I have seen many a beat combo over the years from Dumpys rusty nuts to Pink Floyd, but I think the most excited I have ever been was when I saw Queen in 1975 at Earls court. Being only 13 they just blew my mind. At the time there was just no one around like them. I went on to see them some 15 or so more times over the years...
The only band I never saw but would have loved to have seen was the mighty Zappa, and if some lucky bastard on this forum has seen him please don't tell me as I may cry...
The only band I ever walked out on early were Dire Straits. God they were so boring...
So my most fave concert was - Queen at Earls court in 1975...
Beatles in Hull
Merseys star bands in Bridlington (all night)
Cream on Wimbledon Common
Jethru tull in Notting hill
Blues breakers in Soho
Chuck Berry in Oxford street dive
Genesis at Earls courts
Stones at Wembly Stadium
Queen at Wembly stadium
Pink Floyd in too many venues to mention
Moby in Birmingham
Caribao in Hua Hin and their home village near Khon Kaen
Cumpee in Hua Hin
Favourite though was Clapton in Bangkok
Looking at the above I've now given my age away
Last edited by richard on Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
I've seen a lot of good concerts, but highlights were:
The Clash in 1980 (Coventry)
U2 on several occasions but 1982 at the Lyceum
Kate Bush at the Palladium in 1979
Rolling Stones at Wembley
Robert Cray with Eric Clapton at the Mean Fiddler
Dexys Midnight Runners in 1982 at the Coventry Apollo.
Echo and the Bunnymen on numerous occasions.
Siouxsie and the Banshees at the Albert Hall
Magazine at the Lyceum
The Jam at Stafford Bingley Hall
Paul Weller at the V Festival
The stand out one was definitely the Clash though, absolutely awesome.
I've seen hundreds, but there is no doubt the the one that was always the most fun was Jimmy Buffet. I have been to probably 20 of his and as the officials of the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California said in the newspaper..."We always have to double the security at a Jimmy Buffet concert because the fans seem to drink more beer and tequila than at any other program we offer here..."
He has played there every year since the place opened in the mid 80's. I went to them every year until I moved to Florida in the late 90's and have seen him as well in many other venues. His concerts are always a lot of fun!
Like many of you,far too many to mention but the pick of the crop would be
Faithless. NIA and nottigham indoor arena
Terrence Trent D'arby. Villa leisure centre (surprisingly he just rocked)
Mr Zappa. NEC Broadway the hardway tour (sorry Randy)
Polyphonic Spree. Cov Colluseum and Stoke on trent 2 days later
Ian Dury. Warwick Uni,i think he only played 1 more gig after that before he died
All of them special for different reasons. I would dearly loved to have seen Buddy Rich in action and if Rage tour again i will try my damndest to go and see the great Tommy Morello in action
Worst Gigs
Paul Weller Villa leisure centre Just boring
Van Halen(Hager vocals) NEC Too self indulgent and very boring
Alan Holdsworth Ronnie Scotts B'ham We walked out
Randy, are you aware of a band called the Muffin Men??? Zappa tribute band that tour most years. Jimmy Carl Black was singing with them up until he died last year and a few years ago Ike Willis was singing with them. They have a website but i can't do the link thingy!!! there's loads of them on youtube too. Well worth checking out!!
Hi bubbly, I saw the muffin men in Brighton many years ago it was a great night and as a result I missed the London train home!
When I was young I used to be a lighting operator at the Fairfield halls in Croydon. It was my evening job whilst at school. I saw many bands while I was working there, 3 degrees, Oscar Peterson, George Melly, Georgie Fame, Buddy Rich, Tanderine dream...etc.
Oops did I mention Buddy Rich! well you mentioned Zappa... i'll trade you...
Truth be known he was a very arrogant man and even stoppted the show one night when one of us moved the spotlight off him claiming to be the star!!!
I am truely envious though Randy even if he was an arrogant man,he was the best drummer that ever was or probably ever will be. Managed to see Georgie fame at Ronnie Scotts in B'ham around 15 years ago,he was good and he had his son playing drums for him.
Does anyone remember the oscar Peterson jazz show?? I think it was on BBC2 somewhere around the late 70's.A distant memory now for me but i used to love that show!!!!
kings of Leon (V, Staffordshire)
The White Stripes (Manchester Apollo)
Eminem (Milton Keynes Bowl)
Arctic Monkeys (Before they'd released a record, The Ritz, Manchester)
Oasis with Foo Fighters,Razorlight,The Coral as support. (Millenium Stadium)
Plus Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, The Raconteurs, Kasabian, Strokes, Doves, The La's, Elbow, Polyphonic Spree, Arcade Fire, Muse, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Streets etc etc at various festivals.
Couldn't comment on Matt Tong(i'm not familiar with him) but he'd leave nathan Followill for dead on ability and technique.(i might be biased but he leaves anyone for dead,be it Peart,Hakim,Coliauta,Arman,Appice.) I'll admit though,comparing the differing styles isn't easy,Followill has got a nice touch.
Did anyone see that Geoff Beck thing on BBC4 about a month ago. Coliauta on drums and a young lass called Tal Wilkenfeld on bass.
bubbly wrote:Couldn't comment on Matt Tong(i'm not familiar with him).
He's the Bloc Party drummer so your style point is appropriate, A friend of mine thought their 1st album, Silent Alarm, was using a drum machine.
I cant find anything on Youtube that really does Matt Tong justice, but.....
I'm biased about Followill because they're my favourite band but Radioheads no2 rates him the best current drummer.
Not a huge Radiohead fan but they know a thing or two. (Although In Rainbows was good)
Stones at Wembley (how many of us were there for gawds sake?)
Jethro Tull in Scarborough.
Springsteen in Leeds.
Rod Stewart, Quo and whatshisname from Sheffield at Gateshead.
Sadly never had the opportunity to see Queen. But two surprisingly good and memorable concerts in Hull. One was Eartha Kitt. The other Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. Class acts.
Worst - Everly Brothers at Batley Variety Club.
Most enduring, reliable, and professional performer still on the go IMO -
Paul Jones.
Used to go to a place in Dunstable UK called the California Ballroom and saw nearly every Motown, Soul & Reggae band imaginable.
It was just one of those magic places that had the most magnificent atmosphere and all the bands used to make a point of wanting to play there on UK visits.
For any of you that may have been there, here is a blast from the past. http://www.california-ballroom.info/
The site makes very good reading.
Other than that, when I first came to Australia in 1981 we had pub bands that went on to major stardom.
Inxs, Midnight Oil were some of the 1st I saw there.
On St Kilda Beach there was a great club called the Earls Court, I saw UB40, Simple Minds, Cold Chisel (Last Stand Concert), Style Council. Saw Madness & Bad Manners at the Palais in Melbourne.
Another band that used to play at my local in Cairns was Johnno's Blues Band. I was there is 1988 and according to my niece who went there a couple of years ago, they are still going strong up there
Worst Band would have to be an Aussie Band called Jimmy and the Boys. They were the 1st live band that I ever saw in Melbourne and were just utter crap.
Up there with the best would be the Who Live at the Old Valley in Charlton
We then went up to London and managed to get into to see them. What a concert.
Would still rate as one of my all time memories.
Always Borrow Money from a Pesimist. "They Never Expect it Back"
Like others on here I'll be giving my age away, but who cares!!
Been lucky enough to attend a number of fantastic bands, but my the ones that stand out were:-
Uriah Heep - Ipswich Gaumont - 3 times in the early 70's. SOOOO LOUD!!
Iron Maiden - numerous times, just fantastic
Boston - 3 times but best at Red Rocks, Denver. Awesome outdoor venue and brilliant band.
Rolling Stones - O2 arena, 2007. Brilliant!!
Whitesnake - Ipswich Gaumont, around 2002. Coverdale has such a great live voice.
Foreigner - London and Washington DC. Lou Gramm great vocalist. Kelly Hansen great replacement.
Styx - 2008, backing up Boston at Red Rocks. Superb.
Rainbow - 1984, London. Not as good live as on record. Blackmore miserable as usual.
Can't beat a good live concert at a decent venue. Seen Rod Stewart and others at Wembley Arena and Earls Court, crap venues, just too big. Rod Stewart was a speck in the distance.
Best venues for me are Red Rocks (in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the sound bouncing off those red rocks is just fantastic). Best indoor venues for me are O2 Arena (ex millienium dome in London) and saw Foreigner last year at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Small venue but brilliant for a live rock band.
