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.
Another busy day of festive shows for my look back trip down memory lane for you down the years.
2013, Status Quo, Brighton Centre, Brighton
The four amigos including Mr Wordingham make a weekend of it down in Brighton. It’s been thirty one years since I had seen Status Quo last on their twentieth anniversary and probably farewell tour with Mr Head. Well they have had a number of farewell tours in the interim and for this line up only Rossi and Parfitt from the original line-up remain.
For a laugh I thought I would try and wear the same tour t-shirt, waistcoat and Quo sweatshirt from 1982. The waistcoat was fine, the t-shirt was like a second skin but when I put the sweatshirt on let’s just say that exhaling was impossible. Anne was in stiches as she tried to peel me out of the thing. Luckily we stopped short of full Casualty mode and having to have the thing cut off me. In the end I went triple denim, jeans, waistcoat and jacket for this trip down memory lane.
Of course all of the favourites were there, some new stuff and sadly the abomination that is ‘In the Army Now’. That aside a brilliant trip down memory lane was had as was the weekend overall. Special memories for me as Quo’s Caroline was the first single I ever owned.
1985, Marillion, Brixton Academy, London
To say Antony and I were obsessed with Marillion around this time is an understatement and I think we saw them at least six times in under two years. There were usually good often excellent but sadly for this show they were neither. It was a bit lacklustre and whether a gruelling touring schedule over the previous two years had taken its toll I don’t know. The night however was memorable for one thing and was the highlight of the whole evening. Before they came on stage the DJ is playing the usual selection of tracks to get people in the mood when Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ came on. The place went berserk and much moshing ensued. I have certainly never seen a show where the band are upstaged by the pre gig entertainment.
1984, Marillion, Hammersmith Odeon, London
By contrast this was a brilliant show although to be fair a lot of these Hammersmith gigs do blur into one. I think we in the circle for this one but could be wrong and ended up sitting with the girlfriends of the band we found out. I have reviewed them enough times so I won’t bore you with any further details but just to say these guys and those first three albums were a massive part of my late teenage years.
1983, Robert Plant, Hammersmith Odeon, London
Also around this time Graham and I saw Robert Plant quite a few times. He was often very hit and miss and would spend large chunks of the show just showcasing his incredible voice making random noises in a Cleo Laine jazz style. Sadly this often distracted the quality of the songs once he did get his focus back on.
This show was memorable for one thing apart for the good setlist in that Jimmy Page came on stage at the end and so at that time it was the closest we had come to see Zep live.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon but I have had several gigs slated for early 2021 already being moved to the back end so that will take it to a full twelve months at least between gigs.
Support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.