Best Male Live Vocallist?

Elvis Presley

Cliff Richard

In their day, of course

Cheers

Don

George Michael

David Bowie

not heard him live,

but he has got fabulous voice.

Debs

For me Tom Jones takes a lot of beating.. Superb voice and presence, and the king of them all, albeit sadly no longer with us Freddie Mercury.

.

That's not unusual

But he deserves those beatings for signing like that.

Was that during the Lebanon - Israel war, evacuating on Ed force 1?

Rob Halford is a great live vocalist

Naim_nymph, deserving beatings? That is very Daughter of Darkness of you...

+1.  Saw the Thin White Duke in '76, and the Glass Spider in '87.  Fabulous voice yes, and incredible stage presence -- both were wonderful shows!

Charlie Sexton

Doyle Bramhall II

Lowell George  r.i.p

Richard Bona

Doug Pinnick

Eric Johnsson

John Waite

Chris Cornell

Jay Buchanan

Hook,

I saw the Glass Spider show around that time at the Meadowlands, NJ.  Squeeze was opening band.  

Of course I never saw him live, but I'm a fan of Cliff Richard.  Livin' Lovin' Doll is one of the rockingest songs of the late 50s.  

Give it a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5xrVH646Fc

Joe Cocker at Woodstock.  G

Dave Lee Roth.

Bon Scott

Ozzy

More to follow.

Trent Reznor.

+1 on Trent Reznor

Gary Numan

John Foxx

There are many I'm surprised have not been included and some I can recommend that aren't mainstream (now).

For sheer energy at concerts I've been to and not including ones that have been mentioned:

Roger Daltrey - The Who 

Chris Farlow - Colosseum

Bob Hite - Canned Heat

Chris Youlden - Savoy Brown

Alvin Lee - Ten Years After

Paul Williams - Juicy Lucy, Tempest

Stephen Stills

Neil Young

Howlin' Wolf

Johnny Cash

Stevie Winwood

John Martyn

George Melly

Others I have not seen in person but have enjoyed on recorded media:

David Clayton-Thomas - Blood, Sweat & Tears

Junior Wells

David Crosby

Alexis Korner

Johnny Winter

++++

I was just down 95 from you Joe -- we saw him at Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland.  It was autumn as I recall, and just a month or two before we moved up here to Minneapolis.

I honestly don't recall an opening act!  All I remember is Bowie appearing from above, being lowered to the stage in some kind of harness or swing...and then having my jaw drop for the next couple of hours of sights and sounds.  A wonderful show -- I recall Frampton and Carlos Alomar sounding pretty amazing as well!

ATB.

Hook

Hook,

That's right.  I'd forgotten all about Frampton.  It was definitely a warm summer evening for me.  August, I think.  I was sitting about a half a mile away with my future wife (though I didn't know it at the time).  Cheers.

Mrs D ensures we get to see him live every couple of years.

Unlike one or two other singers of his time, he still has a good voice and a reasonable amount of energy, so you get a full evening of superb music.

Cheers

Don

There are no doubt many great male vocalists, but I think the OP has it about right - it's tough to beat Freddie in pure voice, showmanship, presence, and power.

I've heard Mick Jagger bring a Wembley sing along down to a 70,000 strong whisper and fade, a hair raising experience I'll never forget. But Freddie has more.

Bowie is one of my favourites  - I have seen him live 4 or 5 times. Once in the mid 90's he split the bill with Morrissey at Wembley Arena - and afterwards I bet he wished he hadn't. Morrissey was on fire, Bowie seemed anemic in comparison.  An absolutely amazing performance by Morrissey, but stll, not quite Freddie.

Never saw Zep in their prime but have seen Robert Plant a few times since the late 80's. I think Freddie trumps there too.

RIP

Sam

Raol Malo. I saw the Mavericks the other night and his voice is still as strong, true and beautiful as ever.

I think that there are two themes going here -- best "vocalist" and best "front man."

Two rather different sets of criteria IMHO. 

Freddie, whether or not you like(d) his style, probably deserves high ranking in both categories.