Top Five Most Theatrical Rock Bands of All Time

Ian Witlen

In order to be included on our list of most theatrical rock bands of all time, you must not simply be a great entertainer, you must put on a grand spectacle. We want to see some showmanship, people.

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In fact, it is to the band's benefit that the theatrics completely overshadow the music. For instance while Paul McCartney might put on a concert that has thousands of people singing along for three hours, in the end, he is merely a man on a stage playing an instrument.

The bands that follow might not give us songs we whistle to on the john, but they do create stage shows you will never be able to delete from the hard drive of your mind.

5. Genesis
Yes, this is the easy listening band led by Phil Collins that sang "Invisible Touch" and "I Can't Dance," but in the early '70s it was Peter Gabriel's baby. And it was the weirdest of any weird psychedelic bands. The make-up and costuming must be seen to be believed. From dressing up as flowers to strange aliens, Genesis was more science fiction than rock 'n' roll.


4. Los Straightjackets
Watching a surf-rock band perform in Mexican wrestling masks is as unforgettable as it sounds. Though they don't have the elaborate stage shows of the other bands on this list, Los Straightjackets knows their genre and stays fiercely committed to it.