Had the pleasure of another o2 academy gif tonight. How much better does it get if you go down the scale of o2 academy 1/2/3.

Watched a band in o2 academy 2 and it was how I remembered it should be. Loud, stupid  stupid hot and free water. What a great night!

I still think Koko in Camden is probably my favourite venue.

Small enough to feel really involved and the architecture is just amazing.

Went to the Ned’s Atomic Dustbin gig at brizzle O2 last week. A sea of balding mens heads but a fantastic night of reminiscing. Spent the last half of the gig in the mosh and I saved my crowd surfing for the last track, a dumping over the security rail and a speedy exit via the side door. I’m far to old for that shit but I grinned for two whole days after the hangover wore off. 😀

My favourite venue is the Cavern in Exeter, two underground tunnel shaped cellars linked together. Sweat drips from the roof, lovely!

Just back in from a local gig.

Great night,but (weirdly)in the end the support bands were better than the main act.

I would still like to execute the people that bar chatted over the acts,and felt they needed constant selfies to prove that they were having the best night eva >> old grumpy face<<

Ace stoner, just ace!!

I luckily had Mrs wrightyson and my two apprentices in tow tonight. Kids, why watch telly or play Xbox when we can do this!!!!

Love it, bringing em up proper!

My favourite venue is the Cavern in Exeter, two underground tunnel shaped cellars linked together. Sweat drips from the roof, lovely!

The Cavern’s a great venue. I’ve seen some bloody amazing bands there over the years, and gigged there with at least 2 (maybe 3?) Of my old bands. The ‘backstage’ room is a sweaty cupboard/toilet 😂 very rock’n’roll!

I’d always choose a small venue over a big one like the O2 any day. You want to get sweaty, tired and drunk at a gig. Not queue for hours for an overpriced gig, and then try and watch a distant band who are generally going through the motions as it’s date 134 of their world tour (I know this ain’t true for all bands, but it is of some I’ve seen)

Just back from seeing Frank Turner, who is always a good show, with support from Homeless Gospel Choir who I reckon was better than the headliner tonight. At the Liquid Rooms, which is a fairly rubbish box but did have working air con, amazing what improvements can result from burning to the ground

How much better does it get if you go down the scale of o2 academy 1/2/3.

I didn’t realise they were numbered, I thought they were all named after their location?

The Mayfair in Newcastle was my fav. venue before it got demolished ..saw ACDC ( Bon Scott era) , SAHB  Thin Lizzy ( early ) ..White Heat’s final gig ..so many more ..Friday night rock night was epic with as much entertainment going on in the dark recesses of the balcony as there was on stage !

The best gig for atmos though had to be The Cult at Whitley Bay Ice Rink ..epic !

I’m a big fan of Koko apart from the beer prices. A warm can of lager for at least a fiver.

The one in Birmingham has 3 seperate venues in one. I’ve never been in number 3 but 2 is far smaller than the normal o2, which just gave it a great feel. Plus everyone who was there last night was well up for it.

When does a gig become a concert?

Can’t beat live music ( imho )

im lucky enough that The Brudenell in Leeds is only about a 40 minute drive and is rapidly becoming my local go to for a night out 😀 and not just for “ known names “ they also get some great new acts.

my only regret is that I didn’t find it sooner…

When does a gig become a concert?

Not sure, but a fairly safe definition is when you sit down.

That’s a classic Stoner!!

Union chapel, islington ,north london … Citizen cope great gig.  Old church great acoustics

II saved my crowd surfing for the last track, a dumping over the security rail and a speedy exit via the side door. I’m far to old for that shit but I grinned for two whole days after the hangover wore off.

Good work!
Grabbed by the bouncers or a voluntary early bath?l

Remember being passed onto the stage after crowdsurfing at a Ramones gig. The gap between the stage and the barriers holding the crowd back looks huge…

Walked to the exit, given a talking to and allowed back in…

🙂

I knew which track would wrap up the night. My mate had been offering a lifting hand up all night  So took his offer, got floated to the rail and escort to the side door. By the time I’d caught my breath, the academy doors were open and everyone else was on their way out. Perfect timing.

So much shiny. And everyone sooooo short!

The best venue in Manchester, and quite possibly the world. The Albert Halls. The perfect size, an absolutely beautiful building with great acoustics, and the balconies mean it generates a fantastic atmosphere. I bloody love it there!! And it serves good beer, as opposed to the usual lukewarm cooking lager you normally get at gigs

A gang of us are off to see Gomez there a week on Tuesday. I can’t bloody wait!!!

Oh… and good work Stoner! For being an old bloke who should know better 😃

Certainly the smaller Academy rooms in Manchester have a great sweat-box vibe, more so than the main Academy. Can’t beat Bristol’s Thekla for a proper gig though, or the Union Chapel if you want a more sedate seated affair. Therapy?’s three-night run at the Water Rats in King’s Cross will take some beating, as did my shins as that’s pretty much the stage level!

For a bigger venue, the Roundhouse is just awesome. The members’ bar upstairs gives a great view of the stage and the building itself.

As for booze and value for money, the acoustic gig Therapy? played at the Market Hall Cinema (an actual cinema – the oldest in Wales) last year where they were selling cans of Strongbow for £2 a go will be hard to top.

I loves a gig, me 😀🤘🏻

The smaller the better for me. That Neds (Neds Atomic Dustbin? really?😂) looks far too big.

Bet it was more than £20 too!

One of the best of last yesr was 3 bands in a little cafe bar on a street in Southsea. People were walking past and stopping to look in the door to see what the row was! Tiny place. Dale Barclay was standing on the bar screaming down at us. Incredible.

(No photos from me. A gig isn’t the place for a phone.)

Yo Binners!

The Hac reunion gig at the Albert was the best night out I’ve had in years -Haslam, Park, Morales.

Ironically, the only downer was the fact that I went with two Asian blokes (you might remember Riad – huge bloke, his dad had a curry house on the mile, a post midnight regular) and the modern day racist shit they had to put up with  in 2018 was just beyond  belief.

Modern sound system better than it ever was, met lots of people I’ve not seen for years and danced my moobs off.

Loved The Gallery, both of The Internationals, The Boardwalk, Berlin and Hulme Labour Club, Cloud 9 etc

Where did you grow up Dez (and everyone else)?

Did you have easy access to live stuff or was it always an epic trip?

Think the furthest I’ve been for a gig was Blyth Power in the Lakes, but I fell asleep in a tent and missed them.

Soooo lucky growing up where I did.

Deaf at 30 mind…

🙂

Derby has the shittest music scene of most “cities” I’m sure. So much opportunity and we just can’t get it off the ground. Do have a good couple of small venues, but nothing that can put bands on to the next level and subsequently attract decent artists. Thankfully our kids have been taken to gigs and festivals from a very young age so they will hopefully keep doing it. They were in Birmingham with us last night and at the ages of 16 and 13 are properly enjoying live music.

I saw neds many times back in the day & I saw big country at the Mayfair , the support were some young upstarts called the wonderstuff……

happy memories.

Best open venue is the forum in London.

riverside ,international 2 & Astoria rip.

you’re quite right Debz.

They didnt play any decent tunes, It was like being at the back at Wembley and there was no atmosphere at all.

‘course, that night there was me, Curt Cobain, a banjo with 2 strings, and Cliff Richard on backing vocals in a lock up in Chelmsford was properly keeping it real.

Wonder Stuff and Neds were excellent in Brum last week.

Is o2 academy the same as Brixton academy? Jeeesus that building could tell some stories.

Manchester albert hall looks good

went to the o2 institute in Birmingham a while back, that worked

nice to see neds about, they are very of my time.

I think you missed the words “for me” in my post Stonker

Rusty, grew up with Portsmouth as nearest gig city. 90s were good for gigs, but not since. Mostly drive over to Brighton for stuff these days.

Thekla.

Going back to the Op’s original question with regard to the O2..

The Newcastle venue is quite small with a balcony seating area ..downstairs in the stalls is standing only..hot & sweaty ..

I’ve only ever been to one gig there which was fantastic..

20180423_130649 by Neil Hodgson – Flickr2BBcode LITE

Sloe Gin tour ..when he was just breaking big in this country ..

Was at the stuffies and neds in brum last sunday, fantastic night out. The O2 Institute in brum is a great venue as is Wolverhampton Civic Hall, also fond memories of the Odeon on New Street back in the day and the hummingbird too.

That photo of Stoner’s is a very familiar view to me, I’ve seen many bands there over the years, but Thekla, the Louisiana, and St Bonaventure’s are all venues in Bristol I’ve seen lots of great gigs at, too many to really pick out special ones, although Maria McKee and JD Souther at St Bon’s are two that do stand out.

If anything, Neds fans’ taste in hairstyles has improved…

Agree with many of the London venues mentioned, I’ve a soft spot for the 1 in 12, Bradford.

Also Wigan Cricketers, where I went to see Wat Tyler (I think) on my 19th birthday in 1993.  They were supporting a then-unknown Californian band who went on to have a bit of success 😉

For such an unremarkable suburban sports club I saw quite a lot of great bands there.

Anybody been to the sunflower lounge in birmingham. Just up the road from the academy. Looked buzzing and has 120 capacity sweat box venue downstairs apparently.

 The Mayfair in Newcastle was my fav. venue before it got demolished

I reckon that’s the true sign of aging – not when the bands you loved have gone, but the bloody venues have gone too.

Fond memories of the Mayfair, and a couple of my favourite venues in Leeds (The Duchess and the Cockpit) are also gone too.

Sunflower Lounge is very good.  Seen Exmagician, Edgar Jones and a few others there.  Really good small, sweaty venue.

Been to most of the Brum & Wolves venues in my time.  The old Carling Academy 2 above the main room was a brilliant venue too.  Not so fussed about  the main room of the Carling Academy /Hummingbird.

The Flapper, The Junction, Foundry and Edwards were all good venues.  The Institute, Civic and Wulfren are all still good.  The Brum Academy 2 & 3 are very good and even the main room isn’t bad, but some bands do have a hell of a time getting the mix right.

Outside of Brum, the Islington Garage is great, I love  The Roundhouse and Apollo as well in London.  The Academy in Oxford, Rock City in Nottingham and the Kasbah/ Coliseum in Coventry also excellent.  Really like the Albert Hall in Manchester as mentioned by Binners too.

In terms of larger places – Brighton Dome and MEN Arena have always been good places to go.

Where did you grow up Dez (and everyone else)?

I grew up in Chippenham, the nearest place for gigs was Bristol, but only the Colston Hall and the Hippodrome, at least up until the 80’s, saw Pink Floyd, Yes, Supertramp, Thin Lizzy, Blondie and Television, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers with Nils Lofgren and a few others there, Bath had the Pavilion which was great for gigs in the 70’s, I saw Ian Dury &the Blockheads, The Jam, The Clash, Elvis Costello, Siouxie and the Banshees, GirlSchool, The Human League (the original three-piece), Spizz Energy, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Peter Gabriel, and others there, Swindon had the Oasis and I saw Dire Straits with Talking Heads, and Squeeze, Eddie and the Hotrods and Radio Stars there, and Chippenham had one or two gigs up until Golddiggers opened, I saw Supertramp at the local college, but missed The Who and Roxy Music! Oh, and The Smiths and King Crimson as well. 😢 Since the early 80’s Bristol has really improved with loads of venues, and I’ve seen far too many bands to mention since, and Bath now has the Komedia and The Forum. Until Bristol bucked it’s ideas up, London was the only place to see anyone interesting who wasn’t a major artist, which involved going to The Forum, The Garage, and others no longer with us.