So who WOULD you pa...
 

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So who WOULD you pay silly money to see live?

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The reverse of this thread's question is more interesting: So who would you pay silly money to see dead?


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 4:30 pm
Earl_Grey and Earl_Grey reacted
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AC/DC with the full line-up in their prime. First half with Bon Scott, second with Brian!

TBF that would be pretty cool – Bon Scott to sing 'Highway to Hell' as his final song, then Brian Johnson open with 'Hell's Bells'


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 4:37 pm
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CountZero Full Member
Speaking, as we were, of Sparklehorse, I’d forgotten I’d seen them twice at The Fleece, first time in ‘98, supported by someone called The Paradise Motel, who seem to have vanished into obscurity, the second time supported by Gemma Hayes, who, thankfully hasn’t.
For any Sparklehorse fans who might be interested, here’s the setlist for each gig, and Gemma’s rather brief one, written on the back of a large envelope!

I was at that gig in '98! It was pretty much the thing that kicked off me going to see live music. Thanks so much for sharing!

That setlist is interesting, not least because it doesn't quite line up with my memories. I remember Mark getting pretty hammered on stage. He seemed to be barely able to stand except when he had a guitar in his hands, but generally when he was in front of the mic he seemed relatively fine. However he abandoned Hundreds of Sparrows with a bunch of slurred apologies, then launched into Pig instead and seemed to manage it perfectly fine. What confuses me is that I remember him having played Pig before that point in the evening already, so the second rendition of it was like an apology for messing up Hundreds of Sparrows.

Maybe in my memory, or in my relative unfamiliarity at the time of Good Morning Spider's songs I'm mixing up one of the other heavily distorted songs with Pig, maybe Cruel Sun? It is however 26 years ago now so while the memories are cherished they are somewhat dim!

I also remember that Mark did some weird sound collage things between some songs, which aren't in the setlist above, like the odd short tracks from Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot. And during one of them he managed to break the tape machine he was using to make some of the sounds. A friend who was also at the gig (in a better position than I was I guess) said he saw metres of tape coming out of the machine in Mark's hands, while the other guitarist (Jonathan Segel?) rolled his eyes at the mess...


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 4:38 pm
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I watched Manic Street Preachers in a small hall in San Francisco for free when nobody had heard of them over there. Was just handed a ticket in the street by the local radio station. It was excellent and only about 200 people. The week before they’d sold out Cardiff stadium.

Oasis tickets compare with rugby at Twickenham or F1 at Silverstone. The Monza GP tickets are 320 euros and it’s all over in 80 minutes.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 4:39 pm
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I think the most I've ever paid for a standalone show was £100, which was Muse at the Albert Hall at the point where they'd started playing stadiums (and by luck was just before Muse went shit), plus travel costs from Scotland. Totally worth it.

It's travel that kills me, I'm off to London to see Biffy Clyro playing their first album and the cost of the ticket's going to be like 20% of the cost of that, it'll be way more than a ticket for Oasis. But again it'll be worth it.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 4:59 pm
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The Smiths like some others have mentioned

The question as posed is not 'in their prime' - rather reformed and on the road again. I can't imagine worse than seeing the most influential band of my youth with nobhead version Morrissey and ANOther on bass.

I've seen tribute Smiths (The Smyths, The Joneses) - the songs still stand up to scrutiny. I'd rather do that than 1/2 the original line up (Morrissey's not the same person any more)


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 5:02 pm
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Japanese band ‘Passcode’ still need to show up in Europe.

Not the same without Yuna sadly.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 5:06 pm
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Marr’s concerts are great, often in smaller venues or at festivals, and cheap. No one needs a high ticket price Smiths semi-reunion.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 5:10 pm
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Re. The Smiths: Johnny Marr really has no reason to reform the Smiths. And why would he? Instant cred kill!

I remember when the Velvet Underground reformed (early 90’s?). I was a mega Velvets fan early mid 80’s, I was buying all the boot lps I could lay my hands on. A mate really wanted to go but I wasn’t having any as i knew that I really wanted to see them as per 67-69, not some old numpties. Having seen the dvd of some the reunion show, man, definitely a bullet dodged there!

That said me na day mates hummed and heyed re going to see Buzzcocks (cheap at a small Aberdeen venue) in early 90’s (they were the first band I went to see in 78) but we weakened and went. It was pretty decent though, for what it was (but they definitely enjoyed playing). Even think Mike Joyce was the drummer…

If I was spending megabuck I’d want it to be someone on form right now.

I was sorely tempted to go see IU (Uaena til I die!), serious considered the Berlin gig but chickened out (never found out the cost of tickets either!) Just as well as me and my mate both had the jandies so wouldn’t have been able to travel. As it was her first Euro trip (she debuted 16-17 years ago) probably not likely she’ll be back in a hurry…

Other than that I’d say Blackpink (or possibly NewJeans but the CEO debacle puts me off). Course, you’d really need a lightstick…?


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 7:47 pm
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Nirvana.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 8:43 pm
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Was lucky enough to catch Fugazi and Black Sabbath before it was too late but yeah an 'in their prime' Queen or LED Zeppelin would be incredible, I tried to get tickets for the mothership tour, no chance.

I was due to see Rage Against The Machine in 2020... well that didn't happen for obvious reasons.

Those would probably be my 3


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 8:47 pm
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Napalm Death

It was ENT with KLF wasn't it?


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 8:53 pm
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No band in a sodding stadium - well I do sometimes pay silly money to see Scotland at Murrayfield.  If I want to be that far away and looking at a big screen, I have YouTube.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 9:03 pm
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Live music in a modern stadium is my idea of hell and any money is too much money. I did see the Stuffies at Bescott in Walsall but that was a long time ago and tiny compared to stadiums today. Also saw The Cure at Crystal Palace Bowl but that was a cool venue with the massive lake in front of the stage and everyone lying around on the grass…long gone now.

If I was paying silly money now it would be because I was seeing bands in other countries….Of Monsters and Men in Iceland next year for instance.

A few years ago I went to Amsterdam to support a local band that normally plays tiny venues within 20 miles of my house! That was silly money.

Edit - just found a promo flyer for that Wonderstuff gig with New Fads and Swervedriver in support - £15.50!! Adjusted for inflation that’s about £35


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 9:53 pm
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Live music in a modern stadium is my idea of hell

Is it the stadium itself thats the problem? Or the band?

I can't imagine any act at Woodstock when you were 200,00 people back listening to a 1960s PA was any good

Conversely my 1st ever gig on my own was U2 in 1993 at Parkhead and it absolutely set the standard over what a huge gig should be. Looking back, given the tech available at the time, it was light years ahead of it's time. A multimedia work of art.

If the band in question makes the most of the environment, then it doesn't matter if it's a 100 capacity club or a 100,000 capacity stadium.

If the band's good, they're good

Stop making up rules to exclude yourself from awesome stuff


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:16 pm
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 Nirvana.

The whole reason to see Nirvana would be Kirk Kobaine. I’m not sure I’d pay a reformed Nirvana much at all (just like I wouldn’t pay much to see Foo Fighters).


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:24 pm
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The whole reason to see Nirvana would be Kirk Kobaine.

Who?


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:27 pm
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Just to annoy everyone on page 1 saying the Prodigy or Keith, I just thought I'd mention that my first ever gig was The Chemical Brothers with Keith from the Prodigy doing a set afterwards.

That is all


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:30 pm
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The now-dead lead singer of the band who took his own life but I couldn’t be bothered to spell check his name as it’s obvious everyone knows exactly who I am talking about (goes off to find a rolly eyes emoji).


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:30 pm
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If we are annoying people, I did get to see Queen at Maine Road (with Status Quo and Beluios Some supporting - again, not spell checked) the year after Live Aid.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:32 pm
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Talk Talk playing their later stuff live.....which they never did. Or Kate Bush. Or / and Led Zeppelin. Maybe original line up Black Sabbath.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 10:46 pm
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I love Black Sabbath - I saw them do a warm-up gig for the 13 tour at Birmingham O2 Academy then saw them do the full show at the arena, but I don’t think a reformed band would be worth spoiling the legacy for (they are rumoured to be doing a one-off in Birmingham next year) - Ozzy is a complete wreck now 🙁


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 11:00 pm
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I just had a thought, I'd love to see The Specials again.

And then I remembered that Terry Hall died, and now I'm sad.

I was too young to see them as a kid, but loved the music. Then I did at least see them on a reunion tour in about 2009 - 30th anniversary.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 11:02 pm
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If we can say "bands where someone's died" then does that open the doors to "bands at a specific point in time"? Cos if so I'm off to Donington Monsters Of Rock 1994. Basically the thing that got me into rock music, I'd just started getting Kerrang and they went really massive on it and I just kind of immersed into that, then it was all on the radio, so many amazing sets and a bunch of bands that I later came to love that were just absolutely at their finest- I'd kill to have seen Therapy?, Sepultura and the Wildhearts that day but tbh I'd love to see every single band there. Um, except Cry of Love, sorry Cry of Love.

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Live music in a modern stadium is my idea of hell and any money is too much money.

Just once, I went to a stadium show and it was fantastic- Muse, My Chemical Romance and Biffy Clyro, all 3 bands that I love and that could really rise to it and make it an event. And being at Wembley was pretty cool too. Even Simon Neil out of Biffy had to do a day-oh, it's the law.


 
Posted : 02/09/2024 11:30 pm
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Zelensky so long as all the money went to building drones for him.

Most expensive gig I've been to was Slade at Birmingham Town Hall, £2 was many weeks of income at the time. 😉 As was the Slade Alive album, also £2. For years gigs were about the same price as an album.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 6:54 am
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"Stop making up rules to exclude yourself from awesome stuff"

The rule excluding me from "awesome stuff" is my bank account.  I'm priced out now.   As for Woodstock, don't know about that but Glastonbury Main Stage looks pretty rough. A view of flags and mobiles.  Seen plenty of awesome stuff in places where you can actually see the performance. A good band is good on your telly as well as the big screen in Murrayfield*.

Only stadium so far was Wee Free Kings and Runrig in Dingwall.  Back then it was more like Rushall Olympic than Walsall.

*unsure if anyone any good has played there - most years the act is on my pay good money to avoid list.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:37 am
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I remember when the Velvet Underground reformed (early 90’s?). I was a mega Velvets fan early mid 80’s, I was buying all the boot lps I could lay my hands on. A mate really wanted to go but I wasn’t having any as i knew that I really wanted to see them as per 67-69, not some old numpties. Having seen the dvd of some the reunion show, man, definitely a bullet dodged there!

That said me na day mates hummed and heyed re going to see Buzzcocks (cheap at a small Aberdeen venue) in early 90’s (they were the first band I went to see in 78) but we weakened and went. It was pretty decent though, for what it was (but they definitely enjoyed playing). Even think Mike Joyce was the drummer…

Mate, I went to see the Velvets at Wembley Arena and it was one of the worst gigs I've experienced. Maybe not because of the absolute quality of their performance (I can't remember), but because they were clearly very uncomfortable and because sitting in a plastic seat drinking warm Carling didn't feel very Underground IYKWIM.

I also saw the Buzzcocks on that tour. It was the same year I saw Ramones (incredible) and I came away feeling a bit let down. They played too slow and were wearing woolly jumpers IIRC. Them and the Velvets soured me on seeing "reformed for tax purposes" bands for decades after.

Glad I relented for Iggy & The Stooges / Suicide though.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:48 am
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 Kirk Kobaine.
Who?

Y'know, that grunge guy who died at 27 - like Jackie Jormp-Jormp and Amy Winegums.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:51 am
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Just to put some things in context concerning prices as Queen are so often mentioned.

We were at the "A Night at the Opera" at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1975. Ticket prices ranged from £1 to £2.50

Not sure what we paid but had great seats....    What would they cost now if possible.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:53 am
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Marr’s concerts are great, often in smaller venues or at festivals, and cheap. No one needs a high ticket price Smiths semi-reunion.

I saw The Smiths at the Dome in Brighton in 1985 and I saw Johnny Marr there a couple of months ago. It was every bit as good a gig and for me a Smiths gig without Rourke or Joyce wouldn't be a Smiths gig anyway.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:59 am
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Stadium gigs are awful, saw REM at Twickenham I think it was once, dull as shit and I love REM. Friend worked for Ticketmaster at the time so it was free ...

I'd like to see Bob Dylan. Heard him at a festival once but was a bit erm....altered and couldn't stand up.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:00 am
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<smug mode>I saw Prince at the Camden Roundhouse, and he was just as good as you would imagine.</smug mode>

@johndoh I paid a lot of money (at the time) to see Roger Waters tour The Wall and it was almost as good as the Prince gig above. It made me understand why people rave about Pink Floyd.

I was gutted to miss AC:DC this year because I was in the Alps.

I'd pay a lot of money to see Depeche Mode.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:13 am
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I was due to see Rage Against The Machine in 2020… well that didn’t happen for obvious reasons.

I saw them live at a Download. You didn't miss much. Every so often in between Zack's political grandstanding monologues they'd occasionally play a song. I sodded off halfway through and went to watch My Chemical Romance instead, who were excellent.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 11:50 am
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I’m off to Donington Monsters Of Rock 1994

Oh, I was there for that. That was the gig where Gary Cherone comitted career suicide by being utterly contemptuous towards the crowd.

I’d kill to have seen Therapy?

I've seen them... three times now I think? They make one hell of a noise for just three blokes.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 11:59 am
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No one, stadium gigs are crap and so are the greedy tossers playing them.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:14 pm
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No one, stadium gigs are crap and so are the greedy tossers playing them.

I don't agree. I have seen stadium gigs that absolutely nailed it (Queen, Iron Maiden, AC/DC and The Cure being my stand-outs) along with ones that didn't (Jamiroquai springs to mind). AC/DC do seem to have crept into 'greedy' territory, although the River Plate gig proves they can fill a huge place and nail it. Iron Maiden and The Cure still charge reasonable ticket prices so big respect to them.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:19 pm
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It made me understand why people rave about Pink Floyd.

I saw Floyd during the Pulse tour, I was at the rescheduled gig after part of the seating collapsed.  I was never a fan particularly.  I went solely because I could and because I figured, it might be one of those things that I'd kick myself for the rest of my life if I didn't.

It was astonishingly good, just indescribable, probably one of the best gigs I've ever been to.  The band were tight, the sound was perfect beginning-to-end, the stage show was incredible, and they had Sam Brown on backing vocals who absolutely annihilated Great Gig In The Sky.  I'm getting a tingling on the back of my neck now just thinking about that performance.

If the remit of this thread was "what would you pay silly money for to reattend a gig you've already been to" it'd either be Floyd at Earl's Court in 1994 or MoR at Donington 1990 (my first ever 'proper' gig).


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:30 pm
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AC/DC do seem to have crept into ‘greedy’ territory

I was never a fan of AC/DC either, they make Status Quo look nuanced.  But they've disappeared firmly up their own arseholes in recent years.

They finally relented to do a festival - Download - after years of saying they never would, neatly sidestepping the fact that for many fans it was Donington which put them on the map in the first place.  They refused to share a stage with anyone so an entire second main stage had to be built right next to the actual main stage.  They vetoed having their name on the official tee-shirt, so if you bought a download shirt that year it was missing the headline act; you could however buy their own merch.

Money-grubbing self-important cockbags.  And it wouldn't have left such a bad taste in my mouth if after all that palaver they hadn't turned out to be not much beyond mediocre.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:40 pm
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For me, 'silly money' is £100.
Bit niche, but the only band that immediately comes to mind is Dance Hall Crashers. Gutted I never got the chance in the 90s.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:44 pm
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Are The Cure good live still?

Wish I'd joined my friends at the Crystal Palace gig in the 90s. One of the very few big acts I'd be interested in seeing.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 12:56 pm
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Are The Cure good live still?

Yes - I saw them a couple of years ago at Leeds Arena and they were mesmerisingly beautiful. No theatrics, no fancy sets, just the band captivating their audience from start to finish. I just wish I had seen them earlier in my life – I don't know why I didn't as I have attended gigs from aged 14 back in 1981 and I have always liked them.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 1:17 pm
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 pk13
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The cure also set the ticket prices recently and did some very successful gigs I've always wanted to see them


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 1:23 pm
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Bit niche, but I'd pay silly money* to see Dance Hall Crashers, as I never got the chance before they split.

I'd also pay a good amount to see Daughter play on a venue that had atmosphere to suit.

Tbh I have no desire to see a band in a huge venue, Biggest gig I've ever been to was the Foos at MK bowl. Not a huge fan but was pretty excited about seeing Jimmy Eat World in support, but they did nothing for me, (not due to some sort of inverse snobbery, just horses for courses) Take me back to the pissy walled Tunbridge Wells Forum(Symposium, 1998 ISH, Chefskiss.gif), Upstairs @The Garage(Idlewild, Captain era, incredible), or Brighton Concorde and I'm a happy man.

*To me £100 is silly money...


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 1:26 pm
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Queen. Obviously. If they were that good a spectacle in the pre-Napster era, imagine how mind-bendingly amazing they’d be now? Downloadable music may have reduced revenue from recordings but it doesn’t half make people put on a stunning show now and when they don’t make the effort people really kick off about it (looking at you Ian Brown, Kings of Leon, Aerosmith @ download 2010). Even batshit mentalists like Jane’s Addiction who’d otherwise turn up stoned, do a pi$$ poor half show and then clear off have seemingly cottoned onto the idea of professionalism in live music.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 1:44 pm
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OK, The Cure are on my list then 🙂

Upstairs @The Garage

I saw the Jazz Butcher (RIP) killing it at that venue, and later ran an easy listening themed club night there 😀


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 1:50 pm
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Paid very silly money for the Cure. I was seeing a lot of punk bands at the time, so thought their standing still strumming away was quite boring. I'd see em again. (For the same price)

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/75PxVgTp/PXL-20240903-125701359-2.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/75PxVgTp/PXL-20240903-125701359-2.jp g"/> [/img][/url]


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 2:03 pm
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After watching these two videos, I'd pay a lot for the Foo Zeps or the Lead Fighters


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 3:59 pm
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If we're including dead people, Amy Winehouse.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 4:09 pm
 fs1e
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A few mentioned above plus The Band, Joni Mitchell, The Alman Brothers Band and Stephen Stills


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 4:20 pm
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The Cure

Mate, I saw them when they were support for Siouxsie & the Banshees in Aberdeen when the Banshees split.

The Cure played, someone came on said that half the band had naffed off and that was that. Except Siouxsie and Budgie came out and did a couple of songs with… the Cure (Lords Prayer & Helter Skelter from memory). And then they gave us a refund 😀

Saw them again on the A Forest/Seventeen Seconds tour.

For dead folk, I’d loved to have seen the Clash (always missed them). I did see Joe Strummer & the Rockabilly War which was decent (esp. I’d low expectations). Around London Calling era please!

Saw Bob Dylan in AECC (not really my choice but how could we not…) and that was actually really good (well for a Dylan gig).

Also, I saw MBV (supporting the Pixies) at Manchester International 2…


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 7:05 pm
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Bob Marley.... the only one i missed back in the day.

Luckily got to see all my heroes, including Joy Division (Leeds supporting the Buzzcocks) Clash, Cure, The Jam, Bruce in 85 St James Park, Southern Death Cult, Spear of Destiny, RamonesBig Country, INXS at Newcastle City Hall. would like to see the Rumjacks if they land in the UK. I was the right age at the right time and luckily made the most of it.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 7:46 pm
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Another vote for Queen but only if they played their earlier material (up to and including Jazz, though I'll give them permission to also include Radio Gaga)

And only a proper theatre gig...not a soulless arena


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:18 pm
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Are The Cure good live still?

Based on the gig Mrs Vlad went to a few years ago, they'd be good value as they were on stage for about 3.5 hrs and did about three encores!


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:28 pm
 Gunz
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I saw Queen at Wembley Stadium when I was 15 in 1986. I know it doesn't count in this thread, I just never miss the opportunity to tell people and they were at least as good as you imagine them to be (actually better).


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 8:49 pm
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I managed to see Aphex Twin last year at Forewards Festival last year, amazing! That was a bucket list gig. My missus ****ing hated it!

I've seen most bands that I love over the years at various gigs and festivals not Radiohead as yet so certainly them. Smiths as others have said but no chance.

Dead, would be Nirvana, absolutely worshipped them as a teen. Frank Zappa would've been great too.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:03 pm
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The Alman Brothers Band and Stephen Stills

Saw the Allman Brothers in the 70's, Duane had unfortunately passed a few years earlier.  2.1/2 hour set, amazing.  Would like to see Stephen Stills, he's very good.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:05 pm
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 I see @binners is keeping his powder dry but he can't fool me......I know where his hard earned is going. No price is too high to breathe the same air as this mighty lord of the quill, I just hope ticketmaster has added in a couple of new server banks...

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events/article/2024/jun/03/an-evening-with-adrian-chiles-live-in-london-and-online?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_HOUSE_ADS&utm_campaign=Live_event_Adrian_Chiles&utm_content=HouseAds_AdrianChiles&utm_term=Live&utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB&redirector=Adscience


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:27 pm
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I am trying very hard to think who I should pay silly money to see?

Nope, can't think of anyone. Nobody.

The time has passed.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 9:46 pm
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Daft Punk for me please.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 10:11 pm
 J-R
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Living: Stevie Wonder is the only one I can think of who would be worth “silly money”. And Kate Bush.

Dead: Bowie and James Brown (With Bootsy Collins) would each be an amazing experience.

Other than that, I just don’t think there are many others I’d really be that desperate to see. Does that make me terminally 1980s?

PS Seen Queen a few times - they were great. Radiohead not so much - more fun to sit at home and listen to the music rather than be at the gig.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 10:13 pm
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Led Zeppelin.  Dig ‘em up and get ‘em on.

Also Mazzy Star.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 10:17 pm
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@ovoderbars I used to go The Bowgie where he used to DJ before he got famous. The dancefloor used to absolutely kick off.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 10:21 pm
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I coughed up a smidge over £100 to see Joe Bonamassa at the Albert Hall earlier this year (in very average seats).  That's my  limit - but he's on top of his game, a great guitarist if you're into his kind if thing ( and given we're sadly not gonna be seeing SRV playing on this planet, about as good as it gets). The  sound quality was good.  Nice venue too where you were treated like civilised humans.

Hated the O2 Millenium dome experience when I went - total bit of a mess trying to get in, treated worse than crims, etc. Vowed never again to go there (Foo Fighters themselves were good, but the place itself left a bad taste in my mouth).

Wembley arena acoustics were... shite. Like a hollow concrete bunker with no dampening - which is what it is.  And badly ventilated. And I got Covid there again, 3 months ago. FFS.

Wembley Stadium... actually for a Stadium, it was OK.  Didn't feel like being totally hearded like cattle, sound was acceptable when I've been.

£14 for Florence Black at KKs Steel Mill earlier this year must have been the bargain of the century though- absolutely banging.  And food / drink at sensible prices too, no London gouging £9 for a shit pint of euro fizz.

Seeing them again in a couple of months at Rock City (support to Massive Wagons.

Now if we have a time machine...  I'd love to see Gary Moore again. Just a fabulous player.

Wish I could have seen Thin Lizzy. And Rory Gallagher. I was just a bit too young when they split up / departed.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 10:25 pm
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I thought they’d be loads of bands I’d have to pick from but having thought about it since the OP the only two I can think of is either the impossible The Doors or maybe The Replacements with all the remaining live members and different guitarist.


 
Posted : 03/09/2024 11:42 pm
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The Cure in Orange ('86?) I was there for them setting up in the amphitheatre, purely by accident. Heard a bit of a sound check.

Then had to be the mardy teen dragged away and around the town for family stuff, didn't even get some nougat to soften the blow.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 7:16 am
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Dead: Bowie and James Brown (With Bootsy Collins) would each be an amazing experience.

I’ve seen both. Bowie in the mid 90s playing his (not very popular) newer material, supported by Morrissey. James Brown was supporting the Red Hot Chillis. All were fairly average, tbh. The Bowie gig was half empty even before most of the Morrissey fans walked out after his set.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 4:14 pm
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I’d pay silly money to see Dire Straits, or Mark Knopfler.

Saw them at Swindon Oasis (!) supporting Talking Heads. Also saw Blondie supporting Television. Subsequently saw Blondie as a headliner, and Television twice as headliner. As they only toured about every fifteen or so years, each tour was treated as if it might be their last. The last time I saw them was their last because Tom Verlaine died a few years ago.

I did pay silly money to see Peter Gabriel last June, ‘cos he only releases a new album every ten years, and he’s now in his 70’s, so it’s difficult to imagine him playing in his 80’s. Still, one never knows…

I think Tom Waits is about the only artist who I’ve never seen live who I’d happily pay a fair bit, like £100+ to see - last time he played over here I think was at least ten years ago, and tickets were £75 back then, and they sold out almost instantly because he only played one gig in London.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 5:17 pm
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Relatively the most I've ever spent was about £50 to see Neil Young about 20 years ago. I was skint and it was a lot of money for me at that time but it was definitely one of the best gigs I've been to. I'm not sure I'd see him again as I think it might be a bit of a letdown but I can't imagine anybody who'd cost more currently that I'd want to see. Most expensive after that was the Stones but that was a present. Again, doubt I'd pay to see them again.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 5:40 pm
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Neil Young and The Stones are two of my favourite artists. I have spent a small fortune on their vinyl and don't regret a penny. Unfortunately I've never seen either live but there is no way Id bother now - well perhaps if the gods granted me an acoustic set of Young in a small venue but the Stones? Not a chance - I'd far rather see 10-20 new bands than pay the cost of a massive unfulfilling bunch of old gits milking it and pretending they still have it no matter how groundbreaking they were 60 years ago.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 6:50 pm
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Rod Stewart.

So I could shout at him and chuck stuff* at him, the bas*ard. £1.85 (or so), a long drive from York to Newcastle city hall and then he walked off after about 45 minutes. No encore and then night spent the dossing in the multi-story car park on the concrete.

*Newky Brown obvs


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 7:16 pm
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I’d pay a couple of hundred quid to see a reformed That Petrol Emotion at Brixton Academy supported by Carter USM.


 
Posted : 04/09/2024 7:18 pm
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I paid £112 via a ticket resales site to see the Stone Roses 5-6 years ago at Wembley, knowing that they would soon split up again and it would be last chance, never seen so many drunken middle aged men in one place, but it was a great day. I wouldn't normally spend anything like that though, but it was also a mates birthday.

Bands i would of loved to have seen at the height of their powers but didn't....

Portishead

Massive Attack

Gil Scott Heron

James Brown (sadly saw him way past prime, as warm up for Red Hot Chilli Peppers, where he had assistants to lower him to his knees and pick him up again!)


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 1:04 pm
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Bands i would of loved to have seen at the height of their powers but didn’t….

You could have ticked off two of those at Glastonbury '95 (Portishead and Gil Scott Heron), and also the Stone Roses if John Squire hadn't famously spanned himself by falling off a mountain bike, leading to the famous Pulp headline slot.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 1:50 pm
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James Brown (With Bootsy Collins) would each be an amazing experience.

I think with a lot of these artists, you'd have to handpick the era and venue (and crowd) to get the experience you want. I saw James Brown like the bloke above, past his peak, and while it was great musically, despite the age of the bloke, the audience were hopeless and he must have looked at the sea of gormless, unresponsive, East London faces and wondered why he bothered.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 2:00 pm
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I once found myself watching James Brown at the Leeds Festival. How I got there I have no idea, but I was just coming down from my first (and last) Mushroom Bomb. I then ate some noodles. I *think* it was 1998 or 1999.

I couldn't tell you if he was good or not.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 2:23 pm
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I paid £100 to see Suede at the 100 Club back in 2010 which was pretty silly money at the time. It was a warm up gig for their one off reunion appearance at that years Albert Hall Teenage Cancer gigs, and you had to submit bids for tickets to the 100 club gig in a blind auction (money to charity).

I don't begrudge them, but slightly funny that they are still going (and I'm still going to their gigs) after paying good money to get to their "final, last ever" gig in 2003. Then paying lots to see them at a "one off" reunion show in 2010.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 3:10 pm
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Hated the O2 Millenium dome experience when I went – total bit of a mess trying to get in, treated worse than crims, etc. Vowed never again to go there (Foo Fighters themselves were good, but the place itself left a bad taste in my mouth).

Been there quite a few times for various acts, never had any significant issues, maybe it was something about that particular event?


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 4:43 pm
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chakaping

Without MCA though?

No, it wouldn't be the same, but if he was still alive, i would.

Also, F cancer.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 5:00 pm
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Neil Young and The Stones are two of my favourite artists. I have spent a small fortune on their vinyl and don’t regret a penny. Unfortunately I’ve never seen either live

Saw the Stones, along with some other bands at Bristol Ashton Gate around 1982, and saw Neil at Reading I think around ’95, where he was fronting Pearl Jam on his Mirrorball tour. Still wearing the tee shirts I got at that one. That might have been when Soundgarden played, and Bjork.

I payed £2.50 to see Zeppelin play Earle’s Court on the Physical Graffiti Tour! Those were the days…

Probably paid about the same to see Thin Lizzy, Yes, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd, all in Bristol. Saw Supertramp play Chippenham College, payed 50p for that one, six months later saw them play Bristol when they released ‘Crime Of The Century’, I think that one was about £2-3, Chippenham was a pre-tour warmup. Glad I saw them then, I still think that’s the best album they ever released.
Bath Pavilion was a great venue in the 70’s, saw The Clash, The Jam, Souxie and The Banshees, the Human League (original band) The Stranglers, Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Elvis Costello, Girlschool, Hawkwind, and probably a few more whose names escape me now.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 5:22 pm
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Here's one from the left field.

A band that I have seen loads of times back in 90-93, then again in maybe 2010.

I would genuinely pay whatever they asked to hear them live again. Their last gig was 2012, a gig that I've watched on YouTube dozens of times.

All band members still alive, still active and still friends (although at least one lives in the States).

They are my all time favourite band, a band that started off as anarcho-punk, and have dabbled in pretty much every genre until their split in 2012 when they were a four piece (mostly) acapella folk band.

Chumbawamba.


 
Posted : 05/09/2024 8:54 pm
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