First gig ACDC 1978 Hammy Odeon. Dad took me and my mate, went off to see some old mates and cane back to get us.
The best gig I think was Gordon Giltrap with Ric Sanders at the Half Moon, Putney. Went with my mate who had played guitar for several years, still does, badgered me to go. Didn’t know what to expect, he lent me the couple Giltrap albums he had, which were taped, was you did back then. My only ‘experience’ of Gordon Giltrap was ‘Heartsong’, but these albums were a revelation. Turning up and seeing a series of acoustic guitars some amplified some not a similarly violins of Ric Sanders, made me a little hesitant. They started and I don’t know where the next 2+ hours went, it was mesmeric. I bought several albums of Giltrap’s in following months and since.
I’ve seen bigger bands and yes the shows are good, but I much preferred seeing them in smaller venues to stadiums etc. More intimate with a much better atmosphere and I resent paying ridiculous money and the scrum to get up close and still pay good money to watch the people on stage via a big screen. It was a shame when bands stopped playing smaller venues. I’ve been going to pubs for well over 30 years and seen some amazing musicianship and bands and some not so. But as you at most get in for nowt or only pay a couple quid, it’s not a problem, as the bands need money to keep going. Paying several 10s or 100s to see ‘big band’ and feeling a bit meh.
It’s an interesting one, there is something Special about a big outside venue, I saw the Foo Fighters at Milton Keynes and it was amazing. I also saw Cold Play (who I’m not a huge fan of) at the Emirates and the venue and the size of the crowd took an average band and made for a great gig.
Big on the flip side seeing Aerosmith in front of 3,500 people was pretty special
I’ve not been to a stadium to see bands, I’ve done outdoors Milton Keynes, Reading and Mildenhall and other than Reading the weather was good. The bands were still good, but the intimacy wasn’t there.
The other problem is bands might do 2 nights at a stadium or large indoor venue, whereas they could do 3 or 4 nights in the smaller venues and if you were able you could go and see them a couple of times.
As I say I much prefer the pub scene, one of the biggest draws is not having to book months in advance. The last band we looked at going to see was Jeff Lynne as ELO at Wembley, but £130 a pop, was IMO about £80 too much, especially as all 5 of us would have gone.
Although my favourite bestest ever was probably REM at the Rose Bowl in 2008. Or Counting Crows back in around 1997 at Royal Albert Hall - which was incredibly moving.
I saw them in Hyde Park which was also amazing
