Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The Big Gig Thread 2018

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Is he a tall person, your workmate? I ask because there seemed to be an unusually high proportion of tall people in the crowd.

    Comment


      Not really. Said he was stood in front of Luke for most of the gig until he (my colleague, not Luke Haines) went to the bar...

      Comment


        I'm trying to remember whether I've ever seen a performer wander off stage to go to the bar. I've seen quite a few have drinks passed up to them, both ordered and unsolicited, but possibly not.

        Comment


          Half Man Half Biscuit at the O2 Ritz, Manchester.

          Support was semi-regular HMHB warm-up JD Meatyard. They were decent enough, but the venue was 3/4 empty while they were playing.

          HMHB were in truly excellent form - kicking off with Westward Ho!, always a sign of confidence when you invite your crowd to sing "What a let down!" back at you inside the first 5 minutes, I think.

          Typically surreal storytelling and chat from Nigel between songs, I mean who knew that Glyn Pardoe used to knock shuttlecocks about at Boggart Hole Clough on the night before a big match? Crowd was a good mix of ages, plenty of older folk like myself but a good number in their 20s and 30s, many of whom were prominent in an increasingly lively moshpit. Hardly any knobheads, most of my favourite tracks got an outing but there were also a number of live rarities sprinkled throughout the 2 hour, 30 song set. I was absolutely knackered beforehand and not that enthusiastic about going (and driving too), but I'm really happy that I made the effort.

          Comment


            I average about one gig every four years, and I've just done two in 5 days.

            Buffalo Tom at The Fleece, Bristol.

            Other than football grounds and the airport, I've not been to Bristol since I was 10, when I went to visit my auntie in Pill and got my photo taken in a shocking shirt and flares in front of the suspension bridge.

            Drove down early with a mate and had a nice little pub tour before the gig, taking in the Zerodegrees microbrewery, the Christmas Steps, White Lion and Seven Stars. The Fleece is a funny venue, you come in through the door and you're slap bang in the middle of where everyone is stood. Lots of thin pillars, but we got a good spec off to the side and right at the front - and they had a proper beer on (Bath ales - Gem) which was a nice surprise.

            Support band were Sunstack Jones, who made us feel at home by being scouse. Had a couple of decent songs and a few that were just swirling dreamy guitars that didn't really go anywhere.

            Buffalo Tom came on at 9 and played an energetic 80 minute 'best of' set. I've loved them since 'Let me come over' was released in 1992 but never managed to see them before, so this was very much a box ticked for me. Given their infrequent touring these days it felt like an opportunity I couldn't pass up, and I wasn't disappointed - Taillights Fade, Sodajerk, I'm Allowed and set closer Staples were all highlights, the band looked like they were loving it and it was pleasing to see some younger folk singing along amongst all of us 40-50 year olds.

            Came out with a massive grin, straight into pissing rain and called in at the White Lion (with its death trap staircase to the bog) for last orders. This morning we had a wander round town, a large hangover-soaking breakfast in the very ornate Brexitspoons and a tip to Rough Trade. Have to say I was most impressed by Bristol, it's got some lovely pubs and a countercultural edge with lots of murals and street art to brighten up the dingier corners.

            Comment


              Anyone going to The Cardigans at the <ahem> Eventim Apollo this evening?

              Comment


                'Twas an excellent gig. Even though the sound cut out completely. Twice. The first time for about 5 minutes at the beginning of the 7th song, "Marvel Hill" (they were playing Gran Turismo in its entirety) and then again just as they reached the euphoric first chorus of encore "Lovefool". The audience collectively sighed and then just kept going, completing the chorus for the band. By then, some sort of sound had returned it seemed and the band politely trod musical water until Nina Persson was told her mic was live again when they kept going from the second verse. The sound seemed to come and go then throughout that song - but they eventually got through it and the set closing ballad passed off serenely without further incident. Nina remarked that they had never lost their sound like this mid-gig throughout their entire band career.

                Comment


                  I went to the Glasgow gig, and strangely enough there were a few minor sound issues there too - not cutting out completely but enough to be noticeable, and Lovefool was one of the songs affected.

                  It was at the Academy and was undersold for the size of the venue - balcony was closed and there was a presentable crowd downstairs but plenty of room to move round. Would have been an ideal show for the ABC, but of course that wasn't an option.

                  Enjoyed it though, including the follow on songs, some of which I wasn't familiar with at all.

                  Comment


                    Hammersmith standing was pretty full. Balcony was open, but venue was certainly not sold out. You may witness the Lovefool "Intermittent Sound" live remix here:

                    Comment


                      I believe Manchester Apollo was a long way under capacity too. I've no agenda here - I think it's a shame that there weren't more takers for what turned out to be an excellent show. I paid £37 including fees which is at the top end of what I'd expect on the Academy circuit, and that may have been a factor - in fact I mentioned to my son the night before that was going and he said he might come with his girlfriend, but the price (and the fact i wasn't offering to pay for them) put them off.

                      Comment


                        I think I saw a 2 for 1 offer on Hammersmith tickets a week or two back, so they clearly knew sales were less than ideal.

                        Comment


                          It's funny, I was well into them when that album First Band on The Moon came out. But shortly afterward, I watched an interview with them where they were such utter, astoundingly tone-deaf fucking snots, I never listened to them again. I mean, it's fun (and a bit expected) to be cheeky and that in interviews, but they were behaving like c*nts of the highest order. (I'm one of those people who struggles to separate the artist from the art, apparently.)

                          Comment


                            Anway, Alvvays....just fucking lovely. What a powerful, tight, blast of a show.

                            Snail Mail opened. They need...time....and work. Talented, for sure. But very young and sloppy. Like four individuals playing on the same stage rather than a 'band'. Time and experience will help. But there's something there.

                            Alvvays were amazing. Tight. Fast. Bang on every night. Banter needs a bit of work, but friendly enough. Setlist could use redistributing. They played all the 'biggies' toward the front and middle, so the end of the show was a bit light on big sounds, but that's about the only criticism I can muster. Just a loud, joyful noise. And then they had Lindsay from Snail Mail back on stage to play along on the final song, which was very generous.

                            Comment


                              Wouldn't mind seeing Alvvays at some point. Always managed to miss them when they've played Glasgow.

                              Comment


                                Saw Deacon Blue at the Liverpool Echo Arena last night. 30 years after I first saw them in Aberdeen. Absolutely fantastic. Belted out all old classics (Dignity, Loaded, Raintown, Real Gone Kid), as well as a few more mellow moments, e.g., I Will And I Won't, Love and Regret. Your Swaying Arms. Ended the concert with a superb acoustic version of Always of My Mind with the whole band singing different parts of the song. A great night.
                                Last edited by DPDPDPDP; 09-12-2018, 22:02.

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by Walt Flanagans Dog View Post
                                  I did text my son afterwards to tell him I'd seen a support band do a cover of Blu Cantrell's Breathe and pretty much pull it off - I was quite impressed with that, as was he, from afar.
                                  The Bossy Love version of Breathe is now available as a free download here.

                                  Comment


                                    Cheers benjm, I'll have that.

                                    Saw my last couple of gigs of the year this week, The Wedding Present in Carlisle and Chameleons (Vox) in Preston the following night. The former were doing Tommy, in chunks spread through the set rather than end to end. At the end of the last chunk the boy Gedge said 'those were the last of the Chameleons rip-off songs of the evening'. The latter didn't mention the Wedding Present but did play Strange Times in full and end to end. It is safely one of my top three albums of all time so and they played it perfectly well - but I've seen them do it before in a sold out and sweaty Academy 2 in Manchester, so seeing it in what is basically the upstairs bar of the Guild Hall, and only half sold, was a bit lacking.

                                    Anyhoo, that double bill concluded this year's gigs. I managed 40 plus two festivals, a bit lower than the last couple of years when I've been hitting the 60 mark - the reduction partly because of other interests but mainly cos of a big reduction in gigs with my son, who firstly only tends to get Monday and Tuesday off work, and secondly can now drive himself (and his mates) to gigs.

                                    Top three of the year were probably Arcade Fire (whose shows remain outstanding even if their material gets weaker), Phoenix (at a two thirds full venue on a cold Monday night), and Jack White. Would have maybe said LCD Soundsystem in there but saw them the previous year as well. I did go to smaller gigs too, and many good ones, but none troubling the higher echelons of my hastily made up rankings. Top festival performance was Hell is for Heroes at 2000 Trees, someone I had barely listened to previously but were truly remarkable.

                                    Comment


                                      Peter and the Test Tube Babies last night. I must have seen them at least 20 times, yet I still giggle when I hear "Never Made It To The Bog In Time".

                                      They did "The Queen Gives Good Blow Jobs", which I'd never heard live before. Afterwards, Peter said, "If we performed that live in Britain in 2018, we'd be sent to jail." Is that actually true?

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by treibeis View Post
                                        They did "The Queen Gives Good Blow Jobs", which I'd never heard live before. Afterwards, Peter said, "If we performed that live in Britain in 2018, we'd be sent to jail." Is that actually true?
                                        He was possibly exaggerating a bit. A few years back Morrissey made (minor) headlines for onstage comments in Portsmouth about ending meat consumption and in Buenos Aires about returning the Falklands. I remember thinking that if his heart was really in it he'd have swapped the location for each subject.

                                        Comment


                                          So, two Adam gigs at the Roundhouse this week. The first night was very good, the second night was much better; Adam seemed more fired-up, which meant the whole band were.

                                          He started with new opening music, a signal that he'd mixed things up a little. Then opened with Plastic Surgery.

                                          Then Dog Eat Dog, the regular starting point. Then Vive Le Rock, It Doesn’t Matter, Ants Invasion, Killer in The Home, Whip in My Valise, Antmusic, Beat My Guest, Lady/Fall In, Zerox, Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming, Desperate (But not Serious). Puss n Boots. Friend or Foe. Room at the Top. Cartrouble. Strip. Kings. Christian Dior. Goody Two Shoes and Red Scab in the encore, before Physical, which was quite climatic - a real barrage of noise and light (which meant I had to duck for cover and just listen).

                                          I like the increasingly heavy versions of the poppier songs, like Prince Charming.

                                          There you go. I got into the after party and chatted to the band, but Adam didn't show up, he's very work-focused at the moment, and that works for him.

                                          He looks brilliant, I know I keep saying that, but he keeps looking brilliant.

                                          Comment


                                            We had my daughter out to see The Good Lovelies the other night for their Christmas show. It was stellar, as always.

                                            She looked around and said "Have I been here before?" and I said "Yes, for Adam Ant." <long pause> "Ohhhh yeah."

                                            The quote of that night was "What kind of show have you brought me to?"

                                            Comment


                                              My Dundas friend has been to see him 36 times, but not at that gig.

                                              Comment


                                                Best gigs this year:

                                                Beak; Oxford, London.
                                                Flatworms; London.
                                                Omni; Oxford.
                                                Kaelan Mikla; That bloody Cure one at Hyde Park.
                                                Interpol; Rough Trade East
                                                Crack Cloud, Drahla and Mush; Lexington

                                                Comment

                                                Working...
                                                X