And yet I know two people who went to that gig and said it was absolute crap - just Bono using the stage as a place to witter on about his political beliefs, and the rest of the band to go through the motions. Not a patch on the U2 of the late eighties and throughout the nineties.
I saw them in Dublin in 88(?) and they were unbelievable - haven't had the chance to see them since and in some ways I don't want to ruin the memories of Croke Park
My best gigs ever are Muse and Oasis at Red Rocks in Colorado (unfortunately not at the same time - but I think I may have exploded with a bill like that in such a stunning outdoor venue :eek: )
And yet I know two people who went to that gig and said it was absolute crap - just Bono using the stage as a place to witter on about his political beliefs, and the rest of the band to go through the motions. Not a patch on the U2 of the late eighties and throughout the nineties.
i saw both the zoo tv show, and the last tour. zoo undoubtedly tops it, but the last shows were still pretty amazing compared to most gigs. given the scale of the show, some people might just not like U2, or Bono, but i don't think there's any denying it was a great show.
Bono only really had a couple of witterings - and when the Human Rights act was read out as the text was displayed, it was a bit of hairs standing on end moment.
I am a little biased as they have been my favourite band since I was 16...but Silverchair are absolutely amazing live and exceeded my expectations beyond belief!
My top 3
1st Rainbow in Leeds sometime round '80
2nd AC/DC monsters of rock '81 (I think)
3rd Alice Cooper/Motorhead/Joan Jet Brighton '07 (unable to seperate them as the whole night was an experience rather than three acts for me)
Page and Plant 1995 & 1998
The Who SECC 2000
The Stones at Hampden 2006
Ray Davies last year at the GRCH
Stereophonics SECC 2006
Paul Weller--any concert in Glasgow!
Neil Innes Irvine Magnum Centre 2005
Oasis SECC 2005 (great show, annoying chav/ned crowd)
Elton John Glasgow
Nic Armstrong and the Thieves Glasgow
Seen them many times, and nobody has ever put on a show as well as Art Brut. The best of which was probably at the Luminaire in Kilburn a couple of months back. Every time I see them they seem to get better and better.
Other great live acts have been the Cribs and CSS at Glastonbury last year, excellent live and I'm looking forward to seeing them again at this years festival, and Interpol at Alexandra Palace last December put on as close to a perfect performance as you can get. I also have great memories of Pulp at Glastonbury '98 and the Super Furry Animals every time I've seen them.
Queen at Wembley 1986 - probably much the same!
Also Springsteen at Wembley 1985 and (don't laugh) - Slade at Hammersmith Odeon in 1978. Awsome live band - as anyone at Reading in 1980 will testify.
Either that or "Decaydance Fest." last year.
Fall Out Boy et al put on a very good show. Knock them if you will, but you really can't judge a band until you see them live in their own environment.
(The et al was Panic at the disco, Gymclass Heroes, The Academy is..., Plain white tees, and Cobra Starship. just so ya know )
Pidgeon Detectives - Wolverhampton Civic - 2006 (supporting Kaiser Chiefs)
Blood Red Shoes - Little Civic, Wolverhampton - 2008
Scissor Sisters - NIA - 2006
Parents are huge Bruce fans!!! Neither had really been to concerts or gigs ever before until Sringsteen... Now they're trying to follow him on his tours!!! Lol... They love to put the DVD on in the lounge and have a sing and dance and imagine they're back there!!! We call them their mini-sleepover-concerts cuz they shut the blinds and take the sleeping bags and put them on the floor!!! It's very sweet!!!
The Who, The Smiths, Radiohead, Muse, Led zepplin, The Jam all at the Leeds Uni, plus some of bands I had seen in leeds old T&C were Suede, Blur and INXS.
Also saw the good band 3 Doors Down when i was in the US.
the best would be Bullet For My Valentine - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2006
then Funeral For A Friend - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007
Enter Shikari - Cambridge Junction 2007 (gf hated it though lol)
Bowling For Soup - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007
Wheater - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007 (supporting BFS)
Drummer Hates Jazz - The Twist Colchester 2008
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Anvil Basingstoke ("Quality of Mercy" Tour)
Richard Thompson - Guildford Folk & Blues Festival (held at Loseley Park)
Peter Green's Splinter Group (first outing - Guilfest)
Thijs Van Leer + Mike Del ferro (keyboards) + Mark and Mike Mondesir (bass and drums)- The Hautboy Ockham ?2004?
honourable mentions should also go to :
Status Quo (classic line-up)
Marillion (Fish era)
Twelfth Night (circa 1982-83)
Zombies (re-formed ?2005?)
Joan Armatrading (1984)
David Gray ("White Ladder" tour)
Lindisfarne (1983)
Ian Dury & the Blockheads (the "I'm dying and I'm still gonna" tour)
Eddie Reader ("Angels & Electricity" tour)
Kate Rusby (end of tour show with her ex-husband playing his final gig with her band - Anvil, Basingstoke)
On the subject of U2, I first saw them perform a short set at Greenbelt festival then on tour at Hemel Hempstead Pavilion (prob 1st UK tour - 1980-81 ish - i.e. before "War") I think The Comsat Angels were their support at Hemel. They were good, but didn't look world superstars to be. I saw the Alarm around that time and thought they would be bigger, but Ireland trumped Wales.
In terms of pure theatre - Maiden on the World Slavery Tour, or Dio on the Sacred Heart tour, or Aerosmith on the Nine Lives tour, or Kiss on their comeback with make-up tour (1995?).
Honourable mention to Rory Gallagher headlining the Mildenhall Blues Festival.
Comments
blimey - you don't see them crop up often - that's Claudia Brucken and blokey from OMD, right?
saw the cocteau twins at the barrowlands around 1990 or so - absolutely brilliant.
for scale, i don't think U2's zoo tv show will be topped in a hurry.
for absolute grin on your face joy from start to infectious finish, the go! team are hard to beat.
and Prince is just incredible live - the 28/8 aftershow last summer was just an awsome display on the guitar, with just bass and drums for backing.
Iain
I saw them in Dublin in 88(?) and they were unbelievable - haven't had the chance to see them since and in some ways I don't want to ruin the memories of Croke Park
My best gigs ever are Muse and Oasis at Red Rocks in Colorado (unfortunately not at the same time - but I think I may have exploded with a bill like that in such a stunning outdoor venue :eek: )
i saw both the zoo tv show, and the last tour. zoo undoubtedly tops it, but the last shows were still pretty amazing compared to most gigs. given the scale of the show, some people might just not like U2, or Bono, but i don't think there's any denying it was a great show.
Bono only really had a couple of witterings - and when the Human Rights act was read out as the text was displayed, it was a bit of hairs standing on end moment.
Iain
(Though Crowded House and Take That are also great, Bruce just pips them to the post)
Pity they don't tour here that often :mad:
1st Rainbow in Leeds sometime round '80
2nd AC/DC monsters of rock '81 (I think)
3rd Alice Cooper/Motorhead/Joan Jet Brighton '07 (unable to seperate them as the whole night was an experience rather than three acts for me)
The Who SECC 2000
The Stones at Hampden 2006
Ray Davies last year at the GRCH
Stereophonics SECC 2006
Paul Weller--any concert in Glasgow!
Neil Innes Irvine Magnum Centre 2005
Oasis SECC 2005 (great show, annoying chav/ned crowd)
Elton John Glasgow
Nic Armstrong and the Thieves Glasgow
Other great live acts have been the Cribs and CSS at Glastonbury last year, excellent live and I'm looking forward to seeing them again at this years festival, and Interpol at Alexandra Palace last December put on as close to a perfect performance as you can get. I also have great memories of Pulp at Glastonbury '98 and the Super Furry Animals every time I've seen them.
and then it would have too be.........................
Michael Jackson
Queen at Wembley 1986 - probably much the same!
Also Springsteen at Wembley 1985 and (don't laugh) - Slade at Hammersmith Odeon in 1978. Awsome live band - as anyone at Reading in 1980 will testify.
Another vote for this, simply amazing.
Either that or "Decaydance Fest." last year.
Fall Out Boy et al put on a very good show. Knock them if you will, but you really can't judge a band until you see them live in their own environment.
(The et al was Panic at the disco, Gymclass Heroes, The Academy is..., Plain white tees, and Cobra Starship. just so ya know
All at last year's Reading Festival.
cant wait for Alicia keys later on this year.
Yup that's them and they had Suzanne Freytag from Propaganda that night doing some Propaganda songs - fantastic
I also forgot Grace Jones at the Brixton Academy in 1993(4)? - she was amazing.
Blood Red Shoes - Little Civic, Wolverhampton - 2008
Scissor Sisters - NIA - 2006
Parents are huge Bruce fans!!! Neither had really been to concerts or gigs ever before until Sringsteen... Now they're trying to follow him on his tours!!! Lol... They love to put the DVD on in the lounge and have a sing and dance and imagine they're back there!!! We call them their mini-sleepover-concerts cuz they shut the blinds and take the sleeping bags and put them on the floor!!! It's very sweet!!!
However, for music alone... Snow Patrol are always awesome
Also saw the good band 3 Doors Down when i was in the US.
then Funeral For A Friend - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007
Enter Shikari - Cambridge Junction 2007 (gf hated it though lol)
Bowling For Soup - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007
Wheater - Cambridge Corn Exchange 2007 (supporting BFS)
Drummer Hates Jazz - The Twist Colchester 2008
Squeeze - Leicester University Summer Ball 1985
Queen - Milton Keynes Bowl ("Hotspace" Tour)
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Anvil Basingstoke ("Quality of Mercy" Tour)
Richard Thompson - Guildford Folk & Blues Festival (held at Loseley Park)
Peter Green's Splinter Group (first outing - Guilfest)
Thijs Van Leer + Mike Del ferro (keyboards) + Mark and Mike Mondesir (bass and drums)- The Hautboy Ockham ?2004?
honourable mentions should also go to :
Status Quo (classic line-up)
Marillion (Fish era)
Twelfth Night (circa 1982-83)
Zombies (re-formed ?2005?)
Joan Armatrading (1984)
David Gray ("White Ladder" tour)
Lindisfarne (1983)
Ian Dury & the Blockheads (the "I'm dying and I'm still gonna" tour)
Eddie Reader ("Angels & Electricity" tour)
Kate Rusby (end of tour show with her ex-husband playing his final gig with her band - Anvil, Basingstoke)
On the subject of U2, I first saw them perform a short set at Greenbelt festival then on tour at Hemel Hempstead Pavilion (prob 1st UK tour - 1980-81 ish - i.e. before "War") I think The Comsat Angels were their support at Hemel. They were good, but didn't look world superstars to be. I saw the Alarm around that time and thought they would be bigger, but Ireland trumped Wales.
Queens of the Stone Age - 23 August 2005
Mark Lanegan Band - 21 November 2005 (Brighton) and 27 November (Manchester)
Soulsavers & Mark Lanegan - 17/18 July 2007
Gutter Twins - 21 February 2008
Honourable mention to Rory Gallagher headlining the Mildenhall Blues Festival.
Black Uhuru 1982 - they supported The Rolling Stones (who are the WORST band I've ever seen live)
Jon Hassell - 1982 at the first WOMAD fest.
The Beat (at WOMAD again)
Leonard Cohen on the Recent Songs tour - can't remember the year - '78 I think.
Stone Roses in Blackpool, 1990ish
Durrutti Column 90's
Cocteau Twins 80's and 90's
The Cure 80's (a few times)
The Beta Band 90's
P J Harvey was a good gig Is This Desire tour.
Spacemen 3
Spiritualised
Julian Cope
Peter Gabriel (82)
oh yeah, and Joy Division