favourite concerts/gigs?

Following on from the taste in music thread.

Just out of interest what's your favourite concert/gig you've been to, and least for that matter, are there anybody you would love/have loved to see but never got chance!

I've got tickets for the following
Rick Astley October
Elton John November
Simply Red February 2022
Lionel Richie June 2022
Belinda Carlisle Feb 2023

Somebody who I would have loved to go and see but obviously can't now is George Michael, say what you like about him as a person but song wise he was incredible imo

Saw Ocean Colour scene at the Astoria and loved it. One of their songs brought me to tears. Whole crowd singing in unison on one of the bands songs "we dont want to fight no more".

I haven’t been to many concerts unfortunately Dave but if I had to choose 2 it would be Rod Stewart and the Stereophonics

Been to tons so too many to pick out but worth mentioning  that I went to The Piece Hall in Halifax last night to see Shed Seven and The Wedding Present. What a beautiful outdoor venue that is.

Any Carter USM or Jimbob gig are my favourites. Seen them/him plenty of times but the one at Brixton Academy (can't remember the year) when they filmed In Bed With Carter was a particularly fab gig.

Also special mention for Stiff Little Fingers and The Skids both of whom never disappoint live.

Seen so many gigs hard to list a favourite…

Stand outside include;

Oasis - Manchester Apollo 2001…they hadn’t played venues that small since 94
Stone roses - Heaton park, the gig that was never likely to happen…
Liam Gallagher - Manchester ritz, first solo gig, didn’t have a ticket, just chanced my arm and went through guest list entrance and then made a run for it…
Diana Ross, legend…
Radiohead
Metallica
Prodigy
Spiritualised
Massive attack

Saw Faithless live a while back, flipping phenomenal gig.

And if it’s your sort of thing, the single greatest musical thing I’ve seen is Ludovico Einaudi…incredible.

Quoted from aldi_01

Liam Gallagher - Manchester ritz, first solo gig, didn’t have a ticket, just chanced my arm and went through guest list entrance and then made a run for it…

And if it’s your sort of thing, the single greatest musical thing I’ve seen is Ludovico Einaudi…incredible.

I love Liam Gallagher. The man is a legend. So much passion for his music and I like the guy as well. Very honest and in your face and funny with it. Only thing I dont like is the drugs he use to do and still does occasionally. I saw a film on him recently .You may of seen it : Liam Gallagher  As it was (2019) .Interesting  and gives you an insight into who he really is.

As for Ludovico Einaudi interesting choice. I love classical music. Probably my favourite genre of music now . Another favourite Italian musical artist of mine is Andrea Bocelli.

Not my favourite gig, but went to the Bonus Arena in Hull to watch Blossoms on Bank Holiday Monday, and after one of the songs, just a few rows along from me, heard chants of ‘Sing When We’re Fishing’, ‘Mariners’ and ‘We urine on Your Fish’. Loved it so joined in.

Good lads whoever you are!

Saw a great few bands while at uni. The likes of stereophonics, manic street preachers, catatonia, Gorkys zykotic mynci, space and brand new heavies to name a few played our student union and we’re all quality. Jools Holland played a couple of university balls and was top notch.

But, as highlights go, I reckon seeing oasis at Cardiff student union, manic street preachers at the millennium on millennium eve and blur at the pier are stand out ones

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

Saw a great few bands while at uni. The likes of stereophonics, manic street preachers, catatonia, Gorkys zykotic mynci, space and brand new heavies to name a few played our student union and we’re all quality. Jools Holland played a couple of university balls and was top notch.

But, as highlights go, I reckon seeing oasis at Cardiff student union, manic street preachers at the millennium on millennium eve and blur at the pier are stand out ones

Blur are decent live too, seen them a few times but the best was when they were fairly unknown. Went to a festival in Germany, very early 90's. I'd not heard much of them as  I think they'd just released their 1st single She's So High. It was a sweltering hot day but Damon Albarn came on dressed as an English Country Gent, complete with jacket, waistcoat and even wearing a bowler hat. They were amazing and blew everyone away and I knew from that minute they would go on to have a great career.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Blur are decent live too, seen them a few times but the best was when they were fairly unknown. Went to a festival in Germany, very early 90's. I'd not heard much of them as  I think they'd just released their 1st single She's So High. It was a sweltering hot day but Damon Albarn came on dressed as an English Country Gent, complete with jacket, waistcoat and even wearing a bowler hat. They were amazing and blew everyone away and I knew from that minute they would go on to have a great career.

I remember first time I heard blur was driving to see Town at Palace one Saturday in the early 90s. Girls & Boys. Might have been on Gary Crowley’s show on BBC GLR as it was then. Took me ages to find out who it was.

As for best gigs, that goes back a long way. Doctor Feelgood at Kent university in the early 80s. Absolute riot. And completely different genre and mood, Emma Kirkby at the Wigmore Hall sometime in the 90s, singing baroque choons accompanied by a small group playing period instruments. What a voice. Hairs on the back of the neck stuff.

Quoted from Rick12

I love Liam Gallagher. The man is a legend. So much passion for his music and I like the guy as well. Very honest and in your face and funny with it. Only thing I dont like is the drugs he use to do and still does occasionally. I saw a film on him recently .You may of seen it : Liam Gallagher  As it was (2019) .Interesting  and gives you an insight into who he really is.

As for Ludovico Einaudi interesting choice. I love classical music. Probably my favourite genre of music now . Another favourite Italian musical artist of mine is Andrea Bocelli.

Had the pleasure of meeting Liam (and Noel) a couple of times. Liam’s a dude, genuine and courteous unlike his egomaniac brother. No doubt Noel is a genius but he was a member when we met him, Liam on the other hand was mega. Met him with the wife, he introduced himself as if she wouldn’t know who he was. He was clearly going somewhere but told the geezer he was with to carry on and I’ll catch you up. Really decent bloke and not the egocentric arrogant bottom he is portrayed as…although the minute the camera was lifted he became ‘Liam’…was brilliant.

The film is a great insight and probably did more good for him than he’s ever imagine. Showed him as humble and honest and at times nervous, he had no reason to be but it had a lot of positives for his image.

I’m in the film loitering outside that first gig, about 5 minutes later I made my run for it and got in.

I noticed some folk have said Blur, that’s an interesting one. I’ve seen them a couple of times and don’t mind their tunes but I didn’t see them first time around which I think would be better. I saw them at a festival late on and their own gig and just felt like Albarn was trying too hard and sometimes they feel like a novelty band…very strange. Not saying it’s shite but was weird.

Someone mentioned Blossoms too, saw them on their first sort of real tour….was very ‘meh’, saw them at Leeds festival this weekend and felt exactly the same. The crowd seemed sterile and their performance was just a bit too ‘nice’ I guess…

Had the privilege of seeing the verve 8 times on their comeback in 2007…was at Blackpool…one of the greatest things I’ve seen and heard. It was a proper fans setlist, a new song and just bleeding guitars and melody. No big screens, no support act, no gimmicks just 4 blokes playing for what felt like an eternity and loud, very loud…

I was in there somewhere!  

Quoted from aldi_01

Had the pleasure of meeting Liam (and Noel) a couple of times. Liam’s a dude, genuine and courteous unlike his egomaniac brother.  Liam on the other hand was mega. Met him with the wife, he introduced himself as if she wouldn’t know who he was. He was clearly going somewhere but told the geezer he was with to carry on and I’ll catch you up. Really decent bloke and not the egocentric arrogant bottom he is portrayed as…although the minute the camera was lifted he became ‘Liam’…was brilliant.

Your a lucky man in having met Liam Gallagher. I always remember reading something that stuck with me. Before Oasis got big the Gallagher brothers use to spend all their days as teenagers playing and practicing on their guitars.  So much passion for their music. As someone who has played the guitar on and off throughout life this is something I can relate to. Chuffed that they have done so well in life  but sincerely hope Liam and Noel get back together at some point and start speaking again.

One of the best gigs I ever went to  was as much about what happened around the gig as the brilliant music and performance inside the stadium.
It was 1996 and was I still at school and doing work experience at Cleethorpes leisure centre which meant having to leave early (what a rebel-it was literally rock and roll)
Along with one of my best mates from school we’d persuaded our parents to pay for an unaccompanied jolly to see Oasis in Birmingham. We booked through solid entertainment and sat in the shelters at coxons taxi rank awaiting our transport. A battered and ancient Mini bus pulled up to ferry the 12 or so people there.
As it pulls up the exhaust falls off and it’s bodged together hastily. By the time we get to scunny for another pick up the bodge has failed and comparatively we’re sent a luxury tour bus to replace it. From being crammed in we’ve got 3 seats a piece along with a toilet n drinks machine. The Gallagher brothers ain’t got shiit on us we thought!
The older lads were passing out tins and must have smoked 3lbs of weed by the time we arrived to see travis and the mighty Oasis.
The gig itself was amazing and being in crowd around the place was eye opening. The drugs, booze, the pisss throwing and fighting was intoxicating. There was this weird switch up and great juxtaposition of this revved up and fevered crowd becoming captive and eating out of the palm of Noels hand for his acoustic set.
Even afterwards watching illegal merchandise sellers being chased by police and scuffling all over the place was entertaining.
Our comparative innocence played its part  of course but the whole experience was other worldly and I’ll remember it fondly for life.

Quoted from Sandford1981

One of the best gigs I ever went to  was as much about what happened around the gig as the brilliant music and performance inside the stadium.
It was 1996 and was I still at school and doing work experience at Cleethorpes leisure centre which meant having to leave early (what a rebel-it was literally rock and roll)
Along with one of my best mates from school we’d persuaded our parents to pay for an unaccompanied jolly to see Oasis in Birmingham. .

Interesting  story.  I've never seen Oasis play live but love some of their songs. Notably don't look back in anger and Rocking Chair. Good shout on the band Travis. I liked them a lot . I remember one of their songs driftwood .Really struck a chord with me at the time.

Do I get a bonus point for the radio 1 roadshows!

So many shows but off the top of my head,

Prince at the London 02 in 2007 and Manchester Academy in 2014, I know it's the blatantly obvious song but seeing him doing Purple Rain at both shows still makes hairs stand up just thinking about it.

The Pixies at Manchester Apollo around 2004 time.

The Streets at Liverpool Academy 2006 and a couple of times in Manchester and at festivals.

Beastie Boys at Brixton Academy 2007.

Mars Volta, Manchester Academy 2004.

Anytime I've seen the Flaming Lips at numerous venues over numerous years. Likewise Public Enemy have never let me down when I've seen them live.

I do enjoy seeing a lot of heavy bands live, much preferable seeing them live than listening to them on record and having a fair few friends into the more heavier stuff I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing the likes of Napalm Death, Slipknot, Amen, Slayer, Gallows, The Bronx, Anthrax and Metallica doing Master Of Puppets from start to finish. I think it's just the raucous loud energy of heavy music done live which gets me.

I enjoyed watching Biffy Clyro on the telly last weekend headlining Reading. As much as I've gone off their newer stuff, anything past the 3rd album really they still have it live and I saw them a bunch of times when I first moved to Manchester  in tiny venues, some that don't even exist anymore like Manchester Roadhouse so it's heart warming to see they've become an arena behemoth.

Looking forward to getting back to going gigs again soon.

Quoted from Davec

Somebody who I would have loved to go and see but obviously can't now is George Michael, say what you like about him as a person but song wise he was incredible imo

As a person he was up there too. Did loads of stuff for charity and NHS staff on the sly which only really came to public knowledge after he died. But yeah, some awesome tunes, Praying For Time being my personal favourite.

Would've loved to have seen The Clash live or even Joe Strummer doing Clash songs with his band but alas, never to be.

Quoted from Manchester Mariner

So many shows but off the top of my head,

Prince at the London 02 in 2007 and Manchester Academy in 2014, I know it's the blatantly obvious song but seeing him doing Purple Rain at both shows still makes hairs stand up just thinking about it.

The Pixies at Manchester Apollo around 2004 time.

The Streets at Liverpool Academy 2006 and a couple of times in Manchester and at festivals.

Beastie Boys at Brixton Academy 2007.

Mars Volta, Manchester Academy 2004.

Anytime I've seen the Flaming Lips at numerous venues over numerous years. Likewise Public Enemy have never let me down when I've seen them live.

I do enjoy seeing a lot of heavy bands live, much preferable seeing them live than listening to them on record and having a fair few friends into the more heavier stuff I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing the likes of Napalm Death, Slipknot, Amen, Slayer, Gallows, The Bronx, Anthrax and Metallica doing Master Of Puppets from start to finish. I think it's just the raucous loud energy of heavy music done live which gets me.

I enjoyed watching Biffy Clyro on the telly last weekend headlining Reading. As much as I've gone off their newer stuff, anything past the 3rd album really they still have it live and I saw them a bunch of times when I first moved to Manchester  in tiny venues, some that don't even exist anymore like Manchester Roadhouse so it's heart warming to see they've become an arena behemoth.

Looking forward to getting back to going gigs again soon.

I’m with you in the metal bands thing. I wouldn’t necessarily buy their records or get involved at a gig but bands like Slipknot (saw them way back when) and Metallica are bands for live performance, albums never do them justice. It’s not really my music and some of it is toss but live, so many are almost addictive to watch.

I remember seeing Slipknot and thinking it would be shite and to be honest, musically it probably was but I felt compelled to watch the whole set…

Quoted from aldi_01

I’m with you in the metal bands thing. I wouldn’t necessarily buy their records or get involved at a gig but bands like Slipknot (saw them way back when) and Metallica are bands for live performance, albums never do them justice. It’s not really my music and some of it is toss but live, so many are almost addictive to watch.

I remember seeing Slipknot and thinking it would be shite and to be honest, musically it probably was but I felt compelled to watch the whole set…

I saw Slipknot on their first tour at Nottingham Rock City, again it was mates going and I tagged along as I was curious. Top stuff, noise, fire, stage diving and like Kiss but not as boring after 2 songs. Saw them again at Reading festival in 2002 and they were god awful, really bad. I read an interview with one of them few years later saying that was the show when they realised they needed to split up for a bit.

Not as high profile as some of the others on here, but I saw Gregory Porter at Cheltenham jazz festival (really great! 😉) a couple of years ago. Sat front row centre some 5 metres away.

Got the tickets courtesy of a distillery so, the booze was flowing to say the least!

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

Not as high profile as some of the others on here, but I saw Gregory Porter at Cheltenham jazz festival (really great! 😉) a couple of years ago. Sat front row centre some 5 metres away.

Got the tickets courtesy of a distillery so, the booze was flowing to say the least!

Nice!

First off I don't know why the OP got the x but anyway that's by the by

First gig I ever did was Queen at the Winter Gardens so a good introduction to live music

Saw The Stranglers there too.... which was verrrry lively  

Saw a few acts when I was a student in Newcastle, with particular memories of
Dr Feelgood, The Heavy Metal Kids and Status Quo

Moved south (to MK) and then started to see several acts as the Bowl was an up and coming venue

Police, UB40 & Squeeze was a good one
MJ with Kim Wilde in support.... was ok but not as immense as I'd expected
Robbie Williams Bowie and ABC in support.... great afternoon and they had the crowd really going
Bowie and The Beat was the best event for me though..... I'm so privileged to have seen that Serious Moonlight gig

Other than that over the years

Rod Stewart in Leicester was brilliant
Simply Red and Robert Palmer in the London arenas were both great nights

Depeche Mode, The Cure and Simple Minds at different London venues were also pretty memorable

Luther Van Dross and George Benson were both really good nights for the soul side of me.... and Level 42 as well for their jazz-funky side

The last night out watching a live act was The Script supported by JP Cooper in Brid - a really good night

I'd have loved to have seen The Eagles, The Stones and Fleetwood Mac but now I think I'll steer clear as their songs are probably best left in my head instead of seeing revamped line ups

Never say never though.... maybe one day I might give in and pay the exorbitant price it is to see them now

I saw The Streetwalkers at the Winter Gardens in 1976, still ranks as the best gig I've ever been to.
It was heaving, someone swinging from the chandelier etc. But the band made it, more than the crowd! Even the band in the NME commented that it was a great gig!  

Last gig was Paul Rodgers in Leicester... sitting down ... doesn't really do it for me!

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

First off I don't know why the OP got the x but anyway that's by the by

First gig I ever did was Queen at the Winter Gardens so a good introduction to live music

Saw The Stranglers there too.... which was verrrry lively  

Saw a few acts when I was a student in Newcastle, with particular memories of
Dr Feelgood, The Heavy Metal Kids and Status Quo

Moved south (to MK) and then started to see several acts as the Bowl was an up and coming venue

Police, UB40 & Squeeze was a good one
MJ with Kim Wilde in support.... was ok but not as immense as I'd expected
Robbie Williams Bowie and ABC in support.... great afternoon and they had the crowd really going
Bowie and The Beat was the best event for me though..... I'm so privileged to have seen that Serious Moonlight gig

Other than that over the years

Rod Stewart in Leicester was brilliant
Simply Red and Robert Palmer in the London arenas were both great nights

Depeche Mode, The Cure and Simple Minds at different London venues were also pretty memorable

Luther Van Dross and George Benson were both really good nights for the soul side of me.... and Level 42 as well for their jazz-funky side

The last night out watching a live act was The Script supported by JP Cooper in Brid - a really good night

I'd have loved to have seen The Eagles, The Stones and Fleetwood Mac but now I think I'll steer clear as their songs are probably best left in my head instead of seeing revamped line ups

Never say never though.... maybe one day I might give in and pay the exorbitant price it is to see them now

I think I saw an advert for that and the ticket price was 50p I seem to think?

Quoted from Teesknees

I think I saw an advert for that and the ticket price was 50p I seem to think?

Just found a link to the advance ticket price.... 70p on the poster and 75p on a ticket stub

https://www.queenconcerts.com/.....-cleethorpes-uk.html

What a steal!!  

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Just found a link to the advance ticket price.... 70p on the poster and 75p on a ticket stub

https://www.queenconcerts.com/.....-cleethorpes-uk.html

What a steal!!  

It certainly was. Fifteen bob! It’s an outrage. 😆

Quoted from KingstonMariner

It certainly was. Fifteen bob! It’s an outrage. 😆

Almost a week's wage.... as a paper boy  

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Just found a link to the advance ticket price.... 70p on the poster and 75p on a ticket stub

https://www.queenconcerts.com/.....-cleethorpes-uk.html

What a steal!!  

That’s was about the time I started going to concerts at the Winter Gardens - missed Queen - can you remember how much a pint was there in the mid 70’s?!

Quoted from Connecticut Mariner

That’s was about the time I started going to concerts at the Winter Gardens - missed Queen - can you remember how much a pint was there in the mid 70’s?!

Can't say for sure but I think probably about 20p CM

My first ever night 'out out' was at the Gardens 1973 ... Sunday night disco and I remember "enjoying" a pint or two of Worthington E  

I can remember getting 3 pints of lager or 4 pints of bitter/mild for a quid or less.

I was a regular most weeks at the Gardens from mid 70's until they stopped the gigs. Lost track of the bands I saw there. Had loads of tickets from that time but they disappeared in one of my house moves. Wish I still had them. They may be tucked away in the loft somewhere.

Had and still have the pleasure of hundreds of gigs over the years but three that stand out in recent years were AC/DC at Olympiastadion Berlin, just before Brian Johnson left them, Rolling Stones at West Ham's stadium and Black Sabbaths last ever gig which was in Birmingham on my birthday.
I veer towards streetpunk /Oi but will watch nearly any live band.
This year since lockdown ended we've managed a one dayer at Blackpool Winter Gardens which was a truncated Rebellion festival, the night ended with UK Subs, Cockney Rejects and Cocksparrer.
I saw a fantastic set just the other week up in Sunderland, Red Alert, a local band that started in the 70's and we've got tickets booked for Cockney Rejects in Islington and Cocksparrer in Barnsley of all places.

The Clash Leeds University around 1978 . At the height of their powers.Mayhem!
Worst ever Bob Dylan Nottingham around 6 years ago . Dreadfull!

Quoted from HerveJosse

The Clash Leeds University around 1978 . At the height of their powers.Mayhem!
Worst ever Bob Dylan Nottingham around 6 years ago . Dreadfull!

Interesting you should say this about Dylan, I love his albums and I appreciate that he’s never been a stand out live performer but when I saw him this was my experience too. The gig was a bit dull and in truth I’ve had more fun watching local talent at acoustic night…each to their own I guess.

I've read nothing but bad feedback of Bob Dylan being awful live. One of the best reviews was that he played all the songs in a different key to what they were written in so they sounded like completely different tunes, absolutely baffling the crowd.

I'm a fairly recent fan of Bob Dylan. The Hurricane is one of my top ten tunes of all time, but I would never ever go see him live based on reports.

Swans gigs never fail to sort me out

GyinScuntland's post just reminded me of a UK Subs gig at the Corporation in Sheffield a few years ago. I remember grinning all the way through it. They played the Another Kind of Blues album right through. Fantastic, esp considering their age!

And I was at that Sabbath gig too. A brilliant night.

Quoted from SpudUDontLike

GyinScuntland's post just reminded me of a UK Subs gig at the Corporation in Sheffield a few years ago. I remember grinning all the way through it. They played the Another Kind of Blues album right through. Fantastic, esp considering their age!

And I was at that Sabbath gig too. A brilliant night.

Charlie Harper must be about 90 now. He looked about 60 odd when they were at their height in the late 70's, early 80's.  

Quoted from Les Brechin

Charlie Harper must be about 90 now. He looked about 60 odd when they were at their height in the late 70's, early 80's.  

Saw him a few weeks ago at the truncated Rebellion one dayer, rebranded HITS 25 as a nod to the original Holidays In The Sun.
Despite his age he owned the stage that night and belting out Warhead brought the house down.