random live music post

after getting the ibiza rocks news today which i cant talk about (in the old days back at sony etc that info wouldnt have lasted 3 minutes!), a friend and i talked about great live bands – not good live bands but bands that make going to a gig something special

unfortunately i get into the nick hornby territory of lists – ie whats your top ten etc

its like trying to get your top ten albums or singles – its impossible

eg.. i was pretty sure what my top 10 would be but then i remembered seeing depeche mode a few times.. oh shit – who do i drop ?

i think as far as live music goes its propbably easier to list the gigs (out of 20 odd years) ive walked out of: blur at the astoria, and someone else i cant remember but it was at a new venue down in south london somewhere in the mid 90’s – bad gigs are when you are mentally counting the amount of songs that have been played and wondering whether you should go and get another beer and then getting that beer – sensing when you know the band have lost the audience and knowing that the band know theyve lost them..

but off the top of my head a list in no particular order that all would have to be considered top 10 material

pearl jam at brixton academy – 10 tour
wonder stuff – ditto on the hup tour and also at their final gig at phoenix festi
the mission anywhere
the verve at hammy apollo after they reformed
every floyd tour since and incl the wall – going to rome to see them and being nicked by the caribineri was a highlight…
janes addiction a few years back after reforming (i’d see perry farrel a few times but had missed their last tour before they broke up way back when)
sitting backstage with james dean bradfield at reading festi and watching nirvana on the close circuit tv in the hospitality tent – not for their gig but the fact it was fun to do and thought they (nirvana) were crap
the manics at the forum on one of their xmas gigs and kylie went up and sang little baby nothing
rage against the machine at their first gig in the uk at u.l.u.
fri night at glasto in about 91 and watching sinead o’conner, then primal scream and then the orb…. (thats a top 5 gig)
primal scream at some recording studios 10th anniversery at a tiny tiny venue about 5 years ago
primal scream at an allnighter at brixton academy the night kurt cobain comitting suicide was announced
motorhead at hammy odean on the bomber tour and also at port vale footy stadium about 82 ish
the cure at glasto in 89, the cure at crystal palace, the cure at some venue in north london i cant remember – in fact any cure gig anywhere

ive realised that this is just going to end up being a list of every gig ive probably been to and ive missed loads out from the above list

the bottom line is that gigs are about having fun and losing yourself in the music and the atmosphere – with bands that recognise and feed off the audience – they are the best gigs

the problem i have with dance music, and paying to be at a venue to hear it, is that fundamentally you are plaing a record – youre not actually creating the sound that the audience hears – but hey, i know that tons of people hate what i like 🙂