"I saw 'em in front of 2 people at the Dog & Hammer back in the day"

[Famous Mortimer]

I was at that Mogwai gig, it was a good un'.

Oh aye, I saw Mogwai in...Oxford?...supporting Urusei Yatsura when they'd only put out one 7" single, and they were bloody great.

[Captain Poodle Basher]

U2 - 1982 at a local summer festival, I doubt there was more than 150 people there but it was outdoors and most people weren't paying them much attention.

Microdisney - 1984. The band almost outnumbered the audience there were so few people present.

The Mission - 1986. Their first ever gig in London with about three or four dozen people present. Half of whom were their Eskimo entourage.

The Frank & Walters - 1990/91 in a tiny pub venue - less than fifty people present.

[jobotic]

Saw Radiohead at the Penny Theatre in Canterbury just before the released their first single or maybe Pablo Honey.  Thought they were just another bunch of indie also-rans at the time so didn't really pay much attention.
Also saw Suede support Kingmaker in Folkestone before they hit big.

I think I saw Supergrass supporting The Bluetones there, but it night have been the other way round. Not really sure why I went.

[Porter Dimi]

Saw Florence and the Machine opening for Pete Doherty in early 2008. Wish they'd done the whole gig instead, to be honest.

[Captain Crunch]

Love the old tickets, did you have to buy them *IN PERSON* at the venue or did your Mum use her debit card and get them through the post? 

[Jockice]

Obvious one first of all. Pulp supporting another band (Artery) in a pub in Sheffield, early 82. Only Jarvis remained as a member but I've seen just about every line-up since, let me tell you.

Primal Scream/The Wedding Present/someone else who became fairly big whose name I've forgotten. On different nights at the Leadmill's Sunday indie bands night circa 86/87. Which not many people turned up to.

Happy Mondays. Supporting The Shamen at an almost empty Leadmill on a Saturday night in 1987. More there for The Shamen. But not that many.

Radiohead, not long after Creep was released, on the smallest stage at Sheffield University in front of probably around 30 people. Saw Thom Yorke earlier stomping around obviously in a vile mood because of the lack of crowd.

Coldplay supporting Muse at The Leadmill at the start of the century, again before the crowds turned up. Definitely saw them but can't remember a thing about them. As I still can't about their appearance on the NME tour not long before. Or afterwards. I can't remember.

And one I didn't see. Oasis's first appearance in Sheffield as (unannounced) second support to BMX Bandits at the old Poly. Stayed in the bar for that, as did most people. Didn't realise who they were until I interviewed Noel around the release of Shakermaker and he mentioned it. At which I told him I'd been there and they'd rocked my world. Probably.

[Icehaven]

Saw Muse supporting either Placebo or Puressence in Wolverhampton in about 1997/8 to general indifference, didn't really like them, thought they were an early Radiohead rip-off band, forgot about them until they turned up everywhere shortly thereafter.

Not quite the same but Nizlopi (of one hit wonder JCB song) used to regularly turn up (pre 'fame') at an open mic slot at miniscule venue The Tin Angel in Coventry, and we saw them there just a few months before they had their moment. They were an unheard of localish band but they finished with JCB and most of the crowd were singing along with it by the end, and it got rapturous applause. Wasn't surprised to see it rocket to number one a few months later. Of course I hated it then and now. 

[Head Gardener]

Love the old tickets, did you have to buy them *IN PERSON* at the venue or did your Mum use her debit card and get them through the post?

I used to send off for them - my dad once refused to let me go to see Be Bop Deluxe on my own in Leicester
and tore the ticket into pieces in front of me and threw them in my face (yeah, thanks dad!) He took me & a mate
to our first gig at Earls Court to see Queen on their Day At The Races tour, guided us to our seats and wandered
off to the bar. We never saw him until after the show and he was sooo pissed and said he couldn't be arsed to see the band
as he thought "they were bloody rubbish".

[Shit Good Nose]

Feeder

That's reminded me - ditto.  Ash and Reef were also on the bill.  This must have been 93 or 94.  I want to say the Fleece and Firkin again, but I don't think it was.  I only went cos a mate was already a huge fan of Feeder and Ash.  Otherwise it wasn't really my bag.

[holyzombiejesus]

I saw The Charlatans supporting Frazier Chorus at The Boardwalk before they'd had any records out. Saw Oasis supporting Liz Phair at Manchester University and supporting 18 Wheeler and BMX Bandits at Keele University. MBV at The Boardwalk, Stone Roses at some tiny place in Shrewsbury, Sonic Youth at The Boardwalk, James at The Boardwalk too.

[Bobby Treetops]

BoC quite early on

I was there this for one as well, 18 years ago...fuck me.

This was the night I trod on Bjork's foot during the Autechre set, she seemed to take it well.

[Jockice]

I saw The Charlatans supporting Frazier Chorus at The Boardwalk before they'd had any records out. Saw Oasis supporting Liz Phair at Manchester University and supporting 18 Wheeler and BMX Bandits at Keele University. MBV at The Boardwalk, Stone Roses at some tiny place in Shrewsbury, Sonic Youth at The Boardwalk, James at The Boardwalk too.

18 Wheeler! That's it. I was trying desperately to think of the band officially supporting BMX Bandits the night I didn't see Oasis. Who, incidentally, I didn't see next time they played Sheffield either. That was headlining at the Leadmill. I was talking to a girl I knew beforehand with Manchester connections (well, she used to go out with one of The Bodines. Who were from Glossop) who told me: "This lot will blow your mind." They came on, started with Shakermaker, and I thought 'no they won't' and went to the bar where I stayed till they were finished.

Which reminds me of the time I took a well-known music press journalist from Manchester to the same venue to see World Of Twist with Pulp supporting. After about 30 seconds she decided the latter were utter rubbish and (despite my protests) went and stayed in the bar till WoT came on. A few months later she was writing fawning articles about how great Pulp were. Bloody hacks. Can't make their minds up.

[Head Gardener]

I was there this for one as well, 18 years ago...fuck me.

This was the night I trod on Bjork's foot during the Autechre set, she seemed to take it well.

do you remember Aphex playing Ah-ha's Take on Me REALLY fast?*

*I was on e that night so may have imagined this.

[boki]

do you remember Aphex playing Ah-ha's Take on Me REALLY fast?*

*I was on e that night so may have imagined this.

I wasn't on owt (well, other than beer) and was already heading back home by the time Aphex was on 'cos I was bloody knackered.  I think this must've been my first ever attempt at going to an all-nighter, come to think of it.  My abiding memory was that it was well cold and there was never anywhere to sit.  That, and Bogdan's set being absolutely bangin'.

[SteveDave]

Public Service Broadcasting played their first ever gig supporting my old band Knickers at Paper Dress when it was in Shoreditch. There was just the main one and a drummer with a load of televisions playing looped clips of old films. Didn't care for them then, and I still don't.

[Head Gardener]

My abiding memory was that it was well cold and there was never anywhere to sit

ah yes, it was pretty cool but jeez the only way I could stay up was to add stimulants but it was such a weird night,
I remember getting there and the queue was ridiculous so I just said to my mate let's just walk to the front, which we did
and were inside within minutes, our beatific smiles probably helped

[Bobby Treetops]

do you remember Aphex playing Ah-ha's Take on Me REALLY fast?*

*I was on e that night so may have imagined this.

I remember the massive queue to get in as they were checking everyone for recording devices.

Security didn't seem too bothered about finding any drugs I had on me.

I also rememeber the venue being a pain in the arse to get back from at 6 in the morning.

Apart from that everything else is a bit...vague.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I'm struggling to think of any which is odd as back in the 90s/2000s I used to see a lot of bands, the only example which springs to mind is seeing Plan B supporting Willy Mason at the Camden Enterprise, where he apologised for the content of every song and stressed how it was a character he was playing and not his own views.

[purlieu]

I was visiting a friend at university and he got free tickets for some band at the student union bar so we went along. They were called Keane and I thought 'eh, they were ok, never going to be big though'. A few months later they were everywhere.

I was at a club night in Leeds and it was one of those nights they also decided to have a band on in one of the rooms. They were called The Bravery and I thought 'eh, they were ok, never going to be big though'. A few months later, their debut album and single were in the top 10.

I saw Arctic Monkeys supporting The Coral and thought 'eh, they were ok, never going to be big though'.

The lesson? I should never be an A&R person.

[Lordofthefiles]

I saw The Oasis's play 4 songs and get filled at The Riverside, Newcastle.
Think it was a few weeks before Definitely Maybe was released.

£4 a ticket!!

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

I was visiting a friend at university and he got free tickets for some band at the student union bar so we went along. They were called Keane and I thought 'eh, they were ok, never going to be big though'. A few months later they were everywhere.

I was at a club night in Leeds and it was one of those nights they also decided to have a band on in one of the rooms. They were called The Bravery and I thought 'eh, they were ok, never going to be big though'. A few months later, their debut album and single were in the top 10.

The lesson? I should never be an A&R person.

Other lesson: Even some shite bands can be successful.

[Phil_A]

Saw Elbow in a tent at the Reading Festival in 2001, when they were waaaaaaaay down the bill. Frustratingly I remember seeing them but not Gorkys Zygotic Mynci who were on straight after, and I know which of those bands should've been massively successful.

I was convinced I'd seen an unknown Foals supporting The Young Knives at some NME thing in 2008, turns out I was thinking of a shit Swedish duo called Datarock and Foals didn't even play that night. Not really arsed about Foals either, to be honest.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Saw Elbow in a tent at the Reading Festival in 2001, when they were waaaaaaaay down the bill. Frustratingly I remember seeing them but not Gorkys Zygotic Mynci who were on straight after, and I know which of those bands should've been massively successful.

I was convinced I'd seen an unknown Foals supporting The Young Knives at some NME thing in 2008, turns out I was thinking of a shit Swedish duo called Datarock and Foals didn't even play that night. Not really arsed about Foals either, to be honest.

I was there and saw both, just think we might have been standing right next to each other during Gorkys. And we could have kissed! All night long!

[Brundle-Fly]

I've seen bands in small venues that went onto greater things. For example, Pulp in 1992 but even then the Powerhaus was fairly packed and more recently Sleaford Mods in a similarly heaving tiny blues club in Soho.

I can't remember seeing any artist perform an ill attended gig who later played Wembley or Brixton Academy or Hammersmith Odeon.  The only exception might be me popping along to a student band night over thirty years ago. One band's bass player went on to play in Bush.

So, a bit of Bush then. Woo.

[Head Gardener]

I won tickets via Our Price to see a recording of TV show The White Room hosted by Mark Radcliffe,
Oasis, Paul Weller & PJ Harvey were on the bill - Noel & Weller did an acoustic duet, but there were loads of folk there, Mark was friendly

Acquiesce

[BlodwynPig]

Porcupine Tree playing to me and a chair at the Riverside, Newcastle in 1994
The Yoghurt Weavers to me and "Bingo" at the Mayfair, Newcastle in 1994 (who you may ask? who indeed!)

[Captain Crunch]

I got tickets to 'The Beat' featuring CAB favourite Gary Crowley.  You had to send in a SAE and hope.  I remember seeing Bush and Powder, can't remember the other two.  Bush bombed, as it were. 

[Bobtoo]

I saw The Proclaimers playing in a village talent contest when they were still punks. They didn't win.

I picked up a pair of hitchhikers once, and they told me that they were playing that night. I rounded up a few friends and we formed a significant proportion of the audience. It was an unpaid gig, they just passed a hat around at the end. The band was the Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra, led by the future King Creosote. It would be a bit of a stretch to call him huge, but he's reasonably well known now.

[gloria]

I saw Tori Amos play a free gig to a small crowd in the coffee bar of my university in about 1991. Loved her ever since.

[Better Midlands]

DJ'd with Mark Pritchard & Tom Middleton at a squat in a big house in Sandbanks, Poole (most expensive real estate per foot in the world) to about 30 people, there were several other bigger rooms there with sound systems and to be fair the room we did was small and packed. This was when they were still releasing records on Evolution, I think they had just released #3.

Saw Andy Weatherall play to me and 4 mates in Madison's Bournemouth 1989.