Concerts that surprised you !!

[thisisasurvivor]

Just back from Kings of Leon at BST Hyde park

What a lovely venue

Have been dying to see Paulo Nutini for a long time and he just seemed so spaced out

Kings of Leon were super as always

To the side of the large stage was a warm up act and my god they were the greatest i have ever seen

@SippingDownRakiAndReadingMaynardKeynes

I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds....
Love them

Red hot chilli peppers- thought they’d be the gig of my life- they played a really short gig, one song of an encore (I assume something happened as they all stomped off).

Sting- did all his songs- through jazz. I hate jazz. Plus had seen him perform before and had told all my friends he was amazing so had to explain!

Had never heard of Damien rice and he’s one of my best gigs ever!

Pendulum - saw them in Glasgow recently and was blown away. The tickets were inexpensive so it was a bit of an impulse purchase and I didn’t know what to expect. They were fantastic! The music, the lights, the staging. I’ve not danced so much at a gig for decades, I felt like a teenager again. I was buzzing for days and am now a big fan and desperate to see them again.

Flaming Lips supporting Bob Dylan. Dylan was miserable. I’d never heard of the Flaming lips but they were unbelievable!

I also saw Take That around 2009 (circus tour). Friend had a spare ticket so I bought it from her. Not a fan, no expectations and was blown away. It pissed down with rain all night and no one cared. Brilliant gig.

Saw Foo Fighters last week, long awaited and they didn't disappoint.

Have seen the script many times and the best was taking my son when he was 16. Very special experience and the band were excellent.

Blur at Reading were awful.
Best surprise was Kate Nash at Glastonbury. She was brilliant

Saw the Breeders last night at Bristol Sounds, always excellent!

The surprise act for me was CSS who played their last reunion gig as part of the line up last night. Was blown away by the energy throughout ending with the lead singer crowd surfing at the end. Must go look into CSS more, have rarely been so entertained, they were brilliant.

Paul McCartney at the O2 a few years back. Figured he'd be good as he's a Beatle fgs, but didn't have massively high expectations and he was hands down the best artist I've ever seen in concert. Spectacular.

Ha, was just going to write the same about Mondays/Stereo MCs - the Mondays were dull and shambolic but the Stereo MCs were incredible.

I never liked the Jesus and Mary Chain much but happened to walk past when they were playing at a festival in Spain and they were really good, we stayed for the rest of their set.

I saw him in Blackpool in 2007 and he was so drunk he could barely stand up. I just looked up a review from the time, which describes his singing as a “mumble” and people “looking around in confusion” - sounds about right!

Incubus were so disappointing (circa 2003), Brandon Boyd just wanted to posture his naked chest.
Idlewild at a small festival were also really disappointing, they literally looked like they were rehearsing, th lead singer kept putting his back to the audience and never said hello.
Let's see, surprisingly good ones... Kesha at the Taylor Hawkins tribute night was amazing, she did Children of the revolution and it just made me want a whole rock album from her, her voice was so well suited to it.
Saw Polyphia last year and surprised myself how much I enjoyed it, the crowd were brilliant and the musicianship was stunning.
(love talking about gigs, I wish I knew more women who wanted to go and see bands!)

Ah ha were absolutely brilliant. Whole stadium was singing and waving international flags - still makes me tingle thinking about it.

I went along with my boyfriend who was a huge Deacon Blue fan. I wasn't that keen. Birmingham 1989. They were amazing. Huge fan after that.

So glad someone else has mentioned Deacon Blue!

@Funkyslippers

That's exactly the one I went to! I liked them but wasn't a huge fan but the group was staying at the hotel I was working at and have us tickets. Turned into a huge fan after that!

Apart from when he slagged off Taylor 😝😝

I'm very jealous! I love 21 pilots, so much talent within just 2 men. An currently obsessed with their new album.

Really shocked at others people's experiences with RHCP. I thought they were fucking brilliant!!

Also agree with pp who said machine gun Kelly. He was amazing and the whole show rocked from start to finish.

Seth Lakeman is brilliant. Came across him while browsing Glasto coverage years ago and was blown away.

Unexpectedly great gig; Kraftwerk about 40 years ago. Liked the music but did wonder how enthralling 4 guys playing synths for several hours would be. Witty, inventive, great sound balance, immersive.

Southern Death Cult- had never heard of them and they enthralled me! They became The Cult.
The Stone Roses- again had never heard of them and only went because all my mates decided to go last minute! They were amazing!
The Coventry Automatics; bottom of the bill at a Sham 69 gig- rocked the joint and were the best band of the night! They became The Specials.
Slade! Wasn't really a fan at all but went with my mate who was and blimey, they were brilliant!! I had a great night, and was so glad I'd gone to the gig! Loved Slade ever since!
The most disappointing was Adam and The Ants. He couldn't seem to reach his top notes and overall they were just a bit of a let down!

Best concert I have ever been to was Christine and the Queens. Both times I've seen him live were just out of this world.

Begrudgingly went with my country music loving husband to see Dierks Bentley on tour in London and was so surprised by how good he was and how much I enjoyed it!

Will definitely go again if he comes back over the pond.

I was in the crowd with you that day at Oxygen!!! Saw them again a few years later and they were better.

I saw Pet Shop boys at a smallish venue recently, couldn't recommend them enough. Neil Tennants voice was amazing and the crowd was unusual, a total mix of ages and types but so lovely. No big screen and limited light effects but they blew me away on music alone.

I’ve been to plenty of awesome gigs but if you’re asking for one that surprised me- Taylor Swift funnily enough. Not the actual tour- we couldn’t get tickets- but took my daughter and her friend to the screening of the Eras tour in the cinema. It was a joy to behold and I am now a Swifty

Always loved Simon and Garfunkel’s Music .. and we went to see Art Garfunkel in Albert hall just before Covid or a year before.
i wasn’t sure .. thought maybe he’d be not an engaging performer etc. wow was I wrong 🤩 He was amazing and one of my fave concerts ever. He’s a lovely lovely man and even had little jokes about Simon that were not digs but a nod to how the tabloids make out there is more to people splitting than meets the eye
when he sang Bridge over trouble water it was a privilege to have been there and not forgetting Bright Eyes 😢 We had just lost our beautiful Bichon Pebbles 💗then and was very emotional to say the least.
This is a lovely thread btw 🤩