Surprisingly good gigs

What bands have surprised you most at a concert? You know, bands you may have seen coz taken the girllfriend to or seen as part of a music festival.

I saw No Doubt a few years back at Witness and thought they were one of the best live bands I'd ever seen. They put on a really good show.

Later that year at Slane I went just because it was Slane really. Stereophonics were headlining and I never really liked their radio-friendly stuff. But when they started on the old stuff from their first album I was a converted fan.

Thrice in the Temple Bar Music Centre. A mate of mine was going to the gig, and staying with me after it, so I went along. Loud, crazy, Yanks. I want to say like Rage Against The Machine, but Thrice are a bit cleaner sounding (as in less distortion) than RATM.

To my embarrassment -David Bowie. He just kinda slipped under my radar the whole way through the years prior -could've been that I hit my teens in mid 80's when he was starting to make some weak stuff.

Saw him at Phoenix Festival in 97 and he was fantastic.

A couple of years ago, Toploader, this year at oxegen, the streets (saw before but was crap), The Beautiful South (no really they were alright!) and fightstar (yer man from busted's new band)

Fightstar? Busted? Your head must be put on a plate Drums Red!

I've always liked Supergrass, went to see them in the Olympia last summer and they were fcuking amazing ! really rocked the place, they totally went up in my estimation after that

Always liked Doves having seen them a few times ,but at Oxegen last Sunday they were fantastic,really surprised by how much sound they could get,especially with a dance tent banging out not too far away :rolleyes:.Come on the Doves :cool:

Saw Taking Back Sunday in the Ambassador in Jan, they were amazing. Fightstar supported them and now I actually really like them. They really really suprised me! Hard to believe it was the same guy that was in Busted.

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Originally Posted by Roo69

I've always liked Supergrass, went to see them in the Olympia last summer and they were fcuking amazing ! really rocked the place, they totally went up in my estimation after that

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Smashing group - wonder why they were not on Live8? Rather them than Mariah Carey and Belladonna.

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Originally Posted by sirhamish

Smashing group - wonder why they were not on Live8? Rather them than Mariah Carey and Belladonna.

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Jaysus Hamish,you've dropped your standards

saw ween some years back and expected a sort've lighthearted and fun gig but was surprised at how hot they played, really blew me away, doubled over laughing with an amazing, driving performance to boot.. david byrne a couple of years ago was fantastic. i thought he'd just be really really really good :D

Saw Damien Rice before he got really famous and having never heard his stuff before, I was blown away + his support that night, Paul Casey, who I have never heard of before or after but who gave me a free copy of his excellent CD. Prodigy at Oxygen were amazing, I think it helped that we were up towards the front going mental :) Would also agree that Beautiful South were good, which surprised me. Honorable mention to a Spanish band called M Clan when I was in Spain a few years ago.

David Gray in Marley Park a few years ago,Excellent

I cant stand robbir williams music at all but i have to say he put on a great show in slane

Alabama 3 right back in the mid 90's, Manchester University - around the time of Aint Goin to Goa. Really amazing music performance, and them doing all this Southern US style preaching. Fookin Brilliant.

The Beta Band - Manchester University. I've gone on about this gig several times on here before. Just really blew me away - just so different to anything else out there at the time (and since come to think of it).

Super Furry Animals - Manchester Academy. They did this tour with Quadrophonic sound (speakers at the back as well as at the stage). Always a fan, but that night I thought they'd take on the world in that mad tank they had on the front of one of their singles.

Spiritulized - Manchester Academy. It was the tour that culminated with the Royal Albert Hall gig that was released as an Album. Some of me mates had just come back from the Dam ;) . Was expecting a shambolic gig, but it was really tight and I was really..... :D

New Order - Manchester Apollo. Their first gig back, a warm up for Reading (I think it was). Again was expecting a bit of a shambolic gig, but turned out to be a brilliant night. Also, afaik, the first time they played Joy Division songs as part of their set.

Saw the beta band in dublin a while ago and must agree with ye macy, theyre amazing live - a pretty weird gig though.

Saw the super furry animals at oxegen - thought thye were very good apart from when they played their dancy tunes :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Cosmo

I cant stand robbir williams music at all but i have to say he put on a great show in slane

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gotta agree with you there he converted me that night.

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Originally Posted by D2 Red

Jaysus Hamish,you've dropped your standards

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Ah, D2, they're a great driving rock band - great live band too.C'mon
now........"Grace, save your money for the children." :D :D

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Thrice in the Temple Bar Music Centre. A mate of mine was going to the gig, and staying with me after it, so I went along. Loud, crazy, Yanks. I want to say like Rage Against The Machine, but Thrice are a bit cleaner sounding (as in less distortion) than RATM.

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saw them live a few times at festivals a few years back, no idea who they we're , converted into a really big fan, great band

The Mars Volta are not that well known here but are amazing live, possibly going as far to say the best live act in the world at the moment, without doubt the most energy fuelled gig! :cool: