10 Best Live Rock Bands

From the first time rock was ever played, there was always an element of theatricality in the way bands presented themselves. As far as Queen were concerned, the live stage was the grandstand for which they could present their theatrical musical vision.

Dressing in flashy glam-rock attire in the early days, the fashion statements of the members never distracted from the sheer brilliance ripping through the speakers. The band had a real knack for penning songs that were meant to be played in stadiums. Love it or hate it, the moment Roger Taylor starts to hammer out the rhythm for "We Will Rock You," the crowd roars to life.

There's no getting around talking about Queen's live shows without mentioning Freddie Mercury. While he played piano and occasionally guitar onstage, Mercury was never more in his element than when he was delivering his all to the audience. When looking back on live footage of the band at their prime, Mercury controls the audience with absolute gusto from the crowd sing-alongs to getting them whipped into a frenzy with the famous "AAA-OOO" call and response bits. Even if many groups put their spin on the live music assault, Queen set the standard by which any rock performance is measured.