Gigs of your life (2 Viewers)

My main take away from this thread so far is that Sonic Youth just weren't very good.

Will do one of these up soon.
 
Bonnie Prince Billy has played more than one of the best gigs I was ever at. Didn't realise he was playing in the NCH, woulda gone if I'd known

I did see that Bowie gig in the Point that time, my 2 brothers were there too (though I wasn't with them, thank fuck) roaring along with every word. Some lad asked them to shut up, saying (reasonably enough) that he was here to listen to David Bowie rather than two drunk fucks from Wexford, and they started aggresively quizzing him on his knowledge of obscure Bowie shit, thereby establishing that they were more dedicated fans and entitled to sing along

... so it could be worse @snakybus, you coulda gone to the Bowie gig and got stuck beside my infuriating brothers

heh heh poor lad
 
I remember loving Sonic Youth at Sunstroke, but it was my first festival, I think I would have loved them if they'd shat in a bucket.

When they literally did shit in a bucket at ATP years later, it was one of the worst things I ever saw. Would have loved a go of a gig circa Sonic Nurse/Murray St
 
FIRST GIG:
U2 Croke Park 1987
I was at the saturday night and for years would have said it was the best gig I was ever at. As your memory of the gig and opinion of the band changes over the years, so does option of the gig.

I'd still say it was one of the best lineups ever. Dubliners, Pogues (classic lineup), Lou Reed, U2.

Gig lineups were something else in those days. Slane used always be great too. People rarely just went to see one band given how many great bands would be on the same lineup. Slane 86 and 87, case in point.
 
I remember loving Sonic Youth at Sunstroke, but it was my first festival, I think I would have loved them if they'd shat in a bucket.

When they literally did shit in a bucket at ATP years later, it was one of the worst things I ever saw. Would have loved a go of a gig circa Sonic Nurse/Murray St
That reminds me. @old and I took a holiday to NYC in 99, and saw some astonishing gigs over a couple of nights at a venue called the Cooler. Blonde Redhead at their most rockingest etc.

To Rococco Rot, who were doing 2 nights, but their gear didn't make the first night, so they just had one sampler and a hi-hat. But they pulled of one of the greatest electronic things I'd ever heard.

Was notable how the NYC crowds were always super reserved at what we thought was some of the most astonishing music ever.
Until... the Cooler hosted an improv gig, Thurston Moore and Beck, who had his tie around his head, and it was appalling, audience was going insane for it. Bleedin' hipsters.
 
FIRST GIG:
Emmy Lou Harris I think, in the NCG, or Paul Simon in the RDS. Before I was 10 in any case.

LAST GIG:
Went to see MJ Lenderman and Julia Holter towards the end of last year, not sure which was entirely the most recent.

BEST GIG:
There was one Julia Holter gig a few years ago, I've never felt better leaving a gig than I ever have after that.

WORST GIG:
I know them and they're sound.

LOUDEST GIG:
Probably My Bloody Valentine in The Roundhouse whenever they did their first comeback.

SEEN THE MOST:
Maybe Radiohead? Or some local band

MOST SURPRISING:
Lightning Bolt, what the fuck is this?

MOST DISAPPOINTING:
Julian Lage in Whelans last year was a let down. Too cramped, too hot, not the environment I want to see him in.

HAPPY I GOT TO SEE:
Brian Wilson doing Pet Sounds.
Tom Waits

SORRY TO HAVE MISSED:
Not going to see Low on either of their last 2 visits here. 1 I just didn't go to and another I had a ticket for but my back was fucked.
 
I was at the saturday night and for years would have said it was the best gig I was ever at. As your memory of the gig and opinion of the band changes over the years, so does option of the gig.

I'd still say it was one of the best lineups ever. Dubliners, Pogues (classic lineup), Lou Reed, U2.

Gig lineups were something else in those days. Slane used always be great too. People rarely just went to see one band given how many great bands would be on the same lineup. Slane 86 and 87, case in point.
You forgot Light A Big Fire, according to the internet.

I was at the Sunday one - Christy Moore, The Pretenders, Lou Reed, Hothouse Flowers. No recollection whatsoever. Lou Reed? WHO?
 
You forgot Light A Big Fire, according to the internet.

I was at the Sunday one - Christy Moore, The Pretenders, Lou Reed, Hothouse Flowers. No recollection whatsoever. Lou Reed? WHO?
Lou Reed played both nights?

Yeah Light a Big Fire, now that you mention it. I still have the flyers they handed out at those gigs at home somewhere. They gave the full lineups and other info. Still have the tour programme too.

Lou Reed was probably shite. My only memory of it is people singing along to Walk on the Wild Side, not having a scoobies of any of the words.
 
Lou Reed played both nights?

Yeah Light a Big Fire, now that you mention it. I still have the flyers they handed out at those gigs at home somewhere. They gave the full lineups and other info. Still have the tour programme too.

Lou Reed was probably shite. My only memory of it is people singing along to Walk on the Wild Side, not having a scoobies of any of the words.
No idea. That’s just what “the most accurate u2 setlist website in the world” said.
 
I saw Sonic Youth in the art college Belfast and it was incredible. I remember not being impressed with them at the Top Hat,and thiking they were hilarious at sunstroke as it seemed they were just fucking with the audience.

I was never much of a fan of the records.
 
I was at the saturday night and for years would have said it was the best gig I was ever at. As your memory of the gig and opinion of the band changes over the years, so does option of the gig.

I'd still say it was one of the best lineups ever. Dubliners, Pogues (classic lineup), Lou Reed, U2.
Yeah - I was only 15, but it absolutely blew my mind at the time, and in fairness U2 live really were a force to be reckoned with once. Brilliant at Slane in 2001 too, even though at that stage I'd lost interest in them musically
 
FIRST GIG:
Nik Kershaw, National Stadium, 1984

LAST GIG:
Codeine, Whelans, 2023

BEST GIG:
Drive Like Jehu, TJ's in Newport, 1994. That Blonde Redhead one that @dudley wrote about.

WORST GIG:
Lots of bad gigs, but not many that actually made me grumpy. One was Interpol supporting Cornelius on the Point tour in London. Had to get permission from bouncers to leave before I threw stuff. Or Calvin Johnson in Whelans one afternoon. I left cos it was boring, then came back and looked in the hatch to see if he'd finished yet. He spotted me (it was not busy) and beckoned me in. Then asked me to introduce myself, as everyone else in the audience had already. In fairness, that was funny, and the definite high point of a dull afternoon IMHO.

LOUDEST GIG:
I stood in front of a speaker at Anthrax in the SFX in 1987. So maybe that one.

SEEN THE MOST:
Pinback

MOST SURPRISING:
Went to see some Japanese band that were rubbish and then Eddie Marcon came on and were amazing. Hadn't heard them before. Tame Impala in the Olympia was much better than anticipated.

MOST DISAPPOINTING:
Anthrax walking off after getting spat at in 1988. Very reasonable in retrospect.

HAPPY I GOT TO SEE:
Circus Lupus, Fugazi, Al Green, Deerhoof, James Brown, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Large Mound, Ivor Cutler, Evie Sands with Belle & Sebastian, NoMeansNo, Terry Callier, Television, Astrud Gilberto, The Zombies.

SORRY TO HAVE MISSED:
Jesu (didn't know them and literally stood outside chatting), Dinosaur Jr in McGonagles (it was raining), Broadcast at Bowlie.
 
If I were contributing to this I would say his gig in Whelans in the early-mid 90s was one of the best, most memorable gigs I ever attended. Just him and his guitar. Magical, heart warming...
A snippet of his set at thd time. He has the audience in his hand. A quick Google shows just how special that gig was. Next time he played Dublin, Vicar Street a gang of friends went due to the fawning reports from the Whelan's gig and to my amazement they weren't impressed at all. They just didn't get it.

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This particular song reminds me that a mate recorded the Whelan's gig on his Walkman and it was ruined by one of his friends loudly singing along with all the wrong words.
 
FIRST GIG:
U2 in the Point, 31/12/89

LAST GIG:
The Jesus Lizard in the Button Factory

BEST GIG:
My Bloody Valentine in Manchester 2008

WORST GIG:
Beck & the Seahorses at Dublin Castle.

LOUDEST GIG:
MBV gig above

SEEN THE MOST:
Pavement or Flaming Lips (7 or 8 times each)

MOST SURPRISING:
Jeff Tweedy in Vicar St. Like Wilco but enjoyed Jeff on his own more.

MOST DISAPPOINTING:
Sonic Youth at ATP 2000. Notoriously awful mostly improv set.

HAPPY I GOT TO SEE:
Television (original lineup, twice), Nirvana, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, GBV.

SORRY TO HAVE MISSED:
Low. Into them all along but never got it together to go see them.
Bowie, brother went but I didn't. What was i thinking.
 
FIRST GIG:
Status Quo in Sligo Sports Centre, November 1990.

LAST GIG:
The Jesus Lizard in the Button Factory last Wednesday

BEST GIG:
The next one.

WORST GIG:
Either Deafheaven in Whelans or Hookworms in Whelans - both abysmal. Actually, no, I was dragged along to see The Scratch on a St. Patrick's weekend in the Olympia... horrendous

LOUDEST GIG:
Mogwai in the Olympia in 2015, the gig that finally convinced me to start wearing ear protection. Sunn O))) in the NCH last year probably at a similar level

SEEN THE MOST:
A tie between Richard Dawson, Low, Mogwai and Sunn O))). But I never counted all the times I saw United Bible Studies so quite possibly them. Or the Redneck Manifesto.

MOST SURPRISING:
Wild Billy Childish in Whelans. Unreal.

MOST DISAPPOINTING:
Girl Band the same night as Lankum and Rusangano Family in Vicar Street. My fault of course, but I really didn't get it at all despite being excited to see what all the fuss was about.

HAPPY I GOT TO SEE:
Coil, Corrupted, Fugazi, Harvey Milk, Th' Faith Healers, The Fall a few times (not enough!), Bernard Parmegiani, Melvins, Lou Barlow's surprise gig in Whelans upstairs, Status Quo with me Dad and mate Tony (both gone too early).

SORRY TO HAVE MISSED:
Vic Chesnutt. Pharoah Sanders. and loads of gigs in the late 90s and early 2000s when I was in the pub talking shite to pals.
 

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