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Just for a bit of balance, like.
Catatonia supporting the Manics at King George's Hall, Blackburn. Both absolutely at the top of their game, passion, great songs and the audience were so into it.
Faith No More at the International in Manchester. First Mike Patten Tour. Met them all backstage, a personal highlight of my gigging career 🙂 Could not have been any more chaotic, but they were just perfect.
Any of the many times I've seen Here and Now, but an alldayer at Cheetham Hill Library stands out. Mushroom tea on sale and a pre Radio 4 Lemn Sissay was a lovely change from John Cooper Clarke who seemed to be everyone's support act around then.
A happy, smiling Dylan at the Apollo. Three hours of wonderment.
The Macc Lads at the Gallery on Peter Street.
I cannot describe the scenes of debauchery, but the stripper and the Guinness drinking competition warmed things up nicely....
T'Pau in another bar in Manchester post big hits, they couldn't get arrested at the time.
Wasn't even a proper gig, they just set up at the far end of the bar and got on with it.
They were brilliant, one of the most joyful, life affirming gigs I've ever seen. Lovely people too.
Hawkwind's 50th anniversary gig at The new Albert Halls last year. Must have seen them a couple of dozen times, some were good, some were unspeakably bad. This was the best. Sober too. Amazing.
Joe Walker and the Louisiana Blues Explosion at Band on the Wall.
Proper legend. We helped them pack up after the gig and ended up going for a smoke with them in the Smithfield down the road after the gig, one of the dodgiest pubs/hotels around.
Gentlemen. "Come and see us if you're ever in Louisiana!" We're teenagers from Moston, not gonna happen, but thanks anyway. 🙂
I've never seen a bad Foo Fighters set (appreciate they are massive these days).
So also, Walter Schriefels solo album (Quicksand, Rival schools, Gorilla biscuits). At the Haymakers in Cambridge, doesn't even have a stage, band all clearly mates and enjoying playing with each other.
Alexisonfire at the Junction Cambridge, pretty much my favourite band ever, lost my wedding ring in the pit, 10+ years later I'm still not sure I've been forgiven!
I was dragged to a Simply Red gig by my wife when they were topping the charts,they started playing and the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, blew me away.
Another stand out group was Living Colour, just sensational.
For the whole performance and experience I would say Imagine Dragons in Birmingham in 2018 (i think). I'm not a huge fan of them recorded but live they are brilliant.
As a standout band whose music i love i would say Highly Suspect in Kentish Town a couple of weeks before Imagine Dragons. They blew me away. I wanted to see them again when they came back to the UK but the venues they chose were so small the tickets sold out in seconds
A special mention to Stereophonics as well. Saw them in Birmingham just before lockdown and they were incredible
What’s the criteria?
Leftfield at the Mayfair in Newcastle, New Order at the Reading Festival in 1990-something or Metallica at the Newcastle Arena thinger in 2009.
The Hamsters. Every single gig.
In contrast to a post on the "worst" thread, New Order absolutely blew me away back in '84. I was expecting bad singing, but didn't notice cos the music was so ****ing awesome. Remember it like it wasn't over 30 years ago!
I mean, I've got loads more..
Death Grips - so loud it hurt, so powerful. A sound like nothing else on the planet.
The Jam - another vivid memory from the 80s. Weller playing so hard the neck snapped off his guitar.
A Human - The most charismatic frontman no-one's heard of.
LCD Soundsystem - dance your arse off you middle-aged throwback
Idles were pretty damn amazing, but only while they were playing, not while he was talking in a very [i]nice[/i] way between songs. That pissed me off. Be more PUNK.
Girl Band: A guitarist strangling very un-guitar like noises out of his erm guitar.
Wonder Stuff, couldn't listen to em now, but they were great live.
!!! (chk chk chk) - seen em loads and always in small venues and they entertain proper. Dance your etc.. 🙂
Amazing Snakeheads/And Yet it Moves... the late great Dale Barclay. Best/scariest frontman I've ever seen. Welling up that I'll never see him again. RIP.
Think my favourite one to date for the whole performance was chemical brothers at Alley Palley two years ago, i’m not the biggest fan but the whole experience between lightning, visuals, props and music was truly special.
Other one would be prodigy in 2008, first time seeing them and they didn’t disappoint. Have seen them a number of times since and haven’t been as good but that is more due to gig etiquette and people wanting to film the whole thing rather than dance.
Queen at Maine Road just after Live Aid with full Mexican Waves and Radio GaGa crowd action. I have been to hundreds of gigs and festivals in my lifetime but that is the single one I will always remember.
Slade in 83, Nod got the audience clearing the chairs away so everyone could dance and join in. Rock and roll music, amusing jokes, proper music hall stuff. I saw them in 73 in Birmingham town hall but that was too loud for comfort, they'd turned it down a bit by 83.
Blondie in Barbarella's a worthy second.
Michael Jones in Centre Balavoine completes my podium. Unexpectedly excellent.
Eddie Vedder solo on Dublin sublime and as a side
Any pearl jam gig...
I love the wildhearts but they can go either way on a night.
Oh n massive Waggons Christmas shindig was carnage
Gomez on the recent Bring It On tour were pretty damn good - the whole of Bring It On, followed by their best from the subsequent albums as well.
Carter USM is always an excellent show.
Flaming Lips are very good entertainment
But my best in recent memory was Toots and the Maytals 2 years ago in a smallish venue. Absolutely fantastic and an amazing atmosphere
Bruce Springsteen is not someone I listen to much at home, but I've been to see him live probably 10 years ago and it was an absolute belter of a show. No support act, lasted about 3 hours or something and some brilliant music - not just his but a whole bunch of stuff.
He does this requests bit where the audience ask for tunes - not sure how prepared they are in reality, but it makes for a brilliant time.
Here's an idea from a show around the same time :
David Bowie at Glastonbury 2000 for me.
My initial shortlist...
The Go! Team in Oxford promoting their debut album - so fun and fresh.
Spiritualized promoting Lazer Guided Melodies at UEA - mind-blowing
Penguin Cafe Orchestra at Union Chapel - all the feels
Iggy & the Stooges at Hammersmith - the original and best
My two standouts are:
White Stripes at Empress Ballrooms Blackpool
Radiohead at Empress Ballrooms Blackpool
Such a small intimate venue (only holds 3000) to see two amazing bands at.
I forgot.... Rolling Stones at Twickenham about 14 years ago on the Bigger Bang tour. Best birthday present I ever got.
My two standouts are:
White Stripes at Empress Ballrooms Blackpool
Radiohead at Empress Ballrooms BlackpoolSuch a small intimate venue (only holds 3000) to see two amazing bands at.
I'll have been at both of them!
Recent standout for me was Tame Impala at the Empress. Only really went because it's on my doorstep, baulked a bit at the ticket price, but as it was the Glastonbury warm up gig, we got a full on festival performance, with all the lights etc', but in a small venue. It was excellent.
I know there'll be plenty turn there noses up at this, but Shed 7 are a brilliant live band.
Oh... so many great gigs over the years
Queen ( with Freddie ) always a top show,
Springsteen for pure energy and longevity of show,
But some of the smaller ones have also been brilliant,
I can thoroughly recommend going to see ( in no particular order )
Holy Moly and the Crackers...
Jah wobble
Alabama 3 ( acoustic set now we have lost the Reverend)
Lee Scratch Perry... mad as a box of frogs but in a good way
I guess there are others but those are the stand outs
I have been addicted to watching this the last week or so, would of been awesome to see live.
But the best live band i ever saw was Ralph Myerz and The Jack Herron Band at The Big Chill.
My two standouts are:
White Stripes at Empress Ballrooms Blackpool
What tour was that @benman? I saw them at Glasgow SEC about 15 years back, prob the greatest performance I've ever seen and not by a small amount either - like they're not my favourite band (altho I like them fine), it didn't have that personal significance that some gigs can have, but just a next F level display from Jack White.
Remember saying to my wife driving over that it might be a bit iffy - huge barn of a venue, there's just the two of them and it's pretty simple music - couldn't have been more wrong as they absolutely slayed it.
@Garry_Lager it would have been about 15 years ago! Touring the Get Behind Me Satan album.
Jack White is pretty immense live.
Killing Joke at the zombie hut in Corby, small venue just down the road from me and full of mates that I hadnt seen for years... and any Prodigy gig
Faith No More at the International in Manchester. First Mike Patten Tour. Met them all backstage, a personal highlight of my gigging career 🙂 Could not have been any more chaotic, but they were just perfect.
I was at that. It was amazing. Me and my mate slept / mooched about around Victoria Station until the first train home the next day. It was bloody freezing!
Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation was a highlight. Sticking to one album prevented them from flying off into pointless noise and feedback and it's an all time favourite album anyway so it was amazing.
Mars Volta jamming furiously for two hours was more exciting than it sounds. They played hardly anything that was recognisable as an MV tune but still good to watch them work.
Rage Against the Machine just before they split in 99. Incredible band, classic songs, always on form. Every bit as intense as expected. I actually had tickets to see them this August with Run the Jewels and I'm gutted it didn't go ahead.
Rocket from the Crypt, Rollins Band, Iggy Pop, Slayer, Black Sabbath, Fugazi.... too many amazing gigs spring to mind. I've seen far more good stuff than disappointments luckily. I'm sure some people love to walk out early because they enjoy telling people later that the band was so bad that they just went to the pub next door.
off! at king tuts . Band walked on , just started playing, crowd was jumping.
Rocket from the Crypt at king tuts .
The dwarves at abc (or maybe abc 2) , great gig
New model army , quite a few but I can't remember where
Can everyone just shut up about seeing the White Stripes please! Thank you! 😠
White Stripes at Empress Ballrooms Blackpool
I was there too (some time soon after Seven Nation Army came out) - sorry @DezB. I wasn't that impressed TBF, but I've always been pretty much 'Seven Nation Army then I'm out' about them.
I've got loads of live stuff recorded off the telly just cos of how amazing Jack was. And missing that Brighton gig goddamit.
....and you will know us by the trail of dead.
one of those gigs that you dont expect a lot from cos you havent heard much, but then leave open-mouthed. quiet/loud/quiet/loud/loud/loud/even louder/quiet etc....
singer disappeared into the crowd and ended up singing from underneath the table we were stood on (nottingham boat club, not reet big).
band smashed the equipment up, then chucked it in the crowd with the drums, so we thought thats it, end of. then they piled into the crowd, retrieved it all, built it up again whilst the guitarist was sending out squalls of feedback, then they carried on playing.
when the gig was over they played an impromptu set outside by the side of the trent.
for some reason the albums dont do much for me, but LIVE? immense every time ive seen them.
spooky. as i type this theyre being played on 6 music, hardly ever hear them on the radio.
No RATM mentions?
Edit: oops yes there was
Vulfpeck are actually right up there also
PWEI at Sheffield university refectory in 1990.
So much energy.
Fugazi at the Birmingham insitute, I'd just split up with my GF and was in a bit of a state but was dragged along and I'm eternally grateful I did, spine-tingling stuff.
Clutch on NYE in Baltimore, last minute home-coming show of the back of touring Beale Street, Jean Paul's mum was there, so much groove.
Stampin' Ground at the Flapper and Firkin, got knocked out in the pit, came to and dived straight back in, they are still possibly the most ferocious live band I've ever seen.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard deserve a mention. Especially for the singer leaping into the crowd and getting us to carry him to the sea for a swim in the middle of the gig. The band played on... Concorde 2, Brighton. Not sure it could've been done anywhere else 😀
Subhumans always put on a great show.
New Bomb Turks at the Zap Club in Brighton 94? was memorable.
Or maybe the Instigators at the Boardwalk MCR, late 80s...
Jack White is pretty immense live.
I saw Jack White at Lolla a couple of years ago and he really wasn't. I was so disappointed as I'd really expected a great show.
Actually, festival sets:
- The Vaccines are really good
- Django Django put on a great show (big ole drum in the middle of the stage for some reason)
- Alt J are pretty solid
- LL Cool J was absolutely top notch, gave it proper welly despite having a 45 minute slot at 4pm one day.
I cant recall how many times I've seen Mew
Consistently amazing - and 156 gets me every time
Godlike
Every A-ha gig I've been to has been fabulous.
Crash Test Dummies at Manchester Apollo in '94. Incredible show.
The Mighty Lemondrops, Hacienda 1987. Just right for the time: jingly jangly, catchy indie shite.
Disturbed always give a good gig.
Last time I went with the wife she said they sound exactly like their recoded songs which is a good indicator.
But I've been very impressed with jinjer live.
Female vocalist with the voice of a metal goddess and the screams of a demon.
I saw Prodigy at Bridlington Spa in 2015. Absolutley blew me away, I was sober also which I must have been the only one.
The acoustics in that place were superb and it was amazing.
Green Day @ London Astoria in 1998. Final European date of the Nimrod tour.
Place was electric, set was awesome, after the encore they trashed the stage until it was just BJA, his guitar, an amp & good riddance (time of your life) left.
Best gig of my life.
Lamb are always a great band to see live. I must have seen them 10 times so far and I hope to increase that number at some point.
The band who blew me away has to be Gogo Pennguin. Their Royal Albert Hall gig was stunning.
zzjabzz - Subhumans are ALWAYS great live as were the Instigators 🙂
The mark of a great live band is one where you can see them multiple times and they never disappoint. So on that basis i have to say:
Rocket From the crypt
Fugazi
Mighty mighty bosstones
And you will know us by the trail of the dead
Entombed
Neurosis
At the drive in
The refused