Day Two: Best. Concert. Ever.
on May 08 in Uncategorized by Dan
Last month LA Daddy listed his favorite concerts. I’ve been meaning to do my own version of this for a while now, and what better time to do it than the official international week of the meme! Whilst compiling the list I’ve realized how long it’s been since I’ve gone out to gigs with any regularity. Still, listening to Amy’s nursery rhyme CDs at full volume is just as good as going to a rock concert. It is, it is I tell you.
I’ll do your meme next Hygiene Dad.
Barenaked Ladies – The Octagon, Sheffield 2001
This first time I saw BNL, and certainly the best. We went along with Morticia and Craig, and Paul was there too (but I only knew him as that guy who works in the comic shop at that point).
The venue was intimate, the audience enthusiastic, and the sheer energy of the band was overwhelming. They even doubled up as their own support group (acting as backing band for Stephen Duffy if I remember correctly). People who’ve seen BNL live before will know just how amusing and improvisational they can be. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much at a gig before or since.
Barenaked Ladies sell official bootleg recordings of all their live shows in their audio store
U2 – Evening News Arena, Manchester 2001
I don’t even like U2 all that much, Kerry is the real rabid fan, but I must admit they put on a hell of a show. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at several points during the evening. The only downside was trying to get out of the car park afterwards.
The Evening News Arena is a relatively intimate venue for a huge stadium band such as U2. In fact the intimacy of the venue is a common strand that flows through all of these choices. There are occasions when a venue can be too intimate however: when I went to see Rocco DeLuca with Paul last year there was condensed perspiration from the roof dripping on the audiences heads. Nice.
They Might Be Giants – Rio’s, Bradford 2001
Another concert we went to with Craig. When we first arrived there was about four other people in the audience and we were slightly worried. The venue soon filled to capacity however, which granted was only around 300 or so people. TMBG are pretty much unknown over here. So the people who go to see them are all people who really know their onions when it comes to the band and their songs.
The atmosphere was terrific and we had a great time, even if the toilet floors were a little sticky.
Ben Folds / The Divine Comedy – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London 2002
Yes, you have probably spotted that most of these have been Geek Rock bands. And even the one that isn’t is a favorite of my wife’s rather than mine. But I am unrepentant. If liking humor and pop culture references in my lyrics is a crime, then lock me up and throw away the key (but make sure you lock my Dungeons and Dragons Player’s Guide and Monster Manual in there with me).
Early in my new career as a married man I took off to London to visit my Uni friend Rob in London for a couple of days. The highlight of my visit was going to the Ben Folds and Divine Comedy double headliner (the low point was going to see Men in Black II).
I must admit I felt a little sorry for Neil Hannon (who basically is The Divine Comedy) as the audience were obviously there in order to see Folds rather than himself. Still, he did an admirable set and was enjoyable to watch.
Ben Folds on the other hand blew me away. It was the first time I had seen him without his Five, and I had some concerns that he wouldn’t have the same power as he did when he had a drummer and a bassist to back up his piano. I hadn’t counted on the fact that he would have the entire audience as his backing singers. He regularly split us into groups in order to sing various parts, and at times the sound of your fellow audience members voices welling up and encompassing you felt almost like a religious experience.
There was a live album made of that tour, although not the actual concert I attended.
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On a brief side note about splitting the audience up to sing songs, the best example of this that I’ve seen was at a John Hegley show:
“Right, this side of the theatre, you are group A.”
“This side of the theatre, you are group B”
“And you sir, the gentleman in a blue shirt in the second row, you are group C”
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So there you go. I tag Hannibal, Murdock, and B.A. But feel free to join in on your blog or in the comments section if you fancy it.
Related posts:
- Father Ted
- Reading the thesaurus as a bedtime story pays off
- Where we learn to dance
- Don’t want to hurt no Kangaroo
- Seven sets of eight things
« « Day One: Obsessions and Blogging| Day Three: Wordless Wednesday » »
I remember that BNL gig – I’d not seen them before or heard much by them but they were brilliant, Pandy really got into them as a result.
I saw Divine Comedy at one of the Carling Festivals and they were good too.
But the best gigs I have ever been to include:
The Fall at the Hacienda in 1989 (I think, I’m not good with dates) ME Smith was on fine snarling form. The Fall at the Irish Centre – earlier this year, stunningly good. Lots of Fall gigs over the years – apart from one at Manchester Poly which was truly truly dreadful.
The Cramps 1991 (I think) Leeds Refectory – amazing how one singer the truly amazing Lux Interior, one guitarist the truly fabulous Poison Ivy and a gorgeous bass guitarist – his diamante collection was to die for and drummer could make so much fabulous noise!!
Soft Cell at Leeds Refectory a few years ago – stunningly good, as was Marc Almond solo at the Almeida Theatre three years ago and at Leicester Cathedral – to hear him singing unaccompanied in such surroundings made the hairs raise on the back of my neck.
Gigs I would have given my right arm to be at – Edith Piaf at Carnegie Hall in the late 50′s and early 60′s, she is my all time favourite singer ever.
With the exception of TMBG, whom I’ve never heard, I can understand why these are your favorite concerts. I like this idea for a meme and will try to put one together myself. However, the challenge will be in limiting it to 5.
I saw Ben Folds a couple of years ago. Fantastic!
I saw U2 on the Joshua Tree tour. Still one of the best I’ve ever seen.
First off: I got this through my Folds Google Alert.
Secondly, there is a bootleg, and a pretty decent one at that of the Folds/DC tour, from Brixton October 5th 2002. If you want it, let me know, I’ll gladly send it your way. it.evaporated at gmail dot com.
Wow – I would love to see U2 one day in concert before they get really, really old like Rolling Stones.
yeah U2 were good, although not quite as good the second time I saw them, but we were just too far away for my liking – they may have been there and just played a video of a concert for all I know.
Plus U2 concerts are cheaper than rolling stone concerts – they are still pricey sure, but not extortionate like the stones.