We have had best album, best gig, best gig you missed and best album cover, now for the worst…

What was the most disappointing gig you saw?

For me it was Jamiroquia at Sheffield Arena – their first ever 'stadium' style gig and it showed.

I have even seen Steps and they were more enjoyable (honestly).

In ref to my other post:

Less Thank Jake – shockingly bad gig. The support act were infinitely better than this bunch of losers. I was glad I got my ticket as a freebie. We were the oldest people there (20 at the time) by a good few years.

Sterling Morrison and Mo Tucker (the less well known pair out of Velvet Underground) at the Thekla in Bristol in about 1990.

They were jet lagged and under-rehearsed. Really awful.

Saw them at Glastonbury durign the Velvet Undergroudn reunion tour and they were fine so I clearly caught them on a bad night…

Prince at Wembley, LoveSexy tour back in late 80's, utter porn. Love his music but that was just bad.

I bet, Mastiles, you say the complete oppo? 😀

Well no, I haven't seen Prince 😉 I would quite liked to have seen him though – I especially like Sign o' the Times – one of my all time favourite songs and I am gonna play it now 🙂

Silverfish – in a basement in Exeter. Took me a week to get my hearing back

In ref to my other post:

Less Thank Jake – shockingly bad gig. The support act were infinitely better than this bunch of losers. I was glad I got my ticket as a freebie. We were the oldest people there (20 at the time) by a good few years.
Was this the tour a few years ago with The Living End by any chance?

Roxy Music (1974 – ish). Boy, that chap really cannot sing.

Hawkwind – they had a power cut after "Silver Machine" – we all cheered and left!

Rose Tattoo in a cellar club in Liverpool, early 80's, lead singer was an annoying count who also appeared in the third mad max film, concerned more with volume rather than musical ability, did cop off after the gig though:-)

I walked out off a Paul Wellar as Red Wedge ( think that was the name of this band at the time) gig. Dreadful.
Also walked out of Elvis Costello – couldn't sing, drunk, out of Sinc, could go on and on.

Stranglers,"Men In Black"(or what ever it was called) tour,what a load of tripe & they wouldn't play any of the old stuff either…

prodigy in nottingham around 07 boring.

Eric Clapton

I've done shites with more charisma and personality than him.

All About Eve, somewhere in Sheffield, about 2001-ish.

I think they'd brought a load of their mates with them to make it look like they still had some fans and spent far too much time chatting to them and not enough time playing music.
We lasted about 4 songs and then left. It was awful.
Normally I am so tight I will stay just because I paid for the tickets but even that couldn't keep me there…

Simple Minds at Glastonbury. Nearly got crushed in the rush to get to the cider bus.

The Cure also at Glastonbury. Also rubbish.

Underworld at the Camden Roundhouse. Almost had a fight with a bloke who objected to me objected to him crushing my wife because he was pissed and had no motor control. Thing was, he was obviously in his 40s trying to re-live his "youth" (EXTREME shape throwing rave moves circa 1989) and should have known better. Thing was, as a gig it was good, just the audience made it suck.

A special mention goes to Bjork at T in the Park in 1994 and the Pixies at V in 2004. Both of them did their best to ignore the crowd, played their songs, collected their money. Other people have spotted the problem with the Pixies too, as seen at The L Magazine with their aptly titled article The Pixies to Fans: "**** You, **** You, **** You, Give Us All Your Money

Was this the tour a few years ago with The Living End by any chance?

Nah. Was with a band called "The Stereo"

I have had the misfortune to see Mercury Rev supporting somebody twice now.

They were utterly awful on both occasions and made me want to cut my ears off just so i had something to throw at them, i never understood the hype over them.

Yellowman in Bristol 1985ish. Several storming support groups played, audience lively, support acts finish and go off. The lights come on, most of the audience goes home. Three hours later Yellowman comes on and gets in a strop because the audience are not giving him 'nuff respeck'. Wakner.

Second most disappointing gig ever, Led Zeppelin Knebworth 1979. Chas and Dave were better. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Dukes were utter sh1te, Led Zep: bitter, bitter disappointment.

Cold Play at Glasto.

Mainly because they are such an incredibly bland and tedious band.

Oasis at the Millenium Stadium earlier this year, real bad atmosphere and they weren't all that.

Second to that was Embrace at Westonbirt Aboretum, Totally out of tune all the way through their set!!!

I like Mercury Rev but they always strike me as a band that would be God awful live. Sounds like I might have been right.

Girls Aloud. Mates persuaded me along a few years ago. Something unpleasant about sitting between a group of really gay guys and a bunch of 12 year old girls watching Sarah Harding gyrating on stage with her growler poking through her skimpy pants. I left early feeling eye-violated!

I like Mercury Rev but they always strike me as a band that would be God awful live. Sounds like I might have been right.

I have heard their studio stuff and its just bearable, but live….awful, self indulgent, boring w@nk !!

But to be fair they were supporting Placebo the first time and Bob Mould the second time, i can never figure out why 2 such different musical genres are on the same bill or why promoters think it will work.

I saw the Smashing Pumpkins in Manchester while on their farewell tour, although it was a technically good gig I was disappointed as it was a bit dull and lacked anything ‘special’ (that I expected from their last hurrah!)

I saw Mercury Rev at the Reading festival a few years back, and they were great. Mind you, I was high as a kite at the time…

Motorhead supporting Foo Fighers at Hyde Park 2007, totally milked Ace of Spades and the rest of the set was rubbish. Was really looking forward to seeing them as well.

Metallica – black album tour at Sheffield arena 1991.
Metallica were good but the arena was bad – all seated at a Metallica gig? I ask you? and over zealous security! Bl00dy ruined it for me!
Mind you having said that the Foo's at Wembley last year was pretty bad for the security too, really p1553d me off

Darkness, Brixton Academy, November or December 2003.

Awful band, awful sound mix, awful music, walked out after less than half an hour.

Stevie Wonder…NEC…1988-ish!

Walked out after about 30 minutes…as did half of the audience!
Strangely, don't think Stevie noticed!! 8)

Primal Scream – Cambridge a year or so ago, they came on stage no interaction nothing, played through 3 songs clearly not wanting to be there, someone, not me I might add, lobbed a beer at Gillespie who stropped off after calling the whole crowd ****, 10 mins down, came back out to boo's another pleasant tirade from him and the band, few more songs followed but it was shite and we left. Total waste of money and time.

Nirvana – Edwards no. 8 in Brum (well, they were shit but the night was rescued by Mudhoney)

Faithless – corporate dance music for dads who have never been raving

Saw Cake live at the Barrowlands in Glasgow a few years ago (97ish?). They were supporting someone else (who I actually wanted to see) so I had to hang around while they staggered through pish like "I will Survive" and "The Distance".

Kings of Leon a few years back. Woeful. First night of a tour, you think they'd have shown a bit of enthusiasm. But no. They looked life they'd have rather have been at home watching corrie. Or anywhere else rather than on stage. It was awful.

I then read a review in the Observer Music monthly saying it was, pretty much, the best gig ever. Written by some **** called Casper Llewyllen-Smith who'd been on a corporate jolly with them for a month previous. Told me everything i needed to know about the music press

ozric tentacles were always sh*te live

The Nefilim at rock city. I loved the original neph but carl mcoy and extras was awful. Best bit of the gig… lots of dry ice, atmospheric lighting, lead singer struts into view wearing a beret and immediately met with a cry of "Freedom for tooting!"

Clawfinger at the wheatsheaf- like and even more s**t rage against the machine

lots of wanabe goth bands from the 90's

Green Day at the MEN a fortnight since. Music was (mostly) good, playing of the crowd by Billy-Joe was embarrassing, and the venue is so big I reckon the stage was in Manchester but I was sat somewhere in bl00dy Oldham. I've waited sodding years to see them live too. At least I now know that 'Arena' gigs are not for me.

Contrast that to Stiff Little Fingers at Holmfirth Picturedrome a month since. Intimate venue, myself and the stage were in the same postcode, and the pit at the front was full of bald 40-somethings having a great time knocking **** out of each other. Ace.

I have had the misfortune to see Mercury Rev supporting somebody twice now.

I saw them in 92 and they were ace, totally mental. Saw them again last year, they were dull as ****. Mirrors their output on record perfectly 🙂

Well countless crap bands that were never going to be big, but if we are talking established stars it has to be another Sheffield Arena gig- Lenny Kravitz probably 1993 ish. Pretended to storm off stage in a huff with the audience (happened samepoint in the set every night ).
Girlfriend managed to actually fall asleep…

Status Quo, Newcastle City Hall, 1984-ish on one of their final tours. This particular one was their 'End of the Road' tour. Wish I'd kept driving.

Powercut half way through and then Francis was feeling a bit poorly. Whole thing was totally underwhelming but then I probably should have known that beforehand.

Actually the Stones were pretty average too I thought when I saw them at Wembley Arena (Voodoo Lounge?).