Top 5 concerts?

Posted by: C P on 30 November 2012

I was talking to my son last night about seeing live music and his highlight was some Rap fellow. I suppose we all think we live in a golden age of music, but how about sharing our top 5 concert experiences with a line on each? Here are mine in ascending order:

 

5. Clash, Subway Sect, Splits. Sussex University 1976 (ish). 

All of the bands were terrible, including the Clash, but the atmosphere was electric.

 

4. Jam, final concert. Brighton Conf Centre. Can't remember the date but I remember the music and the tightness of the band - amazing evening.

 

3. Bruce Springsteen and the East St Band - Brighton Conf Centre. Early 80s. Just before the Boss disappeared into the Stadiums. He played for 3 hours with the E Street band At the end, two roadies ran on dressed as medics and stretchered him off. 

 

2. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Hammersmith Odeon (75 or 76). Just after the Live album came out. Marley was off his bounce. He sang like an angel but kept falling over his guitar lead so somebody came on and gently removed it from him. The Wailers took up the slack.

 

1. The Who - De Montfort Hall, Leicester - 74 (?). Nearly 40 years on I'm still buzzing from this. I think they were at their peak. Moon was still alive and drumming up a storm. Highlight was the scream on Won't get Fooled again when they turned on a strobe light and Townsend leaped from a cabinet across the stage and it seemed to take an eternity for him to land.

 

Happy days..

 

Paley

 

 

Posted on: 09 December 2012 by Lloydy

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Kursaal Ballroom (Southend) 1975

My first concert. Make Me Smile was in the charts, they were releasing The Best Years of Our Lives & I never stopped listening to The Psychomodo before going to the concert. I almost wore the tracks through to the turntable mat!

Queen - Earls Court 1977

Brilliant! Freddie & the boys at their best. The tour was promoting their release of "A Night at the Opera". Is this the real life, is this just fantasy...................!!

Led Zeppelin - Knebworth 1979

My first festival & what a memorable experience! As already mentioned on this thread, perhaps not one of their best performances but the laser light show & the sound of Whole Lot of Love echoing around the Hertfordshire countryside was something else.

Blur - Hard Rock Hotel (Las Vegas) 1987

A crazy atmosphere. Having seen James Brown at Caesars Palace a couple of days earlier & expecting this gig to be "just ok", it remains one of my highlights. My first witness of crowd surfing too!!

The Rolling Stones - 02 2012

I'm still lost for words as to how good this concert was. They were great at Twickenham in 2003, in my opinion there latest performance was far better.

Posted on: 10 December 2012 by Premmyboy

Bowie - Station To Station Tour Wembley Empire Pool 1976

My first ever gig. I can still remember the massive excitement and anticipation. The opening of Station to Station building up and getting louder and louder until the point The thin white duke himself struts on stage. Loud you bet my ears were still ringing hours after the gig. No sleep that night!! Unforgettable and never ever seen a better gig.

Also saw Bowie at Hammersmith in 2002 where he played Bewlay Brothers the hairs stood up on the back of my neck and hearing that live was worth the admission price alone.

Ramones - The Rainbow New Years Eve 1977

Great night with 3 bands The Rezillos, Generation X and finally The Ramones. Blistering furious set about 30 songs in an hour!! At least it seemed like that. One two three four indeed.

This gig was also released on vinyl It's Alive.

Roxy Music - Koko Club 2005

I had seen Roxy previously but not in such an intimate venue. What made this a cut above was it was the original band playing vintage Roxy Music. Pretty much concentrating on the first five albums  but mainly the first three. 

The Duke And The King - Borderline 2009

Simone Felice ex Felice Brothers with his new at the time band. Atmosphere was electric the band were fantastic and the joy on the crowds and performers faces just made it.

Grinderman - The Garage 2010

Nick Cave and his band of sleazy merry men. It just worked!!

 

 

 

Posted on: 10 December 2012 by Richard S

Kraftwerk  Manchester Velodrome 2nd July 2009

In a building never designed to host such events the German synth masters delivered an absolutely spellbinding performance from start to finish. They coped with the acoustics brilliantly and topped it all off by illuminating the cycle track during Tour de France as the GB Pursuit team emerged to do flying laps. In a moment the choice of venue became clear.

 

Tangerine Dream Manchester Apollo 3rd November 1980  Too young to have ever seen the classic Franke/Froese/Baumann line up I did see the best replacement in Johannes Schmoelling playing parts of Tangram, the best album made by a line up without Peter Baumann.

 

Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation Cornbury Festival, Oxfordshire 8th July 2006 .

The only time I have ever seen anyone from Zep play live and in gentle swirling rain he didn't disappoint. A superb backing band playing songs from his best ever solo work, Mighty Rearranger,  and enough LZ numbers to make your heart sing.

 

Roger Waters The Wall Manchester Arena May 20th 2011.

A format in which The Wall is brought to life far more effectively than on disc or film. Not my favourite Floyd release by any stretch, live it was utterly compelling. We are going to Wembley next year to relive this memorable performance.

 

Peter Hook and The Light Sugarmill, Stoke 24th November 2012.

The ultimate tribute act to Joy Division in a venue that someone else described as "atmospheric" made for an unforgettable experience.

 

Honourable mentions to The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Kings of Leon, Pink Floyd on the Division Bell Tour and Genesis Invisible Touch Tour.

 

If there was one gig I could travel back in time to it would be Genesis as captured on Seconds Out.

Posted on: 10 December 2012 by Elbow
Originally Posted by Richard S:

 

 

If there was one gig I could travel back in time to it would be Genesis as captured on Seconds Out.

Go and see the Genesis tribute band 'The Musical Box' if you get half a chance. you'll believe in time travel. They are extremely good. 

Posted on: 10 December 2012 by Richard S

Thanks for that advice; I will look out for them in NW England. I am going to see Steve Hackett's Genesis evisited II show next May in Liverpool.

Posted on: 10 December 2012 by Steve2

In no particular order but all exciting occasions for different reasons: Genesis at de Montford Hall Leicester doing Foxtrot and Nursery Crimes.  Led Zep at Earls Court.  Bowie at Wembley on the Station to Station Tour.  Pink Floyd at Wembley on the Wish you were Here Tour. Yes at the Rainbow doing Topographic Oceans.  Ian Dury at Goldsmiths College.  Van der Graaf Generator at Imperial College.  Groundhogs at Brunel University and it goes on and on.  Wonderful, wonderful memories. Oh and not forgetting the incomparable Viv Stanshall, Bob Kerrs Whoopie Band, Grimms.......

 

SteveT

Posted on: 22 December 2012 by jjbomber

1. Led Zeppelin. Knebworth 4th August 1979. It's not often that you get to see God. Here were 4 of them!

 

2. Bruce Springsteen. 4th July 1985 Wembley Arena. Can't begin to describe Bruce live. You've either seen him or you haven't.

 

3. Motorhead Cardiff 11/11/1980. Had backstage pass. First time seeing the 'bomber' aeroplane above the stage containing the lighting show.

 

4. George Roger Waters. The Wall live. 18th May 2012. Stunning visual effects. Wish I's been there a few days earlier for the Gilmour cameo.

 

5. Joe Bonamassa. Not the Royal Albert Hall but 2007 at The Globe,  Cardiff. Converted church, brilliant sound, standing 6 feet in front of him. Totally Bona-massacred. 

 

Worst ever. Deep Purple Birmingham 1993.