Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc

[AleisterCrowley]

He was one of the first people to play James Bond though...
Really.

[chris]

It looks as though Maraman went to the same Rush gig as I did as the 2112 tour would have been 1980.

I almost forgot my "claim to fame" in that I was working at Greenbelt, a Christian festival, on the fringe, in about 1985/6 when a couple of people turned up to do an impromptu gig. It was Ricky Ross and I think 2 others from the band (although it may only have been one). Suddenly the person in charge realised that they had no way of getting them to the backstage area which was behind the main stage and so, as I had my car parked nearby, I drove the getaway car for Deacon Blue (or part of it). So I had to drive them from a marquee, past a load of fans running after us to the safety of the backstage area.

Happy days!

[AleisterCrowley]

I was a bit later seeing Rush - Signals tour (1983?)

[AleisterCrowley]

Hmm just reviewing some old posts -like you do when you are locked down with a large alcohol collection- and I never responded to my own post (how rude), so here goes;

Best ever gig: Hmm.... difficult. Hawkwind at a festival about ten years ago were amazing. But...Neil Young at Glastonbury. He wandered on stage and strummed a few chords (Hey Hey, My My?), and it was a religious experience thereafter [1]
Special mention for Rush, my first 'big' gig , on the 'Signals' tour.

Most disappointing gig: Coldplay were competent but a bit dull, to be honest.

Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live: Rolling Stones (Deep Purple and The Who in joint second)

Best live band - ideal for a festival: Three-way tie between Gogol Bordello, Alabama 3, and Katzenjammer. Gogol Bordello probably edge it (see footnote 2)

Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good): Phew! More the down the folk end, but Seth Lakeman was great. Imelda May? Dodgy were great too (remember them?)

Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming': probably Metallica, mid-bill at Donnington 1985 (along with Bon Jovi) Also Clapton's support act in the early/mid 80s, a certain Chris Rea

Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):Gong were a bit odd. Also System7 (clearly a connection there)

Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26): Stranglers, Battersea Park 1978

Cheers&Beers
AC

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFw7q-BLxLA
Neil Young at Glasto - I didn't spot myself, but was 'nearer the front than the back'
he's in here;
https://www.festicket.com/magazine/feat ... formances/
[2]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkkIwO_X4i4
Ah, a world run by Gogol Bordello would be a happier and better one... and all the booze would kill viruses

[redsturgeon]

Best ever gig:
Pink Floyd's Original Dark Side of Moon Tour 1974 Birmingham Hippodrome
Most disappointing gig:
Genesis: because Peter Gabriel left between me booking the tickets and seeing the band!
Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live:
Pink Floyd
Best live band - ideal for a festival:
Grace Jones
Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good)
Soft Machine
Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming':
Kilburn and the Highroads
Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):
The 25 minute bass solo at the Soft Machine gig.
Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26):
Woodstock

[ReformedCharacter]

Saw Elvis Costello in Plymouth a few years ago. What a disappointment, he was accompanies by something like a big ghetto-blaster and the sound was awful. A great pity as I know he can do better.

RC

[Mike4]

Best gig: Well nearly the best if not the best, was Wishbone Ash at the Pigs' Nose Inn in Kingsbridge in Devon, and bumping into JonEbehr (from TMF) in the audience.

I'm not a big band big venue fan. Grubby little venues where you can stand 4ft from the performers are my fave, and from my rare discussions with a few famous musicians over the years its the same for them too.

[AleisterCrowley]

I love small venues - for bigger bands it has to be outside, proper festival, not the soulless corporate arenas

[Charlottesquare]

Best (or at least most memorable): Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, Barrowlands, Glasgow and same band Calton Studios, Edinburgh, dates and years now a blur, likely late 80s early 90s. (Shirley Manson still with them). Memorable as it drew a line, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie/Angelfish, Garage, Glasgow, last time I saw Shirley singing with them before she joined Garbage , circa 1994.

Biggest: Rolling Stones St James Park, circa 1982, Who Playhouse Edinburgh, circa 1981, Eric Clapton circa 1979 Odeon, Edinburgh, Rush Ingilston, similar date, AC/DC Glasgow Apollo, 1980, Monkees Glasgow in 1997

Most disappointing: Yes Drama Tour at Edinburgh Playhouse , November 1980, bored. John Duncan (Ex Goodbye Mr Mackenzie and Exploited) with the Gin Goblins post his GMM days, we walked out.

Biggest Surprise: Ray Davies Storyteller at Assembly Rooms, August 1997, I went really not that bothered about going but it turned out he was excellent (so could go in memorable but I needed something to put here)

Missed: 10cc, circa 1982/83 friend turned up at our flat with free tickets, his mother, a GP had treated one of the band for a throat infection and had been given a handful, catch was that night it was poring and we all went naw, staying in. We were idiots.

Latest: Goodbye Mr Mackenzie 26/5/2019 Liquid rooms, 30th Anniversary Tour Edinburgh, could also be memorable as lead singer Martin Metcalfe had laryngitis so crowd did a chunk of the vocals, great nostalgia gig with large part of the crowd in their40s, 50s and 60s and a couple with zimmers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1y_jXwcyIM

[servodude]

Best (or at least most memorable): Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, Barrowlands, Glasgow and same band Calton Studios, Edinburgh, dates and years now a blur, likely late 80s early 90s. (Shirley Manson still with them). Memorable as it drew a line, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie/Angelfish, Garage, Glasgow, last time I saw Shirley singing with them before she joined Garbage , circa 1994.

If it was the Barras gig in the spring of 91 I was there (TBH I was barely out the place that year)
I thought Goodbye Mr Mackenzie were just about the highlight of "the big day out" the year before (well aside from Sheena Easton obviously )

- sd

[Charlottesquare]

Best (or at least most memorable): Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, Barrowlands, Glasgow and same band Calton Studios, Edinburgh, dates and years now a blur, likely late 80s early 90s. (Shirley Manson still with them). Memorable as it drew a line, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie/Angelfish, Garage, Glasgow, last time I saw Shirley singing with them before she joined Garbage , circa 1994.

If it was the Barras gig in the spring of 91 I was there (TBH I was barely out the place that year)
I thought Goodbye Mr Mackenzie were just about the highlight of "the big day out" the year before (well aside from Sheena Easton obviously )

- sd

Barrowlands could well have been 91 as I can recall which car I drove there and back from Edinburgh (I also recall we got lost finding the motorway coming back) and I know I was married at the time because my wife came (there were four of us). Calton Studios was slightly earlier, maybe 89/90.