[Closed] Surprisingly GOOD live performances

I was going to post a similar thread yesterday 🙂

For me it was Cheap Trick (supporting Motley Crue) back in around 1986.

And Sleaford Mods in the John Peel tent at Glastonbury in 2015 – just wandering around in the sunshine enjoying the day then heard this glorious racket coming from the tent and really enjoyed it.

Because I'm lazy, I'll just Ctrl-C Ctrl-V:

In a similar vein, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, again at Lakefest. Brilliant, really, really, brilliant.

And, I sh1t you not, the Vengaboys.

To add something extra though, I'll also punt in Rod Stewart and Status Quo at Old Trafford in about 1991. Got free tickets from someone's Mum, went along thinking we were going to see some old has-beens (because we were 17 at the time and clearly knew everything). Had a great night, because he/they are proper old pros.

Deacon Blue. Theres no way, as a fully paid up 6-Music-listening music snob, I'd have gone and seen them live as I'd have airily dismissed them as tedious MOR Radio 2 fodder

We ended up seeing them on a lovely sunny afternoon on the main stage at Glastonbury (as I was too stoned to be bothered moving) and they were absolutely bloody brilliant!!

Paul McCartney. Love The Beatles, don’t care a lot about his solo work apart from the Fireman albums. Saw him at the NIA in 2015 for free. Thought he would be well past it. One of my favourite gigs ever.

I’d have airily dismissed them as tedious MOR Radio 2 fodder

Unfairly maligned, I think, Deacon Blue. In another musical thread crossover, this could be something from Elbow:

There we stood and there we laughed
by the flashing neon sign.
With the smell of cheap gigars,
and hope of sweet perfume

The Pogues in the mid-80s were amazing live. Around 88-90 they sadly imploded.

I saw The Killers in Cardiff Millenium Stadium around 2004/5. They were supporting U2 and were miles better. They were fantastic and even though their first album was brilliant anyway it was huge surprise.

Proclaimers are pretty good most of the night until they chuck the new stuff in you've never heard before
Here's hoping no one mentions Runrog , they were an embarrassment to Scots well a lot of us

Hot Chip - sound a bit meh right? well it made more sense live, clicked in front of a good crowd, and this was back when nobody knew they were going to do sabotage

TBH there are a few at every music festival I've ever been to, too many to list

Asking Alexandria

my daughter’s a huge fan. She’s been aching to go see them live and muggings here agreed that if they came to Manchester I’d buy tickets. If you don’t know them it’s Emo rock, harmless enough. But anyway, they were a tight band,  played well, got the audience going and generally looked like they we’re having a bloody ace time. As did the audience

Fabulous fun was had

For me it's quite a few artists that you'd expect to be so far past their prime that they'll be terrible but have such great stage presence and talent you still have a great time.

I've seen Mavis Staples twice at Glastonbury and she's been brilliant both times. She's 82! and touring again this year.

Likewise Martha Reeves a few years back at the Blues Kitchen in Brixton. Still sounded strong and a lot of fun.

Wasn't expecting to enjoy Lionel Ritchie at Glastonbury but so. much. joy. I see they've given it a theatrical release now.

To add something extra though, I’ll also punt in Rod Stewart and Status Quo at Old Trafford in about 1991. Got free tickets from someone’s Mum,

I saw them at Wembley, probably the same year. A friend asked if I wanted to go and see the Quo. I've never been even vaguely interested in them, but was happy to accompany her for Rod the Mod. Quo were Quo, nothing more, nothing less. Rod Stewart was excellent, but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker. (I would have been about 23, so these were my parent's music, but I still hold both in some affection. Quo, less so. 😀 )

A band called Vega. Liverpool Arts academy. managed by a certain Joe Elliot from Def Leppard. They sound and performed as good, if not better than DL

but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker

Oh god, yes! I'd forgotten he was there too.

Went to V in 200(8?)
Charlatans, really good (and then Chemical Bros straight afterwards who were as good as you'd expect)
Lenny Kravitz was great as he could have been turgid but wasn't, Newton Faulkner I really enjoyed more than I expected to (did a solo acoustic Bohemian Rhapsody and it worked! fair play)

My wife likes the Pet Shop Boys, I saw they were doing a small warm up show in London ahead of headlining at Hyde Park. We managed to get tickets and they were great, helped by a small but enthusiastic crowd and a stripped back set without their usual theatrics. Surprisingly good.

I've rarely gone to gigs for bands that I didn't already know I liked so while sometimes the amount I've enjoyed a gig has surprised me the fact I've enjoyed it rarely has.

One minor example would be seeing The Hives. I'd bought a ticket so I expected them to be good enough but they are really very enjoyable indeed live. Their frontman is very good at engaging with the audience.

Also I first went to see Cherry Ghost almost entirely because their name is a reference to a Wilco song from what is probably my favourite Wilco album. I did listen to some of their music before buying the ticket but it was all a bit rushed and last minute and they proved to be far more enjoyable than my tenuous reason for trying them out deserved.

Years ago i saw a band called "The Blake Babies" (who opened for Dinosaur Jr i think) - they were amazing.

Last year i saw "Inhaler" in London - also much better than i expected.

I've been to a lot of Country Gigs and am constantly surprised at how well Country musicians play live.

Paul McCartney, Glastonbury 2004. I wasn't going to go - I like the Beatles and assumed he would ruin some old classics before launching in to the Frog Chorus. Fortunately, my friends persuaded to go and he was terrific.

I’ve seen Mavis Staples twice at Glastonbury and she’s been brilliant both times. She’s 82! and touring again this year.

Oooooo... I'd love to see her live. She's still got a set of lungs on her! I'll have a look if she's doing anyehere nearby

@b33k34 - did you ever hear the interview she did with RadMac on six music a couple of years ago? She's absolutely hilarious! And she's had a right rum old life! She's also got a filthier laugh than Sid James

Love this! Gospel-tastic! 😀

An ex of mine took me to see The Feeling, in Belfast, Mandella Hall in the students union. I'd say this was maybe 2005 or so. Was expecting it to be rubbish, and they were great. Sound was great and they played to the audience really well.

I’ve been to a lot of Country Gigs and am constantly surprised at how well Country musicians play live.

I think that this is because, from very early in their careers, they really have to earn their chops in some 'interesting' venues.

but the outstanding act was Joe Cocker

Oh god, yes! I’d forgotten he was there too.

And one hit wonders The River City People, wasn't it?

And one hit wonders The River City People, wasn’t it?

Oof, you got me there. I don't remember to be honest (and, indeed, I only barely remember their existence!)

Wheatus. Even though they've only got 1.5 songs (not true, albums are surprisingly good)

Great fun, crowd interactions, band interactions and they also don't have a set list, start to finish is 'what shall we play next?'

(one night, some crowd wag kept yelling out ever more obscure post-punk 90's American bands' songs and Wheatus kept getting more and more amused/amusing.

"All the small things!"

- great song, but that's Blink 182

"Why don't you get a job?"

- is that a suggestion or a song request? Because if it's the latter - great song, by The Offspring

"Stacey's Mom"

- Oh yeh, I'd sure like to do Stacey's Mom!!

Sneaker pimps.
I've been to see them lots since first seeing them in 1999 at newcastle uni. they were supporting their Splinter album, there were about 20 of us. they played well and sounded 10x better than the (IMO) rather decent sounding splinter album.

Echobelly. sometime in the late 90's in Wales. went to the gig not expecting much, went with my GF at the time, she was more into the scene at the time, I really just wanted to go listen to Type o Negative...
However, the support were Bennett (remember that mums gone to iceland song?) who were really really good. and echobelly just had me bouncing around down the front. not sure where my GF was the whole gig.

Richie Ramone.
I really don't like the ramones. my wife does though, so dragged along I was. clearly a talented musician and that carries the vibe exceptionally well. I've seen him a few times now.

Nickelback.

Went to see them with some mates to see how bad they were as part of a deal on two tickets to two gigs at uni. Completely different live and had the crowd completely won over after the second song.

Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Aylesbury Friars in 2009.

My OH wanted to go, I didn't.

Utterly brilliant live performance - flat out for a couple of hours.

Loving this thread.

Another Glastonbury experience - this time in 1999. It was the Other Stage, early in the day just wandering around IIRC we'd gone to see Keano Reeve's band who were first on (and shocking) but I really enjoyed the next act _ I had never heard of them at the time but they really reminded me of 60s rock - Stones, The Who etc. It was Toploader. Now I know they album they released around that time (Onka's Big Mocka) was actually shocking, but as a live band in the cold light of day they actually blew the crowd away.

I really wished I had seen these guys live....

Loads of them,
Elbow managed to make a stadium feel like a small gig
Chemical Bros
London Grammar, thought they would be good, but were brilliant - that girl can sing
Paul Weller at reading,
PSB

Actually, another couple come to mind from Tales of Lakefest:

Magic Numbers - figured they'd be alright, they were superb.

and

Seasick Steve - again, watched out of curiosity and he was just fantastic, like, really, really, fantastic.

The Pretenders - never that fussed by them usually but was dragged along to a Bryan Adams gig where they were supporting and much better live than I expected

And also on the undercard of a Bryan Adams gig I was dragged to - Glen Tilbrook. Just stood alone on stage with a guitar and brlted out Squeeze's greatest hits.

The Pretenders – never that fussed by them usually but was dragged along to a Bryan Adams gig where they were supporting and much better live than I expected

More relevant for the other thread but I saw them supporting U2 in 1985 in Cardiff. The Alarm had already played, and Mike Peters had been gushing on about being a proud Welshman, etc.

Chrissie Hynde, when she came on, seemed to make fun of the whole proud Welshman thing and it felt like she lost the crowd. I never really liked them before and their performance didn't warm me to them.

I went to see Judas Priest in the Southampton Gaumont in 1980. They were dire. Their support band on the other hand, whom I hadn’t really heard of as a musically rather naive 17year old, were ace, much much better than the main act and I think both bands knew it.
Iron Maiden
At a very different gig, I went to see Blowzabella having heard some of their music and quite liked them. Live they were fantastic, possibly the best live act I have seen in the past 20 years.

Just remembered the best one was Nick Cave, such a gig of pure emotion - didn't matter that we were sat about as far away as you could get. Absolutely blew us away

Poppy.

Took my eldest daughter and a friend to see The Vamps approx 5 years ago - B'ham NEC.
Having never heard of them beforehand I was surprised that they were actually fairly competent musicians.
My youngest daughter wants me to take her to see Alec Benjamin this summer, never heard of him so I've started listening to his stuff so I can sing along and embarrass her. I'll let you know how that goes.

Plus 1 for wheatus - accidentally rolled into a tent stage at the end of the road festival when it was pissing down, they'd just started their set and were excellent. They were probably at the bottom of my to see list, but I'd go again.

Ash. Somebody mentioned them on the other thread as being poor. It was actually on my birthday, 10 minutes walk from my house in a very small venue, and a weekend. So a few drinks then into the gig and carry on drinking knowing that I didn't have to get up early. They were excellent, but maybe it was the whole evening that was excellent, not just them!

At a festival many years ago and the headline act for the last night were a band I'd never heard of. Wasn't too bothered about seeing them but thought, as I'm here no harm in staying to listen. Oh my. What an absolutely fabulous set and atmosphere. They were awesome that night and still one of my favourite gigs largely because of the unexpected pleasure you get from being very pleasantly surprised. The band? Runrig.

Level 42 at Glasto 86 - about an hour after the Argies had knocked us out with the Hand of God.

Extremely accomplished musicians so it shouldn't be a surprise that they were good, just a surprise to me that I enjoyed them - at a moment when I really needed cheering up.

I was doing the Dyfi enduro in 2014, the same time the Mach comedy Festival is on.

Wandered about looking for drinks and food and just happened on a big tent with a live band, for free.

The band were The Lovely Eggs, who I'd not actually heard of before.

It was one of the best things about the weekend, apart from seeing Chipps in real time.

The band were fantastic and had a real rapport with the crowd. Since then, one of their songs has been my go to explanation for so much in this world that saddens me.

I went to see Judas Priest in the Southampton Gaumont in 1980. They were dire. Their support band on the other hand, whom I hadn’t really heard of as a musically rather naive 17year old, were ace, much much better than the main act and I think both bands knew it.
Iron Maiden

Fast forward to 2011 and I saw/heard Judas Priest be completely overshadowed by their support act - Queensryke (I know they were no spring chickens themselves in 2011, but they were far and away superior to the godawful noise that Priest and Rob Halford in particular) made.

1990 I think, took a prospective girlfriend to see Heart, she really wanted to see them. Me not that bothered.

Support band were Thunder. I’d heard of them in the pages of Kerrang, but the time being the time it wasn’t instantly available as music is now. Thunder were absolutely bloody amazing.

To be honest, Heart were magnificent too.

The girlfriend never worked out. Shame, but at least the gig was good.

Not sure whether this is valid, as it doesn't fit the 'thought it would be rubbish, wasn't' narrative.

Pulp headlining Glastonbury in 95, replacing Stone Roses. I was a fan of both, but really wanted to see Stone Roses; nonetheless expected Pulp to be good in their place.

Ho

Lee

Shit

- absolutely amazing experience. If not the best gig ever certainly top 3 (Pixies, 1989 and Sugarcubes 1988 since you asked) - and I far prefer little venues than stadium / festival types.

They may be much maligned, (not helped by briefly having a Nonce in the band) and the butt of many a joke but ManOwar were bloody fantastic when I saw them in Brum a few years back.

Had a long running deal with a mate (who was a Manowar superfan) that we'd go see them if they ever played in the UK, he passed away from cancer before they did but I thought I'd keep up my side of the bargain.

No word of a lie they were fantastic, full commitment from start to finish, banger after banger, almost justifies all the cringeworthy hyperbole in their lyrics.

DEATH TO FALSE METAL \m/

The Magic Numbers at a corporate gig at the little venue inside the O2.

Even though we were shitfaced on free booze they were exceptionally good. Dunno if they were always like that or putting in a special effort as it was an industry thing?

Mrs 100th really enjoyed Sophie Ellis Better last night in Newcastle.

Alabama 3. Some time in the mid to late 90s at Glastonbury. Was wondering past the Other stage around midday. They were absolutely smashing it.

This was before the sopranos.

From the other thread

The gold standard

At the Drive-In on Jools Holland

So bad it’s good

This is amongst the finest live tv performances I’ve ever seen. When I watched it live as a teenager it absolutely captivated me.

Amy Winehouse - it was a bit of gamble on the tickets as we thought she just wouldn't show up. She was nearly an hour late and clearly a bit wasted, but my god that voice was something else, just incredible

This is amongst the finest live tv performances I’ve ever seen. When I watched it live as a teenager it absolutely captivated me.

It is great, isn't it?

Pulp headlining Glastonbury in 95

Yeah I saw them at the free (yep, nothing) Heineken Festival in Leeds Roundhay Park in the same year (where ironically they ran out of Heineken at the beer tents). I already liked them since Intro came out but wasn't sure what to expect but they were great. They were equally amazing in 2012 when they did a 'homecoming' gig in Sheffield. He has such charisma.

But that Heineken festival - what a line up for a free festival...

(PWEI were great too)

The Wurzels.
Many years ago. Not my kind of music at all, and just a bunch of old blokes,well past their prime, one of whom had even died and been replaced.
But after 40yrs on the scene they know how to entertain a crowd! And that's what it's all about really isn't it? The music is somewhat secondary, just make sure the audience have a great time and they were the masters at that.

I saw the Wurzels  at university, excellent.

Technically, I saw part of their set. To ruralify the union bar someone had procured some hay bales and strung some swedes and turnips from the celing. Like conkers.

A swede 'conkered' into your head while watching the Wurzels doesn't not greatly enhance the gig going experience. I think were it not for the anaesthetic effect of several pints of 'authentic for the occasion' scrumpy I'd still be feeling it now.

Not a fan of them recorded, but saw Elbow at Wembley as a friend couldn't go, brilliant live performers and he really has an amazing voice and holds the crowd.

Others a Foo Fighters and Killers, again not huge fans of their music, although i love Dave Grohl as a person, but both bands really do the sort of performance that holds a big festival crowd, where other bands look a bit lost when the crowd is that big.

This is going to be controversial as many folk (including me) have this fella down as worst ever gig but ... Ian Brown in Melbourne in 2008/9. On key, in tune, played Rose's songs, jumped into the crowd and took photos on people's phones with him and them. Incredibly different from any gig of his up till then. In a place called the Hi Fi bar I think. Cracking venue too.

Sometime back in the early seventies, when we were still mods, a bunch of us went to a soul night at a venue in Halifax. However, we got the day wrong and ended up at a Sweet gig. They should have been everything we hated, but they were really, really good. Couldn't dance to them, though.

There was a Pink Floyd tribute band in Doncaster called Farm who I saw at the Top Rank in about 1970. They were surprisingly good. Oh and my mate lost his virginity behind the sheds in Donny market that night, lucky sod. I didn't.

Then Bert Weedon at Sheffield Uni Rag Ball.

Much more recently Muffin Man, Zappa tribute band.

This is amongst the finest live tv performances I’ve ever seen. When I watched it live as a teenager it absolutely captivated me.

It is great, isn’t it?

Now I'm really, really old but I liked that too. Can't beat a bit of musical anarchy, which may explain my love of much contemporary classical music.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of The Dead at Koko's in London mid 2000's.  Zero expectations, great gig.  Barnstorming I think is the word and huge fun.  Still got the t-shirt.

The Duke Spirit supporting someone (precisely who I forget).  I had never heard of them before the gig but they were awesome, proper rock band and Leila Moss is just brilliant.  Saw them loads after that all across London.  Still really love their first album.

I saw Billy Bragg support the Style Council and Billy was much better.

Sleeper at Carlton studios and Hole and therapy ('92/93?) in Glasgow but only because we went on the piss with them after Courtney took no prisoners.
Then ended up with Andy cairns from therapy in a backstage bar at reading festival which wrote off my weekend.

Maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise,  because he was clearly massively talented,  but i went to see George Michael  (only because my wife was a massive fan) on what turned out to be one of his last concerts.   Really quite amazing and all seemed completely effortless.

INXS in Sheffield, supported by Alisha’s Attic. Beyond surprised.

another big up for the proclaimers here, amazing gig at fort william. I thought they would be good but they excelled.

another standout was Erasure at some sports hall in bedford. Wasnt sure what to expect but Mind blowing really, there was an electrical problem but he just carried on singing anyway, superb skills and ability.

Lastly I saw justin currie from del amitry in inverness once, he was doing a gig with mull historical society and eddie reeder. She was bobbins to be frank, mull historical was brilliant but justin currie was flippin epic! He had obviously practiced in his bedroom to nail all the moves but he totally tipped eddie reeder into a cocked hat! It was embarrassing!

I'm not sure whether it really counts as "surprisingly" good, but I saw the Dave Rawlings Machine supporting Old Crow Medicine show in Leeds which was utterly amazing. We saw them sort of by accident, a mate of mine had a couple of spare tickets so we went along knowing Gillian Welch, but not much else; and it ended up being possibly the best gig I've ever been to. Just an incredible atmosphere.

Similarly, the same mate took me to see Pharaoh Overlord in this terrible club in Bradford, which I went into not really knowing what to expect. It turned out to be mesmerising: their songs are all long instrumentals, and as they played they very slowly formed these kind of "rock star" tableaux onstage -- you kind of started off with everyone just stood there, and by the end the bassist would be crouched down with his bass like a rifle, flanked by two guitarists with their feet on monitor speakers. That sort of thing. It sounds bonkers, and it was, but it was also totally awesome.

Good times 🙂

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of The Dead at Koko’s in London mid 2000’s. Zero expectations, great gig. Barnstorming I think is the word and huge fun. Still got the t-shirt.

they were the band i immediately thought of when i read the title. went to see them at the boat club in nottingham, didnt know what they looked like, cant remember if we'd even heard any of their songs at that point.
wow, they blew us away! loud, fast, plenty of feedback, drummer and singer swapping places all the time, guitarist rolling about on the floor, you just couldnt take your eyes off them. we were stood on a table near the back, and at one point after the singer had jumped into the crowd, we wondered why everyone was looking our way. he was under our table singing.
they then smashed their equipment up and chucked it in the crowd. well, thats the end of that we thought. nope, bit by bit as the guitarist faced the speaker stack producing a load of feedback, the drums were recovered, guitars replaced and then they carried on. when it had eventually finished, they piled outside and sang a few acoustic songs by the trent. magical night.
tbh i get a bit bored with their albums, but live they cant be beat.

and talking of nottingham, another band that blew me away were Six by Seven. again, hadnt seen any pics, didnt know what they looked like, maybe just heard one song. saw them in a smallish pub type place and they were superb. atmospheric slow building, brooding, ending songs with walls of sound, hypnotic drumming, strobes and dry ice. followed them ever since, and theyve always been 'our band' since that night. deserved more acclaim than they got.

finally, theres only one other band i can think of that were way better than i expected, and thats the murder capital. heard a few songs on 6 music a few years back now and they were being mentioned in the same circles as Idles and fontaines DC, but i considered them to be a 'poor mans version' of those bands, not as exciting. that was until i saw them at rescue rooms in nottingham. had nobody to go with, billy no mates and nearly didnt go, i was so pleased i did. maybe not as exciting live as Idles, but i think theyre better musically. the songs were just perfectly performed, really soaring, sweeping guitar sounds, and james has a beautiful voice. at the end of it as we all walked out you could just feel the crowd had witnessed something special.

Prodigy- Invaders must die tour
Everything was awesome, kissy sellout as warm up was banging, Dizzy Rascal was good then Prodigy came on and were just another level.
To this day the best sound system ever at a gig, you could feel the bass (and see it vibrating sign on the handrails) and no ear ringing next day.

Saw Jimmy Somerville a few years ago at the after party for a film premiere.  He must have been well into his 50s then,  but his voice was incredible.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of The Dead at Koko’s in London mid 2000’s

I was there! And it wasn’t a surprise, absolutely loved Madonna by trail of dead. which I’m pretty sure I discovered after the turning point in my music taste of seeing at the drive-in on Jools. I vividly remember marching to the rock box in Camberley (RIP) and buying relationship of command the Saturday morning after jools. It can’t have been much later I picked up Madonna by trail of dead there.

Kula Shaker at Glastonbury in '99. We'd started watching REM, and were underwhelmed, so popped across. They were really, really good.

Here in Sheffield, I went to see a friend play in what was the National Centre for Popular Music. There was a Canadian chap, Jim White, headlining. It was just him, his guitar and a couple of loop and effect pedals. He was absolutely bloody amazing. Extremely charismatic, and very, very talented.

I really wished I had seen these guys live….

Er, saw the Beastie Boys in Manchester with Run DMC sometime in the ‘80’s and should be in the other thread as was a surprisingly miserable experience and left early. Sorry, Monkeysfeet. On the other hand the Clash at Bristol Locarno 1982 was just fantastic, amazing energy and vibe and tops my list closely followed by Iggy with Steve Jones, Nottingham and Violet Femmes, Leeds both in the ‘80s and James in Exeter in early ‘90s - again giving their all and really connecting with the crowd. Elbow at the Eden Project a few years back was just lovely, amazing location for that one.

The Proclaimers at the Big Session in Leicester many years ago. I'm Scottish by-the-way but always thought of them as a novelty act but they put on a bloody good gig- they even had groupies in the front row in basques and tartan minis- this may have swayed my opinion somewhat! I'll never buy any of their albums but would go and see them live again.

I generally don't watch bands that I think will be shite. But...

The Fall. I expected them to be shite, because I had already seen them once, in 1999, and they were absolutely pathetic. It was embarrassing. But they played in the pub I worked at in Manchester a couple of years later, and they were really good! Mark E Smith was capable not only of speech, but also standing upright, and spent most of the gig actually on stage!

Lady Gaga, saw her at a festival mostly because I'd just finished spewing my guts up behind a tree and she was bloody brilliant.

And another +1 for Wheatus, saw them at Camden Rocks and they were fully aware that most of the crowd was only there for Teenage Dirtbag or because they'd got in early for Frank Turner, but they shrugged it off.

The Pet Shop Boys headlined a local festival, and they were really really good.

Many years ago a friend got us tickets to see Mark Cohan. I think he was only known for walking in Memphis at that time. Support was Tori Amos. Never have I seen one bloke pick up an audience by the scruff of the neck and hold them up for the entire show then leave, letting them down gently as they sang his songs back to him. Definitely an example of entertainment as opposed to just the ability to play yer songs live.

I really wished I had seen these guys live….

Retry sure I saw them at Glastonbury one year.

Years ago at Uni an Irish mate had some friends coming to visit and they were going to see The Saw Doctors so I went along. Bloody hell they were good, I mean the songs are a bit naff and they were hardly cool but when a band just throws themselves at it and are having a great time themselves it makes such a difference.