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Best Concerts You Ever Saw In Person? Worst?

NapaAddickNapaAddick
in General Charlton
For me, the best was Springsteen in 1981, 1984 and 1985. Followed by The Replacements in 1985. Then U2 for the Achtung Baby tour in 1992. Then a PIL concert that ended with riot police in Los Angeles in 1984.

The worst? The "Us Festival" in 1983. Despite seeing U2, The Clash, Ozzy, Bowie, The English Beat, Joe Walsh and Van Halen, it was terrible because of the heat, getting hit with water cannons from overzealous police, over-flowing porta-toilets and little to no running water. Two people died at least.
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Comments

  • lancashire ladlancashire lad
    Best Clapton at the Albert Hall and Elton John at the Valley
    Worst: Clapton at Castle Howard where the audience were disinterested so Clapton did the minimum and departed, can't say I blame him.
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    best; u2 croke park dublin
    worst; vaccines brixton acamademy
  • RiscardoRiscardo
    Best: Run DMC/ Whodini/ LL Cool J/ Beastie Boys - Hammersmith ...
    Worst: Change (without Luther) - Indigo
  • thickandthin63thickandthin63
    Best The Eagles at Twickenham
    Worst(By a country mile) Whitney Houston at the 02,She should never have done that tour
  • i_b_b_o_r_gi_b_b_o_r_g
    Ocean Colour Scene never disappoint, but the one that stands out for me was Guns n Roses at Milton Keynes Bowl.

    Worst for me was either Bon Jovi at Wembly Stadium or Finlaye Quay as one of the support acts for Paul Weller at Victoria Park (I think, could've been at Crystal Palace though).
  • thickandthin63thickandthin63
    Would also like to mention the Great pleasure the Wonderful Albert Lee(Local boy) gives me every time I see him perform on his regular visits to the UK
  • PragueAddickPragueAddick
    Best; Talk Talk, Hammersmith Odeon, 1986. To my delight, released as a live CD about 12 years later.( @A-R-T-H-U-R , features a stellar cameo from Mark Feltham, in case you have not come across it)

    Worst: Deep Purple in Prague sometime in the mid 90s. Cynical collection of wedge from unsuspecting central Europeans for whom they were previously forbidden legends
  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    Not a concert as such but the best live performance I've witnessed was Queen at Live Aid. The main reason I got a ticket was because The Who had reformed for it but Queen blew everyone away that day. 33 years later and I still get a lump in my throat when I watch it again.

    Best concert is a toss up between Springsteen at Leeds in '85, ACDC, or any of The Who concerts I've been to.

    The worst was UB40 at Wembley arena in the early 90's. To be fair, I wasn't a massive fan but took my then girlfriend who was. Don't think I've ever been so bored, even my girlfriend thought they were shit.

  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    PragueAddick said:

    Best; Talk Talk, Hammersmith Odeon, 1986. To my delight, released as a live CD about 12 years later.( @A-R-T-H-U-R , features a stellar cameo from Mark Feltham, in case you have not come across it)

    Worst: Deep Purple in Prague sometime in the mid 90s. Cynical collection of wedge from unsuspecting central Europeans for whom they were previously forbidden legends

    Have seen him with 9 Below Zero a few times, he's brilliant.
  • CafcWestCafcWest
    edited April 2018
    Best: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon launch concert at Earls Court (1973). Patti Smith - Horses - Roundhouse (1976). There are many others - but they are my 2 best and most memorable.
    Worst: Bob Dylan at the O2 - 3 years ago? Voice terrible and zero interaction with the audience. Didn't say a word between songs or even introduce the band!
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  • GreenieGreenie
    edited April 2018
    Best: Clapton 5 night consecutively at the Albert Hall about 1990, hells teeth he was great. Status Quo 1981 at the Hammersmith Odeon, the original line up, absolutely on it big time, pure energy and charlie. Brilliant.

    Worst:- Quo at the Fairfield Halls about 8 years ago, awful, bloody awful, just going through the motions. Rush Wembley Arena about 86, utter pony, 20 minute drum solo anyone? No? me neither. Pah!
  • paulbaconsarniepaulbaconsarnie
    Considering I never thought I’d get the chance to see them I’d have to say best is Simon and Garfunkel at Hyde Park closely followed by the SOS Band at indigo.
    Worst by a country mile were the lightening seeds whilst supporting squeeze also at indigo.
  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    cafc-west said:

    Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon launch concert at Earls Court (1973). Patti Smith - Horses - Roundhouse (1976). There are many others - but they are my 2 best and most memorable.

    Saw Floyd on the Division Bell tour, they were superb. Tickets were like gold dust but my sister was living with one of the tour managers at the time and she got me and a couple of mates great seats. We had to go on separate nights to my sis though due to prior engagements, which was a shame as she got to go backstage after the show and meet them all.
  • ChizzChizz
    Best: Queen at Live Aid

    Worst: Sade (London) and Madonna (Philadelphia) also at Live Aid
  • dickplumbdickplumb
    edited April 2018
    Best The Who at The Valley first time. Also The Unthanks at Royal Festival Hall, just before Chrismas last year. Worst Vinegar Joe at The Rainbow in the seventies, they were warm up to Dr John. They went down like a lead balloon.
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    Best: Stones at Wembley, Springsteen also at Wembley.
    Worst : Stones at Twickenham some years later (might as well have just put a CD on), and Bowie at Wembley Arena when he was going through his weird moment - walked out half way through, along with half of the Arena.
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    Best: Divine Comedy (Neil Hannon) at the Albert Hall (2004). Seen him loads of times, but that was probably a career highlight for him
    Worst: Jean-Michel Jarre Destination Docklands (1988) at the Royal Victoria Docks as it was SOOOOOOOOO wet!
  • bobmunrobobmunro
    I've been very lucky to have been to many great concerts - not least IoW 1970. You would think seeing Hendrix and The Doors live would take some topping and I've also seen many other legendary bands. But easily the best concert was a few years ago at the Manchester Arena - Leonard Cohen. Magical, spiritual experience from an incredible personality and talent. My wife was not a fan before - but she fell in love with him that night.

    The worst - Lily Allen, New Years Eve, Edinburgh Castle Gardens 2014 - absolute dross!
  • cafcfancafcfan
    Best: John Lee Hooker Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas 1999.
    Worst: The Stones at Earl's Court 1976 - absolutely dreadful acoustics.
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  • PragueAddickPragueAddick
    Would have Springsteen Wembley (83? 84?) probably as my No 2 choice.

    Never been a Floyd fan , but even given that, having to sit through them building a f---ing great wall between them and the audience at Earls Court, said it all.

    Grand Funk Railroad in Hyde Park runs them close in the worst stakes. The moment thousands of us realised we'd all been "hyped".
  • RothkoRothko
    Best - Kate Bush at Hammersmith Apollo a couple of years ago, just amazing as you would expect from one of the greatest artists of all time.

    Worst - Oasis at Wembley in 2009, absolutely dialled it in and dull as ditch water.
  • HardyAddickHardyAddick
    Best - Led Zep at knebworth / The Who at Lewisham Odeon.

    Worst - Wham! At Lyceum (old girlfriend took me!!!)
  • BDLBDL
    Great thread!

    Best a toss up between Frost* at Dingwall’s last November or Rush at Wembley, three rows from the front and a banging 20 minute drum solo from the Professor.

    Worst - Simply because of the awful sound quality at the O2 Rush on the Clockwork Angels tour. I left early and it was the last time I’d ever get to see them, so so disappointing.

    Let me throw this into the mix, Loudest was in 1987, Def Leppard at the Lakeland Arena in Florida. My hearing still suffers.
  • AddicksAddictAddicksAddict
    Best: Stiff Little Fingers at Friars Aylesbury the day after Sid died; Ramones at Electric Ballroom; Specials, Madness, The Beat and two others also Electric Ballroom(?); Siouxsie and The Banshees at Rainbow Theatre (I remembered this as supported by an incarnation of Spizz but it was actually The Human League); Franz Ferdinand at Benicassim. They were all so good in their own way and I can't separate them.

    Worst: U2 at Lyceum Ballroom.
  • BangkokaddickBangkokaddick
    Best: Genesis, Theatre Royal Drury Lane 1974(went twice), probably followed by 10cc at the Hammersmith Odeon, 1976

    Worst: Shabba Ranks at the Brixton Academy, with a very different type of gig a close second: Yes, playing the whole of Topographic Oceans before it had been released.
  • ElthamaddickElthamaddick
    Best: Oasis / The Verve - Earls Court (must been 96?)

    Worst: struggling to think.
  • Johnnysummers5Johnnysummers5
    Best - Joni Mitchell April 1974 New Victoria.
    Nina Simone - Apr 1967 Uppercut Club Plaistow
    Buddy Holly - March 1958 Granada Woolwich.

    Worst cant think of one
  • rananegrarananegra
    Best: Chris Wood, Dulwich Hamlet 2008. Superb night, masterful performance and the first time I'd heard Hollow Point, his take on the de Menezes shooting.
    The Beat Hammersmith Palais 1982 (I think).
    The Triffids - Islington 2017 - finally had the sound they needed back in the day when every PA I ever heard them from was held together by parcel tape. Shame I never heard Dave McComb do justice to his own songs through a good PA.

    Worst: Isaac Hayes WOMAD 2007. He was off his face and couldn't be bothered. I suspect he was too ill to be performing, but a serious let down from someone who'd made such great music.

    I tend to prefer smaller gigs anyway and if something's not right, I don't stick around. I'm sad I've missed out on seeing some legendary artists who I really rate (such as Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen), but overall,
  • eaststandmikeeaststandmike
    Best: Genesis at Knebworth

    Worst: Can't think of one.
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