Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

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Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Quality Mince » Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:29 pm

30 Jan 09

My thoughts on the hundreds of concerts I’ve seen in Glasow.

Best concert my mum would have enjoyed: Paul McCartney and Wings. Apollo 1975 Totally professional.

Best punk performance: Radio Stars at Strathclyde uni circa 1979. Total 100mph stuff.

Worst past-it punk performance: Ramones at Barrowlands circa late 1990s. 1,2,3,4 this is total crap.

Best concert by a Glasgow Band: Close call between The Silencers and Deacon Blue circa late 1990s. Tremendous stuff.

Most disappointing: Deep Purple at the Apollo 1979. Who’s the geezer playing lead guitar??

Loudest: Black Sabbath 1975. Ears go buzzzzzz for days!!

Best Blues Band: The Blues Brothers Party last night (29 Jan 09) at the Kings. Total entertainment, especially from the big man jigging in the aisle!!

Most embarrassing: The Nolan Sisters. That was in the Magnum Centre in Irvine, so it doesn’t count!!

Best ever concert: U2’s Zoo TV Tour in the 90s. Totally awesome.
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby The_Clincher » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:42 pm

I'm pretty sure Deep Purple never played the Apollo in 1979.......... 8O
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby onyirtodd » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:12 am

Maybe not the best but the most memorable was seeing Fairport Convention just post Richard Thomson so 1970(?) in the City Hall in Candleriggs. Up until then I'd thought 'folk' music was The Corries or four Aran sweaters singing The Wild Rover. The former Mrs Onyirtodd (QC) dragged me along and I was astonished by Dave Swarbrick's technical ability - not just his ability to play at speed - and by the huge electric sound.

This led me to explore various Scottish electric folk bands and hence to the life of debauchery I've enjoyed ever since.
238 to 127. All in all a good afternoon's work
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby floweredpig » Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:51 pm

The swarb and fairport at that time were incredible.Richard Thompson has played the The Royal Concert Hall solo about five times in the last ten years and they have all been amazing gigs.And of course his ex Linda is from Glasgow
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Its_a_gamp » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:39 pm

The_Clincher wrote:I'm pretty sure Deep Purple never played the Apollo in 1979.......... 8O


I saw them at the Apollo in '76, I thought that was the last time they were there, but I could be wrong
Due to cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel is off until further notice!
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Schiehallion » Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:12 pm

Its_a_gamp wrote:
The_Clincher wrote:I'm pretty sure Deep Purple never played the Apollo in 1979.......... 8O


I saw them at the Apollo in '76, I thought that was the last time they were there, but I could be wrong


That would be right and the OP will be referring to Tommy Bolin who had replaced Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar.

For me, Alice Cooper at the Apollo in 1982 was the top one. My worst one was when Thin Lizzy played the Apollo and they had trouble with the stage lighting. The band finally came on about 10.30pm and I had to leave for my last train 10 minutes later!
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Quality Mince » Sun Feb 01, 2009 12:24 pm

Shehallion, you're absolutely right. Deep Purple last played the Apollo in 1976. And indeed it was Tommy Bolin who played lead guitar. At the time Deep Purple were a shadow of their former selves and I can't say that I really enjoyed this concert. I'm sure I read that Tommy Bolin died a few years back.

Interesting your comments about Thin Lizzy and running to catch the last train. I also made that sprint down Renfield Street to Central Station many many times to catch the last train to Ayrshire where I was used to live. I reckon I must have missed the last bit of every Apollo concert I ever attended!

I saw Thin Lizzy in the Magnum Centre in Irvine. It was a good concert. The thing I remember most about this concert was it was the very first time I had ever seen the guitars using a wireless connection to the amps.

I think it is also worth mentioning The Bathers. I'm sure they're also from Glasgow. Saw them a few times and really enjoyed their sound. Does anyone remember Sheena Easton singing / miming at the concert in Glasgow Green. What a booing she got. And what about Michael Jackson at The Haugh (Not sure if I have got this spelling right). Early 90s. The most memorable exit from stage??!! He used a jet pack and flew a few yards to a compound behind and to the side of the stage. Then the announcement was made "Michael Jackson has left the stage". I am not convinced to this day that the person who flew off the stage was Michael Jackson!!??
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby theplumber » Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:01 pm

I had the misfortune to see The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver at the Glasgow Apollo,in 1977 I think!...the tickets were given away free in the 23rd Precinct record store.....I think they had trouble selling them. When I went to the gig,I could see why.....the band were awful!...maybe a bad night,but even with free tickets I still felt cheated! Again,round about the same time,in the Apollo,I went to see The Small Faces,who weren't at all bad,but had ex wings guitarist Jimmy McCullough playing with them....he was off his tiny face,and fell on his arse over some amps.........I went to loads off gigs then,as the prices seemed very cheap. I used to look in the Sunday Mail,to see who was on that week....and just turn up for any I thought would be good.....some bands I had never been into turned out great......I went to see Camel,Caravan,Judas Priest,The Boomtown Rats,Leo Sayer!!!!!...what?.....Got chucked out The Stranglers concert for dancing......If you have seen me dancing....you will know why!.....Liked all the Squeeze gigs,and Glen Tilbrook solo at King Tuts......though I did see him a few years back,before he got Squeeze back together for 'unfinished business'(tax bill/divorce/school fees) He was playing in Coatbridge in some cafe bar type thing called The Mint. They had a music club and booked him for a one off night (although I think due to demand he did two nights) The venue was awful...an upstairs room above the bar,which looked like a bowling club room....the PA was like something from the now defunct and long gone Mad Buyer at Glasgow Cross....it sounded total shit...Glen did his best,but the sound was rubbish.......and with one vocal,plus guitar you would have thought they could have done better.....
The last gig I went to was Amy Mann at the Old Fruit Market.....didn't like the hall....frozen cold,crap seats like some school concert,and Amy was all over the place....Great on record,but did not seem to be able to build any pace into the set,and played songs shouted out by the crowd,which she and the band hadn't learned,and they sounded mince........I liked the Bootleg Beatles in the Royal Concert Hall....if only for the line,from the mock John Lennon....'I'd like to bring on a friend of ours to play some keyboard on the next couple of songs.....ladies and gentlemen...welcome,Billy!....from Preston!
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby udrigle » Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:25 pm

best gigs, Alex Harvey band at Parkhead in 1976, they were supporting the Who, but blew them away, and Blue Nile last year in the concert hall, what a sound.

worst gig was Clapton at the Apollo,late seventies, he was smashed and the support act was a puppet show which had to leave quickly!
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Josef » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:48 pm

Quality Mince wrote:I think it is also worth mentioning The Bathers. I'm sure they're also from Glasgow. Saw them a few times and really enjoyed their sound. D

-ish. The Bathers were Bothwell's own Chris Thomson's post Friends Again band.

As this place implies, a pretty underrated musician.
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby theplumber » Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:25 am

Any fans of Be Bop Deluxe remember John Cooper Clarke leaving the stage after a barrage of abuse from the Glasgow Apollo audience after about10 minutes? He supported the band in 1977 or maybe 78........anyone else see any bad support bands?
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Schiehallion » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:26 pm

Quality Mince wrote:Shehallion, you're absolutely right. Deep Purple last played the Apollo in 1976. And indeed it was Tommy Bolin who played lead guitar. At the time Deep Purple were a shadow of their former selves and I can't say that I really enjoyed this concert. I'm sure I read that Tommy Bolin died a few years back.

Interesting your comments about Thin Lizzy and running to catch the last train. I also made that sprint down Renfield Street to Central Station many many times to catch the last train to Ayrshire where I was used to live. I reckon I must have missed the last bit of every Apollo concert I ever attended!


It wasn't half a few years back that Bolin died! He actually died 9 months after you saw him in March 1976!! By December 1976 he was dead when his throat constricted after walloping booze, morphine, coke and barbiturates!

If you liked Lizzy and you don't have it, get your hands on this.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/UK-Tour-Digisle ... 111&sr=8-2

I was a Renfield Street runner too living in Neilston at that time.
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Quality Mince » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:51 pm

Schiehallion, funny how time does funny things to your memory. I do remember reading about Tommy Bolin’s death, I can’t believe it’s over 30 years ago!! I can remember the night Elvis died. But where were you when Tommy Bolin died?? And where were you when Phil Lynott died?? I had to google this one.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 041511.stm Never put in a link before. Hope it works. Thanks for the Amazon link.

It begs the question - What other well-known guitarists now deceased have played in Glasgow??

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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Schiehallion » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:15 pm

I remember exactly where I was when Phil Lynott died. I was about to start a Sunday night shift so I went in for a pint in the Toby Jug in Waterloo St to toast the man before my shift. A fellow worker and Lizzy fan had just finished his late shift and we both had a pint for Phil.

I worked in an office where I could play tapes all night on the night shift so it was Lizzy at high volume all night that night!
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Re: Glasgow’s best and worst concerts

Postby Alycidon » Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:16 pm

Best concert was Queen November 1975, superb, and I recently sold the ticket stub on ebay for £79!!!

Worst - Yes November 1980, Jon Anderson and RickWakeman had left the band and Anderson had appeared at the Apollo the week before and apparently the concert was a cracker, the two guys from the Buggles Geoffrey Downes (keyboards) and Trevor Horn (vocals) had replaced them. Horn did not have the vocal range of anderson and struggled badly with the old songs, and when the two were left on the stage to perfore Video killed the radion star the Glasgo audience gave them a hell of a booing, they left the band shortly after
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We must perform a Quirkafleeg!!!!
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