Top 5 Gigs

[Guest]

What are the top 5 gigs you've been to (and why if you care to elaborate)? Include sets from festivals too if you like.

In no particular order

Tom McRae - Hammersmith Apollo - Think it was last year, fantastic set comprising material from all of his albums, minimalist instrumentation and the bit where they turned the PA off and the band performed completely acoustically was phenomenal, especially for a venue of that size.

The Pharcyde - Reading Festival 1999 I think - The absolute perfect setting for a fantastic set, sun blazing, beer in hand nodding along to some top tunes from Labcabincalifornia and Bizarre Ride II (Think this was just before they released Plain Rap).

David Poe - Charlotte, Leicester - God knows what year this was but I remember I'd gone down with a mate to see The Unbelievable Truth (who were unbelievably shit!) and was absolutely blown away by this guy who was supporting them, so much so that I bought his album there and then.

Faithless - MEN Arena - Think it was the Outrospective tour. The most abiding memory of this night was that we'd all gone to see Lamb who were supporting and then Faithless were like the bonus act for us, cue a small group of pillocks drunkenly dancing about in the middle of a massive crowd who didn't know who the fook Lamb were or what to make of them.

Deftones - Reading 1998 - Just class, nothing more to say really

I've thought long and hard about them but I'm pretty certain they'd be my top 5. What are yours?

[Trav Le Bleu]

Pixies - DeMontfort Hall - 1990 Just totally awesome and at the peak of their game. Great, great music at a brilliant venue (too sanitised now though) Joey Santiago's guitar solo whilst having a strobe on him with the lights down so that it looked like he was moving in stop motion has to be the best stage effect I've ever seen.

The Hives - Rock City - 2004 Howling Pele Almqvist is the best frontman, no question. Works the crowd and so much energy. They do this great thing half way through Hate To Say where the bass carries on but everyone else stands frozen still for about a minute and then they all come back in at the same time. Fantastic!

All About Eve - Aston Villa Leisure Centre - 1989 My first gig and I really fancied Julianne Regan. Gorgeous voice! Not technically accomplished, but my first. You always remember your first don't you.

The Cowboy Junkies - The Rescue Rooms - 2007 So different to any other gig I've been to. Margot Timmins has such a beautiful and delicate voice, so everyone was just stood completely silent and reverent. Spine-tingling!

The Flaming Lips - DeMontfort Student Union Hall - 1999 They were only the support for Mercury Rev, but they completely outperformed them. Wayne Coyne had this huge gong on the stage that he kept bashing at appropriate moments. Quirkly different, they just stole the show.

I must have easily seen more than 50 bands in my time - not counting local ones without a recording contract.

[Lillehamring]

hmmm, this is probably too hard to call, but, roughly...

- glastonbury 92 (sunday) - just lying in a field listening to band after band of quality

- sonic youth (brixton academy) c.1991/2 - never experienced a sound like it

- brian wilson (glasgow - first uk solo tour) - can't even describe the feeeling of being in the same building as my greatest musical hero, never thought it would happen and i sobbed for the first 45 minutes.

- teenage fanclub/velvet crush (leicester uni) c.1991 - great atmosphere, great music and my first stage dive.

- julian cope (the forum, london) c.1993 - amazing 3 hour show, brilliant music, brilliant show

oh, i'm gonna add more cause i can....

- st.ettiene (with pulp supporting) (equinox night club, leicester square) c.1993 - such a cool gig, despite the powere cutting out midway, and also i met mark lamar.

- brian wilson (beverly wilshire hotel, los angeles) 2006 - what can i say, this should be number one, actually got to meet the great man, and hung out with his band, before going off partying with Fountains of Wayne

- animal collective (john dee's, oslo) 2007 - like sonic youth, i have never heard a sound created like this.

[Daggers]

Pixies, Phoenix Festival

It's more than five but I don't care - I'm a rock'n'roll rebel!

Primal Scream, Northampton Irish Centre - Screamadelica tour

UK Subs, some pub in Kingsthorpe

Kirsty MacColl, Northampton Irish Centre - a couple of weeks after Primal Scream

Boo Radleys, Roadmender - the night Kinnock ruined the election and put Thatcher back in

Lou Reed, Glastonbury - maybe it was '92...I have no recollection beyond it being a blissful afternoon as the sun set.

David Bowie, Milton Keynes bowl

New Model Army, Melkweg

Ramones, Birmingham Academy & Brixton Academy

Tenpole Tudor, some youth club, somewhere

SLF at the DMH

Out of the hundreds of bands I've seen, these gigs stick out as being something special but there's been countless large and small festivals, big and small venue gigs and way too much alcohol.

[Daggers]

- glastonbury 92 (sunday) - just lying in a field listening to band after band of quality

I was there...I probably fell on your tent. Giggling. I did a lot of giggling that year.

I spent most of that festival clutching a homemade 2 litre vodka-based fruit punch.

I've just looked at the line-up and remembered some cracking bands played that year - not least of which was James, subbing in for Morrisey. They were brilliant!

I seem to remember seeing most of these: Joan Armatrading, The Blue Aeroplanes, Blur, Billy Bragg, The Breeders, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, Hugh Cornwell, Curve, The Fall, Flowered Up, The Frank And Walters, PJ Harvey, The House Of Love, The Levellers, Kirsty MacColl, Midway Still, Van Morrison, Yossou N’Dour, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Ocean Colour Scene, The Orb, Primal Scream, The Saw Doctors, Senseless Things, Senser, The Shamen, Spiritualized, Television, Richard Thompson, Thousand Yard Stare, and Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart.

What a great festival...apart from the rain and sharing a tent with an Old English sheepdog who did an impression of a sponge!

[Benji]

Muse at Wembley Arena were phenomenal, a different class to anything else i've seen

[James.]

Haven't really been to that many gigs to be honest but these are my stand out ones:

Jurassic 5, The Forum, Kentish Town- amazing live, very talented rappers and musicians, made guest star Roots Manuva look like a stuttering fool during a spontaneous freestyling session. The whole upper tier was shaking violently throughout the whole show. Brilliant.

Underworld, MTV Festival, Ibiza - dancing to Underworld in the sunshine in a quarry in Ibiza. Doesn't get much better than that.

Blackalicious, Fez Club, Reading - intimate gig, probably less than 100 people there, but an absolutely top notch performance from Gift of the Gab and the rest of the crew.

Radiohead, Cardiff Arena (?), Cardiff - well it's Radiohead innit.

Portishead, Carling Academy, Bristol - I love Portishead. They could have been playing in a sewage works and I would have loved it.

Great times also at places like Ashton Court Festival in Bristol, Reading 1998 (I think, maybe 1999), Homelands 2003 and many more.

[Jay]

when you get to my age it's kid of hard to remember things like this!!!

but some of my favourites have been....

Rage Against the Machine supported by Tool at Rock City just as the debut album was breaking awesome show simply awesome so much power and anger pure brilliance.

Rocket From The Crypt - at some place in Nottingham O'Reillys I think it was called, I just love Rocket from The Crypt

Girls Against Boys - as above played the entire gig in the dark which for this band was perfect deep growling vocals, 2 bass players fantastic stuff

Foo Fighters - Sheffield Arena Dave Grohl is a genius, an amazing concert finished off with a blinding encore including Stacked Actors a sublime cover of Arcade Fires Keep The Car Running an amazing version of Holiday in Cambodia with Serj Tankian on vocals.

Leftfield at Rock City

Fugazi - Nottingham University what can you say... had been waiting years to see this band, they shaped and changed my musical taste and it was an ambition ticked off when I saw them live

will probably remember a few more shortly

[Lillehamring]

I was there...I probably fell on your tent. Giggling. I did a lot of giggling that year.

I spent most of that festival clutching a homemade 2 litre vodka-based fruit punch.

I've just looked at the line-up and remembered some cracking bands played that year - not least of which was James, subbing in for Morrisey. They were brilliant!

I seem to remember seeing most of these: Joan Armatrading, The Blue Aeroplanes, Blur, Billy Bragg, The Breeders, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, Hugh Cornwell, Curve, The Fall, Flowered Up, The Frank And Walters, PJ Harvey, The House Of Love, The Levellers, Kirsty MacColl, Midway Still, Van Morrison, Yossou N’Dour, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Ocean Colour Scene, The Orb, Primal Scream, The Saw Doctors, Senseless Things, Senser, The Shamen, Spiritualized, Television, Richard Thompson, Thousand Yard Stare, and Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart.

What a great festival...apart from the rain and sharing a tent with an Old English sheepdog who did an impression of a sponge!

-don't remember any rain, i went expecting it to piss down, and had to spend the weekend in huge paraboots and jeans, despite it being unbearably hot.

i actually found the program for the festival just the other day - lou reed saturday 9.40, just before, um, shakespear's sister - but i don't remember seeing him, but must have done, cause there was nothing else on... also, the same day, i've just noticed that i went to see lush instead of the fall..

this is the sunday program: pj harvey, spiritualized, blur, ned's, 808 state - all in a row on the same stage, nice...

[Daggers]

-don't remember any rain, i went expecting it to piss down, and had to spend the weekend in huge paraboots and jeans, despite it being unbearably hot.

i actually found the program for the festival just the other day - lou reed saturday 9.40, just before, um, shakespear's sister - but i don't remember seeing him, but must have done, cause there was nothing else on... also, the same day, i've just noticed that i went to see lush instead of the fall..

this is the sunday program: pj harvey, spiritualized, blur, ned's, 808 state - all in a row on the same stage, nice...

There wasn't any rain - it was a hot weekend...I have just remembered it was 89 when we took the dog.

I remember Blur and they were dreadful. Alburn failed to hit a single note, it was painful. Always thought Neds were far better as a comic small-venue band and their sound was swamped by the vast openness of the half-empty field in front of them.

I've no recollection of The Fall at all - but so many of their gigs just blur into one mass...and almost every single one was benefited by drinking far too much beer...especially during MES's manic amphetamine abuse period.

[Lillehamring]

There wasn't any rain - it was a hot weekend...I have just remembered it was 89 when we took the dog.

I remember Blur and they were dreadful. Alburn failed to hit a single note, it was painful. Always thought Neds were far better as a comic small-venue band and their sound was swamped by the vast openness of the half-empty field in front of them.

I've no recollection of The Fall at all - but so many of their gigs just blur into one mass...and almost every single one was benefited by drinking far too much beer...especially during MES's manic amphetamine abuse period.

it was a funny time for blur (popscene), and like many acts (and audience) were very wasted, i remember albarn climbing up the stage rigging and then on the stacks, which fell over and he was limping ofr the rest of the gig---

i remember being awfully disappointed by the house of love, guy chadwick endlessly fidddling with the sound... gutted, hoped they'd be amazing...

[Libertine]

1. Foo Fighters at Wembley - Satdeh 7th June '08

2. Muse at Wembley - June '07

3. Manic Street Preachers at DMH - June '07

4. Muse at Sheffield Hallam FM - November '06

5. Foo Fighters at Sheffiel Hallam FM - November '07

Not a wide variety so far.

[Unabomber]

5 - The Futureheads - Wolverhampton Wolfren Hall (sp)

4 - Reel Big Fish - Warwick Uni

3 - Dizzee Rascal - The Leadmill Sheffield

2 - The Maple State w/ Tellison - The Roadhouse Manchester

1 - Brand New - Birmingham Carling Academy

Brand New was an absolutely stunning gig both visually and acoustically, I would really recommend checking out their stuff especially the album Deja Entendu.

[MrsJohnMurphy]

Pixies - DeMontfort Hall - 1990 Just totally awesome and at the peak of their game. Great, great music at a brilliant venue (too sanitised now though) Joey Santiago's guitar solo whilst having a strobe on him with the lights down so that it looked like he was moving in stop motion has to be the best stage effect I've ever seen.

The Hives - Rock City - 2004 Howling Pele Almqvist is the best frontman, no question. Works the crowd and so much energy. They do this great thing half way through Hate To Say where the bass carries on but everyone else stands frozen still for about a minute and then they all come back in at the same time. Fantastic!

All About Eve - Aston Villa Leisure Centre - 1989 My first gig and I really fancied Julianne Regan. Gorgeous voice! Not technically accomplished, but my first. You always remember your first don't you.

The Cowboy Junkies - The Rescue Rooms - 2007 So different to any other gig I've been to. Margot Timmins has such a beautiful and delicate voice, so everyone was just stood completely silent and reverent. Spine-tingling!

The Flaming Lips - DeMontfort Student Union Hall - 1999 They were only the support for Mercury Rev, but they completely outperformed them. Wayne Coyne had this huge gong on the stage that he kept bashing at appropriate moments. Quirkly different, they just stole the show.

I must have easily seen more than 50 bands in my time - not counting local ones without a recording contract.

Strangly i was at these too !! Totally agree with Flaming Lips comment, Mr Coyne also had a small camera attached to his mic stand and used glove puppets to mime to his singing, all displayed on a huge screen behind the band !!

Would like to add ( can't do years, sorry )

Beck - Rock City

Beta Band - Rock City

James - De Mont

Spiritualised - De Mont Uni

[Sparky]

1. Pigeon Detectives -Nov 07 -Skegness Embassy

2. Oasis - July 05 - MK Bowl

Thats all ive been to

along with about 3 One big sundays and watching Pato Banton (baby come back )at Krystals around 1997

[Trumpet]

1. Muse @ Wembley '07 - Amazing gig, I can't really say much other than that. They played around 25 songs? 3 rows from the front, slightly to the right. Great gig. It was my first aswell, so it was a bit special.

2. Milburn - The Charlotte Sept 07. - Cracking gig, didn't know about the band beforehand, wasn't too keen.. "Just a boring band from Sheffield", I thought. Completely fell in love with the band.

3. Maximo Park - Doncaster Oct 07 - As Fez will tell you, good gig. Support from The Good Shoes, who I didn't know about, but really into them now. Paul Smith's quality on stage, loads of energy, good gig.

4. NME Rock and Roll Riot - Birmingham Academy. Nov 07? - Decent gig, The Enemy, The Wombats and Lethal Bizzle, not too bad for about £15. Good night.

5. Example - Charlotte + Sumo 07/08 - Not many people know of this guy, on here anyway, I think.. He's good, if your into UK rap, not any of that mc'ing bollocks. Funny guy too.

6. Milburn - Loughborough uni Nov 07 - Why? Because it's Milburn. And I caught a drumstick which sits proudly on my desk.

The Subways - Leicester Uni - T'other week - Didn't know much about the band, I just knew they were good. This was proved on the night.

Been to loads more, but most are just a drunken blur. Those stand out though..

I'm sure RATM will top the list, perhaps second, this summer.

[Chairman of the Bored]

1. Joy Division at DMH 1978 (Ian Curtis mesmeric; brilliant band).

2. Pink Floyd at Knebworth 1975 (midnight listening to Echoes; camp fires burning all around; beautiful).

3. David Bowie at DMH 1973 (Ziggy Stardust tour; crowd went mental when he came on stage; awestruck).

4. Kent at Malmo 2005 (18,000 Swedes in a tent for Scandanavia's finest band).

5. Bright Eyes at Rock City (downstairs) 2003 (Conor Oberst pure genius).

6. Gang of Four, The Ruts, Misty in Roots at Leicester Poly 1978 (when politics, music and, er, drugs, meshed into an unforgettable evening. Malcolm Owen RIP.

7. Van Der Graaf Generator at Reading 1978 (they played against the backdrop of the mother of all storms; dark and brooding; Peter Hammil totally bonkers; wonderful).

8. The Jam at Leicester Uni 1978 (beacuise Weller was King and really meant it).

9. The Clash at DMH, White Riot Tour 1977 (punk rock at its finest; Joe Strummer God).

10. Lynyrd Skynyrd at DMH 1974 (Southern fried boogie at its best).

11. Little Feat at Swansea 1975 (Lowell George and his band were tight as a duck's arse; brilliant).

12. The National at ATP 2008 (a truly great band in the making).

13. The Stiff Tour at Leicester Uni 1977 (Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Larry Wallis and the Police Cars, Wreckless Eric; intense and insane; wonderful times).

14. Heather Nova at Stockholm 2001; (beautiful city; beautiful woman; beautiful music).

15. Nick Cave at The Cirkus, Stockholm 2002 (the best venue I have been to; Cave a dancing dervish).

16. Any gig of about 40 I have attended by The Waterboys (Mike Scott a poetic genius).

17. Ryan Adams in Dublin 2003 (the Guiness; the girls; the songs: lovely).

18. Jesus and Mary Chain in Lisbon 1990 (how those Portuguese danced!)

19. Any Subway Sect gig!

20. Bell X1 and The Veils at The Charlotte 2004 (only 25 in the audience; two great bands; watch this space).

[sdb]

1. Joy Division at DMH 1978 (Ian Curtis mesmeric; brilliant band).

2. Pink Floyd at Knebworth 1975 (midnight listening to Echoes; camp fires burning all around; beautiful).

3. David Bowie at DMH 1973 (Ziggy Stardust tour; crowd went mental when he came on stage; awestruck).

4. Kent at Malmo 2005 (18,000 Swedes in a tent for Scandanavia's finest band).

5. Bright Eyes at Rock City (downstairs) 2003 (Conor Oberst pure genius).

6. Gang of Four, The Ruts, Misty in Roots at Leicester Poly 1978 (when politics, music and, er, drugs, meshed into an unforgettable evening. Malcolm Owen RIP.

7. Van Der Graaf Generator at Reading 1978 (they played against the backdrop of the mother of all storms; dark and brooding; Peter Hammil totally bonkers; wonderful).

8. The Jam at Leicester Uni 1978 (beacuise Weller was King and really meant it).

9. The Clash at DMH, White Riot Tour 1977 (punk rock at its finest; Joe Strummer God).

10. Lynyrd Skynyrd at DMH 1974 (Southern fried boogie at its best).

11. Little Feat at Swansea 1975 (Lowell George and his band were tight as a duck's arse; brilliant).

12. The National at ATP 2008 (a truly great band in the making).

13. The Stiff Tour at Leicester Uni 1977 (Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Larry Wallis and the Police Cars, Wreckless Eric; intense and insane; wonderful times).

14. Heather Nova at Stockholm 2001; (beautiful city; beautiful woman; beautiful music).

15. Nick Cave at The Cirkus, Stockholm 2002 (the best venue I have been to; Cave a dancing dervish).

16. Any gig of about 40 I have attended by The Waterboys (Mike Scott a poetic genius).

17. Ryan Adams in Dublin 2003 (the Guiness; the girls; the songs: lovely).

18. Jesus and Mary Chain in Lisbon 1990 (how those Portuguese danced!)

19. Any Subway Sect gig!

20. Bell X1 and The Veils at The Charlotte 2004 (only 25 in the audience; two great bands; watch this space).

wow i'd have loved to have seen Bowie at that time in his career!!

[General Smuts]

5. Extreme Festival 2001 - My first gig, Less Than Jake, The Vandals, The Ataris, {Spunge} etc. Fantastic first gig.

4. Summer Sundae 2006 - For Larrikin Love and Little Man Tate blowing the roof off of a ridiculously packed tent. Aswell as New Cassettes, Jamie T, Howling Bells, Seth Lakeman, Blockheads, Long Blondes, Guillemots, Belle And Sebastian, Brakes, Young Knives, iFoward Russia! and Elbow.

3. Panic! At The Disco and The Academy Is ... 2006 - At the Charlotte just before both of these went massive. Sweatiest most singalongest gig ive been too.

2. The Kooks 2006/7 - In Nottingham but not Rock City just as She Moves In Her Own Way came out. Even more singalongier than Panic!

1. Larrikin Love at the Charlotte just before they split - Supported by Alterkicks and an unknown CovScum band called The Enemy. Tastic.

Special mentions to Little Man Tate at the Rescue Rooms, Kings Of Leon and Oasis both at Notts Ice Arena, Dot To Dot, Chilli Peppers and DPT at a Ricoh, Fratellis and The View at The Charlotte (much crowd surfing fun times) and The Courteeners the other week. Plus any gig ive been to with The Holloways.

[Trav Le Bleu]

The Subways - Leicester Uni - T'other week - Didn't know much about the band, I just knew they were good. This was proved on the night.

Subways are very very good live. I saw them before they had a recording contract supporting Charlotte Hatherley at The Charlotte. Charlotte is a mini dynamo and cute to boot. Weird to think that whilst I was bouncing up and down to Charlotte Hatherley, in the Charlotte, I was right next to Charlotte!

Plus any gig ive been to with The Holloways.

You go to gigs with The Holloways?! Just to help Ian through the hard times, eh?

[Craig]

5 - Arctic Monkeys at Cardiff NIA, fantastic day, despite all the problems getting there.

4 - Jimmy Eat World twice at Reading Festival 2007

3 - Kasabian secret gig at Leicester Uni

2 - Enter Shikari at Brixton on my birthday last year, amazing day.

1 - Arctic Monkeys secret gig in Leicester. So so perfect.

[Jay]

remembered another one now!!

Smashing Pumpkins supported by The Verve at Rock City in about 95 brilliant brilliant night

[Lillehamring]

5. Extreme Festival 2001 - My first gig, Less Than Jake, The Vandals, The Ataris, {Spunge} etc. Fantastic first gig.

4. Summer Sundae 2006 - For Larrikin Love and Little Man Tate blowing the roof off of a ridiculously packed tent. Aswell as New Cassettes, Jamie T, Howling Bells, Seth Lakeman, Blockheads, Long Blondes, Guillemots, Belle And Sebastian, Brakes, Young Knives, iFoward Russia! and Elbow.

3. Panic! At The Disco and The Academy Is ... 2006 - At the Charlotte just before both of these went massive. Sweatiest most singalongest gig ive been too.

2. The Kooks 2006/7 - In Nottingham but not Rock City just as She Moves In Her Own Way came out. Even more singalongier than Panic!

1. Larrikin Love at the Charlotte just before they split - Supported by Alterkicks and an unknown CovScum band called The Enemy. Tastic.

Special mentions to Little Man Tate at the Rescue Rooms, Kings Of Leon and Oasis both at Notts Ice Arena, Dot To Dot, Chilli Peppers and DPT at a Ricoh, Fratellis and The View at The Charlotte (much crowd surfing fun times) and The Courteeners the other week. Plus any gig ive been to with The Holloways.

Really?

[frenzal]

1. Madness - Rock City a few years ago. Well worth the long round trip, figured it'd be the only chance I'd get to see them in a relatively small venue. Best 1 1/2 hours of music ever!

2. Jimmy Cliff - Boss Sounds Reggae Fest in Newcastle 2006.

3. Skatalites - Boss Sounds in Newcastle 2005.

4. Rancid - some tour in 1998. Not really a fan anymore but back in my teenage years I loved 'em.

5. Green Day - Leeds Fest 2005.

[Bellend Sebastian]

In no particular order

Morrissey at De Montfort Hall, 1991 - my first ever gig, and the maddest one I've ever been to.

British Sea Power - Seen them loads of times, but the best were probably at Summer Sundae a few years back and Rock City in 2005

The Fall - only twice, at the Charlotte and The Rescue Rooms - the latter particularly good

Pulp - Seen a few times - very good at Rock City in 2003

Jeffrey Lewis - Seen loads of times - best was a solo show at the Musician about a year ago

Belle and Sebastian - Been good every time I've seen them, but the gig at The Barbican when they played 'If you're Feeling Sinister' in its entirety was probably the best

I'm going to upset some people just for the hell of it, but I've seen the Stone Roses and Oasis and they were both bob