Best/worst concert you've been to

jonloch1jonloch1 Posts: 3,175
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What is the best and worst concert you've been to and why?

Mine:-
Best - Pink, Edinburgh Castle, 15/7/07
She was amazing like always and the fact that it was outside Edinburgh castle made it even more special

Worst - Alice Cooper, Usher Hall Edinburgh, 31/10/12
I was soooo disappointed. It was my first time I saw him and because my dad is a massive fan, I've seen DVDs of his concerts with massive productions on stage and was expecting it to be really scary. it wasn't scary at all and the only slightly exciting part of the concert was when he brought a live snake onto the stage on his shoulders
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 554
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    Best concert is tough, there have been so many great ones. Probably Swans, the first time I saw them, just because it was such an overwhelming experience - I've never heard music so intense or felt such an electric atmosphere at a gig. I've seen them since and they were just as great, but I knew what to expect second time around.

    As for worst, I think maybe My Chemical Romance. Not so much because of their performance (though it wasn't fantastic), but because the crowd was mostly made up of teenage fangirls screaming incessantly, so the music could barely be heard from where I was standing. Also, I was going off the band's music at that point anyway.

    I'm surprised to hear you say Alice Cooper was your worst gig, I've seen him four times and he's been brilliant on every occasion. I'm not sure why you expected it to be scary if you've seen DVDs, even at its most OTT, his stage show is very silly and almost like a pantomime, he's not aiming to have the audience terrified. Besides, theatrics aside, the music has always been great when I've seen him, and surely that's the main thing.
  • kimotagkimotag Posts: 11,064
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    Best: the Clash at Bournemouth Guildhall 1980

    Worst: Can't think of any!
  • DomestiquesDomestiques Posts: 1,720
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    Best gig was Delgados and Six by Seven at the Varsity in Wolves (September 1998). Six by Seven were the support and literally my jaw dropped at how superb they were. I thought no band could follow them, then The Delgados came on and were even better. They blew me away and I just didnt want it to end.


    Best band though was Pixies, saw them first in 1990 at Newcastle Mayfair and for a long time it was the best band I had ever seen. Then they reformed and me and my wife had tickets to see them at Brixton Academy in 2004. My wife always was and is a huge fan, we both have tattoos that reference them in some way, but she never got to see them first time around. We managed to get ourselves at the barrier and the set they played was beyond perfection. We couldnt ask for anything more, or anything different. The best band I have ever seen.


    The worst. Realistically my memory should be more forgiving, and I have seen some very poor bands over the years, Badly Drawn Boy and Lost Prophets spring to mind however the worst band I have ever seen was Happy Mondays at Birmingham Hummingbird in November 1989. MC Buzz B was the support and he was OK, then The Happy Mondays sloped on stage, clearly the worst for wear, they couldn't play, Shaun Ryder had the lyrics on a piece of paper, served no purpose really as he just made up alternative ones on the spot. Shockingly bad band, the worst I have ever seen, even to this day.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 143
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    My best was undoubtedly (for me, but then I am a massive fan) Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. I am hard pressed between choosing seeing him in Cardiff in 2008 or Hyde Park in 2009. Cardiff was my first Bruce concert, but I maybe preferred the setlist for London, plus it's on DVD and will always be a keepsake of my day there.

    Worst would probably be Meat Loaf at Leeds Castle in 2005. I am a massive fan of Meat and this concert just fell quite flat. That being said, it was back when he wasn't too well and so that hampered his performances at the time. I saw him on his final tour in April and it was so much better, so my memories of him haven't been hampered too badly.
  • LMLM Posts: 63,318
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    Best: All three of Madonna's last tours
    Worst: Haven't had a bad gig yet.
  • Mr PerksMr Perks Posts: 1,159
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    Best - Out of many more recently, the best is still probably Jethro Tull, Thick As A Brick tour in 1972.
    If not that, a year or so later, the Incredible String Band on what was their last tour, supposedly well past their best but they still managed to get confirmed static gig goers up and dancing. A truly wonderful night.

    Worse - T Rex during their 50p a ticket period, started well, got pissed off by people trying to climb on stage by way of the speaker cables, left the stage after 30 minutes or so, never to return.
    Joe jackson, back when he was biggish but, I discovered, boring, boring, boring.
  • chaz richchaz rich Posts: 1,812
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    Best moment was at Wembley for Queen the day after John Lennon was killed, Freddie Mercury sang Imagine it was quite a surreal moment.
  • ugglauggla Posts: 1,113
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    Best:
    Iron Maiden - Twickenham 2008 i think, just amazing was a whole day of watching bands and was so hot.

    Worst:
    U2 - Cardiff 2005, Boring as hell wish i seen them in the 80s
  • lightdragonlightdragon Posts: 19,059
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    Best - Rammstein

    Worst - haven't really had a worst, but I've seen some crappy support acts. :D
  • akhenatenakhenaten Posts: 707
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    Best - The Wildhearts, leicester de montfort

    worst - Radiohead Earls court ( only because we were right at the back, which is a long way away, from the stage)
  • boddismboddism Posts: 16,436
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    Best- Muse

    Worst: avril Lavaigne- looked bored throughout.
  • welwynrosewelwynrose Posts: 33,666
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    Best -Bowie Hammersmith 3rd July 1973
    Worst U2 Wembley June 1987
  • Smithy1204Smithy1204 Posts: 4,352
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    Best - Westlife (I know, I know...), London Arena, April 2003. First time I had ever been to a concert, great view, started with my favourite song, the set was amazing - flames, 'flying', etc, they were brilliant, and the atmosphere was amazing. They became much more slick and smooth over the years (although relaxed more too and I prefer the more natural and fun moments of their later concerts), but I think because it was the first time I'd been to a concert it was all unexpected and new and exciting and it was just amazing.

    Worst - Probably either Blazin' Squad in 2004 or McFly in 2005 or 2006, just because they are not memorable to me at all.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 278
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    Best was Crowded House a couple of years ago, not sure about a worst will have to think..
  • Miasima GoriaMiasima Goria Posts: 5,188
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    Back in the mists of time I saw James supporting The Smiths - I'd rate that as my best.

    My worst was a gig where Vampire Weekend refused to play - supporting Young Knives - it spoiled the gig for punters and other bands
  • Rip the TV EyeRip the TV Eye Posts: 1,687
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    Best - KISS at the (then) MEN Arena, June 2010. Several people from my office went and we were all talking about it the next day. I think there were about five songs where nothing was exploding. The songs also were excellent, which meant that it wasn't style over substance.

    Worst - Stiff Little Fingers at the Manchester Academy. I knew hardly any of their songs when I went and wasn't that interested by what I'd heard. If I'd been a fan I would probably have enjoyed it as there was nothing wrong with the performance as such.
  • TribecTribec Posts: 9,310
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    For so, so long the best was a simple question, however in 2007 things altered. I saw a gig to equal what was by then stratospheres beyond anything else. So it's really difficult, to answer this. Also when I think back I think for musicality and not just the show another show stands out.

    Joint top Queen at Knebworth 86 and James MEN Arena 2007, both were stunningly brilliant. Both very different to each other, but perfection in the craft.

    Worse Meatloaf, MEN arena 96, I was probably expecting more from Meatloaf, his reputation for a show was good, but he fell flat that night.



    I almost forgot, the other show I talked of, Simon & Garfunkel in 2005, musically perfect at the MEN. Don't think I've heard music so perfect at pop/rock concert that perfect. The show wasn't much, but they never did have a show.
  • cliffy91cliffy91 Posts: 1,462
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    Best: Cliff Richard's 50th anniversary concert,simply stunning

    Worst: Jason Donovan just woeful and his cover of Back for good was cringing
  • dodger0703dodger0703 Posts: 1,957
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    Best Pink Floyd 1988 Maine Road, first gig I ever went to at 16, weather was great, crowd were great, band were faultless and when we went to get the bus home the inspector just told the driver 'just drop them all off wherever they want'

    Worst was Red Hot Chilli Peppers 2011 MEN arena, think I just expected more, they were really boring, left after 45 mins to go to the printworks for beers
  • ElectraElectra Posts: 55,660
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    Best - Iggy Pop, Newcastle City Hall 1977. Jaw droppingly amazing.

    Worst - Ramones - same venue - same era. Just dull. Really poor. People were drifting away after about 20 minutes.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,794
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    Best, not the real thing but the Australian Pink Floyd put on a fantastic show at Workington's Carnegie Hall in 1994, and their light show was as good as the real Floyd. This was a tenner well spent.
    Worst, The Beloved at Cov Poly in 1989, they'd gone from being an industrial band to a dance act and the fans expecting the old band got two men with rave haircuts playing dance music. As the singer has a gay sounding voice, you can imagine the insults that were thrown and the gig had to be abandoned.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,304
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    I suspect a lot of people are attending their worst at Twickenham today.
  • PhilH36PhilH36 Posts: 26,191
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    My worst concert would have to be Adele. She basically just stood still and sang throughout the entire gig, didn't move around the stage, hardly interacted with the audience at all and had little stage presence. She may be, rightly, popular musically, but as a live act it was one of the most boring shows I've ever seen.

    Best gig would be Springsteen at the old Wembley Stadium in '88, closely followed by the RDs Dublin show in 2003.

    Whilst not necessairily the best guitarist I've seen, the best female guitarist I've seen has to be Joanne Shaw Taylor.
  • SoupietwistSoupietwist Posts: 1,314
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    Best : Pearl Jam.
    Worst : Madonna.

    I admit Madonna isn't really my thing, but even taking into account I'm not a fan, she was still awful - and costume change breaks have no place in live music!!!
  • jonloch1jonloch1 Posts: 3,175
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    PhilH36 wrote: »
    My worst concert would have to be Adele. She basically just stood still and sang throughout the entire gig, didn't move around the stage, hardly interacted with the audience at all and had little stage presence. She may be, rightly, popular musically, but as a live act it was one of the most boring shows I've ever seen.

    Gawd going to a Adele concert would be my idea of hell on earth! I've been to see people that i'm not even a big fan of ie Madonna, alice cooper etc. but I think I would rather jump off a bridge then go to Adele. its mad that some people are paying over £1,000 PER TICKET to see her!
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