Gig Going Thread.

[QualityChimp]

I've been to loads of festivals over the years - Reading, V, Glastonbury and so on - but I love Download the most. It always has loads of great bands to see, even on weaker years. They only seem weaker compared to other phenomenal years' lineups.

So many funny tales and it always seems a great atmosphere.

A close second was when I won tickets to the Ben & Jerry's mini festival where Ash and The Lemonheads played and there was free Ben & Jerry's ice cream all day, plus it was an absolute scorcher of a day!

[CMcK]

Ash, free ice cream and good weather that's verging on a fairy tale! Haven't bought tickets for Download 2013 yet but think I will. It's a shame Download Scotland only lasted one year as it was a great event. Maybe time for a real T rival?

[randombs]

I might go to Wireless 2012 on Friday. Apparently one of the hotels I support has been given 30 free tickets for "Rihanna on Friday" but she's on Sunday so it's either Friday or Sunday and I'm waiting to find out which one's correct.

If it's Friday then that means The Roots, Jaguar Skills and Deadmau5 which would be awesome. If it's Sunday then I won't be able to go anyway so it doesn't matter(plus lineup doesn't interest me).

[Colin]

Saw Springsteen last night for the fifth or sixth time, can't quite remember. Amazing as always, for a guy in his sixties he's still one of the best performers alive. For the encore he was joined by Paul McCartney and fired out a couple of Beatles classics, only for the local council to then pull the plug on them as they'd exceeded the curfew. The whole band wanted to keep going and didn't know the sound had been cut until a tech came on stage. An utter disgrace not to let the man thank his fans after the show, i've been to a lot of these hard rock calling shows over the years, but that's the last time they'll see any of my money, it slightly soured an otherwise amazing night.

[BaronSqwelch]

Having been both a punter and a promoter (well, helper monkey) I can see both sides to that row...noise laws and licensing are even more strict these days too!

Just bought tickets for Gallows and also Architects (Deez Nuts in support tho...worst bandc ever) in Brum towards the end of the year. Interested to see Gallows again for the first time since they changed frontmen and I always come in handy for rescuing fallen kids in the pit!

[Skull Commander]

Saw Springsteen last night for the fifth or sixth time, can't quite remember. Amazing as always, for a guy in his sixties he's still one of the best performers alive. For the encore he was joined by Paul McCartney and fired out a couple of Beatles classics, only for the local council to then pull the plug on them as they'd exceeded the curfew. The whole band wanted to keep going and didn't know the sound had been cut until a tech came on stage. An utter disgrace not to let the man thank his fans after the show, i've been to a lot of these hard rock calling shows over the years, but that's the last time they'll see any of my money, it slightly soured an otherwise amazing night.

According to something I read today (think it may have been on the Guardian site) he came on half an hour late and had already played for half an hour over his given time. Seems fair enough to me if this was the case.

[Colin]

So the stage crew mess up the changeovers throughout the day (Springsteen came on as soon as the stage was set) then pull the plug on him when he goes, if I remember rightly, ten minutes past curfew and that's ok? He'd finished the set anyway and him and McCartney just wanted to thank the audience. That's not ok in my book. A Saturday night in what's supposedly one of the worlds most important cities, and you can't have an event go past half ten? Utter pish. Bring on the farce that will be the olympics.

[Kieran76]

Seeing Eddie Vedder tomorrow night at Hammersmith Apollo. Getting really excited now as I have seen the setlists for the Manchester and Amsterdam gigs. Should be incredible.

[Colin]

Don't suppose you've got a spare ticket?

[Kieran76]

If my wife falls ill you can have first refusal. That said, according to Pearl Jam twitter they said they might be a chance of some tickets being put back on sale.

[Colin]

May take a gamble and tout it, as much as I hate to give those scum my money.

[dataDave]

Always check Ebay even minutes before dealing with those knobs.

The second time I went to see NIN I got one ticket for 11 quid and another for 9. Same day Ebay search and met the people outside.

[randombs]

Gumtree's a good bet, too. People put tickets up there even an hour before the event. Often you can just meet them there and get the ticket. I've done that a few times(and sold spare tickets that way as well).

[Kieran76]

Vedder was outstanding, guest appearances from Neil Finn and Roger Daltry. Masters of War was a particular highlight for me.

[QualityChimp]

Sweet! Got a ticket for Blur tonight!