Sorry folks. I was just thinking that I could not recall such a long silence on the Gasroom and decided to lure in some posts. Happy to be deleted @drcongo.
Ok, I'll have a stab at it.
Peggy Lee/George Shearing "Beauty and the Beat" ; Chris Barber Band Rehearsal Room Royal Festival Hall (my first live performance in 1956); and I'd need advice from Eddie on the last category.
Record: David Bowie - Hunky Dory
Gig: Way too many good ones and what I recall as being my favourite changes each time I try to decide, but today I'll go for Orbital at Glastonbury 1994
Abandoned railway station: No preference
My father was not a fan. "Turn that racket down" was a regular cry. Racket indeed!
Chris is still going strong at 87 and is due to perform with his 11 piece band at the Swan theatre on 20 September.
@micra My first ever gig was also Chris Barber! My grandparents took me along to the Millfield Theatre in Edmonton to see him. If I remember correctly, Lonnie Donegan was in the band that night.
How many went to see Howard Jones at the Town Hall as their first gig? As for best gig; every time I saw the Pogues I had the best times in what was always a chaotic affair.
I did get a bit dewy eyed seeing Liam at the One Love Manchester gig recalling the handful of times I saw Oasis. Just a defining period of time I guess.
Records: Marquee Moon/Television, The Man Who Sold The World/Bowie (life changing moment on first hearing).
Gigs: The Ramones, Roundhouse 5 June 77 (another life changing moment), Peatbog Faeries, Tring Beer Festival two years ago. Laura Cantrell (voice of an angel) at Wycombe Students Union Ramblin' Roots Revue in April this year.
Oh dear, what have I started. Okay - record: The Velvet Underground & Nico; gig: Spacemen 3 at Dingwalls in 1988; abandoned station - Lazer FM from the mid-80s.
Albums - Well always preferred live
Gigs - From the Vapors at Wycombe Town hall, through persona non grata (I have enjoyed both Gary Glitter and Rolf Harris!) to Mad Dog on the Court steps on bank holiday, enjoyed nearly every one. Best of the lot : Gaz Brookfield, Ferocious Dog and Mad dog Mccrea Bristol 2015 followed by a pissup in the pub opposite with both bands and a headache the next morning. And then did it all again at Nottingham a couple of weeks later.
Abandoned Stations: couldn't give a flying &8%^
As I am as bored as a few fellow Chairboys.
Gig. Rory Gallagher & support at Friars Sept 1980 an unknown U2.
Album. Hatfull of Hollow the Smiths.
Railway Station. Loudwater.
Fave album: LAMF by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
Fave gig: Public Enemy at Reading Festival in 1992
Abandoned railway station: Aldwych tube station
Always enjoy reading these types of threads and learning about a whole range of music I've never heard of.
Often wonder if these favourites are the actual favourites or just a choice designed to make the author feel like they know something others don't. No-one ever admits to liking the big selling bands once they get big. The U2 example is a classic attempt at trying to be a music snob in my opinion.
See I enjoy Kasabian, Coldplay and Take That amongst many others but I'd probably have to answer my favourite gig as Big Dave Guitar Man to fit in. Never heard of him?
I'm not sure that anyone can be categorised as a snob for liking a band just because you've never heard of it. That's just called a different taste in music.
Maybe you just have slightly limited music knowledge? All my favourite gigs and many of my favourite records are by relatively unknown acts, simply because I have slightly esoteric tastes. Also, I don't particularly enjoy big gigs as they lack the intensity and intimacy of small shows. That said, I'll happily admit that U2 at Wembley Arena back in the mid/late 80s was an exceptional show and one of the few arena concerts I've really enjoyed. On the whole, though, give me a bruising psych-drone band or industrial hardcore act in a darkened pub backroom any day.
Never really into music tbh. I did however really enjoy The Pogues live at Brixton, that really was a "sticky carpet" experience.
As an aside, Billy Connelley live at the theatre in Victoria was very funny, back in the 80s and I did also enjoy his mucic as part of the Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty.
I'd venture my music knowledge has as many entries in it as most so do find someone calling it slightly limited as coming from the aforementioned music snob culture. I just tend to hear music through more main stream sources so know the more well known acts.
I've seen U2 in the mid eighties live and would probably say if you liked them then you'd probably have liked them in the nineties and early 2000's too. It's only more recently they've changed their act.
The only band I can honestly say I saw live before they broke big was Maroon Five and they were really good. They are a shadow of that band now.
I enjoy hearing abouts bands I've never heard of. I also enjoy revisiting stuff I'd forgetten I liked years ago.
If asked for your favourite gig, answer what was your favourite gig. If it happens to be Gary Glitter, because before he became better known for offstage activities, he did put on a bloody good show, then say Gary Glitter. If it was Take That, because you like two minutes of screaming 14 year olds after every song, that's fine its your choice. No form of music is intrinsically better than other.
For me big gigs struggle to be intimate. If you have to watch it on a screen, you probably are better of buying the video. personal choice though.
I saw the Killers supporting British Sea Power in a tiny venue in Colchester in 2003, and it was clear that they were destined for stardom. Although BSP were better.
I don't have a favourite single gig @DevC . I loved the Take That Circus Tour (It's the 40 year olds screaming now) but hated the Progress one a couple of years later. I really enjoyed Kasabian at the Olympic Park in 2013 and seeing the Proclaimers in Reading last year. I remember great Razorlight gigs and I had a great time watching Elton John. I got bored watching Stevie Wonder.
Never seen Gary Glitter but interested you've now mentioned him twice.
Gary Glitter makes your point re gigs very well. At the time I saw him (at least twice) he did an excellent gig. At the time I saw him he was socially acceptable to watch. Now for obvious reasons he isn't. Doesn't change the reality that it was a damn good gig.
@drcongo Would you go to see the Kaiser Chiefs now? I've seen them a couple of times recently and thought they were fantastic. Smaller gigs than in their pomp and all the better for it.
@Right_in_the_Middle I don't really get to go to gigs any more, but yeah. They got way more commercially polished as Kaiser Chiefs but man can they write a good pop song.
Comments
Isn't it traditional at this time of year to discuss favourite records/gigs/abandoned railway stations?
Ok, I'll have a stab at it.
Peggy Lee/George Shearing "Beauty and the Beat" ; Chris Barber Band Rehearsal Room Royal Festival Hall (my first live performance in 1956); and I'd need advice from Eddie on the last category.
I can only assume when footballers and @rmjlondon get back from Skegness/majorca/Ibiza normal claim and counter-claim service will be resumed.
Record: David Bowie - Hunky Dory
Gig: Way too many good ones and what I recall as being my favourite changes each time I try to decide, but today I'll go for Orbital at Glastonbury 1994
Abandoned railway station: No preference
Blimey, I thought I was an oldie but my mum was a big Chris Barber fan.
My father was not a fan. "Turn that racket down" was a regular cry. Racket indeed!
Chris is still going strong at 87 and is due to perform with his 11 piece band at the Swan theatre on 20 September.
Jam: All Mod Cons. U2 Nottingham Rock City, 1981. No station preference. I saw Chris Barber about 25 years ago...I shouted 'Turn that racket down'
@micra My first ever gig was also Chris Barber! My grandparents took me along to the Millfield Theatre in Edmonton to see him. If I remember correctly, Lonnie Donegan was in the band that night.
How many went to see Howard Jones at the Town Hall as their first gig? As for best gig; every time I saw the Pogues I had the best times in what was always a chaotic affair.
I did get a bit dewy eyed seeing Liam at the One Love Manchester gig recalling the handful of times I saw Oasis. Just a defining period of time I guess.
Records: Marquee Moon/Television, The Man Who Sold The World/Bowie (life changing moment on first hearing).
Gigs: The Ramones, Roundhouse 5 June 77 (another life changing moment), Peatbog Faeries, Tring Beer Festival two years ago. Laura Cantrell (voice of an angel) at Wycombe Students Union Ramblin' Roots Revue in April this year.
Abandoned station: Swanbourne, never knew it was there, I drive through the village every day and I mean to find it! It looks very quaint but rather too well preserved in this video, considering it closed in '68:
http://fildan.info/video/view/9sj8_Cv4s6g/Ghost-Stations-Disused-Railway-Stations-in-Buckinghamshire-England.html
Oh dear, what have I started. Okay - record: The Velvet Underground & Nico; gig: Spacemen 3 at Dingwalls in 1988; abandoned station - Lazer FM from the mid-80s.
Albums - We are beautiful, we are doomed by Los Campesinos! or London Calling by the Clash.
Gigs - each and every time I've seen the Levellers from the 90s through to last year.
Albums - Well always preferred live
Gigs - From the Vapors at Wycombe Town hall, through persona non grata (I have enjoyed both Gary Glitter and Rolf Harris!) to Mad Dog on the Court steps on bank holiday, enjoyed nearly every one. Best of the lot : Gaz Brookfield, Ferocious Dog and Mad dog Mccrea Bristol 2015 followed by a pissup in the pub opposite with both bands and a headache the next morning. And then did it all again at Nottingham a couple of weeks later.
Abandoned Stations: couldn't give a flying &8%^
As I am as bored as a few fellow Chairboys.
Gig. Rory Gallagher & support at Friars Sept 1980 an unknown U2.
Album. Hatfull of Hollow the Smiths.
Railway Station. Loudwater.
Fave album: LAMF by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
Fave gig: Public Enemy at Reading Festival in 1992
Abandoned railway station: Aldwych tube station
Always enjoy reading these types of threads and learning about a whole range of music I've never heard of.
Often wonder if these favourites are the actual favourites or just a choice designed to make the author feel like they know something others don't. No-one ever admits to liking the big selling bands once they get big. The U2 example is a classic attempt at trying to be a music snob in my opinion.
See I enjoy Kasabian, Coldplay and Take That amongst many others but I'd probably have to answer my favourite gig as Big Dave Guitar Man to fit in. Never heard of him?
I'm not sure that anyone can be categorised as a snob for liking a band just because you've never heard of it. That's just called a different taste in music.
Maybe you just have slightly limited music knowledge? All my favourite gigs and many of my favourite records are by relatively unknown acts, simply because I have slightly esoteric tastes. Also, I don't particularly enjoy big gigs as they lack the intensity and intimacy of small shows. That said, I'll happily admit that U2 at Wembley Arena back in the mid/late 80s was an exceptional show and one of the few arena concerts I've really enjoyed. On the whole, though, give me a bruising psych-drone band or industrial hardcore act in a darkened pub backroom any day.
Never really into music tbh. I did however really enjoy The Pogues live at Brixton, that really was a "sticky carpet" experience.
As an aside, Billy Connelley live at the theatre in Victoria was very funny, back in the 80s and I did also enjoy his mucic as part of the Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty.
Album. - The Angelic Upstarts - 2,000,000 Voices.
Gig. I have to Say The Damned at Friars in December 1979. But lots of other contenders.
Is it Dave Winfield?
I'd venture my music knowledge has as many entries in it as most so do find someone calling it slightly limited as coming from the aforementioned music snob culture. I just tend to hear music through more main stream sources so know the more well known acts.
I've seen U2 in the mid eighties live and would probably say if you liked them then you'd probably have liked them in the nineties and early 2000's too. It's only more recently they've changed their act.
The only band I can honestly say I saw live before they broke big was Maroon Five and they were really good. They are a shadow of that band now.
I enjoy hearing abouts bands I've never heard of. I also enjoy revisiting stuff I'd forgetten I liked years ago.
If asked for your favourite gig, answer what was your favourite gig. If it happens to be Gary Glitter, because before he became better known for offstage activities, he did put on a bloody good show, then say Gary Glitter. If it was Take That, because you like two minutes of screaming 14 year olds after every song, that's fine its your choice. No form of music is intrinsically better than other.
For me big gigs struggle to be intimate. If you have to watch it on a screen, you probably are better of buying the video. personal choice though.
I saw the Killers supporting British Sea Power in a tiny venue in Colchester in 2003, and it was clear that they were destined for stardom. Although BSP were better.
CHRIS WENT TO COLCHESTER! GET 'IM!
I don't have a favourite single gig @DevC . I loved the Take That Circus Tour (It's the 40 year olds screaming now) but hated the Progress one a couple of years later. I really enjoyed Kasabian at the Olympic Park in 2013 and seeing the Proclaimers in Reading last year. I remember great Razorlight gigs and I had a great time watching Elton John. I got bored watching Stevie Wonder.
Never seen Gary Glitter but interested you've now mentioned him twice.
Speaking of "destined for stardom", I saw Kaiser Chiefs in their prior incarnation as Parva a few times and every gig was a stormer.
As is your right Righty.
Gary Glitter makes your point re gigs very well. At the time I saw him (at least twice) he did an excellent gig. At the time I saw him he was socially acceptable to watch. Now for obvious reasons he isn't. Doesn't change the reality that it was a damn good gig.
@drcongo Would you go to see the Kaiser Chiefs now? I've seen them a couple of times recently and thought they were fantastic. Smaller gigs than in their pomp and all the better for it.
@Right_in_the_Middle I don't really get to go to gigs any more, but yeah. They got way more commercially polished as Kaiser Chiefs but man can they write a good pop song.