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Most disappointing band/musician seen live

310 replies

theDudesmummy · 22/06/2022 14:16

I am starting this on the back of another thread about best live performances. How about bands/performers you loved and thought were going to be great live, only to be disappointed for one reason or another?

I will start:

Neil Young, Royal Albert Hall 2003. I love his music, absolute soundtrack of my later years at university, but this concert was unbelievable in its shitness. Half of it was some unlistenable concept album. Never felt the same about him after that.

Van Morrison, some concert at a stately home type of place, maybe fifteen years ago? (Have blocked out the details). The booze completely ran out before we got to the bar for the first time (and no, we weren't late, he hadnt even come on stage yet). I guess that wasn't Morrison's fault directly but you would think he would employ/contract people to make sure this doesn't happen. DH and I soberly listened to two songs then shared a look and left to find a pub.

Nina Simone, probably also Royal Albert Hall, some time in the 1990s. Sorry, I know she is dead now, and was a legend, but when you sit right over to one side of the stage, practically in the wings, for the whole show, completely hidden by the piano so only half the audience can see you, then you are going to pass off even your most ardent fans. I never even caught sight of her.

(Bob Dylan pissed me off at the Brixton Acedemy circa 1990 by never taking his hat off, so I never saw his face, but I forgave him because he is Bob Dylan, and at least I saw the rest of him).

OP posts:
TwoBlueFish · 22/06/2022 16:31

The Cure in LA about 20 years ago, no interaction with the audience at all.

waterlego · 22/06/2022 16:31

Red hot chilli peppers in glasgow a few years ago

Worried to read this. I’m going to see them next week- also in Glasgow! 🫤

Floralnomad · 22/06/2022 16:32

Billy Joel , I’m pretty sure it was just a bad night , he was awful more talk than singing - we left early . The absolute worst performance was a couple of years ago and that was Paul Young when he was the support act for Cher - it was so bad it was funny .

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waterlego · 22/06/2022 16:32

Worst gig I’ve been to was The Stone Roses. Most of the band were great but Ian barely moved the whole time and his voice was consistently flat. So painful to listen to 😩

msbevvy · 22/06/2022 16:32

Sunnierdays · 22/06/2022 15:24

Elton Jon Cardiff a few years ago , no audience involvement just going through the motions! So awful we left half way through, such a shame as we had always loved his music !

I saw him at Wembley Stadium in 1975. I was counting the minutes for it to end.

ClarissaD · 22/06/2022 16:35

Imicola · 22/06/2022 16:31

The Proclaimers. Im not remotely a fan, but they played at a festival local to us. They were rubbish...no chat, po faced, totally uninspiring.

Ah that’s a shame- Proclaimers have been some of my best ever gigs.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 22/06/2022 16:35

The Killers. The show was pretty good but Brandon Flowers ' voice was honestly shit - I presume he was having an off day.

ARabbitisaBunny · 22/06/2022 16:35

Proms in the Park - think it was 2019. Chrissie Hynde performing songs from her new ‘jazz’ album. It was just awful, she ruined every song and had no stage presence at all. Closely followed by Bonnie Tyler who they’d put in a cherry picker, lifted high above the crowd, presumably so when the audience started throwing things, she’d be out of range. Completely off her tits!

CherryRipe1 · 22/06/2022 16:35

Japan. Fell asleep. The Fall. Dreary.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 22/06/2022 16:36

Proclaimers have been some of my best ever gigs.

Mine too!

tubbylittletwat · 22/06/2022 16:36

Motorhead at Bloodstock festival, they just couldn't be bothered. They played Download a year or two later and were excellent, the same songs but played with some enthusiasm.

awonderfuladventure · 22/06/2022 16:40

Madonna - she was 1.5 hours late and then came on stage to boos, didn't apologise and called us all mother f**kers! Wouldn't have minded if she put on a good show but it was terrible and she had to finish at the same time so didn't sing half the songs!

KnitOnePearlOneDropOne · 22/06/2022 16:42

Janet Jackson many years ago. Not helped by the fact she was soooo late on stage.

Floralnomad · 22/06/2022 16:47

ClarissaD · 22/06/2022 16:35

Ah that’s a shame- Proclaimers have been some of my best ever gigs.

Agree , I’ve been to lots of great Proclaimers gigs .

SpiderinaWingMirror · 22/06/2022 16:49

Genesis at Knebworth. 1990s. 2 dates booked. Then they cancelled one and combined it into 1 purely so it would look good on the video they made.
It was shite, followed by fuck knows how many hours to get out.

amusedbush · 22/06/2022 16:51

Jimmy Eat World at T in the Park 2005. I was (and am) a big fan but the bass was turned up so high, you couldn’t hear anything else. It was vibrating in my chest, it hurt my ears and just ruined the entire set.

That’s not the fault of the band though, that was a fuck up on the part of the sound engineers.

BobinogBobbleHat · 22/06/2022 16:52

Faithless in Cardiff, years and years ago. The venue's acoustics just didn't work although the die-gare fans around us didn't seem to let that stop them worshipping Maxi as a god.

Shame as we don't get out much and had been looking forward to that one.

Agree that the Proclaimers have always delivered. Brilliant live and I was blown away the first time as it was unexpected!

Kerrrmieee · 22/06/2022 16:53

Pixies Brixton early 200Os. It was clear they hated each other. It was so dry. I paid over and above to see them. Walked out had a better time in local pub.

I'm shocked at Belle and Sebastien too - one of the best I've seen live.

Stone Roses circa 1995? Brilliant gig but don't have Manic Street Preachers to open for you - blew us away, and then the come down.

QueenOfDuisburg · 22/06/2022 16:54

Agree with a couple of others - Marilyn Manson was so disappointing (maybe around 2008). He tried to do a couple of 'attention grabbing' things on stage but they were so lacklustre it was almost embasrrassing. I had wanted to see him for so long too and had such high hopes for a good show. Rob Zombie played on the same night and he was brilliant, which made the whole thing look even worse.

DurhamDurham · 22/06/2022 16:54

U2 in the early 90's.
I was so bored I just wanted to go home. Bono banging on about anything and everything and I kept thinking will you just sing a blooming song. Worst gig ever.

TheDogsMother · 22/06/2022 16:58

UB40 at Brighton in the late 80s. Less than an hour and purely plugging their new album and none of their classic tracks.

Daisyhoney · 22/06/2022 16:58

Nik Kershaw - so wooden and didn't move away from his mic the entire time. Never seen anyone else who could stand still for so long.

SmallPrawnEnergy · 22/06/2022 16:58

Marilyn Manson. Download festival. Never seen so many people walk away. Terrible.
Was this the year he kept having to go off stage to huff oxygen because he was so fat and out of shape he couldn’t perform? It was grim.

Offspring. Also very dull, put it down to a festival environment rather than the band though as I've heard they are great on arena tours.
Was this also at download? I can’t agree tbh. Yes there was no pomp and frills, but I thought the music spoke for itself. They need no crap like fireworks and lights, just fucking excellent music

augustusglupe · 22/06/2022 16:58

Thompson Twins, Rock City Nottingham 83ish.
God it was the longest night, the ladies loos were packed with us all trying to escape the racket. It was back when they were a seven piece.

Guns & Roses, Milton Keynes bowl, 92.
Must say that I actually love them, but I think they'd just had enough. It was like Axl just didn't want to be there. Massive disappointment which wasn't helped by the fact that it chucked it down the whole day.
DD saw them a few years ago though and was blown away and is seeing them again later this year.

scoobydoo1971 · 22/06/2022 17:01

Michael Hutchence at a live festival in Cardiff. Lights on, no one home...very depressing and shows you what drugs do.