Gigs and concerts

[WyattSheepMask]

On 6/3/2024 at 12:05 PM, Ironic Indie Lad said:

Went to see Tool in Manchester on Saturday night.

Felt a bit odd as I was in almost exactly the same seat as I was for the 2022 tour. 

Enjoyed this one more than the last one - Jambi, Rosetta Stoned and Aenima are among by favourite Tool songs so that was nice. Sweat and Flood were quite unexpected choices as well. Could have done without many of the same songs from Fear Inoculum being played again though.

 

 

I remember you posting about that 2022 gig at the time and me not thinking much of the setlist from it. I had a look at this show and I’d have been much happier with that set had I gone. Unfortunately I just can’t justify what they charge these days so if I’m ever to see them again it’ll be a day ticket to a festival.

I went to see Suffocation last night in Derby at The Hairy Dog, which is a cracking little venue. 
Not a fantastic turnout, which seems to be a recurring theme at a lot of shows I’ve been to over the last 18 months. 
Support was from Gravekiller (a local support who are still very much finding their way), Sworn Amongst who are actually from my neck of the woods and were in the year below me at college. They’ve been at this for 20 years now and are still bang average. 
Distant were the final support, who I saw at the end of last year opening for Lorna Shore. I didn’t think much to them then and this didn’t do anything to change my mind. Fair enough, they’re just not for me but the people that were there for them (which actually seemed to be about a 50/50 split between them and the Suffocation fans) lapped it up. They attract that crowd who think the pit is a place to throw kung-fu kicks though, which can fuck right off. I’m not against a bit of argy-bargy even at my age (late 30s), but the pit shouldn’t resemble an MMA fight. 
Their slam dancing (as I believe it’s called) carried over into Suffocation’s set up until about the midway point when someone got too carried away and there was a (very brief) fight. After that you could clearly tell the vibe had changed and the spin-kicks stopped.
Suffocation were fucking great though, could’ve happily watched them play another 30 minutes or so.

I had a spot of car trouble when I got into Derby (exhaust hanging off) so had to crash at a friends house then get it to a garage so I could drive home, which cost me nearly £400. 
Had I known a gig this week would’ve been costing me that much I’d have just gone to see Tool

Edited Friday at 05:12 PM by WyattSheepMask

[Panhead]

I saw Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer at Co-Op Live on Thursday. Weezer were amazing. The setlist had no filler and it was great getting to hear a couple of tracks from Maladroit too. 

Smashing Pumpkins was very much like how I feel about listening to their records. At its best, there's some of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Then some of it just feels like self-indulgent widdling. Their set was 45 minutes longer than Weezer's too, which seems a bit unfair, considering it was billed as a co-headline. Both bands were tight as a gnat's chuff though. 

The venue - The sound was fantastic. The standing floor is fucking HUGE, just ridiculously wide. The seats looked so much further away than any other arena I've been to. The organisation was really good, especially afterwards when there was loads of staff with megaphones and signs telling you which way to go for the tram, taxis etc. But the location is ridiculous. Getting there will be a nightmare when Man City are at home. Luckily I had some friends who were driving over for the Foo Fighters show at the cricket ground, so I got a lift there and back with them. Otherwise, I don't think I'd have made my last train. 

Probably just me getting old, but I think I go to so many gigs at small venues these days, that arenas just feel a bit flat. The costs as well are beyond silly too. £8.95 for a pint of Guinness. Compare that with £4.70 at the Irish Centre in Leeds, where I saw English Teacher recently. Someone actually sat down and said "Let's charge £8.95 for a pint of Guinness." and no one stopped them. 

Anyways, I'm going to a little local festival today. It's across a few different venues but I'm really looking forward to seeing Pennine Suite and HerOrangeCoat again. 

Edited Saturday at 07:47 AM by Panhead

[Slapnut]

4 minutes ago, Panhead said:

I saw Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer at Co-Op Live on Thursday. Weezer were amazing. The setlist had no filler and it was great getting to hear a couple of tracks from Maladroit too. 

Smashing Pumpkins was very much like how I feel about listening to their records. At its best, there's some of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Then some of it just feels like self-indulgent widdling. 

I went to the Cardiff Castle show last night and I couldn’t agree more with your assessment. I was there primarily for Weezer and they were just phenomenal. I didn’t expect to get so emotional watching them, but they’re the one band in my, let’s say top 10, that I’ve never seen, and I instantly felt like I was 15 years old listening to them for the first time again. I think there was probably one song I was disappointed they didn’t play, No Other One, but I wasn’t exactly expecting them to anyway. A million stars, would watch them again tonight.

[Ulf ist Gut]

I did the date at the O2 last Saturday and would agree on the Weezer front. It's been a while since i'd really listen to them and i'd forgotten how many good songs they have. Their cover of Celebrity Skin was also excellent and i've had Pink Triange, which i'd never heard before, as an earworm ever since. They even inspired me to get my guitar out for the first time in ages to have a go at playing some (which I can, just about - i'm not good...)

Pumpkins weren't great in my opinion and set started to feel a bit attritional after a while. I'd set 1979 as my leaving point to avoid getting stuck in big lines for the tube after seeing the setlist for the Brum show and managed to hold on until then despite not really feeling it and things starting to get a bit messy but my mate who went to the Mancheter date bailed after four songs of the Pumpkins (he also said the venue stopped serving at 10, which seems insane).

Wasn't keen on the O2 as a venue - aside from not being wonderful for transport, drink prices in London aren't exacetly cheap at the best of times but £9 for a fucking Budweiser and single spirits and a mixer were like £13, which is criminal. As i'm on O2, I could at least get into the O2 customer bar and get a nicer Pale Ale but even with 20% off it was still about £7.50. I'd agree with Panhead about preferring smaller - mid range venues nowadays - lower ceilings, often better beer choice at slightly less gougey prices and, as snobby as this sounds, usually full of people who are there to actually see the band rather than not seeming overly fussed and just shouting loudly to their mates. Also there's usually more places to lean for those of us who aren't ready to embrace seating but who's legs need a little help after an hour or so of standing in the same place.

 

[Keith Houchen]

6 minutes ago, Ulf ist Gut said:

did the date……and i've had Pink Triange

Lucky lady!

[Ulf ist Gut]

Ha, if only. I really need to add a spell checker to my browser...

[HarmonicGenerator]

I was at the Glasgow show for Weezer/Pumpkins and agree. I went for Weezer - never seen them before - and they were fantastic, played pretty much everything I'd have wanted to hear. I was surprised at Pumpkins getting twice as long for their setlist (as was said above, disappointing considering they were meant to be co-headline), and got bored and fidgety waiting for it to end long before it did. My sister was there for Pumpkins though and loved it.

[Merzbow]

Saw Speed, Scowl and Zulu in a 100 cap venue last night. Pretty much three of the biggest hardcore groups in the US right now but all had pulled out of Download and some people I know managed to book them for a Palestine benefit show.

Now this is the type of show where flying kicks are mandatory, I don't understand doing that to Suffocation..

 

 

[Keith Houchen]

5 hours ago, Panhead said:

Getting there will be a nightmare when Man City are at home. Luckily I had some friends who were driving over for the Foo Fighters show at the cricket ground, so I got a lift there and back with them. Otherwise, I don't think I'd have made my last train. 

To be fair, as it’s so close to the Man City ground they aren’t used to dealing with big crowds waheeeyyy amirite!!!

[wordsfromlee]

5 hours ago, Merzbow said:

Saw Speed, Scowl and Zulu in a 100 cap venue last night. Pretty much three of the biggest hardcore groups in the US right now but all had pulled out of Download and some people I know managed to book them for a Palestine benefit show.

Now this is the type of show where flying kicks are mandatory, I don't understand doing that to Suffocation..

 

 

Where did this happen?

[Merzbow]

31 minutes ago, wordsfromlee said:

Where did this happen?

Centrala, it sold out in 6 minutes but I think half of the tickets were bought earlier by us in the local scene.

Edited Saturday at 05:29 PM by Merzbow