Gigs and concerts

[Bellenda Carlisle]

On 7/18/2025 at 12:47 PM, johnnyboy said:

Doesn't she always?

Of course she does man, it may not have been an entirely serious question.

She's not one for the deep cuts but I do pop whenever she pulls out a Go-Go's track.

[Harry Wiseau]

Sparks were amazing again last night in Wolverhampton, if anything it was even better than Manchester, so much energy, so good at what they do, there was so much love for the band in the room last night it was really nice to see them remix enjoying it all. At Manchester you couldn't see the band too much through the amazing light show (you could see Ron and Russell but the rest of the band were but very visible) but last night they seemed more on site, Elias the guitarist has some very impressive dance moves, he was half a whale of a time. I hope they tour again, there's something special about a Sparks show. 

[FLips]

Not sure this is the right thread for it, and not even sure there is a right thread for it but today we went to see Extreme Robots. It's a touring version of Robot Wars and it was actually a load of fun.

It was a 2 hour show and featured four teams battling it out over 9 fights. Teams Inferno, Quake, Wolfpack and Divinity. Team Inferno had Eruption which was apparently the final ever winner of the proper Robot Wars so that's kinda cool. I obviously threw up the too sweet for Team Wolfpack and they ended up winning the thing!
Team Divinity were rubbish, all their robots were big wheels with axes in the middle and they finished on 0 points. 

The fights ranged from kinda bland to surprisingly exciting. When it started with a 4 way where every robot was the wedge shape with a flipper I thought it was going to be a long day but they had multiple robots per team and we ended up with axe battles, spinners, flippers and other various classic weapons. They had a launch pad and a fire pit that had me genuinely excited when a robot got caught in it.

The spinner round lasted roughly 10 seconds as it was a three way where two of the robots took one hit and died. Simultaneously disappointing but kinda fun to see how powerful it was.

In the later matches they brought out a house robot called Major Damage who looked almost identical to Sir Kill-a-Lot. At once point he grabbed a robot in his big pincers and carried them to the fire pit and got gasps from the audience. Thrilling.

What surprised me the most was how well presented it was. Proper camera crews, two decent hosts and a backstage interviewer that all seemed really enthusiastic and into it and as close to the Robot Wars feel as they could get. Interviews and a big screen view of the drivers backstage and they had Danny from Rate My Takeaway there for a guest commentary spot during the show. He was waiting backstage after for the VIP pass people (yes that was us) but everyone was just walking past him so I made polite pleasant small talk and he seemed actually very nice.
At interval they did giveaways and threw prizes into the crowd. I caught a cap but gave it to the young lad next to me and he was chuffed, his dad gave me a big thanks and a handshake. I'd have never wore the thing but it was cool to catch it. I always say to my wife when we watch the baseball it's brutal when adults catch the baseballs next to kids and keep it for themselves so I made sure not to be a heel about it.

The VIP tickets we got had us able to walk around inside the fight pit after the show and go behind the scenes to see all the robots and teams. It's actual impressive how half of them still function because they were absolutely battered full of axe holes and gashes, scrapes, scuffs. They're so much bigger up close as well and they have a lot of electronics and wiring inside, moreso than you'd expect. There was a lot of talk about teams importing these special forks from America for the robots that can get under the flippers. 

They must have connections with the Robot Wars people though, because I got to "meet" and take pictures with Matilda, Sgt Bash, Dead Metal, and Growler. There was a few others I recognised that were contestant robots too.

We got tickets for my Wife's Dad for his birthday and he loved it, and to be honest it was a really fun day out. It was very much like a wrestling show. Enthusiastic crowd and chanting encouraged, a merch table, pyro, the drivers all had a bit of character too. It's not something I'd do again soon but that's not a negative towards the show itself, it's just I've had that fun nostalgia kick and that's enough for me.

[cobra_gordo]

Went to see Oasis at Heaton Park last night, the last Manchester date on the tour. Walked in the house at half 2 this morning after an incredible day. Managed three and a bit hours kip. Voice is fucked, neck's fucked, back's fucked.

 

My eldest son is nearly 17 and has been obsessed with a Oasis for a few years now. He's got the posters, he's got all the vinyl, he's got the bucket hat with embroidered logo. We'd seen Liam Gallagher performing Definitely Maybe in full and never expected to see Oasis as a full band ever again. I managed to get four tickets in the presale for me, him, my wife and my son's mate and we've had 11 months of build up for yesterday.
 

I'd missed out on front standing tickets in the ballot and I could tell he was gutted as he really wanted to get stuck in at the front and be as close to his heroes as possible. I'd seen online that if you ignored where your ticket said to go in and just queued up with the front standing lot at North gate, if you were there early enough you might get an upgrade to front standing with a GA ticket. So we got there at half 12. And waited. And queued. And panicked. And waited some more. And were told by staff several times that anybody trying their luck should just leave the queue because there was "nearly no chance of getting an upgrade". But nearly no chance is good enough odds for Father Of The Year here. So we stuck it out. And it was tense as fuck. So we waited some more. And got in the front standing section. Worth it for how he reacted, worth it for the view of the stage but actually having a boarded floor when the rest of the park was muddy as fuck? Priceless.

 

We got in at around 3 o'clock and waited three hours before Cast came onstage. I've seen them once before but they're reliably brilliant live. John Power has way too much energy. Richard Ashcroft was a genuine surprise with how good he was. Obviously it was The Verve songs that went down the best but the whole set was solid. I've always found Bittersweet Symphony a bit grating but Jesus Christ, in that setting, with that crowd and epic extended outro, amazing stuff.

 

Then it was time for the main event. Not to beat about the bush, Oasis were unreal. "Oh, they're shit live" folk were saying in the lead up to it. Get knotted. Both Gallaghers vocals sounded incredible, the mix was spot on, the guitar tones were mega, the setlist was perfect and the visuals really added something. I think my head exploded the second Fuckin In The Bushes came on and I saw my son's reaction. The atmosphere was electric and the crowd were so loud. You could see Liam was blown away by it. From the second they came on it was all smoke bombs, folk on peoples shoulders, massive singalongs and atone point, the use of a maritime grade survival flare. These things do a great gig make. And most surprisingly of all, everybody behaved themselves. One of our neighbours saw them in Cardiff and said he saw around 100 people get thrown out for fighting, folk being sick and piss being chucked everywhere but there was nothing of the sort last night. Even the lads next to us openly doing blow before they came on just wanted to put their arms round everybody and have a sing.

 

I think the only times I wasn't jumping up and down like a dickhead was when I had my arms around my son and my wife. And yes, I had a cry during Little By Little whilst squeezing my kid as hard as I could. And no, I don't give a fuck if anybody saw.

 

Could have done without sitting in the car park for an hour and a half after the gig. We had no idea the motorway had been closed and all of Manchester was at a stand still. Ended up speedballing Burger King frozen strawberry Fanta and Monster energy drinks at half 1 at the services on the drive home so I didn't nod off.

 

Overall it was worth every penny and every ache and every pain to see the look on everybody's faces. Nice one our kid.

 

Knebworth next year yeah?

[Jesse]

11 hours ago, FLips said:

They must have connections with the Robot Wars people though, because I got to "meet" and take pictures with Matilda, Sgt Bash, Dead Metal, and Growler. There was a few others I recognised that were contestant robots too.

I think that's the same people I worked with many years back when we brought them to a gaming festival to do floor content and as I understand it they are essentially just the Robot Wars people - the crew that actually set up and run the show just without the TV production layer on top.

[Chili]

I haven't been to see a big act in years because it's simply unaffordable, but something I don't really like is this class system of tickets. Special golden circle tickets etc. It's absolutely me moaning about absolutely fuck all but there is just something a bit elite and 'I have more money so I deserve better than you plebs' about it.

Has it ALWAYS been a thing that I've never noticed? Or is a recent thing acts and tours or ticket companies have come up with the get more coin?

[Ironic Indie Lad]

19 minutes ago, Chili said:

I haven't been to see a big act in years because it's simply unaffordable, but something I don't really like is this class system of tickets. Special golden circle tickets etc. It's absolutely me moaning about absolutely fuck all but there is just something a bit elite and 'I have more money so I deserve better than you plebs' about it.

Has it ALWAYS been a thing that I've never noticed? Or is a recent thing acts and tours or ticket companies have come up with the get more coin?

There has always been golden circles at major outdoor gigs and / festivals.

AFAIK it's actually a safety measure to avoid crushing. It used to be a first come first serve basis. You just got there early and you would get into the front standing.

 

[Chili]

4 minutes ago, Ironic Indie Lad said:

There has always been golden circles at major outdoor gigs and / festivals.

AFAIK it's actually a safety measure to avoid crushing. It used to be a first come first serve basis. You just got there early and you would get into the front standing.

 

You know I never considered the crushing aspect. 

[TibBo]

Definately hasn't always been a thing at festivals. Not sure if it is even now? 

[wordsfromlee]

Hasn’t it always been a thing with theatre - even the wrestling? Closer to the front, the more expensive the tickets. 
 

I think it’s been a thing for massive outdoor gigs like that for a long time. If I was at the back of one of those gigs, having to watch it on the screens, I’d be annoyed if I was paying the same as the people at the front who are in spitting distance of the act. 

Edited July 21, 2025 by wordsfromlee

[cobra_gordo]

Front standing has always been a thing. Generally at festivals and it's a safety thing. It also depends sometimes on whether its a d barrier or t barrier being used.

British Summertime 100% charge way more for the luxury of being at the front. I paid a decent amount of money to be front for Sabbath the other week but I have zero regrets as it was for charity.

For Oasis, front standing was a free upgrade that was decided by ballot or just being a cheeky cunt like how I got us in. The VIP standing, which was a chargeable thing, was in a section directly behind front standing so technically they paid more to be further away. General access was then behind the VIP bit which I'd have been gutted about in all honesty, I love being near the front at gigs.

[SuperBacon]

Really lovely write up @cobra_gordo so pleased you got to share that with your loved ones mate.

[Merzbow]

I don't think I've ever been to a gig over the decades that charges more for front row etc, but that's more about me only ever going to 100's of smaller to mid sized shows. Shit, £45 is the most I've ever spent on a ticket and that's to see Ethel Cain in October this year.

[Arch Stanton]

@cobra_gordo Absolutely love that! Me and a mate were there Wednesday and it was absolutely unreal. We were luckier with the weather, but not in getting a wristband!

I've seen pretty much nothing but snobbery and snide takes about Oasis on this place, so didn't even bother reporting back, but those that wanted these gigs and were lucky enough to get into them will know there's nothing like it. Never been amongst a more joyous and celebratory crowd in my life.

[Harry Wiseau]

3 hours ago, Ironic Indie Lad said:

There has always been golden circles at major outdoor gigs and / festivals.

 

No there hasn't. I've never really been one for massive outdoor gigs but Guns n Roses at Milton Keynes in 93 didn't have it, Reading 95- 04 never had it and phoenix and Glastonbury around the same time didn't. The first I heard of it was when my brother in law did security at robbie Williams at knebworth and he was working the one in one out system at it. It makes sense for a security thing I guess but they really take the piss with the pricing for it.