Not keen on these stadium venues, or the prices, somebody is making a killing on the interest alone, its all hype and marketing, the music is lost in the process, if there is any in the first place, Bah Humbug.
My oldest lad who is at Uni in Staffordshire has already been on the blower asking me to get tickets for this!! He saw them at Leeds Festival the other year, and he said they are the best live band he has ever seen..
anyone see any of these? AFTER the Foo Fighters announced a huge gig at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light next year, we decided to look back at the city’s most memorable gigs. The Beatles On February 9, 1963, The Beatles were in the midst of their first nationwide tour, supporting 16-year-old singer Helen Shapiro. Sunderland Empire was the sixth date of the tour and they performed classics such as Please, Please Me and Love Me Do, as well a cover of Bing Crosby’s Beautiful Dreamer, at the sold-out show. They started at the foot of the bill but were soon promoted as Please Please Me moved up the charts. A month later, on March 22, their debut album was released. The Rolling Stones On February 20, 1964, The Rolling Stones gave the first of two Sunderland performances at the Rank and Odeon Cinemas. The next day they released their first Top 5 UK hit, Not Fade Away, which reached No 3. The Stones travelled back to Sunderland for the last time in 1965 to do two more dates at the Odeon. A concert at Roker Park was even scheduled for 1970 until the FA put a stop to it. Led Zeppelin On November 12, 1971, one of the world’s biggest rock bands played the Locarno Ballroom (now Tesco’s). For 75p a ticket, fans were treated to songs like Immigrant Song, Black Dog and an extended version of Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin IV had been released four days previously and they had just returned from Japan to finish off the year with a 16-date UK tour. T-Rex Promoting their 11th and penultimate studio album Futuristic Dragon, Marc Bolan brought T-Rex at Sunderland Empire on February 15, 1976. It was just a year before the car crash that killed him at 29 years old and was slightly waning at this point in his career. A ticket for the performance was £1.25 and was a packed-out show with a setlist spanning the band’s entire career. Songs like 20th Century Boy and Children Of The Revolution were included. The Clash Sunderland saw The Clash play two nights in 1985, firstly at the Bunker on May 10 and then at the Drum Club the next night. Touring their final album, the punk band were at a chaotic stage of their career and they broke up soon after. David Bowie On June 23, 1987, Roker Park was one of the venues for David Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour. This was a memorable gig mainly for the fact that Bowie’s opening phrase to the crowd was “Good evening, Newcastle.” Extravagant stage props and heavy rain also dampened the performance slightly, but with hits like Fashion, Let’s Dance and China Girl all in the repertoire, it was still a show that will go down in the city’s history. Oasis The first big gig that the Stadium of Light held was Oasis in June 2009. Supported by The Enemy and Kasabian, the Britpop band played to 50,000 people and set the template for the bands that followed. It wasn’t too long after that tour that the Gallagher brothers decided to call it a day, but with sentimental classics like Slide Away and Don’t Look Back In Anger all included it set the standard for what was to come for the city. Take That Take That first performed at the Stadium of Light in 2009 to 60,000 people after newly reforming. They returned in 2011, with Robbie Williams rejoining them on the Progress Live tour where fans were the first to hear the five-piece sing together for the first time since 1995. Kings of Leon Promoting their fifth studio album Come Around Sundown, Kings of Leon were the fifth headlining band to play at the Stadium of Light, in 2011. The band saw the Stadium turn its attention to more rock-orientated music rather than the commercially popular music of Take That and Pink. The performance, including a career spanning set-list laid the foundations of other rock bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bon Jovi and band Foo Fighters to play. Bruce Springsteen In June 2012 the Stadium of Light saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play in the pouring rain for an epic three hours and 45 minutes. Springsteen was on form playing hits from his lengthy career, as well as newer songs from his Wrecking Ball album. He shook members of the crowd by the hand and took requests throughout the energetic show.
Saw Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, T-rex, Bowie and Kings of Leon. All in Sunderland but Led Zep in Newcastle same period, just before the huge American tour. Read The Promoters Tale by Geoff Docherty (Doc of the Bay) to get the background on this appearance it is a great read.
Cheers, my first gig was Lonnie Donegan at the Empire, with Stan Stennate (sic) and Mike and Bernie Winters, not such a great line up on reflection.
I was at Roker Park for Bowie. Never been to any at Stadium of Light, not to say I wouldn't go, but I much prefer indoor arenas, doesn't make much difference to me where, Newcastle, Sunderland. As long as the NE is getting bands up here that's all that matters to me. The Clash dates have solved a long mystery for me. I never knew where they were playing that day until afterwards, otherwise I'd have gone to Sunderland. But there were stories that weekend (11th), that they had played an impromptu Acoustic Gig that afternoon in Gateshead, at The Station Pub. It was all rumours, until The Clash 'Acoustic Daze/Back to Basics Bootleg' started appearing. After White Riot, Joe can be heard asking for some beer money, and they were about to get the train to Sunderland to play that night. If you've never heard the bootleg, worth a listen. [video=youtube;XSUjNIFuctM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSUjNIFuctM[/video]
Anyone just got the pre-sale e-mail? £60 standing Support wants to be half decent... Considering one is rumoured to be Iggy Pop...
I'd love to go, and buy a few extra to sell so I go for free, bad timing though just before Christmas. It will sell out no doubt.
SJM concerts are the promoter so someone somewhere at the SOL is well connected. They own a big stake in the academy music group who own the O2 venues. Not an easy company to get in with to be honest. I have just been on an SJM promoted tour so might have to see if I can get some tickets to this as is mine and the wifes 1st aniversary that weekend.
No mate, Royal Blood and Iggy Pop are confirmed for the other uk dates. SoL hasn't been announced yet.
Got four tickets for the foo fighters this morning in the pre sale £300!!!!!! I'm in the posh seats though.
