The worst gigs of your life

[Herr Tubthumper]

Worst probably The Stone Roses at The Brighton Centre. Half the band had left and Ian Brown cannot sing or work a crowd; he just marches on the spot. Utter crap.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Courtney Pine at the Dome ...

He had a bit of a rep as a reggae sax player, but this gig turned out to be just about jazz.

You sound surprised?

 

[The Offspring]

During the late 80's and early 90's, I spent most weekends in London going to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal shows, be it the Marquee, the Astoria or the Hammy O, saw a vast and wide variety of styles, Bay Area Thrash bands were my favorites, along with there German counterparts, but the worst gig has got to be Megadeth at the Odeon in 1987, shite sound quality, out of tune, Dave Mustaine had about as much enthusiasm as a dead cow, and the whole band just didn't seemed to want to be there. The support act (Flotsam & Jetsam), on the other hand, were ballsy, loud and extremely good.
Megadeth returned a year later with Sanctuary (later to become Nevermore), I did not, but reports that filtered through to me were of the same opinion as mine were a year earlier.
Hasten to say, but from that point onwards, I never have and never will buy another Megadeth album.

 

[shaun_rc]

I have seen The Fall play on many many ocassions and they are my favourite band of all time. Watching them live is always a risk. You never really know if they will, as has happened in the past, even turn up! I can recount several times where M.E Smith has been drunk and the whole event turn into an embarrassing charade. A few years back this happened at The Concorde 2. Smith came on stage late, left after a few songs, returned and sang one more, dragged the band off, returned with the band, left entirely with the band playing the rest of the songs with I think the bass player doing vocals. For one song an audience member sang! The next time I saw them at The Pavilion they were prefect and played a great set. But that's the Fall for you. As John Peel famously said of them 'Always different, always the same'

Completely agree with all of that. They were the best band I've ever seen at the Brixton Ace in 1983 with two drummers, but one gig stands out as all over the place - at the Assembly Rooms in Worthing. MES kept disappearing and reappearing looking like he'd been sick down his shirt. Singing was sporadic, and the gig ended with him falling 90 degrees onto his face, Steve Hanley throwing his bass from above his head onto the floor in disgust. At the time you had to believe you were seeing their last ever gig (and that line up didn't last too long after). We were offered our money back but it was like watching a car crash in slow motion.

Ever since, Fall gigs have often seemed like panto. MES knows people are expecting him to mess about/not bother singing so you never know what you're going to get. I'm pretty reluctant to part with £20+ these days, when you might just get 15 mins of him messing around with the guitar amp and wandering off.

 

[The Modfather]

Ever since, Fall gigs have often seemed like panto. MES knows people are expecting him to mess about/not bother singing so you never know what you're going to get. I'm pretty reluctant to part with £20+ these days, when you might just get 15 mins of him messing around with the guitar amp and wandering off.

Pretty much agree with that. The gig at Coasters was brilliant in 1984 or '85.

Anyway back to the subject of the thread. The Rolling Stones at Wembley about 1990 was particularly dire

 

[Blackadder]

Probably Jay Aston.

Actually, that's a fair comment.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Chilli Peppers at Docklands arena when they were touring the By The Way album. Seen them kick arse live before and this was agreat album. Lacklustre, limp performance. Thay may as well have played the album.

Didn't think it was that bad, but they were definitely on the wane. RHCP at Hyde Park was a musical abortion, however.

They were a decent band when they were hooked on the brown and said 'Motherfucker' a lot.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

During the late 80's and early 90's, I spent most weekends in London going to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal shows, be it the Marquee, the Astoria or the Hammy O, saw a vast and wide variety of styles.

Exactly the same here. I was posting about this with another person a few weeks back. For a significant period it seemed every week there was a decent gig on and every thrash/hard core/crossover band you could name as well as most metal and rock acts came to London. I was at the '87 Megadeth show.

 

[scooter1]

Oasis, twice(keeping my ex company). Whilst I like about 40% of what they've done, live they're just pants

 

[CHAPPERS]

Azealia Banks last night is RIGHT up there

 

[daveinprague]

You sound surprised?

Well, only because he was getting a name as a reggae sax player... I knew it would be jazz, but a more melodious jazz..not a racket..

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Grace Jones, Brighton Centre some time in the early 90's. Free tickets from work, she was shite. Straddled a chair in front of the black stage curtain with her backing tracks being played over the tannoy system.

After the first song, which was sung so badly at least half the crowd left, she was only using the downstairs area, I distinctly remember turning round as we left and could see the stage at the front through a very thin crowd.

I think I might have been at that if Gary Clail was supporting? Left before she came on though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Azealia Banks last night is RIGHT up there

Wasnt good then? I have previously commented on her live performances.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Wasnt good then? I have previously commented on her live performances.

Really really bad from start to finish. Not in the least bit enjoyable.

 

[Albumen]

Black Grape at the Wolverhampton civic hall - practically instrumental as Ryder didn't know where he was. Shambles.
Horrors - C2 - mainly because it was so disappointing. Flat and boring. Only got going in the encore when they played the old stuff.

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

I went to see Roots Manuva at Brighton Racecourse for some dusk till dawn hip hop and drum and bass night. He was incredibly stoned and mumbled through two songs before dissapearing off stage.

Oh shit I remember that. He was terrible. Happily, I saw him at Electric Picnic this year and he was fanatstic.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Worst probably The Stone Roses at The Brighton Centre. Half the band had left and Ian Brown cannot sing or work a crowd; he just marches on the spot. Utter crap.

I saw The Stone Roses at The Brighton Centre - 1995, just after the much maligned 'Second Coming'.

Three of the original four were there - Ian Brown, who was his usual, static self, John Squire, who was brilliant on guitar and Mani on bass, who was, as usual, all action and rolling bass lines. The only person missing was Reni on drums.

I thought they were brilliant, as did most of the crowd; one of the most enthusiastic crowds I've experienced at that hole of a venue. Was this the same gig?

Now Ian Brown's solo gig at the same place was another story. He was lazy and disinterested, and if I remember rightly, was virtually booed off.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oh shit I remember that. He was terrible. Happily, I saw him at Electric Picnic this year and he was fanatstic.

Yeah, that was totally shit that racecourse thing.

 

[cornish seagull]

I think I've probably played at the worst gig I've ever been to...

This: Played at open air music festival in July (we were headline band) two numbers in, half way through 'boom, boom out go the lights' and the bloody heavens opened, my amp blew and keyboards sparked! bastards refused to pay us!

 

[maltaseagull]

Robert Plant at the Brighton Centre years and years ago. Just a parody of himself and boy did he love himself

Man - a very highly rated heavy metal Welsh band at the Dome. So shit I left after two songs, not being a fan of heavy metal mave have influenced my opinion of them

Dylan at Wembley in the Punk era, trying to out punk the punks - Crap

Van Morrison at the Dome - 35 mins and no acknowledgement of the crowd whatsover. In fairness the music was good, it was just his demenour and attitude - surly Irish Navvy

I was at the Dome for that. Thought he had a train to catch! I would never pay to see him again or buy any more of his music.