Performances that left you slack jawed

[Dad3353]

On 24/11/2020 at 14:23, EdLib-3 said:

... I don't know the name of the bassist but he was all over the double bass and a 6 string bass guitar like it was nothing... The late Dave Carpenter..?

Also the drummer looked about 14 - hilariously, and was also a total monster on his instrument. Richard Barshay..?

 

 

[EdLib-3]

21 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

Thanks @Dad3353 yes, definitely Richie Barshay on drums. The guy on bass was Dave Carpenter (just done an image search for him) that was the guy! I'm not familiar with him but really sad to now realise he's no longer with us.

[odysseus]

By some quirk of fate, Animals As Leaders played a local pub a few years back and I was there to see it.  I'd listened to a lot of their stuff, and I half expected it to be a mess live, but gee whizz... it was absolutely amazing.  I was giggling like an idiot all the way how thinking... "How?...."

This ain't that particular gig, but they still amaze me nonetheless.

 

[paul_5]

Primus with the Funghi Ensemble at Manchester Apollo supporting the ‘Willy Wonka’ album. 1st set was just Primus, 2nd set was the entire ‘Wonka’ album and these were both very good. 
 

The 3rd set/encore was more Primus material with added cello and pitched percussion, and it just kicked off! 
 

A massive improvement on their previous ‘Green Naugahyde’ tour, which was a bit lacklustre.

[mikel]

Any Yes concert in the 70s. Mind blowing musicianship and band performance. Watching Chris play bass and knock out those perfect harmonies was a real education.

[Barking Spiders]

2 hours ago, odysseus said:

By some quirk of fate, Animals As Leaders played a local pub a few years back and I was there to see it.  I'd listened to a lot of their stuff, and I half expected it to be a mess live, but gee whizz... it was absolutely amazing.  I was giggling like an idiot all the way how thinking... "How?...."

This ain't that particular gig, but they still amaze me nonetheless.

 

Not what I'd choose to listen to but I find them interesting, as they're going somewhere different to pretty much all other current guitar bands. Is it jazz, is it rock? Dunno but there's no doubting their skills and originality

[KingPrawn]

My Nephew took me too see this guy at PMT in Birmingham many years ago. He was incredible 

 

[stewblack]

In the early to mid 80s I was the world's greatest fan of both Elvis Costello and of his band The Attractions. OK, so it wasn't easy to prove that using a Sinclair Spectrum and electronic calculator, but I'm pretty confident of the stats nonetheless. 

Can't remember which one as they all blurred into a haze of cider, smoke and tiny squares of paper, but one of the Saturday nights at Pilton Pop Festival (a village event near the towns of Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury) featured Elvis himself as the headliner. 

Say what you like, there is something special about living in the time of your heroes ascendant. When popular culture esteems your favourites and places them on public pedestals for your personal pleasure. 

Beats the hell out of seeing them years after their peak when it feels as if the world has moved on and left both you and them trying to catch the smoke of past glory in the net of nostalgia. 

That year I was pressed against the barrier just feet from the great man, drinking in every moment of his solo performance. 

It was the first time I heard Tramp The Dirt Down and the cheers of the crowd in sympathy with its sentiments, visibly moved him and me both. 

All good things come to an end and indeed EC, having performed his encores bowed for the final time in acknowledgement of the muddy masses on that magical Somerset evening, . 

I was ready to return to our little camp and find my mates so I could tell them, repeatedly and at enormous length just how good Elvis was, when he sang the opening line of another song, the curtains in front of which he'd performed flew back, the stage exploded with light and there, right there, in front of me was none other than The Attractions, featuring of course, my all time favourite bassist Mr Bruce Thomas himself. 

They crashed into a full set of material and I was utterly delirious. Higher than any lump of squidgy black or red leb could have made me. 

A couple of hours of my favourite songwriter, solo, was a near religious experience, but to have my favourite band then perform a surprise set as well, left me  a barely coherent babbling fool. 

No gig has ever come close before or since. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by stewblack

[Steve Browning]

I was at Portsmouth Guildhall to see ECATA. Nick Lowe was depping on bass at the time. It was a Wednesday night (when the TOTP bands recorded their backing tracks the day before transmission) and EC had made it down before the band. He came out on his own and did a good hour on his own before the rest of the band arrived and joined him.

Reminded me of the time when Rory Gallagher's band were stuck in fog and he was alone at the venue. His brother ended up on drums and he got a pianist and bass player out of the audience.

[Bilbo]

14 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

 

Reminded me of the time when Rory Gallagher's band were stuck in fog and he was alone at the venue. His brother ended up on drums and he got a pianist and bass player out of the audience.

Everybody's fantasy

[MacDaddy]

2 hours ago, Bilbo said:

Everybody's fantasy

hope they got paid the standard MU rates  

[peteb]

11 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

hope they got paid the standard MU rates  

I'm sure that I would have done it for free, maybe Rory could have bought me a pint! 

[Marvin]

A few years ago I saw The Winery Dogs touring their second album. We'd managed to get to a really good spot near the front towards the side Kotzen was playing. I know, Sheehan was there and all dues he plays some unbelievable stuff on a bass, but Kotzen just ripped it up for me, he was outstanding, the band were amazing but he was incredible. 

I'd seen them play about 18 months prior at The Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton. Unfortunately I got stuck behind a pillar and could only see Sheehan, which wasn't that bad, but the sound was a bit meh and the heat was so oppressive you could see it was taking its toll on the band.

Many years ago I saw The Real Sounds of Africa at a local Arts Centre. They were phenomenal, both in terms of musicianship and performance.

Wille and the Bandits at a place called The Palladium Club in Devon. Small place, what a gig, they were on fire that night, the playing was great. 

[Leonard Smalls]

Every time I saw Ian Dury and the Blockheads I was left open-mouthed, with just a dribble of drool emerging; they were just so tight,and so into it...

Other worryingly awesome performances included Jonas Hellborg Trio at the Bassclef, back in his twin neck Wal days; this was remarkable for both the virtuosity of both bass players, but the fact they didn't come on till after 1am!

Then there was Trouble Funk, who were probably the joint tightest band (with Ian Dury!), Kraftwerk (in 1981) - considering they barely moved they were amazing, The Cramps (none more rocknroll!), Butthole Surfers at the Mean Fiddler (did I say there was none more rocknroll than the Cramps? Well the Buttholes run 'em pretty darn close!), That Gig with Stanley Clarke, Omar Hakim, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock at the Festival Hall, and finally, James Blood Ulmer with Jamaaladeen on bass and Calvin Weston on drums - I'd never heard jazz played with so much cojones, groove and raw power...

[Cat Burrito]

In the mid 90s I did a show with a few slightly past their peak indie bands like Neds Atomic Dustbin, Mega City 4 and Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. Much lower down the bill was "Oizone" who did a set of purely Boyzone covers (who were massive at the time, although probably not with anyone at that gig) but in an "Oi" style.

Oizone refused to soundcheck as they felt it was too muso. They also insisted on borrowing some other hapless band's gear. They burst in wearing stockings over their heads like it was a Post Office raid, blasted straight into "Love Me For A Reason" and then did a captivating set that didn't outstay it's welcome.

The audience was left with a feeling of "did that really happen". To this day it remains one of the most memorable live experiences I have ever witnessed. I am sure they all work in Adult Social Care or Customer Services now but for one glorious moment they upstaged about 50 bands at an All-dayer in Guildford.

[peteb]

Van Halen supporting Black Sabbath (in 78 I think)

Living Colour in a small club in Leeds when the first album came out

Edited November 26, 2020 by peteb

[odysseus]

20 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

Not what I'd choose to listen to but I find them interesting, as they're going somewhere different to pretty much all other current guitar bands. Is it jazz, is it rock? Dunno but there's no doubting their skills and originality

Yes indeed. That's what attracted me to them - it wasn't like anything I'd heard before. Plus, the rhythmic element of the guitar playing astounded me - especially the slapping parts.

[mikel]

The Police at the Mayfair in Newcastle, touring their first album. I had never heard of them but went along with a mate as it was a night out. Awesome is a much over used word, but they were nothing short of that. Probably the most exciting gig I have ever seen. They were so tight they were loose, and feeding off each other, improvising and scat singing. I was so impressed I bought a drum kit the following day, and 6 weeks later was doing my first gig with an originals post punk band. They were that good, and Stewart Copeland simply blew me away.

[Trueno]

A few rather diverse offerings...

... Doctor Feelgood in 1976 with a young Wilco in full flow

... a couple of solo gigs by Richard Thompson... who needs a band?

... Camel playing all the way through “Snow Goose”

... Steeleye Span singing “Gaudete” just before Christmas

... the blues band playing in the open air at the end of Beale Street, Memphis on a steamy summer evening.

Them were t’days

[4000]

Live, there have been a few, including:

Buddy Rich, twice - ‘nuff said. 
Hawkwind live ‘79, Preston - first ever rock gig. Blew my head off. Amazing.

Manowar live ‘84 Manchester - first time I saw them. Went for a laugh expecting them to be terrible; they were unbelievable. Saw them a few more times but that was the best; spoke to Joey DeMaio at the next gig I went to on the tour and he agreed Manchester had been a great gig. 

Bow Wow Wow live Manchester Uni on the When the Going Gets Tough tour. Loved the band but expected them to be crap live. They were awesome.

Seeing Lissie playing in a bar in Cornwall, bumping into her at the airport the next day and then travelling back on the same plane. Even now, does not compute. 

There are many others, but they stand out. 

 

[OliverBlackman]

Snarky puppy’s first European show at Cargo 2012 left my body numb for a few days. TOP at Koko around the same time. Also Bruno Mars and band on his second big tour at the O2 - proper showbiz!

[FinnDave]

The performance that had the greatest effect on me was Here & Now at Stonehenge 1977 or 78 (those years are all a bit blurry now) - atmosphere, setting & music were all perfect. 

I saw them again at Deeply Vale either later one of those years  and they were even better, but that was because of the incredible laser show which I (much) later found out only I was able to see  

I also saw H&N again at the Summer of Love party last year - they were on the main stage immediately before the Grateful Dudes, and as soon as they started playing, it took me straight back to that night at Stonehenge - felt very strange to go on and play after that.

[wombatboter]

Level 42 in the beginning of the eighties ....Hadn't seen anything like that before (and the bassplayer sàng !).

David Byrne solo, a gig in Gent (Belgium), from the first second he owned that stage.

U2 in 1981 when they were still "unknown"

David Sylvian with Robert Fripp in Antwerp, just a totally new kind of music..

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, FinnDave said:

The performance that had the greatest effect on me was Here & Now at Stonehenge 1977 or 78 (those years are all a bit blurry now) - atmosphere, setting & music were all perfect. 

I saw them again at Deeply Vale either later one of those years  and they were even better, but that was because of the incredible laser show which I (much) later found out only I was able to see  

I also saw H&N again at the Summer of Love party last year - they were on the main stage immediately before the Grateful Dudes, and as soon as they started playing, it took me straight back to that night at Stonehenge - felt very strange to go on and play after that.

In the spirit of the above, Cantlin Stone Free Festival 1983. I don't remember any of the bands (or if there were any) but I'm pretty confident I was utterly blown away...

Saw Here & Now supporting Gong in about 1994/1995. As far as I could tell the only visual difference was the Divided Alien when in Gong mode. Musically, Here and Now were in phenomenally tight jazz rock mode. Gong were, well, Gong... 🙂

[Old Man Riva]

On 25/11/2020 at 12:08, Steve Browning said:

Excellent call. Just the control of the trem arm is insane.

It is, isn’t it!

He’s such a wonderful player. His version of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat is another one of his ‘moments’ for me...