Your favourite 5 gigs in order?
- Thread starter Dirk
- Start date
vodka jon
Active Member
1. The Jam - Manchester Apollo (mar & dec 1982)
2. Stone roses - Spike island 1990
3. Deelite - Hacienda 1989/90
4. Air - Manchester Apollo (think it was 2005?)
5. Terry Callier - a couple of weeks ago Band on the Wall Mcr
during the early 90's acid jazz movement numerous very good concerts but the above have all been either 'chin stroking' goodies or coming of age eye openers!
2. Stone roses - Spike island 1990
3. Deelite - Hacienda 1989/90
4. Air - Manchester Apollo (think it was 2005?)
5. Terry Callier - a couple of weeks ago Band on the Wall Mcr
during the early 90's acid jazz movement numerous very good concerts but the above have all been either 'chin stroking' goodies or coming of age eye openers!
I haven't been to that many gigs but here are a few that spring to mind...
1. Oasis - Glastonbury 1995
2. Scissor Sisters - Northampton 2004
3. Lazy Habits - stumbled across these in a small marquee at Glastonbury 2008
4. Roisin Murphy - KOKO 2007
5. Madness - London 1992
1. Oasis - Glastonbury 1995
2. Scissor Sisters - Northampton 2004
3. Lazy Habits - stumbled across these in a small marquee at Glastonbury 2008
4. Roisin Murphy - KOKO 2007
5. Madness - London 1992
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Morbyd
Moderator
I've been to so many concerts over the past 25 years (and have such a poor memory) that it'd be really hard to say. I'll choose at random from the ones I remember, in no particular order.
1. Lolapalooza - Lake Fairfax park - Reston, Virginia, 1991 (Janes Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Jesus & Mary Chain, Ice-T & Body Count, Rollins Band, et. al.)
2. Faithless - Berlin, 2004
3. The Cure - The Centrum - Worcester, Massachusetts, 1992
4. Nine Inch Nails - The Centrum - Worcester, Massachusetts, 1994
5. U2 - RFK Stadium - Washington, DC - 1987
Honorable mentions go to Billy Idol-Luzhniki arena-Moscow 2010, Kraftwerk-Exit Festival-Novy Sad, Serbia 2009, Lenny Kravitz-OlimipiiskyArena-Moscow 2008, and probably a few more!
1. Lolapalooza - Lake Fairfax park - Reston, Virginia, 1991 (Janes Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Jesus & Mary Chain, Ice-T & Body Count, Rollins Band, et. al.)
2. Faithless - Berlin, 2004
3. The Cure - The Centrum - Worcester, Massachusetts, 1992
4. Nine Inch Nails - The Centrum - Worcester, Massachusetts, 1994
5. U2 - RFK Stadium - Washington, DC - 1987
Honorable mentions go to Billy Idol-Luzhniki arena-Moscow 2010, Kraftwerk-Exit Festival-Novy Sad, Serbia 2009, Lenny Kravitz-OlimipiiskyArena-Moscow 2008, and probably a few more!
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Don Simon
Well-Known Member
1. Richard Hell+Violent Femmes - CBGB Bowery NYC,1982.
2. Ian Dury+Stranglers+Sex Pistols - Walthamstow Assembly Hall London,1976.
3. Test Dept+much more - Bishopsbridge maintenance depot London,1986.
4. Talking Heads+Tom Tom Club+Burning Spear - Paramount Theatre Staten Island,1982.
5. The Only Ones - Ashton Court free festival Bristol,1978.
2. Ian Dury+Stranglers+Sex Pistols - Walthamstow Assembly Hall London,1976.
3. Test Dept+much more - Bishopsbridge maintenance depot London,1986.
4. Talking Heads+Tom Tom Club+Burning Spear - Paramount Theatre Staten Island,1982.
5. The Only Ones - Ashton Court free festival Bristol,1978.
Have seen plenty of godawful concerts over the years (d:ream, danni minogue, los heroes de silencio anyone?) overhyped wastes of time (Prince, The Streets, Flaming Lips, Blur) or cacophonous cures for insomnia (david holmes, futureshock, ben westbeech, diefenbach, MU) and no end of novelty nonsense (kid carpet, bjorn again, my ex-flatmate's ex-boyfriend's shed seven tribute band) it is safe to say I have been pretty unlucky with most of the gigs I've been to but these five have always stuck out for me as rather special events
5. The Orb, Exeter University Great Hall 1993
Had just moved to Devon as a student and had no idea what a crustie was, but I soon found out. A sea of fog in that room greeted Dr Patterson and co who then proceeded to play literally mind-blowing music, samples from the unlikeliest sources and it all opened my ears to a whole new form of dance music which was as far removed from the handbag of the charts as it got. The term ambient was used a lot in 93, all sorts of producers taking their cue from the classic KLF chillout long player which set the standard. It was trippy, it was exciting, it was the future of music. and how everyone sneered at those who didn't understand and reminisced about GOA even though most of them hadn't been. Oh yes, there were no end of superficial daddy-funded arseholes in that community, aah but the music was gold.
4. Basement Jaxx, Sala Apolo, Barcelona 1999
The jaxx were just on the verge of going stratospheric with the Remedy album although I'd been intrigued by them for about 3 years as they evolved out of the small brixton circuit. At a time when dance music was increasingly polarising between the podiums of the main room and the experimentalism of the back room, the jaxx offered a new sonic manifesto which incorporated everything from sneak, maw, daft punk to carnival soca and rude bwoy beats. Experiencing this music live was simply jaw dropping. Long before the term mashup was coined Felix Buxton was already playing around looping classic samples and in effect creating two tracks out of one. Their big hit that year was Red Alert and they made one of the best booties ever cross-splicing it with the jackson sisters I believe in miracles. Seeing this Live. On Stage - a show enhanced by 10 Brazilian ladies in quite a lot of feathers but not a lot of clothes, it did look and sound rather grand. The Sala Apolo, best known for the epic NITSA parties, looks more like a music hall that a gig venue, it's seedy, it's dirty, the SOUND IS LOUD, the crowd a mishmash of spanish alternatives and UK ex-pats. And I loved it. Not too sure what the spanish contingent made of it all that night, but to me this felt like a delicious slice of South London relocated to Barcelona for the night and I must have sweated half a stone in that room.
3. Underworld, Somerset House, London 2003
There is something rather regal about the courthauld institute illuminated on a clear starry summer night. And I suppose you could say there are not many performers with the royal pomp of Karl Hyde. Conjoining the two together was not likely to disappoint. As a massive Underworld fan since around 1992, I had seen them before with patchy results but this was different. From the opening salvo Mo Move through to the ferocious Rez and culminating in the understated joy of Jumbo, a small part of London simply exploded along with my body which gleefully accepted whatever it was that geordie chap in the cap had given me only an hour earlier. Some people don't 'get' Underworld, and the 'stadium techno' experience is a very acquired taste but my senses were challenged, my shoes were destroyed by the cobbles, my head was electrocuted, my grin as wide as the Thames only a few yards away. Karl Hyde is not so much a singer or a poet, he is more like the pied piper, he issues the clarion call, he mutters the gibberish that at the time sounds so profound, he is for 90 minutes of your life the messiah, the guru, the dalai llama or he is at least until the gig ends and you shoot off on the District Line. You must see Underworld at least once in your life before you (or they) die.
2. The Juan Maclean, Cargo, East London 2009
The Juan Maclean from New York City make great dance music and they make great dance music sound great on stage and they can make you feel like you have suddenly been transported back to the best rave. ever. anywhere in the galaxy. I was very privileged to attend this small gig, which despite the notorious lack of atmosphere there and appalling acoustics did somehow reverberate that night to their delicious blend of acid, punk-funk, newwave disco and house. The show had been beset by problems when british airways 'lost' their kit and they had to borrow some instruments from Hot Chip at the 11th hour but you would never have noticed. There is not much else I can add. Am still shaking thinking about it now. This video filmed on the same tour pretty much says it all http://vimeo.com/7496708 everything basically that is exciting and emotional and sweaty about live dance music.
1. Sebastien Tellier, Worldwide Festival (Montpellier, France) 2006
Gilles Peterson's festival attracts the great and the good of the leftfield soul, funk, jazz and house scenes and takes place in the South of France every summer. His policy has always been to 'join the dots' for all black music enthusiasts - taking in music from literally all over the planet and is a real treat. Taking place on a clifftop on the Sete peninsula near Montpellier, the Theatre de la Mer does slightly resemble the Gala zoo space in Ibiza, the feel of a Roman amphitheatre lending itself beautifully to gigs and parties. Through the course of that weekend, we attended many gigs ranging from japanese gangster jazz (soil & pimp sessions) through to west london broken beat (bugz in the attic) but the highlight was actually a lowkey daytime event perhaps programmed to appeal to some rather monged and savaged heads, what better way then to chill on the rocks as the greatest French songwright since Serge Gainsbourg took to the piano. Sebastien Tellier could not be more stereotypically French if he tried. Louche, bearded, slightly haughty, armed with nothing more than a glass of rose and a cigarette stuck up his nose (as you do), think Jesus Christ with an Cantona-esque glint in his eye, he then took us through an hour of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. His biggest tune by far is La Ritournelle - which gained cult status on the Blue Room on Radio 1 in the early 2000s and which is now considered a bit of a balearic classic. Deeply emotional music - it was hard not to shed a tear that day. He supplemented it with some fine other tracks from his first two albums, his grand piano ably assisted by a sidekick on a MICRO-KORG player - see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccf9fnH_Suw Have not really followed his career that closely since but whether by accident or by design - he somehow managed to deliver what I consider the ultimate gig
5. The Orb, Exeter University Great Hall 1993
Had just moved to Devon as a student and had no idea what a crustie was, but I soon found out. A sea of fog in that room greeted Dr Patterson and co who then proceeded to play literally mind-blowing music, samples from the unlikeliest sources and it all opened my ears to a whole new form of dance music which was as far removed from the handbag of the charts as it got. The term ambient was used a lot in 93, all sorts of producers taking their cue from the classic KLF chillout long player which set the standard. It was trippy, it was exciting, it was the future of music. and how everyone sneered at those who didn't understand and reminisced about GOA even though most of them hadn't been. Oh yes, there were no end of superficial daddy-funded arseholes in that community, aah but the music was gold.
4. Basement Jaxx, Sala Apolo, Barcelona 1999
The jaxx were just on the verge of going stratospheric with the Remedy album although I'd been intrigued by them for about 3 years as they evolved out of the small brixton circuit. At a time when dance music was increasingly polarising between the podiums of the main room and the experimentalism of the back room, the jaxx offered a new sonic manifesto which incorporated everything from sneak, maw, daft punk to carnival soca and rude bwoy beats. Experiencing this music live was simply jaw dropping. Long before the term mashup was coined Felix Buxton was already playing around looping classic samples and in effect creating two tracks out of one. Their big hit that year was Red Alert and they made one of the best booties ever cross-splicing it with the jackson sisters I believe in miracles. Seeing this Live. On Stage - a show enhanced by 10 Brazilian ladies in quite a lot of feathers but not a lot of clothes, it did look and sound rather grand. The Sala Apolo, best known for the epic NITSA parties, looks more like a music hall that a gig venue, it's seedy, it's dirty, the SOUND IS LOUD, the crowd a mishmash of spanish alternatives and UK ex-pats. And I loved it. Not too sure what the spanish contingent made of it all that night, but to me this felt like a delicious slice of South London relocated to Barcelona for the night and I must have sweated half a stone in that room.
3. Underworld, Somerset House, London 2003
There is something rather regal about the courthauld institute illuminated on a clear starry summer night. And I suppose you could say there are not many performers with the royal pomp of Karl Hyde. Conjoining the two together was not likely to disappoint. As a massive Underworld fan since around 1992, I had seen them before with patchy results but this was different. From the opening salvo Mo Move through to the ferocious Rez and culminating in the understated joy of Jumbo, a small part of London simply exploded along with my body which gleefully accepted whatever it was that geordie chap in the cap had given me only an hour earlier. Some people don't 'get' Underworld, and the 'stadium techno' experience is a very acquired taste but my senses were challenged, my shoes were destroyed by the cobbles, my head was electrocuted, my grin as wide as the Thames only a few yards away. Karl Hyde is not so much a singer or a poet, he is more like the pied piper, he issues the clarion call, he mutters the gibberish that at the time sounds so profound, he is for 90 minutes of your life the messiah, the guru, the dalai llama or he is at least until the gig ends and you shoot off on the District Line. You must see Underworld at least once in your life before you (or they) die.
2. The Juan Maclean, Cargo, East London 2009
The Juan Maclean from New York City make great dance music and they make great dance music sound great on stage and they can make you feel like you have suddenly been transported back to the best rave. ever. anywhere in the galaxy. I was very privileged to attend this small gig, which despite the notorious lack of atmosphere there and appalling acoustics did somehow reverberate that night to their delicious blend of acid, punk-funk, newwave disco and house. The show had been beset by problems when british airways 'lost' their kit and they had to borrow some instruments from Hot Chip at the 11th hour but you would never have noticed. There is not much else I can add. Am still shaking thinking about it now. This video filmed on the same tour pretty much says it all http://vimeo.com/7496708 everything basically that is exciting and emotional and sweaty about live dance music.
1. Sebastien Tellier, Worldwide Festival (Montpellier, France) 2006
Gilles Peterson's festival attracts the great and the good of the leftfield soul, funk, jazz and house scenes and takes place in the South of France every summer. His policy has always been to 'join the dots' for all black music enthusiasts - taking in music from literally all over the planet and is a real treat. Taking place on a clifftop on the Sete peninsula near Montpellier, the Theatre de la Mer does slightly resemble the Gala zoo space in Ibiza, the feel of a Roman amphitheatre lending itself beautifully to gigs and parties. Through the course of that weekend, we attended many gigs ranging from japanese gangster jazz (soil & pimp sessions) through to west london broken beat (bugz in the attic) but the highlight was actually a lowkey daytime event perhaps programmed to appeal to some rather monged and savaged heads, what better way then to chill on the rocks as the greatest French songwright since Serge Gainsbourg took to the piano. Sebastien Tellier could not be more stereotypically French if he tried. Louche, bearded, slightly haughty, armed with nothing more than a glass of rose and a cigarette stuck up his nose (as you do), think Jesus Christ with an Cantona-esque glint in his eye, he then took us through an hour of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. His biggest tune by far is La Ritournelle - which gained cult status on the Blue Room on Radio 1 in the early 2000s and which is now considered a bit of a balearic classic. Deeply emotional music - it was hard not to shed a tear that day. He supplemented it with some fine other tracks from his first two albums, his grand piano ably assisted by a sidekick on a MICRO-KORG player - see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccf9fnH_Suw Have not really followed his career that closely since but whether by accident or by design - he somehow managed to deliver what I consider the ultimate gig
I was there!!! and concur.
I saw her loads of times in 07/08 touring with that album and the Koko one will always be the one that sticks out for me.
Fantastic.
...
harsh question narrowing this one down to five though - hmmm will give it some thought.
Alex Paterson = officially God. 8)
puppylover
Active Member
Jeez that got me wracking my brains - struggling on the dates but...
Leftfield early years of 2000
Moby ditto
Janes Addiction 1991
Underworld - 2001 ish?
Groove Armada 2004 ish
Leftfield early years of 2000
Moby ditto
Janes Addiction 1991
Underworld - 2001 ish?
Groove Armada 2004 ish
Morbyd
Moderator
Wow... small world indeed.
That was the concert (I think I've mentioned it before around here) when Bono dislocated his shoulder when he slipped and fell on the wet stage but carried on with the show. Nobody realized he was injured until he came back out for the encore in a sling. 8)
1. Prince aftershow at Indigo2 2007 - opening night of his 21 nights residency (which I thought was incredible but hey, can't please 'em all!)
2. Incognito - 25th anniversary at the Kentish Town Forum 2004 - I've easily done 10+ Incognito gigs which I guess makes me a veteran but this was by far the best.
3. Grace Jones - Underground Network, Crobar NYC 2004 - Very exciting gig, loads of ageing garage devotees in the house, hosted by Lady Bunny/Barbara Tucker with guest vocalists, old Chicago classics and the Vissi Dance Troupe on podiums - class.
4. Fluke - Tribal Gathering '96 - not sure why I've picked this one. I just remember it being amazing. Europe's biggest dance tent (not seen it in the UK since), God knows how many thousands of people, electric atmosphere and the most amazing production values. Proper rave moment (almost trumped by Orbital's comeback gig at the Brixton Academy this year).
5. Patti Labelle - Central Park, NYC 2004 - gotta keep on dancin' cos music is my liiiiife! (need I say more?) 8)
2. Incognito - 25th anniversary at the Kentish Town Forum 2004 - I've easily done 10+ Incognito gigs which I guess makes me a veteran but this was by far the best.
3. Grace Jones - Underground Network, Crobar NYC 2004 - Very exciting gig, loads of ageing garage devotees in the house, hosted by Lady Bunny/Barbara Tucker with guest vocalists, old Chicago classics and the Vissi Dance Troupe on podiums - class.
4. Fluke - Tribal Gathering '96 - not sure why I've picked this one. I just remember it being amazing. Europe's biggest dance tent (not seen it in the UK since), God knows how many thousands of people, electric atmosphere and the most amazing production values. Proper rave moment (almost trumped by Orbital's comeback gig at the Brixton Academy this year).
5. Patti Labelle - Central Park, NYC 2004 - gotta keep on dancin' cos music is my liiiiife! (need I say more?) 8)
Fluke - ubiquitous around 93/94 - then never heard of again?! loved his version of big time sensuality - (beast of a tune) + slid, atom etc have any of them aged well though??
WeLuvIbiza
Active Member
1) 1982 - The Jam (Queens Hall - Leeds). Schoolboy at the time, first ever gig, brilliant.
2) 1986 - New Order (St Georges Hall - Bradford). Amazing.
3) 1990 - Stone Roses - (Spike Island) - the era was unfortgetable.
4) 1995 - Stone Roses - (Sheffield Arena) - Black Grape were pants, loved the second coming.
5) Past nearly three decades, every small pub and club band I have ever seen as a collective. Especially at the Duchess of York (rip) in Leeds. The then free Carling music festival in Roundhay Park, fab memories.
Tended to move away from the over commercial massive gigs. Sold tickets to an Oasis gig where about 2,000,000 people turned up. Mates who bought the tickets took about four days to get out of the site.
Used to love live music and have never been to Glasto, something to put right before too much longer.
2) 1986 - New Order (St Georges Hall - Bradford). Amazing.
3) 1990 - Stone Roses - (Spike Island) - the era was unfortgetable.
4) 1995 - Stone Roses - (Sheffield Arena) - Black Grape were pants, loved the second coming.
5) Past nearly three decades, every small pub and club band I have ever seen as a collective. Especially at the Duchess of York (rip) in Leeds. The then free Carling music festival in Roundhay Park, fab memories.
Tended to move away from the over commercial massive gigs. Sold tickets to an Oasis gig where about 2,000,000 people turned up. Mates who bought the tickets took about four days to get out of the site.
Used to love live music and have never been to Glasto, something to put right before too much longer.
Morbyd
Moderator
Was that the tour with Echo & the Bunnymen and Gene Loves Jezebel? At least, that was the line-up when they hit the States in '87. I love New Order to death but was actually not impressed with the show.
Shall we meet at Glasto next summer?
(Seriously trying to get myself psyched up to make the effort
)
Boardgrrrrl
Active Member
Ditto! I've only really got into going to gigs over the last 2 or 3 years to my shame so haven't really got that many under my belt to be fair (however I am more than making up for it this year
)Florence and the Machine
V 2010
The great weather (most of the time), the company of good friends, the excitable atmosphere of the whole weekend was summed up in this mere 45 minutes of theatre.
Elbow
V 2010
Everyone else had left me to go and watch Human frucking League so I stood on my own in the sunshine singing my heart out as the sun set.
U2
Earls Court
2001
One of the first arena gigs I'd ever been to. Managed to elbow my way to the front. Cried at One. Emotional.
Wonderstuff
Wolves Civic
200?
I wanted to marry Miles Hunt when I was 15 but I never got to see them live, so getting to relive my teenage years and mosh along to all those tracks I'd bored my parents to tears with when I was younger was tremendous fun
**EDIT** Mexicolas have just got bumped as I remembered this one......
Foo Fighters
Cardiff Millenium Stadium
December 2005
We went to see Oasis headline the Noise & Confusion mini festival and walked in just as the Foos started their set - F**K ME they were the loudest thing I'd ever heard! Even stood at the back the bass pounded you into submission. I've been a fan ever since
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WeLuvIbiza
Active Member
Was that the tour with Echo & the Bunnymen and Gene Loves Jezebel? At least, that was the line-up when they hit the States in '87. I love New Order to death but was actually not impressed with the show.
Shall we meet at Glasto next summer?
(Seriously trying to get myself psyched up to make the effort
Deffo not Echo & the Bunnymen, for my sins cannot remember who, was some punk outfit who didn't go down too well. Possibly the best fiver I ever spent (on the ticket).
Would love to go to Glasto next year, I thought tickets were like gold dust?
(You have now got me thinking the name of the support act for New Order, will be phoning round friends I haven't spoken to for ten years to try and find out now!)