You go and see a favourite artist live and come away seriously disappointed.

[Cliff Edge]

This can be quite common. 
The Band’s reunion tour was a bad mistake. They were awful. Didn’t appear to be anyone who could hold a tune or keep in time. 
Walked out on the Mavericks who were no better than your average pub band. 
This upset my wife who was enjoying standing next to Nick Lowe, who is always worth the price of a ticket. 
Supertramp reunion. Dreadful racket, again terrible vocals. 
Steve Earle used to be excellent but is now, and has been for a number of years, boring as feck. Far too much politics, and that stupid beard. 
 

Conversely I have never been disappointed by US country artists. And a rare appearance of Jimmy Buffet in London several years ago was outstanding. 
The large number of phone videos of the show that appeared on YouTube the following morning confirmed just how good it was. Rare when you consider how often you enjoy  a live show, and then see a video of it and realise how God awful it was. 
U2 at Glastonbury case in point. The crowd loved it but the TV relay showed how bad they need a good singer. Flat as a fart is the expression that came to mind. 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Cliff Edge

[taunton-hobbit]

Sat through an awful performance from the late James Brown at the Barbican,

Watched as most of the (largely American) audience walked out on Stevie Wonder

at the Talk of the Town - he was dismal (off night?)

Went to see Junior Walker & the all stars at the California (Dunstable) & left after one song.

(from the above, you may surmise, correctly, that my going to see bands days are long gone)

😎

[Doctor J]

I think the answer to this is probably Smashing Pumpkins who, depending on Billy's mood, might power through a set of music which never even appeared on albums, never mind not playing the hits 😂

[bertbass]

Jethro Tull.  Seriously awful in Tunbridge Wells.

[steve_p]

I too was disappointed by Steve Earle. I can live with the political stuff, especially in an election year, but he just seemed to be going through the motions. It didn't help that it was a seated venue. When I saw Imelda May at the same venue a year later they removed the seats, and the concert was a belter.

Many years ago I saw Gallacher and Lyle reduce everybody to slumber. People rushed for the exit as soon as the gig ended. Venue lights were switched on but the band decided to come back on for an encore. Unfortunately for the band, their re-appearence did nothing to halt the exodus. They probably ended the gig playing to an audience of two, including the caretaker's cat.

[bearhart74]

Went to see Angelique Kidjo do talking heads material at Carnegie Hall in NYC. My High expectations were trashed by the horrible sound. how good was the band? IDK... But the drummer sure could play that kick drum.

[Rich]

Worst/most disappointing gig ever: Pat Metheny Trio, 10th April 2000, Birmingham Symphony Hall. A great trio, Pat with Larry Grenadier & Bill Stewart, it should have been amazing... but I have never in all my days seen such a poor choice of venue. A jazz trio in a gigantic symphony hall, FFS. Place was 80% empty and there was absolutely zero atmosphere whatsoever. The same band & set at Ronnie Scott's would have been superb, but as it was it was flatter than a crepe. In fact, 'crepe' pretty much sums it up as a live experience.

 

[upside downer]

Guns N' Roses at Wembley Stadium in August 1991. Utter cack.

[AndyTravis]

James Brown/Red Hot Chili Peppers at the City Of Manchester Stadium.

Apparently a support act called “chicks on speed” were booed and bottled off stage.

James Brown was god awful - which didn’t help matters and then John Frusciante came on stage and “told off” 20,000 fans.

He got booed. 
 

The set was downhill after that.

[Baxlin]

The Searchers a  few years ago at Cromer.  They were past it, and John McNally just couldn’t cut it as a lead guitarist.

On the other hand, Andy Fairweather Lowe (ex Amen Corner) is always good value for money.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Baxlin

[yorks5stringer]

8 hours ago, Cliff Edge said:

This can be quite common. 
The Band’s reunion tour was a bad mistake. They were awful. Didn’t appear to be anyone who could hold a tune or keep in time. 
Walked out on the Mavericks who were no better than your average pub band. 
This upset my wife who was enjoying standing next to Nick Lowe, who is always worth the price of a ticket. 
Supertramp reunion. Dreadful racket, again terrible vocals. 
Steve Earle used to be excellent but is now, and has been for a number of years, boring as feck. Far too much politics, and that stupid beard. 
 

Conversely I have never been disappointed by US country artists. And a rare appearance of Jimmy Buffet in London several years ago was outstanding. 
The large number of phone videos of the show that appeared on YouTube the following morning confirmed just how good it was. Rare when you consider how often you enjoy  a live show, and then see a video of it and realise how God awful it was. 
U2 at Glastonbury case in point. The crowd loved it but the TV relay showed how bad they need a good singer. Flat as a fart is the expression that came to mind. 

 

Ah, yes, what would JImmy Buffett do...?

Edited April 11, 2021 by yorks5stringer

[bassace]

54 minutes ago, Rich said:

Worst/most disappointing gig ever: Pat Metheny Trio, 10th April 2000, Birmingham Symphony Hall. A great trio, Pat with Larry Grenadier & Bill Stewart, it should have been amazing... but I have never in all my days seen such a poor choice of venue. A jazz trio in a gigantic symphony hall, FFS. Place was 80% empty and there was absolutely zero atmosphere whatsoever. The same band & set at Ronnie Scott's would have been superb, but as it was it was flatter than a crepe. In fact, 'crepe' pretty much sums it up as a live experience.

 

Yes, it was like that for the MJQ at the Royal Festival Hall. Large venues for small groups without massive sound reinforcement are a big mistake. Now, the Count Basie Orchestra at the (then) Hammersmith Odeon; that was something altogether different.

And I have been to concerts recently too,honest.  

[PatrickJ]

27 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

James Brown/Red Hot Chili Peppers at the City Of Manchester Stadium.

Apparently a support act called “chicks on speed” were booed and bottled off stage.

James Brown was god awful - which didn’t help matters and then John Frusciante came on stage and “told off” 20,000 fans.

He got booed. 
 

The set was downhill after that.

Never seen RHCP live, but when I ever I see a live performance on YT they sound awful.   Frusciante, as much as I love him as a guitarist, went through a phase of deliberately flipping gigs up.. I can imagine many have walked away disappointed from a fair few of their shows.

[AndyTravis]

9 minutes ago, PatrickJ said:

Never seen RHCP live, but when I ever I see a live performance on YT they sound awful.   Frusciante, as much as I love him as a guitarist, went through a phase of deliberately flipping gigs up.. I can imagine many have walked away disappointed from a fair few of their shows.

I’ve seen them about 6/7 times - this was the only time I thought “they’re crap”. Saw them twice more since this and they made up for it.

[Cliff Edge]

A kind of sub thread for “surprisingly outstanding ”. 
The Indigo Girls. 
I went to see them at Radio City in New York. Naturally the place was full of young girls, but Christ that band was good. Well worth the air fare and the tickets. 

[chris_b]

I've seen several heroes come unstuck for various reasons.

James Brown at Hammersmith Odeon, in the 80's. During his "drugs" period. Very untogether, even the band was off.

Little Feat, the Craig Fuller line up. They started with a great balance. Sounded like a record, and got progressively worse during the night. The FOH sound guy was shambolic. 

Robert Cray at the Shepherds Bush Empire, about 10 years ago. It was music by numbers. Very bland, they were just going through the motions.

[Len_derby]

11 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Robert Cray at the Shepherds Bush Empire, about 10 years ago. It was music by numbers. Very bland, they were just going through the motions.

I had a very similar experience with Robert Cray at the Leicester de Montfort about seven years ago. Lounge-suited blues lite. It was a big disappointment as I’d seen him on what might have been his first UK tour in 1985 and then he and the band were really cookin’.

[taunton-hobbit]

Has anyone seen a good live set from James Brown ?

😎

[Pseudonym]

2 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said:

Has anyone seen a good live set from James Brown ?

😎

Only backstage.

[Barking Spiders]

The only time I was really disappointed was G3 at the NIA Brum , 2004 I think it was.  I'm also a big Martin Simpson fan and once saw him at Folk by The Oak with some American guy. Too much of him and not enough of MS. 

[uk_lefty]

3 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said:

Has anyone seen a good live set from James Brown ?

😎

Yes. Live at the Roundhouse, his last ever gig. 

[uk_lefty]

Sad to say it but RHCP again. 2012 in Knebworth, awful. No energy, no excitement and no vocal from FOH. Josh Klongerhoffer just didn't belong in that band either. Flea tried his best to generate some excitement but it just came across a bit sad. I thought maybe Anthony was ill but the mp3 of the gig had good quality vocal, shame the sound crew didn't want those who'd paid to be there to hear it. 

I should add the t shirt I spent 35 quid on was not worth 35p. Logo printed off centre, far too small and shrank more in the wash, logo deteriorated within weeks. Ripped off. 

Edited April 11, 2021 by uk_lefty

[BoomTing]

10 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

I'm also a big Martin Simpson fan and once saw him at Folk by The Oak with some American guy. Too much of him and not enough of MS. 

Oh I saw that gig. It was Dom Flemons (ex Carolina Chocolate Drops). I thought they were great, the spoons n bones went well with Martin's banjo tunings.  

Added: I didn't like that Jim Moray's band everyone seemed to be raving about!

Edited April 11, 2021 by BoomTing
Added

[Bassman Sam]

Neil Young in Glasgow in the early '70's. The support band, The Eagles were brilliant.

 

[SH73]

I didn't go and see my least favourite artist Oasis because I knew I'd be disappointed