Gig List (Part 1 - The 90's)

After speaking to my cousin (who isn't my cousin but is related in some way and I cannot be asked to work out the exact correct link) was discussing Iron Maiden concerts and some Stranglers concerts as well I thought this again would be a good space to put down another list. Gig's so from the old grey matter I put together a list of bands that I remember seeing, then patched together dates and venues to complete the list below. Now somewhere I have some reviews I've typed up for a few of those and will see if I can dig any of them out and include them under the gig list below. I am sure many of you have been to more gigs and to be honest I know I have too as there are definitely more Stranglers gigs that I've been too that I have listed here but cannot find a reference point for them so happy to take advice if anyone was with me and I have dates and information incorrect. For example for years I have said that my first Maiden concert was in 1992 and it wasn't it was in 1993!! So what do I know? Very little it appears. Anyway there are some great memories here and I will try and share some when they come back to me. As for this list, it is a work in progress - Enjoy!!

Iron Maiden - 17th May 1993

Wembley Arena, London

The Almighty

My first ever gig, well the first one when I remember anyway. This was a gift from my girlfriend at the time who came along with me and promptly fell asleep midway through the gig. What I can remember is being in the sits for the first and last time for a hell of a long time. The support band was a band I knew and some of their tracks I subsequently got into them much, much more after this gig. The Almighty with lead vocalist Ricky Warwick took to the stage for the first band I ever saw on the big stage. They rocked the place and seriously kicked off my love of live music. Fair play to them and they were followed by the legends that would shape my mind and my life for years to come (well to date!) they were to become my most watched band live ever and there was a reason for that. They are freaking awesome! Blowing me off my seat with the rapid paced Be Quick or Be Dead the single they had released before the album. Then the ever-present Number of the Beast. Some classics in Prowler, Transylvania and Where Eagles Dare. Before some of my favourites from the current album of From Here to Eternity and Wasting Love. Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter followed before Janick broke his guitar and Wasted Years followed that. Some 7th Son were included with The Evil that Men Do and The Clairvoyant was mixed with Afraid to Shoot Strangers and Fear of the Dark. The now lesser heard Heaven Can Wait began the sprint finish with Run to the Hills, 2 Minutes to Midnight, and the conclusion Iron Maiden. It wouldn't be a Maiden gig without the single encore which starts with Hallowed Be Thy Name. On this occasion it was The Trooper before the big finish of Sanctuary. That was it the end of my first gig, my first Maiden gig and my first visit to Wembley Arena and not the stadium for football and I wasn't even 20 yet... Plenty more Iron Maiden to come then!

Iron Maiden - 10th November 1995

Brixton Academy, London

My Dying Bride

The next time I saw Iron Maiden the band was quite different with Bruce leaving and heading off in his own direction and Blaze Bayley stepping in to fill his boots. No disrespect to Blaze as I don't think anyone could have stepped in there and improved things. He did a great job, and this was my favourite gig for many, many years and that includes Bruce with Iron Maiden. It could have been the smaller venue the first time in the pit (and yes, I was right in the middle of the pit). The mate I went with who was on the front barrier for the entire gig said that I was right there at the start of the gig. Then steadily over time all he could see what a pair of hands moving away from him as the gig went on. I must mention that I really enjoyed the support band this night with My Dying Bride who I am sure I came across again in the future but cannot quite remember when. They had a violin in the band and it really worked that night for me. For Iron Maiden they played a mix of the current album they were touring along with some classics starting with a romping tune as always with the current single of Man on the Edge, then classics of Wrathchild, and Heaven Can Wait. Before returning to the album with Lord of the Flies, Fortunes of War, Blood on the World's Hands. Then some classics, with the last of Bruce's album with Afraid to Shoot Strangers and getting older with The Evil that Men Do. Back to more album tracks with The Aftermath and Sign of the Cross. The race to the finish was equally mixed with 2 Minutes to Midnight, The Edge of Darkness, Fear of the Dark, The Clairvoyant with the conclusion of Iron Maiden. The encore was exclusively classics with The Number of the Beast followed by the encore owning Hallowed Be Thy Name, but the grand finale was The Trooper. I remember this was the first time that I remember the silence and it was nothing like silent. I am struggling to find the right wording but there is this weird feeling at the end of a gig. The banging and screaming guitars the bashing of boot to the back of the head the sweat the aches and for me the first time of genuinely being dehydrated. Instantly think of heading for the bathroom for water!! It was then they I first remember that silence. As mentioned, it is not silent the music has stopped the lights are bright and the ringing in my ears is there for days to come but now it is pretty much all you can hear. That feeling is simply amazing, the tired, testosterone filled, euphoria or excitement and energy all building to a crescendo of sound. Then suddenly nothing but bright lights, ringing ears and the general buzz of people shuffling out. In this case I was heading for water and I drank from the tap, walked to the first shop, and brought more water. Train home (South East London) home to more water, milk, and anything else that was cold in the fridge. This gig blew me away! Maiden was awesome this night and the best that I’d seen for years to come as well.

Bon Jovi - 7th July 1996

Milton Keynes Bowl, Milton Keynes.

Gun, Joan Osbourne, Seven

Yes, I had forgotten this one. Then one night ping it shot back into my head and all the memories of the day come rolling back to me. OK so back in 1996 I had a Maestro 5 door car which in the summer was a little temperamental. In that it used to overheat particularly if it was stuck in traffic for a prolonged period. My best man from my wedding and good school and colleague buddy invited me and a couple of his mates from University to go and see Bon Jovi at Milton Keynes in the Bowl. I remember the bowl being large but couldn’t tell you how many people it held. I was driving and we all bundled into my car and we headed north from our little village collecting these guys on the way. What I remember the car stopped running many times, I think it was when we were leaving and just the sheer weight of number of vehicles trying to get out at the same time. But we (well I can’t include me in this) become a well-oiled machine. I’d shout its gone and all four doors would spring open and they would leap from the car. I would bang it into second gear and they would all start pushing the car and boom it would start over and we were back in business. I’d keep the revs up as they piled back in and off we went again until it stopped again and the process repeated itself until we hit the motorway and we were fine all the way home.

As for the gig I remember it kicked off with a band that had won a competition on a radio station. I believe (if I’ve picked the right day (they played two days)) they were called Seven and they were pretty good. Not good enough for me to remember them that much and they never went on to become anything more than this day. Which may be a shame but there would be thousands of bands that went the same way. After these which I have to say got the crowd going was Joan Osbourne and her band.

There was a group of people around me who I just found hilarious they were probably very drunk but I was too young to notice or it was too old for me to remember but let me tell you about Joan Osbourne. I would describe her as a one hit wonder, she had a hit called One of Us, which main lyric was What if God was one of us, riding a bus and wandering around the world. She had ridden this hit all around the world and that had gotten her this gig with Bon Jovi and these boys were going to have a sweepstake of when she played this one song. Someone said first song to get the crowd onside. Another said it would be the big finish and another said that her entire set would be he just playing the same song over and over again. Well they were all wrong as she opened the set with Pensacola, which was followed by St Teresa and Right Hand Man and as a build up she then played Man In the Long Black Coat. For a gig that had a big swell of euphoria after the first act for me and those around me it dropped, she then hit us with One of Us which in its defence got many people their singing along if I remember the words to this day. Before she hit us with a big finish of Ladder, but that wasn’t enough to lift the crowd to the level they were when Seven was playing. I can honestly even writing this has never prompted me to give any of her songs a listen before or since this gig. She shuffled off the stage and then we waited for the band that I really wanted to see. Gun.

Now Gun was from Scotland (I think) and they had a song called Taking on the World (which they didn’t play) and their biggest hit was a cover of the song Word Up who was. I think I remember Shame on You also but they opened their set with Don't Say Its Over which I had never heard of. Followed by an equally blank expression by my as they hit us with Better Days, Losing You, Going Down, Stand In Line, and The Only One. That was equally a list of tracks that I have never really heard of either they then moved into Something Worthwhile and still nothing I knew. I was starting to get a little worried when finally they hit the big one and I tick this off my life list. Seeing Gun live playing Word Up. For those that remember Gun this was during the lead singer Dante Gizzili (spelling?!) was in his bleached blond days. They concluded their set with Steal Your Fire and rounded it off with Shame on You see I knew they had song somewhere in their locker but not Taking on the World. Suitably warmed up we were getting ready for Bon Jovi to take to the stage and it would be appropriate to mention the red leather jacket at this stage but completely inappropriate to say why that triggers a memory in my mind. So that’s as much as I would share right now.

Moving onto Bon Jovi, they were touring the These Days and they play a heck ton of songs and to be fair to them. They gave the crowd their money’s worth and before I get into the tracks they were very good. They kicked off with Lay Your Hands on Me, rapidly followed by Bad Medicine and All I want is Everything. Another of my favourites of them followed with You Give Love a Bad Name then they played some I wasn’t really sure I’ve heard of before with Runaway and Diamond Ring. They played the crowd favour (well it looked that way) with Bed of Roses. Here we are some 24 years later and I have just realised that they played Rocking All Over the World which was possibly the reason we were discussing Status Quo in the car on the way home. That feels like getting a joke 20 minutes after everyone else! It just took me 24 years for the penny to drop. They went with a double of Blood on Blood and Damned. OK there was not a ‘pit’ at a Bon Jovi gig but we were reasonably close to the front. I add that little piece of information as next up was a three song acoustic session of Wanted Dead or Alive, I'll Be There For You finish the triplets with In These Arms. Why did I just add that nugget of information before? I hear you ask, well it was because when they went all acoustic they came off the main stage and basically stood on the turf with us. Literally bringing it to their fans!! Yeah! Except I could no longer see anything of them at all. They just disappeared with some music playing into the air. Jon and Richie Sambora apparently played these songs to perfection not that I could see. Lots of people cheered including the red leather jacket. The band reformed on the stage and I could see them again!!! Playing Something for the Pain and Someday I'll Be Saturday Night. Finishing off the gig with I'll Sleep When I'm Dead and Keep the Faith.

Oh and then the encore’s started and I have never been to gig with so many encores, you get to the point where you are scared to leave in case they came back again. The first one they played (Its Hard) Letting You Go, Something to Believe In and Hey God Thank you good night, right boys where did we park the car? Oh hang on they are back again this time playing - Drift Away, Always, My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms and These Days. Which was the tour ‘track’ so we know they are all done this time. Which car park zone were we in I assume we’ll get there and then track down the car from being somewhere close. Oh hang on lads they are back again!! This time to the true conclusion and the 3rd encore they finished the night with ff – for good this time with Wild in the Streets and to round out a good day and a great show with Livin' on a Prayer (I mean what else!)

The Stranglers - 13th November 1997

Fairfield Halls, Croydon, London

*Can't remember the support band anyone Know?*

The cousins I went with to this day still do not believe me but I swear on the way there I saw JJ Burnel (the bassist you uneducated fool! Get some culture!) walking down the road as we drove there. He was in a beanie type woolly hat (it was November and cold), jeans and DM boots and a coat that I cannot remember but I was convinced it was him. We arrive at the halls and they are advertising the panto and haven't removed the odd poster for Educating Rita that finished it run last week. I vaguely believed there was a comedian on somewhere else that night as we made our way to the show. Walking in was a shock. Having been to Wembley Arena and the Brixton Academy before I was not expecting a small lecture theatre. That what we got. The stage at the front with approx six foot gap to the front row of seats. Approximately 20 or 30 seats in a row and then 30-40 rows up in a straight line. That was it. Possibly one of the strangest venues I've seen. I will use the term quirky shall I? Too late I just did.

There was a support band but I cannot for the life of me remember who the support act was this night but I do remember them. The lead singer had black leather trousers, a black slick vest with a black leather jacket over the top. The guitarist had a bucket hat, purple sunglasses that were small and round. The other guitarist not sure which one was the bassist wore camouflage gear whilst the drummer had long dark hair and black band T-shirt. They could of each been in a different band and looked less out of place than they all did this night. I remember throughout their set when they finished a song there was a gentle ripple of applause which they thanked everyone for and moved onto the next song. At the end the lead singer had a pop by saying

"You are Stranglers fans I thought you'd be down the front spitting at us!" and walked off the stage. "Thank you, Goodnight!"

About a minute later along with two others they walked back on stage and we thought ah-up whats going on here. They then started packing up their gear ready to load it on the back of a Ford Transit in the car park.

This was one strange venue for the stranglers many people headed to the front but there simply wasn't much room. We stayed put and enjoyed from a distance. I felt slightly uncomfortable and almost on show but the gig was a good one. I cannot remember the tracks sung and it appears no one out there in the internet world bothered to go and write a review as there is no reference to this gig anywhere online. I have to say that this was a good show, they opened with Valley of the Birds and included many of the classics as well such as Something Better Change, Golden Brown, Hanging Around, Always the Sun along with others from the latest album such as In Heaven She Walks, Joy De Viva and Summer in the City. I think it just felt weird sitting facing the stage about 10/15 rows back and clapping at the end of a song as a opposed to punching the air and shouting **** YEAH!!! They are a good band and for me Paul Roberts and John Ellis were a good edition after the departure of Hugh and this was a good show. Strange but good!

Iron Maiden - 16th May 1998

Brixton Academy, London

Helloween, Dirty Deeds

This could well be the gig I was mixing up with the other Brixton Academy gig for Iron Maiden with Blaze steering the ship, but this was equally a Bleeping great gig. This was a proper build up gig for me with bands that I'd actually heard of before. Dirty Deeds were alright but that is as far as I would go, I think there was a link to Maiden, but I really cannot remember off the top of my head. Then there was Helloween who's lead singer was tipped to replace Bruce for donkey's years and then once he leaves, they tour with Maiden's new singer. Anyway, this was a damn fine gig again. Dirty Deeds did their bit and moved on. Helloween came on and rocked the place! Opening with the 200mph track Eagle Fly Free, following this rockier tune of Dr Stein and the heavier Revelation. Back to the racing guitar with Push before the more melodious I Can and the mechanical The Time of the Oath and pacey Power before they round out their set by going all the way back to the beginning with a track from their first album How Many Tears. Taking Brixton was done but could Iron Maiden wrestle it back from our German friends?

To be honest it was a close-run thing as there was the insistence of playing the new stuff which only some of it floated (for me anyway) the open to the galloping Futureal followed by the slower The Angel and the Gambler. Increasing pace again with Man on the Edge which is more like a football chant. Then came Lightning Strikes Twice but I will move swiftly pass that one with Heaven Can Wait before going back to the new stuff with the epic The Clansman and the not so classic When Two Worlds Collide.

Stepping back up the quality ladder as Lord of the Flies was followed by the evergreen 2 Minutes to Midnight and The Educated Fool. Rounding off the show was all great tracks starting with one of the new ones in Sign of the Cross, the ever present Hallowed be Thy Name and Afraid to Shoot Strangers. Returning to their greatest album they bashed out brilliantly The Evil That Men Do and The Clairvoyant.

They didn't shy away from Bruce's last contribution to the band with the earlier Afraid they also included Fear of the Dark which was the penultimate track before the finisher as always Iron Maiden. They always return for a single encore this time containing three tracks and as Hallowed had already been played what were they going to lead with? Well, they went with The Number of the Beast and the classic The Trooper and finishing with another classic of Sanctuary. For me Maiden were as good as ever as I hadn't seen Bruce that much and to be honest, he wasn't giving it 100% as his mind was elsewhere and planning his own stuff when I saw him. This was the Maiden that was my first experience and I Bleeping loved it. They were fantastic and I wanted more!!

Cradle of Filth - 5th June 1998

London Astoria, London

Old Man's Child

I have no recollection of the support act but I think I did not even check them out at all. I had little interest in them and was more interested in purr-chasing a 'Jesus' T-shirt and yes I still own said T-shirt and no there is no chance in hell that I would fit back into it at this time. Let me work on that post operation. So we launch into set with my personal favourite tune of Cradle's from the album of the same name. That being 'Dusk and Her Embrace' following that was 'Summer Dying Fast'

which was then followed by three of my liked ditties namely 'Beneath the Howling Stars', 'Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids', and 'Funeral In Carpathia' there was a bit of a lull for me as the next two tracks were 'The Twisted Nails of Faith' and 'The Black Goddess Rises' and 'Venus in Fear' is alright but live these are all screamed out at you. My interest increased with 'Malice Through the Looking Glass' which is very good live (I have to say). They finished with four tracks with 'The Forest Whispers My Name' and 'To Eve the Art of Witchcraft' they then threw in a cover of a Slayer track namely 'Hell Awaits' which was good as I bleeping love Slayer. They finish off the set with a track they opened my next gig from them with which is 'Ebony Dressed for Sunset'. A thoroughly great night with Cradle (for me) in their prime before they sought the pound signs over continuing what they were originally doing. Each to their own they just left a few people and many other band members on the side of the road as they chased their ultimate goal. Publicity over substance won out which might explain the T-shirts more in the years that followed. But for this moment and this gig they were freaking awesome!

Iron Maiden - 22nd October 1998

Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Dirty Deeds

I made myself a promise not to try not to mention any other people in this but maybe saying a cousin or an ex-girlfriend to hint at those that may read it but not naming. This gig and the next one I will ignore the rule for this and the next gig as there are some people I want to put a bit of 'shout out' to and those people are my Cousin David and the nicest family you could want to meet. David went to the next gig so I will talk about him then. This gig was in Wolverhampton and I was lucky enough to be given a bed for the night with Sue, Mike, Jonathon and Elliot. I somehow convinced Mike to come and collect me after the gig and I returned the house late or in the early hours sweating like a *quickly need to change that expression* a very sweaty sticky thing. I slept on the couch and headed off the next day for Bristol! Followed by Wales, then London before Portsmouth (see below) and one that means a lot to me right now. Sue was fantastic and their was a lot of love from us as a family to her and her family. If Mike or the kids are reading this then I still think a lot of them and although I am *explicit deleted* at keeping in touch with anyone if they reach out and need anything I will do all I can for them. This night lives long in the memory for them more than gig itself. One of the first completely on my own in terms of rocking up to the show and queuing on my own. Beyond the band I didn't know the name of any other person in the building but off I trotted. Dirty Deeds opened another gig for me and I still couldn't tell you one of their tracks off the top of my head. They were rocky but never really sold themselves to me. Maiden then came on with Blaze lead singer and it was a good gig. They played all the same songs as the Brixton gig mentioned above so please see the review above I have the list here for you.

The tracks were - Futureal, The Angel and the Gambler, Man on The Edge, Lightning Strikes Twice, Heaven Can Wait, The Clansman, When Two Worlds Collide, 2 Minutes to Midnight, The Educated Fool, Sign of the Cross, Afraid to Shoot Strangers, Hallowed Be Thy Name, The Evil That Men Do, Fear of the Dark, Iron Maiden,

With the encore of - The Number of the Beast, The Trooper, Sanctuary. Another great gig was done in a much smaller venue that I will become adjusted too but a good gig none the less. Should I go back and give these a star's rating? I don't know let me know your thoughts.

Iron Maiden - 26th October 1998

Guildhall, Portsmouth

Dirty Deeds

The other person I was going to mention at these gigs is David who is my cousin and got me into The Stranglers and a few other bands as well. We used to live on the football pitches near our homes and he could tackle like a front rower but we were trying to play football. We headed to Portsmouth after I return from Wales the night before. We got down there stupidly early and I parked the car and we went for a wander around town. I remember going and getting something to eat after finding the gig was. We returned with full belly's later in the evening to join the queue. Walking into the gig I was reminded of the smaller halls of the previous week and remember the wooden floor which was clearly covering the nicer carpet underneath. It meant the boards were bouncy making the jumping up and down that much easier on the ankles. This was the first and possibly the last time David had been in the pit and knowing what to expect I was possibly better prepared than poor David who was right in the middle of it at one stage. The gig just like the last one begun with Dirty Deeds which I still think had some kind of a link to Steve Harris. Having finally bothered to look this up they were NOT! the AC/DC tribute act but a band that was endorsed by Steve Harris and if you want to check them out they have a couple of albums back in the day. A bit generic rock for me but I had seen them enough times I guess they had played such classics as In the Name of the Law, Call of the Wild, I'm No Angel and Ruled by the Gun. It was almost like they were a cheap copy of Maiden but no where near as good. It was passible I guess.

When Maiden were readying themselves to take to the stage i.e. when UFO's Doctor Doctor was playing. The swell towards the front begun and after the racing opening of Futureal had kicked in I remember how the crowd went nuts and poor David was right in the middle of it! Playing the same setlist as before they pelted out The Angel and the Gambler, Man on The Edge, Lightning Strikes Twice, Heaven Can Wait, The Clansman, and amazingly Dave was still there arms in the air giving it large. The gig continued and at some point between here and When Two Worlds Collide, 2 Minutes to Midnight, The Educated Fool, Sign of the Cross, Afraid to Shoot Strangers, Hallowed Be Thy Name, The Evil That Men Do, Fear of the Dark, and Iron Maiden had finished I lost Dave but after the same encore of - The Number of the Beast, The Trooper, Sanctuary. We met up at the agreed sign post and grabbing some more liquid for the journey home (back in those days I would assume a coke!) we got back in the banana dream car (my yellow Cavalier) and headed home. Another great gig completed and another fantastic night completed and full compliments to Iron Maiden again.