Best gig you've ever been to?

Led Zeppelin, Bristol Colston Hall, Jan 8th 1970
Van Morrison, Bristol Colston Hall, July 1974
Dr Feelgood, Cambridge Corn Exchange, October 1975
REM, Hammersmith Odeon/Apollo, September 1987

1. Leonard Cohen, SECC, Glasgow, earlier this year (got to be number 1 no question)
2. Radiohead, AECC, Aberdeen, about 10 years ago or so
3. Neil Young, AECC, last month
4. Shane McGowan, Lemon Tree, Aberdeen about 6 years ago (he was very very drunk)
5. The Damned, about 15 years ago, Aberdeen (dingy pub where they should be seen)
6. The Smiths, Inverness Ice Rink, about 25 years ago (ouch)
7. The Stranglers, Glasgow Apollo, about 25 years ago (ouch again)

Sure there are many many more but my memory is going nowadays

Cheers

Andy

another vote for the Floyd - the wall gig.....
absolutely outstanding.

Probably because the grey cells were being so bombarded at the time, but in addition to gigs at larger venues:
- Eddie and the Hot Rods at the Hope and Anchor
- Joe Ely at the Powerhaus in Islington, for not breaking stride and switching guitars in full flow when a string broke
- Martin Stephenson at around the time before and just after Boat to Bolivia was released

Another vote for Martin Stephenson and the Dainties who played up in Aberdeen on their last ever tour. Best concert I have been to no question.

Steve Earl - an total sell out show, air like electric and you could hear a pin drop during his performance. Totally captivating.

1964 (or 5?) The Marquee Club, Wardour Street.

Jimi Hendrix Experience.

They'd just released "Hey Joe" & it was in the charts. Up 'til then, my experiences of live bands was only what I heard at Eel Pie Island on a Sunday night.

We were just blown away...

Too many to list

Nils Lofgren - first solo tour
Rory Gallagher with or without Taste
Free
Stones
Floyd
Neil Young '76
Bob Marley
Santana
Eagles in support of Hotel California
The Who
Little Feat
Doobie Bros
Humble Pie
Steve Miller
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Third World
AC/DC in '76
Cream
Fleetwood Mac early and late bands
Kinks- mid 60's my first gig.
Sex Pistols
Clash
John Martyn
Genesis as a support band to Lindsfarne
Joe Walsh
Beach Boys
Led Zeppelin in the early 70's
Deep Purple around the same time as Zepp.
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye

I could keep on going but will stop there.

You might just as well ask what were your most disappointing gigs.

Ewen

A very impressive list - but no Bruce?

quote:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

You lucky fcuker!

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Ewen

A very impressive list - but no Bruce?

Nope I had tickets for Edinburgh in around 80 but couldn't go for various reasons.

That's more of the period I like of him rather than his stadium gigs. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing him of course.

Mind you I forgot to add Dylan, Hawkwind, Caravan and Van the Man to the list.

I was very lucky Adrian as I got free tickets for any gig during the mid 70's to early 80's

quote:

Originally posted by 555:

quote:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

You lucky fcuker!

In this case, a perfectly legitimate use of the expletive.

I said something similar (similar, mind) to a friend when he told me he'd seen both the Doors and Nick Drake at their respective gigs at the Roundhouse.

rage against the machine randalls island NYC.

radiohead lollapalooza 08 grant park chicago

plus many djs

quote:

Originally posted by tonym:
1964 (or 5?) The Marquee Club, Wardour Street... Jimi Hendrix Experience... They'd just released "Hey Joe" & it was in the charts... We were just blown away...

I think with this from Tony, as well as ewemon's fine list, we may as well just close this post now...!

quote:

Originally posted by munch:

quote:

Originally posted by ewemon:
Too many to list

Nils Lofgren - first solo tour
Rory Gallagher with or without Taste
Free
Stones
Floyd
Neil Young '76
Bob Marley
Santana
Eagles in support of Hotel California
The Who
Little Feat
Doobie Bros
Humble Pie
Steve Miller
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Third World
AC/DC in '76
Cream
Fleetwood Mac early and late bands
Kinks- mid 60's my first gig.
Sex Pistols
Clash
John Martyn
Genesis as a support band to Lindsfarne
Joe Walsh
Beach Boys
Led Zeppelin in the early 70's
Deep Purple around the same time as Zepp.
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye

I could keep on going but will stop there.

You might just as well ask what were your most disappointing gigs.

Only three on that list i did not seen live in the 70s.
Can also add a few to it and most were free.
My faves are not on it though.
Stu

I did see Supertramp 3 times Stu the first time when touring in support of COTC. They were famous at the time as being John Peeel's favourite band and also usually didn't play encores. Theyw ere excellent each time.

My list of great gigs could go on like yours no doubt forever.

Saw The Pretenders very first UK gig. Saw Dire Straits on their first UK tour where they were excellent and then saw them on their next tour which was boring.

Here's a couple more

Bobby Womack
Average White Band- saw many times
Wishbone Ash- saw them first in the early 70's Climaxc Blues Band- one of my favourite live bands
Chris Rea supporting Bad Company
Dr Feelgood
Elvis Costello
Ramones on their very first UK gig
Bad Company
Atomic Rooster
Focus
Quo- saw several times
Joe Cocker
The Faces
Buddy Miles
Don Mclean
10cc
Devo
Talking Heads
Al Stewart
Slade
Alexis Korner
Jade Warrior
Mahavishu Orchestra
Return to Forever
Terje Rypdal
Ian Drury
Simple Minds

Most of the above lot were seen in the early 70's. Some later.

As I said the list is endless. Now I am beginning to sound like a boasting bore BFN.

Monsters of rock 1984 - Karlsruhe
(Accept, Mötley Crüe, Dio, Van Halen, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC)

Metallica - 1986 Strasbourg
Metallica - 2009 Stuttgart

Coheed and Cambria - Hamburg (Keeping Secrets-Tour)

New Model Army - 1989 Sportfest Bochum

Slayer - Graspop & Dynamo 1996 I guess

....

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:

quote:

Originally posted by 555:

quote:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

You lucky fcuker!

In this case, a perfectly legitimate use of the expletive.

I said something similar (similar, mind) to a friend when he told me he'd seen both the Doors and Nick Drake at their respective gigs at the Roundhouse.

I now have to retract.
To Jame's friend who saw The Doors I say 'you lucky fcuker!'
To Tony for seeing Jimi I say 'you bloomin' lucky fcuker!'

Pink Floyd, Oct 1994 @ Earls Court – Week 2 of their residency and the best sound & light show I have ever experienced. The spectacle was ... spectacular

And some others...

Evgeny Kissin, 1998? @ Royal Festival Hall - I remember an astonishing performance of 'Variations on a theme by Paganini op.35 (Brahms)'. I had never seen a piano attacked & caressed like that before; the Robert Fripp of Pianists.

Pete Townshend, 26 Feb 2000 @ Sadlers Wells – Music from LIFEHOUSE concert. The first half acoustic section, especially ‘Baba O’Reilly’ was wonderful. The DVD is recommended.

The Bootleg Beatles, 2002? @ Royal Albert Hall, - A 40 piece orchestra provided dream like backing to the best 'Tribute' band I have seen.

Love with Arthur Lee, 2004 @ Shepherds Bush - Last Forever Changes Tour, sadly. The band + Stockholm String 'n' Horns were astonishing & better than the originals, IMHO.

Brian Wilson, 2004 @ Royal Festival Hall - Smile Tour with the best vocal sound I have ever heard. The Backing band, Wondermints were also fantastic musicians.

Antonio Forcione Quartet, Mar 2005? @ Pizza Express, Dean Street, - The most amazing virtuoso guitar playing I have ever seen.

Porcupine Tree, 11 Dec 2005 @ Cambridge Junction - End of Deadwing tour party atmosphere (included an xmas song, well it had 'snow' in the lyrics [SW joke!]). Encores were 'Radioactive Toy' & 'Trains'.

Richard Thompson Band, 20 Oct 2007 @ Roundhouse - Wonderful sound mix for acoustic & electric, with a blistering 'Hard on Me' & heartfelt 'who knows where the time goes' by RT.

Blue Nile, 13 July 2008 @ Somerset House - Truly magical open air setting & sound system allowing Paul Buchanan caress your lugholes.

Many more gigs I've seen, but forget the one's I cannot remember. I have seen Chas 'n' Dave though

quote:

I have seen Chas 'n' Dave though

Sorry you loose points for that, mind you they did play at Knebworth in '79, I went for burgers ,the loo or something else more uplifting.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

I have seen Chas 'n' Dave though

Sorry you loose points for that, mind you they did play at Knebworth in '79, I went for burgers ,the loo or something else more uplifting.

Actually, I don't think I saw much of C 'n' D, as it was the smokiest Pub (in Silvertown, London E16) I have ever been in. If it wern't for the fact I heard them singing 'Gertcha', it could av been Sam & Dave

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

I have seen Chas 'n' Dave though

Sorry you loose points for that, mind you they did play at Knebworth in '79, I went for burgers ,the loo or something else more uplifting.

I was listening to the radio recently and I'm sure someone was talking about one of them playing as a session musician on some interesting recordings way back.

Small bit of research later... Chas was a session musician with Joe Meek and played with Richie Blackmore at one time. One or other was responsible for the riff in Eminem's My Name Is, which he played as a session musician on a Labi Siffre tune.

Doesn't make Chas and Dave's tunes especially interesting to me, but a lot of these kinds of characters have had interesting lives and are not uncommonly fairly accomplished musicians or performers. I was reading some stuff about Screaming Lord Sutch earlier and managed to find some of his performances on Youtube. Kind of similar situation - most of my life he was a bloke on the TV at elections with a top hat and funny clothes.

ROTF will be along shortly and give Chapter and Verse on Chas and Dave. Don't you just love the symmetry?

DAVID BOWIE Rainbow Theatre 19 August 1972 Ziggy Stardust Tour with ROXY MUSIC as support act..
Music,Theatrics,Venue,friends.great times !!

JOHN MARTYN Brunel University 1978 close intimate performance of the great man at his very best RIP JM

JETHRO TULL various venue's try to get out and see them whenever they tour.

HUMBLE PIE in Hyde Park July 1971 with Grand Funk Railroad..the Pie blew them off the stage awesome !

THIN LIZZY Brunel University 1976 Phil Lynott one of the greatest frontmen ever..a true rock legend !

PROCOL HARUM with the LSO mid 70's in London.

ROLLING STONES Wembley 1973 20 rows from the front centre stage larger than life !

PINK FLOYD...many times always out of this world.

SANTANA ...many times god bless you Carlos!

WISHBONE ASH..The Oval Kennington open Air with FOCUS..ASH many times.

EMERSON LAKE & PALMER..early years incredible.

BLUE NILE...one of my fav's Paul Buchanan what a voice.. shivers !!!

GENESIS..early years with Peter Gabriel..saw them at Watford Tech College..love that band..1970 Trespass Album was my youth !

70/80's through to current time to many great bands and artist's to list here without boring the pants off you all.

Some standouts that I remember fondly:

All at Guildford Civic Hall, '70-'71:-

Elton John
Yes
Free

The Who at Hammersmith Palais late'70/early'71

Thw Who/the Faces, The Oval, '71

Grateful Dead, Wembley arena '72

Genesis, Hammersmith Odeon, '77

Peter Gabriel, Hammersmith Odeon, '77

Stevie Wonder, Binghamton NY, late 80s

More recently:-

Cream reunion, Royal Albert Hall, 05/05/05

Brian Wilson, Royal Festival Hall

David Gilmour, Royal Albert Hall

Chris Rea, Hammersmith Apollo

Mark Knopfler, Royal Albert Hall

These are a bit more recent than most of the gigs being mentioned on this thread as I'm not a "senior" member

I've seen The National four times now and they are always excellent but their gig at the Stoke Sugarmill in June 07 was the best gig I've ever seen.

The 2001 Fleadh with Neil Young and Crazy Horse, John Martyn, Gary Moore and Afrocelt Sound System was also one of the best days of my life.

Hard to beat Leonard Cohen at Redrocks earler this year - probably the best sound quality I have ever heard at a live show, like listening to a giant high-end system