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Yair Matayevy

Live Performance Stories: Share Your Most Memorable Experiences

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Hey everyone!

I know firsthand that live music performances can create some of the most unforgettable moments in our lives, whether I'm in the audience or up on stage. I thought it would be a great idea to create a thread where we can all share our most memorable experiences from live performances.

I've witnessed some incredible shows that left me speechless, and I've even had the chance to perform on stage and create memorable moments of my own. I'd love to hear your stories too!

 

To get the conversation started, I'll share some details about one of my experiences:

1. Who was performing (or who was I seeing)?
2. Where and when did the performance take place?
3. What made the performance so memorable for me?
4. Were there any unexpected surprises or challenges during the show?
5. If I could relive that moment, would I change anything?


Looking forward to reading your stories and learning about the incredible experiences we've all had.

Edited by Yair Matayevy
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It wasn't necessarily the best gig I've ever been to, but U2 in Botanic Gardens, Belfast in 1997 is one 9f the most memorable. There was an IRA ceasefire, so we had peace of sorts. I finished work at 3.30pm and went early to get a good spot. I was right at the barriers at the front, between the main crowd and the VIPs. The band passed me almost within touching distance as the took to the stage. 

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The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, 1968. All night sitting, featuring The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, and more. Kicked off at dusk, finished after dawn. Unforgettable, with two sessions for each of the headliners.

I walked home to Bedfont, by Heathrow Airport, (about 30 km...) and hardly noticed, floating as I was on a cloud (no, this was pre-substances; that came later...).

If I was able to re-live it..? Maybe I should have paid a little more attention to the French girl sharing my lap for much of the show..? I didn't even think to ask her name..! Happy Daze..!

 

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Jeff Beck at the Hammersmith Odeon on the There & Back tour in the early ‘80s, with the Climax Blues Band in support. The JB ensemble of himself, Tony Hymas on keys, Mo Foster on bass and Simon Phillips on drums were so on their game that night. Mo broke a string, something I’ve seen since or before, Si’s drum solo was literally jaw dropping, where he got the energy from to maintain that intensity for so long, I don’t know. Tony did his job of bringing it al, together and Jeff was Jeff, brilliant in every way. After seeing the Climax Blues Band, you could have gone home well satisfied, but to have them followed by Jeff & Co was a sight to see. Never bettered.

 

From my own annals, the moment that sticks with me most is one of slight embarrassment. I was playing the Crystal Palace Bowl, which has a huge stage. Going for my ‘Woodstock moment’ I ran across the stage (as you do) only to hear a ‘pop!’ as I pulled my lead out of the amp 🤦🏻. Fortunately, I managed to get back to my amp and plug in again just in time to play the lead riff of the song. There is a recording of the event and you can hear what happened quite clearly ☹️😂.

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Prince's After Show parties at the Indigo in the O2, after the main concert in 2007.  Intimate club that held maybe 5-600 at most.  I was three metres from the stage and totally in awe of his band leadership.  Everyone never took their eye off him and he had a range of vocal and hand cues to drop various instruments out and bring them back in, or cue different sections of the song.  They were totally on top of it and the effect was like listening to a remix in real time. There was also one moment two thirds of the way through a jam where the keyboardist wasn't getting a riff that Prince wanted him to play.  Prince stops playing guitar, goes over to the keys, plays the riff, the keys player gets it.  Then Prince puts his guitar down, goes over to the drums and carries on playing.

A tragic loss to music.

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An event I still remember was a Martin Taylor gig. Probably about 1991 or not long after. So, I was very much a novice with limited exposure to the music.

What was so astonishing about this gig was that it was simply him playing solo, doing the melody, chords and bassline all by himself. I'd never seen or heard anything like that, and wasn't expecting it either as I'd never heard of him and didn't know anything other than that it would be a jazz guitar gig.

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