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Wembley Stadium bathed in blue light for the Coldplay concert

Ever since my first concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, I have loved a live concert. Every time I look at the price of big concert tickets I think, “how much?” but then I go and think, “why don’t I do this more often?” For every concert there is a memory that will last forever, a time and space that will never be repeated.

And so have started to list all of the concerts I have ever been to. It’s a still incomplete list but I wanted to share it as a living record to some of the great shows I have seen.

Compared to some I have seen loads of concerts (over 60) but a lot fewer than others.

My Latest Concerts (2023)

The first half of 2023 has been pretty good for concerts. I loved Inhaler at the UEA LCR, said goodbye to Panic! at the Disc, and maybe the last Roger Waters tour before a weekend double header of Depeche Mode and Peter Gabriel.

Roger Waters arrived in the UK with a lot of bad press for his politics and performance. In typical Roger style he tackled it head on and did not mince his words. The music and performance however was fantastic. The concert was very cinematic shining to all the corners of the fabulous Birmingham venue. I took quite a few videos of the night, which you can find my YouTube Channel, but here are two of my faves.

Sheep
Any Colour You Like/Brain Damage/Eclipse

The weekend double header of concerts were equally different and brilliant. My second ever concert at Twickenham (the first was the U2 Vertigo tour) was great to hear so much of Violator, live.

Peter Gabriel at the O2 was a revelation. I had looked at the set list and was a little nervous there weren’t too many hits. However, the opening set consisted of his new songs from the I/O Input Output project (not an album yet.) For each track Peter introduced the song and his thoughts behind the music and lyrics. For each song there was dedicated artwork by renowned, and emerging artists who again got name checked and referenced. These new tracks were fabulous and have been played on repeat since I came home. The latter part of the concert included many of the big tracks from So, including Sledgehammer, Big Time and Don’t Give Up. In Your eyes, and Solsbury Hill were also played to my delight. But it was the finale that sealed it for me. An impassioned performance of Biko with striking visuals left the whole arena singing just one word. Biko. A triumph from Mr Garbriel.

My First Concert

The first ever concert I went to was Marillion at the Hammersmith Odeon, for the Clutching at Straws Tour in 1987. The support was Jadus, a band i’d not heard of before, or since. I was too young to realise the chap who slept through the entire, next to us, may not have been simply tired! The wonderful cover art here was designed by Mark Wilkinson.

My first proper stadium gig was Pink Floyd’s Momentary Lapse of Reason at Wembley Stadium in 1989. The tour was the first without founding member Roger Waters, who had left the band in 1985. David Gilmour took over as the band’s creative leader, and he, along with Nick Mason and keyboardist Richard Wright, were joined by several session musicians to fill out the live sound. The light show, the videos and the rock were on a scale I’d never seen before.

The Best Concert?

It is hard to pick just one concert as ‘the best’. Different concerts tick different boxes. Certainly the most memorable has to be Desert Trip in 2016. Three nights, two concerts every night. Watching Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Who, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters perform at the Empire Polo Ground (Coachella location) has to be up there.

Rolling Stones Desert Trip

So too does watching Supertamp’s Roger Hodgson performing as the sun set in Nice; enjoying the music then wandering home along the Promenade Des Anglais to sleep at Hotel Negresco. All of those concerts were with my girls which always adds to the experience.

The first Rolling Stones gig at Wembley Stadium was pretty incredible. Zoo TV, also at Wembley Stadium was something I will never forget.

But I can’t rule out Roger Waters, The Wall in Berlin. I booked a ticket as soon as they came on sale but didn’t collect it until I was there for the event. As I entered the Olympiastadion, the guides had to help me translate the ticket and point me to … the front row. So, Roger Waters performing the Wall in Berlin’s Olympiastadion also has to be up there.

Coldplay in 2022 was pretty special. The British weather can make or break open air gigs but Wembley Stadium on one of the hottest days of the year was incredible.

And we haven’t even mentioned Kate Bush performing for the first time in 20+ years!

Which band have I seen the most?

I’ve seen U2 the most, all in the UK. If they tour again, I’d like to see them in a European city, for a change, or hop across to their rumoured Las Vegas residency…

All the Concerts, so far!

ArtistTourConcert Location
Belinda CarlisleRunaway HorsesWembley Arena, London
Belinda CarlisleRunaway HorsesThe UEA, Norwich
Billy Joel.Wembley Arena, London
Bob DylanDesert TripEmpire Polo Ground, Indo California
Cyndi LauperTwelve Deadly CynsThe Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Duran DuranCastle Howard, Yorkshire
Depeche ModeMomento MoriTwickenham, London
ElbowThe Seldon Seen KidWembley Arena, London
ElbowBuild a Rocket BoysThe O2, London
Elton JohnPeachtree RoadIpswich Town, Ipswich
Elton JohnGoodbye Yellow Brick RoadCarrow Road, Norwich
Eric Clapton.The Royal Albert Hall, London
FishClutching at Straws 30th AnniversaryCamridge Corn Exchange
FishWeltschmerzUEA, Norwich
Gary Numan(R)evolution 40th anniversary tourThe UEA, Norwich
Peter GabrielI/OThe O2, London
GenesisWe Can’t DanceKnebworth, England
GorillazHumanzThe O2, London
InhalerCuts & BruisesLCR, UEA – Norwich
Kate BushThe Ninth WaveHammersmith Odeon, London
Level 42Sirens IIThe Regent, Ipswich
LuciusNudesUnion Chapel, London
MadnessMadstockFinsbury Park, London
MadonnaBlonde AmbitionWembley Arena, London
MarillionClutching At StrawsHammersmith Odeon, London
MarillionHolidays in EdenCambridge Corn Exchange
MarillionHolidays in EdenWembley Arena
MarillionSounds that can’t be madeCambridge Junction
Midnight OilBrixton Academy, London
Neil YoungDesert TripEmpire Polo Ground, Indo California
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets.The Roundhouse, London
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets.Cambridge Corn Exchange
OMDEnglish ElectricThe Regent, Ipswich
OMDThe Punishment of LuxuryThe Regent, Ipswich
Panic! At the DiscoToo Weird To Live, Too Rare To DieThe Forum, Kentish Town, London
Panic! At the DiscoThe Death of a BachelorAlexandra Palace, London
Panic! At the DiscoPray for the WickedMotorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Panic! At the DiscoViva Las Vengeance The O2, London
Paul McCartneyDesert TripEmpire Polo Ground, Indo California
PavarottiHyde ParkHyde Park, London
Pink FloydA Momentary Lapse of ReasonWembley Stadium, London
Pink FloydDivision BellEarls Court, London
PrinceNude (1990)Wembley Arena, London
R.E.M.MonsterMurrayfield, Edinburgh
R.E.M.Once Around the SunIpswich Town, Ipswich
Rod Stewart1995Wembley Stadium
Roger HodgsonCrazy WeekNice
Roger WatersHyde Park CallingHyde Park, London
Roger WatersThe WallThe O2, London
Roger WatersThe WallThe O2, London
Roger WatersThe WallOlympiastadion, Berlin
Roger WatersDesert TripCoachella, Desert Springs
Roger WatersThis is not a DrillUtilita Arena, Birmingham
Sheryl CrowHomeShepherds Bush Empire, London
Simple MindsStreet Fighting YearsWembley Arena, London
Simple MindsCrazy WeekNice
Simply RedStarsWembley Stadium, London
Soul II SoulApex Bury St. Edmunds
Steely Dan.Wembley Arena, London
Steve HackettIpswich Regent
Seve HackettCambridge Corn Exchange
Steve HackettFoxtrot at FiftyIpswich Regent
Steve WinwoodLive the LifeCambridge Corn Exchange
Tears for FearsRule the WorldThe O2, London
The CureWishCambridge Corn Exchange
The ManfreddsMaking TracksSpa Pavillion, Felixstowe
The Rolling StonesUrban JungleWembley Stadium, London
The Rolling StonesUrban JungleWembley Stadium, London
The Rolling StonesDesert TripCoachella, Desert Springs
The WhoDesert TripEmpire Polo Ground, Indo California
The WhoHyde Park CallingHyde Park, London
The WhoQuadropheniaWembley Arena, London
U2Zoo TV ( Achtung Baby Tour)Wembley Stadium, London
U2Zoo TV ( Achtung Baby Tour)Wembley Stadium, London
U2PopMartRoundhay Park, Leeds
U2All That You Can’t Leave BehindEarls Court, London
U2VertigoTwickenham, London
U2360Wembley Stadium, London
U2Innocence & ExperienceThe O2, London

So that’s where I am at! Already booked for next year are gigs from Inhaler and Panic! at the Disco. It’s going to be great!

Jay

I am Jay, the founder of Wine, Travel and Song. UK based, I set this blog up in 2016 to share my passion for food & drink, travel and music - Wine, Travel & Song. In these posts I share some of my passions in the hope that it may inspire you to go there, eat that or listen to this. In return I hope you will comment and share recommendations of where to go, what to eat and what to listen to!

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