The Best Psychedelic Rock Bands to See in Concert

Looking for the best psychedelic rock bands to see in concert? Look no further! This list includes some of the most popular and influential psychedelic rock bands of all time.

The Doors

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock originated in the mid-1960s with bands such as the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Beach Boys. In the late 1960s, psychedelic rock flourished with bands such as the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and the Grateful Dead.

The Doors’ Sound

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s because of Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971 at age 27, the remaining members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973.

Although they released only six studio albums during their five-year lifespan as a band, The Doors left a lasting legacy on rock music. They have been cited as one of the most influential bands of their era[2] and one of the best-selling bands of all time,[3] with over 100 million records worldwide.[4][5][6] The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.[7][8]

The origins of The Doors’ sound are often traced back to lead singer Jim Morrison’s love of both blues-based rock and roll and modern jazz. Morrison was also a fan of Beat poetry, which would influence his lyrical style. In an interview, Krieger described the band’s initial sound as “a cross between The Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane”.[9] Krieger also mentioned that “Jim was into Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf … pretty hard-core stuff”, while Manzarek “liked Miles Davis”.[10] Drummer John Densmore was a jazz fan who also cited James Brown as an influence.[11][12]

The Doors’ jazz influences are most evident on their debut album; jazz critic Nat Hentoff praised it as “the first genuinely underground jazz-rock album”.[13][14] Morrison was also a fan of the jazz singer Billie Holiday,[15] whom he later called “the greatest white blues singer there ever was”. He also admired Nina Simone,[16] whom he called “the revocation of my manhood … what she can do to a song”. Hentoff wrote that “without Nina Simone, Jim Morrison wouldn’t exist”;[14] music critic Greil Marcus echoed this sentiment, stating that for Morrison, Simone was “the beginning and end of music”.[17]

The Doors’ Influence

Jim Morrison was the charismatic frontman of The Doors, and his poetic lyrics and stage antics influenced a generation of rock fans. But the band’s music was just as important as Morrison’s words, forging a unique sound that merged blues, jazz, and rock with a heavy dose of psychedelia. The Doors were one of the most important bands of the 1960s, and their influence can still be felt today. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, or if you’re just curious about one of the most important bands of the 20th century, here are some of the best Doors concerts to see.

The Doors’ debut album, “The Doors,” was released in 1967 to critical acclaim. The album included the hits “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side),” which helped to establish The Doors as one of the leading lights of the psychedelic rock scene. The band followed up their debut with 1968’s “Waiting for the Sun,” which featured more hit singles like “Hello, I Love You” and “The Unknown Soldier.” The Doors toured extensively in support of both albums, and their live shows were legendary for their intensity.

If you want to experience The Doors at their peak, there are two concerts you should see. The first is their legendary performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1968. This concert was captured on film and released as “The Doors: Live at Madison Square Garden,” and it features some of the band’s best-known songs like “When the Music’s Over” and “Touch Me.” The second is their appearance at Hollywood’s Bowl in 1968. This concert was also filmed and released as “The Doors: Live at Hollywood Bowl,” and it includes renditions of classic songs like “L.A. Woman” and “Riders on the Storm.”

The Doors may have only released six studio albums during their brief career, but they left a lasting impact on popular music. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, or if you’re just curious about one of the most important bands of the 20th century, these are some of the best Doors concerts to see.

Pink Floyd

They were one of the first few Psychedelic Rock bands and became a leading band of the genre with their hit album, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.” The band members were Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright. Barrett was the creative mastermind behind the majority of their early hits, but he sadly left the band due to his mental health problems.

Pink Floyd’s Sound

Pink Floyd is one of the most popular and influential psychedelic rock bands of all time. Formed in 1965, the group is known for their experimental and progressive approach to music, as well as their iconic sound.

Pink Floyd’s sound is characterized by powerful guitars, extended solos, and a heavy use of reverberation and feedback. Their early work was strongly influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the time, but they later developed a more unique sound that incorporated elements of avant-garde, classical, and electronic music.

Pink Floyd is considered one of the most important and influential rock bands of all time, and their concerts are legendary experiences. If you’re a fan of psychedelia or rock music in general, seeing Pink Floyd live is a must.

Pink Floyd’s Influence

Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They are known for their experimental and innovative music, and for their live performances, which often included elaborate light shows. Pink Floyd became one of the most commercially successful and influential rock bands of all time.

The band’s primary songwriters were Roger Waters and Syd Barrett. Waters wrote the majority of their singles, including “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2”, “Money”, “Wish You Were Here”, and “Comfortably Numb”. Barrett was the main songwriter for their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), but left the band due to mental health problems. He was replaced by David Gilmour, who became Pink Floyd’s de facto leader after Waters left the band in 1985.

Pink Floyd were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, and they were included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “Greatest Artists of All Time”. They have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and hard rock, has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal.

Led Zeppelin’s Sound

Led Zeppelin’s sound was rooted in blues and psychedelia. The group created a unique sound that blended these genres with elements of rock, folk, and eastern music. Led Zeppelin’s musical style was influential in the development of hard rock and heavy metal. The band’s sound also influenced other genres, such as punk rock and grunge.

Led Zeppelin’s Influence

Though their career was relatively short-lived, Led Zeppelin left an indelible mark on the world of rock music. Formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham, the band quickly became known for their powerful live performances, as well as their innovative songwriting and musical mastery. Over the course of their eight-year career, Led Zeppelin released nine studio albums, which have gone on to sell more than 300 million copies worldwide.

Though they were often pigeonholed as a “heavy metal” band due to the cranked-up volume of their songs and Page’s accented guitar playing, Led Zeppelin’s music was actually quite diverse. Influenced by a wide range of musical styles including blues, folk, Eastern music and even country, the band incorporated elements of all these genres into their own unique sound. They were also one of the first rock bands to experiment with tape loops and other studio techniques to create sonic textures that were unlike anything else being released at the time.

Led Zeppelin’s influence can still be felt in many ways today. Their music has been sampled by everyone from hip-hop artists like Jay-Z and Public Enemy to contemporary indie rockers like Beck and Tame Impala. Many modern bands have also been inspired by Led Zeppelin’s disregard for traditional song structures and their willingness to take musical risks. In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Led Zeppelin number 14 on their list of the “Greatest Artists of All Time.”

The Grateful Dead

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired, or influenced, by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The genre developed during the mid-1960s with the first psychedelic rock bands emerging from the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Grateful Dead’s Sound

The Grateful Dead’s sound was often characterized as “psychedelic folk rock”. They were unique in that they never play the same song the same way twice. They improvised a lot, which made every concert a special experience. The Dead were also known for their lengthy jams, which could go on for 10 minutes or more. The band’s musical influences included bluegrass, rockabilly, gospel, blues, and jazz.

The Grateful Dead’s Influence

The Grateful Dead’s influence is far reaching. They are often credited as the fathers of the jam band scene and their live shows were legendary. They continue to inspire musicians today and their music has been sampled by everyone from Jay-Z to The Beastie Boys. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you owe it to yourself to see the Grateful Dead in concert.