Best Gig ever seen....who, where, when and why?

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Rockfest, Wisconsin 1999!  Four days of Poison, Motley Crue, America, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett, Skorpions, Def Leppard, and many, many more!

(...in my tent with a 24 year old lass with Def Leppard playing live in the background... oh boy...)  :biggrin:   :drag:

 
Well this is a toughy. Too many to pic a favourite and I have been dragged to quite a few gigs over the years (by SWMBO) that I wouldn't normally have gone to and I must say the stage shows have been really impressive (most recently Take That at Villa Park but at the Ricoh Arena a year or so before that).

First ever gig was The Police (NEC Arena 1978/9) and saw them again a couple of yearas ago. Still amazed at how brilliant they are as a three piece band.

Nickelback (LG Arena) supported by Staind is probably my personal (most recent) favourite although the Killers were great as well.

Got me thinking of other concerts I've been to over the years. Some that spring to mind;

Genesis (Old Trafford a few years ago), Thompson Twins, Dire Straights, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart (another forced attendance), Duran Duran (original and again more recently), Simply Red, Meatloaf (at least three times), Kylie, S Club 7 (err...both with my 14 year old daughter), Elton John (at Mercedes World?), Lionel Richie (Dancing on the Ceiling tour) oh and of course Call Atlantis on many, many, many, many occassions!! I'm sure I'll think of a few more as the fog clears!

Not a gig as such but Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' is one of the most impressive stage shows I've ever seen. I think it's touring again next year. Well worth the entrance money.

Would loved to have seen ELO in concert during their heyday.

DT

 
Ooh, can i add Alice cooper 1983 Manchester Apollo. Not a great fan but got dragged there by a friend. Stage show was amazing but way to pretentious for my taste, the star of the show for me was the very weird support act called "alien sex fiend" nope i never heard of them either, or since. They were like a weird punk version of gong. They got heckled off stage but i thought they were great :)
Alien Sex Fiend,. Now there's a great live band.

Saw them in London sometime in the mid 80s. Still touring, but only Nik fiend and Mrs Fiend left.

 
Ok. Pink Floyd - Webley Stadium 1989. Standing in the middle of the pitch in front of the sound module, surrounded by tens of thousands of pot smoking freaks. Never did drugs and never smoked, but I got high that day!!
Careful. I was was there. i was one of those freaks.  :biggrin:   :biggrin:

 
Talking of weird people at gigs, I went to see Front 242 in London many years ago maybe 88, 89 - they came on stage wearing long leather Stormtrooper macs, and gas masks... 

Support was by Einsturzende Neubauten and Nitzer Ebb - three sets of music that basically sounded like factory production lines with people screaming propaganda over the top. 

Amazing stuff.  All three bands still going. 

 
Right I may as well do these all in one go, otherwise I'll be here all day.

Pink Floyd -  75 Hammersmith Odeon, my first big gig, amazing.

Knebworth 78 - Genesis were good, but I thought Devo were brilliant

Knebworth 79 - Led Zepplin,200,000 people what more can I say, 

Reading 79 - Motorhead and the Police, but Cheap Trick did it for me. Thin Lizzy were no shows.

Knebworth 80 - Went to see Mike Oldfield, but the Beach Boys blew everyone away. Pissed with rain all day.

Rick Wakeman 80 Hammersmith Odeon

Reading 80 - Rory Gallagher UFO and Iron Maiden. One of the best weekends I have ever had. Ozzy was a no show, and Slade filled in for Gary Moore. All for £12.50 for the weekend inc camping.

Orange Juice 80 Hammersmith Palais. only had enough money for one drink, but it didn't matter Edwin collins' voice was amazing.

Reading 83- Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath(with Gillan not Ozzy) and the Stranglers

Knebworth 85 -deep Purple, but everyone will remember the rain, oh the rain

Queen Wembley Stadium 86. Flew back from holiday, dumped the bags in the flat and got the bus to Wembley. Freddie put on an amazing show.

Genesis Wembley Stadium 87. Brilliant as always, but Knebworth 78 was better.

Rush  - Wembley arena 

Knebworth 90 - Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Genesis,Page and Plant, all on one day, fanbloodytastic. NO RAIN.

Roger Waters  -The Wall, Rome 2013. Has to be the best stage show I have ever seen, set to the best soundtrack you've ever heard. 

That all the really good ones I can remember.

One that I'd like to forget - Knebworth 2012 Red Hot Chilles - RUBBISH, they just turned up, played and left. no atmosphere at all.

One I wish I gone to but didn't. Knebworth 78 - Zappa, The Tubes and Gabriel

 
Alien Sex Fiend,. Now there's a great live band.

Saw them in London sometime in the mid 80s. Still touring, but only Nik fiend and Mrs Fiend left.
gene

It seemed to me that 99% of the audience just did not get it at all.

 
Eagles - Birmingham

Dire Straits - Hammersmith

Peter Green, splinter group - Aylesbury

Thin Lizy - Aylesbury

 I cant remember what years, they all blend in to one these days.  Nurse........... :haha:

 
Oh my goodness . . . . . don't get me started !  Will try to pick out just some of the best ones : -

Deep Purple   -   Southend Kursaal

The Eagles   -   Wembley Stadium

Gary Moore   -   Albert Hall (with Albert Collins, Stevie Winwood, George Harrison, Andy Fairweather-Lowe)

Walter Trout Band   -   Feltham Town Hall

Gary Moore   -   Shepherds Bush Empire - Blues for Greeny promotion and brought Peter Green out on stage

Joe Bonamassa   -   Hammersmith Apollo

Baker Gurvitz Army   -   Southend Kursaal

Eric Clapton   -   Royal Albert Hall

Jeff Healey Band   -   Cambridge Corn Exchange

B B King   -   Chicago

. . . . . . . .  the list could go on and on and on

Heads Up : -

There is a new Swedish band called "The Spin" currently doing gigs in Essex but should soon be moving around the country. If you get the chance they are worth the effort !

 
Pink floyd - Earls court '94. I was only 14 but loved every second.

The Specials 30th anniversary tour - Cardiff Int. arena. Best atmosphere of any gig I've been to.

Tom petty and the Heartbreakers - Royal Albert Hall last year, waited 20 years for that gig and have to say they were amazing!.

Last but by no means least The Sex Pistols 30th anniversary of 'Never mind the bollocks' at Brixton academy. The band had us eating out of the palm of their hands, fantastic.

Been to lots more but those really stand out. Saw the Pogues one year and security were throwing people out for being too drunk, the drunkest man in the building was on stage! Mostly forgetting the words and trying in vein to stay upright .. The band were awesome though. RIP Phill Chevron.

 
Pink floyd - Earls court '94. I was only 14 but loved every second.
The Specials 30th anniversary tour - Cardiff Int. arena. Best atmosphere of any gig I've been to.
Tom petty and the Heartbreakers - Royal Albert Hall last year, waited 20 years for that gig and have to say they were amazing!.
Last but by no means least The Sex Pistols 30th anniversary of 'Never mind the bollocks' at Brixton academy. The band had us eating out of the palm of their hands, fantastic.
Been to lots more but those really stand out. Saw the Pogues one year and security were throwing people out for being too drunk, the drunkest man in the building was on stage! Mostly forgetting the words and trying in vein to stay upright .. The band were awesome though. RIP Phill Chevron.
14..........in1994!!!!!!

Oh I wish.
 
Elbow are from my neck of the woods and used to play the local pubs before they were famous, three of them went to my high school and even still come back for a drink in Tottington and Ramsbottom decent blokes.

My best gig was my first as it got me into live music AC/DC For Those About to Rock tour at Manchester Apollo 1982

Cheap Trick also did it for me as well but I had to endure a motley crew concert to see them as a support act, even ended up with a Rick Nielsen plectrum.

 
I was thinking about this toady and theres been some great ones 

Prodigy - warriors dance festival MK bowl 4 years ago? 

Kasabian brixton academy 2012 with the Mrs was a great night 

The pogues Brixton a few Christmases ago 

the worst gig 

was oasis wembley just before they broke up absolute pelt!

 
Mine :)

Eurithmics  -     Portsmouth Guildhall   Amazing night   support by virgin dance --  Tracked down that album recently :)  

Alison Moyet  - Portsmouth Guildhall   Worst gig ever,  I walked out halfway through, and my GF at the time spent all evening all over one of her co workers ...  (we wernt together much longer after that .)

Ultravox  Portsmouth Guildhall   Amazing night, shame it was on the reunion tour   and not first time around

MIdge ure  - Fontwell racecourse   not bad for a solo artist

Curiosity killed the cat  - Same venue   dire, 

There was one other act but i cant remember them either

Human league - Pyramids     Great band ,  shame it was a retro tour

Thomas Dolby - Concorde 2 Brighton -  tiny venue,  about 100 people, we were virtually onstage with him , a great performer

Thomas Dolby again  - Southampton  new show & back stage VIP to meet and greet

Flock of seagulls  Concorde 2 -  shame the hair is no more .

Blondie  - Portsmouth guildhall - Bloody amazing    

Mart

 
Bournmouth 1960/61 Bill Haley & the Comets, The Platters and  Jerry Lee Lewis all on the same bill!

 
Got your moneys worth there guru ... Jerry Lee is still going strong as far as I am aware! You don't get many singers with that length of career these days.

 
Right I may as well do these all in one go, otherwise I'll be here all day.

Pink Floyd -  75 Hammersmith Odeon, my first big gig, amazing.

Knebworth 78 - Genesis were good, but I thought Devo were brilliant

Knebworth 79 - Led Zepplin,200,000 people what more can I say, 

Reading 79 - Motorhead and the Police, but Cheap Trick did it for me. Thin Lizzy were no shows.

Knebworth 80 - Went to see Mike Oldfield, but the Beach Boys blew everyone away. Pissed with rain all day.

Rick Wakeman 80 Hammersmith Odeon

Reading 80 - Rory Gallagher UFO and Iron Maiden. One of the best weekends I have ever had. Ozzy was a no show, and Slade filled in for Gary Moore. All for £12.50 for the weekend inc camping.

Orange Juice 80 Hammersmith Palais. only had enough money for one drink, but it didn't matter Edwin collins' voice was amazing.

Reading 83- Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath(with Gillan not Ozzy) and the Stranglers

Knebworth 85 -deep Purple, but everyone will remember the rain, oh the rain

Queen Wembley Stadium 86. Flew back from holiday, dumped the bags in the flat and got the bus to Wembley. Freddie put on an amazing show.

Genesis Wembley Stadium 87. Brilliant as always, but Knebworth 78 was better.

Rush  - Wembley arena 

Knebworth 90 - Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Genesis,Page and Plant, all on one day, fanbloodytastic. NO RAIN.

Roger Waters  -The Wall, Rome 2013. Has to be the best stage show I have ever seen, set to the best soundtrack you've ever heard. 

That all the really good ones I can remember.

One that I'd like to forget - Knebworth 2012 Red Hot Chilles - RUBBISH, they just turned up, played and left. no atmosphere at all.

One I wish I gone to but didn't. Knebworth 78 - Zappa, The Tubes and Gabriel
Jealous of pretty much everything in that list. Never got to see Zeppelin, but managed to see both Jimmy Page's and Robert Plant's first solo tours. Page had a young Jason Bonham (John's son) on drums, and he did a passable rendition of Bonzo's Montreux, as a tribute to his dad, much to the delight of the audience. Also saw Page's [then] new band, The Firm's, first tour, with Paul Rodgers (late of Free and Bad Company) on vocals. It had its moments.

I'm Gabriel-era Genesis fan, and after Steve Hackett left in 1977, I kinda lost interest - but do have a bootleg of their Knebworth 1980 gig, which is rather good.

My favourite concert, ever, was the Water-less Floyd (never saw them with him, either) gig at Maine Road (Man City's old ground) on 8th August 1988 - The Momentary Lapse of Reason tour. If memory serves, they played for the best part of 3 hours and 20 minutes, with only a 10 minute fag break halfway through. Here's a clip from it - not the best video, and not taken by me, but the concert was incredible and included whole chunks of Darkside of the Moon, The Wall, the [then] new album, Wish You Were Here and others Top knotch stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSQ4R6kjriY

Wasn't really a heardcore fan, but my then girlfriend bought two tickets to go and see David Bowie's Glass Spider tour, in 1987. Seems a bit dated now, thoroughly enjoyed it, though. Check out the setlist on this puppy - the whole concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npmD75Hfbu8

Saw the first three Marillion tours (at least the first three from Script for a Jester's Tear) with Fish. 

As favour to mate, as she had a spare ticket, I got to see Meatloaf at the Birmingham NEC in, I think, 1980 - his 2nd album, but did pretty much everything off the first, classic, album.

Saw Sting on his initial solo tour - Dream of the Blue Turtles - also at the NEC. Played the whole album, plus a selected number of Police hits. His touring band for this gig was stellar.

Saw Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow - alas, not with Ronnie James Dio - but with their post-Graham Bonnet replacement, Joe Lynn Turner (meh). Got to see the two Deep Purple stalwarts, Blackmore and Roger Glover, if nothing else. It was my first live concert.

I also went, under sufferance, or rather as a favour to another mate, whose stag night it was, to go and see The Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels tour (1990) - a lot better than I'd given it credit for. They trotted-out all the hits and were pretty much note prefect.

Went to see Yes in 2004 - with the 'classic line-up' of Anderson, Wakeman, Squire, Howe and White - at the Manchester MEN. Fond wander down memory lane and a bit of a greatest hits affair, but none the less enjoyable for that.

Managed to get 'day tickets' (where you get up at some ungodly hour and then go and loiter at the box office until it opens) to see Bizet's opera, Carmen, at the Sydney Opera House, when I lived in Australia in the early 90s. Simply incredible show. Up in the nosebleed seats, but it didn't diminish the enjoyment.

Whilst I, along with 20 million other applicants, was unsuccessful in managing to attain tickets for the Led Zeppelin reunion in 2007, at the O2 in London, I was lucky enough to get tickets to the world premier of film of the gig (Celebration Day), at the Hammersmith Apollo - Friday, 12th October 2012. All three remaining members of the band opened the film with a Q&A, which was value for money. Took my 20 year old nephew, as I was inculcating in him the requirement for the proper appreciation of decent music. Thankfully he's now a solid convert, so my time and effort weren't wasted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD-MdiUm1_Y

 
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