I absolutely adore live music, the thrill of being in the same room as somebody famous (I’m weird like that), hearing my favourite songs live with hundreds of other fans shouting the lyrics back at the artist and experience new music through support bands that I’ve maybe never heard of before.
I’ve kept a list (and the tickets) of all of the gigs and music festivals that I’ve attended since 2003, i.e. when I began going to gigs with the boyfriend instead of the Smash Hits Tour Party with school friends (cringe).
Taproot
Taproot played the Garage on January 2003 and were supported by Pulse Ultra. It was my first date with my boyfriend, so this gig’s special to me for obvious reasons! It was also the first time I’d been to a ‘real’ gig.
Placebo
April 2003 at the infamous Glasgow Barrowlands. Placebo are probably my most favorite band in the world and this was the first time that I saw them live. They were supported by The Faint who I weren’t too keen on. Brain Molko was as sexy as ever but they didn’t play Nancy Boy - very disappointing!
Marilyn Manson
The worst gig of my entire life! Manson and co played the Braehead Arena in June 2003. Well those of the band who hadn’t fallen out with each other and decided to do a disappearing act! After a forgetful warmup by Queen Andreena and hearing the full Rammstein - Mutter album twice through MM finally graced the stage. What a shame the sound in the Braehead arena is rubbish, it ruined the night!
Muse
At the all mighty SECC in November 2003. Again, this was the first time I went to see Muse live and they didn’t disappoint me! They were supported by Elbow who made me want to fall asleep. I don’t have much luck with support bands, I usually hate them!
Franz Ferdinand
Their amazing homecoming gig at the Glasgow QMU, broadcast live on Radio 1 in April 2004. For once I enjoyed to two support bands - Sons And Daughters and The Fiery Furnaces. I was right at the barrier for the entire gig but the venue’s that small I could have been upstairs and still be as close to the boys as I was at the front. I think I may have fallen in love with Alex Kapranos during this gig.
Download Festival / Gig On The Green
June 2004. Complete waste of money. Saw Machine Head, Iggy and the Stooges and The Distillers. We left before Lost Prophets and Linkin Park played. Funnily enough I don’t think Download’s been back in Glasgow since…
My first year at the awesome T was July 2004. Even though we were only there for the day I managed to cram in Black Eyed Peas, Keane, Mylo, Basement Jaxx, Faithless, The Darkness, Felix da Housecat, Tiefchwarz and Muse for the headline act. This day started my obsession with TITP.
Mauro Picotto
Not strictly a gig since he’s a DJ, but this night out at The Arches was a good one - little did I know that I knew so many of his songs already!
Franz Ferdinand
Seen my boys for the second time in December 2004, this time at the SECC. They were supported by the Kaiser Chiefs (yay!) and the Fire Engines, who were weird beyond belief. It’s such a shame that there were so many idiotic neds / chavs there ruining it all - just because they like ‘Take Me Out’ and spent the rest of the gig booing and getting drunk on watered down beer. Brilliant.
Electric Six
At the Barrowlands in Febuary 2005. Awesome gig, I loved it more than I ever thought that I would. Dick Valentine is a true showman, if not completly crazy!
Nine Inch Nails
July 05. The most amazing gig, ever. Trent was great live, didn’t really interact with the crowd although the crowd were singing back to him a lot, even though he was singing at a different time. Hilight of the night was either Hurt, Head Like a Hole or The Hand That Feeds. Supported by Saul Williams, who I didn’t enjoy but each to their own…
July 05. The day after NIN we headed to T In The Park for a weekend camping. Excellent weekend all in, saw Mylo, The Prodigy, Haysed Dixie, The Corel, The Killers, Keane, Joss Stone, Audioslave, Queens of the Stone Age, Snoop Dogg, New Order, The Streets, Jimmy Eat World, Ada, Butch Cassidy Sound System and Drive By Arguement.
T In The Park 2006, crammed in the following bands at some point in the weekend, Placebo, The Who, Hard-Fi, James Holden, 2 Many DJ’s, The Zutons, Lily Allen, My Robot Friend, Magic Numbers, Franz Ferdinand
Again, away for weekend camping in 2007 despite the horrendous mud situation! Completly missed the Friday night (yeah, thanks CityLink I wanted to spend 14 hours on a bus for a journey that should take 2) but managed to see The Fratellis, Just Jack, The Killers, My Chemical Romance, Goo Goo Dolls, Scissor Sisters, Queens Of The Stoneage, Jet.. and spent the rest of the time in the PKR fun casino!
