Best gig you've been to

Difficult to answer this one, as so many were great for different reasons. As a lifelong Beatle obsessive, Macca’s homecoming gig in 1989, about 10 years since he last toured and longer still since he played in Liverpool, filled an ambition.

For emotion, The Charlatans at Knebworth, a couple of weeks after Rob Collins was killed in a car crash. Not my favourite performance by them. That was Brighton in 95. But certainly the most emotional and a fantastic performance under the circumstances.

For spectacle I can’t imagine anything topping Swifty at Anfield. An amazing show and an amazing performance. I went with my daughter, but I have more of her albums than she does.

Jesse Malin at the Borderline, in London, back in about 2002 was fantastic. He played it like he was headlining Wembley Stadium. I loved the Borderline anyway. Saw loads of gigs there and the Wednesday club night, at the height of Britpop, was a weekly fixture (if I wasn’t on nights).

But the gig where everything came together - the band, the singer, the songs, the crowd, me and the wife when we liked each other - was Cosmic Rough Riders at ULU in London, possibly my least favourite venue in the city. They were awesome that night. Saw Alan McGee embracing each of them backstage. Their album Enjoy The Melodic Sunshine had just come out and it was fantastic. Jangly Byrds-like indie pop. The future was theirs…or would have been, had the band and singer not fallen out shortly after. But I think that was the best one. Probably.

 

All for different reasons
Bowie in Dundee 73, my first gig
Rush in Toronto, their very last gig.
Judas Priest in Glasgow. Loudest band I’ve heard.

 

The Great Gig in the Sky.

 

Arctic Monkeys Kentish Town 05 or Oasis Maine Road 96

although the Pulp gigs last year were pretty close and prodigy at Leeds academy was class

can you call Gatecrasher at the republic sheffield 99 a gig? If so, that possibly tops them all

 

Arcade Fire - Leeds Festival 2010

 

So difficult to answer. Many great gigs. Eg but not restricted to.
Greenday
U2
Cyndi Lauper
Pretenders
Genesis
Pink
Alison Moyet

But I have to say some of the best gigs have been in local venues, Eg club bands that have blown me away.
Just a few examples over the years.
Oliver's army Saxon
Top gun
If I had to pick one who I'd have to say were my favourite. And came away from every gig buzzing.
Guns n oatcakes. With frontman Steve Johnson. Singer/lead guitar. A version of 'Boys of summer' unsurpassed. Worth seeing alone. Sadly taken from us too soon. Having suffered with MS.

 

One from these:

The Jam, Sheffield Top Rank, 1982
Live Aid (Wembley version - if gig), 1985
Jesus and Mary Chain, Brixton Academy, 1987
Renaud, Maisons des Sports, Clermont Ferrand, 1988
White Stripes, Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, 2007

 

Focus at Sheffield City Hall in 1973. Played 2 or 3 encores before they turned the power, off so Jan Akkerman picked up his acoustic guitar and Thijs Van Leer played the grand piano behind the stage and carried on playing.

 

Stone roses, Heaton park

 

Sheffield Uni last year I saw Belgrave House band. It's a collective of musicians who tour their version of a classic album. When I went it was The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust..Brilliant.
I think this time it's Amy Winehouse. would highly recommend..

 

You’ve seen Husker Du …… wow

 

Candy Apple Grey tour. I think that was last time they came to the UK.

 

Springsteen at St James' Park, Newcastle in 1985 was pretty good. We got there a bit late and they'd already started, walking to the ground with "Born in the USA" blasting out over the city...

 

Deffo Lyceum. Took place during its restoration (been derelict for years) good chunks of it was still a building site.

 

Saw Bob Mould at the Brudenell last year. It was him and his guitar and he played a fair number of Husker Du and Sugar songs. Would love to see it played as a band (RIP Grant Hart).

Best ever in no particular order:

Spaceman 3 at Reading festival 1989 (last ever gig)
Nirvana Reading festival 1991 (saw 1992 as well, but in 91 I was in the front row and wasn't developing hypothermia and trench foot)
Senser Reading festival 1993 or 4.
Pop Will Eat Itself reformation at Birmingham Academy around 2004 or so
Dreadzone/The Orb at Leadmill in May
Killing Joke at Royal Albert Hall 2023 - probably their last ever gig after Geordie died
Chameleons "Home is where the heart is" Manchester Ritz last December
Half Man Half Biscuit - Holmfirth Picturedrome in June
Snuff Duchess of York, 1990

This list could change tomorrow.

 

Saw Chameleons this year at Old Woollen in Leeds. Only the singer / bass player from the original line up, Mark Burgess. Really good gig that.

 

I thought Reg Smithies was back in the band, at least he was when i saw them in 2022 (every chance they'll have fallen out again in the mean time).

 

Arcade Fire in Dublin with Pixies as the main support act
One of the 8 times I saw Prince play live (if pushed I'll go for Celtic Park in 1992 or standing 6 feet away from him at his 3121 club residency in Las Vegas)
One of many Carter USM gigs at Brixton Academy (their final show in 2014 a particularly emotional one)
Pixies at Band on the Wall in Manchester (500 capacity), announced the day before it happened in 2022. Still not sure how I managed to get a ticket as the door guy said it had sold out in 7 seconds (I suspect I got a ticket that someone timed out from purchasing ahead of me).