[Music] First gig, Worst Gig and Can't be topped gig?

[Beach Hut]

First Boom Town Rats - Brighton Centre
Worst - Specials - Top Rank Suite a total brawl, horrific atmosphere
Best = Bowie Greatest Hits Tour MK Bowl, last ever Queen gig ever at Knebworth both incredible beyond belief

Harty you have zero taste as the Human League were superb, my oh my what a good looker Joanne Catherall was

 

[jackalbion]

My First gig was McFly at Sussex county cricket ground which is very embarrassing.

My worst gig was that I saw Weezer at O2 Academy in Leeds, they just seemed like they couldn't be bothered and they played majority post pinkerton stuff, which is awful except for a couple of tracks, had a double pint as well and instantly regretted it. The support at this gig as well the Orwells who I was a big fan of at the time came on stage hammered and started fighting members of the crowd and the lead singer walked off before the end of the set. A month later they broke up due to a massive string of sexual assault allegations.

The gig that can never be topped was Foo Fighters at Concorde 2 in a secret gig where they played a lot of deep cuts, one of two times I've ever been starstruck was when I saw Dave Grohl waiting for the volks railway at peter pans playground (the other time was when I saw Nzuzi Toko on the table next to me at the regency fish restaurant ).

 

[PeakGull]

First gig: Whitesnake at Brighton Dome, October 12th, 1979.
Worst gig: Kiss at Brighton Centre, September 30th, 1984 (only went to see Bon Jovi who supported as did virtually everyone else in the Brighton Centre).
Best gig: Have been to loads of great gigs but two that come to mind are The Pixies at Top Rank Suite, Brighton 19th April 1989 and Iron Maiden at Bracknell Sports Centre, 14th March 1981.

 

[Guinness Boy]

First - Madonna in Paris in 1986 while I was there as an exchange student. She mimed, the French let off tear gas. Still not the worst because

Worst - Bob Dylan in Sydney. Incoherent mumbling. Wife who was a massive fan wanted to walk out.

Best - Primal Scream on the Screamadelica tour (first one) at The Event supported by Andy Weatherall (RIP) and The Orb with my brother, [MENTION=60]Seagulls over Lewes[/MENTION] and half of Brighton's club victims and nutcases. Utterly joyful and completely insane.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

First U2 - Top Rank 82ish
Worst - The Fall - Sussex Uni - 84ish
Best - tough to pick - B52s at the Roundhouse/ Ramones at Brixton Academy/ Psychedelic Furs at Mean Fiddler/ Pixies at Crystal Place Bowl/ Wonderstuff at Southampton University all tied for first place, with probably a few others too.

 

[ac gull]

First - can't remember, but would have been in Brighton

Best and worst - both in Melbourne in 1990 - best Phil Collins, played for about 3 hours and excellent - two weeks or so later was worst re Fleetwood Mac who seemed like they all hated each other and last rehearsed five years previously - both were in same venue which I think is where they have the tennis in Melbourne - atmosphere generated at both was so so different

Went to Phil Collins one expecting nothing much and was way better then expected - went to Fleetwood Mac with high expectations and it was crap

 

[swindonseagull]

First ......Shhhhh Gary Glitter and the Glitter band Hove town hall late 70's
Worst ......Black Honeyzz CArdiff a few tears ago....complete crap supporting Royal Blood.

Best either Andre Reiu (twice) ....What an entertainer....or Tom Jones in Vegas during my RAF days

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

First - Level 42 at the Brighton Centre when I was about 11.

Worst - The Missus wanted to go and see Britney Spears at Pride last Summer....we walked out (along with hundreds of others) about 15 minutes into the set.

Cant be topped - Its a close call between three gigs tbh. Either U2 at the old Wembley Stadium on their ZOO TV tour in '92/3...just incredible to watch live. Say what you want about Bono, but that tour took going to a concert to a whole new level with the visual aspect. Also - Foo Fighters at the O2 last year....purely about the sound. Amazing performers & musicians - & then thirdly, Chris Shiflett (lead guitarist of the Foos) last March down at the Haunt nightclub on his own solo tour. A tiny venue, but a truly amazing gig. If you've never listened to his work then I really recommend it. A "country rock" sound that is very catchy.

Three very different types of gig, but thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Shifty even manned his own merch stall at the Haunt before going on stage!

 

[Lenny Rider]

First Boom Town Rats - Brighton Centre
Worst - Specials - Top Rank Suite a total brawl, horrific atmosphere
Best = Bowie Greatest Hits Tour MK Bowl, last ever Queen gig ever at Knebworth both incredible beyond belief

Harty you have zero taste as the Human League were superb, my oh my what a good looker Joanne Catherall was

Different strokes for different folks old boy, I thought they weren't that good given they were top of the hit parade that very week.

 

[Weststander]

First - my parents took us to see The Jacksons at the Brighton Centre in 1979. Hated it.

Worst - Stiff Little Fingers at the Brighton Centre in 1981. A huge mistake by their promoter or manager, only about 750 of us rattling around in a 5,000 capacity giant cube. They were awful.

Can't be topped - New Order in August 1984 at Portsmouth Guildhall. They were amazing, the set perfect, lovely acoustics, we were the front of the crush and topped by the finale of the worshipped Temptation.

Confusion
Ceremony
Face Up
Leave Me Alone
Hurt
The Village
Dreams Never End
Age of Consent
Blue Monday
The Perfect Kiss
Encore:
Temptation

 

[Weststander]

First ......Shhhhh Gary Glitter and the Glitter band Hove town hall late 70's
Worst ......Black Honeyzz CArdiff a few tears ago....complete crap supporting Royal Blood.

Best either Andre Reiu (twice) ....What an entertainer....or Tom Jones in Vegas during my RAF days

Andre Rieu is brilliant. Did you go to one of the outdoor Maastricht concerts?

 

[Igzilla]

First: New Order at the Brighton Centre 1986
Worst: Dead heat between New Order (see above) and Steve Harley Worthing Assembley Rooms c1993. Former - deadful sound, Latter - just truly awful, I was embarrassed for him.
Best: Monster Magnet at the Electric Ballroom 2016. Just in front of the mosh pit, great sound, band were note perfect, totally blown away.

 

[Hamilton]

Wow! There are some brilliant experiences shared here, and so good to see people being honest about gigs that surprised them e.g. Robbie Williams. I can imagine he would be brilliant. Mrs H saw him and said he was an arrogant bugger, but amazing.

First: The Stranglers at The Brighton Centre circa 1982. Amazing. I was 14-years-old. I think the previous week a load of angry punks had ripped up the seats at Hammersmith Palais and thrown them into the crowd when they played Nuclear Device. I loved the adrenalin that came with the belief that I might get seriously hurt at a gig.

Worst: The Manic Street Preachers at The Dome a few years back were just awful. Weller at the Centre - seen him a few times and he can be brilliant and a moody ****. Also, The Stone Roses in Finsbury Park in 2013 - I thought they were shocking. Maybe I was too far back. Ian Brown just can't sing for a toffee. I'll go with The Stone Roses for this choice.

Best ever: In 1983 I saw The Police and at the time they were my favourite band. I was so pumped up for the gig that it remains my best ever memory of a gig. However, Bruce in Cardiff was extraordinary - he blew me away. The Rolling Stones were also very good value for money. I also saw Ocean Colour Scene at the Electric Ballroom when the Gallaghers joined them on stage for a few closing tracks including a rendition of 'Day Tripper'. Stonking performance. But I think the prize goes to 'The Boss' - he is amazing.

 

[Weststander]

First gig - 1981 Adam & the Ants

Worst - ive been taken as an unwilling other half, but I will discount those. I saw the Style Council in Belgium in 1983, when they were just starting out. They were truly shocking. All over the place

Best. I will discount Squeeze - cos I simply love them. So, I will go for Big Country 1983 at the Suite

I went as a reluctant other half to The Style Council at the Brighton Centre, they were crap. Pretentious jazz sounds over substance, a flat crowd reaction.

That Big Country gig was incredible.

 

[Eric Potts]

First : Richie Blackmore's Rainbow . Preston Guild Hall .1977.No longer do I have the hair for headbanging.

Best : Undertones . Blackburn King Georges Hall , 1979. Tears of joy at this one . Utterly wonderful.

Worst : Too many to remember , thankfully . However one that does stand out was Julian Cope at the Komedia , 15 or 20 years back.
I rarely walk out of gigs early , but I did that night . I had to go home and watch some drying paint , which was much more exciting and engaging.

 

[Happy Exile]

First: Nine Inch Nails, Skid Row and Guns n Roses at Wembley Stadium 1991

Worst: Lighthouse Family at a venue in Newcastle with an ex-girlfriend. Somehow managing to exceed even my worst expectations of blandness.

Best: hard to choose. Just for the synchronisation of mates and music we loved and the time it was in life probably Carter USM at Sussex Uni, I think 1993.

 

[hart's shirt]

Seems like quite a few of us started off with Adam and the Ants at the Centre.

...and again here.

First.
As above. Aged 10, it was the perfect accompaniment for the Prince Charming vinyl album which I got for Christmas.

Worst.
1997. In a year that brought us the likes of Bitter Sweet Symphony and Song 2, I found myself watching Louise at the Brighton Centre.
For younger readers, that's Louise Redknapp. On stage. By herself and not part of a girl group. And headlining.
It lived up to its billing as being every bit as appalling as what you'd expect, but I've still got the Argus poster of her in an Albion shirt somewhere.

Best / Most Memorable.
U2's Zoo TV tour in 1993 at Wembley when I went to watch a concert, but somehow stayed for all 4 nights and ended up working backstage.
A minute or two after the band had left the stage, I moved on with a broom and started sweeping in front of 70,000 people.
With REMF 1 as my last competitive game 19 years ago, it's probably the closest I'll ever get to performing in front of a large Wembley crowd.

 

[Blue3]

First I think was The Buzzcocks around 1977

Best without a doubt George Harrison and friends Royal Albert Hall 1992

Worst Oasis at the O2 Arena 1998 they were drunk out of tune really were awful spent the whole concert slagging other bands off

 

[BN9 BHA]

Worst is Human League, supported by Wang Chung, at the Dome, Dec 1981 (Beach Hut was there as well)

Harty you have zero taste as the Human League were superb, my oh my what a good looker Joanne Catherall was

I went to this, and agree with Beach Hut here.

 

[Weststander]

[MENTION=25376]Miximate[/MENTION] ...... Lighthouse Family. Truly awful boring and seemed that all songs blended into one. Left the LF concert early.


Can't stand them.