Off Topic The gig thread.........

[Deleted.......]

Yeah, they were playing pubs in Durham and Newcastle around that time, their flyers were stuck to lamp posts all over the place, quite enigmatic. Think their first single was early 82, but they had been around a lot longer. A mate who I didn’t meet until a couple of years later was at school with Paddy McAloon, and remained very good friends with him. Apparently he’s a lovely bloke and hugely musically talented, but has had a lot of health problems, especially with his eyes, for a long time.
Have to say I saw them a few times when it was a short stroll to get there. Quite liked them, but was not a massive fan. Don’t think I appreciated the subtlety and complexity of the music then (or now).

Loved them since I was fourteen so in a bit of awe that you saw them then! Paddy has failing eyesight but also Tinitus so won't ever play live again. He never liked touring anyway to be fair and has always said he's not fussed. Saw them three times and they were bloody great. Love this thread - already so many different tastes but so many shared ones too. Nice one Staines!

 

[Staines R's]

Free gigs......

I was lucky enough to get a ticket to see Rage Against the Machine when they played a free gig at Finsbury Park in 2010, as a celebration of reaching number 1 at Christmas the previous year instead of some Xfactor **** which usually got there.
Police were in heavy attendance as there were threats from anarchists that the fences would be torn down (some did later) and it was a tense but excited atmosphere. Started off well as the support were Gogol Bordello who had the crowd warmed up nicely with their raw sound of gypsy punk, and Roots Manuva and his melodic trip-hop set.
Then for the main act.....Wow !!! Ive seen it on YouTube since and can’t believe how close I was to the stage to see such a performance of pure energy and noise. Played all the classics such as ‘Killing in the name’, ‘Bombtrack’ and ‘Bulls on Parade’ and Zack de la Rocha on vocals and Tom Morello on guitar were on top form.
I fell over so many times moshing about but luckily most people would do there best to pull you back up again so you didn't get hurt too badly....but I was still covered in bruises the next day.
Left at the end with the chorus of ‘**** you I won’t do as you tell me’ still ringing in my ears and was lucky enough to jump the mile long train que and got the last train home, thus not incurring the wrath of my Mrs as we were going on a family holiday the next day to Centreparcs.
Definitely up there in my top 5 of favourite all time gigs.

 

[CroydonCaptainJack]

This thread might not work but there was such a great ‘feel good’ vibe last night from a few of us while watching The Cure play at Glastonbury on TV that I’d like to keep it going.
So let’s hear your stories from gigs you’ve attended, no matter who or where, what it was like and anything funny or interesting that might of happened......try to keep it to maximum of 1 a day each person (I could fill it up with loads I’ve attended each day)
So here goes.........

‘Punk/Skinhead All Day Gig’ Astoria, London 1994

Being a skinhead/casual back in the day I went primarily to see CockSparrer (a skinhead band) but there were various punk bands on the bill such as Chelsea, 999 and The Adicts as headline act. All was good with CockSparrer playing a blinding set and the skins in the audience lapping it up, with the various punks just watching from the sidelines as the crowd went wild and thrashed about to songs such as ‘England Belongs to Me’ and ‘Running Riot’.
All started to go wrong when The Adicts came on stage with the lead singer being stark bollock naked, wearing only a crown of thorns and carrying a cross. This for some reason upset a load of the skinheads, who decided now was the time to kick off with the punks and storm the stage. I have memory of my mate Jimmy kicking the bands drum set across the stage and the band (who I actually liked and was looking forward to seeing) scarper off as quick as possible to avoid a beating.
The lights came on and it was just a flurry of fists and boots on the dance floor as waves of punks and skins decided to battle it out with whatever came to hand. Being the hero I was, I realised it was getting out of hand and decided to get out of there before the OB arrived and nicked everyone, but not before swallowing a mouth full of tear gas sprayed at me from a Mohican wearing punk.....as I left the venue, the police in riot gear were coming in so knew it was a wise choice.
25 years ago and still it brings back some good memories..........


Any more ??

This thread might not work but there was such a great ‘feel good’ vibe last night from a few of us while watching The Cure play at Glastonbury on TV that I’d like to keep it going.
So let’s hear your stories from gigs you’ve attended, no matter who or where, what it was like and anything funny or interesting that might of happened......try to keep it to maximum of 1 a day each person (I could fill it up with loads I’ve attended each day)
So here goes.........

‘Punk/Skinhead All Day Gig’ Astoria, London 1994

Being a skinhead/casual back in the day I went primarily to see CockSparrer (a skinhead band) but there were various punk bands on the bill such as Chelsea, 999 and The Adicts as headline act. All was good with CockSparrer playing a blinding set and the skins in the audience lapping it up, with the various punks just watching from the sidelines as the crowd went wild and thrashed about to songs such as ‘England Belongs to Me’ and ‘Running Riot’.
All started to go wrong when The Adicts came on stage with the lead singer being stark bollock naked, wearing only a crown of thorns and carrying a cross. This for some reason upset a load of the skinheads, who decided now was the time to kick off with the punks and storm the stage. I have memory of my mate Jimmy kicking the bands drum set across the stage and the band (who I actually liked and was looking forward to seeing) scarper off as quick as possible to avoid a beating.
The lights came on and it was just a flurry of fists and boots on the dance floor as waves of punks and skins decided to battle it out with whatever came to hand. Being the hero I was, I realised it was getting out of hand and decided to get out of there before the OB arrived and nicked everyone, but not before swallowing a mouth full of tear gas sprayed at me from a Mohican wearing punk.....as I left the venue, the police in riot gear were coming in so knew it was a wise choice.
25 years ago and still it brings back some good memories..........


Any more ??

Sorry Staines, I've only just seen this but I think you may have explained something that really puzzled me many years ago.
We went to see the Adicts at a venue in Hammersmith on that big roundabout. It was a great gig but as we left promptly and started walking towards the station there was a firm of about thirty skinheads heading into the venue to kick off.
Sounds like it might have been afters from your gig eh!

 

[Staines R's]

Sorry Staines, I've only just seen this but I think you may have explained something that really puzzled me many years ago.
We went to see the Adults at a venue in Hammersmith on that big roundabout. It was a great gig but as we left promptly and started walking towards the station there was a firm of about thirty skinheads heading into the venue to kick off.
Sounds like it might have been afters from your gig eh!

Can’t of been that gig mate......the one I was at was in the Astoria on Charing Cross Road. There was a bit of a thing between the casuals/Skins at the time going to a few gigs and kicking off....

 

[rangercol]

Loved SAHB as well, saw them at the Victoria Palace circa 1975, utterly brilliant showmen...…..

Also was at Hyde Park for the free gig that Queen did in either 75 or 76...….It was a full day with support acts such as Steve Hillage, Kiki Dee and others that I really can't recall...…..Must have been around 100,000 in the Park and it was FREE, unreal to think that in this day and age.....

Saw Queen at the NEC around 1984 I think.
Best concert I've ever been to.
The musicianship, sound and Freddie's voice was something to behold.

 

[kiwiqpr]

Wasn't there a punch up

 

[kiwiqpr]

I must have gone to the really refined gig's with no fighting
My first two gigs were both at the hammersmith palais
The blow monkeys and the pouges
2 completly different crowds
No fighting but lots of drinking
Yeah

 

[sb_73]

Wasn't there a punch up

I’m quite glad that we are shifting from gigs which featured violence to favourite gigs. Young Stainsey obviously requires fisticuffs to have a truly good time, I’m reassessing my commitment to seeing Alabama 3 with him and his lads due to personal safety concerns.

My top gig is Dr Feelgood somewhere in Harrow sometime in 1975. Literally life changing, opening up new types of music and a very different attitude to me. Rhythm and blues and ‘**** you’ entered my universe.

 

[kiwiqpr]

I’m quite glad that we are shifting from gigs which featured violence to favourite gigs. Young Stainsey obviously requires fisticuffs to have a truly good time, I’m reassessing my commitment to seeing Alabama 3 with him and his lads due to personal safety concerns.

My top gig is Dr Feelgood somewhere in Harrow sometime in 1975. Literally life changing, opening up new types of music and a very different attitude to me. Rhythm and blues and ‘**** you’ entered my universe.

I think my favourite gig will be U2 in november
After 30 years of practice they should be quite good at playing the Joshua tree
And I have tickets for the mosh pit
Although the mosh pit for 50 to 60 year olds could be a strange place to be

 

[Wherever]

My favourite gig was 1981, two nights running saw the Clash at the Lyceum, just looked it up for the date and found the full concert available on you tube, guess what I might do tonight.
My first gig when I moved to London was Iggy Pop supported by Aswad and the Slits, high bar to start with, 1977 a certain Mr Bowie on keyboards, the rainbow I think

 

[Staines R's]

I’m quite glad that we are shifting from gigs which featured violence to favourite gigs. Young Stainsey obviously requires fisticuffs to have a truly good time, I’m reassessing my commitment to seeing Alabama 3 with him and his lads due to personal safety concerns.

My top gig is Dr Feelgood somewhere in Harrow sometime in 1975. Literally life changing, opening up new types of music and a very different attitude to me. Rhythm and blues and ‘**** you’ entered my universe.

Lol......I’ll admit mate the old me wasn’t the nicest of people but I’m better for it now.....

Ok.......

Alabama 3 Electric Ballroom, Camden 1999ish (I think)

I’d previously only caught the last 5 mins of the band at a festival and was blown away so when I saw they were playing live and knowing I could see them play a whole gig I jumped at the chance.
Great atmosphere beforehand with loads of cowboy hats and a few ‘Elvis’s’ dotted about and a chatty friendly crowd.
I remember not knowing what to expect and when they started 2 saucy young ladies came on the stage dressed in red berets, army fatigues and sunglasses carrying machine guns to watch over the crowd, followed by a big tattooed biker dude as protection for the band (dont worry G, all part of the ‘show’)
Then the band sauntered on the stage, with Larry Love and D Wayne of the first Presperterian Church of Elvis the Divine, wearing Zapatista balaclavas and started singing their sweet songs of country, acid house, techno music.
They had everyone thrust their left fist in the air, to the introduction of ‘Mao Tse Tung said’ (a speech by the Rev Jim Jones) with D Wayne berating people putting their right arms in the air ‘cos this ain’t no mother ****ing Nuremberg rally’.
Continued with a rousing rendition of ‘hypo full of love’, with a couple of short skirted nurses carrying massive hypodermic syringes and cavorting on stage, finally closing with ‘Peace in the Valley’ which had everyone hugging each other (nothing to do with the drugs, honest).
All in all a fantastic night that lives long in my memory......with no violence at all

 

[Steelmonkey]

I think my favourite gig will be U2 in november
After 30 years of practice they should be quite good at playing the Joshua tree
And I have tickets for the mosh pit
Although the mosh pit for 50 to 60 year olds could be a strange place to be

A mosh pit at U2 - you having a laugh?

As for being in a mosh pit as a 50 year old - I never feel out of place, although I am knackered at the end of the gig. Best mosh pits - Nirvana at Belfast Kings Hall 1992, Arctic Monkeys in Barrowlands day before they released 2nd album, and IDLES in Glasgow QMU last year.

 

[Staines R's]

I think my favourite gig will be U2 in november
After 30 years of practice they should be quite good at playing the Joshua tree
And I have tickets for the mosh pit
Although the mosh pit for 50 to 60 year olds could be a strange place to be

It’ll be lighters in the air at U2 mate.
Try doing a Dead Kennedys mosh pit, that’ll be more like the real thing

 

[Steelmonkey]

It’ll be lighters in the air at U2 mate.
Try doing a Dead Kennedys mosh pit, that’ll be more like the real thing

You know they are out on tour this year......

Tickets: Dead Kennedys, London | Fri 9 Aug 19 17:30 | Ticketmaster UK https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/dead-kennedys-london-09-08-2019/event/1F0056CEBF0D4801

 

[Staines R's]

You know they are out on tour this year......

Tickets: Dead Kennedys, London | Fri 9 Aug 19 17:30 | Ticketmaster UK https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/dead-kennedys-london-09-08-2019/event/1F0056CEBF0D4801

Yes mate, saw that but think I’m working. They seem to tour Europe quite a bit now and I saw them a couple of years ago when that played at Islington (and before that at Beautiful Days Festival)....nice small venue and a mad crowd.
The new lead singer, Skip is great and gives a good show BUT I would love to see them reform with Jello on vocals.....will never happen if course ‘cos they hate each other...but I can dream.

 

[CroydonCaptainJack]

Can’t of been that gig mate......the one I was at was in the Astoria on Charing Cross Road. There was a bit of a thing between the casuals/Skins at the time going to a few gigs and kicking off....

No, I meant the trouble could be connected to the gig you went to.

 

[Staines R's]

No, I meant the trouble could be connected to the gig you went to.

Oh ok I get it now mate. Yeah possibly. As you can see from posts on this thread, going to a punk/skin gig always had the potential for violence back in those days.....just the way it was I guess.
The young ‘uns nowadays with their sanitised, corporate pop concerts won’t ever know that kind of excitement (and fear)

 

[kiwiqpr]

A mosh pit at U2 - you having a laugh?

As for being in a mosh pit as a 50 year old - I never feel out of place, although I am knackered at the end of the gig. Best mosh pits - Nirvana at Belfast Kings Hall 1992, Arctic Monkeys in Barrowlands day before they released 2nd album, and IDLES in Glasgow QMU last year.

I hope it's not all tofu burgers chamomile tea and charity collectors down the front

 

[Sooperhoop]

Most memorable for me was one of the Oval concerts in 1972 or 73 featuring ELP as the headline act. We didn't have tickets so spent a while on a reccie around the outside about 4.00pm. We noticed quite a few big plastic litter bins so rounded up three of them and turning them upside down built a 'podium' which we climbed and then onto the top of the outside wall which was around 10 feet high and dropping nicely inside we managed to leg it into the crowd before they could intercept us. We did have tickets for another concert down the road at the Brixton Sundown where Deep Purple were on later that evening and after seeing most of the ELP set we made our way on to the Sundown around 9.00pm just in time to catch the Deep Purple set, rock days didn't come much better than that...

 

[Steelmonkey]

I hope it's not all tofu burgers chamomile tea and charity collectors down the front

It'll be about as lively as this.....

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