Best gig you have ever been to?

[Pingu]

was just talking about plans for this years gig attendances with the guy who normally comes with me to gigs.

so reminiscing a bit about gigs in the past (we have been going to gigs together since about 1985) and we both decided that the best ever gig we have been to by far was Rammsteins MIG tour last year.

I have been to some epic shows and seen some of the worlds most famous groups (Deep Purple, Floyd, Iron Maiden etc etc) all have had their moments but for showmanship and overall feeling of "fuck me what a gig" nothing has come close to Rammstein. Maybe floyds the wall.. maybe

which is strange as I can petty much guarantee that the majority of those who see them cant understand what they are singing (they sing in German) but they sell out very very rapidly.

 

[cantsin]

was just talking about plans for this years gig attendances with the guy who normally comes with me to gigs.

so reminiscing a bit about gigs in the past (we have been going to gigs together since about 1985) and we both decided that the best ever gig we have been to by far was Rammsteins MIG tour last year.

I have been to some epic shows and seen some of the worlds most famous groups (Deep Purple, Floyd, Iron Maiden etc etc) all have had their moments but for showmanship and overall feeling of "fuck me what a gig" nothing has come close to Rammstein. Maybe floyds the wall.. maybe

which is strange as I can petty much guarantee that the majority of those who see them cant understand what they are singing (they sing in German) but they sell out very very rapidly.

Rammstein are the single campest band that ever lived, and for that I salute them, and indeed you.

 

[Pickman's model]

Probably the ramones supported by anti-nowhere league at the astoria in 95 for reasons that were nothing to do with the musick

 

[Pickman's model]

But if the musick's the thing then i'd go alien sex fiend supported by junior manson slgs again at the astoria in I think january of 89 or pil at the astoria in 87.

 

[killer b]

Current top 5 is

Bowie at Glastonbury (2000?)
Swans in Manchester last November
Psychic tv at the forum in 2003
wynton Marsalis at the jazz cafe, 2003 again
the fall, Preston 2005

 

[cantsin]

stones hype park 69 ( in a papoose, 2yrs old ) , Clash 83 Fair Deal brixton , Primal Scream 91 leicester sq empire, on cleanest white doves evah,they came on at 1.00 am, Screamedelica, perfection.

 

[Firky]

I saw Fatboy Slim in Newcastle years ago and I've never seen a DJ work a crowd like that, certainly one of the best atmospheres I've ever been witness to. Don't even really like him but that was amazing night.

I honestly don't know if one particular gig stands out.

Been to a few 'special' gigs, where it wasn't the best by any means but it was in a really intimate venue. Joe Strummer at the Wedgewood rooms was good - he died about six weeks later.

Radiohead at Oxford Park was amazing (supported by Sigur Ros).

Muse were amazing, seen them three times now and once they were brilliant, full of stage presence then I saw them a couple of yrars later and they were just Queen wannabes.

Orbital get a mention for playing One Perfect Sunrise as the sun was coming up.

Super Furry Animals in Portsmouth for one of the most fun.

 

[Pickman's model]

The blaggers, running riot, bottlejob etc at the dome a couple of years ago was pretty good

 

[chilango]

The Wurzels at Ashton Court Festival c.1995/6
Lee Perry and the Mad Professor in Villa Nova de Gaia 2001
Dinosaur Jr. Milan 2009
The Cure, Mexico City 2004
James Brown in Mexico City a few weeks before he died.

stand out performances off the top of my head. Others include Jejune, The Hives, Pale Saints, The Orb, Orbital, High Tone...

 

[Geri]

Front 242 at The Astoria
Neil Young & Pearl Jam in Finsbury Park
Tackhead at the Victoria Rooms in Bristol
Housemartins at the Bierkeller
REM & Blue Aeroplanes at Birmingham NEC

I couldn't really say what was "the" best, I used to go to a lot of gigs, and I can barely remember most of them.

 

[killer b]

I saw Fatboy Slim in Newcastle years ago and I've never seen a DJ work a crowd like that, certainly one of the best atmospheres I've ever been witness to. Don't even really like him but that was amazing night.

in his day he was an incredible DJ.

 

[belboid]

Chemical Brothers at Glastonbury 1999. Having spent two days wandering round in masses of mud, wondering if it was worth it, and veering strongly towards 'no.' And the Chemicals did have a tendency to do play five really good minutes and then just bloody noodle about for ten minutes. But they were just brilliant, the intro to Private Psychedelic Reel was totally mind-blowing.

Miles Davis, Manchester Apollo, 1988 (?). Not, according to people who'd seen him before, a really great gig, but..We were in the second row, and its Miles fucking Davis. Seemed pretty damned awesome to me.

Super Furry Animals, Leeds University, 2003. Always a brilliant live band, and I think that was my favourite time of seeing them.

Fugazi, Leeds Poly, 1989. I only went to see Chumbawamba, but I discovered Fugazi.

 

[Mumbles274]

Reading festival1992, Sunday

Amazing day

 

[Knotted]

I forget the name of the pub (edit: Henry's Cellar Bar) in Edinburgh and there were only about 10 people there, but the best gig I ever went to was Lindsay Cooper's Free Underground around 1995/6. Jazz improv. They gave us free prawn crackers which I sucked afraid of any crunching. I had a pint of Guinness with that. I'm not even sure it was that great a band, but improvisation is the best thing to watch live and these guys knew what they were doing. Magic.

Next best was probably the Fall 2002ish at the Mean Fiddler. But that's a poor second best. I've seen the Fall twice since then but they were pants both times.

Edit: Scratch that - thinking about it the second and third best gigs I've been to were two work dos and they hired (two different) weddings and bar mitzahs blues/soul cover bands. Can't remember what they were called. But that was some pub in Barnet 2006, 2007. Cracking. They had saxophones and trumpets and everything. There is apparently some footage of me dancing like a maniac on youtube. I've never tracked it down though.

I've never had much money and I've only been to about 20 gigs.

Went to see Buddy Guy at the Royal Festival Hall though. He invaded the audience and came up to the cheep seats and sat beside us which was cool.

 

[Knotted]

Worst gig I've been to was Courtney Pine in Edinburgh late 90's again. Just not very interesting. But the support band was great, I wish I could remember what they were called. A sort of hip hop jazz thing but with spikiness.

 

[jakethesnake]

Pulp at Glastonbury (in 99 i think) were excellent - i'm not particularly keen on their stuff generally but Jarvis Cocker was an impressive showman.

 

[8115]

The best gigs I have ever been to have mainly been tiny local beginner type people. Although I did see Gomez last year and they were amazing, really tight.

 

[Dimitri sharman]

Hi-fi was you there ?

 

[Part 2]

I couldn't really say what was "the" best, I used to go to a lot of gigs, and I can barely remember most of them.

Same here. Between 87-89 I went to gigs 3/4 nights a week and I've very little memory of any of them, it was more a social thing, hitch somewhere, blag some money outside, drink Thunderbird, go in gig, get in the mosh pit, find somewhere to sleep, same again next day. A mate and I were talking not so long ago about the legendary gigs we'd been at and had no recollection of.

Best gigs would be On U Sound shows late 80's early 90's. The Pay it all Back shows at Kentish Town and Country club and Manchester Academy, African Head Charge, Dub Syndicate, Gary Clail shows at Manchester International, Tackhead at Manchester Ritz.

Underworld at Glastonbury in the 'Experimental Sound field', their first gig apparently. Top drugs but I remember the madness that went on all night.

Beastie Boys in quadrophonic on Ill Communication tour at Manchester Academy. Sure Shot was fucking awesome.

Pink Floyd at Maine Road. Strongest Acid ever, bit of a meaningful experience.

New Order when they played Manchester Appollo for the first time in 10 years or something, maybe 1996

The standard by which to measure all gigs will have to be Swans at Manchester Sound Control in November though. It still makes me shiver just thinking about it. My mates will have none of it, tell me it sounds like a mid life crisis.

 

[Geri]

Best gigs would be On U Sound shows late 80's early 90's. The Pay it all Back shows at Kentish Town and Country club and Manchester Academy, African Head Charge, Dub Syndicate, Gary Clail shows at Manchester International, Tackhead at Manchester Ritz.

Think I might have gone to one at the Town & Country Club, I have vague memories of going there but can't for the life of me remember what for. Gary Clail played in Bristol a lot (obviously) and those gigs were so loud, my ears would be ringing for ages after.

 

[billy_bob]

I think my best ones were 'comeback' gigs in the days before recorded music died and the return of long-defunct bands became the norm. An Echo and the Bunnymen one-off, Buzzcocks in the 90s, The Damned free in a bar somewhere with about 40 people in the audience, etc. (My days of regular gigging are pretty clouded by amphetemine so I'm not too good with dates and places....)

 

[ska invita]

Best Rap gig: KRS One at Jazz Cafe last year I think. Saw him once before (bit preachy), but he was incredible this time - he's become more focussed recently - i really recommend seeing him. I had a great time at the PE Nation of Millions 20th anniversary gig but i seem to be in a minority on that one.

Best rock gig: Loved seeing the Pixies play Doolittle 20th anniversary (Brixton academy) and My Bloody Valentine last week was an experience i'll never forget

Best Pop gig: Prince Lovesexy Tour - Wembley Arena I think - would lvoe to go to one of his sceret afterparty gigs, but this was still pretty special

Best reggae gig: LKJ (with Denis Bovel band) at Royal Festival Hall - what a great performer and RFH is a shit venue for nonclassical music i think, but he made it feel like a basement club

Best Jazz gig: Eddie Palmieri at jazz cafe - kick ass latin fire and seems like a lovely humble man to boot. Saw Michel Camilo who i love in about 1990 but i can barely remember it

Best Funk gig: Parliament at jazz cafe - saw him (them) last year and he's STILL got it after 40 years of smashing it

 

[ericjarvis]

A festival at the Ally Pally with the Slits, the Raincoats, The Au Pairs and John Cooper Clarke. The Hives in the UK for the first time supporting the excellent Bob Hund in a Notting Hill basement. The Southall Kids gig at the Roundhouse with the Members, Aswad, and the Clash.

Worst gig was the Enid at Imperial College. I had no choice I was helping on the lights. Otherwise I would have walked out after three minutes (even Van Halen got three minutes, you have to give them a chance). As it was, after fifteen minutes, a roadie came up to the lighting desk to pass one a complaint from the keyboard player that we'd put a spot on the guitarist during a guitar solo. So we set the lights on a general was and all the spots aimed at the keyboards and buggered off to get a few beers.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Spiritualized at the Eden Project I think. It was around the time they'd ditched the choir and the strings and just gone for a wall of guitar noise instead, which when the venue is basically sitting at the bottom of a gigantic speaker cone carved out of the rocks is quite something.

 

[clicker]

The Pogues in Brixton Academy at Christmas.....every time.

The Red Wedge gigs in the 80's , even red Ken got on stage, possibly the mean fiddler.

The Men They Couldnt Hang in the woolwich tramshed.....I think?

Baaba Maal in the royal festival hall for sheer energy and I was in a box so la-di-dahing it up ( free tickets too )

Led Zep at Knebworth as a school kid, first big festival....loved Knebworth.

Frank Zappa at hammersmith odeon and later at another Knebworth....then 2011 his son Dweezil at the Barbican, front row and he got my daughter on stage, so proud parent moment

All the Squeeze gigs for a good old sing a long.

New Model Army at Reading.

awww too many didnt make it in the above list....ugh just had a horrible memory of seeing Gary Glitter in a free winter festival thing on the South bank....possibly also arranged by red ken.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Gig - gig. The Cramps - De Montfort, Leicester.

Gig -concert. Nick Cave . Academy, Brixton.

Concert. Possibly Duran Duran, Birmingham Odeon.

Best fuck up. Squeeze, Finsbury Rainbow.

 

[Kaka Tim]

A lot of my best gigs have been unknown small bands in small venues in leeds.
Famous ones -
The pouges - paddies night at hamersmith odeon in 1985.
The pixies - old trafford - 2005.
Blur - glastonbury - 1994
Prodigy - Glasto - 1995.
Eatstatic - Leeds Uni - 1995

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Canned Heat, Roundhouse, 1975 I think it was. So good we went twice.

 

[ginger_syn]

Queen at Wembley in 1986 my first gig. nothing else has ever been that good.

 

[skyscraper101]

Guns N Roses - Milton Keynes Bowl '93 (aged 12)
Underworld - Astoria '99
Motley Crue - Wembley '06
Thom Yorke - solo set at Lattitde in '09
The Specials - last week at the Nokia Theatre, LA

Also totally agree with Firky having seen Muse a few times too, thought they were ace at first then saw them again a couple years later at and it was like an awful rock opera.