[Closed] Surprisingly GOOD live performances

I was going to post a similar thread yesterday 🙂

For me it was Cheap Trick (supporting Motley Crue) back in around 1986.

And Sleaford Mods in the John Peel tent at Glastonbury in 2015 – just wandering around in the sunshine enjoying the day then heard this glorious racket coming from the tent and really enjoyed it.

Because I'm lazy, I'll just Ctrl-C Ctrl-V:

In a similar vein, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, again at Lakefest. Brilliant, really, really, brilliant.

And, I sh1t you not, the Vengaboys.

To add something extra though, I'll also punt in Rod Stewart and Status Quo at Old Trafford in about 1991. Got free tickets from someone's Mum, went along thinking we were going to see some old has-beens (because we were 17 at the time and clearly knew everything). Had a great night, because he/they are proper old pros.

Deacon Blue. Theres no way, as a fully paid up 6-Music-listening music snob, I'd have gone and seen them live as I'd have airily dismissed them as tedious MOR Radio 2 fodder

We ended up seeing them on a lovely sunny afternoon on the main stage at Glastonbury (as I was too stoned to be bothered moving) and they were absolutely bloody brilliant!!

Paul McCartney. Love The Beatles, don’t care a lot about his solo work apart from the Fireman albums. Saw him at the NIA in 2015 for free. Thought he would be well past it. One of my favourite gigs ever.

I’d have airily dismissed them as tedious MOR Radio 2 fodder

Unfairly maligned, I think, Deacon Blue. In another musical thread crossover, this could be something from Elbow:

There we stood and there we laughed
by the flashing neon sign.
With the smell of cheap gigars,
and hope of sweet perfume

The Pogues in the mid-80s were amazing live. Around 88-90 they sadly imploded.

I saw The Killers in Cardiff Millenium Stadium around 2004/5. They were supporting U2 and were miles better. They were fantastic and even though their first album was brilliant anyway it was huge surprise.

Proclaimers are pretty good most of the night until they chuck the new stuff in you've never heard before
Here's hoping no one mentions Runrog , they were an embarrassment to Scots well a lot of us

Hot Chip - sound a bit meh right? well it made more sense live, clicked in front of a good crowd, and this was back when nobody knew they were going to do sabotage

TBH there are a few at every music festival I've ever been to, too many to list

Asking Alexandria

my daughter’s a huge fan. She’s been aching to go see them live and muggings here agreed that if they came to Manchester I’d buy tickets. If you don’t know them it’s Emo rock, harmless enough. But anyway, they were a tight band,  played well, got the audience going and generally looked like they we’re having a bloody ace time. As did the audience

Fabulous fun was had

For me it's quite a few artists that you'd expect to be so far past their prime that they'll be terrible but have such great stage presence and talent you still have a great time.

I've seen Mavis Staples twice at Glastonbury and she's been brilliant both times. She's 82! and touring again this year.

Likewise Martha Reeves a few years back at the Blues Kitchen in Brixton. Still sounded strong and a lot of fun.

Wasn't expecting to enjoy Lionel Ritchie at Glastonbury but so. much. joy. I see they've given it a theatrical release now.

To add something extra though, I’ll also punt in Rod Stewart and Status Quo at Old Trafford in about 1991. Got free tickets from someone’s Mum,

I saw them at Wembley, probably the same year. A friend asked if I wanted to go and see the Quo. I've never been even vaguely interested in them, but was happy to accompany her for Rod the Mod. Quo were Quo, nothing more, nothing less. Rod Stewart was excellent, but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker. (I would have been about 23, so these were my parent's music, but I still hold both in some affection. Quo, less so. 😀 )

A band called Vega. Liverpool Arts academy. managed by a certain Joe Elliot from Def Leppard. They sound and performed as good, if not better than DL

but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker

Oh god, yes! I'd forgotten he was there too.

Went to V in 200(8?)
Charlatans, really good (and then Chemical Bros straight afterwards who were as good as you'd expect)
Lenny Kravitz was great as he could have been turgid but wasn't, Newton Faulkner I really enjoyed more than I expected to (did a solo acoustic Bohemian Rhapsody and it worked! fair play)

My wife likes the Pet Shop Boys, I saw they were doing a small warm up show in London ahead of headlining at Hyde Park. We managed to get tickets and they were great, helped by a small but enthusiastic crowd and a stripped back set without their usual theatrics. Surprisingly good.

I've rarely gone to gigs for bands that I didn't already know I liked so while sometimes the amount I've enjoyed a gig has surprised me the fact I've enjoyed it rarely has.

One minor example would be seeing The Hives. I'd bought a ticket so I expected them to be good enough but they are really very enjoyable indeed live. Their frontman is very good at engaging with the audience.

Also I first went to see Cherry Ghost almost entirely because their name is a reference to a Wilco song from what is probably my favourite Wilco album. I did listen to some of their music before buying the ticket but it was all a bit rushed and last minute and they proved to be far more enjoyable than my tenuous reason for trying them out deserved.

Years ago i saw a band called "The Blake Babies" (who opened for Dinosaur Jr i think) - they were amazing.

Last year i saw "Inhaler" in London - also much better than i expected.

I've been to a lot of Country Gigs and am constantly surprised at how well Country musicians play live.

Paul McCartney, Glastonbury 2004. I wasn't going to go - I like the Beatles and assumed he would ruin some old classics before launching in to the Frog Chorus. Fortunately, my friends persuaded to go and he was terrific.

I’ve seen Mavis Staples twice at Glastonbury and she’s been brilliant both times. She’s 82! and touring again this year.

Oooooo... I'd love to see her live. She's still got a set of lungs on her! I'll have a look if she's doing anyehere nearby

@b33k34 - did you ever hear the interview she did with RadMac on six music a couple of years ago? She's absolutely hilarious! And she's had a right rum old life! She's also got a filthier laugh than Sid James

Love this! Gospel-tastic! 😀

An ex of mine took me to see The Feeling, in Belfast, Mandella Hall in the students union. I'd say this was maybe 2005 or so. Was expecting it to be rubbish, and they were great. Sound was great and they played to the audience really well.

I’ve been to a lot of Country Gigs and am constantly surprised at how well Country musicians play live.

I think that this is because, from very early in their careers, they really have to earn their chops in some 'interesting' venues.

but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker

Oh god, yes! I’d forgotten he was there too.

And one hit wonders The River City People, wasn't it?

And one hit wonders The River City People, wasn’t it?

Oof, you got me there. I don't remember to be honest (and, indeed, I only barely remember their existence!)

Wheatus. Even though they've only got 1.5 songs (not true, albums are surprisingly good)

Great fun, crowd interactions, band interactions and they also don't have a set list, start to finish is 'what shall we play next?'

(one night, some crowd wag kept yelling out ever more obscure post-punk 90's American bands' songs and Wheatus kept getting more and more amused/amusing.

"All the small things!"

- great song, but that's Blink 182

"Why don't you get a job?"

- is that a suggestion or a song request? Because if it's the latter - great song, by The Offspring

"Stacey's Mom"

- Oh yeh, I'd sure like to do Stacey's Mom!!

Sneaker pimps.
I've been to see them lots since first seeing them in 1999 at newcastle uni. they were supporting their Splinter album, there were about 20 of us. they played well and sounded 10x better than the (IMO) rather decent sounding splinter album.

Echobelly. sometime in the late 90's in Wales. went to the gig not expecting much, went with my GF at the time, she was more into the scene at the time, I really just wanted to go listen to Type o Negative...
However, the support were Bennett (remember that mums gone to iceland song?) who were really really good. and echobelly just had me bouncing around down the front. not sure where my GF was the whole gig.

Richie Ramone.
I really don't like the ramones. my wife does though, so dragged along I was. clearly a talented musician and that carries the vibe exceptionally well. I've seen him a few times now.

Nickelback.

Went to see them with some mates to see how bad they were as part of a deal on two tickets to two gigs at uni. Completely different live and had the crowd completely won over after the second song.

Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Aylesbury Friars in 2009.

My OH wanted to go, I didn't.

Utterly brilliant live performance - flat out for a couple of hours.

Loving this thread.

Another Glastonbury experience - this time in 1999. It was the Other Stage, early in the day just wandering around IIRC we'd gone to see Keano Reeve's band who were first on (and shocking) but I really enjoyed the next act _ I had never heard of them at the time but they really reminded me of 60s rock - Stones, The Who etc. It was Toploader. Now I know they album they released around that time (Onka's Big Mocka) was actually shocking, but as a live band in the cold light of day they actually blew the crowd away.

I really wished I had seen these guys live....

Loads of them,
Elbow managed to make a stadium feel like a small gig
Chemical Bros
London Grammar, thought they would be good, but were brilliant - that girl can sing
Paul Weller at reading,
PSB

Actually, another couple come to mind from Tales of Lakefest:

Magic Numbers - figured they'd be alright, they were superb.

and

Seasick Steve - again, watched out of curiosity and he was just fantastic, like, really, really, fantastic.

The Pretenders - never that fussed by them usually but was dragged along to a Bryan Adams gig where they were supporting and much better live than I expected

And also on the undercard of a Bryan Adams gig I was dragged to - Glen Tilbrook. Just stood alone on stage with a guitar and brlted out Squeeze's greatest hits.

The Pretenders – never that fussed by them usually but was dragged along to a Bryan Adams gig where they were supporting and much better live than I expected

More relevant for the other thread but I saw them supporting U2 in 1985 in Cardiff. The Alarm had already played, and Mike Peters had been gushing on about being a proud Welshman, etc.

Chrissie Hynde, when she came on, seemed to make fun of the whole proud Welshman thing and it felt like she lost the crowd. I never really liked them before and their performance didn't warm me to them.

I went to see Judas Priest in the Southampton Gaumont in 1980. They were dire. Their support band on the other hand, whom I hadn’t really heard of as a musically rather naive 17year old, were ace, much much better than the main act and I think both bands knew it.
Iron Maiden
At a very different gig, I went to see Blowzabella having heard some of their music and quite liked them. Live they were fantastic, possibly the best live act I have seen in the past 20 years.

Just remembered the best one was Nick Cave, such a gig of pure emotion - didn't matter that we were sat about as far away as you could get. Absolutely blew us away

Poppy.

Took my eldest daughter and a friend to see The Vamps approx 5 years ago - B'ham NEC.
Having never heard of them beforehand I was surprised that they were actually fairly competent musicians.
My youngest daughter wants me to take her to see Alec Benjamin this summer, never heard of him so I've started listening to his stuff so I can sing along and embarrass her. I'll let you know how that goes.

Plus 1 for wheatus - accidentally rolled into a tent stage at the end of the road festival when it was pissing down, they'd just started their set and were excellent. They were probably at the bottom of my to see list, but I'd go again.

Ash. Somebody mentioned them on the other thread as being poor. It was actually on my birthday, 10 minutes walk from my house in a very small venue, and a weekend. So a few drinks then into the gig and carry on drinking knowing that I didn't have to get up early. They were excellent, but maybe it was the whole evening that was excellent, not just them!

At a festival many years ago and the headline act for the last night were a band I'd never heard of. Wasn't too bothered about seeing them but thought, as I'm here no harm in staying to listen. Oh my. What an absolutely fabulous set and atmosphere. They were awesome that night and still one of my favourite gigs largely because of the unexpected pleasure you get from being very pleasantly surprised. The band? Runrig.

Level 42 at Glasto 86 - about an hour after the Argies had knocked us out with the Hand of God.

Extremely accomplished musicians so it shouldn't be a surprise that they were good, just a surprise to me that I enjoyed them - at a moment when I really needed cheering up.

I was doing the Dyfi enduro in 2014, the same time the Mach comedy Festival is on.

Wandered about looking for drinks and food and just happened on a big tent with a live band, for free.

The band were The Lovely Eggs, who I'd not actually heard of before.

It was one of the best things about the weekend, apart from seeing Chipps in real time.

The band were fantastic and had a real rapport with the crowd. Since then, one of their songs has been my go to explanation for so much in this world that saddens me.

I went to see Judas Priest in the Southampton Gaumont in 1980. They were dire. Their support band on the other hand, whom I hadn’t really heard of as a musically rather naive 17year old, were ace, much much better than the main act and I think both bands knew it.
Iron Maiden

Fast forward to 2011 and I saw/heard Judas Priest be completely overshadowed by their support act - Queensryke (I know they were no spring chickens themselves in 2011, but they were far and away superior to the godawful noise that Priest and Rob Halford in particular) made.