Prompted by pooflake in another thread...
What is the best/worst gig you've ever been to?

my best was seeing Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation in an old prison in Bristol (possibly Bedminster, can't remember the name of the venue)

it cost me £15 and I was stood about 10 feet from the man himself.

The support band were a young unsigned act called Aura who rocked big time.

Plant came on looking grizzled wearing t shirt and jeans and gave the best performance of anything I have ever seen. he has so much charisma, presence and an amazing voice.

I was literally speechless after he'd finished it was so good.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 13:58, 53 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

*jumps straight in*
When I saw the Chilis (see other reply) they were supported by the Henry Rollins Band, and he had just had his 'search & Destory' Tattoo done.

They were really rather good...scared the audience into liking 'em

EDIT 1: @Vipros...I played a gig once at the General Wolfe In Coventry after Robert Plant had played there. *swoons with claim-to-fame*

EDIT 2:Actually I have a tale...not so much the worst gig..but possibly the worst day of my life.

My band were playing a little shithole called the Dog & Trumpet. At the time (and I don't know if this has changed) the pub was being very poorly managed and publicised and was lazily relying on it's reputation.

We were supporting a trumped up talentless bunch of pretentious tossers who spent about 4 hours on a soundcheck, leaving us with 2 and a half minutes before we were due to start.

But we struggled on and, despite the bass player and myself being smashed on whizz, we were ready to begin...in front of absolutely nobody.

So our heart wasn't particularly in it, and by Peter Purvis' dunghampers we were shit. After about half an hour the other band's manager ambled up to us and after we had finished a song he mumbled 'Do you mind just going now lads?' and we trundled off, for the other band to bound on and scream 'Hello Coventryyyyyy'...to nobody.

In the meantime, across the city, my dad was busying himself at the car auctions spending my last penny in the world on a shit-heap shed of a car that didn't even make it back from the auction house.

rock 'n' roll
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:02, Reply)

a few
Spiritualised in Brixton Academy

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (Will Oldham) - Shepherds Bush Empire

Radiohead, both times, one small venue, one big outdoor venue, both in Dublin

The Handsome Family at The Barbican

Faith No More, both times, Dublin (the second time they replaced the Chilli's because of Frusciante's shenanigans).

Lambchop, The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin

Tindersticks, The Olympia Theatre, Dublin

Tom Waits was pretty cool a few weeks ago.

Redneck Manifesto, Whelans live bar, Dublin

Whipping boy in a bar in Dublin the same night as a slightly disappointing Portishead. They were only one album deep at the time though.

To name but a few.


EDIT: Oh, how could I forget! The Mars Volta in Paris and Manchester this year. When you're prepared to fly to see a band, you know they're good.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:04, Reply)

My first Pearoast (aww)
Think I saw Metallica at Reading 2003?
Love the Wulfrum saw Incubus there and they played loads of stuff off Science and random stuff with a digerydoo.

Chili's I've seen at Docklands in possibly 2005ish and they were on top form, saw them at the Rico as well actually they were being supported by !!! who were shit.

Best live performance... would probably go to Jimmy Eat World :) But I adore them. That was at reading as well and I randomly met Godhead who were all really lovely down to earth guys. Oh and Roddy Woomble from Idlewild bought me a pint - Top Bloke!
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:05, Reply)

So difficult!
OK... Best Ever:

Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium this year... With Led Zep! The only time I've screamed liken a girl at a gig.

This is despite stiff competition from:

Eric Clapton (Masters of Music, 1996)
QOTSA (Reading, 2005)
Counting Crows (MEN, 2003)
Prodigy (V97)

The crown of worst gig:

Incubus, Reading 2005. A more lacklustre, disinterested, boring set from a band I like I never did see.

Fighting off competition from:

Alanis Morisette (Hyde Park, 1996)
Beck
Slipknot

And that's me done!
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:09, Reply)

sheryl crow
sheryl herself was ok, but her support was natasha bedingfield, just before she got famous, well, as famous as she ever did. she sucked. she sucked so so so hard. her voice shook; her hands shook; her knees shook...


best gig ever was live earth, last july. got to see the red hot chilis, the foos, snow patrol, keane, terra naomi, paolo nutini, pussycat dolls, madonna, genesis and a load of others. could only have been improved by the addition of the killers and counting crows imho.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:12, Reply)

Did you pay to see Alanis Morissette!?
*makes note subtracts points*
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:12, Reply)

ooo DiT
you giant bastard

I would have killed to get to that Led Zep gig...

some of my best have been the repeated viewings of the Australian Pink Floyd Show

if you like Floyd, go and see them. just do it.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:13, Reply)

Dont laugh but...
One of the best gigs I went to was The Farm. Can't remember the place but it was somewhere in Birmingham many moons ago.

Fantastic atmosphere and had a good sing along with the band.



Ooo! and a gig in Coventry with some members of The Specials.

Edit - musn't forget seeing Sonic Youth in Dublin and watching their support act, (Nirvana), walking off stage just as we got in.


The worst was probably when I went to see Steps with my little sister *laughs*
( girlinthehole, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:14, Reply)

@TGB
NO I DID NOT! I'd bought the tickets for Dylan, Clapton and The Who (Quadrophenia), and then they added the Canadian Whinger to the list. And she was shit!

Can I have those points back?

@Vipros... It was incredible. We'd heard the rumours, but never thought it could be true. Dave promised us something special, and by christ did they deliver! Screaming like a girl and weeping like a baby, I was.

I shall have a look for those Floyd shows... sound marvellous!
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:16, Reply)

Led Zep
the guitar shop I frequent provided the guitar techs for the gig.

I was talking to Seth, one of the main dudes and he said he was so nervous he threw up and couldn't enjoy the show.

the rest of the staff thoroughly enjoyed it from the VIP box with the likes of Dave Grohl
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:17, Reply)

A couple that spring to mind
Pink Floyd at Earls Court, 2 days after they had a large section of the seating collapse.

Roger Waters also at Earls Court for the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking tour. Fantastic sound and visuals.

Bruce Springsteen at Wembly Stadium in 1984 for the Born in the USA tour. That mans energy just blows you away.

Peter Gabriel again at Earls Court. What a brilliant singer.

Frank Zappa at the old Hammersmith Odeon. What can you say, the man was a god.

And lastly Hawkwind at the old Hammersmith Odeon as well. Excellent band, they also had Lemmy on bass, and a reading by Michael Moorcock.
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:18, Reply)

aside from Robert Plant
my favourites have got to be Metallica as mentioned in another thread

The White Stripes when they hadn't been around long. so much energy and a big sound. and Jack White can play the guitar like a mofo.

Tool were obviously excellent.

Ditching Queens of the stone age (we were stood at the back and to the side of 10s of thousands of people, sounded awful) in favour of seeing Massive Attack. that was awesome.

Watching Rammstein while on mushrooms was a pretty special experience too.

Saw Reef after they released their second album. so good I stopped listening to their studio stuff preferring to remember it live.

Anyone heard of Rootjoose?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:21, Reply)

Actually I think my best gig was
(and I can't believe I forgot about this!) Alice Cooper Nottingtham 2005 supported by Twisted Sister and was freeking awesome.
Twisted Sister were also great but Dee was constantly running behind this curtain offstage.

Also Alice threw his cane into the crowd and some snobby nosed kid in the row in front of me got it and I was going to try and steal it off him but his dad was massive and my mate was pretty skinny...
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:22, Reply)

Dunno if we've crossed wires, V...
But I meant I saw Led Zep when they appeared with the Foo Fighters at the Foos Wmbley gig in June...

I was not lucky enough to see 'em at the O2.

But I was standing in front of Juliette Lewis and... She. Is. Fine.
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:22, Reply)

Gigs

Certainly not the best ever gig, but I fondly remember seeing Carter USM in about 1992 at Brixton Academy. It was my first ever gig and I loved it. They were supported by a band called Sultans of Ping FC, who did a funny song called Where's Me Jumper. Very silly.

Worst gig has to be the first one my band played; where the guitarist was pissed, the singer was too nervous and I had to try and do the sound as well as play, but couldn't get near enough to the guitarists amp to turn down his drunken rubbish. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.
( Moey, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:23, Reply)

DiT
ah!

I'll let you off slightly ;-)

ooo, Alice Cooper. that was a good gig. supported by Dio (man, he is short)

Coopers stage show was brilliant.

after listening to him do the breakfast show on Planet Rock though, I find him an insufferable bore.

saw Deep Purple supported by Peter Frampton at the CIA in Cardiff too, they were both superb.

Deep Purple were by far the loudest gig I've been to!
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:25, Reply)

Hmmm...
Anyone remember Cecil? Saw them a couple of times: once at the Adelphi in Hull. Within the first half of the opening number, the monitors had been kicked across the room. The singer was in the middle of the floor screaming at people. People backed away.

He saw me and approached. I was convinced he was going to kill me. Instead, he kissed me on the forehead and gave me a pint of Guinness that he had managed not to spill.

I pretended to like Guinness.

That was good. As were REM in Cardiff, and Public Enemy in Manchester a couple of months ago. dEUS can also put on a good show. Drugstore were good, as were Jesus Jones and 808 State. But the best I've seen probably has to be Nick Cave a couple of years ago. Stunning.

Worst? Hmmm. Can't think of any really bad ones. Neubauten a couple of months ago were good, but not as blistering as I'd wanted them to be (especially given that they had a jet engine on stage with them). John Cale was... old. Ooooh - Oasis, summer '96, and U2, summer '97. Both a bit pointless.

EDIT: Oh, yeah: I went to V a couple of years ago specifically to see the Pixies. Not all they could've been, to be honest...
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:26, Reply)

I saw the Foo's and Qotsa
They were pretty good.

Tool were only ok - they really need to employ a second gutiarist for live shows. I know I've said this before.

Honorable mention to The Who. Pure Ronseal.

They were supported by Biffy Clyro who were rubbish.

Other bands who rocked but I'm not a huge fan of:

Pugwash
The Vines
Eels - great after show surprise - anyone else seen them?

And another great up-and-coming Irish band I've mentioned before:

Sub-Plots - they rock - they're on myspace.


EDIT@ @Gunther - Carter USM might have been my first ever gig - certainly my first and last crowd surf anyway.

@Enzyme - I saw Cale last year - I was moved.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:26, Reply)

The absolute best
which will never be topped ever (unless he tours again) was David Gilmour in LA. I flew out there the day of the show and returned the next morning. The cost was obscene, but worth every goddam penny.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:28, Reply)

Hmmm, tricky one
Ooberman at the Metro Club: not the greatest, but the first proper gig I ever went to. So it has a special place in my heart.

Then (in no particular order):
Foos amd Queens of the Stone age at Hyde Park (also saw QOTSA at Hammersmith)
Eels at Royal Festival Hall
Gogol Bordello at Astoria
The Crimea at the Windmill (Brixton)
Skin Dread at Astoria
Brakes and The Chalets at teh Mean Fiddler
Gnarls Barkely at Mean Fiddler
Soulwax at Royal Festival Hall
UNKLE at Somerset House
CSS at Koko
DJ Yoda at Koko
Kid Koala and DJ Shadow VS. Cut Chemist at Roundhouse
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist (not vs. each other though) at the Sage carpark in Newcastle
Beatie Boys at Brixton Academy
Vincent Vincent at the Islington Academy
The Crimea at the 12 Bar club
Patrick Wolf in Shepherd's Bush

Worst: toss-up between Goldfrapp at Brixton Academy, and LCD Soundsystem at the Astoria. They're both fantastic to listen to on CD, but these particular gigs just didn't do anything for me. Completely lacklustre.


EDIT: this prob doesn't count as a gig, but I saw Immodesty Blaize do her burlesque night at Koko. Phenomenal.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:29, Reply)

Thought of another one...
Anyone remember Cud?

Probably not.

But they played a little gig at the Wharehouse in Derby - roadtesting 'Showbiz' and it was great. Carl (the singer) threw pots of glitter all over us and I was washing it out of my hair for weeks.

Also, Some tiny club in Birmingham when I went to watch a metal band called Mordred - who were fucking ace, but more memorably they were supported by a band called Scat Opera - they had a big, mean meaty fucker on guitar who used an axe that looked by a piece of swiss cheese and 1 single boss distortion pedal.

I believe that was the single best guitarist performance I have ever seen. Next day I rushed out and bought their album (fantastic) and one of those pedals...funny though, I could never make it sound that good.

I should give Captain Placid a buzz - he has seen some gigs that would make your armpit hairs fizzle with pure fucking-mega-brilliance!

Oh @ TGB - I also saw Chilis at the Ricoh...I thought 'meh' the whole way through and (yet)again the PA was like the contents of the '2 girls, 1 cup' cup
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:29, Reply)

DiT
Apologies I didn't read the Hyde Park bit, I think my brain saw Alanis and shut down in self preservation.

You can have your points back and bonus points for Clapton because I could listen to him for days :)

edit: Pooflake we did have to wander around a bit at the Rico until we found a bit where the sound was pretty good.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:31, Reply)

I remember Cud
not many people do!

biggest surprise was probably Primal Scream. only knew a couple of songs and was persuaded to hang about for them at a festival at about 1:30am

they were fantastic


ooo, remembered another, Muse at the Eden project

now that was special

edit: @DiT (below) SOAD also melted my face

unfortunately they were supported by Dillinger Escape Plan, the worst pile of crap I've ever had the misfortune to be subjected to.

the best part of their set was when the guitarist fell over and dropped his guitar when he got back up. they sucked. we booed.

SOAD were chasing each other round the stage when they played, and the guitarist span round so much at one point his trousers fell down.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:31, Reply)

Fanks, TGB! :)
Also: Has anyone seen Thrice live? I'm going to see them tomorrow night and I have built it up so much that I'm afraid they'll be rubbish!

EDIT: I must also say that SOAD almost melted my face they were that good.
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:33, Reply)

Cud..
I think I remember Cud: short-lived 'Madchester' indie band from around the same era as Inspiral Carpets, The Farm, etc...?

Another great gig was Rage Against the Machine at Reading in '94. Brilliant, for the angst ridden, angry young Gunther I was at the time.

More recently, a band called Lazenby who I've seen a couple of times and are absolutely fantastic live.


EDIT: Baz... my crowd surfing days died out sometime around my first gig. I'm only a little fella, but it still fucking hurts when someone decides they can't be arsed and drops you on your head!
( Moey, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:36, Reply)

@Vipros...

I think 'Muse' would be the only band going nowadays that I would consider paying to see.

All the talent of Early Radiohead without the sanctimonious wank of nowadays Radiohead attached

*awaits flaming*

Actually, I'd pay to see KT Tunstall too. Her vocal lines and melodies are exquisite. Sure, she may have started of like a cheap clone of Sheryl Crow, but in my opinion she's now eclipsed her.

Oh, I'd also pay to see Squeeze. Actually, there's quite a few...
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:38, Reply)

*Puts up hand*
I saw Thrice agggges ago. They were awful.

No I'm joking they were great :) So much energy it was insane.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:38, Reply)

KT Tunstall
at Beautiful Days last year

thoroughly enjoyable. can't remember which song it was, one of the singles. she finished with it and it had this big drum sound going on. was marvellous.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:39, Reply)

TGB
You might just be my B3tan of the day, and that's not an award that's won easily.

I ruddy LOVE Thrice. And The Alchemy Index is in. cred. ible.

You have given me hope!
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:41, Reply)

some crazy weird different version
of Blue Monday has just come on my ipod. it's New Order, but I don't recognise the version...
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:43, Reply)

@ Vipros...
You keep reminding me of things.

Although I have been lucky enough to play in front of a few thousand people, the single biggest cheer I have ever received in my life was when I went to see Simple Minds at Wembley Stadium...late 80s.

They were being supported by OMD and on top of their crap performance the singer was being a proper cunt, goading the audience and coming down to the front row to taunt us and stick his 'V' up at the booing throngs.

However, as he was attempting to clamber back on to the stage I managed to hit him squarely and violently in the back of the head with a full carton of Um bongo, sending him sprawling star shaped across the stage as the juice burst over him.

I was so proud as I acknowledged the applause of about 80000 people who wished they'd done the same.
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:44, Reply)

Pooflake
that's a great story!

I don't have any like that. one mate threw a space hopper and hit Timmy Mallet at a uni ball once...

and another mate got brained by the singer from Therapy?'s mic stand....
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:48, Reply)

Aww thanks DiT :)
Let us know how the gig goes :) I want to go see bands now :(

Scars on Broadway are coming to the B/ham acadamy I am pretty tempted... either then or Less than Jake who are insane live!

My mate manged to hit the singer of the dillenger escape plan in the face with a bottle of mustard stole from one of the burger vans. Well I say stole he said to the guy "Mind if I take this I don't want to waste throwing a shoe at the skinny cunt from dillenger escape plan"
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:49, Reply)

I seem to be in my own lonely groove here

BUT the very first gig I ever went to was The Jam at the Hammersmith Odeon c.Sept. 1977 - The 'In the City' tour. What a gig! Not as good as the Clash supported by Xtc at the Finsbury Park Odeon.

Best free gig? Rock Against Racism - 30 years ago this summer. The Clash, Elvis Costello, Polly Styrene, The Ruts, Aswad, Misty in Roots. That's who I think was there...might be wrong on a few.

EDIT: checked on Wiki, but I think they're wrong and yes, Tom Robinson Band did play but I never liked their music, though I'd defend to the death their right to play it (while covering my ears).

The best gig EVER though was Clint Eastwood & General Saint at Dingwalls in Camden Town - probably 1981. These were a couple of reggae DJs with a shit hot band and some great tunes/lyrics, but what made the gig was possibly the fact that the small amount of air available inside the place was roughly 75% 'smoke'. The audience was about 50:50 white punks and black rastas and the atmosphere was...totally mellow. If you've never been in the middle of a throbbing, grooving, sweating, smoking, bobbing reggae crowd with that reggae bass line making every cell of your body vibrate IN TIME TO THE MUSIC, well...I can only recommend it - highly.

I saw them a second time. At the town hall in Bournemouth, performing to a bunch of disinterested white students and stiffs swilling beer in a brighly lit huge cavern of a room. It was embarassing and after just a couple of songs they announced that they were doing one more song. A few people reluctantly got up, moved to the front and started dancing a bit. I was right there at the front. They went on to play for another half hour at least, with virtually all the crowd up and swaying about. They created shine from shinola - another great gig.

Finally - Bowie at the Milton Keynes Bowl in 1983 or 4 - the Serious Moonlight tour. Never seen charisma like it - he had a massive crowd eating out of his hand and was superb.

Oh, and Herr Doktor: I saw Frank Zappa in bleedin' Austria - Vat a gig!! True, true genius. He had his son come on for a guitar solo at one point.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:51, Reply)

TGB
shake your mate's hand for me

Dillinger Escape Plan suck so hard that Mr Dyson is considering reverse engineering them to improve his products
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:52, Reply)

and another
saw a rather lovely little band called "The Week That Was" a couple of days ago at 93FeetEast on Brick Lane. Their sound was basically all my favorite bits of 80s music put together. Not going to win any prizes for innovation, but they gelled well together and did a good show for the crowd.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:54, Reply)

@Vipros hahaha
Genius.

They are unbelievably bad. If I hadn't had a fiver riding on the fact our mate would score a direct hit I would have carried on drinking in the campsite.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:56, Reply)

Kaol and others will be able to back me up on this one
last proper gig my band did were supposed to be supporting Hijak Oscar, but those buggers pulled out at the last minute.

we ended up seeing a band called Le Chat Noir.

two-piece like the White Stripes. I chatted to them before they went on, and they were so mild mannered and quiet. when they got on stage they were animals.

I've rarely seen anyone hitting a drumkit so hard, let alone a skinny girl. the guitarist was rocking very hard and singing, shouting, screaming

it was awesome.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 14:59, Reply)

@Che
The only band I ever regret not seeing was The Jam. I used to be a huge fan but for one reason or another just never got to one of their gigs.
( girlinthehole, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:08, Reply)

Chat Noir
Fucking rocked.
I came in from having a smoke and looked around the stage for their bass and second guitarist.
Then realised there was only the two of them.

Very. Fucking. Impressed.

Also, I got their album, and it has been played a good few times here in the office.
( Cawl, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:09, Reply)

Worst?
Primal Scream - absolutely dreadful.

They were so loud that your eardrums just couldn't take anything in. At one point in a song a guitar solo started and was so loud that the whole crowd swayed where their collective inner ears were being vibrated so much they lost their balance.

I like loud music, but I don't like it so loud that I can't hear it.

Even in an adjacent room, which was the bar, you had to write in the sweat on the bar which drink you were trying to order as shouting at the top of your voice directly into the barmans ear was not enough to get him to hear you.

...and they were boring too, probably because you couldn't differentiate between the songs - each one was just a distortion in your eardrums.
(dchurch bah, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:12, Reply)

Overly loud bands.

My mate Lee (RIP you cheesy bell-end) went to see Faith No More at (I think) Brixton Academy and he ended up right next to one of the speakers...

for the following few days afterwards, all attempts at conversation with him was pointless because every question would be answered with a shouty 'EH?, WHAT DID YOU SAY?'.

He later informed me that all he heard for about three days was a very high pitched 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' ringing in his ears

and he was a drummmer, for fuck's sake!
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:19, Reply)

I've been to a few.............
As I am as of monday (my youngest daughter's 21st birthday) officially an old bastard I'll remenisce here about the 70's!

*wanders off drooling*

*gets prodded back to coherence*

Pink Floyd at the Hippodrome in Coventry. Amazing show, the encore was their entire new album, soon to be released under the title......................
Dark side of the moon. Awesome.

The same year I saw Hawkwind. Stir-fried mental.

Fast-forward a few years....

The Clash (twice)

The Sex Pistols in a very small club in Cov.

The Lurkers at the Red Cow in London.

The Meteors at the aforementioned Dog and Trumpet. The only time I've ever seen people take a run up through the crowd to leap up and nut each other.

There's a few more to come if only I can galvanise the remaining drug-addled braincells to remember them..

Watch this space.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:19, Reply)

This would make a great QOTW
www.b3ta.com/questions/questionsyoudliketoask/post224548
( Cawl, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:20, Reply)

Loud bands
I remember seeing Crystal Method in '98. Hell, they were loud; and, with each crescendo, they'd flash huge strobes into the audience.

It was magnificent: it utterly wrecked your sense of the boundary between self and other. I can see why it might send you into a fit, but it was completely magical.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:25, Reply)

Che, thank you for listing your gigs - I wasn't going to post simply because almost all of mine are ancient!
However....they're not as old as yours! ;-)

First ever gig - Culture Club the week they got their first number one - 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me' - great energy and fun all in the Margate Wintergardens!

Best ever gig - that's a hard one...probably The Eurythmics in about 1984 or '85 - I was right at the front - people were leaning over me and touching Annie Lennox's red lace up brogues. She has an amazing voice - so many bands can be really disappointing when live (especially those from the miming '80s!) but she was sublime.

Most Cool Points Gig - The Smiths on their Meat is Murder tour. Fantastic opening - I think it was Holst's 'Mars' (from the Planet Suite)that they played as they came on stage with search lights swooping around the crowd - quite magnificent.

Worst gig - without doubt it would be Tears for Fears in about 1985 or '86 - they used backing tapes instead of musicians and someone sprayed shaving foam at Curt Smith's guitar so he walked off in a huff!


I wish I'd seen The Cocteau Twins before Liz Fraser went loopy.

I wish I hadn't bothered going to see Kajagoogoo - yes they were as crap as they were perky. Even at the gig my best friend and I stood around in our long black skirts tutting at all the day glo and girls screaming and fainting. We were far too cool to do that - we'd seen The Smiths!

Oh and another that was good - The Human League - really good in the late '80s.

Nowadays I tend to see live music at local pubs - The Angry Pirates are good - mostly playing covers of indie stuff. And what was The Keytones but now are Hullabaloo - they're excellent. All local bands and no big names.


I feel really, really old now.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:29, Reply)

Ooh well Local Bands
Would be the Broken Dolls who are always awesome :)
www.myspace.com/ukbrokendolls
The few people from cov may know of them as well as they play at the Godiva festival.

I agree with Chickenlady that a lot of the time small pub bands are loads better. Probably as they have to play in front of drunk people with disposable glass in front of them...
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:33, Reply)

*takes this opportunity to suggest that people come and see his band*
:-D

shameless self-promotion FTW!

Crystal Method, now that's some stuff I haven't listened to in a while!
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:36, Reply)

*takes this opportunity to suggest that NOBODY come and see him with Captain Placid*
but if you do...and you make it past the first 5 minutes...understand that it's downhill from then on and get out while you're ahead.

Because I'll only get more and more squiffy...

and If the Captain drinks - jeebus help you all

Our 'band' (cough) is called 'The Belmers' and our philosophy is that excellence, like practice, is 'just something that happens to other people'
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:41, Reply)

Worst/best
Where do I start? Worst I suppose – New Order at Reading 1990. Utter shite. Dull as box of Gordon Browns, with about as much charisma and the vocal ability of a laryngitic frog.

Best? Ooh, so many. Depeche Mode at Edinburgh Playhouse in 1987 (fuck it, I’ve seen them 4 times and each time they were fucking brilliant). Levellers supported by Chumbawamba and Credit to the Nation at Newcastle Mayfair. Most other Levellers gigs. Young Gods and Mudhoney at Newcastle Riverside in 1989. Frank Sidebottom at the same venue, 1988 – comedy gold! Pop Will Eat Itself, Newcastle Uni, ‘88. Pixies at Newcastle Polytechnic (now Northumbria University). Loads more, too many to remember.

We try and see as much local live music as we can. One band is from Grimsby and tours extensively. I would recommend anyone catching them– The Brew (www.the-brew.net/). One of the best drummers I have ever seen, and he’s not even 20 years old. Fucking superb! Nice mix of their own stuff, The Who and Hendrix.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 20 Aug 2008, 15:54, Reply)

Oooh, lots of good'uns
Pitchshifter at Reading '98 - hadn't heard them before and they completely blew me away.

Ash, Placebo and Scheer at ULU for the 1977 tour - never been to a gig with a line-up that better suited my taste at the time.

Carter USM at some sports hall in Abingdon - my first gig, I remember frustration ever after as no other band ever managed 14 encores.

Urusei Yatsura at the Highbury Garage - so much energy!

Echobelly and Longpigs at the Kentish Town Forum - Oh, Sonia Aurora Madan.

All of the gigs I went to following a local Reading band called Bennet - the strangest band Roadrunner Records ever signed.


The worst gig, discounting the few where I was performing, was probably Beth Orton at the (then) LA2 supporting Sparklehorse. She was just so... unbearably... dull...

EDIT - Oh god, I'd forgotten the Stone Roses at Reading '96. John Squire's gone, so you replace him with someone you found in Simply Red? Fuck off. So bad I packed my tent and left.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 16:02, Reply)

Suicidal Tendencies & MOD
London Astoria.

Looong time ago.

With the girl I thought I'd love forever and a cunt. (Nick S I will find you one day and rip your spleen out of your arse. As a warning.)

It Bites. Glasgae Barrowlands. Never accept a spliff fron a Hells Angel. *Wurble*

Slayer, backed by Nuclear Assault. I still can't hear oot me left lug.
(osok Rebel without a clue, Wed 20 Aug 2008, 20:12, Reply)

I don't really go to gigs these days

But the best show I've seen in donkey's years was....wait for it...

The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain at Wakefield. A truly magnificent show from start to finish. If you've not come across them I strongly recommend you visit their website - coming to a town near you soon probably. It is truly amazing the sound they can generate from half a dozen ukeleles, but the repetoire is even more amazing. Everything from 'Anarchy in the UK' (a real crowd pleaser that) to the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (complete with whistling and HOO - HAHs) to my favourite which is the best version of the theme from Shaft you will ever hear in your life.

Check them out.

Oh, and EDIT from above - the Clash were at the Rainbow in Finsbury Park
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Thu 21 Aug 2008, 9:52, Reply)