My first time seeing the Prodigy, who just turned out to be one of the greatest live bands I’ve ever seen. ‘Absolutely bloody amazing.‘ If I have any regrets when I look back on my gigging life, one is absolutely certain: it took me far, far too long to get round to seeing the Prodigy… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 93 – The Prodigy, Friday, December 3, 2004
A dazzling and quite literally dizzying gig from Nick and co. 2004 was coming to an end. It had been a year marked by a sudden and intense explosion in my social life, especially during the spring and summer months. By November things had settled down somewhat, but I still found myself much more active… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 92 – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Wednesday, November 10, 2004, Brixton Academy
A glorious gig from the glorious Delays. Looking back on my music-fan life from my current 45-year-old vantage point, one thing becomes very clear. The turn of the millennium marks a stark divide in my musical obsessions, and every band that I truly and utterly love began their career in the 20th century, not the… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 91 – Delays, Wednesday, September 22, 2004, Shepherd’s Bush Empire
My last David Bowie gig – and the UK’s as well. David Bowie’s headlining set at the Isle of Wight festival in 2004 marks the end of an era. For me, it was my last ever David Bowie gig, less than a year after I first got the chance to see him. More significantly, it… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 90 – David Bowie, Sunday, June 13, 2004, Seaclose Park, Newport (Isle of Wight Festival)
A summer seaside frolic with My Boys. June 2004 stands out in my memory as a bright and shiny month. On the 1st of the month I had my final exam for my psychology diploma, and my mind was full of plans for an exciting future pursuing a career in the field (which, alas, never… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 89 – Manic Street Preachers, Saturday, June 12, 2004 Seaclose Park, Newport (Isle of Wight Festival)
A stormingly entertaining evening from Duran Duran. At a bit past midnight on the first of January 2004, I stumbled slightly champagne-dazzled into the spare room of my parents’ flat in Canada, to log onto their computer with only one thought on my mind: I must buy a ticket to see Duran Duran! Why I… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 88 – Duran Duran, Wednesday, April 14, 2004, Wembley Arena
March 2004. A month full of Placebo gigs and major life-changing events. “Run away from all your boredom…” My first gig of 2004 saw me much the same person as I’d been for the previous few years. I was still living in hospital accommodation, working part time at my Outpatients job and studying for my… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gigs 85, 86 & 87 – Placebo, Monday 1st, Tuesday 2nd & Tuesday 30th March, 2004, Brixton Academy
Seeing out my 2003 gigging year in style with the delightful Mark Owen. ‘Still a little pop genius.’ My last gig of 2003 also marked an end to three weeks of almost non-stop gigging. I was thoroughly exhausted, not least because I was preparing for a trip to Canada for Christmas, followed by exam season… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 84 – Mark Owen, Thursday, December 04, 2003, Shepherd’s Bush Empire
My last Blur gig – so far! – was a stunning, end-of-an-era extravaganza. 2003 was a year packed with so many musical highlights for me that it seems astonishing to reflect upon now. So many bands that I loved were on the form of their life, and none more so than Blur. “Think Tank” remains… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 83 – Blur, Tuesday, December 02, 2003, Brixton Academy
A festive celebration from the Dandy Warhols – and my sixth time seeing them in the space of a fortnight. It’s safe to say the 2003 ended with a bang in terms of my gigging life. Here at the beginning of December, I’d just spent two weeks chasing David Bowie round the country, seeing five… Read More All the gigs of my life: Gig 82 – The Dandy Warhols, Monday, December 01, 2003, Kentish Town Forum
