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For me, without a doubt, the original Live Aid (I had a Saturday job and they wouldn't let me have the time off so I stupidly didn't take my chance).
Or AC/DC in Paris in 1979 (with Bon Scott on vocals)
Attend Woodstock!
The sermon on the mount
Queen at Wembley.
I was offered tickets but turned them down. "No, I'll see them next time" I said.
Doh!
White Stripes. I hardly ever go to gigs and it was cancelled
AC/DC Live at River Plate
Aside from the obvious, like Jimi at the IoW, during my lifetime there's:
White Stripes, Concorde 2 Brighton, Nov 2001. Only band I've been desperate to see and missed.
Also the Tad gig at Portsmouth Poly when I saw them walk past the building where I was working, but didn't know Nirvana were supporting. I didn't really like Tad.
Maybe The Stooges around 1970.
Or Sly & the Family Stone in the late '60s.
Or Bowie in the '70s.
Lucky to have seen most of the bands I'd have wanted to from the 1990s onward.
The Steve Earle/Guy Clark/Townes van Zandt gig that's recorded for the 'Together at the Bluebird Cafe' live album.
@martinhutch - I have seen that so many times and love it - utterly bonkers.
@boris - not Wembley, but I did see them at Maine Road (with Status Quo and Belouis Some supporting) in 1986 🙂
Deep Purple Mark 4 at one of their better non uk gigs before they folded.
Pink Floyd @ the Royal Albert Hall 1996(?)
Was thinking of maybe a Zappa or Black Sabbath show from the late 70s but think I'll go for one of the Hawkwind space ritual performances.
Attend Woodstock!
This. Absolutely the top of the list. Thank goodness for youtube though, there's plenty of Woodstock performances to be enjoyed there.
Not really a gig fan at all, Queen at the Maracana in '81 would have been awesome though.
My variant: gigs I had tickets to but didn't go:
Buzzcocks supported by Joy Division, 1979, leeds uni student union. I probably tell people I actually went to this as I had a ticket. Can't remember whether I sold it or just didn't bother as I had homework or something...
Led Zep - 1978 (or 9?) Knebworth. Again had a ticket someone got me but wasn't that into them, so sold it. Would now actually like to have seen them I guess.
James Brown, playing Istanbul, 1988. A few of us, living on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, he was playing the European side. We had tickets, but an unprecedented metre or thereabouts of snow started falling out of the sky (closed school for a fortnight), ferries stopped running, and the taxi driver refused, ironically enough, to take us to the bridge.
Another one who passed up the chance to see Queen at Wembley.
Gigs I didn't get to - all injury/illness/hospital related:
Bon Jovi at the last gig in the old Wembley
Def Leppard - at least twice I've been hospitalised when I should have seen them. Truly a band with a curse
Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra this year
The Steve Earle/Guy Clark/Townes van Zandt gig that’s recorded for the ‘Together at the Bluebird Cafe’ live album.
Well, that's now two people I know that have that album 🙂
AC / DC with Bon Scott back in the day.I saw them a couple of times in the early 80's with Brian Jonson but wish I'd seen them with Bon Scott.
First few that come to mind.
Bowie
T-Rex
Small Faces
XTC
Talk Talk
Joy Division
The The
Nirvana, Nov 4th 1991 Bristol Bierkeller.
I mean, I was there, I just wasn't wearing my glasses.
True story.
I've only ever seen Bruce Springsteen with a post-Clarence E Street Band, I'd have liked to have seen them all together.
Beastie Boys at the barrowlands .
The cancelled Nirvana gig I had tickets for in '94.
For a couple of reasons.
25/03/89
SECC
New Order supported by A Guy Called Gerald
My first gig and was brilliant would love to refresh my memory.
The Clash, Brixton Academy, 17th March 1984. Sadly I was only 13!
What a setlist.....
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-clash/1984/brixton-academy-london-england-73c67e05.html
The Ramones. Must have been late eighties/early nineties when they came to Birmingham. Can't remember why I didn't go, but what a mook. 😐
Also regret not seeing the Pixies when they were good, Stone Roses too. In fact, so many bands I didn't go and see, most probably because I was not in good headspace.
Ignore me. Wrong decade.
I saw them a couple of times in the early 80’s with Brian Jonson
Yeah, first time I saw them was on the 'For Those About To Rock' tour with Brian Johnson. I also missed Black Sabbath with Ozzy first time around as I was just that bit too young. I have seen them since though (including their warm up gig for the '13' tour when they played the tiny O2 Academy in Brum - no stage set or anything, just the four of them on stage and me at the front centre 🙂
The cancelled Nirvana gig I had tickets for in ’94
Yeah, I had tickets for that (and the re-arranged date). Stupidly I returned the tickets for a refund as I believe they are worth good money now.
Faith no more, Brixton Academy 1990...
Stone roses spike island.
Daft punk coachella 2006.
I would like to have seen The Smiths , anywhere.
& depeche mode did a gig in barrowlands for bbc music, year or so ago - with Alan Wilder! It looked ace on the telly.
+ plus 1 for the beastie boys, anywhere.
peajay
Subscriber
25/03/89
SECC
New Order supported by A Guy Called Gerald
My first gig and was brilliant would love to refresh my memory.
I was at that one, came up from London to see it. Great gig.
Would like to go back for
The Pogues @ Hammersmith ,St Patrick’s Day 1986, best gig I ever went to
Redskins, was due to see them but they split up, and about the same time The Smiths cancelled a gig I had tickets for so never got to see them either.
Stone roses spike island.
Daft punk coachella 2006.
Absolutely. Know loads of folk going to the former. Can't remember why I didn't. Didn't go to Ally Pally either. Idiot.
On the other hand, I did see a fair few of the bands listed above, including, Smiths at Sheffield uni bar 2. I think it was 50p to get in, though they'd just been (or were just about to be? I forget) on the front of the NME for the first time. Took a look for a few songs, then wandered out.
Woodstock.
Mothers at Manchester Free Trade Hall.
Cream at RAH.
Several nights in the Middle Earth Club.
1982 Glastonbury with Van Morrison, Judie Tzuke, Jackson Browne, Roy Harper, Richie Havens. Just check who is on before saying Nah cant be bothered.
The Ramones. Must have been late eighties/early nineties when they came to Birmingham.
I saw them in London early '90s, was one of the best gigs I've ever attended. Unlike a lot of punk bands we saw around that time, they absolutely still had it.
+1 for Stone Roses, did they tour when Fools Gold came out at the end of 1989? Would have liked to see them in a decent venue then rather than Spike Island.
Turned down the chance to see them when they first reformed, dunno if that was a mistake or not.
The Zappa concert I didn't get to see because some nutter had pushed him off the stage earlier in the tour.
Or Beethoven's concert in 1808 where the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the Fourth Piano Concerto and the Choral Fantasy were premiered.
I was at both but I'd watch them again:
Queen at Wembley (its a Kind of Magic Tour) and Jean Michel Jarre, Destination Docklands.
The Doors
or Chas 'n' Dave
The Who Live at Leeds 1970.
Dr Feelgood's original line-up; farewell gig at Southend.
Another vote for Woodstock and Live Aid.
For those who didn't see AC/DC with Bon Scott - you missed a treat!
Cream farewell concert
Leonard Cohen at the IOW festival 1970
Joni Mitchell - anywhere, anytime!
Bob Dylan and the Band
Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsies concert 1970
I guess I'm just an old fart ......
LCD Soundsystem at Madison Square Garden in 2011. Sounded like a massive party.
I looked into it but too much $$$.
Charlie Parker in his prime in 1942/43 or maybe Miles Davis around the time of Kind of Blue with Cannonball or Coltrane with his quartet
Apparently Jimi Hendrix played the Co-op New Century Hall in Manchester, that would be ace because I work for the Co-op now 🙂 I think Ike and Tina also played there, that would be another on the list.
BB King at the Regal, imagine being there in person when the album is being recorded !
The Small faces
The Clash
Steely Dan
Nirvana
I saw Nirvana at the Hummingbird in Brum in the early '90's. I'd like to go back and watch them again.
Lynard Skynard at the LA Colosseum.
Bowie at Glastonbury 2000.
I was there, but I was ****ered and hardly remember any details other than it seemed very special at the time and I hardly knew him or his music before and I've been a fan ever since.
GnR at the Whisky a Go Go or CBGBs around the time of Lies/Appetite.
Sonic Youth, Nirvana and The White Stripes are others I always regret not having made an effort to see.
@mariner - I saw the Mothers at the Free Trade Hall!
ones I'd like to see -
Cream farewell concert
Leonard Cohen at the IOW festival 1970
Bob Dylan and the Band
Joni Mitchell, any time, anywhere!
Small Faces, c.1967.
I guess I'm just an old fart .....
Another one (and this might be a little controversial, but they were good back then)....
U2 at Red Rocks on the War tour (where they recorded the 'Under a Blood Red Sky' album).
Busted at Broadlands, Romsey in 2004 - yes really!
My daughter was desperate to go (then 9 years old). Wasnt my thing so sent her off with her grandad. It was her first gig, she went on to be a music photographer, all started there - she still talks about it!
And I missed it, what a dick!
Busted
One of the original members of Busted (KiFi) is the son of Scott Fitzgerald (who was runner up to Celine Dion in the Eurovsion Song Contest). I met Scott when he was the in-house entertainment on a ferry from Newcastle to Bergen. We got very drunk together.
LCD Soundsystem at Madison Square Garden in 2011
Much rather have seen one of their small gigs, like erm, Brighton Concorde, August 2004. Oh yeah, I did. Amazing it was. 😀
Kate Bush, Hammersmith Odeon '79
Probably Led Zep at Knebworth (73 ?)..
Saw ACDC with Bon Scott early 70's at The Mayfair in Newcastle ..as I did with Sabbath ..and Queen when they were a rock band and not a bubble gum pop group ..( both City Hall,Newcastle ..
My other regret is not seeing Free with Paul Kossof ..( did see Bad Company in their original format though ) ..
The Carpenters
ABBA
Blondie
Elvis Presley (just to see the hysterical screams from the audience).
I went to see Queen (A Night at the Opera) at the Hammersmith Odeon back in early December 1975 (not the Christmas Eve one). Even got the programme autographed by all four as a result of a work colleague being a neighbour of Roger Taylor.
I'd love to relive that.
Legendary Beatboxer Rahzel in the Toucan Club in Cardiff...
Was a bit of a last minute thing on a weeknight and rushed over to the venue after work, where some friends were already queuing. Got to chatting and some other friends turned up; as we were getting closer to the bouncer, word got out that the venue was almost at capacity; the friends that got there after me had somehow wriggled their way ahead, but the friends who were there first were behind, so I let them go 1st, only to find that I was the 1st of the over capacity missers out. Stood there chatting to the bouncer for a good half hour as the rest of the unsuccessful queuers dispersed, before finally coming to the realization that I wasn't gonna get in.
Obviously, if I went back in time, I'd wangle it so I and the friends that were there 1st got in and the other cheeky buggers had to stand outside for a few minutes, wondering what karmic incident had triggered their anguish.
Just read in Debbie Harry's autobiography that women at early Iggy gigs would throw their knickers at him and then sit with their legs parted. So one of those gigs, awesome music, plus support act 😀
hodgy - sounds like we were at the same AC/DC gig at the Mayfair.
So many other memorable gigs there - Rod and The Faces with the original line-up and Rory Gallager on his first tour after the demise of Taste were stand-outs.
As for the City Hall....Pink Floyd with a giant trainset in the aisles, Lindisfarne on Christmas Eve, The Tubes, Loudon Wainwright and so many more.
Other great venues in town were the student unions at the uni and what was then the poly - super cheap beer at both.
Long time ago.....
Cher.
Someone had to do it and I've lost patience waiting for someone else to post it. 😆
Meatloaf just after the Bat Out of Hell album and early Elvis Costello
Would love to have seen Joe Cocker back in his heyday. Never mind though, still time I guess. 😊👍 🎤
Thin Lizzy with Robertson anywhere or anytime 👍
I'd like to have seen Dire Straits live, specifically their original line-up. I am too young to have seen them then and even at the end of their run (and in a much less interesting form in my opinion) it would still have been pretty difficulty for me to see them.
Other than that I'd have liked to see Sparklehorse more times. I saw them live quite a few times, but still, I wish I could have seen them more.
For me, without a doubt, the original Live Aid
Exactly my thought before I opened the thread.
There's probably merit in a companion "epic gigs you were at" thread?
I went to Glastonbury in 93 stood watching Jamarquai who weren't quite my thing so decided to take a visit to my tent and due to the crowds consequently missed the Verve who were my favourite band at the time. So would go back to see that.
Would like to see the orb gig where they blew the windows out the club (so I was led to believe).
Never went to a proper illegal rave in the woods or a field, somewhere around 91 or 92.
Glastonbury
consequently missed the Verve
A similar story, I was there in 2015 and was sat in the tent nursing a hangover on the Saturday morning when I heard someone playing The Charlatans very loudly nearby. It wasn't until way too late that I realised it was actually THE The Charlatans doing the secret Saturday morning slot. FFS.
Donington Monsters of Rock 1994. I was just getting into rock and metal, and this was all broadcast on Radio 1- it probably ended up being the most important day for me in getting into the music and finding bands and that, and I wasn't even there. I taped it all and played the tapes to death. So many bands I still love.
Add to my list,LED Zep ,ideally one in a smaller venue &anywhere for the 67stax European tour that Otis did.
@frankconway ..yeah you're not wrong about it being a while ago ..
Lindisfarne Christmas shows were legendary in this part of the world I dont think I was ever at a Christmas eve bash but did see them on successive years ( they played for 5 consecutive nights for a few years on the trot ..its where I first saw the best support group I ever did see ..Genesis ..Foxtrot had just come out and they were last minute stand-in for Stackridge who couldn't make it for some reason ( shame ) ...
That started my love affair with that group up to the point of Trick of the Tail ..they just weren't the same without Peter Gabriel ..I never missed a gig in Newcastle ..
Other Mayfair notables ..Thin Lizzy with Eric Bell on the " Vagabonds" tour ..SAHB ..White Heat ( final gig ..local band )..and a weird one ..Hamilton Bohannon ..Disco Stomp
Not really into his music ..but every fit looking young lady in Newcastle must have been there ..
If I could throw one more in that I would love to see again ..ELP Tarkus tour which was in the Odeon Newcastle oh and Pink Floyd at Earl's Court on the Division Bell tour ..had VIP tickets for that one😉👍
hodgy - I'd forgotten about ELP at the Odeon on Pilgrim Street......
+1 for Stone Roses, did they tour when Fools Gold came out at the end of 1989? Would have liked to see them in a decent venue then rather than Spike Island.
No idea if this was after Fools Gold but went to see a local band International Resque at the Majestic in Reading sometime in 89, they were supporting some band I had never heard of called the Stone Roses. Loved them ever since.
Another one that would be right up there: Can when they'd just put Ege Bamyasi out in 1972. Maybe supported by Neu! if that could be arranged.
No idea if this was after Fools Gold
I'm not that fussy TBH, any time in 1989 would have been OK.
Club venues over stadium gigs every time for me but would make an exception for Wattstax.
Early Doors gigs,some of the "Happenings" as portrayed in the Electric Kool Aid acid test,the prohibiton of LSD gig in San Fran in 1967,early Pink Floyd happenings in 66/67,the Beatles Hamburg.Any of Dylan's early gigs.Mainly so I could rub it in to the Dylanophiles and say I saw him at the start ofhis career and he was ok but I reckon if he would be better off going electric...
The Doors +1
Having the opportunity to fully immerse oneself into a live rendition of Light My Fire (amongst others) must have been quite some experience.
Pink Floyd Division Bell tour (Pulse 1994). I had tickets, but got seriously mangled in a bike accident and couldn't go.
I’m old enough and lucky enough to have seen most bands I wanted to but 2 I missed out on and would love to have seen are
Led Zeppelin
and
Bob Marley
I don’t mind where or when....
The Doors at The Whisky a Go Go. Especially if Love were on the line up on the same night.
The Sundays and the Throwing Muses at Trent Poly in 1989. I went for pre gig drinks in Russell's and as I left for the gig about a 100 yards down the road from the venue I was run over from behind by a drunk man on a mobility scooter, broke my ankle and ended up in an ambulance on the gas and air being carted off to a&e. My 16 year old self had the biggest crush on Harriet Wheeler from the Sundays, I was gutted.
Dr Feelgood’s original line-up;
Which was?
ELP Tarkus tour
That was amazing! Can't remember where I saw this, probably London.