Astonishing gigs

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Last night I went to see Lau at the Midlands Arts Centre. They're a Scottish 3 piece folk band (www.lau-music.co.uk) who haven't been going very long but the members are all really well regarded folk musicians, and their music is essentially scots folk in style but with a really bonkers twist ... anyway, to cut a long story short it was quite possibly one of the best gigs I have ever been to EVER. It was one of those gigs that has you walking on air after, elated, inspired, completely blown away by the music, the musicianship and the sheer size, scale and depth of the noise made by three blokes who really knew what they were doing with a guitar, a fiddle and an accordion.

Very very few gigs I've been to have had this effect - another was seeing James at the Liverpool Royal Court theatre in 1992, and another was the first time I heard Stravinsky's Rite of Spring played by an orchestra - the LPO as it happens. One of my friends describes seeing Radiohead at Glasto 1995 in the same way...

So, which were your memorable gigs and why?
 

Panter

Just call me Chris...
Pink Floyd at Earls cout in October '94.

I have the ticket framed on the wall xx(
 

SamNichols

New Member
Location
Colne, Lancs
Of late, I recently saw Battles, who make arty Math-rock alternative stuff. That has been my absolutely favourite gig for a long time.

Earlier in life - Tribute to Nothing at Rickmansworth Watersmeet meant a lot to me, as it was my first ever alternative gig. I haven't heard any of their music for at least 5 years, but when I was 16 it was awesome.

Eliza Carthy, Maltings St. Albans - folk loveliness in a tiny venue. Brilliant.

I can't say that I have a favourite though, as I go to a heck of a lot of gigs.
 
The Grateful Dead Alexandra Palace mid-1970s. They were 4 hours late starting gig, atmosphere was about as near mutinous as stoned hippies get, in a few minutes we were transported to another planet where we all stayed for several hours before being dropped home. Brilliant.
 

Melvil

Guest
A haitian voodoo rock band called Ram (I was sent to the concert to interview them - bonus!). They were absolutely superb and at the end of the concert they decamped from the stage, still playing, and conga'd through the crowd, accepting beers, cigarettes and, ahem, 'funny' cigarettes as they were offered.
 
Disgruntled Goat said:
Jesus and Mary Chain 1987 ish
Primal Scream 1995

and the daddy of them all,

LiveAid 1985


And as to why:

J&MC - came on at 12:30 played 30minutes of feedback through a cloud of dry ice whilst the audience knocked chunks out of each other. What's not to like?

Primals - I was very, very high. And so was everyone else.

LiveAid - One of the greatest days of my life.
 

Melvil

Guest
Kirstie said:
Last night I went to see Lau at the Midlands Arts Centre. They're a Scottish 3 piece folk band (www.lau-music.co.uk) who haven't been going very long but the members are all really well regarded folk musicians, and their music is essentially scots folk in style but with a really bonkers twist ... anyway, to cut a long story short it was quite possibly one of the best gigs I have ever been to EVER. It was one of those gigs that has you walking on air after, elated, inspired, completely blown away by the music, the musicianship and the sheer size, scale and depth of the noise made by three blokes who really knew what they were doing with a guitar, a fiddle and an accordion.

Very very few gigs I've been to have had this effect - another was seeing James at the Liverpool Royal Court theatre in 1992, and another was the first time I heard Stravinsky's Rite of Spring played by an orchestra - the LPO as it happens. One of my friends describes seeing Radiohead at Glasto 1995 in the same way...

So, which were your memorable gigs and why?

Cool - I might go and see them - says they're on in Edinburgh in Nov as part of the folk festival.
 
Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians at the Marquee in '85. it changed my life forever.

r.e.m. Hammersmith Palais '85. another life changer. 85 was a good year

Neutral Milk Hotel - underworld in camden, '98. the last gig they played and breathtakingly amazing.

Jayhawks - Borderline in '92 (i think).

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - RFH. If i close my eyes i can still see Annie Whitehead's red shoes as they burned my retinas

Joe Henry at the Borderline around the time of Kindness Of The World.

Guillemots, Metro Club in 2005. they gave me faith in music again.

Grant Lee Buffalo - HQ club in Camden.could have been 94. left that gig stunned and slightly deaf.

L
 

patheticshark

Well-Known Member
Location
Clowndon
Laurence - I seem to remember posting about being jealous of you seeing NMH on CyclingPlus, way back when.

Mine is probably Tindersticks at the Barbican, but there have been lots of astonishing ones.
 
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