With the country still in the midst of lockdown and no sign of any live music in the foreseeable future if at all this year I thought I would take the opportunity to look back in the archives, sounds posh I know but it’s just an spreadsheet, and revisit gigs I attended on this day down the years. I will keep this going until I can attend my first gig again in person so hopefully this also brings back memories for my gig going chums who have joined me on this great musical journey down the years.
A couple of corkers today for my trip down memory lane for you down the years.
2005, Queens of the Stone Age, Koko, London
This show was originally set for a midnight slot on 7th July but sadly events in London that day meant it was obviously cancelled. I was working in Northampton that day of the London bombings and I remember coming back down the M1 with all of the signs on the motorway just saying London is closed.
So this show was rearranged and acted as a warm up for their Reading headline slot and was also recorded for a live album and DVD. I don’t know whether it because of the rearrangement or this was their normal show but they performed 25 songs that night taken pretty evenly from across their four albums. There can be no complaints that your favourite song was not played that night for what was a frantic breathless set of the finest rock music.
I stayed a respectable distance back but Alex joined the ‘pit’ I am pretty sure for a bit. It’s a great little venue Koko as long as you are standing in front of the overhanging balcony which just sucks the sound from the stage terribly. No such problems tonight for this great show.
2017, Gospelbeach, the Moth Club, London
Just a skip back a couple or so years ago for this show with Gospelbeach that was reviewed at the time here. It’s a triple header tonight and all three acts were great but it did mean a short set by the notional headliners.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon. Support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.