Live Music You Were Pleasantly Surprised By

Live Music You Were Pleasantly Surprised By

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Discussion

Kinky

39,574 posts

270 months

Friday 15th March
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Went to see Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) and his British Lion band over a year ago, in a small venue. Totally underwhelmed.

Their support band (mates of Steve and the other 'Maidens) however were flippin damn AWESOME, called Airforce. Been following them ever since

GloverMart

11,831 posts

216 months

Monday 18th March
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Went to see my favourite band The Manics at Wembley Arena in 2021, I think it was. Flying solo that night, bought myself a cider and went into the arena. Got talking to a nice Brummie woman who said "You'll love the support act, they're brilliant!" I'd never heard of them to be honest, but they blew me away that night, such a great band live.

Public Service Broadcasting, it was.

Have since seen them three more times, now have all their albums & met the group last year in Bristol. Their stuff is a little quirky but superbly so.

Athlon

5,018 posts

207 months

Monday 18th March
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Went to see The Specials when they got back together (less Jerry) at the Apollo in Manchester expecting little more than reliving my youth.

Bloody hell they were utterly brilliant, everyone played superbly and the energy in the place was off the charts. One of the best gigs I have been to.

I got to see them again, or what was left of them a few years back when they invited us (The RNLI) to have a stand at the gig at the Warehouse Project, they were ok and I was very grateful for the opportunity but they were a shadow of what had gone before.

we also bought last minute tickets to a Fleetwood Mac tribute at the Pavillion Gardens in Falmouth for something to do as we were at a loose end, they were incredible! I was so shocked at just how good they were. Sadly it seems they only did a few gigs before the lead singer decided she wanted to return to the church choir or something, what a shame as they could have toured 'up country' and made a good living.

Ezra

Original Poster:

551 posts

28 months

Monday 18th March
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GloverMart said:
Went to see my favourite band The Manics at Wembley Arena in 2021, I think it was. Flying solo that night, bought myself a cider and went into the arena. Got talking to a nice Brummie woman who said "You'll love the support act, they're brilliant!" I'd never heard of them to be honest, but they blew me away that night, such a great band live.

Public Service Broadcasting, it was.

Have since seen them three more times, now have all their albums & met the group last year in Bristol. Their stuff is a little quirky but superbly so.
One of my fave ever tracks....Spitfire by PSB. Super talented folk!

GloverMart

11,831 posts

216 months

Tuesday 19th March
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Ezra said:
GloverMart said:
Went to see my favourite band The Manics at Wembley Arena in 2021, I think it was. Flying solo that night, bought myself a cider and went into the arena. Got talking to a nice Brummie woman who said "You'll love the support act, they're brilliant!" I'd never heard of them to be honest, but they blew me away that night, such a great band live.

Public Service Broadcasting, it was.

Have since seen them three more times, now have all their albums & met the group last year in Bristol. Their stuff is a little quirky but superbly so.
One of my fave ever tracks....Spitfire by PSB. Super talented folk!
Love that one plus the one they always finish on.... Everest!!

White-Noise

4,277 posts

249 months

Tuesday 19th March
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I've not really had this experience but I was impressed by the mighty goodfellaz at pistonfest. Turned out they were from round my way so saw them a few times, the drummer worked in my local halfords and was cool.

Supernova190188

903 posts

140 months

Tuesday 19th March
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2 in the last year that have really struck me as way better than expected, one I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and heard bad things about dodgy crowds etc was at Snoop Dogg, he was extremely entertaining and very good with a massive back catalogue, although there was an awful lot of weed in the air as expected!
And in December booked tickets for The Darkness as they were a good price, always liked The Darkness but wow how unbelievably good live, absolutely incredible. Spent few weeks after watching live videos on YouTube very loudly!

AdeTuono

7,257 posts

228 months

Tuesday 19th March
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In common with many comments here, sometimes the gigs you go to grudgingly turn out to be surprisingly good. Mrs. Tuono has always had a soft spot for Richard Hawley. When he announced a date at the UEA a few years ago, I got tickets. Have to say it was one of the finest gigs I've ever seen (Led Zeppelin included!).

He's back in a few weeks... biggrin

As posted above, The Hamsters were a superb live band, and worked best in a small, sweaty venue. Snail's Pace Slim is still out there playing, but material-wise nothing like the Hamsters in their prime. The closest you'd get to Hendrix, back in the day

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4534255534585...

Johnspex

4,343 posts

185 months

Sunday 24th March
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AdeTuono said:
In common with many comments here, sometimes the gigs you go to grudgingly turn out to be surprisingly good. Mrs. Tuono has always had a soft spot for Richard Hawley. When he announced a date at the UEA a few years ago, I got tickets. Have to say it was one of the finest gigs I've ever seen (Led Zeppelin included!).

He's back in a few weeks... biggrin

As posted above, The Hamsters were a superb live band, and worked best in a small, sweaty venue. Snail's Pace Slim is still out there playing, but material-wise nothing like the Hamsters in their prime. The closest you'd get to Hendrix, back in the day

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4534255534585...
That maybe A Barry Martin but it certainly isn't Snail's Pace Slim. It might be his son of course but SPS is about 70

Johnspex

4,343 posts

185 months

Macneil

896 posts

81 months

Sunday 24th March
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I tend to go to gigs with Mrs M and the last one she dragged me to was Goldfrapp...amazing.
I can't dance, I/m not gay, I'm familiar with her music but I wouldn't say I liked it particularly, but it was an amazing evening, she had the palce bouncing all night.

jimothyc

514 posts

85 months

Sunday 24th March
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These are not a band I've ever spent any time listening to, other than their two hits and I've never owned any of their albums. But I had the chance to see the Waterboys last year and they absolutely blew me away. Absolutely superb, top class musicianship and showmanship.

luckyal

188 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th March
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A few spring to mind:

Sigur Ros - wasn't totally sold but went to Brixton & was blown away, all round atmosphere was off the charts.

Like above went to The Specials reunion at Brixton, assuming it to be so so - amazing, music, show & audience.

On a trip to NY with the Mrs the only live music event i could find at the time was Lily Allen at the Roseland Ballroom, she was a fan & i was not, she had the audience eating out of her hand & was a really entertaining evening.

Macneil

896 posts

81 months

Sunday 24th March
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jimothyc said:
These are not a band I've ever spent any time listening to, other than their two hits and I've never owned any of their albums. But I had the chance to see the Waterboys last year and they absolutely blew me away. Absolutely superb, top class musicianship and showmanship.
Would that be with Brother Paul Brown on the keyboards? He was fantastic when we saw them in Manchester. I try to see them whenever they come around, and they are always superb, I just don't get why Mike Scott keeps milking the golden years with endless rehashes and special editions.

bodhi

10,529 posts

230 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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A couple for me:

Suede - went to see them in Birmingham with the wife with fairly low expectations - I was aware of their tunes from back in the day but they weren't really my thing. They turned out to be excellent - Brett is a pretty captivating frontman and they were pretty tight all the way through. More than a few of their tunes turned up on my "Best Songs Ever" playlist and we're off to see them again later in the year.

Presidents of the USA - saw them at V2005 and was expecting to sing along to Lump and Peaches then stand around bored for the rest of it - how wrong I was - they were brilliant. Lots of pogo-ing and jumping around to songs about cats and model cars, and some great banter in between songs.

NDA

21,598 posts

226 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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Stanley Clarke at Ronnie Scott's. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect - he was superb and the sound mix was spot on.

some bloke

1,057 posts

68 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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Motorhead in Dublin. I was with 2 friends and met the drummer, Mickey D and a couple of his mates in Bruxelles about 1am. They were playing the next night and after a few drinks they took our names, said they'd put us on the guest list (wrote them on a beer mat...) and staggered off.

The whole of the next day we were thinking there's no way they'll do it, but we went along. Strangely we were on the list, and ended up meeting Mickey again in a back room after the gig, the 3 of us in cardies and fleeces surrounded by superfans in leather. When Mickey came over to chat to us first, you could see everyone wondering who the f*** we were. I only knew a couple of their songs but they put on a great show and the audience were great too.

pocketspring

5,317 posts

22 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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When the Thriller Live tour came to town. I'm not a MJ fan but my girlfriend back then was. I was a bit dubious going but she convinced me so I went. Well in the end she kept telling me to sit down as I was embarrassing her throwing some shapes around the place! laugh

GloverMart

11,831 posts

216 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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bodhi said:
Suede - went to see them in Birmingham with the wife with fairly low expectations - I was aware of their tunes from back in the day but they weren't really my thing. They turned out to be excellent - Brett is a pretty captivating frontman and they were pretty tight all the way through. More than a few of their tunes turned up on my "Best Songs Ever" playlist and we're off to see them again later in the year.
Are you seeing them in the double headlining bill with the Manic Street Preachers? I am, in July, at Cardiff Castle.

Breeks

104 posts

85 months

Tuesday 2nd April
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A couple spring to mind.

The Del McCoury Band - playing in what was The Arches in Glasgow. Bluegrass which I’ve never been that keen on but when they played part of their set unplugged standing in amongst the audience it was enough to convert me. Amazing skill and musicianship.

Ron Sexsmith - who I was dragged along to see in the late 90s by a friend had a spare ticket. Was expecting a young polished singer / songwriter type with a selection of uninspiring songs. what I got was a slightly disheveled self deprecating Canadian with a selection of brilliant melodies and songs. Never understood how he never really made it big.