Also saw them on War tour. They were a great live band in them days. Your assessment of Larry is pretty much spot on, he may have changed a lot since then though.

Biggest regret is never seeing The Clash live, I had ticket to see them in Newcastle but was scuppered by tonsillitis

Leeds uni x2
Leeds Queens hall
Sheffield top rank
Bridlington spa
London Finsbury Park Rainbow
London Mile End, cancelled gig as we were sat in a boozer next door.
Manchester Apollo.

Not jealous at all

My first gig was The Human League - my brother took me (under age) and I've been hooked on live music ever since; incidentally, I'm off to see them again later this year, 30odd years after the first time - which is sobering.

My favourite gigs have invariably been small rooms - especially during my metal/grunge years; I was at the infamous Nirvana gig in Bradford, which was far too small a venue given that Nevermind went ballistic a couple of months before; these days, it would never have gone ahead with the number of people who managed to squeeze in. I saw all the Grunge big hitters - with Alice in Chains at Rock City probably the pick of the bunch. Pantera at the same venue was probably the scariest, most intense experience I've ever had. I saw Henry Rollins in Leeds and had a curry with him afterwards, Danzig at Braford when the man himself tried to steal my then gf onto the tour bus from right under my nose, and I had a fag with the lead singer of L7 outside the Leadmill in Sheffield. And I was in the video for the first single released by a thrash band called Toranaga - stagediving backwards at Queens Hall in Bradford.

I've seen Radiohead several times - including on the circus tent tour in Warrington; that was like a religious experience - they're a phenomenal live band. Numerous festivals, with mixed experience - they're a good drunken party, but not always a good way to see a band at its best in my view. Leeds a couple of years ago made me realise that despite my advancing years, I'm a secret Grime fan - much to my kids amusement.

More recently, Fleet Foxes and Lucius were amazing live - I went as a last minute thing and ended up a big fan of both bands; Father John Misty (formerly of the Fleet Foxes) Jesca Hoop, and in the past couple of weeks, Django Django and Everything Everything in Leeds.

My biggest gripe with gigs now is the ticket buying process; anyone who attends a lot of gigs will be familiar with the agonising process of refreshing a website to no avail, only to see re-sellers offering tickets at multiples of face value, while you're still trying to buy them from bloody Ticketmaster or whichever rip-off agent the band have decided to use - that needs fixing - I'd prefer to go back to queuing outside a record shop or wheedling from contacts, but then I'm an old fart that way.

My first gig was Mott the Hoople at Leeds Town Hall 73 or 74 can't remember. Support band were called Queen. Whatever happened to them ?

Brilliant - didn't they go on to have some limited success for a couple of years?!

I need to hear more about this Henry Rollins curry? I'd have killed to have been there. I went to see him perform his spoken word 5 or 6 years ago at Salford Quays. Intriguing character.

First gig I ever went to was Nickelback when I was about 13. My dad took me to Sheffield insisting I come with him while he meets a client from work and whacks two tickets out. That was exciting as a 13 year old who was just starting to get into rock musi. Silver Side Up was massive at that point. Best arena gig I've been to was Green Day at the MEN just after American Idiot so they played lots of their older stuff too which was good.

These days I tend to stick to smaller gigs and bands at local venues. Best live bands I've seen in recent years are The Bronx most recently at the Key Club, Letlive. at cockpit before it was closed and The Menzingers at the Brudenell Social Club. There's a compilation video of the letlive lead singer (Jason Aalon Butler). The guy is nuts.

I had a similar thing when I went to watch the Music at Brid spa, watched the support band who were OK, turned out to be Kings of Leon.

I saw the Rollins Band in Leeds on the Weight tour in the mid 90's - I want to say 94? It was a brilliant show, including Rollins dressed only in running shorts, dragging a guy who was harassing girls in the crowd onto the stage, and ejecting him himself. I went for a curry nearby after the gig, and various members of both bands were in there - so I went over and declared my fandom, and ended up eating with them. He was quite amenable - way friendlier than I expected, given the persona he had at the time.

I've also seen the spoken word stuff and read most of his books - he's a fascinating character, a kind of punk renaissance man; still does the occasional show on 6 music as a guest presenter - he seems to have finally mellowed a bit.

I was predominantly into electronic dance music through my teens so despite attending numerous DJ and producer nights at University clubs, my first actual ‘gig’ was in 2001 - Orbital at Derby Assembly Rooms. I use the word gig loosely as it was still very much electronic.

Since then I’ve seen a mixture of DJs, producers, singers and bands at various clubs, gigs and festivals; LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad, Scratch Perverts, Roger Sanchez, Rulers of the Deep, Banco De Gaia, Zetan Spore, Alabama 3, ZubZub, The Beat featuring Ranking Roger, The Popes, Vampire Weekend, Metronomy, Friendly Fires, Editors, The Courteeners, Martin Simpson, Stealing Sheep, Tribes, Ocean Colour Scene, Blur, Primal Scream, Two Door Cinema Club, The Vaccines, Daft Punk, CSS, LCD Soundsystem, Simian Mobile Disco, Jamiroquai, Mr Scruff, Jimmy Cliff, Miles Kane, Vintage Trouble, Django Django, Fleet Foxes, Klaxons, Delphic, Skint & Demoralised, The Last Shadow Puppets, PIL, Reef, James, Elbow, Peter Gabriel & New Blood Orchestra, Alt-J. All attended with close friends which has created some fantastic memories over the years.

That's a pretty good list KSC.
Some I'm really impressed with. Some I've never heard of....but when it's live...it's all about the sound not the rep.

Cool list mate.
As someone who came of age at the start of the 'Rave ' scene in '89' I saw a few of those live multiple times at various places over the North. Got to see LTJ Bukem at both the Ossett and Morley Orbit numerous times around 90 to 93 . MC Man Parris was the man for most of the Birmingham DJ's like Grooverider, Fabio and DJ Sy etc. I saw LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad at a Dreamscape event in around 92 and I think they were at a Raindance even in 91 I think.
I also got to see the legend that is Roger Sanchez more times than I can remember, he was always playing in Leeds at the Warehouse, Gallery, Back to Basics, Pleasurerroms, Hard Times in Hudds & Gatecrasher (Sheffield) in the early 90's, amazing DJ who knew how to work a crowd. It would be crazy to list all the DJ's from back then that I loved because there were so many but to list a few, Graeme Park, Paul Oakenfold, Dave Seaman, Mikey Finn, Nipper, Welly, Derrick May, Carl Cox, Frankie Bones, Joey Beltram, Laurent Garnier and Wakey's own Huggy.IMO DJ Sasha was the dogs danglies as far as I was concerned at that time. We all used to pile into transit vans when he wasn't playing in Leeds to see him at Shelly's in Stoke in Trent, a great club that, shame it shut down at its height. Ironic really because it only really got popular because The Hacienda had been closed down.
There were so many great places we went and met so many cool people that you'd see every week it seemed, from all over the North that added to the excitement. Nowadays my friends & I reminisce about it all so fondly and were lucky enough to be 16+ or so when it all started. I could also go on and on about live PA's I've seen. some of these as PA's at Clubs when they were nobodies and others at their own events like Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, Altern 8, Leftfield, N-Joi, Chemical Brothers & Underworld. Probably only interesting if you were into that scene tbh

As I got a bit older and the club scene wasn't the same, I started to go to more Festivals, mainly Glastonbury in the mid to late 90's. ATT I got to watch practically a who's who of the music world, it was so hard to get to see everyone you want though especially at that time, they also started the Dance Tent that year and you lose track of time as well as being



Watched Orbital the first year I went that was amazing, although it was meant to be a bit of a side act it was the best performance there, amazing night, I caught most of Elvis Costello set, Radiohead and Oasis were great. Oasis headlined the next year and were so much better than the previous one. Also caught various bits of Pulp, Blur Jamiroquai, The Cure, Radiohead that was also the second time I got to see Massive Attack but the big one and it would be the nearest someone of my age would get to see Led Zeppelin was Page and Plant were playing a set together, they still had it and was worth just going up for them alone imo.
Didn't then go for a few years until 2007 just because one of the best bands ever were playing, especially live and that was The Who and they didn't disappoint not that I thought they would. Always wanted to see them and my dad had managed to see them in their heyday as well as Led Zep and Pink Floyd, so was always a bit jealous. (Was meant to go and watch them again there in 2015 and also because The Libertines were playing and others but it fell through) Arctic Monkeys were there but I'd already seen them but they were great as usual. Also, I've seen The Verve twice once at Glastonbury and also in Wigan, Beck supported them I think and first at Glastonbury the year before with, Kings of Leon & Jay-Z, Stone Roses twice, The Killers , Arcade Fire, The Kooks & Amy Winehouse I also caught a few tracks of on that 2007 festival as well
I even got to travel under spawny circumstances to Germany to this huge festival around, I think it was called Rock around Europe in 1993, that had Tina Turner, Prince & Joe Cocker playing with a load of other bands I can't remember over 2 days, that was surreal, to say the least.
Tbh I've forgotten loads of bands I've seen especially at big Festivals. Of the more recent times, Kasabian was the best band I've watched live and that was a fair few years ago as I don't tend to get out as much as I would like because I do miss it.

Nowt like making someone feel old

Pulp, cast twice, bluestones twice, lightning seeds, Beautiful south, supergrass, stone roses, Madonna and one of my most recent ones as I don't get out much these days was Hayseed Dixie at warehouse a few years back and have to say it was awesome.

Best gig I've been to was Happy Mondays in 2000 at town & country club they were at their best that night, didn't make it into work the next day.

Up the Trin

Started something here didn't I



For starters some of you have a dreadful choice in music





Seriously never been a big fan of gigs large or small though I've been to a fair few - last one was Bingley festival 2009??? Ocean Colour Scene and the Zutons stick in my mind. saw a shambling Happy Mondays there the previous year.

TBH I've had no real interest in music since the mid 90's. It's not so much the music though I find most of it bland and corporate, and even the Indie stuff like the Cribbs for example, though entertaining it is hardly original. Just not willing to shell out the cash for what I've heard before.

What really bugs me MUCH MORE over the last twenty years is the nature of the industry - a bit like RL its been messed up that much it's barely credible. There was a time when the team that finished top won and the band at number one were the top band. Now there's no real chart because there are no real sales because it's all manipulated.

If I hear one more time how successful, groundbreaing and how many sales etc Beyonce?? and Dead Shearan have made I'll cry - they are nothing compared to the likes of Elton John (who I don't like) or Aretha Franklin who I do. Maybe I'm just old.

Music wise I have three catagories I love - least importand first,

3: Any easy listening, Matt Monroe, Glenn Campbell and the Diamond. More nostalgia because thats what my parents liked.

2: Music I lived through, XTC, The Jam, The Cure, Phycadellic Furs, The Cult and the band that first got me listening, The Undertones, Stranglers, Buzzcocks and The Boomtown Rats. Most of whom Ive seen.

1: British 60's R&B and Beat Bands, I'm far to young but discoverd it in desperation after the first time I heard synth pop! I also at the same time stumbled upon a performance by Gerry and the Pacemakers at the theatre club and much to my astonishment really liked them.

Love them all really but my faves are The Kinks, Small Face, the Who and The Yardbirds and a few Yank ones like The Byrds and Creedance. Most of all I love the Stones, IMO the best band that this country ever produced both musically and in attitude. They don't get the kudos in this country they deserve because IMHO they had the audacity to become popular/succesfull/long lasting/and incredibly rich in that order, and we know how the British embrace a winner don't we



Oh and I've seen them eleven times but not in the last 20 years as even I concede that I probably saw them in there pomp so why spoil it. Wished I could have seen the Small Faces but I'm way to young and never managed the Who which I'd like.

I love Bowie but for some reason I don't think of him as a Rock star, more a performer and all round enigma.

Music I don't like is Queen and any other pomp rock bands, it may be good but it sure as hell isn't Rock'n'Roll, it's light entertainment to me. Rap, I just do not get it. I'm sure I've offended some but hey

Some good names from quite a few of these posts.

Musically my era was more second half of the 80's and first half of the 90's, though I have a sister older than me, so there are some acts I have picked up and liked from earlier.

Also, like most people, you pick up musical direction from what your parents like, which mine are more your 60's music, which I also like. You then go to the next scale, my kids are now 16 and 12, and they are picking up tastes, some good, and some not so good.

Some of the acts I have seen over the years are Deacon Blue, Beautiful South, Madness, The Farm, Lightning Seeds, Cast, Teenage Fanclub, Del Amitri, Big Country, Neil Diamond, Pet Shop Boys, The Alarm, Simple Minds, Simply Red, Phil Collins and George Michael.

There are some that I like that I have not seen, but to be honest, these days, I much prefer, to listen to a variety of music, than just a particular band. I have to really like someone a lot, to fork out for the ticket.

I do agree with some of the posters on here, and the fact that the music industry has chenged, especially, since the age of digital music. I still like my vinyl, but most of my music is pretty much played now, while I am travelling, so I mostly use my ipod, which has a couple of thousand tracks ranging as far back to Buddy Holly, right up to that Havana song that was in the chart a couple of months back.

Though I think the likes of Ed Sheeran and Coldplay are good, and are at the top of the game, there is little out there at the moment of the same style to rival them, and had they have been around at a different time, they would not be anywhere near as popular as what they are now.

=#008000Finally, yes I get what you're saying with Queen, not my cup of tea but their first three albums were excellent. My favourite pomp rock bands were Boston and Peter Frampton, I still play their vinyls (originals of course), not pomp rock but I've got to give a honorary mention to Be bop deluxe, Bill Nelson could play a little

Don't know why some of my answer are in green and blue.

My favourite concert was The Searchers in a small room up Mount Kent in the Falkland Island, we were sat just a couple of feet from the band and were able to interact with them.

Remember seeing Iron maiden when they had just started at Unity Hall great gig, And took the mrs to see Black Sabbath (Ronnie james Dio ) heaven n hell tour at Queens hall in Leeds,But best of all was The Scorpions at the Apollo fantastic live band, Only downer i have had is not seeing Richie's Blackmoores Rainbow last year when i was on Holiday.
Music as been my life n soul and kept me sane

bands like Zep,Purple,Yes,Rush,Demon,Dedringer, Nazareth,and yes Devo, Now i'm a bit mellow these days i like the rock chicks sound like Pink,






Up The Trin

Well Vastman! I could echo your whole post virtually word for word but, especially, the 60's - 70's period you mention. The Kinks, Small Faces(must have Marriot), the Who, Free, The Yardbirds. Zeppelin plus the Yank ones like The Byrds, The Doors and Creedance Clearwater Revival.
I did actually see The Who, in fact I waas there in 1969 at Leeds University Refectory, plus a few times since.
You are so right about todays "music" although I also remember my Father having a similar attitude to his own era, so, maybe its something to do with what we grow up with.

A mate of mine tells a great story about that gig, which may be apocryphal. He was there, and got his jeans signed by the band - went home worse for wear in the early hours and chucked his clothes on the floor at the end of the bed, as you do, and woke up the following afternoon to find them missing; he goes downstairs, and they're on the clothes airer, freshly laundered by his doting mum, sans signatures.

I remember ending up with backstage passes to see Saxon at Leeds Irish Centre sometime in the late 80's - early 90's; they were leftover at JAT records and I knew the guys who worked there - so we went and I took my Mum, as she was a fan of that NWOBHM type stuff (I wasn't.) We go backstage afterwards and I went to the bar - walked back to our seats with drinks in hand, and found Biff Byford signing my Mums boobs. Awks.

I agree with this. Although, I do actually like a little bit of Queen in tiny doses.

I only listen to 2 rap artists and that is Immortal Technique and Eminem. Eminem's Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP have some of the most creative wordplay, flows and catchy beats I've heard in any genre. Also, I like how he rubs some of the older generation up the wrong way with his absurd Slim Shady persona. That said, he is nothing more than a lame pop-artist these days collaborating with the likes of Rhianna when he used to extract the urine out of them. But those two aforementioned albums have some fantastic tracks.

it's each to their own, Even though I went from being into electronic music and DJ's etc while at College then Uni. I then got into the great bands of the 60's and 70's like The Who, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, credence, Yard Birds & The Beatles in a big way. but at a similar time I used to be/ still are a massive Rap fan especially of Tupac, that dude had it all, he could rap, put lyrics together like no other, hit you with subjects other rappers wouldn't touch, he was the package att and performed like his life depended on it. Shame Deathrow happened but even then he churned out some quality there. Tracks like Brenda's Got a Baby, Dear Mama, Only God Can Judge Me, Me Against the World etc you go on and on at the quality he churned out in a relatively short career. His family/recording company have released stuff that was awesome way after his death because he'd wrote and rapped so many songs and imo one of the best rap tracks ever released is Keep Ya Head Up.
Nas was awesome as well in the 90's, Dr Dre's Chronic is one of the best Rap albums ever imo. Was never into Eminem just couldn't get into him tbh but it was it is a bit like I couldn't get into Jay Z apart from the odd track. Loved guys nack then like England's own Slick Rick, EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest, Eric B and Rakim, Mos Def, The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Young MC.Gang Starr, Early Ice Cube.
Tbh for me even someone who got into rap at school, even sneaking down to a Public Enemy concert at Brixton Academy as a kid. I don't think it's age and getting older because I still love the stuff from the 80's/90's & apart from Kendrick Lamar who is ripping it up atm, the rap game is crap. With fools like Kanya West selling millions and the dude can't rap or rhyme to save his life with his synth over voice, the dude should have stopped a producer.