Live gigs - Who you've seen were they good, bad etc.

[gingerevans84]

Saw DMA's in Kingston last night, bought tickets 18 months ago on the strength of them being played on the radio loads. Wasn't expecting much but a great show. Sure they'll be at a few festivals next year.

[parsonjack]

10 hours ago, nikkic said:

Going to see Fontaines at Ally Pally tomorrow, anybody know who the subs are?

https://m.facebook.com/the altered hours 👍

[John the Moth]

9 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

Not long back from Billy Bragg at Liverpool Phil. He was in great form, looking forward to seeing him in Leftfield in June.

Up the workers!

Got a text off a mate yesterday, “I’ve got us tickets for Billy Bragg in Feb”

I didn’t even know he was touring again down this way. Nice.

[Ayrshire Chris]

3 hours ago, John the Moth said:

Got a text off a mate yesterday, “I’ve got us tickets for Billy Bragg in Feb”

I didn’t even know he was touring again down this way. Nice.

You will enjoy it, Glasgow gig was really good, perfect venue for him.  At Glastonbury 19 I saw him on the Sunday morning sitting behind a tent in green fields where he had been playing a few songs. Plucked up courage and talked to him . We had a chat about getting old and our kids inability to reset gas boilers. 

[John the Moth]

10 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

You will enjoy it, Glasgow gig was really good, perfect venue for him.  At Glastonbury 19 I saw him on the Sunday morning sitting behind a tent in green fields where he had been playing a few songs. Plucked up courage and talked to him . We had a chat about getting old and our kids inability to reset gas boilers. 

In 2016 my mate saw someone drop a fiver (without realising) when getting served at a cake stall near Leftfield. Naturally he picked it up and tapped the guy on the shoulder. When he turned it was Billy. He seemed a genuinely nice guy (Billy, not my mate, my mate is a knob 🤣)

[efcfanwirral]

7 hours ago, gingerevans84 said:

Saw DMA's in Kingston last night, bought tickets 18 months ago on the strength of them being played on the radio loads. Wasn't expecting much but a great show. Sure they'll be at a few festivals next year.

Good to hear - going to the Liverpool one on Saturday

[marathonsteve]

Saw Gruff Rhys and Audiobooks in Oxford yesterday Both Good

[zeppelin]

Saw Squarepusher on Tuesday night and Caribou last night.

Squarepusher - man that was an overload of the senses! Got pretty weird at times, not gonna lie, but overall absolutely fantastic. Crowd were digging it and he had an impressive light rig for such a small room. 

Caribou - the band were incredible, the crowd was not. It was pretty much the same set I saw at Green Man but that's no complaint; thoroughly enjoyed it and the two drummers thing never gets old for me. However, so many people spoke throughout the show and at one point a girl to my left was showing her friend a YouTube video. Bit frustrating but overall a great night.

[gigpusher]

25 minutes ago, zeppelin said:

Caribou - the band were incredible, the crowd was not. It was pretty much the same set I saw at Green Man but that's no complaint; thoroughly enjoyed it and the two drummers thing never gets old for me. However, so many people spoke throughout the show and at one point a girl to my left was showing her friend a YouTube video. Bit frustrating but overall a great night.

I feel you. Sometimes I really hate people and at gigs bad behaviour by the crowd can really influence your experience. 

[Padjeq]

50 minutes ago, zeppelin said:

Caribou - the band were incredible, the crowd was not. It was pretty much the same set I saw at Green Man but that's no complaint; thoroughly enjoyed it and the two drummers thing never gets old for me. However, so many people spoke throughout the show and at one point a girl to my left was showing her friend a YouTube video. Bit frustrating but overall a great night.

I forgot about that sort of thing. Sometimes it's just mates drinking who kinda forget what's going on. Told some lads if they didn't mind shutting up at a 1975 arena gig and they apologised and moved away. Sometimes you get these main character youtube phone types who will often raise their voice louder as the sound on stage increases too. Had a group of poshos in front of me at IDLES on the park. Some lad next to me was singing the songs as loud as possible seemingly to batter them with sound but they were oblivious. In the spirit of peace'n'love-man I tried to ignore their chatting, but when one bellowed "and in FRANCE they even have MULTIPLE WORDS for it" I started shouting at them. Just go and sit in your tent and talk about your holidays.

[Ayrshire Chris]

59 minutes ago, zeppelin said:

Saw Squarepusher on Tuesday night and Caribou last night.

Squarepusher - man that was an overload of the senses! Got pretty weird at times, not gonna lie, but overall absolutely fantastic. Crowd were digging it and he had an impressive light rig for such a small room. 

Caribou - the band were incredible, the crowd was not. It was pretty much the same set I saw at Green Man but that's no complaint; thoroughly enjoyed it and the two drummers thing never gets old for me. However, so many people spoke throughout the show and at one point a girl to my left was showing her friend a YouTube video. Bit frustrating but overall a great night.

Oh yes, my pet hate at festivals and gigs. I can put up with the picnic rugs, flags obstructing views etc  but groups of folk standing around talking loudly and not showing any interest in the gig yet spoil it  for others really gets on my tits. Glastonbury isn’t immune from this. I remember at the park stage watching Nathanial Ratecliff and the night sweats quite near the stage, (so moving wasn’t an option and why the fuck should I anyway). A group of about six twats stood right in front of us loudly discussing the best ISA savings rates that were available. They were obviously festival bucket list box tickers.  I politely asked them to let us stand in front of them and they seemed peeved that this wee Scottish person had the temerity to do this. 

[benali]

Talking through gigs is totally unacceptable. The worst people are the ones who chat through a whole song and then clap wildly at the end when they've barely been paying attention.

Always have respect for artists who tell the crowd to shut up. 

[SighMo]

FDC in Boscombe on Tuesday we’re great but my best gig for a while was King Hannah at the Lexington last night. £11 we’ll spent, catch ‘em if you can. 

[Padjeq]

Went out to see VUKOVI at the Birmingham Academy 3 saturday night. Usually a good venue, like a pub gig with the best sound imagineable. 250 capacity, so I've never had to queue to get in until tonight as people were being pulled out at the doors to do lateral flow tests in the smoking area. Got in just in time for for support Delaire the Liar. One of those selection box sort of acts. a RATM bassline here, a bit of My Chem there, a skirt from Blue Banana - all aimed squarely at edgy 13 year olds. Found myself drifting off mentally, standing stone still at the back of the venue like a bored parent. Press to Meco were next. Sounded better than on record imo, which is to say I wasn't enamoured with them prior to the event. They're like a 3 man Royal Blood with the odd Maiden riff, and seem like really nice guys. I'll listen to their next album for sure and I can picture them being great step-dads in the future.

VUKOVI came on to a feverish crowd. C.L.A.U.D.I.A sounded massive, and they had a great run of songs. The singer complained about the front lighting and had it turned off, plunging her into shadow. In what would prove to be the busiest night of any sound man's life, a punter came over to complain that he couldn't hear the vocals. Wasn't the set-up, but the singer just didn't sing that loud at points. A fan brought roses for the band, and another shouted they were from everybody. The crowd started singing the Backstreet Boys song, and the drummer joined in with the perfect beat. By the time the guitarist got involved, the singer shut the whole thing down. Pretty funny.

The songs sound bigger than venues like this. SLO went off. Hard to predict these days where bands are gonna end up, but a run of full size academies seems likely in the next 2 years.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by Padjeq

[nikkic]

Saw Fontaines at Ally Pally last night and had an absolute blast.

Going to be honest, wasn't hugely into them pre-gig, I actually bought the tickets on a bit of a whim off the back of the last album, I think it was one of the first gigs post lockdown one that I'd seen advertised and I was just happy to be purchasing tickets again!!

Obviously it got re-arranged from last year, don't think I've listened to them at all in the interim. 

However.....

They really are a fantastic live band, lots of energy from yer man, they ploughed through song after song and the whole set built superbly.

Crowd were ace too, barely anyone taking videos which is a rarity these days and zero chatters. Hell of a lot of blokes with moustaches and mullets.

Solid 8/10.

[Punksnotdead]

Sea Power tonight at Gloucester guildhall, 1st indoor gig in 21 months! Haven't been this excited about a gig in donkeys years!

 

[Skelts]

Saw Henge last night at the Phoenix in Exeter.  They were on great form, really good to see them in such a small venue, having only ever seen them on the main stage at Beautiful Days.  The crowd were really into them, a few dressed as mushrooms, aliens and spaceships.

Didn't notice any excessive chatting during the set, most people were happy dancing.  There were a few along the sides who clearly weren't sure what to expect and had the classic WTF look on their faces.

If they're on in a venue near you, I'd recommend it!

[Franco Baresi]

DMA's in Bath last night, the lad can really sing, although because of this the setlist was ballad heavy I thought, wasn't as exciting as when i've seen them on previous albums. Will just catch them at Festivals from now on.

[Punksnotdead]

Sea Power were off the scale brilliant tonight. I'm so hyper after that, I don't think I'm gonna sleep tonight! Support band Pale Blue Eyes were also excellent - ones to watch if you're into shoegaze. 

[Quark]

Scottish indie types Neon Waltz last night, support from local bands Nature TV and Someone Anyone. Proper small venue, reckon capacity max 150 in there. Probably between 75-100 last night.

SA were OK, arty/jazzy/indie stuff. They had a saxophonist, which automatically adds points.  Enjoyed them, but not something I'll be seeking out.

Nature TV are great, second time I've seen them as a support act. They've got quite a dreamy woozy guitar sound at times, no rocking out but great to watch. Some decent chops on the guitar, and some of the best facial expression / physical mannerism combos I've seen in ages.  Imagine BB King's facial expressions on a Thunderbirds puppet. Would def watch them at their own show. As a local band they probably got more vocal support than the main act, which was...interesting.

Neon Waltz are decent. Got some great songs and a good sound, nothing game changing but solid and the keyboard player definitely adds some layers Gently euphoric is a description I've heard. Singer's got a goof voice, not much in the way of stage patter and I couldn't quite tell if he wanted to bottle a couple of people in the audience. Wouldn't have blamed him tbh, got front and centre in a small venue and proceeded to bellow conversation at each other throughout. Happily they moved just before I was about to have a quiet word.

Good night overall 🙂

[sameimpala]

I won a ticket to see JLS live at Sheffield Arena last night. Little Aston did 3 backflips and they did a joke about their condoms 10/10

[CaledonianGonzo]

Went to see the indie dads convention that was the return of The Boo Radleys and it was fookin ace.  Kingsize is still a song that most bands would give their eye teeth for.

Weird to think that the last time I saw them was on El Pointo.

[Quark]

42 minutes ago, sameimpala said:

I won a ticket to see JLS live at Sheffield Arena last night. Little Aston did 3 backflips and they did a joke about their condoms 10/10

It's what the crowd wants

[Punksnotdead]

58 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Went to see the indie dads convention that was the return of The Boo Radleys and it was fookin ace.  Kingsize is still a song that most bands would give their eye teeth for.

Weird to think that the last time I saw them was on El Pointo.

Didn't realise they were back in the game. Giant Steps is one of my favourite albums. Is it the same line up?

[idb]

Went to see The Lathums again last night at an intimate gig at Manchester Academy 3 in support of the Teenage Cancer trust.  They only did 40 mins, but for a £6 donation to the charity who can argue, plus Alex has been suffering with his voice of late.