Best (& Worst!) Live Bands

[alistair]

so who's heard of 'The Flaming Lips' then?????

[Bruno Broughton]

alistair:

so who's heard of 'The Flaming Lips' then?????

Me... have a couple of CDs but not seen then live.

 

Favourite live gigs?

 

The Who, Chelmsford Town Hall circa 1966 (two hours late for a baying crowd way past the fire limmit. Still have a set of Keith Moon's drumsticks, thrown into the crowd during the obligitory end-of-set trashing of equipment. Went backstage & tried on Pete Townsend's Union Jack jacket )

 

Gino Washington, Brentwood (1967) & Leeds (1968) (yes, Tamla copycat stuff, but did that man have stage presence, energy & know how to wind up a crowd)

 

Free, Leeds Uni, circa 1969 (played most of 'Sons of Sobs' & old blues, before 'Alright Now' was released, mesmeric. Elton John, on the same night - I think - but in a different hall, was at his pre make-a-prat-of-myself-on-stage best)

 

Taste, Belfast Uni, 1969 (almost the resident band then, Rory annoying in speech & attitude but just brilliant guitar-work, he spent half the set standing on something... may have been a piano! Was he faster than Alvin Lee of Ten Years After? - not sure, but he was certainly more accurate)

 

Family, Queens Uni, Belfast, 1970 (front row, got autographs, Chappo was awesome, dream gig)

 

Pink Floyd, Belfast Town Hall, same year (I think) Set was 'the Man & The Journey', for fans, Weird but wonderful, included a man in a melted deep-sea diver's suit crawling through the seated crowd, 360 degree sound effects, J Arthur Rank style gong, finale on the cathedral-sized in-house organ, etc.)

 

Robin Trower (ex Procul Harem)- Hull Uni, 1976 (wonderful but so bloody loud my ears rang for a week - that taught me not to stand in front of wardrobe-sized speakers at gigs)

 

The Blues Band - Rock City, Nottingham circa 1982 (classic packed, sweaty venue to match peerless playing)

 

Big Country, Rock City & Nottingham Concert Hall 1980s (several times, the best live act ever, two hour sing-songs in a Kop-like atmosphere. Just wept for days when Stuart topped himself recently)

 

Stevie Winwood, Nottingham Concert Hall circa 1985 (end of tour gig, went through entire repertoire)

 

Chris Rea, NEC 1985 (warm up to Clapton, but far better)

 

Ry Cooder. NEC, about 1989 (wow, full R&B back-up, dancing girls, hand-claps, several percussion players & fantastic slide, jazz & blues guitar)

 

Jackson Browne, 1993 & 1996 (4 wonderful gigs, at Albert Hall, Brum, Manchester Apollo and a stupendous Edinburgh Theatre Royal/Opera House - forget which.)

 

Plant & Page, Wembley circa 1996 - jam packed, red hot, seat in the gods, wathcing two gods play)

 

Eagles, Wembley Stadium about 1998 - two sets, into late evening, which had even 6 year-olds on their chairs)

 

Paul Carrack, forget the London venue, 2002 (stage-side seat, fantastic musicianship, great singing guests including Barry McGiugan!).

 

Biggest regret? Missed Hendrix by one year at Belfast Uni.

 

Worst? Pick from:-

 

David Bowie (Harrogate Opera House, 1970, couldn't sing, walked off stage after 15 minutes in favour of the Keef Hartley Band, who were great!), Van Morrison (2002, arrogant, monosyllabic, set lasted 25 minutes, pathetic), Neil Young (2002, played just one well-known song, f'ed and blinded his way through endless and pointless trashes), Dylan (Isle of Wight, 1969 - mumbled, out of tune as headline in front of 500,000), Joe Jackson (circa 1984, Nottingham Theatre Royal. Not his fault - acoustics failed for the WHOLE set)

 

The pits? China Crisis - Rock City 1986ish. (dire, tried to perform new numbers to a hostile crowd). Got persuaded to see OMD shortly after - just as bad). Stiff Little Fingers, same era, re-launch gig. (Loads of ageing punks struggling to summon up enough gob to make it authentic but looking for fights the whole set. Would have left after 10 minutes if I could).

 

[ 15. December 2004, 02:10 AM: Message edited by: Bruno Broughton ]

[ben88]

hmmmm best gigs in no order.

Iron Maiden @nec 2003

 

Machine Head @Bham academy 2003and 2004

 

Skindred @wulfren hall you oldfolk probly havent heard of them www.skindred.com

 

slayer/slipknot @ nia 2004 not so much slipknot but slayer owned it. hatebreed were pretty good to.

 

Alkaline trio @wulfren hall x2

 

worst gig by far has to cradle of filth at wolverhampton wulfren hall, i didnt even see cradle of filth because i walked out halfway through the 2nd support acts crappy set.

[kendo]

smurfs live bbc2 1981

[RollingPinBoy]

Yes with Pink Floyd at Parliament Hill Fields, London.

Free at the Country Club in Belsize Park, London.

Marc Bolan with Hotlegs at the Roundhouse, London

Kilburn and the High Roads at the Marquee, London

James Brown at Hammersmith Odeon and Wembley Arena

Skid Row with Gary Moore, Country Club, Belsize Park.

All the Sunday afternoon Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London gigs

Aerosmith at Wembly Arena

Foreigner, Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan at Wembley Arena

Police, Boomtown Rats, Sex Pistols, AC/DC at the Marquee

Madness, The Beat, Dexys Midnight Runners at the Electric Ballroom, Camden Town and various venues

 

I have nearly a thousand old 30" X 40", etc fly posters, flyers and t.shirts, of 70's and 80's gigs in my collection...Ray

[Tog]

Almost forgot I saw the Police just before they became 'monster' - but I found them a bit sort of 'Who-Lite', although 'Roxanne' and a few of their early hits were damm good. (IMHO!)

 

Footnote:- Wifey used to play for Sting's darts team.

At his 'manor' on the upper Avon nr Amesbury there is a social club, as wifey was friends with a woman who worked for 'the stings' she used to go along to the weekly woman's darts compo and yer man Sting would pop in for the odd jar when he was 'in residence'.

 

PS, Sting me old mate - them fields wot you saw from your window had wheat in 'em mate WHEAT not bloody barley!! I ask yer - bloody northern townies come down south and try to sing about fields!

[paul.saunders]

ok i've led a sad life the only live band i saw was a rock'n'roll group called Matchbox who had a number 1 hit in the late 70's with rockabilly rebble

[Steve Randles]

Pink Floyd - Wembly Stadium and Earls court. Awesome show and expierience.

 

Eagles - Wembley Stadium. Clear precise music from masters.

 

Prince - Wembley Arena. Pffffff!

[Peter M]

Retired from gong to gigs in December 1999 when I went to see the Stereophonics. While queuing up to go down the front in the ‘pit’ I realised I was a good 20 years older than everyone else. While I was in there I was thinking how I wished I had a seat as I needed a sit down. When I left Wembley Arena I took one last look at the place and realised that time had caught up with me and it was unlikely I would darken its doors again.

[Tog]

Resurrected this as I was lucky enough to be given some tickets to see Michael Buble a few weeks ago.

(The near riot for his tickets sort of missed me last spring - but when I was given some by a pal who had double booked a cruise for the same week I checked on Ebay! - glad I didn't cash in tho)

 

'Oh come on Tog, MOR or what' I hear you cry?

 

Maybe - but he is the slickest performer I have ever seen - makes me wonder now what shows the Deano, Sammy and Sinatra fans enjoyed?

 

Yep - I would say he is the best live singer I have ever heard - he's better live than on CD!

Showmanship that was only bettered than Freddie in his prime and great patter and interaction - amazing presence for a chap so young.

 

Anywhos - If you get the chance, go and see this chap live before he's so huge he only does stadia.

(And - It's a heck of a good brownie earner with the FPO)

 

BTW - another brownie earner for you, Micheal Bolton (summat about them MB initials?) is on tour next Autumn, pair of tickets for the BIC was FPO's fav xmas surprise, you may not like 'his thang' but your FPO probably does, - expect a damp evening;).