[Music] Your first ever (proper) gig?

[Silverhatch]

Wishbone Ash at The Dome, mid 70’s ish

New England Tour! Was there too. Still the loudest gig I’ve ever survived.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Slade - 2nd May 1977 (I was 15) - Bournemouth Winter Gardens

This was part of the review in the Bournemouth Echo.

Once 'Hear Me Calling' had ended, without missing a beat they were into 'Get On Up' from the previous years 'Nobody's Fool's' LP. As much as the crowd tried to do just that, the heavy handed security employed by the house pushed them back down into their seats, a scenario that was to be repeated constantly throughout the evening.

I remember the security issue well. It was a seated venue - complete madness. I was sat centre of the second row. As soon as the gig started, the crowd surged towards the front of the stage, only to be pushed back 3 or 4 times. Eventually, Noddy Holder stopped mid song when it happened again, looked at the security guys and said, "this is a rock 'n' roll show, not a f*cking bingo hall". A huge roar went up from the crowd with even more surging forwards. Security quickly exited left and right. Everyone then had a huge party with no trouble.

I remember it like it was yesterday ... if only. I loved it.

I went to one more gig as a 15 year old. The Jam on 5th December 1977 at Bournemouth Village Bowl.

 

[North of Robertsbridge]

I'll mention the most incongruous gig I went to - The Clash and the Slits at Mecca Tiffany's ballroom in Purley, 1978. The blue-rinse old dearies had the shock of their life when the audience started to emerge from Purley station

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

February 1979, The Jacksons at The Brighton Centre .... family outing, hated it.

September 1980, Gary Numan at The Brighton .... with mates, now we're talking .

I saw Gary Numan 10th September 1980 at Southampton Gaumont - and again in 1983. Both amazing.

 

[Weststander]

I saw Gary Numan 10th September 1980 at Southampton Gaumont - and again in 1983. Both amazing.

I can still envisage Cedric Sharpley’s drumming, the light show and sumptuous Moog’s.

Did you see Ultravox in the early 80’s? They were great.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

At the age of 14. Buzzcocks - Top Rank Brighton 1978. Famous for the riot and trashing of the stag.

I saw The Buzzcocks in Bournemouth November 1979 - supported by Joy Division. Ian Curtis was taken to hospital during The Buzzcocks set . 6 months later Ian Curtis was no longer with us

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

I can still envisage Cedric Sharpley’s drumming, the light show and sumptuous Moog’s.

Did you see Ultravox in the early 80’s? They were great.

The whole stage setup for Numan's gigs were superb. Didn't see Ultravox.

 

[MXL]

Queen at The Brighton Centre, December 1979 on their Crazy Tour

 

[boik]

Saw Yes at Wembley Arena and then The Piranhas at the Buccaneer. Found that I much preferred small venues so haven't really been to an arena gig since but have been to thousands of small shows over the years.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Brighton Top Rank Ballroom .. I saw The Kinks. Prior to that I had seen a few lesser known bands at the Florida Rooms. That became my regular haunt in the 60’s .
The best venue I went to was the 02 London for a Bob Dylan concert. I actually preferred small gigs to seeing big famous bands.

This reminds me of my most embarrassing gig going incident. I was in Bournemouth one afternoon, walking passed the Winter Gardens. I saw a big poster for a gig that was on that night and thought I'll have some of that. Bought a ticket from the ticket office and hung around in Bournemouth for the gig.

That's when I realised my error. I thought I was seeing The Kinks ... whereas it was The Strawbs of 'Part of the Union' fame. I didn't hang around for very long

 

[rippleman]

I try not to remember my first live gig because it was Dr Hook! I really don't know why. But from then on things got much better. My second was Third World at the Top Rank and then punk / reggae / ska / new wave bands a-plenty.

 

[Brighton Mackem]

Whitesnake at the Ipswich Gaumont 1979
Love hunter tour

 

[Mr Bridger]

With the stripper on stage? If it was the same concert my younger brother‘s eyes popped out and he jumped over the balcony to get closer to the stage.

Must be bring on the nubiles?

 

[veuve]

1979/1980 The Specials supported by The Bodysnatchers at Worthing Assembly Rooms. Those were the days!

Ditto.

 

[Hamilton]

With the stripper on stage? If it was the same concert my younger brother‘s eyes popped out and he jumped over the balcony to get closer to the stage.

That was the year before because we were all talking about it. I was fourteen at the time. Of more concern was the story of what had just happened at Hammersmith where a bunch of punks had ripped up the seats and gone berserk. I went along terrified and excited. It was an amazing feeling.

 

[One Love]

Sun Sept 7 1980

U2 - Boy tour

Lyceum London

Supposed to meet my Uni mate having been back home to Brighton at the weekend but I was late getting back. Had to go direct to the gig and by the time I'd got there he'd eaten the whole lump of black and was off his nut on the train home.

 

[Robinjakarta]

The Who. Also at the Downs Hotel in Hassocks. I think in 1964. I remember Keith Moon (RIP) downing double whiskies in the bar before the performance.

The Downs Hotel hassocks

can any body remember the the downs it was the the place to be various bands groups ithink it was ...

www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk

I missed that gig but heard a lot about it and saw many others.
Ah. The bar. A memorable part of a misspent youth. We never had to pay. Someone in our crowd knew someone, and we were in a Merrydown phase at the time. Drank it like beer with predictable results.

 

[amexer]

My uncle said he saw Eric Clapton at a hotel in Hassocks. I know oF no hotels in Hassocks. Did anybody else go or was he fibbing

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

My uncle said he saw Eric Clapton at a hotel in Hassocks. I know oF no hotels in Hassocks. Did anybody else go or was he fibbing

The Hassocks Hotel (well, big pub with rooms) by the station has a function room and hosts music and comedy gigs - not sure if it goes back that far but could be the place

 

[NutterDave]

Super Furry Animals supported by BIS at the original Concorde near the Sea Life Centre. Being complete gig noobs we went in the wrong entrance somehow and found ourselves in an empty venue apart from both bands at the bar and sound checking. Not sure why we weren't asked to leave. Glad we weren't though. SFA remain one of my favourite artists to this day.