Best gig you've been to.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

Don't forget The Brady Bunch Lawnmower Massacre! And he's a celebrated cartoonist and artist!!

It's hard to be a renaissance man and an utter degenerate simultaneously.

Respect.

[Twodogs]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

And a nice guy for a Cillingwood supporter to boot!

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

Don't forget The Brady Bunch Lawnmower Massacre! And he's a celebrated cartoonist and artist!!

It's hard to be a renaissance man and an utter degenerate simultaneously.

Respect.

Hey Peanuts, what's the idea of your avatar? trying to undo all the good work of my therapist eh??

Of all the times Fred Negro made me laugh, none moreso than watching him trying to operate the credit card machine while working behind the bar at the 'Pint on Punt' a couple of years ago. Now THAT was intensity.

[Twodogs]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

If you look at the picture even the Adelaide player with his shoulders slumped and head down knew it was a goal.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

I ummed and ahhed about the avatar Hose, but sometimes it's just healthier to embrace the pain. It makes the good times just that much sweeter (as we die hard Doggies know all to well).

I laughed out loud at the thought of FN struggling with technology, let alone holding a position of responsibility. I'm also a bit amused that my original post was primarily about Nirvana, Iggy Pop and the like, but Fred Negro is the dude that people want to chat about. I guess he's the type of guy that leaves a big impression on those who cross his path but is basically otherwise sadly unknown.

[The Underdog]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

I realised I hadn't contributed to this. I'm not sure how much I can refine it especially with the amount of gigs I went to back before I was a broken old man, but the gigs that have really left an impression on me were as follows:

Neutral Milk Hotel at the Forum, 2013: I'd always been quiet about my NMH fandom as I felt they were kind of twee and really wasn't sure what to expect from their live show, especially on a comeback tour. Any reservations were destroyed 2 bars into the first song. A transcendent, joyous evening helped along by Superchunk as support.

Rocket From The Crypt and You Am I at the Shepherds Bush Empire, 1998: Timmy, Andy and Rusty opening for RFTC and Bis, Timmy throws his guitar in a fit of pique at the end of the set, it lands on Bis' synthesiser and they can't play. RFTC kill it.

Wilco at Lounge Ax, Chicago, 1998: Happening onto a Wilco secret club gig in my only ever week in Chicago. Couldn't have been a luckier thing happen in my life . As good as Sammy Sosa's 3 homers in my only ever live Cubs game that week. (Honourable mention to Wilco's Hamer Hall gig a couple of years ago which was awe inspiring)

Teenage Fanclub at Big Day Out, 1994: My favourite band at the time playing a sweet afternoon gig to a Smashing Pumpkins/ Soundgarden type crowd.

Other favourites:
White Stripes at the Corner 2002
Hives at the Falls 2001, before most of the crowd knew who they were. These guys are an amazingly consistent live band
Pixies at the Palace 2007. Last show I ever saw there, and I saw many there. A beautiful thing.
Any Front End Loader gig in the early-mid 90's, mostly at the Punters Club.
Eels at the Athenaeum2001(?)
McLusky at the Corner 2004.

I'm sure there's more to come later once I remember them.

[Twodogs]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

Pixies at the Palace would have been a nice full stop on some great nights there. I wish I'd gone. I was offered a freebie and all.


The best night I had there must have been Iggy Pop in the early 90s. He came out and did two numbers in front of a quiet crowd until Ig killed the band and said "oh, I get it a typical *!*!*!*!ing Melbourne audience. All of you are too cool to have a good time. Well cop this" he waved to the band which launched into Search and Destroy while Iggy took a running leap and jumped 20 metres into the crowd with and mic and his mic stand. By the time the bouncers found him he had organised a space and was singing the song. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand from then on.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

Great list Underdog, you've mentioned quite a few of my favourite bands there.

Never saw The Pixies live, but have all their music and love it dearly.
I have seen The Eels a couple of times, not one that readily comes to mind for me as a great live band, but (now that you mention it) damn E is a wierdly charismatic performer.
The one I'm most jealous of though is Wilco in Chicago, that must've been amazing. Jeff Tweedy is no doubt one of the great musicians of recent times.

[The Underdog]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

Great list Underdog, you've mentioned quite a few of my favourite bands there.

Never saw The Pixies live, but have all their music and love it dearly.
I have seen The Eels a couple of times, not one that readily comes to mind for me as a great live band, but (now that you mention it) damn E is a wierdly charismatic performer.
The one I'm most jealous of though is Wilco in Chicago, that must've been amazing. Jeff Tweedy is no doubt one of the great musicians of recent times.

I've seen the Eels since and nothing has ever gone near matching that Athenaeum gig. Theatre setting with a really strong band.

The Wilco gig was around when Mermaid Avenue was released and I think was a warm up for a festival run. Was advertised in the local music press as "Secret gig - hint, rhymes with Bilco"

[LostDoggy]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

I've seen the Eels since and nothing has ever gone near matching that Athenaeum gig. Theatre setting with a really strong band.

The Wilco gig was around when Mermaid Avenue was released and I think was a warm up for a festival run. Was advertised in the local music press as "Secret gig - hint, rhymes with Bilco"

The Athanaeum is a wonderful venue. My favourite gig I saw there was Ray Davies solo interspersing excerpts from his autobiography with all of the old Kinks songs. Perfect setting.

Jeez, Wilco weren't too subtle!! You did well to get in.

[The Underdog]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

The Athanaeum is a wonderful venue. My favourite gig I saw there was Ray Davies solo interspersing excerpts from his autobiography with all of the old Kinks songs. Perfect setting.

Jeez, Wilco weren't too subtle!! You did well to get in.

Now I'm jealous, Ray is a hero of mine but I've never seen him live.

[Twodogs]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

The Aetheneum is a terrific venue. I saw Billy Bragg there back in the '80s when he was at the top of his game. Sensational. Thatcher was still in power so his muse was still burning bright. I don't think I've seen a more passionate rendition of a song than the version of Greetings To The New Brunette he played that night.

[The Underdog]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

The Aetheneum is a terrific venue. I saw Billy Bragg there back in the '80s when he was at the top of his game. Sensational. Thatcher was still in power so his muse was still burning bright. I don't think I've seen a more passionate rendition of a song than the version of Greetings To The New Brunette he played that night.

And the hardest to spell..
I'm up and down on Billy but A New England kills me every time.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

That would've been amazing too. Billy meant a lot in the 80s when he married a punk energy to the 60s protest/folk tradition in a way no-one else could quite match. I imagine his shows would've been electrifying back in the day.

I reckon you two have mentioned 2 of his best 3 songs, I'll round out the trifecta with Levi Stubb's Tears.

[Twodogs]

Re: Best gig you've been to.

And the hardest to spell..
I'm up and down on Billy but A New England kills me every time.

It's all Greek to me. ��

That would've been amazing too. Billy meant a lot in the 80s when he married a punk energy to the 60s protest/folk tradition in a way no-one else could quite match. I imagine his shows would've been electrifying back in the day.

I reckon you two have mentioned 2 of his best 3 songs, I'll round out the trifecta with Levi Stubb's Tears.

My 17 yo son's favourite song. It's the first CD into the player whenever we go anywhere.