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

[MattBackHome]

Shakin Stevens
Michael Jackson
Sunburst

 

[Rogero]

One strange gig was Captain Beefhart that lastest 40 minutes at the Dome .On another occasion I saw in the small adverts section of the Argus someone saying free tickets for Tom Robinson at the Corn Exchange. I duly picked up two tickets and went to the Corn Exchange where there were only about a dozen people present. Tom Robinson came out ushered us to a small room and we had a great time singing.He said there had been a marketing mix up.

 

[jevs]

First....Adam and the Ants, Brighton Centre circa 1981

Worst...Belinda Carlisle, Brighton Centre circa 1990

Best...Jeff Lynne's ELO,O2 2018

 

[LlcoolJ]

One other gig I will always remember fondly was the Fun Lovin' Criminals down at the Event when they were very new to the scene....about 1996? They were supported by Republica, and were VERY good live.
Been to a couple of their shows now, and they even played "We have all the time in the world" for me and the missus after our honeymoon [emoji2]

Huey is a total legend. And yes, an underrated band.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Saw the Mondays at a gig in Manchester in about 2005/6 with The Farm, Stereo MCs and Clint Boone DJing. A load of us got a minibus over from Sheffield. Brilliant night.

Just found it, was 31/10/05.

Mates of mine go to Shine On in Minehead every year around this time for that sort of line up and other old indie favourites like Wonder Stuff etc. I've always looked at the line up and thought it would be a cracking line up but with young kids and my son's birthday on the same weekend it's never been realistic for me to think about going. One thing 2020 is teaching me is that I might never get to see these bands again unless they tour. That said, the Mondays did and I saw them at The Dome two or three years ago. They were a bit shit and Bez had a cracking beer belly but I knew half the people in the bar before hand.

 

[Sorrel]

First gig I went to was apparently The Dubliners in 1974, but I don't remember it - not sure if that counts. I remember going to see Queen in 1984, so that might be the first one I can actually remember.

Not sure I can do the worst - I saw some pretty ropey stuff when I was a student, but I don't know who half the bands were. Most of them appear to have been on the 1990 Top of the Pops, though. I also saw a lot of middle of road music (UB40, Simply Red, Level 42 etc.) in the mid 80s and it's not something I have many fond memories of.

Best gig depends a lot on how you are feeling, I think - I really loved Jah Wobble at Glastonbury 1994 and Mike Scott and Blur at the same event. Not sure they were the best gigs they ever did, but I liked them at the time. I also enjoyed The Divine Comedy in early 1996 in Brighton cos it was such a small place and great fun - not sure if what it was actually like would live up to my memories, though - but that's probably true for most people's favourite gigs.

 

[FamilyGuy]

First: The Who at Dunstable Civic Hall (1969?) possibly just before or just after they were at Woodstock

Worst: The Noel Redding Experience just after Jimi had died, I was one of 6 people in the audience and they started 2 hours late - what where we thinking??

Best: Joan Baez anywhere - but especially at Crawley (I know, I know!) a few years ago, when she sang and dedicated "Forever Young" to me and my wife, and our two friends, as it was our anniversary (I did write and ask her). Especially poignant as our two friends have both died in the intervening years.
Special mention to The Saw Doctors, whose live gigs never fail to please.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Mates of mine go to Shine On in Minehead every year around this time for that sort of line up and other old indie favourites like Wonder Stuff etc. I've always looked at the line up and thought it would be a cracking line up but with young kids and my son's birthday on the same weekend it's never been realistic for me to think about going. One thing 2020 is teaching me is that I might never get to see these bands again unless they tour. That said, the Mondays did and I saw them at The Dome two or three years ago. They were a bit shit and Bez had a cracking beer belly but I knew half the people in the bar before hand.

Love stuff like that.

Me and the Mrs went to see St Etienne at the Leadmill a while back (when they played the whole of Foxbase Alpha).

Saw loads of old faces and the smoking/vaping area outside was full of ex ravers showing each other pictures of their kids (instead of sorting out the pills and speed).

That was also a great gig. Seen them a couple of times since and I'm still in love with Sarah.....er Sarah's voice I mean, ahem.

 

[pasty]

Worst...Belinda Carlisle, Brighton Centre circa 1990

Saw Belinda Carlisle at one of those 80's revival type gigs in the late 90's at the Centre and agree, she was awful.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Love stuff like that.

Me and the Mrs went to see St Etienne at the Leadmill a while back (when they played the whole of Foxbase Alpha).

Saw loads of old faces and the smoking/vaping area outside was full of ex ravers showing each other pictures of their kids (instead of sorting out the pills and speed).

That was also a great gig. Seen them a couple of times since and I'm still in love with Sarah.....er Sarah's voice I mean, ahem.

Awesome. Sarah Cracknell

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Harry I wish I could feel gutted for you but I have absolutely no idea who they are !

I like the last sentence thou!

Lol! Ayers was in the original Soft Machine and is a Canterbury scene legend. Here with Robert Wyatt drumming:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwc_gosvQ_A

Diary of Dreams is a one man project by a German called 'Adrian Hates'. Cracking chorus in this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt31G-olsfQ

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

First was probably Mud!! At the Dome in 74 I think
Worst probably taking my daughter and others to see Hearsay!! NEC Birmingham 2001/2 ish -
Best would be The Boss(MK Bowl around 93 ish I think and Ricoh, Coventry about 4/5 years ago). He was awesome!

Dexy’s Midnight Runners/Elvis Costello/UB40 all in West Mids circa 1980 very good memories too

 

[portlock seagull]

First - Roachford, town and country club. Epic!

Best - U2, Sheffield ‘92, Actung Baby tour

Worst - Stevie Wonder, Hyde Park. He couldn’t see us, but for £60 I expected to at least see him. So far back, so many people it was utter waste of time. Never going to a ‘festival’ again

 

[Return of the Rev]

There was a period in early and mid 80’s when he would tour at Christmas time with punk and psychobilly bands as support usually at the Top Rank and were great fun. Then the Christmas office party crowd got interested, the venues were bigger and the gigs were shit.

That was our go to pre Christmas gig, managed to knock a dwarf off the speakers with a careless elbow

 

[Lower West Stander]

First gig - Michael Schenker at the Apollo in Manchester. Brilliant, just for the memory.
Worst - Tears for Fears. Totally boring.
Best - Terence Trent D'Arby at the Hacienda. Great venue and fantastic performer.

Honorary mention - Hacienda Classical at the Castlefield Bowl a couple of years ago. Peter Hook guested. A real reboot of my student years....

 

[lawros left foot]

Confession time.
I took a girlfriend to the Adam And gig, I was 22. I think we were the oldest non-parents there. Still, the bar was quite empty. I really didn't enjoy it, and the girlfriend binned me about 2 weeks later.

I saw Hot Chocolate on a free ticket at Pompey Guildhall, 1980ish.
They were absolutely note perfect, every song sounded exactly like the record. Might as well have stayed home and put the C.D on.

I saw Gladys Knight and the Pips with my big sister, and much to my suprise, she was brilliant, Gladys not my siste?r.

Saw the Proclaimers in Worthing Assembly hall a couple of years ago, musically brilliant, but, the most miserable pair of buggers I've ever seen, absolutely no interaction with the audience.

Special mention for the Waterboys, cracking live band.

 

[Knightsworld]

First - The Nolans at the Dome (yeah, thanks Mum)

Worst - T'Pau at Butlins, christ, she was awful

Best - Paul McCartney at the O2

 

[Lower West Stander]

Someone mentioned Gary glitter earlier and it reminded me that I saw him with the Rizzols and protex as support. Although not the correct thing to say GG was very good a proper showman. If only I knew as I still feel guilty for shouting leader leader for 5 minutes as he paraded around the stage

I saw him twice. Once at an ironic student gig in the mid 80s with the Glitter Band. Second time was at the Exhibition Centre in Glasgow in the early 90s when I was working up there.

Bought a t shirt with "Gary Glitter's Gangshow" on it. Hasn't been out of the drawer for a while.....

 

[LlcoolJ]

Fist - The Nolans

Bit harsh.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Bit harsh.

Depends how.....