Favourite gig

[sheffield hatter]

As a massive Smiths fan I had to be there. it was a free concert and admission was gained by wearing a Smiths t-shirt. I slept outside the venue and queued for a day and a half. There were thousands locked out but I was one of the lucky few!

Follow that!

Here are some standouts:

I saw Pink Floyd doing Atom Heart Mother in Hyde Park, which was in July 1970, quite a while before the record was released.

One of my school mates drove three of us up to London (we lived in Hemel Hempstead) to see Hawkwind at University College - this was before they were at all well known, maybe just before the release of In Search of Space, or soon after.

In 1971 I saw The Who twice, first in July 1971, about a month before Who's Next was released, but shortly after Won't Get Fooled Again came out, so it was the first time that I'd heard Baba O'Reilly, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes; but one of my friends had bought Won't Get Fooled Again and I can remember them playing the B-side, Don't Know Myself. I saw them again at The Oval cricket ground in September the same year, which wasn't so good because the support bands were America (who I couldn't stand) and The Faces (who I could barely tolerate), and we had to leave while they were still playing Magic Bus in order to get the last train back to Hemel.

I stood next to the speakers right next to the stage (in Watford Town Hall) when I saw The Groundhogs shortly after they had appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test doing Garden and Eccentric Man from their album Thank Christ For The Bomb (if you've never heard it, you're in for a treat), so this must have been 1970. My ears were still ringing the next day, and I still have tinnitus to prove it. I saw them again in 1994 at a pub in Leeds when I did even more damage to my ears, and this is why I have noticeably different levels/tones of tinnitus in either ear.

[Aqualung]

I saw Pink Floyd doing Atom Heart Mother in Hyde Park, which was in July 1970, quite a while before the record was released.

One of my school mates drove three of us up to London (we lived in Hemel Hempstead) to see Hawkwind at University College - this was before they were at all well known, maybe just before the release of In Search of Space, or soon after.

I was at both! If I remember rightly the Floyd gig was a free concert. I went to UCL so got to all the Saturday gigs. I think that would have been in a tatty old building called the Gymnasium. The Garage was opposite, just as tatty and housed the bar.

[Mobyduck]

Follow that!

Here are some standouts:

I saw Pink Floyd doing Atom Heart Mother in Hyde Park, which was in July 1970, quite a while before the record was released.

One of my school mates drove three of us up to London (we lived in Hemel Hempstead) to see Hawkwind at University College - this was before they were at all well known, maybe just before the release of In Search of Space, or soon after.

In 1971 I saw The Who twice, first in July 1971, about a month before Who's Next was released, but shortly after Won't Get Fooled Again came out, so it was the first time that I'd heard Baba O'Reilly, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes; but one of my friends had bought Won't Get Fooled Again and I can remember them playing the B-side, Don't Know Myself. I saw them again at The Oval cricket ground in September the same year, which wasn't so good because the support bands were America (who I couldn't stand) and The Faces (who I could barely tolerate), and we had to leave while they were still playing Magic Bus in order to get the last train back to Hemel.

I stood next to the speakers right next to the stage (in Watford Town Hall) when I saw The Groundhogs shortly after they had appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test doing Garden and Eccentric Man from their album Thank Christ For The Bomb (if you've never heard it, you're in for a treat), so this must have been 1970. My ears were still ringing the next day, and I still have tinnitus to prove it. I saw them again in 1994 at a pub in Leeds when I did even more damage to my ears, and this is why I have noticeably different levels/tones of tinnitus in either ear.

Good Taste in music Will.

[Delboy20]

Another stand out for me was Donington Monsters of Rock 1988. I wasn't a massive rock fan - more of an Indie fan but what a weekend.
Iron Maiden, Kiss, Van Halen and a memorable set from Guns'n'Roses.
I was in the thick of it for the Roses and witnessed the pile up of people when sadly 2 lost their lives. I got separated from my brother and never saw him again all day - no mobiles back then! As I left the gig at the end of the night a copper on the door was asking if anybody had lost touch with anyone as there had been 2 deaths. I said yes and was led off to a police tent to try and identify the bodies. After giving a description of my brother I was spared actually looking at the bodies but they were there covered by sheets. Quite a harrowing experience but one I'll never forget.
My brother was already back at our tent drinking so no harm done - we had a good night after all.

[Pubsignman]

Another stand out for me was Donington Monsters of Rock 1988. I wasn't a massive rock fan - more of an Indie fan but what a weekend.
Iron Maiden, Kiss, Van Halen and a memorable set from Guns'n'Roses.

Maybe you've seen this before, but the BBC made a very entertaining documentary about heavy metal, most of which was filmed at the 1988 Monsters of Rock festival - the interviews with Iron Maiden in particular are unintentionally hilarious in a Spinal Tap kind of way!

https://vimeo.com/156233172

[Delboy20]

Maybe you've seen this before, but the BBC made a very entertaining documentary about heavy metal, most of which was filmed at the 1988 Monsters of Rock festival - the interviews with Iron Maiden in particular are unintentionally hilarious in a Spinal Tap kind of way!

https://vimeo.com/156233172

There was an Arena special filmed at the time and broadcast on BBC 2. They were filming in Donnington Village the night before the gig (Friday). I have the dubious honour of being on the "telly" that night along with my brother as they filmed outside one of the pubs. As you can imagine the night before was not for the faint hearted with most people in a right state. Happy days though!

[london calling]

Another stand out for me was Donington Monsters of Rock 1988. I wasn't a massive rock fan - more of an Indie fan but what a weekend.
Iron Maiden, Kiss, Van Halen and a memorable set from Guns'n'Roses.
I was in the thick of it for the Roses and witnessed the pile up of people when sadly 2 lost their lives. I got separated from my brother and never saw him again all day - no mobiles back then! As I left the gig at the end of the night a copper on the door was asking if anybody had lost touch with anyone as there had been 2 deaths. I said yes and was led off to a police tent to try and identify the bodies. After giving a description of my brother I was spared actually looking at the bodies but they were there covered by sheets. Quite a harrowing experience but one I'll never forget.
My brother was already back at our tent drinking so no harm done - we had a good night after all.

Listened to Guns and Roses -sweet child of mine earlier tonight .Quality guitar solos.

[Delboy20]

Listened to Guns and Roses -sweet child of mine earlier tonight .Quality guitar solos.

Classic track from a great album. They were not that well known at the time hence being on so early in the day.

I was more of a classic British rock fan, the Cult and Black Sabbath being my favourite metal bands.

[london calling]

My wife has not been to a gig ever and only likes ska reggae and motown. Plenty of theatre visits and Motown weekends but never a concert.

[oldboots]

My wife has not been to a gig ever and only likes ska reggae and motown. Plenty of theatre visits and Motown weekends but never a concert.

My better half saw the Who at Charlton Athletic and occasionally frequented the Top of the Pops studio when she was young.