What lens should I use for live band photography?

Could anyone tell me what lens they use for live band photography? And what you would recommend to use?
I've seen a lot of reviews of people talking about using the Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens. Is this suitable! Any help will be very appreciated.

How far are you going to be from the band? Unless you are right on stage or in the very front of the audience, the 50 mm is going to be to wide to get good shots. On stage, it will probably not be wide enough.

You want as fast a lens as you can get. For zooms, that is usually f/2.8. Then you need to pick the range that works with your distance. On stage, I have used a 16-35mm and an 8mm. From up close, the 16-35 and 28-70/80 works well. From the back, a 70-200. All of them are f/2.8.

Depends on how far you are. Two variable lens cover most every situation. 28-70mm, 50mm-200mm.

Like the other guy said, it depends.

Are you shooting Beiber from the catwalk under a 32 ER spotlight plot? Or are you dead center at your highscool gym with 3 welded in place PAR cans? Or do you have reign over a backyard in full sun?

"They" use anything you can imagine and plenty more you can't. They use what lens is needed for the job. There isn't really much else I can tell you without knowing your situation.

What alot of people do (and you should to) is called scouting. You go beforehand and see the place. Think about where the light is, where the show is, where you will be able to stand or sit or crawl. Put on different lenses and see what you get. Then come back before the show to make sure you still get all the scenery and the crowd isn't in the way. I was lucky enough to have done my lab hours in the theater and do the photos with the company after but if you don't have the luxury of hanging the lights for the show yourself, making friends with everybody involved gives you a certain advantage. Remember, we don't give photos, we take them.