Worst gig you've ever been to

red_harrington

Well-known member
Back in 1985 I was well into the Pogues, they'd just released 'Rum Sodomy & the Lash' and were nearing their peak.

So when I read in the Gazette that someone who'd supported them on tour was coming to play at the Dovecot in Stockton, I was dead excited.

On the evening of the gig, I went on my own, paid £5 entrance (a lot for me in those teenage days) and went inside.

The place was full of old men with beards, sat on chairs right up close to the stage, bent forward eagerly. I thought it was a bit odd, and I stood at the back, as I usually do.

Then some bloke came on stage with his guitar, sat on a stool, and started playing folk songs. His name was Richard Thompson. I left after about 30 seconds, utterly ***ed off.

In retrospect I should have asked for my fiver back.
 
Only gig I have almost walked out of was one of my favourite bands, massive attack, who I've seen a number of times. A few years ago they played the o2 in Newcastle so went along as it has been billed as a sort of greatest hits. However they had just released an EP a week earlier so their set consisted of pretty much only that and other new material and not a soul in the audience knew these tracks, everyone was static which if you've been to a MA gig you'll know is not how it usually is. I know bands have to try out new material, but this was painful and they knew it so abandoned the new stuff and played a few classics to finish off. Very disappointing gig
 
Bon Jovi, Stadium of Light in 2013, whoever was in charge of the sound systems didnt do their thorough checks, the whole gig was tinny and A constant vibration through out. Might have been where I was sat, but didn’t enjoy it at all.
 
Wait, THE Richard Thompson?

Can't think of many bad ones (at least where the performance was poor). Pulp in Hyde Park a few years ago the sound was pretty appalling (see also, the Strokes at Finsbury Park last year).
 
Went to see Texas at City Hall with my girlfriend . Didn’t know Charlene was a gay heart throb . My girlfriend was getting hit on from the off and I loved it . We weren’t there long ( not my choice ) 🤔
 
Think it was Ian Brown from Stone Roses doing solo tour 2002 in the crypt and the place was full of crackheads . I was gone after 20 minutes
 
Back in 1985 I was well into the Pogues, they'd just released 'Rum Sodomy & the Lash' and were nearing their peak.

So when I read in the Gazette that someone who'd supported them on tour was coming to play at the Dovecot in Stockton, I was dead excited.

On the evening of the gig, I went on my own, paid £5 entrance (a lot for me in those teenage days) and went inside.

The place was full of old men with beards, sat on chairs right up close to the stage, bent forward eagerly. I thought it was a bit odd, and I stood at the back, as I usually do.

Then some bloke came on stage with his guitar, sat on a stool, and started playing folk songs. His name was Richard Thompson. I left after about 30 seconds, utterly ***ed off.

In retrospect I should have asked for my fiver back.


Richard Thompson is an Icon of the folk scene.
£5.00 was a steal. Seen him many times and he never dissapoints.
 
Simple Minds at Gateshead Stadium.

The support (Roachford, Stranglers, OMD) were all very good. The headliners weren't. They were very average.
There was a bad atmosphere all the way through. Rangers shirts and Celtic shirts abounded and the feeling worsened considerably when they played Belfast Child. .
 
Simple Minds at Gateshead Stadium.

The support (Roachford, Stranglers, OMD) were all very good. The headliners weren't. They were very average.
There was a bad atmosphere all the way through. Rangers shirts and Celtic shirts abounded and the feeling worsened considerably when they played Belfast Child. .
I was at that and it pi##ing down never helped !
 
I’m in the Richard Thomson ‘legend’ camp too.

Nearly walked out of an early Babyshambles gig. They were all over the place (even for them)
I’m an auld git and once I got my head round not expecting a polished display i quite enjoyed it.
Grew quite fond of them over the years

My wife and her mate legged it out of an Asobi Sexu gig in Leeds years ago tho. I stuck around and probably shouldn’t have
 
All the "festival" gigs I've been to in London. Lovebox a couple of times and Field day. There will usually be only two bands I like and they will both be on at the same time. The sound will be crap and you won't be able to even get close to the front. If you do the atmosphere will be dead as there's a bunch of people there waiting for the headliner to come on. Plus you'll get bands who instead of playing a proper tour will just do the festival's.
 
One of 2 I think. 1. Lou Reed lasted 2 songs at one gig I saw him at Manchester Palace before walking off for whatever reason.
2. Love at Manchester Free Trade Hall circa 1974. Capacity of the FTH was about 2500. Walked in to an eerily quiet building and discovered upstairs was closed and downstairs there were screens along the aisle that was after the first 10 or so rows. Between the screens and the stage there must have been about 20 people sat scattered about which had increased to about 30 by the time Keef Hartley Band had finished their support slot. Totally embarrassing environment. Love came on and leader Arthur Lee was obviousy p'd off and started insulting the few of us who were there though it wasn't our fault no-one else had turned up. Me and my party walked out. It had been badly promoted by Manchester Polytechnic Students Union and out of term time so there were no students about, it should really have been cancelled. You can imagine how silly it would have looked from this photo.
free-trade-hall-interiros.jpg
 
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Two of us were persuaded by a third friend to go to see a bloke we'd never heard of called Chris de Burgh a the Town Hall in Middlesbrough. The same two were stood in Billy Paul after half a dozen songs.
 
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