I'll start with gigs I should have gone to:
Pink Floyd's gigs at Sussex Uni circa 67/68 - why didn't I go, havn't a clue
It was the first time that a band had used lighting as an essential part of their act.
Pete Green's Fleetwood Mac 67, Sussex Uni.
David Bowie - Sussex Uni 71 - wasn't a big fan of his at the time. I spent a day as a film extra as did he on a film - The Virgin Soldiers in 67. I watched him observing everyone. He said that observing was the way to learn about people, he was very quiet, you wouldn't have noticed him.
King Crimson, the Dome theatre, Brighton 71. Great acoustics, crazy not to have gone.
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee - the real deal and I didn't go, too late now. These Bluesmen were the soil from which grew R&B and Rock n' Roll.
From the mid 60s' right through the 70s' there was so many bands to see and that was true right across western Europe, the States.
Gigs I went to Stones In The Park, London. The brilliant Flamenco guitarist Manita de Plata twice at the Dome,mid 60s'. Osibisa at the Crypt, Sussex Uni, 74 or 75. Amazing band an amazing night, scored 2 California Sunshine, acid waves, beautiful Venezuelan girls, the music stayed with me for three days, the girls didn't.
The A'dam Vondel Park gigs of 74/5/6. Entering the park in those days was like Castaneda's - A Separate Reality. A big Turkish guy riding one of those old ice cream vendor's three wheeled bikes with the big box in the front. Thing was he wasn't selling ice cream , with a very loud voice that boomed around the park he shouted - hashish, marijuana, psilocybe. All gigs paid for by the A'dam gemeente.
Autumn 78, every Friday at the Suite, Brighton for nine weeks one great Reggae gig after another. Don't know about other countries but never any violence at Reggae gigs in the UK. Bob Marley, Ahoy Halle, Rotterdam 80, never been into stadium gigs but this one was an exception. Seeing this little man silence a huge venue with his solo rendition of Redemption Song and a few weeks later he was dead.
May 68, waiting for the night train to Paris on the French side of the border with Spain along with a lot of Andalucians going to work in northern Europe. They invited me and my friend Brian to eat and drink with them, we got very mellow. A young guy with a guitar and a very pretty girl started to play and sing Flamenco. Not bad but then a man in his 50s' pale (indoor worker) with a paunch stepped forward - could he sing Flamenco. The whole crowd came alive and joined in - not the best Flamenco I have heard but certainly the most real.
I spent 2 years working in Rotterdam in 79/80. In the winter of 79 there was a cafe we called the Vacuum Cleaner cafe because it had old vacuum cleaners hanging from the ceiling and walls. For nine weeks there was a band, loosely Jazz that played there. It was a must for so many foreigners. I knew the guitarist Joop and was sitting just metres from the band. After each set they would come and sit, drink a beer and discuss with people.
For me this is how to hear live music, up front, real close. One exception is the incredible gig by Jean Michel Jarre in Houston. To get three different disciplines to gel is bloody amazing - pyrotechnics, light and music but he and his team did it. Using protective gloves to 'play' lasers - unbelievable but he did and at the end of the show he came onto the front of the stage and said "people of ouston I see you in one thousand years" the roar that went up wish I had been there.
Enough rambling for now.
Pink Floyd's gigs at Sussex Uni circa 67/68 - why didn't I go, havn't a clue
It was the first time that a band had used lighting as an essential part of their act.Pete Green's Fleetwood Mac 67, Sussex Uni.
David Bowie - Sussex Uni 71 - wasn't a big fan of his at the time. I spent a day as a film extra as did he on a film - The Virgin Soldiers in 67. I watched him observing everyone. He said that observing was the way to learn about people, he was very quiet, you wouldn't have noticed him.
King Crimson, the Dome theatre, Brighton 71. Great acoustics, crazy not to have gone.
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee - the real deal and I didn't go, too late now. These Bluesmen were the soil from which grew R&B and Rock n' Roll.
From the mid 60s' right through the 70s' there was so many bands to see and that was true right across western Europe, the States.
Gigs I went to Stones In The Park, London. The brilliant Flamenco guitarist Manita de Plata twice at the Dome,mid 60s'. Osibisa at the Crypt, Sussex Uni, 74 or 75. Amazing band an amazing night, scored 2 California Sunshine, acid waves, beautiful Venezuelan girls, the music stayed with me for three days, the girls didn't.
The A'dam Vondel Park gigs of 74/5/6. Entering the park in those days was like Castaneda's - A Separate Reality. A big Turkish guy riding one of those old ice cream vendor's three wheeled bikes with the big box in the front. Thing was he wasn't selling ice cream , with a very loud voice that boomed around the park he shouted - hashish, marijuana, psilocybe. All gigs paid for by the A'dam gemeente.
Autumn 78, every Friday at the Suite, Brighton for nine weeks one great Reggae gig after another. Don't know about other countries but never any violence at Reggae gigs in the UK. Bob Marley, Ahoy Halle, Rotterdam 80, never been into stadium gigs but this one was an exception. Seeing this little man silence a huge venue with his solo rendition of Redemption Song and a few weeks later he was dead.
May 68, waiting for the night train to Paris on the French side of the border with Spain along with a lot of Andalucians going to work in northern Europe. They invited me and my friend Brian to eat and drink with them, we got very mellow. A young guy with a guitar and a very pretty girl started to play and sing Flamenco. Not bad but then a man in his 50s' pale (indoor worker) with a paunch stepped forward - could he sing Flamenco. The whole crowd came alive and joined in - not the best Flamenco I have heard but certainly the most real.
I spent 2 years working in Rotterdam in 79/80. In the winter of 79 there was a cafe we called the Vacuum Cleaner cafe because it had old vacuum cleaners hanging from the ceiling and walls. For nine weeks there was a band, loosely Jazz that played there. It was a must for so many foreigners. I knew the guitarist Joop and was sitting just metres from the band. After each set they would come and sit, drink a beer and discuss with people.
For me this is how to hear live music, up front, real close. One exception is the incredible gig by Jean Michel Jarre in Houston. To get three different disciplines to gel is bloody amazing - pyrotechnics, light and music but he and his team did it. Using protective gloves to 'play' lasers - unbelievable but he did and at the end of the show he came onto the front of the stage and said "people of ouston I see you in one thousand years" the roar that went up
wish I had been there.Enough rambling for now.
Stranglers, Mud, Smokie, Kenny, Status Quo, AS Sweet, BC Sweet, David Essex, Drifters, Slade, Showaddywaddy.
Most memorable was Status Quo at Glasgow Apollo in 1976.
Couldn't hear for 3 days afterwards !
And I was stood behind a column to get away from the noise.
No laws about sound levels in those days.
Most memorable was Status Quo at Glasgow Apollo in 1976.
Couldn't hear for 3 days afterwards !
And I was stood behind a column to get away from the noise.
No laws about sound levels in those days.
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Gigs: M-People, Bon-Jovi, Madness, The Corrs - all in the early 2000s..
Festivals: T-in-the-Park, Universe ~1999
Should have Gone to: Iron Maiden (Seventh Son era), Donnington, Nevermore (the lead singer died), Nightwish, .. list goes on ..
Orbital live are excellent, as a Red Snapper who I found as part of wandering around the tents lost from the group I was with
Festivals: T-in-the-Park, Universe ~1999
Should have Gone to: Iron Maiden (Seventh Son era), Donnington, Nevermore (the lead singer died), Nightwish, .. list goes on ..
Orbital live are excellent, as a Red Snapper who I found as part of wandering around the tents lost from the group I was with
Red Snapper was great! Seen them around 1997 in 'La vapeur' at Dijon. Bass player was incredible, a real groove machine.
Gigs i've been: too many to list! Including festivals i think i've seen most bands i ever wanted to see.
Gigs i should have been : last time Download ( Cevin Key/Phil Western) toured EU. Won't ever happen again. Maybe NIN when they released 'The downward spiral' but i was too young to moves alone.
Oh one last i'll regret too is either a Keith Jarett trio or Keith Jarett solo performance.
Download (band - Wikipedia)
Gigs i've been: too many to list! Including festivals i think i've seen most bands i ever wanted to see.
Gigs i should have been : last time Download ( Cevin Key/Phil Western) toured EU. Won't ever happen again. Maybe NIN when they released 'The downward spiral' but i was too young to moves alone.
Oh one last i'll regret too is either a Keith Jarett trio or Keith Jarett solo performance.
Download (band - Wikipedia)
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Under that respect, the best gig I've been to was a concert by Portugal.The man, in 2009 in Brussels. A small underground room in the Botanique, practically empty; it was clearly a flop audience wise. Front row for everyone though, great memories.
The most memorable concerts I‘ve been
Prince sign of the times in zurich
Miles in basel
Naked City in basel
Young Gods in berlin
Don Cherry multikulti in berlin
Ferdinand et les philosophes in berlin (they played the whole programme twice and denied us a third round )
Epmd in zurich
Helfgott (rach 3) in lucerne
Prince sign of the times in zurich
Miles in basel
Naked City in basel
Young Gods in berlin
Don Cherry multikulti in berlin
Ferdinand et les philosophes in berlin (they played the whole programme twice and denied us a third round
)Epmd in zurich
Helfgott (rach 3) in lucerne
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The best sounding gig was Andy Scott's Sweet.
Not only best sounding guitar ever but Andy is a top man on playing a guitar.
Here's me having a crack at Sweets Ballroom Blitz.
Ballroom blitz sweet nigel playing along - YouTube
Not only best sounding guitar ever but Andy is a top man on playing a guitar.
Here's me having a crack at Sweets Ballroom Blitz.
Ballroom blitz sweet nigel playing along - YouTube
Faves:
Rush Fly by Night tour with a brand new Neil Peart in a 2000 seater. Possible hearing damage.
The Kiss Alive dates at Cobo Detroit. Seats a few rows behind the kid with the sign. Yes, that is pot smoke.
Def Jam Tour at Fox Threater Detroit: Beastie Boys, Whoodini, a teen LL Cool J with Run DMC headlining. Standing on the arm rests throughout. Management politely requests no weapons or guns. Beasties booed off stage before song 2.
Regrets:
Missing Sabbath in their prime.
Rush Fly by Night tour with a brand new Neil Peart in a 2000 seater. Possible hearing damage.
The Kiss Alive dates at Cobo Detroit. Seats a few rows behind the kid with the sign. Yes, that is pot smoke.
Def Jam Tour at Fox Threater Detroit: Beastie Boys, Whoodini, a teen LL Cool J with Run DMC headlining. Standing on the arm rests throughout. Management politely requests no weapons or guns. Beasties booed off stage before song 2.
Regrets:
Missing Sabbath in their prime.
Attachments
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Richie Havens
Beach Boys
etc.
In the 1960's my college's concert bureau was run by some great entrepreneurs without any university supervision save for the provision of security, and being in NYC got some of the top groups.
My sisters saw the Beatles on their second American tour, summer of 1964.
Richie Havens
Beach Boys
etc.
In the 1960's my college's concert bureau was run by some great entrepreneurs without any university supervision save for the provision of security, and being in NYC got some of the top groups.
My sisters saw the Beatles on their second American tour, summer of 1964.
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire tour - Capitol Theatre, Albany NY. Friend who drove said the music made him nauseus and had to leave mid show...my very first concert.
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon tour - Saratoga Performing arts. Miseed concert in quad sound because my SAT tests were the next morning...
Allman Bros - Saratoga Performing arts. Vauguely recall fan / police riot breaking out over fence crash.
Mahavishnu John McLaughlin / Jean Luc Ponty - Saratoga Performing arts.
Blue Oyster Cult - Saratoga Performing arts.
Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - - Capitol Theatre, Albany NY.
Weather Report - Saratoga Performing arts.
Dave Brubeck - Two generation of Brubeck - Saratoga Performing arts.
Larry Coryell / Micheal Urbaniak - SUNY Albany.
Jeff Beck with Jan Hammer - Capitol Theatre, Albany NY.
Grateful Dead - The famous Cornell University show in 77. Other shows various upstate NY places, times...
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Buffalo, NY
Frank Zappa - Buffalo, NY, Roachester, NY
Bobby and the Midnights - Buffalo, NY
Rush - Buffalo NY (Won tickets over the phone) and later, Worcester MA.
Jan Hammer - bar, Buffalo NY
George Duke, Billy Cobham - SUNY college near Buffalo.
Pati Smith - SUNYAB campus.
Spyro Gyra - SUNYAB campus.
Rolling Stones, missed both arena show in Buffalo and their famous bar appearance in Worcester.
The Who, missed Saratoga Performing arts appearance (before my time) and arena performance in Worcester.
That take me up to college graduation, ~ 1980...
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon tour - Saratoga Performing arts. Miseed concert in quad sound because my SAT tests were the next morning...
Allman Bros - Saratoga Performing arts. Vauguely recall fan / police riot breaking out over fence crash.
Mahavishnu John McLaughlin / Jean Luc Ponty - Saratoga Performing arts.
Blue Oyster Cult - Saratoga Performing arts.
Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - - Capitol Theatre, Albany NY.
Weather Report - Saratoga Performing arts.
Dave Brubeck - Two generation of Brubeck - Saratoga Performing arts.
Larry Coryell / Micheal Urbaniak - SUNY Albany.
Jeff Beck with Jan Hammer - Capitol Theatre, Albany NY.
Grateful Dead - The famous Cornell University show in 77. Other shows various upstate NY places, times...
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Buffalo, NY
Frank Zappa - Buffalo, NY, Roachester, NY
Bobby and the Midnights - Buffalo, NY
Rush - Buffalo NY (Won tickets over the phone) and later, Worcester MA.
Jan Hammer - bar, Buffalo NY
George Duke, Billy Cobham - SUNY college near Buffalo.
Pati Smith - SUNYAB campus.
Spyro Gyra - SUNYAB campus.
Rolling Stones, missed both arena show in Buffalo and their famous bar appearance in Worcester.
The Who, missed Saratoga Performing arts appearance (before my time) and arena performance in Worcester.
That take me up to college graduation, ~ 1980...
Two that stand above were Frank Zappa in Seattle and in Vancouver (BC).
A festival in the Edmonton football stadium with Ten Years After the headliner was an experience.
One i missed was Procol Harum with the Edmonton Symphony in the Jubilee Auditorium (there is also one in Calgary, both have superb acoustics, went to many a concert… and got my Queen’s Scout award there shortly after. I do have the album to remind me what i missed :^(
dave
A festival in the Edmonton football stadium with Ten Years After the headliner was an experience.
One i missed was Procol Harum with the Edmonton Symphony in the Jubilee Auditorium (there is also one in Calgary, both have superb acoustics, went to many a concert… and got my Queen’s Scout award there shortly after. I do have the album to remind me what i missed :^(
dave
Nigel,
I sat behind the speaker stacks at a Hawkwind gig at the terrible Fairfields Hall in Croydon, couldn't hear anything for a few days.
jjasnew - you know we are all envious.
Thing is back then anyone could afford to see the best bands. A friend of mine that ran a headshop in Brighton had a stall at the first Glastonbury Festival, I went to the second, nowadays it attracts yuppy types who pay serious money (around £250) to go, not sure they have any real interest in the music. Wish I could have gone to see live Jackson Browne at Glastonbury , saw his gig on a TV music programme, not the same thing.
A couple of years ago Natalie Merchant came over to the UK and did only acoustic gigs at small venues, one of which was at a deconsecrated old church in my home town of Brighton, of course Sod's law I live in France now.
When the Covid thing has been contained lots of great Jazz festivals here in south, south western France.
I sat behind the speaker stacks at a Hawkwind gig at the terrible Fairfields Hall in Croydon, couldn't hear anything for a few days.
jjasnew - you know we are all envious.
Thing is back then anyone could afford to see the best bands. A friend of mine that ran a headshop in Brighton had a stall at the first Glastonbury Festival, I went to the second, nowadays it attracts yuppy types who pay serious money (around £250) to go, not sure they have any real interest in the music. Wish I could have gone to see live Jackson Browne at Glastonbury , saw his gig on a TV music programme, not the same thing.
A couple of years ago Natalie Merchant came over to the UK and did only acoustic gigs at small venues, one of which was at a deconsecrated old church in my home town of Brighton, of course Sod's law I live in France now.
When the Covid thing has been contained lots of great Jazz festivals here in south, south western France.
In October 2001 I went to a Björk concert at NYC's Radio City Music Hall. This was one month after the devastating attack of 9-11 downtown. And getting in wasn't easy. After a long wait in line outside the building we were all frisked with a wand and not allowed to carry anything with us like a camera etc. I did have a mini disc recorder that I stuffed down the front of my pants and managed to sneak through with it. But the end result was sonically poor. However, several months later, I did find a bootleg CDR that was made off the sound board being sold on eBay from that performance. Was it all worth it? Yes! She put on a good show.
Years earlier I had the honor and pleasure of catching Stephane Grappelli at a place called Reno Sweeney's in downtown NYC in Chelsea during one of his summer tours to the USA, probably in the late 1980s. Sweeney's was a modest sized dining room in a basement level filled with tables and a stage area in one section. Opening for him was a female singer, who's name I can't remember, but sang well. Our table was near the back of the room along with a table next to us with a party that just wouldn't stop talking while she sang. They came to hear Stephane and nothing else. She even sang, rather loudly, Peter Allen's Quite Please There's A Lady On Stage but they just never heard it. I came close to lobbing an ashtray onto their table to get their attention, but didn't. Anyway when Stephane came on, they shut up.
And a couple of years later I again caught Stephane at a jazz club in lower Greenwich Village. Don't remember the name but there was a brick wall behind the stage which also held a piano that Stephane played. Guitarist Martin Taylor may have been there with him as I hopefully remember correctly.
Years earlier I had the honor and pleasure of catching Stephane Grappelli at a place called Reno Sweeney's in downtown NYC in Chelsea during one of his summer tours to the USA, probably in the late 1980s. Sweeney's was a modest sized dining room in a basement level filled with tables and a stage area in one section. Opening for him was a female singer, who's name I can't remember, but sang well. Our table was near the back of the room along with a table next to us with a party that just wouldn't stop talking while she sang. They came to hear Stephane and nothing else. She even sang, rather loudly, Peter Allen's Quite Please There's A Lady On Stage but they just never heard it. I came close to lobbing an ashtray onto their table to get their attention, but didn't. Anyway when Stephane came on, they shut up.
And a couple of years later I again caught Stephane at a jazz club in lower Greenwich Village. Don't remember the name but there was a brick wall behind the stage which also held a piano that Stephane played. Guitarist Martin Taylor may have been there with him as I hopefully remember correctly.
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HollowState,
I've had two occasions when selfish klootzaken wouldn't stop talking loudly. The first was at a Jazz club in Brighton. It was a really good straight ahead American Jazz band and there were these two who I think were using speed. There were three of us an Italian, myself an expat who was home for a holiday - we gave them a choice STFU, leave or go out on stretchers, they STFU and we got to enjoy the rest of the gig.
The second occasion was a visit to a small village up on a plateau near to where we lived. The main act was a tribute band with a warm up one man act - Chris the Cat (Catalan) he had the whole small stage covered in the Catalan flag and he had a box full of harmonicas - he was a brilliant Blues man and seriously good.
The square was full of locals that had moved to the big cities and they didn't talk loudly they were shouting. The only people who were listening were myself and my wife and the tribute band - I felt murderous.
Why turn up to a music event if you don't want to listen. I do think that organisers should move in immediately and eject the klootzaken. If this became the norm then I think that these antosocial types would get the message and not turn up .
I've had two occasions when selfish klootzaken wouldn't stop talking loudly. The first was at a Jazz club in Brighton. It was a really good straight ahead American Jazz band and there were these two who I think were using speed. There were three of us an Italian, myself an expat who was home for a holiday - we gave them a choice STFU, leave or go out on stretchers, they STFU and we got to enjoy the rest of the gig.
The second occasion was a visit to a small village up on a plateau near to where we lived. The main act was a tribute band with a warm up one man act - Chris the Cat (Catalan) he had the whole small stage covered in the Catalan flag and he had a box full of harmonicas - he was a brilliant Blues man and seriously good.
The square was full of locals that had moved to the big cities and they didn't talk loudly they were shouting. The only people who were listening were myself and my wife and the tribute band - I felt murderous.
Why turn up to a music event if you don't want to listen. I do think that organisers should move in immediately and eject the klootzaken. If this became the norm then I think that these antosocial types would get the message and not turn up .
Probably the best gig's I've been to were Machine Gun Fellatio gigs. One of them Tim Freedman (from The whitlams) was in the crowd, and they spotted him and asked him to come up on stage and do a song with them.
I've also been to
The Radiators
The Angels
Mental As Anything
Sharon O'neill
and a new years eve gig that had a bunch of good Aussie and NZ bands.
But the one that I will always regret not going to was Pink Floyd in 1988 in Sydney. I was at uni and a ticket was almost a weeks rent, and I just didn't feel I could afford it.
Tony.
I've also been to
The Radiators
The Angels
Mental As Anything
Sharon O'neill
and a new years eve gig that had a bunch of good Aussie and NZ bands.
But the one that I will always regret not going to was Pink Floyd in 1988 in Sydney. I was at uni and a ticket was almost a weeks rent, and I just didn't feel I could afford it.
Tony.
Never knew that the word "klootzakken" (yes it is with 2 x k) was used in French
It is therefor spoken with a short "a" like in "ah".In the eighties I missed every opportunity to see The Smiths and The Dead Kennedys but I did experience the Butthole Surfers which is something I will not forget
Also The Gun Club, Sonic Youth, Echo & the Bunnymen, Nick Cave, The Fall, The Cult, Napalm Death, Consolidated, Half Japanese, special mention for Union Carbide Productions with the singer climbing up the speaker towers with the public seriously worrying he would fall down with "oh's" and "ah's" ..... Best of all were The Ramones IMO. Unforgettable.
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Funny reading about Machine Gun Fellatio!
I havent heard that band in a while (since I stopped house sharing with a life long friend of mine, who loved them)
Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park - Pearl Jam....Ben Harper, "Under pressure" impromptu sound check collab, awesome stuff!
Megadeth, at the Wolfrun sometime in the 90s, rubbish, and made me go off the band somewhat.
Anathema, Black Star (members of Carcass), and Cathedral, CUSU 90s, £4 on the door. Best Bargain gig ever.
Nick Oliveri, Mondogenerator, Desert Sessions, plus Mark Lanegan, surprised by my drummer hero being their drummer....amazed Matt Cameron. 3 bands, 3 or 4 of the same folks in all 3 bands, another cheap gig at Brum Academy.
Reef, Glow tour, Leicester, great gig, got a drumstick, which I have lost years ago, and gained a friend with near concussion, when their bassist stage dived onto our group.
Roxette, NIA, early 90s, best sound I ever heard in the NIA, best sound of any gig I have ever been too.
Brian May, shortly after Freddie died, again at the NIA. Worst sound I have ever heard, short of Megadeth at the Wolfrun.
I will always wish I had gotten to see Soundgarden, or Audioslave while Chris Cornell was alive.
I havent heard that band in a while (since I stopped house sharing with a life long friend of mine, who loved them)
Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park - Pearl Jam....Ben Harper, "Under pressure" impromptu sound check collab, awesome stuff!
Megadeth, at the Wolfrun sometime in the 90s, rubbish, and made me go off the band somewhat.
Anathema, Black Star (members of Carcass), and Cathedral, CUSU 90s, £4 on the door. Best Bargain gig ever.
Nick Oliveri, Mondogenerator, Desert Sessions, plus Mark Lanegan, surprised by my drummer hero being their drummer....amazed Matt Cameron. 3 bands, 3 or 4 of the same folks in all 3 bands, another cheap gig at Brum Academy.
Reef, Glow tour, Leicester, great gig, got a drumstick, which I have lost years ago, and gained a friend with near concussion, when their bassist stage dived onto our group.
Roxette, NIA, early 90s, best sound I ever heard in the NIA, best sound of any gig I have ever been too.
Brian May, shortly after Freddie died, again at the NIA. Worst sound I have ever heard, short of Megadeth at the Wolfrun.
I will always wish I had gotten to see Soundgarden, or Audioslave while Chris Cornell was alive.