2017 Gigs League Table!

[Benn]

So, my fellow aficionados of live music, been to any super amazing gigs this year? Rank them here!

[browny87]

Ill kick this off then!

Feeder last night were excellent, a good variety of old classic and only 2 new songs, impressive considering it was meant to be the new album tour, they obviously knew what everyone wanted!

Ive been a fan for about 14 years, seen them over 10 times and this was the first time they'd played my favourite song Turn so a nice bonus!!!

[Benn]

1. Sumo Cyco - Devilskin - Eva Plays Dead : Utterly blown away by Sumo Cyco. I cannot recommend getting to a show enough. Tiny crowd, but that didn't stop them going absolutely nuts. In the crowd, on top of the speakers... Check out Eva Plays Dead, too. Local (to me, anyway) band who opened the night perfectly.
2. Skindred - Raging Speedhorn : Missed the opening act's name, which is annoying. Skindred always put on an amazing show and to see them so close up again was really good.
3. Devin Townsend Project - Tesseract - Leprous : Third time I've seen Devin, but the first when I'd actually meant to. Unfortunatly, I was in a lot of pain that night and couldn't quite get into the top mood.
4. Avenged Sevenfold - Disturbed - In Flames : Only went for Disturbed, to be honest. Avenged I find very insipid.

[Bogatan]

So far just Country2Country festival for me. Pretty eclectic mix Darius Rucker from Hootie and the Blowfish was the one I was most interested in, but Una Healy from the Saturdays did a good 30 minute set. Reba McIntyre was probably not for me, but the Radio 2 Stage had some great music going on in the early afternoon.

[Pinwig]

1. Iron Maiden - O2 Arena, London 27/5/17

Pretty poor record for me so far this year, but things have been a little uncertain financially until recently. Hope to make up for it in the second half of the year, so Maiden are top by default. Good show, great set. Was never going to match seeing the same tour last year in Berlin and Bruce was a little tired by his usual standards, but it was still a great night. Shinedown, who are a band I'd go to see headline a concert anyway and have done several times, were supporting, which was a bonus. Given Maiden fans are usually pretty skeptical about the support bands I wondered how Brent Smith was going to play it because he's very fond of spending as long preaching to his fans from the stage as he is singing. He did curb that, and full credit to him - only three songs into the set he had the entire arena on their feet jumping. Never seen a band supporting Maiden manage anything like that so fast before. When Trivium tried that they got bottled.

The big Eddie Maiden have for this tour is the best for a long time. They've found this new way of doing them - finely sculpted but rapidly inflatable and with shadows painted into the textures on the skin that work with the lighting - he does look unnervingly real. Turns his head and looks around too. 

[Bogatan]

Gah! Busy week of music kicked off with the Beach Boys (shut up they are awesome, even the non Brian Wilson variety ) A bit weird coming 2 days after events in Manchester. I had never really associated Good Vibrations and armed Police officers. Saw them in Scarborough Open Air Theatre which is genuienely amazing. The armed police suddenly appearing from among the trees behind the stage was just a little bit weird though.

The music was fantastic (obviously) and they still perform it well. Unexpectedly John Stamos was performing with them, I knew he was a part time member, but this was his first time in Europe.

But yeah, the venue, wow on a sunny summer night its hard to beat. Theres also a bar at the top of the hill behind the seating which offers a great view.

[Pinwig]

Open air, summer night and Beach Boys sounds spot on to me. Nice one.

[Bogatan]

The week continued with The Big Weekend 2017. Me and my brother where too lazy to get there for the start. Despite theoretically being in Hull its not by about 5 miles. Apparently a lot of city boundaries extend so far from the city centre that this distance would be within the city boundaries, but Hulls are so tight most of what is considered hull isnt.

Anyway. The only way to gt there was by a bus service from 4 locations around the city. Arrived at Hull Interchange just after 12 and queued for about an hour to get on the bus, 40 minutes on the bus some more queing at Burton Constable got me in about 2.30. Just in time to catch the back end of Rag'n'Bone Man from just outside the utterly packed Where its at Tent. Headed to the main stage for Imagine Dragons. Turns out I knew way more of their stuff than I thought. Blue skies, scorching temperatures, but thankfully a cool breeze and good music.

But thankfully got out of the sun before it got too much returning to the tent for what we thought would be Lana Del Rey (unhelpfully it was really hard to find schedlues for the Saturday) instead we wound up pretty close to the front for You Me at Six, never heard of them, but I enjoyed it. After they finished the tent emptied slightly so ended up only a few rows from the front for Lana Del Rey and even closer for Haim. Again never heard of them, but knew some of the music this time, they turned out to be probably my favourite act of the weekened.

That left a bit of wandering around time before settling in for Biffy and Katy Perry on the main stage. It was a bit overcast and the odd bit of rain by now, but still so hot. Found the left of stage fairly empty due to the slightly restricted view but still bands were more visible than from the back and one of hte video screens was right in front of us.

I've come to the conclusion that Biffy sound better outdoors. Seeing them last December in Sheffield? it was all a bit too much. Seen out doors twice and enjoyed them far more. Katy Perry was entertaining. I missed what must have been an odd transition from asking how many people needed the toilet to talking about Manchester when a guy a little way off took the moment to piss on the woman in front of him.

Ended the day by joining a couple of thousand other who legged it for the buses during the last song. Still took almost 2 hours to get home.

[Bogatan]

May 29, 2017 17:53:45 GMT Pinwig said:

Open air, summer night and Beach Boys sounds spot on to me. Nice one.

Yeah pretty perfect aside rom the mass of clouds that appeared shortly before the start and didn't fully leave till after the sun set. But it didn't rain, stayed warm and clear night sky by the end of the show was great.

[Bogatan]

Big Weekend day two. Was on the fence about even going, I knew very few of the performers and was indifferent to most of the ones I did. Also severe tooth ache.

No way I was heading in for 12 to see little mix, but turned up at hte station for 1pm and thanks to their early show there was no queue at all so got in to Burton Constable almost exactly the same time as Saturday. I was by myself and had no real aims for who to see so did a lot more wandering.

Caught a bit of Shawn Mendes - No idea, mostly there to secure my position for Sean Paul, because, well Sean Paul. What was he going to do for 30 minutes? Would he just repeat his name over random songs for 30 minutes? Not quite but close. Entertaining but 30 minutes was long enough. Bastille were good. Went wandering caught some of Rita Ora on the main stage, Alt J and Royal Blood in the tent and Cosima, Freak and Pale Waves on the introducing stage. And finished the day with Kings of Leon. They were good but didn't feel like headliners.

[browny87]

Saw imagine dragons last year and thought they were brilliant, on the opposite last year when I saw kings of n found it dull and a bit boring!

[Benn]

OOh, I wouldn't mind seeing Bastille, but I am considering seeing Biffy whilst at Download in a couple weeks time.

[Bogatan]

May 29, 2017 20:22:37 GMT browny87 said:

Saw imagine dragons last year and thought they were brilliant, on the opposite last year when I saw kings of n found it dull and a bit boring!

Thats seems a common view from people I know who have seen Kings of Leon live. Very hit or miss.

I was near the front yesterday, almost in a mosh pit at one point, but at other times they were drowned out by people chatting.


Bastille, Imagine Dragon and Biffy were all excellent on the other hand.

[Fortmax2020]

1) Show of Hands - St George's, Bristol
2) Martyn Joseph - Band on the Wall, Manchester.

[Dezzeh]

First gig of the year tonight I think, it's been so long.
Sikth in Bournemouth, going to be goooood.

[Bogatan]

Grrrr! With the Manchester Arena still closed the Nashville show this Saturday was cancelled and then replaced with 2 shows at the Manchester o2, but both shows combined still had less than half the capacity.

I only found out by chance 2 hours after the new tickets went on sale by which time they had pretty much sold out, at least the cheap tickets we originally had.

Still Flaming Lips the week after.

And I really want to go see Good Charlotte in December.

[browny87]

you thinking of Manchester Andy? without checking dates I be tempted to join you at good charlotte!

[Bogatan]

Dec 2nd which is a saturday so is the most likely date for me.

As long as its not the same day as queen.

[browny87]

u going to queen at leeds?

[Bogatan]

Sheffield I think.

Though Im now wondering why I didn't go with Manchester on the Saturday.

[Bogatan]

Weird half the sites dont have the manchester show listed and Good Charlottes website has the Birmingham show being in Manchester.

Bit confusing, but definitely going to try getting tickets for the Saturday.

[browny87]

im going to leeds for queen, a Wednesday night!

[Dezzeh]

I managed to get tickets for Metallica at the o2, but now the mrs is paranoid about going. Le sigh.

[Bogatan]

I know a couple of people who backed out of The Big Weekend for that reason too.

[browny87]

if its anything like NXT at leeds last week, I wudn't worry, 1 and a half hours of security checks to get in!

[Pinwig]

1. Iron Maiden - O2 Arena, London 27/5/17
2. Jeff Lynne's ELO - Wembley Stadium 24/6/17

An enjoyable spectacle, but inescapably a bunch of nice old men pottering about on stage.

[Bogatan]

I'll be seeing them next week. Looking forward to it.

Were The Shires supporting?

I saw The Flaming Lips last night. A bit frustrated that I was feeling ill all day and couldn't face standing for 5 hours or so, so I missed the 3 suporting bands. Ended up walking through the gates as they walked on stage so didn't miss the important bit at least.

2 tracks from Yoshimi Battle the Pink robots that I have loved for 15 years did not disappoint. The rest of the set including a Bowie cover (while crowd surfing in a giant inflatable ball) were a happy bonus for me. Amazing live band.

Also this.


The Flaming Lips
Big Weekend Saturday
Big Weekend Sunday
The beach Boys
Country 2 Country Saturday

[Pinwig]

Yes, The Shires were the openers. Followed by an Irish sounding bloke who mostly did covers. It was a good concert, just didn't quite have the welly to fill a stadium.

[Benn]

1. Sumo Cyco - Devilskin - Eva Plays Dead
2. Skindred - Raging Speedhorn
3. Download Festival: Always a highlight of the musical year, bought down some by the mental and emotional issues I currently have. Highlights? Steel Panther always, always. Prophets Of Rage nailed it despite being a glorified RATM/Public Enemy cover band, The Lounge Kittens never fail to impress (even throwing a cover of The Transformers Theme in, which I'd like to think was just for me) and Rob Zombie, back to his boisterous best. System Of A Down the best of the headliners, by quite a way.
4. Devin Townsend Project - Tesseract - Leprous
5. Avenged Sevenfold - Disturbed - In Flames

[Bogatan]

Jun 25, 2017 9:49:03 GMT Pinwig said:

2. Jeff Lynne's ELO - Wembley Stadium 24/6/17

An enjoyable spectacle, but inescapably a bunch of nice old men pottering about on stage.

I somewhat see what you mean, but by some distance that was the best concert ever held at the KC. Well probably, Elton John runs it close, just him and a piano was bloody spectacular, but a much smaller scale. And a few other shows were ruined by heavy rain (REM, Bon Jovi and The Who)

Certainly it was the best crowd we've had. Probably helps that it was such a small tour so lots of people seem to have travelled to see it. Most of the above were dates added late on to much bigger tours. Which resulted in most people being local and not so many big fans travelling from further afield.

Also the stage seems to have been designed to go at the end of the pitch instead it was on the half way line. Viewed from a wider angle that intended it the stage was kind of weird to look at.

Managed to miss half of the Shires set thanks to my brother refusing to be ready on time which was a tiny bit annoying. In the future I ve got to remember to lie to them about when things start.