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Unsung Forum » Sensational Gigs? |
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Charlie2300 412 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 02:03
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I'm an old coot these days and with the best will in the world, concerts of yesterday tend to blend together - for example, I know that I saw Hawkwind live over 40 times and yet, individual moments from those parties are rare memories. But some gigs are so memorable, for whatever reason, that they remain crystal clear and stand the test of time. I could name a few (dates would be sketchy! LOL), but the most awesome 'gig' that I was lucky enough to be part of was the day that the glorious GLC of yesterday had their closing ceremony at County Hall. It was the evening of 3rd Aug 1985 and Urban Sax were let loose all over the building, up and down cranes, jumping out of windows, 50+ saxophone players in outer space suits making a cocophanous noise that was truly mind-blowing. At the end, they let loose a fearsome amount of foam from the bottom of a massive stage for maximum audience participation. Unbelievable from start to finish.
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Deepinder Cheema 1972 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 03:03
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I remember Urban Sax in London - I think it was Covent Garden. C4 News did a feature the day in question.
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Incoming Traveller 218 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 08:37
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I was the end of GLC bash! But in a different area - I got caught up in the British Movement skinhead fracas during the Red Skins set, but survived and returned to see The Smiths. Memorable, that's for sure. Most sensational gigs: possibly the first I ever went to; The Stranglers at the Rainbow in April 1980. Hugh was in gaol and so they had a huge list of guests: Ian Dury, Robert Smith, Toyah, Hazel O'Connor, Billy Idol... I'd turned 13 two days before and I was scared and excited. Or: Blood & Roses/Sex Gang Children/UK Decay at the Iberico Centre, a squat in West London, circa 1982. Three of the best bands around at the time (IMHO - but probably not many folk here have heard of any of them) for a quid.
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IanB 6761 posts |
Edited Aug 20, 2013, 09:23
Aug 20, 2013, 09:16
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Post 1982, when gig going became a lot more routine, it is all a bit of a blur. The ones that burn brightest in the memory are from way way back. I can recall a lot of detail about these shows (between 75 and 82) but being a jaded old fuck I might struggle to describe what I saw just last month. Yes - QPR The Who - Hammersmith (Who By Numbers Xmas gigs) Status Quo - Hammersmith (Blue For You tour) Rainbow - Hammersmith (Rainbow Rising tour) Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers - New Victoria Theatre Man / Hinkley's Heroes - Roundhouse (farewell shows) John Martyn - Collegiate Theatre The Tubes / Wire - Hammersmith TRB - Marquee Spirit - Rainbow Zappa - Hammersmith (Sunday matinee early '78) David Johansen - Lyceum The Only Ones - Dingwalls Misty - PNL Art Ensemble of Chicago - Roundhouse (two shows) James Brown - Rainbow Joelle Leandre / Derek Bailey - Collegiate Theatre Sun Ra - The Venue McCoy Tyner - Ronnie Scotts
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machineryelf 3681 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 10:11
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never rated Blood & Roses or Sex Gang Children but I would have loved to see UK Decay live, if only to see how they did the intro to wolf Outstanding gigs for me include Cluster at Sunderland Swimming Pool, my youngests first gig , he went for a swim, I went for Cluster, had a wild time, head in water, big bass, head out , no bass.Lying on a big red float listening to Cluster with your son is an experience not to be missed Atilla Csihar in the Tower of the Tyne Bridge stands out, mainly because of the venue Otherwise Violent Femmes - Harlesden Mean Fiddler 86 played the first 3 albums, a medley of Monkee's tunes and more, 3 hours, absolutely fantastic Springsteen Wembley 85 another 3 hours, made Wembley Stadium seem like your local club, amazinglg good Sabbath , first ever gig was Sabbath with Ozzy & Van Halen which was astounding but then I had nothing to judge it against, saw the H&H tour with Dio 3 times, Poole,London and Sothampton and the last show in Southampton they were on fire, lasting memory of Dio spotlit in red in a cloud of dry ice singing 'Black shape with eyes of fire' Pearl Jam - Riverside & Nine Inch Nails Riverside 2 bands on the verge of greatness playing in a small club Judas Priest - Evening Star tour 79 another band who knew they had cracked it, they were on top form here Lords of the New Church, Wall of Voodoo LOTNC were ok but Wall of Voodoo were amazing Khanate at the Cluny, SunnO))) were astounding but IMHO Khanate left them standing Godspeed You Black Emperor 2002 - Newcastle Uni mesmerising, sometimes the loud /quiet thing doesn't work live but GYBE had it nailed, there is a live set from Norway on Archive Org recorded a couple of days after this , well worth a listen Spiritualized - never seen them less than stellar but the Acoustic Mainlines show at the sage was a thing of beauty and wonder Faust Newcastle 2005 never heard anything by them, went because it was a weds night and I had nothing better to do, was absolutely blown away and purchased a big box of Faust the very next week, also handily they released this on DVD so I can watch it again & Again Swans - Brighton Zap Club LOUD, REALLY LOUD quite how much volume was produced by such unassuming looking guys is still a mystery, spent a good while sitting on the beach because that's where the volume was comfotable Virgin Prunes - an allnighter in London , 2nd on the bill to Pyschic TV who I found a big letdown after the Prunes , the rest of the bill was full of 80s hipster rock of the worst kind but the Prunes were amazing plenty of others that have good memories but these are the ones that come to mind straight away
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elegant chaos 2390 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 10:31
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Incoming Traveller wrote: Most sensational gigs: possibly the first I ever went to; The Stranglers at the Rainbow in April 1980. Hugh was in gaol and so they had a huge list of guests: Ian Dury, Robert Smith, Toyah, Hazel O'Connor, Billy Idol... I'd turned 13 two days before and I was scared and excited. Did you see the support band - Joy Division..... http://www.joydiv.org/c0404801.htm
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Kid Calamity 9045 posts |
Edited Aug 20, 2013, 15:08
Aug 20, 2013, 11:28
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That Urban Sax gig sounds amazing!! Wow, to have witnessed that, eh? Top gigs for me:- T.REX - Two gigs, both in Birmingham; 1976 and '77 Led Zeppelin: Knebworth, 1979 Prince: 'Lovesexy' Tour, NEC, 1987 The Wonderstuff: Various top sets, really... Probably their best was Sheffield Groovy Fishtank, 1988 Tinariwen: Shewsbury, 2005 Bonobo: Manchester, 2008 Utterly stunning. XTC: Sheffield, 1980 That Petrol Emotion: Birmingham, 1989 Dreadzone: Wolverhampton, 2007 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown: Onboard The Craft Festival, Derbyshire, 2012 EDIT Gotta add a couple of belters, from a Shropshire venue I used to frequent a few years ago: Sly & Robbie with Bunny Rugs: Shrewsbury 2005 Horace Andy: Shrewsbury 2005
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wychburyman 951 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 11:40
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A lot of gigs I've forgotten I even went to and so many Stranglers gigs these days I remember very little detail (other then two nights in Rennes when we met the band). For me, though, it has to be The Clash London Calling tour around 1980ish I guess, at the Top Rank, Birmingham. All too often over-hyped these days and perhaps a bit of a cliché, but they remain the group that (for raw power, energy, blood and guts that didn't let up for 90- minutes), made the most impact live for me. Seeing Ian Dury come on and sing Janie Jones was a blast as well.
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jb lamptoast-morsley 2447 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 12:25
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The Cure - Glastonbury 95. First and so far only experience of them. Probably my first proper gig as up until 95 i hadn't really seen any live acts outside the confines of pubs and clubs. Earthling - Glastonbury 95. My own private discovery a month or two earlier, playing at the jazz stage to not that many. So excited to catch the band at glastonbury when i thought nobody would have heard of them Julian Cope - Bristol 95, Exeter Phoenix 07' The Beta Band Irish Centre, Leeds 99'. My first of many experiences of the band, as they were touring their first proper album, and i was just graduating. Michael Chapman - Restormel Arts Centre St Austell 02 John Renbourn- " " The Cinematic Orchestra - The Albert Hall 07 (for my 30th birthday) It wasn't until the Spring of 09 that i found some great gig going buddies to regularly see music with, starting with: Shearwater - Falmouth Poly 09' Trad Gras Och Stenar - Miss Peapods 10' Six Organs of Admittance - Miss Peapods 10' Jeffrey Lewis & Pete Stampfel - Exeter Phoenix 11' Rangda - Miss Peapods 11' Lisa Knapp & Joey Diver - St Ives 11' Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra - The Barbican 11' This is the Kit & Rozi Plain - Miss Peapods 12' Public Service Broadcasting - Exeter Phoenix 13' ... I've just gone through all the ticket stubbs i've collected from the last 10 years or so - heady halcyon times
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Deepinder Cheema 1972 posts |
Aug 20, 2013, 12:27
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Seeing Arthur Brown deal with a heckler at Market Harborough leisure centre at the start of 'Fire' and Jimmy Carl Black bounce onto stage with the Muffin Men declaring he felt fresh as a daisy since he had some chemotherapy - just little moments at that (and other gigs) which are all cherished memories. That was a great gig in the sports hall, and it felt like a gig in middle America during the 60's by its casual and relaxed nature. Special mention for Carlo the guitarist who played the solo in their Willie the Pimp only by manipulating the feedback flicking the pick up switch.
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