Live Music in 2018

[Wa10]

Morning folks,

Sorry I've not been around much this year so far, work has been rather hectic and life keeps getting in the way!

Having bagged myself tickets for Def Leppard in Liverpool for December via O2 Priority this morning, I'm definitely feeling the love for live music right now! 

Just thought I'd see what gigs people are most looking forward to this year, and who has been successful in bagging those all important tickets so far?

I rediscovered my love of live music last year, after a gig hiatus which stretched over far too many years. I think finally making it to the hallowed fields of Glastonbury is what did it for me, and now I'm hooked again much to my credit card's disgust.

2018 started off with the Bootleg Beatles playing Celebrating Sgt Pepper Live with the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra a couple of weeks ago, which was an absolutely sensational show. I've seen them a few times before, but this blew everything else out of the water, even their Glasto set. Most I've ever paid for a tribute/covers band though 

Next up is Sigrid in March, a discovery from Glastonbury who really was quite unexpected, such a memorable afternoon spent listening to her in the Park field that I can't wait to see her again. 

April starts out with Tiny Moving Parts at one of my favourite venues, the Deaf Institute in Manchester - it's a lovely intimate little music hall, with a cracking bar and bistro/restaurant underneath. At the end of the month will be the first gig trip to London of the year, to see one half of Oasis (Noel).

Into May I'm checking out Nina Nesbitt on the recommendation of a music loving friend, and then ending the month at Bearded Theory festival which will be 4 days absolutely packed with amazing, often unheard of acts. 

June is a bit bonkers, packing in The National right at the start of the month in London, followed by a Manchester weekend of David Byrne and Foo Fighters on consecutive nights, and then back down to London for the last weekend for the other half of Oasis (Liam) and then Queens Of The Stone Age. Seriously considering trying to catch Jack White on the Thursday too, but budget doesn't really allow at the moment.

Have to ease off a bit in July as we go away at the end of the month, but I do get one weekend of entertainment with Roger Waters and Eric Clapton playing Hyde Park which should be incredible. 

After that, nothing until Def Leppard in December...which is probably a good thing, as I'll need a few months to recover. 

Looking back at all of that, it really is no wonder I'm poor! Anybody want to buy a kidney? Haha 

[Cleoriff]

Its a long time since we went to a Live Gig featuring one of the all time great top groups.

I envy you seeing Roger Waters and Eric Clapton at Hyde Park, though we have seen them both in the past.

The last one for me was The Prodigy in 2016 In Birmingham.

We had planned to go and see The Who last year (my husbands favourite band) but circumstances got in the way and if honest the cost of the tickets was prohibitive.

We have also seen the Bootleg Beatles (before they became nearly as popular as the real Beatles)

Nowadays I tend to see more Tribute bands than the real thing. There are many good ones about. I have seen the Australian Pink Floyd and they were excellent, though this year we are going to see another one called Dark Side of the Wall.

I will be seeing the Roy Orbison story at our local Civic Hall venue in March.

Later in March we are off to a 60's weekend... We will see Chris Farlow, Amen Corner, Manfred Mann, The Searchers and the Animals to name a few. 

I have seen Queen with Freddie Mercury though I have a slight aversion to seeing them with Adam Lambert. My son wanted to buy me tickets to see them this year but travel would pose a problem and I'm convinced no one can replace Freddie.

One band I am determined to see is ELO. Probably one of the best live bands of their generation. They were at Wembley last year ...again circumstances put them out of reach for me.

My son, who failed again to get tickets for Glastonbury, is travelling to Madrid for a Mad Cool 3 day event which includes Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, Rag 'n Bone man etc etc   

So apart from a couple of live concerts (weekends) I shall just live my music life through my son...

[Wa10]

Never actually managed to catch The Prodigy live  I did have the opportunity last year, however alas circumstances got in the way and I couldn't commit. A few friend went though and said it was a great show though!

Ticket prices are creeping up at an alarming rate sadly, 3 tickets for Def Leppard this morning left me with very little change out of £200, and that's not even London prices!  

Hoping to get my younger sister along to see a tribute band at some point during the year, it would be her first gig and she's not geat with crowds so I'm thinking a tribute may be a bit less hectic. She's got brilliant taste in music I must say, and would love to see any of the great rock groups. Trying to track down a Kansas tribute if I can, as she's mad on them at the moment.

Ooh, is it the Skegness weekender you are going to @Cleoriff? That should be great, some fab acts amongst that lot. 

I've had similar misgivings about Queen, however friends who have seen the show with Adam Lambert have only had good things to say...from what I can gather, he doesn't even try to take Freddie's place but instead makes it his own whilst still respecting the music and the legend behind it. Not at all jealous that you got to see Freddie live, honest!! 

I was sorely tempted by ELO, but the ticket prices put me off a bit this time around. Hopefully next time I will have a few less gigs already booked in, so may be able to justify it. 

Hope your son has better luck with Glasto tickets for next year! Prayers to the ticket God's will be offered up, as I simply have to be there. If it came to it, I'd volunteer with one of the charities to get my ticket that way - and in fact I'm thinking of doing that for a couple of other festivals if I can make it work, as it would give a great "alternative view" I think as well as helping to raise some funds for one of the great causes involved. Mad Cool looks like a decent line up this year, I'm sure he will have a blast. A friend from the Netherlands is heading there I believe, if I wasn't already heading abroad on holiday (or if I'd had a lottery win so that both were viable) then I'd be very tempted myself.

[welshsteve76]

Was hoping to see Myles Kennedy on his solo tour, but enough said about that in the Ticketmaster thread I started last week.

Thinking of going to see Trivium in April, and possibly Download Festival in June.  Nothing bought yet though.

[Cleoriff]

No it's not Skegness @Wa10 We go to two a year. One at Yarmouth (Gold Weekender) and the other at Brean Sands (courtesy of Yesterday Once More) either 60's or 70's . (A brilliant tribute to Marc Bolan with T-Rextacy...lol)

My son has given up on Glasters this year. He has been to every one...failed last year on release date and resale. Failed again on release date for this year. So spent his money on a trip to Goa in February.

The Mad Cool festival is in July. He will stay with friends in Madrid and we will pay for his flight for his birthday..

So as he says... 'Sorted'...:smileywink:

[Marjo]

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@welshsteve76 wrote:

Was hoping to see Myles Kennedy on his solo tour, but enough said about that in the Ticketmaster thread I started last week.

Thinking of going to see Trivium in April, and possibly Download Festival in June.  Nothing bought yet though.

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Download Festival would be amazing @welshsteve76! I saw Marilyn Manson live a few years ago in one of his concerts and wouldn't mind seeing him again.

@Cleoriff T-Rextacy? I'll have to google that!

[Cleoriff]

@MarjoI'll save you the bother....

[Marjo]

Thanks @Cleoriff! Very happy colours.

[Cleoriff]

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@Marjo wrote:

Thanks @Cleoriff! Very happy colours.

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They are actually a very good tribute band @Marjo. Sadly a lot of the bands I liked from the 60's and 70's don't exist any longer, usually due to the death of the lead singer. In this case Marc Bolan. So if you want to see

T Rex, (who I loved)... this is probably the best you are going to get.

[Marjo]

T-Rex is not bad! Thought the name rang a bell so I took a look in YouTube and yes I've heard some of these songs before.