Worst Live Act (Pushing it a bit too far)

[theplumber]

Recently tried to get tickets for Thomas Dolby in Glasgow but as usual did not find out till days before and the gig was sold out. I love Dolby and have seen him live before and was not disappointed! I did notice that the support act for the shows was Martin McAloon...former bass player with Prefab Sprout! I thought..that's a pity I liked Prefab Sprout! A few weeks later on Facebook an advert for some solo gigs from Mr McAloon came up on my Facebook feed and If I had not known who he was I would have been fooled in to thinking that he was indeed the front man for Prefab Sprout going by the pictures and blurb! I decided to have a look on You Tube just to see what was actually on offer......oh dear!! Oh deary me!. No harm to the man as he has some great stories to tell and its maybe an audience with rather than a tribute to Prefab Sprout and his very talented brother but I have to say,sadly.....thank goodness I never went! Anyone else ever been disapointed/had/etc with a live act who may have at one time been...better! (Yes we all get old and I suppose I don't have to earn a crust from music!)

[meterman]

I can give you a few:

 

John Martyn at a mini jazz festival in London in the mid 1990's, completely drunk and falling about, and giving his band total grief. I'd seen him before and he could vary from gig to gig but this was awful. Thankfully I didn't pay to get in as I was bottom of the bill as a support act, but still it was grim.

 

Psychic TV, again somewhere in London, can't remember where now. I had a couple of their records and liked them so went to see them play live, and I shouldn't have bothered. The band was direly underrehearsed and there was a really 'off' vibe in the audience. I left before they finished their set.

 

Worst ever? Japanese so-called 'psychedelic' band, Acid Mothers Temple at the Tmesis club in Manchester. Just total free form noise, none of the musicians seemed to be playing the same song at the same time or even in the same key. The lady on drums was particularly bad, it genuinely looked and sounded like it was her first time behind a drum kit. She dropped her sticks frequently and wasn't in time with any of the other musicians, but then it was impossible to tell if any of the other performers had noticed as they were loud as f--k. Loudest (and that includes My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr) band I've seen to date and easily the worst.

 

Mind you, The Cranberries at the Fleadh festival in Finsbury Park in the 90's were pretty bad too. I never liked them anyway but it was píșsing it down so we went into the tent where they were playing an acoustic set as Delores had broken her leg, so it was a sit down gig. And they were so totally awful we left the tent after 15 minutes and braved the rain instead. I don't know how we lasted that long 😂

 

 

[BigRedX]

My two, both of which should have been brilliant but ended up being boring:

 

1. Propaganda at Rock City. A Secret Wish was probably my favourite album of the moment, but what was being performed at the gig was barely recognisable as the same songs. The vocals were most inaudible apart from the shouty bits on Jewel/Duel, and every song was ruined by inappropriate and unnecessary guitar solos from an inappropriate and unnecessary guitarist. Horrible from start to finish.

 

2. Fleet Foxes at Nottingham Trent University. When they were actually playing it was brilliant, but a significant portion of the gig was taken up with endless tuning and re-tuning of instruments, off-mic inter-song banter between members of the band, and between the band and the front two rows of the audience. I'm sure it was all interesting if you could hear what was going on (apart from all the tuning), and would have been entertaining in a small intimate club setting, but half-way down the hall I had no idea what was going on most of the time. I would have left after about 3 songs if I hadn't been with friends who appeared to be a lot more tolerant of the whole proceedings. Probably the most boring gig I have ever been to where I actually liked the music.

[Piers_Williamson]

Mike and the Mechanics: Hammersmith Odeon.  Might as well have been listening to the record and/or they were cardboard cutouts on stage.

 

Closely followed by Joan Jett and the Blackheads (or whatever they were called).  I was taking photos of her, and she had a great big sign on her monitor that said 'Leeds' (which was where we were).  When it got to the Hi [Insert Town/City], how ya doin!' she very obviously looked down at her monitor.  And that was the highlight of the gig. 

[theplumber]

I also seen Aimee Mann live in Glasgow a good few years back.. Wonderful on records but almost put me in a coma as a live gig it's was very boring.. Laid back is an understatement.. 😂 

[Norris]

3 hours ago, theplumber said:

Recently tried to get tickets for Thomas Dolby in Glasgow but as usual did not find out till days before and the gig was sold out. I love Dolby and have seen him live before and was not disappointed! I did notice that the support act for the shows was Martin McAloon...former bass player with Prefab Sprout! I thought..that's a pity I liked Prefab Sprout! A few weeks later on Facebook an advert for some solo gigs from Mr McAloon came up on my Facebook feed and If I had not known who he was I would have been fooled in to thinking that he was indeed the front man for Prefab Sprout going by the pictures and blurb! I decided to have a look on You Tube just to see what was actually on offer......oh dear!! Oh deary me!. No harm to the man as he has some great stories to tell and its maybe an audience with rather than a tribute to Prefab Sprout and his very talented brother but I have to say,sadly.....thank goodness I never went! Anyone else ever been disapointed/had/etc with a live act who may have at one time been...better! (Yes we all get old and I suppose I don't have to earn a crust from music!)

I can confirm that Mr McAloon was appalling imho, although a large contingent of the audience thought he was great. Thomas was amazing

[MacDaddy]

Deep Purple 2006 Milton Keynes Bowl. Ian Gillan was so obviously just going through the motions.

 

The Exploited 1994 F**k Reading Festival, Brixton Academy. Worst sound I've ever heard at a gig. Far too loud, everything just sounded like an horrendously loud thud. Not sure what they were hearing on stage.

 

Lots of jazz gigs when I was at college, where every single song (all instrumental) had the same format, song tune/solo/song tune/solo etc until everyone in the group had a solo 😖

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

There are quite a few awful gigs I've been to . Having said that , those bands could've played blinders elsewhere . 
Anyhow , Mordred at the marquee . A poor man/ woman's Faith No More / Chilli's . Vocalist had a silver face ,and was full  of attitude . 
He wasn't happy about something ,and started taking it out on the punters . Not good . He was booed throughout . Arrogant fwit! 
 

Warrior soul . I forget which London venue it was . We were youngish 20 somethings expecting to see a hyped metal band at the time .

What we saw was a long haired frontman shouting about American politics . Politics then were not as divisive as now . We had no idea what he was ranting on about . Punters booed him throughout . We went to the bar after about 20 mins . Whatever happened to them ?

 

Laibach at the Astoria . They mimed ! Badly ! Not our bag musically . I have a couple of 12" covers ( life is life / sympathy for the devil) 

We left after 10 mins . 
 

Megadeth ..tbh I've seen them a few times . Either headlining or support at donington . Anyway , Flotsam and jetsam blew them off at the hammy o . Let's just say that mustaine was a mess . Changing costumes , no proper communication with the fans .

When the Friday rock show broadcast the gig , it was ...edited . Heavily . I saw them play one blinder of a gig at the Astoria . The rest were patchy at best l 

 

Danzig at the Astoria . Going through the motions . Awful. They were ok supporting Metallica , but on reflection they just did the same set with no charisma at the Astoria . 
 

Tygers of pang tang . I think it was the frontman Jess cox that  we couldn't get on with . Saw them a couple of times , once with John Sykes who was too good for them imho.

 

Another vote for deep purple . Saw them on the house of blue light tour ? Wenbley . Gillan coughing his guts out ! 
A very static ropey performance that should have been cancelled . 

 

Dave Lee Roth . Hammy o . His better days were behind him . He had session musicians from what I remember . I got there late , and left after about 20 mins .

I had a few beers with a friend who visited me . I should nave stayed at home . A friends sister went and she left after about half an hour , so I wasn't alone in my experience .

 

U2 at Twickenham . Vertigo tour . Bono at his finest , making the gig about him and telling us we should co exist and turning the gig into begging for money for his chosen causes . He is not the messiah ...

 

[paul_5]

I seem to remember the chilli’s not being particularly entertaining in Dublin 20+ years ago (by the way tour I think) - they’d be in the running for worst live band  had New Order not been their opener and beaten them to it.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

4 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

I seem to remember the chilli’s not being particularly entertaining in Dublin 20+ years ago (by the way tour I think) - they’d be in the running for worst live band  had New Order not been their opener and beaten them to it.

I saw them play a blinder at the marquee when they were still' hungry ' .  Then saw them at Wembley arena . They plated the gig wearing a sock around their genitalia . Awful gig . 
 

A few band mates and friends saw them in the early 2000's  and all thought they were boring and uninteresting . 

 

[gjones]

1 hour ago, MacDaddy said:

The Exploited 1994 F**k Reading Festival, Brixton Academy. Worst sound I've ever heard at a gig. Far too loud, everything just sounded like an horrendously loud thud. Not sure what they were hearing on stage.

 

 

I've gigged with the drummer, who played with The Exploited in the early 90s. His name is Ian Purdie (Pud) and I'm sure you'll be glad to know that he now has tinnitus 🤣🤣🤣

[MacDaddy]

32 minutes ago, gjones said:

I've gigged with the drummer, who played with The Exploited in the early 90s. His name is Ian Purdie (Pud) and I'm sure you'll be glad to know that he now has tinnitus 🤣🤣🤣

 

All the other bands sounded fine, it must have been because The Exploited were headlining they were turned up. As it happens, far too much!

Ask him about it, I'd be interested if he remembers! 😆

[Lozz196]

I saw Siouxsie & The Banshees in 85 at Hammersmith Odeon. She had broken her leg, and as it was in a cast did the gig sitting on a chair on stage. No problem with that, but the guitarist and bassist didn’t move at all, in fact they made her with her broken leg look hyper. Musically it was ok but after about 4 songs I decamped to the pub.

[Elfrasho]

Not seen this live but Jon bon Jovi's recent attempts at singing is quite depressing!

[Piers_Williamson]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I saw Siouxsie & The Banshees in 85 at Hammersmith Odeon. She had broken her leg, and as it was in a cast did the gig sitting on a chair on stage. No problem with that, but the guitarist and bassist didn’t move at all, in fact they made her with her broken leg look hyper. Musically it was ok but after about 4 songs I decamped to the pub.

I saw her at the Albert Hall in a similar predicament.  Either she fell off her stool a lot, or it was the same tour.  Drummer was pretty good though I seem to recall.

[BassAdder60]

32 minutes ago, Elfrasho said:

Not seen this live but Jon bon Jovi's recent attempts at singing is quite depressing!

Sorry I have to disagree 

 

For the dedication and work he puts in I think he doing just fine and he is a fine ambassador to the world of rock 

 

[MacDaddy]

6 minutes ago, BassAdder60 said:

Sorry I have to disagree 

 

For the dedication and work he puts in I think he doing just fine and he is a fine ambassador to the world of rock 

 

 

Tell that to Skid Row.

[BassAdder60]

16 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

Tell that to Skid Row.

I didn’t say he was perfect 😂

 

But I do admire his tenacity to work and perform and in my opinion still sound better than many out there 

[NancyJohnson]

Live/Muse at Brixton Academy.  

 

Everything was just awful.  Hours to get there, hours to get home.  Dreadful sets.  Dreadful FoH sound.  Too loud.  Too full (over capacity?).

[Rosie C]

Two come to mind... being a goth in the 1980s, in the early 2000s we got tickets to see The Mission at the Bierkeller in Bristol. They started the gig by announcing "we know you've all come to hear our old songs, but we're not going to play them - we're going to play tracks from our new album". The new album really wasn't up to much and we left after a few songs.

 

The other was around the same time and another re-living of my youth, seeing Icicle Works at Birmingham. Much too loud, vocals out of tune, audience too boisterous, left after a short time  

 

[Cat Burrito]

15 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

Two come to mind... being a goth in the 1980s, in the early 2000s we got tickets to see The Mission at the Bierkeller in Bristol. They started the gig by announcing "we know you've all come to hear our old songs, but we're not going to play them - we're going to play tracks from our new album". The new album really wasn't up to much and we left after a few songs

I have seen the Mission a few times recently and they completely get the importance of playing the songs people want to here now. Vastly superior to seeing the Sisters of Mercy these days and I never thought I'd say that. I think it helps having Craig and Simon back in the band, 75% of the classic lineup. 

[Baxlin]

Unfortunately The Searchers a few years ago at the Cromer theatre.  Very disappointed, they didn’t have a ‘proper’ lead guitarist, harmonies not quite there. I wasn’t at all surprised when not long after they announced they were retiring.   
 

Tbh, when a band gets to that stage, I’d much rather see a decent tribute band.

[bassbiscuits]

Ryan Adams at Leicester DMH in 2015. Curiously he played rhythm guitar with his own support band which I thought was quite cool. 
 

But once the main set started he was dreadful. Seemed half asleep, lacklustre, lots of mumbling banter and pointless jokes no one could understand. 
 

He only played one song I even vaguely recognised, and that was played at a half-speed dirge.
 

So disappointing.

 

[Beedster]

11 hours ago, Elfrasho said:

Not seen this live but Jon bon Jovi's recent attempts at singing is quite depressing!

 

Look far enough on the web and you'll find all sorts of crap from even the best of performers though, thread's about live gigs. I'm guessing after over 40 years of gigging he might not be at his best vocally, but it takes more than being a good vocalist to produce a decent gig 👍

 

My worst, sadly because I love them, was Supergrass at Mount Ephraim. Catchy songs destroyed by lengthy and self-indulgent guitar solos. Even worse they were supported by a Scottish DJ whose name I clearly chose not to process so all thing considered a bad day retrieved only by Kate Nash who was also on the bill 

[police squad]

8 minutes ago, Baxlin said:

Unfortunately The Searchers a few years ago at the Cromer theatre.  Very disappointed, they didn’t have a ‘proper’ lead guitarist, harmonies not quite there. I wasn’t at all surprised when not long after they announced they were retiring.   
 

Tbh, when a band gets to that stage, I’d much rather see a decent tribute band.

i saw the searchers last year and they were fabulous, weird isn't it

 

Dr and the Medics, in the 80s. awful

 

Francis Dunnery recently in Islington. Band wern't very slick as the line up had changed, Chad Wakkerman on drums was good though