten Years After, Richie Havens, Miles Davis, Taste, Jethro Tull, Supertramp, The Who, Emerson, Tony Joe White, The Moody Blues, and John Sebastian. With all these names together, who wouldn’t be interested in attending such a festival?
Summer Jam – Watkins Glen – 1973
As a result of the festival’s popularity, a Guinness record was achieved. In addition, Grand Prix events were held near New York City at Watkins Glen, a famous race track.
While the concert was scheduled for July 28, some bands needed to conduct sound tests on July 27 because so many people had already assembled. In addition, a few lucky fans had the opportunity to see their favorite bands one extra time, after The Band, Allman Brothers, and Grateful Dead, took far longer than expected for the sound tests.
Together with the audience, they began the concert. As a result of inclement weather and imperfect terrain, the influx of people subsided after a while. Though the weather conditions were not good, many fans danced and sang along to “Bertha.” This was followed by a live rendition of songs by The Band. A little more than three hours after the opening acts, Allman Brothers took the stage.
Molson Canada Rocks – Toronto – 2003
SARS broke out alarmingly during this time, causing significant damage to the Canadian population. Two major rock bands performed a huge fundraising concert to raise money for all of the victims of this deadly disease and bring the economy back to life.
In addition to various rock bands such as The Rolling Stones and AC/DC performing at Toronto SARS Benefit, some 450 thousand people were in attendance. Unfortunately, the announcement of the show saw the immediate cancellation of the first 150,000 tickets available. Nevertheless, concertgoers were treated to acts including The Flaming Lips, The Tea Party, Sam Roberts, and La Chicane. There is no doubt that good music and good causes complement each other.
Bruce Springsteen – East Berlin – 1988
Over 170 thousand people attended the Berlin festival to hear the best songs. A large crowd enjoyed the entire performance of this fantastic singer during the first concert of the music legend for a long time.
Organizers of the concert planned the show as a way to raise funds to build a hospital. Despite the fact that the figure is not comparable to those of other concerts in the country, Bruce had never before been able to gather so many fans together in one place.
As Dreams Come True sounded loud, the entire audience felt its meaning to the core due to the pains they had gone through with the east/west divide. Due to the wall’s construction that divided Germany into two, certain elements could not be exchanged; rock music was one of them.
Rod Stewart – Rio de Janeiro – 1994
Rod Stewart achieved something that had never been done before, gathering more than 3.5 million people in a spectacular concert, a musical gathering that has captivated the entire world. However, during the musical feat at Copacabana Beach, one of history’s most brutal performances occurred.
A few days after his performance, the Scottish singer confessed to a brief session with a Brazilian sorcerer after suffering a sudden ache. This is one thing that could have happened at a concert of this size, the singer explained.
Rolling Stones – Rio de Janeiro – 2006
Everyone knows or has heard of them, or at least everyone knows about them. They are one of the most influential bands of all time, and their music has always shaped the genre. In 2006, more than 1.5 million people saw The Rolling Stones perform on the same stage as Rod Stewart.
The concert was referred to as the most extravagant party in the world by Mick Jagger, the lead singer for the band. Since the stage accommodated as many people as possible, it was almost 24 meters high, enabling people to see the unforgettable Rolling Stones show.
US Festival – 1983
We can credit Steve Wozniak with creating the operating system for computers and giving birth to Apple and recall the time he brought together an entire community at a festival we will never forget. In 1982, the US Festival was first attempted, and despite the show’s success, the entrepreneur lost money. Although they were unsuccessful the first year, the following year, they expanded more resources (and money) to repeat the endeavor in the hope of better results.
Rock legends David Bowie, Van Halen, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, The Clash, The Pretenders, Triumph, Mötley Crüe, and Quiet Riot wowed the attendees and drove everyone to their feet. There were three days of entertainment for the audience, and they certainly enjoyed themselves. The fact that metal and rock icons would probably never gather in one place again made this festival transcendent and famous.
Monsters of Rock – Moscow – 1991
You could put together a festival that features all the bands and musicians you love. That would be a fantastic gathering for music lovers. As legends who played this concert, like Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, are no longer present physically, the show has gained more significance as the years have gone by. We can thank Monsters of Rock for this achievement.
A show like this could only be held on the Tushino Airfield in Moscow amid high political tensions. The fact that their favorite bands performed on this historical occasion was a relief to many.
