Best Live Band You Have Seen

[ingypingy2]

Bon Jovi @ Ibrox Stadium 1996 with The Gyres, Gun and Skunk Anansie for Support. Was my first big gig aged 17 and still remains one of the best gig's I've been to :) Levellers @ Lynnfield Hotel, Orkney 1998 (I worked the bar at that gig - got paid to see them and got to hang out with them afterwards!!) Sterephonices with Feeder Supporting, Glasgow SECC 2001, Rage Against The Machine @ TITP 2008, Joss Stone @ Hammersmith Apollo 2003, The View @ Ironworks Inverness 2010, Green Day @ Glasgow SECC 2009, Pink @ Glasgow SECC 2009 are also a few standout performances I've caught :) Worst by far has to be Smashing Pumpkins @ Glasgow SECC 2000!! It was just before they disbanded and they clearly didn't give a damn about putting in an effort for the fans by that point, poor poor performance!! :

 

[oldbloke]

Tough call, but ignoring festivals, probably either The Who (Bath Pavilion, sometime between 70 and 72) or Bowie on the Ziggy Stardust tour (July 1st 72, Weston Super Mare Winter Gardens [!!!])
Or then again... Steely Dan, NEC 1996 (I think - missed them in 2000)

 

[oldstout]

First that come to my mind from the old times are Weather Report (still with Jaco Pastorius) and Neil Young.
Lately the best was a Dave Matthews Band gig 3 years ago.

Gumph :thumb:

One of my fave bass players, and Satellite by DMB one of my fave tunes

:

 

[andyh]

Ingy has just reminded me of another one.

Bon Jovi at the Sheffield Arena, I can't remember the tour but the "Faith" album was the current release. Great concert, I've seen them a few times since but that was by far the best one.

 

[hedgerow pete]

i must admit i have been to some great concerts the downside was a slight distence problem to I HEARD A GREAT CONCERT, QUEEN AND KNEBWORTH. :wha:

what i love is when the big boys do small places so even at the back of the hall you can still see the main act clearly,

so for me first love has to be hazel o'connor when she did her first come back acustic tour, i saw her at straford on avon and at banbury in the same week, :P :P :P

i saw motorhead and saxon at wolverhampton civil hall, the best part of that was dad took his 15 year old son with him, that was really a great night :party: :party: :party:

but to me the one that stands out the most was simple red at warwick castle, you know when the band is on fire that one night , when even the weather is right, for me that was it,

and just to slightly change the musical direction, i was present when three quarters of the dubliners turned up at readings tiny pub folk night, aparent paul used to live that way and they came to hear others and ended up doing a few tunes for the public, that was awsome

 

[Moley]

Best support act I saw was in the late 70s, Went by the name of Nutz, supported some big names but never quite made it themselves. I saw them support the Quo and then went to see Rainbow (who I wasn't particularly familiar with at the time but rectified that omission later) because Nutz were supporting. I was particularly amazed by the drummer, John Mylett, and the speed he could get up to with 2 bass drums There's a Marillion lyric which I didn't understand for quite a while, "I remember Toronto when Mylo went down and I sat and I cried on the phone". It turns out Fish was in Toronto when he heard about the death of Mylett, who was a close friend. Incidentaly, I only saw Marillion once, at Wolverhampton Civic, shorty after Fish left the band. It was still a great gig. Have also seen Tull there, who were superb.

In recent years is has mostly been folky stuff, Span have been one of the best I have seen, and one of the worst with a different band line-up and when Maddy had a cold.

Have seen Fairport a few times at their Cropredy festival, but it has been some of their guests who have stuck in the memory, like Julianne Regan of All About Eve, Lindisfarne, Gary Brooker and Everything but the Girl.

Best gig was probably when Fairport came to visit us. As a fundraiser favour to a local good cause close to Robert Plant's heart they played a Cropredy rehearsal gig in Kinver community centre to a packed house of perhaps 250 people. Plant is a local lad, but can expect no special treatment from our daughter. When he arrived at the venue we stood back to allow him through, but oh no, darling daughter barged through the door ahead of him.

He has probably earned the right to look this rough:

They played "Battle of Evermore" with Jerry Donohue's daughter taking Sandy Denny's part. Now I don't really know much about body language, but Robert, I think she likes you:

Standard lens, no zoom, we really were that close to stage.

And here's the song at Cropredy a couple of weeks later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP_iD1miEVQ

 

[dennisking]

Great story Moley, as a folky have you heard of Jonathan Kelly, an Irish folk singer. He would be the best support act I've seen. Backing the Strawbs in the early 70s. he was the star of the evening. So impressed I went to buy his album the next day, took a week to come through so obscure.

 

[hedgerow pete]

remeber as a nipper going with the youthclub to a haxel occonor gig to find these wierdo brummies called duran duran as a backing act, lol

wonder what happend to them ha ha ha ha ha ha

to me now the smaller the venue the better, and i must admit the names that roll through wolverhampton civic hall is quite amazing though you do have to quick off the mark for the tickets

 

[oldstout]

Great story Moley, as a folky have you heard of Jonathan Kelly, an Irish folk singer. He would be the best support act I've seen. Backing the Strawbs in the early 70s

+1 great story :thumb: First ever single I bought was 'Lay Down' by The Strawbs :grin:

 

[Titch]

im a mere youngster to you old farts

simple minds Aberdeen in the 90's was ok as tickets were free but not great
U2 Zooropa tour Glasgow great give, lemon was a great tune.
M People Manchester again free tickets friends pulled out
Oasis heaton Manchester park before they split

the eagles twice awesome band live

girlie bands ive seen with the wife and friends, Kylie and take that

Off to see the Stone Roses 29th June in Manchester Heaton park

flying back from Kuala Lumpur for that one, ooh and to see the wife and kids


can not wait

 

[Fugglehead]

Gang Of Four-1978-Hastings Pier

 

[alanywiseman.]

I am feeling encredably jelious!!!!! Some of you have been able to see some great bands in there prime! Addmitidly I would have been to young but to have seen bowie on the Ziggy tour would have been amazing.

I have to agree with most peoples comment that the small venues are the best however due to health and safety you just dont get the pyrotecnics! Only stadium gig i have been to was Boni Jovis at hampden on the One Wild Night tour. Was a lot of fun (I am ignoring that i saw Celion Deion at Murryfeild I had no choice, Honest).

I must say though that the best band I saw last year had to be Jonsi at the O2 Academy in Glasgow. Fairly small venue but the stage show was amazing! Hoping that Sigur Ros are going to be touring at the end of the year so fingers crosed i get some tickets!

P.S. as storys go though my OH accedently hit Meg White in the face with a door when they played Glasgows QMU :lol:

 

[andyh]

im a mere youngster to you old farts

:shock: :shock:
Young Upstart :grin: LOL

 

[andyh]

Another one comes to mind

Motorhead No Sleep Till Hammersmith tour, something else, my ears were ringing for hours afterwards :lol:

and one more was

Van Halen. Always loved them, and Eddie probably the best guitarist that ever lived, and before you say it yes I've seen Clapton 4 times.

Phil Collins, Was on stage for 2 3/4 hours, something else.

Joe Cocker at Sheffield Areana, the mans a legend.

ZZ Top, loud, LOUD and even LOUDER, superb.

 

[andyh]

Best gig was probably when Fairport came to visit us. As a fundraiser favour to a local good cause close to Robert Plant's heart they played a Cropredy rehearsal gig in Kinver community centre to a packed house of perhaps 250 people. Plant is a local lad, but can expect no special treatment from our daughter. When he arrived at the venue we stood back to allow him through, but oh no, darling daughter barged through the door ahead of him.

He has probably earned the right to look this rough:

They played "Battle of Evermore" with Jerry Donohue's daughter taking Sandy Denny's part. Now I don't really know much about body language, but Robert, I think she likes you:

Standard lens, no zoom, we really were that close to stage.

And here's the song at Cropredy a couple of weeks later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP_iD1miEVQ

WOW..........You saw this, I remember seeing this on the news. I'm soooooooooo jealous.
You'll have to get Band Of Joy cd, simply brilliant.

 

[Moley]

WOW..........You saw this, I remember seeing this on the news. I'm soooooooooo jealous.
You'll have to get Band Of Joy cd, simply brilliant.

Got it :thumb:

I was rather hoping he'd bring Alison Krauss though. Don't think much of their collaboration album but I love her solo work and with Union Station.

Like I said, Robert's a local bloke, but he can shop in Sainsbury's without getting mobbed and I could tell you which pub he frequents on a Friday night.

How this came about, I think a local village hall or sports pavilion needed some work doing and one of their committee was talking to Plant, who said that they needed a rehearsal room, so if a venue could be found at short notice he'd get the band up here and they'd play their set for free.

An advertising banner was slung up by some traffic lights I drive through every day on my way to work. I took and called the number, then went round to the organiser's house that evening to collect and pay for our tickets.

I wasn't only right up to the stage, at one point I'd been on it. For some reason there was a magician as a warm-up act (well it was a family event with kids present) and I got volunteered to assist with one illusion, so that gave me a chance to see the running order taped to one of their monitors:

So here's Robert

And Kristina

And Simon

And Ric

And Chris

And Peggy

 

[alanywiseman.]

Saw Sigur Ros last night at Glasgow SECC. It was amazing!!!

If you like then just the littlest bit you MUST see them. They were faultless. The lighting, visuals and music were perfectly in time. If you have the chance to see them don't say no.

 

[wigwamheed]

I've seen some good bands, but streetlight manifesto killed it. Supported reel big fish, whole place is quiet as they start playing a ballad, then out of nowhere everyone goes nuts, brass section going crazy, bottles of water flying about, amazing atmosphere. Completely took me by surprise!

Agreed had the exact same experience, going to see them in Leeds this year

 

[RobWalker]

Saw Sigurd Ros last night at Glasgow SECC. It was amazing!!!

If you like then just the littlest bit you MUST see them. They were faultless. The lighting, visuals and music were perfectly in time. If you have the chance to see them don't say no.

going on wednesday, can't wait, been waiting for years! :

 

[markpeace]

Saw Sigurd Ros last night at Glasgow SECC. It was amazing!!!

If you like then just the littlest bit you MUST see them. They were faultless. The lighting, visuals and music were perfectly in time. If you have the chance to see them don't say no.

I'm off to see them at jodrell bank. Very exciting