I can't do just 5, and I've seen so many shows, and so many really GREAT shows in the course of my lifetime that I'm sure there are some I'm not going to remember off the top of my head.

I got six and all but one of them were in the last 21 months (these are in date order, not necessarily order of preference)

All clubs are in Seattle

1) Elliott Smith at the Breakroom (TINY venue) 2/01 & at the Showbox 9/01

2) Guided by Voices at Graceland 10/03

3) The Darkness at Studio Seven 11/03

4) Electric Six at Neumo's 4/04

5) Scissor Sisters at the Showbox 9/04

6) The Polyphonic Spree at the Showbox 12/04

Recently, say within the past 5 to 10years?

U-2
Madonna
Coldplay
Velvelt Revolver
Foo Fighters

Greateful Dead, LA Forum, 1990
Anonymous 4 (classical vocal group), Santa Barbara, 1993
War w/ Headhunters, Stern Grove, 2004(?)
Papa Mali, nighttime show, High Sierra Music Festival, 2005
Idiot Flesh, sometime in SF before they broke up
Phish, San Jose, 1994
Evil Farmer at some Isla Vista backyard gig, 1993
it's 7, but that's okay

Local Favorites (SF) who always put on a great show:
Brian Kenny Fresno
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
We Be The Echo
3 Piece Combo

Honorable Mention:
Yonder Mountain String Band
Karl Denson
Garage a Trois
Pink Floyd w/o Roger
Roger w/o Pink Floyd
Hamsa Lila
The Residents
Blue Man Group

1. Frank Zappa ~ Halloween @ The Palladium, NYC 1977 (I am in the film, too : ) hee-hee! whee!)
2.The Rolling Stones...Madison Square Garden NYC 1980
3.George Clinton and P' Funk ...Roseland, NYC ~Hallo-fuckin' ween! 1996
4.Trilok Gurtu w/ Salif Kieta and Erykah Badu @ The Bottom Line NYC 2001 (And it had Just become "No Smoking!!!)
5.Micheal Franti and Spearhead... Bearsville Theatre Woodstock NY 2001 (and so many times therafter!)

"If Music be the food of Love, Play on!
Shakespeare
And...Rock On!

i can't name the dates, but here are the five best performers i've seen live:

5.) patti smith
4.) iggy pop
3.) the who (doing quadrophenia live)
2.) the grateful dead and / or jerry garcia band (also among teh worst live performers depending on the night)
1.) the rolling stones

a memorable but maybe not "best of" show was the night that bob cock and his yellow sock opened for screamin' jay hawkins at the I Beam in the haight. i later learned that bob cock and his yellow sock was a primus spin off project with les claypool and others. it was a riot. screamin' jay was also amazing.

1. grobschnitt, schützenhalle neuenrade-küntrop, christmess-mid 80s
sounds strange? it was! grobschnitt is an old german krautrock band that played in a little village near to my hometown. it was a very snowy night and after one hour the hall was dark and silent - no electricity. it took some 1.5 hours to get someone to repair it and they played unplugged parts and told jokes in the meantime. when the show could go on they played for another 2.5 hours - they really freaked out. and they had to - because we all had to wait till the roads got drivable again - that's what i call a grand night out...

2. chumbawamba, hanau schweinehalle, early ninetees.

as they were in full effect. funny, political and anything---

3. matthew herbert aka radioboy: robert johnson, offenbach. sample wizzard, does complete songs using only on-stage-live sampling of a mc-donalds big mac menu - poor guy who was hit by the big mac as radioboy failed to hit his target to get a bass drum sound....

4. disposable heroes of hiphoprisy. batschkapp, ffm, early ninetees- pure energy, one of the few hip-hop acts i really like

5. lofi-circle-jerkin - during popkomm, cologne, 2001 - pure madness. 8 electronic live acts stand in a circle, no computers, mpc's and similar stuff that helps too much. an act plays up to 10 minutes, then all musicians have to drink a tequilla, next act plays 10 minutes... as far as i remember it was a hell of fun - but i can't remember much as we were the last ones who managed too keep on stage. the year after we had learned one thing: build up your tent BEFORE performing...