# Whats the worst gig you've ever seen/been to?



## elefantfresh (19 Mar 2009)

Did anyone see the Meteor awards last night? I literally stumbled accross it by mistake (honestly). Happened to tune in just as Boyzone were taking to the stage. Now, lets be honest, I wouldnt be the biggest Boyzone fan - they're not really aimed at my age or gender - however, I just have to say that it really, genuinly was once of the worst performances I've ever seen - it was pathetic. How are/were those guys so successful? I guess it must show how cleverly packaged they actually were. Maybe Louis is way smarter than we think. Even the reaction from the crowd was woeful. I actually compared the performace to that muppet from Babyshambles when he was on Live8 with Elton John. 
Anyone think of any other dreadful performances?


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## Lollix (19 Mar 2009)

I imagine that any of the various talent shows, X-factor type TV shows that have polluted our airwaves in the last few years would fit the bill as awful for anyone stuck in the audience. For me, the thought of a couple of hours watching a bunch of tracksuited kids lepping around a stage while trying to be black and mean would be hell on earth. Luckily, I have never been caught in this situation!


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## ninsaga (19 Mar 2009)

Price when he played in Cork years ago - the crowd got bored with him during one of his strung out guitar riffs & started singing Ole Ole Ole


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## Caveat (19 Mar 2009)

Chris Rea.  It was professional enough but just throat-slittingly dull and musaky.


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## Smashbox (19 Mar 2009)

I've enjoyed all the concerts I went to...!!


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## Purple (19 Mar 2009)

Smashbox said:


> I've enjoyed all the concerts I went to...!!


 You must have low standards so


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## elefantfresh (19 Mar 2009)

> I've enjoyed all the concerts I went to...!!



I've certainly enjoyed most of them - some of them have been utterly fantastic but theres certainly been a few duds. Saw SLF many many many moons ago and was so excited about it - but the whole place ended up in a riot and they legged it off early - so disappointed. Might go see them in May.


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## micheller (19 Mar 2009)

Emo philips a few years ago at the summer comedy festival in Dublin. Most of the gig was really good, but he didn't know when to leave the stage and after a great gig he died a slow death on stage for about 15 minutes. It was excruciating


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## Smashbox (19 Mar 2009)

Purple said:


> You must have low standards so


 

Dont I know it!


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## becky (19 Mar 2009)

Boyzone were successful only because Take That broke up at the time.  They are not and never were in Take Thats league.  I don't think the reunion has been successful whereas take that are doing really well.

I was very disappointed with the Killers in Marly Park last year.


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## Celtwytch (19 Mar 2009)

I have one that was great for me but probably bad for everyone else ... I went to see The Damned in Burnley, even got to stand right at the front, but they left the stage early cos of the amount of beer that was being thrown at them (even punk bands have their limits!).  But I got to hang out with them in the dressing room afterwards, so I actually didn't mind the shorter gig after all


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## Guest122 (19 Mar 2009)

Worst concert Madonna in Slane supported by Iggy Pop truly awful (both of them)
Best has to be Faile Trip to Tipp (first and second) around 1990 - ahh those were the days...


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## oldtimer (19 Mar 2009)

The Barbara Streisland concert, was it two years ago?


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## lou2 (19 Mar 2009)

Have to agree with the Madonna concert in Slane. Iggy Pop just roared into the mic, Madonna acted as though the rain was going to melt her. Bad gig, took absolutely hours to get home, I swore I would never do Slane again.


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## S.L.F (19 Mar 2009)

elefantfresh said:


> Saw SLF many many many moons ago and was so excited about it - but the whole place ended up in a riot and they legged it off early - so disappointed. Might go see them in May.


 
What!!!

You saw Jake and the boys...

Which gig Mansion House or the TV Club?

The Mansion house gig ended up with a lot of fights outside.

The TV club gig ended up with a lot of fights inside.

Went to see Roxy music in The Point, couldn't wait to get home (rather the pub).


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## Lex Foutish (19 Mar 2009)

Always more of an Undertones man myself. Saw them with Status Quo and Judas Priest in Dalymount in '79, in Limerick in 1980 and in Cork a few years ago. I have a copy of their original album autographed by both of the O'Neill Brothers.

Having said that, I'm also the proud owner of S.L.F.'s *All The Best* on vinyl. 

And I always did this out one time every year...............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx2doRHPwkQ


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## Lex Foutish (19 Mar 2009)

And to stay on thread, I can't actually remember any really bad gig. Been to some great ones-Quo, Lizzy, Skids, Big Country, George Thorogood, Huey Lewis, Rats, Mama's Boys, U2, Horslips, Madness, Frank and Walters, Rory Gallagher, Hot Guitars(!), etc. 

All great.


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## Lex Foutish (19 Mar 2009)

And of course there's always a gig you'd love to have gone to but didn't...................... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrmCE981sA&feature=related


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## tink (19 Mar 2009)

Haha the first band I thought of when I saw this thread was boyzone! At least they are consistent!


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## S.L.F (19 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> And of course there's always a gig you'd love to have gone to but didn't......................
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrmCE981sA&feature=related


 
Aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhh you put that on so you could say you know of a bad gig but didn't go to it.


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## Lex Foutish (20 Mar 2009)

S.L.F said:


> Aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhh you put that on so you could say you know of a bad gig but didn't go to it.


 
No S.L.F. You're definitely mixing me up with my mother! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWnRCPpPRbg


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## elefantfresh (20 Mar 2009)

> What!!!
> 
> You saw Jake and the boys...


Yes - it was in Bristol in 88 or 89 - can't remember the venue - it wasn't the Bierkeller but it was a small place like that. The bouncers were getting heavy handed with people stage diving - they were giving them serious slaps then throwing them back into the crowd - this guy got up and bear hugged a bouncer twice his size and jumped back into the crowd holding onto him. The bouncer got absolutly battered - the music stopped - lights went on and it turned into total mayhem.


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## Smashbox (20 Mar 2009)

I'm going to see Snow Patrol tomorrow, me hopes I wont be returning to add them to this list..


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## Mpsox (20 Mar 2009)

I can't remember who the band were but 20 odd years ago I went to see Simple Minds in Croker, one of the Irish support bands were pretty awful and people started throwing plastic bottles at them, singer stopped and said if people didn't stop throwing bottles they were walking off, result, a deluge of bottles. 

Aside from that, any Wolfe Tones/rebel band gigs make me want to puke, getting drunk and singing songs about killing Brits don't do it for me

Worst of all time though has to be some of the first Siamsa Cois Lee gigs in Cork years ago, Joan Biaz or Louden Wainright playing a stadium gig in front of 50000 people , truely awful


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## Caveat (20 Mar 2009)

Smashbox said:


> I'm going to see Snow Patrol tomorrow, me hopes I wont be returning to add them to this list..


 
Sorry to be a downer SB, but I wouldn't hold my breath - that guy's singing can be desperate live...


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## S.L.F (20 Mar 2009)

elefantfresh said:


> Yes - it was in Bristol in 88 or 89 - can't remember the venue - it wasn't the Bierkeller but it was a small place like that. The bouncers were getting heavy handed with people stage diving - they were giving them serious slaps then throwing them back into the crowd - this guy got up and bear hugged a bouncer twice his size and jumped back into the crowd holding onto him. The bouncer got absolutly battered - the music stopped - lights went on and it turned into total mayhem.



Yeah I don't like bouncers either, I think they need a good battering once in a while to even up the slate.

First time I say them was in 1980 then again in 1983 but haven't seen then since. Sadly


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## nesbitt (20 Mar 2009)

U2 in the SFX Gardiner Street Dec 23rd, the year was 1979, or could have been 1980.  So I would have been about 14 at the time. Bono jumped onto a huge speaker during the set and started to sing 'just one cornetto' from the HB ad that was running on TV at the time.  I was deaf for a few days afterwards because again we were dancing too near giant speakers.  However at the time I thought the whole thing was brilliant but of course now I know better.....


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## Smashbox (20 Mar 2009)

Caveat said:


> Sorry to be a downer SB, but I wouldn't hold my breath - that guy's singing can be desperate live...


 
Ah damn... I'm travelling to Belfast to see them too... rage!


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## Complainer (21 Mar 2009)

Mpsox said:


> I can't remember who the band were but 20 odd years ago I went to see Simple Minds in Croker, one of the Irish support bands were pretty awful and people started throwing plastic bottles at them, singer stopped and said if people didn't stop throwing bottles they were walking off, result, a deluge of bottles.


That was an incredible gig. The line up was;

Blue In Heaven 
In Tua Nua
The Waterboys
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
Simple Minds

I was really into all the acts except Lloyd Cole. I think that was the day that the Waterboys 'robbed' Steve Wickham from In Tua Nua, which was great for the Waterboys and the kiss of death for In Tua Nua. Everything went right on the day. Great company, great craic, fantastic weather, great music. 

Hard to think of a really bad gig. I saw REM in Marlay about 6 years ago, and Stipey just couldn't hold a tune that night, which was a bit of a bummer. I know other people who saw them the following night and swore it was a great gig. I was at their end-of-tour gig at the Point in 2005, which was one of the best gigs I've ever attended. I really hate the Point as a venue, but this was a really super gig.

Just remembered Peter Gabriel & Crowded House on a very wet night in Marley a few years back - CH were very non-descript, and PG was just terrible - looked like one of the 'embarassing uncle at wedding' rocking it out. Apparantly, the setlist was chosen by his die-hard fans via his website, which might explain part of why it was a terrible show.


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## MandaC (21 Mar 2009)

Complainer said:


> That was an incredible gig. The line up was;
> 
> Blue In Heaven
> In Tua Nua
> ...


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## di74 (21 Mar 2009)

Shane McGowan in the Mean Fiddler years ago. He came on about 2 hours late, couldn't stand, sang about 4 songs (incoherently surprise surprise!) and disappeared. Funnily enough went to see him a few times since though!


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## Complainer (21 Mar 2009)

MandaC said:


> Yes absolutely brilliant gig!  We got scammed on the way out because someone was selling what they told us were programs of the gig and when we opened them it was an Irish Magazine called Mahogany Gaspipes or something like that.


I just remembered that towards the end of the 'Minds set, there was a lightening storm, with huge sparks of forked lightening running what appeared to be the length of Croker towards the stage. It was like the best special effects ever.


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## MandaC (21 Mar 2009)

Complainer said:


> I just remembered that towards the end of the 'Minds set, there was a lightening storm, with huge sparks of forked lightening running what appeared to be the length of Croker towards the stage. It was like the best special effects ever.



Yes and the sky got very dark, just like it was about to lash rain but didnt.  Was that the gig where they let out the white doves?

And if my memory serves me correct, the lightening storm came on during alive and kicking where Jim was getting the whole crowd was singing along!  Badadada
...badada...those bits.  God, I can still picture it as if it were yesterday, that is the power it had!

What year was it?  June 1986?

That has to be my favourite gig of all time, bar none.

Sorry, I just see this thread was for the worst gigs and I am hijacking it.


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## Ancutza (21 Mar 2009)

I was at that Simple Minds gig too and nothing will ever come close! Still remember sitting on the hessian matting in the sun before the bands came on and there was this spaced-out bird beside us.  She gave a big smile, stretched out her arms towards my best mate and then threw up all over him!! How we laughed!!


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## gipimann (21 Mar 2009)

Many years ago (early 80s) the Kinks played the National Stadium and played a blinder.   It had sold out very quickly, and got such a great review that they came back later the same year and played the RDS.....the one I was dragged along to!

It was awful, the band didn't care about the audience, and vice versa (there appeared to be plenty of drink taken on all sides!!), my friends who'd been to the Stadium gig were very disappointed, and we all left early to get the bus home!


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## Mouldy (22 Mar 2009)

Coldplay in Marley Park, 2005 (I think). Spent the gig not seeing Chris Martyn cos he was sitting down a the piano most of the night with his back to the crowd, result was a band with no front man. Rubbish.

Spearhead supporting REM, Slane 96. Dreadful.


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## PaddyW (23 Mar 2009)

Stereophonics, last time they played the Point. Was a brutal performance. I love their music, but they are not entertainers. More of a studio band, definitely.


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## jasconius (23 Mar 2009)

Diary of Anne Frank on in the West End where the acting of the German soldiers was so bad that the people in the front row were shouting out      ' she iz behind ze panel in ze wall'  just to get it over with.


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## Purple (24 Mar 2009)

jasconius said:


> Diary of Anne Frank on in the West End where the acting of the German soldiers was so bad that the people in the front row were shouting out      ' she iz behind ze panel in ze wall'  just to get it over with.


 Was it funnier than the book?


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## Sherman (24 Mar 2009)

Oasis in the Point, 1997 at the height of their hubris. Dreadful. 

Radiohead in France, 1997, again awful. They just did not want to be there.

Best was Oasis/REM at Slane 1995.


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## gabsdot (25 Mar 2009)

We went to see David Bowie. It must have been 1995. Can't remember where. It was so boring. Morrissey supported him and was far better.
We were newly married and skint and we'd paid fifty pounds for the tickets. What a waste of money.


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## Caveat (25 Mar 2009)

Smashbox said:


> Ah damn... I'm travelling to Belfast to see them too... rage!


 
Well SB - was it any good then?



gabsdot said:


> We went to see David Bowie. It must have been 1995. Can't remember where. It was so boring. Morrissey supported him and was far better.
> We were newly married and skint and we'd paid fifty pounds for the tickets. What a waste of money.


 
Saw Bowie on the same tour - thought it was fantastic myself.

Mind you if you hadn't bought _Black Tie White Noise_ or _Outside_ a lot of the material may have been unfamiliar.

However, saw him in 1987 too (Glass Spider) - now _that _was crap.


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## Smashbox (25 Mar 2009)

Snow Patrol was alright... some good bits, some bad. I thought it may have been just me, I was wrecked after the drive to Belfast.. then went to the pub early to watch the match. With my beer goggles on, Gary looked gorgeous..

I also saw Russell Brands twin who seemed equally as annoying as the original.


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## Complainer (25 Mar 2009)

Caveat said:


> However, saw him in 1987 too (Glass Spider) - now _that _was crap.


Slane?


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## Caveat (26 Mar 2009)

Complainer said:


> Slane?


 
Yes - were you there?


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## bren1916 (26 Mar 2009)

However, saw him in 1987 too (Glass Spider) - now _that _was crap.[/quote]

Damn! - was hoping no-one would've posted this before me!!
This concert was 100% brutal...apart from Big Country I seem to remember ... Bowie was soo bad I've never returned to Slane..


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## JJ1982 (27 Mar 2009)

i saw east 17 in cork a few months back, sweet This post will be deleted if not edited immediately they were WOEFUL they were 3 hours late and then came on and gave out about the "sound". i dotn know why i was there at all really!


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## Ron Burgundy (27 Mar 2009)

Oasis in The Point about 95/96

They walked on stage and begun to play, no hello or anything. Then said they would walk off if anyone threw up any teddies or anything else onto the stage. Complete muppets and a waste of money. 

Only went to bring my younger sister, it was her 1st "proper" gig and i was just disgusted.


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## elefantfresh (27 Mar 2009)

I feel you brought that on yourself JJ1982!!!


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## JJ1982 (27 Mar 2009)

I know, it was a thursday night to!


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## Complainer (27 Mar 2009)

Caveat said:


> Yes - were you there?


Yeah, though I was working at the gig rather than a paying punter. It seemed to go down well from my pov (under the stage!).


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## Caveat (27 Mar 2009)

Complainer said:


> Yeah, though I was working at the gig rather than a paying punter. It seemed to go down well from my pov (under the stage!).



I'm a huge Bowie fan* - I suppose in fairness it wasn't that the gig was so bad as such - I just felt it was a watered down, synthy, cheesy, chorus-line version of the greatness he is capable of I suppose.  
But then it _was_ 1987.

*That means I am very much a fan BTW - not that I am a fan who happens to be 7' tall and 30 stone.


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## Complainer (27 Mar 2009)

Caveat said:


> I'm a huge Bowie fan* - I suppose in fairness it wasn't that the gig was so bad as such - I just felt it was a watered down, synthy, cheesy, chorus-line version of the greatness he is capable of I suppose.
> But then it _was_ 1987.
> 
> *That means I am very much a fan BTW - not that I am a fan who happens to be 7' tall and 30 stone.


Did you see him at the Point 2-3 years ago? Super show, amazing back catalogue to draw from.


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## Caveat (27 Mar 2009)

I did indeed - and have the DVD - the official tour DVD was culled from the two Point shows, well worth getting if you don't have it. I've seen him quite a few times and I thought this was his best gig.

Don't think he is doing much at the moment studio or gig wise since his heart problem.


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