For me, there are a couple of gigs I definitely can say were more than memorable even though my mates could not attend/canceled at the last minute. Soilwork & In Flames (when Reroute to Remain first dropped). Awesome gig, both bands played their early songs heavily, and got to hang out with Jesper and Bjorn after the show. We even toked a bit, although Bjorn was a bit skeptical at first, then totally enjoyed the NYC Gyros afterwards

Dying Fetus/Arsis/Misery Index 2 years ago. Misery Index just blew me away, they were amazing live. And a Dying Fetus headlining set is always something you gotta see.

i flew over by myself to see the Amon Amarth - Bloodshed Over Bochum 4 night concert in Germany, but i knew people from the forum and made a shitload of friends there, does that count?

Here in melb, its usually pretty much a sure thing if ya go to a metal gig, and have been for a few years you'll always run into someone you know, weather or not you remember them or vice versa is another question!

So far its Iron Maiden in 2000 with Queensryche, and Halford opening.

Halford had an off night and I was very critical of him, but 'ryche and Maiden were jawdroppingly amazing.

I'm planning on flying to Wacken next summer and it looks like my buddy who is supposed to go will not have the cash, so I'm just going to go alone. That will probably take the #1 spot.

Most recently, Katatonia/Devin Townsend Project/Paradise Lost.

Paradise Lost only played one song and was a big reason for my being there. Nick's voice was fucked or something. Lame.
Devin Townsend tore shit the fuck up. Love that guy.
Katatonia was boring.

Went to see Kreator/Exodus my freshman year of high school. Happened to be my first club show, and made plans to meet up with a friend, but he never showed- still enjoyed myself immensely. Having that kind of environment and that kind of show be both your first club show and first show alone- being that close to the band/stage for the first time, being around a more niche group of metalheads than I had seen at previous shows (Judas Priest, Metallica) was such an incredible experience.

Last year's Metalliance Tour (Helmet, Saint Vitus, Crowbar, Kylesa, et al) was another good time. Energy-wise, one of the more chill shows I've been to- which fit most of the bands perfectly (Kylesa's stage show/set up, especially). Arrived at the show a couple bands in (right after Atlas Moth, if memory serves) and still managed to find a spot right up front and center at the start of Red Fang's set. Due to some personal shit that happened earlier in the school year, Vitus became a really special band for me, and seeing them live was roughly equivalent to a religious experience. Singing along to everything they played from Born Too Late, catching Dave Chandler's pick, fist-bumping Wino- words cannot describe. Nevertheless it was overall a very special and personal show, moreso because I went alone.

This post doesn't fit the thread AT ALL. At least, expand a little, also PL played one song? what?

Sorry.

It's the most recent show I went to by myself, and I had just talked about it in a different thread. But I dunno... I went thinking "this should be a decent show", and came out more excited about Devin Townsend than anything. He was crazy and I really wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it would be heavy and probably a little weird, but he tore shit up. I also ended up with a pick from him! I couldn't help but dance along to was Lucky Animals. Probably my favorite part of the night. Setlist:
Truth
War
Regulator <3
Sunday Afternoon
Planet of the Apes
Supercrush!
Kingdom
Vampira
Lucky Animals
Juular
Grace

But Katatonia... boring as hell. I don't have much of a review on them because they just weren't very good, in my opinion. Didn't have much stage presence. I know they and DTP switched on and off with headlining, but I was wishing DTP would've closed out the night instead of Kat. Still glad I can say I saw them though. Honestly... the lightning was more exciting than their set.

And yeah, Paradise Lost only played one song. They took the time to set up, played a song I didn't know, Nick said his voice was fucked up, and that was it. I was pissed. We all were. I felt like I sort of wasted money... until I got a DT pick. But I hadn't seen Paradise Lost in nine years, so I was really looking forward to it. Arg.

I saw Strapping Young Lad by myself in 2005, which was a great time to see them. They were supporting a very strong album, but they didn't dwell so much on it that they neglected the classics. To be honest, I wasn't totally alone, as I met an online buddy from Ultimate Metal there, but still, I drove up there and back alone. Got to meet Gene Hoglan too! Good memories.

The first time I saw Blind Guardian, I was alone. They're my favorite band of all time, so the night couldn't be anything other than magical. I wished some friends could have come, but I wasn't complaining. Amazing show.

I think those are the only shows I've attended by myself. Here's to making more metal friends, eh?

That would've been wicked.

I watched Beyond Terror Beyond Grace alone earlier this year and that was awesome. I loved seeing them.

Soon I'll be seeing Fear Factory and Ulcerate alone, so I hope for similar experiences to that.

Mine would have to be heading back home to see Destroyer 666, Vital Remains, Revocation, and Baphomets Horns. Sick ass show... Enough said.

Watain & Adorior 2004 London, England. Also Demoncy, abazgorath, kreig and The One 2004, London.

I love going to shows solo actually. I'm one of those people who is very sensitive to the people I'm with - and whether or not they're enjoying themselves - and going solo frees me of that internal responsibility.

With that said - my most unique solo-flight experience wasn't all that metal (although a band that is a curio to many metalheads) - Status Quo.

Status Quo played Irving Plaza in NYC back in 1997 - one of only four North American shows - and their first in the states in probably 20 or so years (and I don't believe they've been back since).

I brought my recorder to tape the show - something I used to do often (I have a decent collection of self-taped shows - unfortunately - they really are on "tape").

I got a great recording of the show itself - but beforehand - I walked around the club interviewing people about why they were there & their own personal experience with Status Quo.

Quo was so relatively unknown in the States, I thought it would be interesting to get some perspectives from other people who were fans.

I filled up an entire tape with interviews - and I think if I dug those tapes out now - those would be more interesting to listen to than the show itself.

I also got a few free beers out of it.....so if nothing else...

You should definitely rip these tapes and send it to the band, they'll probably like that.

Never heard the band myself, any album you're recommending to start with them?

That's a good idea....at some point, I'll have to do that.

I'd recommend 'Piledriver'.....keep in mind that they're definitely not a metal band - more hard/boogie rock....sort of in line with heavier ZZ Top or Foghat.

Their catalog has a lot of landmines - but the early to mid 70s records are all pretty solid - Piledriver, Hello!, Quo, On the Level, Blue for You and Live! But Piledriver is my personal favorite.

Not considered Metal, but a Cafe Tacvba (spanish rock) gig in Oakland, CA. Being drunk by myself around a bunch of stoners was fun haha.

I once saw Exogorth and it was only myself, the sound guy and a friend of mine there. Yes, it was indeed awesome.

Mothafucking Saint Vitus and Weedeater.

Easily was Death + Cannibal Corpse + Incantation, '98.

Incantation was brutal and dark as fuck, probably the most oppresive atmosphere I've felt from a metal band live.

Death... was the first gig of the TSOP tour, where the guys played like 20 songs; TSOP almost in its entirety, half of Symbolic, half of Human. The performance was almost flawless, where Christy was simply beyond amazing.

Cannibal Corpse was very good too; they were promoting the Gallery album, the performance was also flawless.

I also saw Cannibal Corpse with Barnes, around the time The Bleeding came out. It was the most violent gig I've ever seen. The moshing was so intense that some people was bleeding for real and kept moshing; the scene was extremely fitting and disturbing at the same time (I was also very young). I still have a shirt bought in that occasion.

I've only been to one show, and that was La Dispute at an underage gig in February. I was intending to go alone, but I actually bumped into a guy from one of my classes, and now we're really close friends, so I guess I wasn't really going alone.
I'm seeing Swans alone in February, that should be intense. If anyone here has seen them, what should I expect?

Pantera/Clutch/Neurosis in Seattle back in 1990-something. My only time seeing Pantera and I travelled by bus and cab to Seattle and back from Tacoma to attend the show. It remains one of the best shows I can remember...it was fucking Pantera in their prime!

The only show I've attended alone was Transatlantic during their tour for "The Whirlwind". But it was definitely memorable, around three hours of awesomeness. They played "The Whirlwind" in its entirety, and like half of their second album and one or two songs from their debut, and did some funny stuff (Portnoy crowdsurfing while Morse played the drums during an instrumental part, a few seconds of Deep Purple's "Speed King" out of nowhere, etc). And they had a lot of fun doing so, which I appreciate a lot, since I prefer shows where I can see that the band enjoys what they do.

Pentagram and Dark Castle in Savannah, GA. That was a few years ago. Seeing Pentagram in a little bar that could MAYBE hold 40 people was amazing.

mine would have to be "leftovercrack" a couple years ago.Even though it wasn't the hole band it didn't matter, was amazing

Strangely enough, the only gig I truly attended alone ended up being one of the most memorable gigs I've ever been to.

This was Devin Townsend Project in 2010, when he was doing support for the Ki and Addicted albums as well as playing a selection from his solo career. Now, I was aware of his music at the time and knew he had a decent back catalogue, but I went in hoping it was good and came out amazed. They played for a good two hours and got through a lot of his back catalogue, as well as tracks from the then-recently released albums. The show was the most fun I had at a show yet and even though I was alone, I could tell that the people around me were having as much fun as I was, and that was good enough for me.

Immortal - Everyone was just headbanging like crazy, my neck hurt for a few days after. Always want to hear more of their older stuff live, but they put on a kick ass show regardless. Should have stuck around to talk to Abbath and Demonaz, but they will be back again

I go alone to most gigs I attend since I don't know much people into metal and I'm still at high-school. Therion's 25th Aniversary was to me one of the most memorable days in my life actually. I was at the second row (2 meters from stage of something like that, REALLY close) and just at the middle of the stage so I could watch everything and even make the artists notice me. The theatrical acts and the amazing performances, plus a great setlist (a whole album + something like 12 songs), made that night really memorable. I remember at the end I was so tired of jumping, screaming and headbanging that I didn't really remember which songs they played on the encores. Still it was definitely worth it.

Dismember in 2008, I went with some guy and his friend but they bored the hell out of me so I just though, fuck it and was front row center seeing Dismember.
Was a pretty good show, not the greatest but still solid.

Iron Maiden in Bogota

If I learned one thing, it's that the cops down there do not fuck around. Got to the place (Parque Bolivar) several hours early just to scope things out. Already, there were thousands of fans hanging out. But also, there was a line of police in riot gear that had to be a block long. Shields, tear gas guns, the whole nine yards. Found out the next day that there was a riot that night from people trying to crash the gates, over 100 people were arrested.

The show was in an open air stadium, crowd announced at 25,000 but it seemed like more than that. Lauren Harris was the opener and Anthrax was the main support, as it turns out it was one of the few shows with Dan Nelson on vocals.

There was a dividing line about half way back, to keep out the people who bought the cheap tickets from getting up close. After Anthrax finished up, the crowd in the cheap section of the stadium decided to rush the barricade. Security gave a half assed effort to stop them but they really had no chance, there were just too many people. After watching this go on for 5 minutes or so, I thought "What the hell" and joined the rush. Hopped the barricade and joined the rest of the crowd up close.

With every song Maiden played, it felt like an earthquake with everyone jumping up and down. So much enthusiasm from the fans, practically every song was a sing along.