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Best Concerts You Ever Saw In Person? Worst?

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    Best: Springsteen - Newark, New Jersey - A few years back - I'm sure it wasn't on par with those mid 70s to mid 80s concerts - but I finally got to see him (on home turf also) and he was excellent. Pogues - Brixton late 80s - shambolic but brilliant. The Levellers - Glastonbury early 90s - frightening!

    Worst: Dylan - Finsbury Park 93 - so bad we laughed. Happy Mondays - Glastonbury 90 - shambolic - I read some time after that they don't remember being there - unfortunately I can't say the same! Beiber - Denver, a few years back - my kids made me do it - technically it was probably a good concert - he did exactly what was expected of him - but if you don't like him or his music, that's no consolation. Add the 160 mile round trip drive at the expense of an hour of skiing and you get the picture. A long evening!

    Was the Dylan gig the same one when The Who & Clapton were on the same bill? He wasn’t great that day.

    I was at Glastonbury in 90 too. Am a big fan of the Mondays but they were awful that night. We’d had trouble getting hold of decent narcotics that weekend and bought some trips of a random bird. Assumed they would be weak so me and @Les Berrys Tash necked 2 of them. About 30 minutes later we realised they weren’t shit and were wankered for hours. The Cure were fantastic the following night though.
    No, The Dylan gig was the Irish festival that they used to have. He headlined a bill that included Van Morrison (a little better but pretty grumpy also), SLF, Post Shane Pogues, Kirsty MacColl, Hothouse Flowers among others. Van & Dylan weren't that entertaining so folk took to climbing and then sliding off top of beer tent.

    Re: Mondays@Glasto 90 - think they located your supplier also! Agree re: The Cure.

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    Anti Nowhere League The Lyceum
    Stiff Little Fingers Brixton Academy
    The Exploited Concorde 2
    The worst and most boring by far

    The Undertones at Concorde 2
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    Best Magma at Roundhouse 1974 - mind blowing even if a bit pretentious but I was just 16
    Worst Pentangle Tunbridge Wells 1984 - great music ruined by heavy electric bass
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    Best: Springsteen - Newark, New Jersey - A few years back - I'm sure it wasn't on par with those mid 70s to mid 80s concerts - but I finally got to see him (on home turf also) and he was excellent. Pogues - Brixton late 80s - shambolic but brilliant. The Levellers - Glastonbury early 90s - frightening!

    Worst: Dylan - Finsbury Park 93 - so bad we laughed. Happy Mondays - Glastonbury 90 - shambolic - I read some time after that they don't remember being there - unfortunately I can't say the same! Beiber - Denver, a few years back - my kids made me do it - technically it was probably a good concert - he did exactly what was expected of him - but if you don't like him or his music, that's no consolation. Add the 160 mile round trip drive at the expense of an hour of skiing and you get the picture. A long evening!

    Was the Dylan gig the same one when The Who & Clapton were on the same bill? He wasn’t great that day.

    I was at Glastonbury in 90 too. Am a big fan of the Mondays but they were awful that night. We’d had trouble getting hold of decent narcotics that weekend and bought some trips of a random bird. Assumed they would be weak so me and @Les Berrys Tash necked 2 of them. About 30 minutes later we realised they weren’t shit and were wankered for hours. The Cure were fantastic the following night though.
    Are you thinking of Hyde Park 1996? The Who played the whole of Quadrophenia live for the first time and were superb. Clapton closed the show after The Who but the crowd streamed out of the park when he came on.

    Dylan was on in the afternoon and was very poor.

    Great day with Jools Holland on top form as well, and it was baking hot.

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    bobmunro said:

    Best: Springsteen - Newark, New Jersey - A few years back - I'm sure it wasn't on par with those mid 70s to mid 80s concerts - but I finally got to see him (on home turf also) and he was excellent. Pogues - Brixton late 80s - shambolic but brilliant. The Levellers - Glastonbury early 90s - frightening!

    Worst: Dylan - Finsbury Park 93 - so bad we laughed. Happy Mondays - Glastonbury 90 - shambolic - I read some time after that they don't remember being there - unfortunately I can't say the same! Beiber - Denver, a few years back - my kids made me do it - technically it was probably a good concert - he did exactly what was expected of him - but if you don't like him or his music, that's no consolation. Add the 160 mile round trip drive at the expense of an hour of skiing and you get the picture. A long evening!

    Was the Dylan gig the same one when The Who & Clapton were on the same bill? He wasn’t great that day.

    I was at Glastonbury in 90 too. Am a big fan of the Mondays but they were awful that night. We’d had trouble getting hold of decent narcotics that weekend and bought some trips of a random bird. Assumed they would be weak so me and @Les Berrys Tash necked 2 of them. About 30 minutes later we realised they weren’t shit and were wankered for hours. The Cure were fantastic the following night though.
    Are you thinking of Hyde Park 1996? The Who played the whole of Quadrophenia live for the first time and were superb. Clapton closed the show after The Who but the crowd streamed out of the park when he came on.

    Dylan was on in the afternoon and was very poor.

    Great day with Jools Holland on top form as well, and it was baking hot.

    Yes, that’s the one. Was a really good day, although we got there late and missed Jools Holland.
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    He might just be playing a CD (I have no idea)... but Kygo live is brilliant.
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    Badger said:

    Springsteen at Wembley in '85 was a great gig , lovely summers evening.

    I have a bootleg of the 4th of July show from that stand. Opened with "Independence Day."
    Since the concert has multiple nominations here, I think I might not be the only one who would like to know more about this. Video or just audio? Quality? I found a couple of clips on You Tube but just the odd song, and quality as ropey as you would expect. By contrast, I was able to assemble from You Tube his complete Prague 2012 set, my brother in law and I enjoyed it after Christmas lunch that year. So I guess it is normal now, but it is special to discover a recording of an old favourite concert where you were actually there.

    The whole concert. Was recorded from the audience. I will have to hunt it down, but I first got it almost 30 years ago. At the time it was considered an "excellent" sound recording but the in the last 15-20 years recordings have become so much better that I am not sure what to rate it now.

    EDIT: Here is the whole audio I have on YouTube of the show. The CDs apparently can be bought with a little searching online.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfd2nh68Tpw
    Thanks a lot Napa, sounds great on first listen, going to enjoy some quality time with this.

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    Kajagoogoo at Leyton buzzard.
    Lindisfarne at many venues.
    Leo Sayer at Brighton.
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    ToJohnysummers5,the club was held wednesday nights in the assembley rooms,just along the road from The Swan.Jimmy played with a band called Neil Christian and the Crusaders,Albert played with Chris Farlow.I am afraid we dont produce guitar players of this level any more.
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    Best oasis at knebworth

    Worst oasis Brighton centre about 2007. Noel and liam argument shocler
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    Supergrass UK fairwell gig in 2010 at Brixton Acad was one of the best live things I've ever witnessed.

    Bowie @Glasto 2000 blew it away.

    Oasis playing Earls Court, circa 95. WOWZA.

    --------

    Peter Doherty @Rhythm Factory mid 00's.

    Turned up for the gig over two hours late and was off his nut. Absolute mess.
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    Went to see Daniel O' Donnell last night with the Mrs in Blackpool (her favourite) and we were youngest one's there. To be fair, he was very good and interacts with the audience.
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    In recent years, the one that left me glowing for a week was Simple Minds in Prague a couple of years ago. I really liked them in the 80s, but never saw them live. Then after about '91 they seemed to descend into oblivion. But Graffiti Soul in 2009 seemed a real return to form. When the posters went up for the concert, I wasn't sure what to expect, and couldn't get my wife interested. They were never known here. I went on my own, to a scruffy shed behind Sparta's ice hockey stadium. There were only about 500 people there, but they included a gang of Brit expats I hadn't seen for years. It was all a far cry from Live in the City of Light, but Jim Kerr and co. came on and played like it was all just fine with them, and it became a giant karaoke session. I hadn't sung so much since we beat Palace at Selhurst the year we went back up as champions. It also helped that i could just wander over to the bar and get an instant top up of Budvar between numbers.

    If you like them, there is a live album from that tour (Celebrate ; the Greatest Hits Tour). But it is recorded at an obviously full O2 London, and has a very different feel to it.
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    edited April 2018
    OMD = Drury Lane 1981 , Architecture & Reality Tour . ( mind you any one of their gigs is a good night )
    The Police = Tooting Bec Common ( Tommy Cooper was the warm up act ) My first experience of a gig on a large scale .
    Mesh = The Garage last year .
    I do a lot of gigs at small venues and many of these have been a cracking night out .

    Worst.
    Tears For Fears , last year at the Royal Albert Hall , not that they were bad , very polished but didn't do much for me .
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    Best: Springsteen - Newark, New Jersey - A few years back - I'm sure it wasn't on par with those mid 70s to mid 80s concerts - but I finally got to see him (on home turf also) and he was excellent. Pogues - Brixton late 80s - shambolic but brilliant. The Levellers - Glastonbury early 90s - frightening!

    Worst: Dylan - Finsbury Park 93 - so bad we laughed. Happy Mondays - Glastonbury 90 - shambolic - I read some time after that they don't remember being there - unfortunately I can't say the same! Beiber - Denver, a few years back - my kids made me do it - technically it was probably a good concert - he did exactly what was expected of him - but if you don't like him or his music, that's no consolation. Add the 160 mile round trip drive at the expense of an hour of skiing and you get the picture. A long evening!

    Was the Dylan gig the same one when The Who & Clapton were on the same bill? He wasn’t great that day.

    I was at Glastonbury in 90 too. Am a big fan of the Mondays but they were awful that night. We’d had trouble getting hold of decent narcotics that weekend and bought some trips of a random bird. Assumed they would be weak so me and @Les Berrys Tash necked 2 of them. About 30 minutes later we realised they weren’t shit and were wankered for hours. The Cure were fantastic the following night though.
    No, The Dylan gig was the Irish festival that they used to have. He headlined a bill that included Van Morrison (a little better but pretty grumpy also), SLF, Post Shane Pogues, Kirsty MacColl, Hothouse Flowers among others. Van & Dylan weren't that entertaining so folk took to climbing and then sliding off top of beer tent.

    Re: Mondays@Glasto 90 - think they located your supplier also! Agree re: The Cure.

    I was there, the Fleadh festival. Dylan's band seemed younger and very much in a kind of grungy rock vein. It got so that I only recognised what he was playing as each song was ending. I went home half-way through his set. He was the headliner and Morrison joined him on stage for a few songs. I think one of them was Irish Rover.
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    Best- Jimi Hendrix in Glasgow 1967. Also appearing were Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, Nice, The Move.

    Worst-Stephen Hough murdering Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata at the Festival Hall 3 weeks ago.
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    Best- Jimi Hendrix in Glasgow 1967. Also appearing were Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, Nice, The Move.

    Worst-Stephen Hough murdering Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata at the Festival Hall 3 weeks ago.

    Love your eclectic taste in music.
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    Best- Jimi Hendrix in Glasgow 1967. Also appearing were Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, Nice, The Move.

    Worst-Stephen Hough murdering Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata at the Festival Hall 3 weeks ago.

    Love your eclectic taste in music.
    "Only 2 types of music - good and bad" a quote which has been attributed to Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

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    Best:
    Elvis Costello - Tiffanys 1982
    The Clash - Barrowlands 1984
    Richmond Fontaine - ABC2 2007 (changed my life, I fell back in love with music, and see below)
    Richmond Fontaine - The Luminaire 2007 (seeing I was in London why not go and see that Charlton team I have a soft spot for? I became hooked!)
    Chuck Prophet - Oran Mor 2013

    Worst:
    Some Swedish blues guy who prodded me with his guitar to wake me up during a Celtic Connections concert
    Possibly last Saturday. The Low Anthem played their “challenging” new album in full. Then asked if anyone had a request. One guy shouted “just play a decent f’ing song”. They then played their “hit” Charlie Daniel and the seemingly stoned lead singer forgot the words. Cue shouty guy “we paid good money for this sh*t”. I’d never question an artist’s integrity and right to play what they want but shouty guy was right :wink:
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    Best : - Oasis Maine Road 1996

    Worst:- Libertines Blackheath 2017
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    JohnnyH2 said:

    Best : - Oasis Maine Road 1996

    Worst:- Libertines Blackheath 2017

    Glad I didn't bother with that Libetines gig. Why so bad?
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    SE23 said:

    Best Pharoah Sanders at Jazz Cafe about 1992. Played all the classics plus sang too while his sax still made a noise even though not blowing into it?! Terry Callier too at the same place prob about 97? Just after his re-emergence courtesy of Giles Peterson. Apart from Terry you could of heard a pin drop as everyone was so captivated... Amazing

    Didn’t Eddie Piller play a big part too? It’s a lovely story as they really had to work to get him to perform again. Apparently he was amazed that there was still any interest in his music.
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    Best and worst - various concerts by Primal Scream. One night awesome, another night a total shambles.
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    edited April 2018
    I loved Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band who I saw on many occasions. For pure fun and enjoyment I have never surpassed those heady days.
    They were of course all accomplished musicians and Geno was pure energy and entertainment but no one is saying they were musically challenged and far less of world reknown.
    I have seen countless gigs of many differing bands....The Who, Roxy Music and Floyd are up there with the all time greats of course.
    They were very much an ‘of the time and moment’ live stage act who never failed to get the audience in the palm of their hands.
    So, strange as it may seem, if I could turn the clock back and recreate any gig, it would have to be any one of those watching Geno and the band......they were something else......and only 25p to get in!!!!
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    I loved Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band who I saw on many occasions. For pure fun and enjoyment I have never surpassed those heady days.
    They were of course all accomplished musicians and Geno was pure energy and entertainment but no one is saying they were musically challenged and far less of world reknown.
    I have seen countless gigs of many differing bands....The Who, Roxy Music and Floyd are up there with the all time greats of course.
    They were very much an ‘of the time and moment’ live stage act who never failed to get the audience in the palm of their hands.
    So, strange as it may seem, if I could turn the clock back and recreate any gig, it would have to be any one of those watching Geno and the band......they were something else......and only 25p to get in!!!!

    I’ve seen Geno Washington a couple of times. The last time was about 10 years ago at Blackheath Concert Halls. This was the last time I ever smoked weed. We’d had a fair few beers beforehand then my mate produced a bag of skunk that he’d been given by a mate at work. I hadn’t had any for some time but went with it.

    By the time he came on I was off my face. We bumped into @Charlton Dan dad and was rambling on at him (I was incoherent by then). God knows what I was saying but he seemed to find it amusing. Couldn’t tell you whether Geno was good, bad or indifferent, it was just a blur.
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    I loved Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band who I saw on many occasions. For pure fun and enjoyment I have never surpassed those heady days.
    They were of course all accomplished musicians and Geno was pure energy and entertainment but no one is saying they were musically challenged and far less of world reknown.
    I have seen countless gigs of many differing bands....The Who, Roxy Music and Floyd are up there with the all time greats of course.
    They were very much an ‘of the time and moment’ live stage act who never failed to get the audience in the palm of their hands.
    So, strange as it may seem, if I could turn the clock back and recreate any gig, it would have to be any one of those watching Geno and the band......they were something else......and only 25p to get in!!!!

    I’ve seen Geno Washington a couple of times. The last time was about 10 years ago at Blackheath Concert Halls. This was the last time I ever smoked weed. We’d had a fair few beers beforehand then my mate produced a bag of skunk that he’d been given by a mate at work. I hadn’t had any for some time but went with it.

    By the time he came on I was off my face. We bumped into @Charlton Dan dad and was rambling on at him (I was incoherent by then). God knows what I was saying but he seemed to find it amusing. Couldn’t tell you whether Geno was good, bad or indifferent, it was just a blur.
    Well well well....I was also at that gig!
    Geno himself was good of course but the band was so so. None of them were members of the original band though.....sadly.
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    SE23 said:

    Best Pharoah Sanders at Jazz Cafe about 1992. Played all the classics plus sang too while his sax still made a noise even though not blowing into it?! Terry Callier too at the same place prob about 97? Just after his re-emergence courtesy of Giles Peterson. Apart from Terry you could of heard a pin drop as everyone was so captivated... Amazing

    Seen Pharoah Sanders a bunch of times. And, yes, he always does that thing where he generates so much air in the horn that it plays by itself for a few seconds. Out of interest what would you list as his classics when you saw him? I would say You've Got To Have Freedom, Jitu, Thembi, Astral Travelling, among others. I've only seen him play You've Got To Have Freedom once, although he's played Coltrane's Naima every time I've seen him.
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    JohnnyH2 said:

    Best : - Oasis Maine Road 1996

    Worst:- Libertines Blackheath 2017

    Glad I didn't bother with that Libetines gig. Why so bad?
    Pete Docherty voice is just not suited to an outside venue IMO (only found this out once I was there!)
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    Best - Jools Holland at Albert Hall, Genesis at Twickenham, Thin Lizzy at Whitla Hall, Waterboys at Ulster Hall, Divine Comedy at Palladium

    Worst - Tori Amos at London Paladium (she was headlining, Divine Comedy support), Van Morrison at FInsbury Park, Fergal Sharkey at Whitla Hall
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