Gig Regrets

[ThickAndCreamy]

Not going to see Muse at Wembley, it looked like one hell of an exciting spectacle. I didn't really like their music at the time and now after listening through their back catalogue I think they're a pretty good band. However, live at Wembley would of been such a great experience to be in and even though they are not by any means my favourite band, it would of been great to see them at Wembley.

Also I missed Arcade Fire at Brixton last year due to not knowing about them enough and missed them at Ally Pally as none of my friends like them and bought a ticket for a Sunday, so even going depressingly on my own would be impossible due to the trains closing at such an early time. It's going to be years until I get to see one of my favourite bands live now, which is shit to be blunt.

[alan nagsworth]

If he wants to be clever, he should be experimenting with lots of different sigs. As it is, he's no more clever than anyone working in 4/4.

That's more or less what I said:

It sounds just as consistently good as any other artist doing 4/4 and it's more an interesting little twist than "lookit me i am so fuckin clever".

What I'm saying is because he works in that time signature probably 85% of the time, he's got his technique down and it's not like a 'unique selling point', it's just something else marginally interesting for first time listeners and well-received with the majority of his long-term fans. Which is why it's technically no more fancy than doing a song in 4/4, because it's just what Snares does. I mean I know he's arrogant in some respects (probably quite a few) but he makes breakcore for pete's sake, that's the most obvious thing he's pushing in people's faces: being the breakcore big man. The 7/4 time sigs were around before he claimed that "title", arrogance or no arrogance.

[Paaaaul]

I regret seeing Sugar at the Xfm benefit gig Great Xpectations, I was a big fan and halfway in no sod could still work out what song they were playing it was that terrible.

I saw them play a set like that and was totally blown away.
It wasn't that they were playing badly, it was pure energy and all the amps turned up to 11.
I could only make out maybe two songs, but it was like being on the 90 degree drop of a rollercoaster for an hour.

[Canted_Angle]

I went to the most recent Queens Of The Stone Age gig, but got too wrecked and i remember nothing about it.

Also i turned down seeing The Doors a few years ago because my girlfriend had a sandy vagina that day.

[vdbn]

Top three regrets:

1.) Not seeing Pulp on their first Glastonbury headline slot because I was trying (and failing) to get near enough to one of the entrances of the packed acoustic tent to hear Portishead. Still, I tell anyone who asks that I did see Pulp that night anyway. And I got to see Evan Dando getting bottled off, which was very funny.

2.) Having a ticket for what turned out to be Kenickie's last gig but not going because I fell asleep. I only lived about 100 yards away at the time too. Although it sounds like a horrible fiasco, I'd have liked to have been there.

3.) There IS a third one but I can't think what it is. I've got a suspicion that it's something so upsetting I've blocked it out.

[chocky909]

I left early during the one time I saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor because I felt like I was going to pass out. It was absolutely spine chillingly good up until then and I felt fine afterwards annoyingly.

[Mindbear]

I saw them play a set like that and was totally blown away.
It wasn't that they were playing badly, it was pure energy and all the amps turned up to 11.
I could only make out maybe two songs, but it was like being on the 90 degree drop of a rollercoaster for an hour.

The one I saw was quite famously bad, they even refused to let any of their set be put on the live tape that was put out afterwards. I love Bob Mould being raucous, but it was honestly just a drone and the vocals were so low in the mix but the microphone would feedback every so often so loud I felt ill. Your gig sounds exciting, I wish i'd seen that instead.

[Mindbear]

Top three regrets:

1.) Not seeing Pulp on their first Glastonbury headline slot because I was trying (and failing) to get near enough to one of the entrances of the packed acoustic tent to hear Portishead. Still, I tell anyone who asks that I did see Pulp that night anyway. And I got to see Evan Dando getting bottled off, which was very funny.

I was there, and I have to say it was an immense thing. I had seen Pulp a trillion times, always early evening, not getting the interest they deserved, and then suddenly they were headlining, and it was beautiful, Jarvis was sharp, the sound was pristine, it was beautiful.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Now I may be wrong here, but I could have sworn there was a fairly appreciable time difference between Portishead's and Pulp's performances.  I definitely tried to see the former and did see the latter, but I definitely also saw Orbital, who were on before Pulp.  It was 13 years ago, though, so I may be talking out of my hat.

As a Pulp-sceptic, they were pretty good that night - but they still weren't the Stone Roses.

[Neville Chamberlain]

I used to work at the Zodiac venue in Oxford and around Jan 2007 I was taking a break back at my dad's house, they phoned and said 'we need a front of house supervisor for Robyn Hitchcock, you can just watch the gig we just need someone to be in charge and cash up and so on' and I love Robyn Hitchcock so the thought of going to see him whilst receiving a reasonable hourly wage was great, but I was really tired and it was an hour and a bit train journey, so I decided against it.

I then got a phonecall afterwards, Robyn played one of the best sets of his life with Peter Buck on lead guitar in his band, for the encore Michael Stipe and Mike Mills came and joined them on stage for some Byrds covers, some Hitchcock songs, Electrolite and a at-that-point unreleased R.E.M. song (I'm Gonna DJ). Also Thom Yorke was in the audience and spent a good while chatting to the bar staff.

Sounds like you had a lucky escape!

[Jemble Fred]

My first week at Aberystwyth University, 1997, there was some band called Catatonia playing at the Union, but none of my rudimentary fresher 'gang' had heard of them, so we never bothered to go, and just went into town and loaded up on £1-a-pint lager. In my memory this was only a few weeks before 'Mulder & Scully' entered the charts, and I fell in love with Cerys Matthews. Darn.

[alan nagsworth]

Damn Jemble, that's a mighty shame! I would've loved to see Catatonia in the midst of International Velvet-era touring.

[Neville Chamberlain]

My first week at Aberystwyth University, 1997, there was some band called Catatonia playing at the Union, but none of my rudimentary fresher 'gang' had heard of them, so we never bothered to go, and just went into town and loaded up on £1-a-pint lager. In my memory this was only a few weeks before 'Mulder & Scully' entered the charts, and I fell in love with Cerys Matthews. Darn.

Sounds like you had a lucky escape too!

[asv]

I have had two chances to see Grandaddy (one supported by the then unknown Polyphonic Spree) and I blew off both.  I am a tit.

[Neville Chamberlain]

I have had two chances to see Grandaddy (one supported by the then unknown Polyphonic Spree) and I blew off both.  I am a tit.

Phew! Crikey! And you had a lucky escape as well! Both those bands are rubbish!

[Danger Man]

Three off the top of my head.

Not bothering to see the support at a Colourfield gig in 1985(?) because I couldn't be bothered to leave the bar. Anyway, 'Happy Mondays' sounded like a band with no future.

Not bothering seeing James Brown because...don't know really, just too lazy to go and see him.

Bothering to actually buy tickets and go to Live Aid thinking....(sigh)....that it would be the Woodstock of my generation...

[Mindbear]

Now I may be wrong here, but I could have sworn there was a fairly appreciable time difference between Portishead's and Pulp's performances.  I definitely tried to see the former and did see the latter, but I definitely also saw Orbital, who were on before Pulp.  It was 13 years ago, though, so I may be talking out of my hat.

As a Pulp-sceptic, they were pretty good that night - but they still weren't the Stone Roses.

Orbital were on two bands before if I remember correctly. I was dancing in a vague smattering of daylight when they were on I'm sure. Regarding Pulp taking the place of the stone roses, I've only seen the stone roses three times, but that performance from Pulp was oustanding, and each time I've seen the Stone Roses it's been slightly disappointing, especially when they headlined Reading, which was horrific.

[Viero_Berlotti]

...each time I've seen the Stone Roses it's been slightly disappointing, especially when they headlined Reading, which was horrific.

God, yes. That is one gig I do regret going to. It was a shame because Sonic Youth had played a blistering set before them as well. I should have gone to see Rocket From The Crypt in the NME tent instead.

[Jemble Fred]

Sounds like you had a lucky escape too!

I don't understand. Obviously I'm doing you the singular favour of presuming that you DON'T mean to insinuate that a band as great as Catatonia (especially at the height of their powers, and in a Welsh venue no less) were less than superb. You can't be so sunk in despicable lack of musicality to think that.

[Don_Preston]

Well he slagged off REM before, so anything's possible!

[CaledonianGonzo]

Nev is the new [banned troll], with Cardiacs subsituting for The Who and motoric krautrock substituting for Susannah Hoffs.

[Neville Chamberlain]

I don't understand. Obviously I'm doing you the singular favour of presuming that you DON'T mean to insinuate that a band as great as Catatonia (especially at the height of their powers, and in a Welsh venue no less) were less than superb. You can't be so sunk in despicable lack of musicality to think that.

My musical despicability knows no bounds!

[Tom Pynchon's Photo]

Some 20 years ago as a callow youth I found myself in London at the same time The Throwing Muses and The Pixies were sharing the same bill at The Town and Country Club in Cambden. I had chance the to go and see this gig and after little debate, passed on that chance.

That was rather stupid of me. And no excuse - I think it was Surfa Rosa time for Pixies and Fat Skier time for Throwing Muses. I had these records, loved these records, and yet passed on chance to see these two bands on the same fucking bill and for reasons I cannot remember (or prefer not to remember).


Still, saw Goodbye Mr McKenzie at the same venue - not many people can say that - eh.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Still, saw Goodbye Mr McKenzie at the same venue - not many people can say that - eh.

Not exactly, but I did go and see the 'McKenzie' at a local(ish) show in the QM.  Didn't their guitarist go on to play with Nirvana, of all people?

[Pie Pie Eater]

Phew! Crikey! And you had a lucky escape as well! Both those bands are rubbish!

Grandaddy's onstage plant display was nice though.

[Marvin]

Not exactly, but I did go and see the 'McKenzie' at a local(ish) show in the QM.  Didn't their guitarist go on to play with Nirvana, of all people?

Yeah, he was their live guitarist for awhile at their later gigs. Apparently the keyboard player had her own band or something too.

[vdbn]

Now I may be wrong here, but I could have sworn there was a fairly appreciable time difference between Portishead's and Pulp's performances.  I definitely tried to see the former and did see the latter, but I definitely also saw Orbital, who were on before Pulp.  It was 13 years ago, though, so I may be talking out of my hat.

Having just ransacked my room looking for the programme from that year, I can't be definite on this. However, I think what happened was that they weren't scheduled to clash BUT Evan Dando's late appearance meant that when Portishead were meant to be on the band due on before them came on, THEN Evan and then Portishead. Consequently, they came on well late and consequently I missed Pulp.

Pulp rubric: I saw Pulp on their mid afternoon NME stage set the year before by chance, having just watched Tiny Monroe (yes, THE Tiny Monroe !!!1) and saw them a few years later, This Is Hardcore time, with Jarvis in a strange white, belted frock coat affair.

Thinking on, Gig Regret No 3 has come back to me now: After leaving Glastonbury one year, someone convinced me that George Harrison had played a set in the acoustic tent and the thought of having missed this left me paralysed with sorrow. As far as I have been able to find out, this performance did not in fact happen.

[Toad in the Hole]

Not seeing the Go-Betweens in 2000 when they were here due to recent death in my family.

Not seeing Pavement at what I think turned out to be their last ever (maybe penultimate) gig in Manchester the same year.

Oh well, at least I saw Elliott Smith touring Figure 8.

And no dissing Grandaddy!  Some great tunes, I will defend the beautiful "Now It's On" until I'm blue in the face.

[trotsky assortment]

Zappa's 1988 tour. I just couldn't be arsed to go all the way down to London. Fucking idiot.

A friend of mine had tickets for one of the last London shows Zappa played.  He decided he couldn't be bothered and gave them away.  To be fair though, the bloke he gave them to was a far bigger fan.

[Mindbear]

God, yes. That is one gig I do regret going to. It was a shame because Sonic Youth had played a blistering set before them as well. I should have gone to see Rocket From The Crypt in the NME tent instead.

I was there, all excited, having seen Sonic Youth, and the Stone Roses came on and disgraced themselves. What the hell was the bald dancer about? Why a cybergoth? Why the out of tune wailing and forgetting lyrics? It was just terrible. I think I would have regretted not going though, especially in favour of Rocket From The Crypt, who I liked, but not enough.