4 Iconic Final Performances by Rock Music Legends

Legends come and go. And sometimes, some of their very best performances punctuate their incredible careers. Let’s take a walk through the past and revisit four iconic final rock performances by some of the all-time greats!

1. Talking Heads (2002)

The Talking Heads officially disbanded back in 1991, and they hadn’t performed together since their 1983 tour. They have made appearances here and there through the years. In 1996, they even tried to rebrand without David Byrne. And Talking Heads is kinda nothing without David Byrne.

Despite the bad vibes between Byrne and the other band members, they put their differences aside and got together for a reunion show in 2002. Talking Heads was being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, so it only makes sense that they’d officially go out with a bang. David Byrne and company performed three songs, and the rest is history.

2. The Police (2008)

Sting’s OG band broke up around the height of their careers in 1984. It’s not clear if there was any substantial bad blood between them, but there was one thing they could agree on: A reunion tour could pull in the big bucks, and they could all grow old comfortably. So, that’s exactly what they did.

The Police’s original trio set off on a world tour in 2007 and 2008. Their very last show was on August 7, 2008 at the famed Madison Square Garden.

3. Led Zeppelin (2007)

When it comes to final rock performances, this one was met with a bit of controversy. Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980, and it took a couple of decades for them to agree on a reunion concert. They started hyping up a potential reunion in 2006 and inevitably performed a reunion set in 2007.

Unfortunately for many angry fans, there was no tour planned; just this one, singular show on Celebration Day. Plus, the live album recording of the concert wasn’t released until 2012.

4. Jimi Hendrix (1970)

We lost one of the greatest guitarists of a whole generation far too young. Obviously, no one knew that September 6th, 1970 would be the day of Jimi Hendrix’s last performance. The concert took place at the German Love And Peace Festival on the Isle of Rehmarn. It was an incredible set, and very little in the way of footage exists of the final concert. Hendrix passed away from an accidental barbiturate overdose only two weeks later.

Photo by Andy Rain/EPA/Shutterstock

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