Metamatic Forums Socialising The Green Room The first band you ever saw live ?

April 1981 - Gary Numan's farewell tour (the first farewell tour).

Still the best show I've ever been to, nothing since has come close in terms of "Wow!". I would have been 15 at the time, and a trip up to London was a really big deal.

Musically, I think the best gig was most likely Sisters of Mercy and Depeche Mode gig at Crystal Palace in 1993. That, or The Cure in Hong Kong a few years back (2007? They played a 3 hour set!).

Coming back on point though, was so glad to get the DVD this year of the Numan farewell at long last!

Well it should have been either of these three in Glasgow back in 79/80: Numan (at the Apollo), Magazine, and OMD (at Queen Margaret's I think). I had a ticket for all of those, but having no pals to go with, and once having also been a shy lad, I bottled out!

First 'band' I ever saw live was at a dub heavy reggae performance in Leicester in '81 (where I was a student at poly). It was a very grass roots kind of event which initiated me into the bone trembling sonic's of heavy bass.

First proper 'name' band?

Well, that dubious honour goes to Bauhaus. Saw them in ('81, I think) at Leicester University De Montford hall.

The gig had all the lights up beforehand and a lot of cut-up mashed tapped music playing out loudly, and I think as I recall, Bauhaus kept all the lights on during their set. Perhaps I'm wrong there, as being Goth you'd expect them to keep all the lights down...

I paid the princely sum of 50p to see The Skids perform at Alloa Town Hall in 1978. I don't count their support band as the first band I ever saw because they were just a few local guys who thought punk music was all about swearing, making a lot of noise and spitting quite a bit. They called themselves The Rejects. Many cans of beer were thrown at them. The bass player was the owner of the local record shop who drove a Lotus Europa - not exactly the punk lifestyle! He had an afro and a moustache - looked like, to quote Half Man Half Biscuit, "the ******* son of Dean Friedman".

The Skids were excellent and the memory of seeing a spotty, youthful Stuart Adamson thrashing out his awesome riffs on his Yamaha SG2000 remains vivid in my mind to this day.

My next gig was Judas Priest at Glasgow Apollo - how's that for a contrast?

I so absolutely wish this thread were called 'What Was Your 3rd and 4th Show You Ever Saw Live?"!!!

My mother had been working for Capitol Records throughout the 70s and 80s and would often be privvy to private band showcases where the current signups would play a free show to the Capitol families.

I turned of an age where I could finally attend a live show and that band was none other than....Tavares! (known for their hit, "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel") -- it was the age of Disco so we all found it sublime at the time! LOL

Fast forward to when I could select shows to see and my 2nd gig was the Cars' ("Shake It Up" tour) with Nick Lowe and His Noize To Go opening.

3rd show was Perkins Palace in Pasadena, California -1982 and Gary Numan's "I, Assassin" tour (Vivabeat opened with Japan's Rob Dean on guitar as well as with Gary)

4th was in the same venue, same year -- Ultravox and their "Quartet" tour!!! (The Messengers opened)

sorry, had to mention the latter 3 if only to make up for my first show!!! LOL

The first live band I ever saw was The Room supporting ......yes, you've guessed it, John Foxx at the Royal Court Theatre, Friday 14th October 1983.


I'm embarassed to admit this but I thought Dave Jackson, singer with The Room was in fact, our John. I thought gigs were split up into main 2 sets with the support playing inbetween them. I was wondering why I didn't recognise any of the songs at first.

The Royal Court " Custy Ion-ah lid ! "*
Most of my gigging back in the Pool was done at The Empire , The Stadium , only a few at Eric's including the Den -led Ultravox along with exclmation mark (78) I saw JF at the Korova 2006 were you there ? Never caught Ladytron mind , bloody Mersey rail Last train back to Kirkdale at 11.32 and I was already Jet lagged having left Italy at 4 am the same day (came back specially and I didn't fancy queuing up for hours at 1 30 am at Lime Street to get a taxi or risk the 3 mile walk along Scotty What part are you from yourself ? (just on the Bootle side of the Bootle/Kirkdale boundary)

*Pathetic attempt at faux Scouse

LMAO!!!!

Quote:

Most of my gigging back in the Pool was done at The Empire , The Stadium , only a few at Eric's including the Den -led Ultravox along with exclmation mark (78) I saw JF at the Korova 2006 were you there ? Never caught Ladytron mind , bloody Mersey rail Last train back to Kirkdale at 11.32 and I was already Jet lagged having left Italy at 4 am the same day (came back specially and I didn't fancy queuing up for hours at 1 30 am at Lime Street to get a taxi or risk the 3 mile walk along Scotty What part are you from yourself ? (just on the Bootle side of the Bootle/Kirkdale boundary)

*Pathetic attempt at faux Scouse

Yeah, I was there that night in 2006. Top night. Met John (in his shorts!) before the gig and chatted to Louis for a while. Don't remember Ladytron being on the bill though. Saying that, John and Louis were on before the support act!!! Never seen that before! Leaving the Korova that night,they were playing 'Walk Away' in the main bar area to the Friday night crowd -brilliant!