fretmeister Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 4 minutes ago, chris_b said: I see bands and artists who I know and know are consistently good. No crystal ball required. Everyone can have an off day, and sometimes it's not the fault of the band either. And then there's Queens of the Stone Age. Seem them twice, were bloody awful both times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I'd better reply as I think it was my comment that inspired this thread. Early 90s I think, we went to see Whitesnake with Pride & Glory supporting. I mainly wanted see P&G, being a big Ozzy fan previously, as it was Zakk Wylde's band. Once at the gig we found out P&G had pulled out, bummer but nevermind, it's still Whitesnake it so should be good. About fifteen minutes in there was a lengthy guitar solo, hmm no need for all that fretwankery. Following that, God no please don't, too late, bass solo. Oh how it dragged on, rumbling, indiscernable noise. Anyway it finally ended and I thought great, let's hear some songs, just as the bass drum started thumping. In a Dorothy-esque "There's no place like home, there's no place like home", I clicked my Ruby DMs together and quietly whispered, "Please let a song start, please let a song start". Nope, into the bass drum came some tom fills, then the snare rolls, then the full kit, on and on and on. Please make it stop. It didn't, not for very long time. So we all walked and went clubbing instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 (edited) I'm going to rule out any support bands that I have checked out and decided to go back to the bar instead of listening to them, and similarly anybody at a festival where I've left after a couple of songs to go and drink or watch something else (although...I've yet to make it through more than about three songs of any Cradle of Filth set, and I've really tried). If I didn't specifically pay to see the band or have them on my "must see" list then walking out isn't really noteworthy I've also seem a few of the gigs that others have left, sometimes with different opinions (f'rinstance, in complete opposition to one previous post, I saw Clutch supporting Corrosion of Conformity, never heard of Clutch, thought they were monumentally dull, still do, and I'd only gone to see CoC and thought they were brilliant. One man's meat, etc) and sometimes because I've wanted to stick around to see the whole set out of loyalty to the band, but can understand why other left early - Sabbath at Download in 2016 was hard to take, especially after they'd been so brilliant there in 2012, and it was part of their farewell tour...but for those of us that did stick around, Ozzy rewarded us by managing to sing in tune for a good third of the gig in the middle of the set. Slayer at Bloodstock in 2016 was a low point too, not least because of how good they have been on every other occasion I've seen them, just flat and dull. So, with those criteria in mind, I have three: Smashing Pumpkins at Wembley Arena in 2000. their farewell tour, I'd never been a particular fan but figured I might as well see them live if it was going to be my last chance, and I wanted to see the support band, Catherine Wheel, who I liked. Missed Catherine Wheel because the mate I went with is an utter c#nt (the sort who is late for everything, and doesn't understand that it's f#cking rude, and that when people call him a c#nt for doing stuff like this, that we all aren't joking), but we got there in time for SP's set to start. A couple of fairly bland, quietish numbers, and then into ear splittingly loud noise that seemed entirely free of melody and structure. Convinced me that I was never going to be a fan of them so why waste any more of my time, and I joined the steady stream of people who were also leaving. I chatted to a couple who were actually fans of the band and told me that they had seen them a few times before and they'd never been that bad. Lucky me Iron Maiden at Sonisphere in 2010. I'd seen them at Twickenham a year or two beforehand, having previously lost interest since seeing them a couple of times in the 1980s, and then grown out of them. But a girlfriend dragged me to Twickenham and I'd loved it - playing the whole set from one of the tours I'd previously seen them on. Great - stick to the songs from when they were good. Sadly at Sonisphere, after playing a couple of oldies, Bruce Dickinson announced that in response to all the people who complain to him that they never play any of their songs from the albums they've released in the last ten years, they were going to concentrate on those. Cue mass exodus, me included, although I did listen to a couple of the newer songs, to satisfy myself that they were awful. I don't believe that "the people" Bruce has been listening to actually exist Tool at Download in 2019. Difficult one here - I've tried to like Tool, I really have. I own a few of their albums, I don't dislike them, but none of it sticks, I think it's all OK, but I've never really got into it, despite knowing how good it is musically and it's stuff that i should enjoy. I admire them more than I actually enjoy them. But I'd never seen them live, and they hadn't played here for ages so this was my chance, at a festival I was going to be at anyway. But after drinking all day, seeing Slayer's blistering set (which happily took place while Smashing Pumpkins were on the main stage), and this being the last band on the third day when I was all festivalled out...it was all a bit sterile and detached. Great light show, well played, but it could have been a CD. Watched two songs and headed for the exit Edited February 23, 2021 by Monkey Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy515 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 The Fall in 1980. Wish I had left before the end. A friend dragged me along and I thought we were watching the support band playing so watched till the end. Shocking!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 23 hours ago, mr4stringz said: At the opposite end of the spectrum there was one gig I didn’t leave but should have. Living Colour at Birmingham Hummingbird on the Stain tour. About 4 people fell on top of me two songs in. Hobbled to the back and stood there on one leg, refusing to admit defeat. Turned out I’d broken my ankle... Was that with The Stereo MCs supporting? They got such a poor reaction from the crowd that Living Colour wouldn't come on until there was a decent round of applause... I can only remember leaving 3 gigs early due to not enjoying myself: Opeth - Watershed tour. 3rd time we'd seen them. Me and the missus were up for a nice loud set. But it was really dull and lack lustre. When they dragged out some barstools and acoustic guitars my heart sank a little. I'm a big fan of the Damnation album too. The previous times Opeth had balanced the sets really well and there was a decent amount of interaction with the crowd too. This time was just painful, so we went. Mastodon/Dillinger Escape Plan. Having seen Mastodon twice before me and some mates were well up for this. Holy moly what a boring gig. DEP just sucked all the enthusiasm from us and we ended up in the bar. Mastodon couldn't do anything to engage us. Swans. After about an hour of just pure awesomeness a wave of disquiet seemed to pass through the audience. It was like everyone took a step away from the stage and the whole atmosphere of the gig changed. It was half way through a song, Michael Gira's persona took over and everything felt much darker than was comfortable, even for a SWANS gig. It was a really weird experience. I saw some friends, who were also there, a couple of weeks later and they said much the same. But they stuck it out. The next time SWANS rolled through Bristol I didn't bother, but my friends did. They said the same thing happened, but this time they couldn't stick it and left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 31 minutes ago, fretmeister said: It was so loud it was actually dangerous. Reminds me of this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_music "Danger music is an experimental form of avant-garde 20th and 21st century music and performance art. It is based on the concept that some pieces of music can or will harm either the listener or the performer" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 26 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Unless you've seen them before with the same line up, you have no idea if a band is going to be any good until you go and see them. I don't know the bands you see, that could be so inconsistent, but the guys I see, as I say, are consistently good. My experience trumps your cynicism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 (edited) Nazareth 1980, Sheffield City Hall. Had gone to see Saxon supporting (a mate/acquaintance was in the line up), made it about half way through the 'headliner's' and decided the 'going through the motions' performance was enough. Edited February 23, 2021 by martthebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intoutof Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Weirdest one for me was My Bloody Valentine Hammersmith 2013....I was sat upstairs which I'll never do again....should have known better really. Ok so the records are kind of a mushy blurry blurriness of distortion but I may as well have been at a Merzbow gig...just an indistinct wash of fizz. I went to the upstairs bar appx 20 mins before the end of the gig and briefly spoke to a friendly fellow from Ireland who saw them in 1993 before he ran back in for "You made me Realise" About a year later I was playing in band on cruise ships and the band were having a rare night out in Hong Kong......and the same guy was there!!! what does it all mean kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 5 minutes ago, Intoutof said: Ok so the records are kind of a mushy blurry blurriness of distortion but I may as well have been at a Merzbow gig...just an indistinct wash of fizz. Nah, Merzbow is much more interesting than MBV... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andermtc Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Never left a gig early but the closest I got was Roger Waters In the Flesh tour, Birmingham 2002. Was nothing special, slightly disappointing overall, but when he sat down to play cards at the front of the stage with some band members while the others continued playing in the background, it was perhaps a step too far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intoutof Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Even weirder, when I went see Merzbow he sounded like MBV..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_L Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 On 21/02/2021 at 20:07, Roger2611 said: The Smiths at Dergate Northampton, arrived late, missed James as the support band doh! stayed for about 5 songs whilst everyone around me stood on one leg whirling Gladioli about, I though they are never going to take off doing that, left and went down the pub instead! Sisters of Mercy Rock City early 2000's ish, having seen them there on their first tour they were brilliant, this time they were dull and boring so we left! James at Nottingham Theatre Royal is the only gig I've ever left early. The realisation that I could just leave if I was bored was a eureka moment. It may have had something to do with it being the first gig for which I'd had to (irony alert) sit down rather than standing, which probably spoiled the atmosphere for me. Up until then I'd been a big fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 32 minutes ago, Intoutof said: Weirdest one for me was My Bloody Valentine Hammersmith 2013....I was sat upstairs which I'll never do again....should have known better really. Ok so the records are kind of a mushy blurry blurriness of distortion but I may as well have been at a Merzbow gig...just an indistinct wash of fizz. I went to the upstairs bar appx 20 mins before the end of the gig and briefly spoke to a friendly fellow from Ireland who saw them in 1993 before he ran back in for "You made me Realise" About a year later I was playing in band on cruise ships and the band were having a rare night out in Hong Kong......and the same guy was there!!! what does it all mean kids? Douglas Adams said there are only a certain amount of real people in the world, which is why you keep bumping into the same ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share Posted February 23, 2021 53 minutes ago, chris_b said: I see bands and artists who I know and know are consistently good. No crystal ball required. As far as I am concerned there are no guarantees and also more choices. I saw Hall and Oates in the 90s and they were as good as a band can be. T-Bone on bass, G.E. Smith on guitar. I saw them again a few years ago and they were as bad as a band can be. Arrogant, played statutory 40mins a set with no encore. They seemed to think it was our privilege to see them strut about playing loosely and inappropriately. I'd have left before the end had it not finished so early. I've seen The Blockheads more times than I care to remember. Last time they were rubbish. Derek 'The Draw' just swore all night. I've seen several incarnations of Dr Feelgood, always good except the last time when they weren't, just a pub band. Even Gods like George Benson. He used to come over most years and play at the Albert Hall, we would go see him. Last time his voice was going, his guitar playing wasn't very good and he spent too much time with stories such as one interminable yarn about 'Lil' Whitney Houston. Etc. Then there are the new bands. Yes, you can get a flavour of what they are like from recorded material but I would always want to check them out live. Then there are bands from overseas that don't come over that often - I've seen plenty from the USA who I have only been able to see just once since I have been listening to music. Etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon. Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I can only think of a couple: Suede at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh, 1994. The band imploded on stage, with Brett Anderson in terrible form and flouncing off a couple of times, before they all tried again. Turned out to Bernard Butler's last gig with the band. Had seen them a couple of years earlier and they were outstanding, but this was just a mess. Roachford at the Assembly Rooms, 1998, I think. Girlfriend and I had a massive bust-up on the way there ( I wanted to see the support, she was only interesting in getting there 2 mins for Roachford came on). We lasted about 30 mins of very pointedly not enjoying each other's company, before heading off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapiro Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 (edited) Does being forced to leave early due to train timetables count? I had to leave Stevie Wonder in hyde park doing the whole of Songs in the Key of Life early Why? Because he started nearly an hour late, then had a 1 hour break between sets /(discs on the album). Edited February 23, 2021 by gapiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 2 that spring to mind Steve Earle at Cambridge Corn Exchange around 97. Dreadful sound and music to commit suicide to. Doctor John at Cambridge Corn Exchange. Had waited years and years to see him but again the sound was absolutely atrocious. Haven't been to a gig of any size since and am much happier for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr4stringz Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 58 minutes ago, bartelby said: Was that with The Stereo MCs supporting? They got such a poor reaction from the crowd that Living Colour wouldn't come on until there was a decent round of applause... Think it was The Naked Truth that supported. Not 100% though as I seemed to be at a gig at least once a week back then. Those were the days (except the broken ankle bit). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapiro Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 2 minutes ago, Japhet said: 2 that spring to mind Steve Earle at Cambridge Corn Exchange around 97. Dreadful sound and music to commit suicide to. Doctor John at Cambridge Corn Exchange. Had waited years and years to see him but again the sound was absolutely atrocious. Haven't been to a gig of any size since and am much happier for it. To be fair, Cambridge Cornex is effing awful for sound. I _believe_ the sound there actually is what triggered a position vertigo I had a few years back. 3 weeks of not being able to do much more than sit down or lie down for hours on end , as standing up or moving made me sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 1 hour ago, martthebass said: Nazareth 1980, Sheffield City Hall. Had gone to see Saxon supporting (a mate/acquaintance was in the line up), made it about half way through the 'headliner's' and decided the 'going through the motions' performance was enough. That wasn't Nigel Glockler was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 (edited) On 21/02/2021 at 16:59, pst62 said: Black Sabbath with Ian Gillan, and Bev Bevan at Reading Festival, 1983. What a mess! I quite enjoyed that, but I was having a good time. There were a few in my youth I don't really remember, but I generally hang around even if it is crp unless I had somewhere else to be. I would have said Guns and Roses (twice - sucker for punishment), but to be fair, first time after starting an hour late, he finished after a few songs because the audience weren't revering him enough. Second time I managed to beat him, they were awful. Recently though, Gary Numan at the O2 Bristol. Don't get me wrong, he was fine, but the venue was so over capacity I didn't feel safe and I certainly didn't feel comfortable enough to enjoy the music. Really, had there been a fire, at least half the audience wouldn't have had any chance. Edited February 23, 2021 by Woodinblack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Slayer - South of Heaven tour. Played my three favourite songs first. Left at the end of the fourth song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 1 hour ago, mr4stringz said: Think it was The Naked Truth that supported. Not 100% though as I seemed to be at a gig at least once a week back then. Those were the days (except the broken ankle bit). Ah, it was the Time's Up tour I saw them with The Stereo MCs at the Hummingbird. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Poison at Donington 1990. They were sh!te so me and my mate departed for a slash and a burger before coming back for Aerosmith, who were ace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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