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Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
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- Lemon Half
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Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
OK just for fun, as it's Saturday night
I've seen hundreds of bands - local pubs to Glasto and big arenas. So, a short survey -we are talking post 1960 'popular music', and bands also applies to solo performers. Strictly no jazz, by order of the management
Best ever gig:
Most disappointing gig:
Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live:
Best live band - ideal for a festival:
Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good)
Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming':
Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):
Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26):
I am not leading with my choices, as I'm still undecided...
Cheers
A C
I've seen hundreds of bands - local pubs to Glasto and big arenas. So, a short survey -we are talking post 1960 'popular music', and bands also applies to solo performers. Strictly no jazz, by order of the management
Best ever gig:
Most disappointing gig:
Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live:
Best live band - ideal for a festival:
Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good)
Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming':
Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):
Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26):
I am not leading with my choices, as I'm still undecided...
Cheers
A C
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Best ever gig:
Jefferson Airplane and The Doors at the Roundhouse in 1968. Perhaps it was a bit before I really got to appreciate their music, love to be able to repeat it now
Most disappointing gig:
Bob Dylan about 10 years ago, at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Never been a Dylan fan, but I thought it might have been my last chance to see him live. Probably not much wrong with Dylan, except it was loud, painfully loud and with the worst acoustics it's ever been my misfortune to experience. It did prompt me to listen to more of his music, and I didn't realise so much of it was so good. Absolutely love his latest album.
Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live:
Floyd, Doors, Airplane, Fleetwood Mac (Mark 1 and Mark 2), Clapton, Knopfler, Eurythmics, Elton
Best live band - ideal for a festival:
Jefferson Airplane
Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good)
Jools Holland band. 2-3 hours of happy, foot-tapping music. Brilliant entertainment!
Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming':
Jimi Hendrix in 1967
Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):
Van Morrison. He walked on (late), sang a bit (though no Gloria), no rapport with the audience, walked off, no encore.
Syd Barrett at Christmas on Earth in 1967. He just stood around and looked lost, while the rest of Pink Floyd did their best in the circumstances
Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26):
Jefferson Airplane at Monterey or at the Fillmore, or one of Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festivals
That's all that comes to mind right now. Might have some other thoughts tomorrow
--kiloran
Jefferson Airplane and The Doors at the Roundhouse in 1968. Perhaps it was a bit before I really got to appreciate their music, love to be able to repeat it now
Most disappointing gig:
Bob Dylan about 10 years ago, at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Never been a Dylan fan, but I thought it might have been my last chance to see him live. Probably not much wrong with Dylan, except it was loud, painfully loud and with the worst acoustics it's ever been my misfortune to experience. It did prompt me to listen to more of his music, and I didn't realise so much of it was so good. Absolutely love his latest album.
Biggest (most famous) band you have seen live:
Floyd, Doors, Airplane, Fleetwood Mac (Mark 1 and Mark 2), Clapton, Knopfler, Eurythmics, Elton
Best live band - ideal for a festival:
Jefferson Airplane
Biggest surprise (random band you went to see, and they were really good)
Jools Holland band. 2-3 hours of happy, foot-tapping music. Brilliant entertainment!
Famous band you saw when they were 'up and coming':
Jimi Hendrix in 1967
Weirdest experience (WTF happened there?):
Van Morrison. He walked on (late), sang a bit (though no Gloria), no rapport with the audience, walked off, no encore.
Syd Barrett at Christmas on Earth in 1967. He just stood around and looked lost, while the rest of Pink Floyd did their best in the circumstances
Gig you wish you could have attended (no age factor, so Woodstock is OK even if you are 26):
Jefferson Airplane at Monterey or at the Fillmore, or one of Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festivals
That's all that comes to mind right now. Might have some other thoughts tomorrow
--kiloran
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Kiloran
'Jefferson Airplane and The Doors at the Roundhouse in 1968. Perhaps it was a bit before I really got to appreciate their music, love to be able to repeat it now'
You should have hung around for a while, and watched the Greasy Truckers Party in 1972, with an early Hawkwind (yay!!)
With the usual benefit of hindsight, I think hanging around Ladbroke Grove in the early 70s would have suited me ... Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Deviants, Moorcock
'Jefferson Airplane and The Doors at the Roundhouse in 1968. Perhaps it was a bit before I really got to appreciate their music, love to be able to repeat it now'
You should have hung around for a while, and watched the Greasy Truckers Party in 1972, with an early Hawkwind (yay!!)
With the usual benefit of hindsight, I think hanging around Ladbroke Grove in the early 70s would have suited me ... Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Deviants, Moorcock
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Snorvey wrote:I've not really been to many concerts, so find it difficult to answer many of the questions.
Most disappointing gig: Meatloaf, Aberdeen c 20 years ago. He seemed very tired.
Yep, saw Meatloaf at Knebworth in the 80s. He didn't move around much , but he had a broken leg at the time so give him a break (again)
Thankless task being support for Deep Purple (classic line up) Scorpions were good in the next slot
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
We had a most entertaining evening when Mark Knopfler was sharing a gig with Dylan not so many years ago at the Glasgow Braehead Stadium. Dylan blew Knopfler off the stage.
Above all though was seeing Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas with LOVE, the Beatles production. Absolutely amazing and it is still I think being shown. George Martin Senior (and now deceased)set up the soundtrack and mixers for it. £100 or so per seat. I would have paid that for the next night as well but it was full.
Dod
Above all though was seeing Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas with LOVE, the Beatles production. Absolutely amazing and it is still I think being shown. George Martin Senior (and now deceased)set up the soundtrack and mixers for it. £100 or so per seat. I would have paid that for the next night as well but it was full.
Dod
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Dod101 wrote:Dylan blew Knopfler off the stage.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
kiloran wrote:Most disappointing gig:
Bob Dylan about 10 years ago, at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow.
Dod101 wrote:We had a most entertaining evening when Mark Knopfler was sharing a gig with Dylan not so many years ago at the Glasgow Braehead Stadium. Dylan blew Knopfler off the stage.
Same gig?
Scott.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Very likely the same one. kiloran will remember it. It was a pouring wet night and I remember we could not get a cab afterwards to get back to the car. Knopfler was no good but we certainly thought Dylan was great. Of course I would forgive him for a lot. He always could blow hot or cold.
Dod
Dod
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Reading '94.
Radiohead, Primal Scream, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Soundgarden, Manic Street Preachers, Flaming Lips, Pulp, The Verve, Lemonheads, Shed Seven....the list goes on....
I never went to any festivals later on like that first one I took off for... Jesus, does anyone?
Cheers,
Itsallaguess
Radiohead, Primal Scream, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Soundgarden, Manic Street Preachers, Flaming Lips, Pulp, The Verve, Lemonheads, Shed Seven....the list goes on....
I never went to any festivals later on like that first one I took off for... Jesus, does anyone?
Cheers,
Itsallaguess
Last edited by Itsallaguess on September 13th, 2020, 9:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
swill453 wrote:kiloran wrote:Most disappointing gig:
Bob Dylan about 10 years ago, at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow.Dod101 wrote:We had a most entertaining evening when Mark Knopfler was sharing a gig with Dylan not so many years ago at the Glasgow Braehead Stadium. Dylan blew Knopfler off the stage.
Same gig?
Scott.
Must have been. I was a bit disappointed with Knopfler, I do like him and he was brilliant at a concert at Glasgow SEC a few years earlier.
But those acoustics! Appaling, and with the high volume from Dylan's band, it was painful. A bunch of people around us walked out after half an hour. But at least I can say I've seen Dylan and found a load of his stuff that I really like.
Oh, another good gig I remember... Chuck Berry at Glasgow Concert Hall in the mid-90's. He only played for an hour, he was getting old, but a masterful, entertaining performance.
--kiloran
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Too many gigs to count, really, but the two that really stand out were both Rolling Stones concerts. The first was the free concert in the Park in 1969, just after Brian Jones died - must have been 250,000 people there, and security was handled by Hells Angels (on their bikes), rather than by the police. Marvellous vibe. The only thing the Daily Mail had to say about it was that somebody had been mugged at Marble Arch tube station the same day.
The second, and by far the better, was a Stones concert in Cologne, the following year. There had been some crowd trouble outside from gatecrashers, and the police dogs and water cannon had been in action at the entrance, so there was already a fair bit of tension in the crowd by the time Mick Jagger burst onto the stage in his white jumpsuit, all Street Fighting Man and Jumping Jack Flash rolled into one. My god, the band were feeding on the electricity!
There was a less happy reason for the buzz, however. Before the show started, a compere had come on to announce (in English) the death of Jimi Hendrix earlier the same day - and the German crowd had promptly erupted at the mention of his name, thinking he was about to come onstage. (Whoops, tricky off-key moment there. ) So when the Stones came on stage they dedicated the performance to Hendrix, and I reckon they were giving it something special that night. I won't ever forget it.
Worst concert ever was a Rod Stewart gig in Berlin, 1972 I think. I don't know why I'd agreed to go really, since he was never really my thing, but I doubt that Mr Stewart has much personal recollection of the event. He was an hour and a half late on stage, and when he finally arrived you could see why. He was absolutely smashed, and hardly capable of standing up, let alone holding a tune.
German crowds were not particularly noted for their tolerance of this sort of thing, and they started booing Mr Stewart, which made him walk off the stage after two or three songs. After much crowd-pleading from the compere, he came back on but he was no better, and the booing resumed. His response was to pick up his microphone stand and hurl it into the audience - a heavy thing, because remember, there were no radio mikes in those days! And he stomped off again. I never found out whether he came back onstage, because we had headed for the bar by then, along with half the audience.
At the time we felt right royally ripped off by this total shambles. Hindsight allows the man a bit of slack, because the pressures of touring must have been horrendous. But whatever were his minders doing, letting him get into that state?
BJ
The second, and by far the better, was a Stones concert in Cologne, the following year. There had been some crowd trouble outside from gatecrashers, and the police dogs and water cannon had been in action at the entrance, so there was already a fair bit of tension in the crowd by the time Mick Jagger burst onto the stage in his white jumpsuit, all Street Fighting Man and Jumping Jack Flash rolled into one. My god, the band were feeding on the electricity!
There was a less happy reason for the buzz, however. Before the show started, a compere had come on to announce (in English) the death of Jimi Hendrix earlier the same day - and the German crowd had promptly erupted at the mention of his name, thinking he was about to come onstage. (Whoops, tricky off-key moment there. ) So when the Stones came on stage they dedicated the performance to Hendrix, and I reckon they were giving it something special that night. I won't ever forget it.
Worst concert ever was a Rod Stewart gig in Berlin, 1972 I think. I don't know why I'd agreed to go really, since he was never really my thing, but I doubt that Mr Stewart has much personal recollection of the event. He was an hour and a half late on stage, and when he finally arrived you could see why. He was absolutely smashed, and hardly capable of standing up, let alone holding a tune.
German crowds were not particularly noted for their tolerance of this sort of thing, and they started booing Mr Stewart, which made him walk off the stage after two or three songs. After much crowd-pleading from the compere, he came back on but he was no better, and the booing resumed. His response was to pick up his microphone stand and hurl it into the audience - a heavy thing, because remember, there were no radio mikes in those days! And he stomped off again. I never found out whether he came back onstage, because we had headed for the bar by then, along with half the audience.
At the time we felt right royally ripped off by this total shambles. Hindsight allows the man a bit of slack, because the pressures of touring must have been horrendous. But whatever were his minders doing, letting him get into that state?
BJ
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Snorvey wrote:This concert is currently running on Sky Arts, along with behind the scenes footage with the Angels etc
Ah yes, I remember the BBC film. I'm in there somewhere, about 80,000 rows from the front. You can't miss me. I'm the one with the long hair.
Well, my kids were impressed anyway.
BJ
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Waiting to watch James at Brixton Academy. Support act came on, a relatively unknown Radiohead.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Jeez, so many, and lots lost in the mists of time (well, the mists of my mind... ). Just a few that spring to mind....
Bands when up and coming, all around 1970-71:
Wishbone Ash in some pub in N. London.
Renaissance (V2) in the students union at (IIRC) South Bank Poly.
An all night gig at the Lyceum headlining Van der Graff Generator, 2nd on the bill Audience, and 3rd on the bill a support band called Genesis. Peter Gabriel threw his bass drum in the air (his own, not Collins').
Status Quo at a free gig at the Marquee. Although previously well known from Pictures of Matchstick Men they'd faded away and this free gig was to launch the Dog of Two Heads album.
Most disappointing: 10-Dec-71, lining up outside the Rainbow Theatre, London, for the 2nd show of the evening of Frank Zappa, only to have the bouncers come down the line telling us that the 2nd show had been cancelled 'cos some jealous boyfriend had shoved Zappa off the stage and broken his leg at the end of the 1st show.
I eventually saw him the next year at Rock at the Oval, along with Hawkwind, Jeff Beck, Linda Lewis, etc. I think I climbed over the wall at that one, as at £2 the tickets were pretty expensive! Or maybe I did so for the ELP, Wishbone Ash, Genesis (again, 3rd on the bill), Argent , Focus, Jack Bruce gig there a fortnight later, although at £1.25 that was cheaper.
http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/ is a nice nostalgic resource. Amongst others I went to Reading 1972 and it's interesting scrolling down that page to see how much the artists were paid....
Bands when up and coming, all around 1970-71:
Wishbone Ash in some pub in N. London.
Renaissance (V2) in the students union at (IIRC) South Bank Poly.
An all night gig at the Lyceum headlining Van der Graff Generator, 2nd on the bill Audience, and 3rd on the bill a support band called Genesis. Peter Gabriel threw his bass drum in the air (his own, not Collins').
Status Quo at a free gig at the Marquee. Although previously well known from Pictures of Matchstick Men they'd faded away and this free gig was to launch the Dog of Two Heads album.
Most disappointing: 10-Dec-71, lining up outside the Rainbow Theatre, London, for the 2nd show of the evening of Frank Zappa, only to have the bouncers come down the line telling us that the 2nd show had been cancelled 'cos some jealous boyfriend had shoved Zappa off the stage and broken his leg at the end of the 1st show.
I eventually saw him the next year at Rock at the Oval, along with Hawkwind, Jeff Beck, Linda Lewis, etc. I think I climbed over the wall at that one, as at £2 the tickets were pretty expensive! Or maybe I did so for the ELP, Wishbone Ash, Genesis (again, 3rd on the bill), Argent , Focus, Jack Bruce gig there a fortnight later, although at £1.25 that was cheaper.
http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/ is a nice nostalgic resource. Amongst others I went to Reading 1972 and it's interesting scrolling down that page to see how much the artists were paid....
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Can’t remember any of the dates except one.
Most famous. Watched the Beatles from the rooftop Jan I think 1969. Got a tip from a friend of mine who worked in the studios that they would be there. Memorable.
Ella Fitzgerald. Savoy. Went(sneaked in) backstage into her dressing room and told my girlfriend at the time that she liked her shawl. Remember she had very heavy glasses on which made her eyes look huge. Will never forget her vocal range.
Seen many artists in the 70’s at Ronnie Scott’s. Most memorable was Buddy Rich who performed a drum solo using matchsticks. Plus Eartha Kit. Just sensational.
London Paladium in the 70’s and 80’s was my main hang out though for seeing some of the greats. Cliffy, Andy Williams(thought he had an inbuilt microphone in his voice box)Manhattan Transfer, Neil Sedaka, stand out.
Worst performance ever there was a piano player whom my wife insisted we see called Richard Clayderman who was popular at the time. Amateur stuff that even I could do. Walked out.
Saw Hair the musical at the Roundhouse. Will never forget Aquarius.
Saw many bands around the West End and Soho area in small dives but memory fails me now.
Club called I think Whisky a go go or something like that in or near Soho when James Brown appeared and gave a phenomenal display of dancing and the beat was sensational. Thought he basically screamed a lot at the time though. Oh Happy Days!
Most famous. Watched the Beatles from the rooftop Jan I think 1969. Got a tip from a friend of mine who worked in the studios that they would be there. Memorable.
Ella Fitzgerald. Savoy. Went(sneaked in) backstage into her dressing room and told my girlfriend at the time that she liked her shawl. Remember she had very heavy glasses on which made her eyes look huge. Will never forget her vocal range.
Seen many artists in the 70’s at Ronnie Scott’s. Most memorable was Buddy Rich who performed a drum solo using matchsticks. Plus Eartha Kit. Just sensational.
London Paladium in the 70’s and 80’s was my main hang out though for seeing some of the greats. Cliffy, Andy Williams(thought he had an inbuilt microphone in his voice box)Manhattan Transfer, Neil Sedaka, stand out.
Worst performance ever there was a piano player whom my wife insisted we see called Richard Clayderman who was popular at the time. Amateur stuff that even I could do. Walked out.
Saw Hair the musical at the Roundhouse. Will never forget Aquarius.
Saw many bands around the West End and Soho area in small dives but memory fails me now.
Club called I think Whisky a go go or something like that in or near Soho when James Brown appeared and gave a phenomenal display of dancing and the beat was sensational. Thought he basically screamed a lot at the time though. Oh Happy Days!
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
nimnarb wrote:
Most famous. Watched the Beatles from the rooftop Jan I think 1969. Got a tip from a friend of mine who worked in the studios that they would be there. Memorable.
Club called I think Whisky a go go or something like that in or near Soho ...
I think you win with the Beatles, I doubt anyone can trump that (Elvis?)
The main Whisky a Go Go is on Sunset Boulevard (LA)- perhaps they had a UK branch?
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
dealtn wrote:Waiting to watch James at Brixton Academy. Support act came on, a relatively unknown Radiohead.
I saw the Smiths on the Meat is Murder tour and the support act came on, a relatively unknown James.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Anyone been to a gig in the last 30 years?
Scott.
Scott.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
I saw the Ramones at the Edinburgh Odeon in January 1980. Seen as a punk band, they were somewhat pissed off that the slightly more raw UK punk scene entailed being spat at copiously by the crowd. They almost walked off I think.
Scott.
Scott.
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Re: Best/worst gigs, famous bands seen when they were playing pubs etc
Anyone been to a gig in the last 30 years?
NOTHING this year, sadly. Did have several planned, but... where are The Vaccines when you need them?
Last gig was The Levellers in August 2019
NOTHING this year, sadly. Did have several planned, but... where are The Vaccines when you need them?
Last gig was The Levellers in August 2019
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