I fairly regularly used to catch the last train north or south out of there when I was being sub-contracted to our Daresbury lab. I came close once or twice but never got stuck and I’m very glad about that. I came closer at Nuneaton when I was doing Coventry-Nuneaton route to bypass Brum (cheaper and sometimes the times worked better). I also remember legging it across to Snow Hill one night when they had trains but New St didn’t.
VB
Prince Lovesexy tour Wembley Arena 1988.
I saw REM there in 1989 - only time I have ever been to a large venue gig, and definitely the last.
REM were OK but it was just a soulless experience.
A few others that have come to mind:
The Mission / All About Eve - London Astoria 1988
Stone Roses - Northampton Roadmenders 1989
Pale Saints / Lush - Leeds Warehouse 1989
Hole - Duchess Of York Leeds 1991
I’m actually not bothered about the band talking to the audience. My favourite band growing up was New Order. They never said a word, and usually walked off stage leaving the sequencers and drum machines going for about 5 minutes before a roadie scuttled on to turn them off.
I hate this pseudo-Bono 3-4 minutes of waffle about Jesus and/or the origins of the song, before telling us he loves us all and finally playing a fucking tune that a lot of the arena bands indulge in. STFU and play is the way to go IMHO.
My first: Tubeway Army/OMD 1979
The Teardrop Explodes - 1982
Nine Below Zero - 1983
The Cure - Glastonbury 1986 (acid assisted)
Iggy Pop - 1988
Ben Folds Five - 1996
Jah Wobble - 2019
No one wants waffle. I saw Nadine shah the other year, she spent most of the evening delivering a political rant which was most off putting.
Wouldn’t have hurt them to say thank you London before they fucked off though.
As soon as they’ve played the last note it is time for the pub or the tube. Meh! to goodnight. Feckin’ band introductions where everone does a little solo are utter shit too (apart from the one VU did on their reunion tour as it took the piss).
Never seen that except in the movies
All About Eve
Jesus and Mary Chain
My favourite would have to be the Prodigy on the Fat of the Land tour, at Doncaster Dome.
All standing, fairly tightly packed and raining sweat, condensing from the roof.
They come on to Smack my Bitch Up, Keef snarling away.
The track starts quietly with a bit of rhythmic noodling, building the tension and excitement, then…
BOOM!!! The bass line kicks in and the whole crowd spontaneously jump as one as the place just explodes.
I’ve never felt more alive!
Honorable mention goes to Goldie Looking Chain at Hull College/Uni.
A hell of a lot of fun and a classic moment when two of the students came on stage during Half Man Half Machine dressed as robots, but done in that totally cliched way of cardboard boxes covered in tinfoil.
It just fitted in perfectly with the atmosphere, loved it.
I dont think I’ve been to better gigs
Venues listed but not the year, can’t be arsed to look them all up. In no particular order, all were amongst my favourite gigs
Chuck Berry – Middlesbrough Town Hall - '70’s
Genesis (LLDOB tour) – Newcastle City Hall
Blackbushe -All of it – Stoned, pissed and very very happy
Squeeze - Newcastle City Hall - great fun
Nine Below Zero – Coatham Bowl, Redcar - raw blues
Blue Oyster Cult – Some dive in Hartlepool that I can’t remember the name of - fantastic musicians
Queen – Sunderland Locarno - Just after release of their first album
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Middlesbrough Town Hall - 2 hrs, non-stop - fantastic
Tom Robinson Band - Middlesbrough Town Hall - 2,4,6,8, etc
Jethro Tull - Newcastle City Hall - late '70’s
A couple of the worst concerts I’ve seen
Lindisfarne Christmas Concert - Newcastle City Hall, late '80’s – over-hyped, overrated
Mark Knopfler – Newcastle Arena – awful sound system and he hit so many bum notes
Must add Elton John @ Woburn Abbey in 2000.
Just the man and a piano. Rocket Man was the most amazing song I have ever heard played at a gig, ever.
Sublime !
Me neither. 
Yep, they were fantastic. Obviously the venue was everything 
Best non-American blues harp player I’ve ever heard, Mark (the harp) Feltham. Genius.
The worst is when bands get the crowd to sing the choruses of their biggest songs.
No, you’re alright mate. I’ve just spent £40 on this ticket to hear you sing it. Not a bad pub karaoke version by some pissed-up twats I don’t know.
MC Hammer at Whitley Bay Ice Rink. Can still remember laughing our heads off when we were up on the seats singing ‘Go Hammer, go Hammer, go’.
I was fairly young and it was my first gig with a mate. Mate I went with was found dead on a beach a few months back.
