Article Presented by:
Bret Robson
It's a mystery why certain venues become more synonymous with great gigs than others. Much of the time it depends on what one may be looking to get for the price of their ticket; great acoustics, fun lighting, an exciting atmosphere - but one thing for certain is some venues contribute more to a making a live performance special than others.
Here, five top UK venues are put under the microscope in an attempts to explain why this phenomenon might happen, so the next time you buy your concert tickets, you might consider improving on the experience by attending it at one of these top locations.
Top of most people's list, certainly if you ask the acts that have ever played it, is the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow (http://www.glasgow-barrowland.com/ballroom.htm).
Recently voted the second best small venue in Europe (it has a capacity of 1900); it is located at the bottom end of the Gallowgate, resplendent with a large rainbow façade. It has seen almost every band in recent history gracing its famous stage, from the Arctic Monkeys to All About Eve, and The Who to Robbie Williams. All of them have come away from gigs at 'The Barras' raving about the atmosphere it generates.
But what is it that makes this wooden-floored, sweaty 60's throwback so appealing?
The answer is simplicity; the stage is the perfect height and distance from the crowd (in your face all the time), and the sound is condensed within the four walls creating a totally awesome live music experience that sweeps everyone into a frenzy.
Glasgow audiences are amongst the toughest to please but the most rewarding when you do, and when this happens in The Barrowland the result is electric.
At number two there is no doubt the Brixton Academy (http://www.brixton-academy.co.uk) is as good a venue for a gig as you will get anywhere in the world. A favourite for Ian Dury and more recently, Madonna, this jewel in London's crown creates an explosive and urban atmosphere, so that people continue to snap tickets up for gigs there faster than Linford Christie does 100m.
The venue, run by Carling, has spread into other cities too, with replicas of the interior being constructed to capitalise on the successful layout the building affords. It's a simple philosophy; create a classic look but with modern facilities, and slope the crowd as far as they can go towards the stage.
In third place is a pub backroom that tops all small venues, purely because of its history and openness to introduce new acts to the music scene: The Dublin Castle (http://www.bugbearbookings.com/pages/dc.htm).
Found in Camden Town's Parkway, this pub is perhaps most famous for being the home of Madness, but it has also been the heart of a Camden musical enterprise that has seen the likes of Oasis and Blur stake a claim.
The Dublin Castle stage is small, but its impact on the British music scene proves it has punched over its weight for many years. Catch a gig there if you can some night - a single ticket will get you at least three bands for under a tenner, and the beer is half bad either.
From the smallest to the largest now, and the title of best arena venue in the UK goes to the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle (http://www.metroradioarena.co.uk). Highly adaptable and with superb facilities, this arena is a must-play venue to the hottest live music acts on the go, as well as sporting occasions and stand-up comedy acts.
It always guarantees an energetic and enthusiastic crowd of up to 10,000 people, with superb views and sound quality, whether standing, seated, in the expensive boxes, or the rear balcony. It's as good a venue on this scale for performing acts as it is for the paying public.
Last but not least on the list of top five best UK concert venues goes to a much forgotten centre of musical and artistic excellence - another Camden classic - The Roundhouse (http://www.roundhouse.org.uk).
Built in 1846, this legendary and recently refurbished Grade II listed building is as steeped in British music history as you can get. Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley have all graced its famous stage, and it's a pleasure to see it revitalize its fortunes as a going concern. Since a period of degeneration and regeneration, it now plays host to some of the best top and wide-ranging acts the music and theatre scenes have to offer.
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Guide To The Best Bands To See Live
Article Presented by:
Bret Robson
There's nothing quite like going to see a live concert; you've bought your concert tickets, you've waited a while for the day to come round, and finally it arrives. All the excitement has built up and you are ready to explode. But the gig turns out a flop, and never quite meets with your high expectations.
So how can you ensure that no matter where you go, a top-class concert will always be delivered? What bands exist that no matter where or when they play, your concert ticket will deliver a memorable gig, packed with memories and experiences you can tell to your grandchildren?
There are five UK bands that deliver legendary performances to their audiences time and time again. Buy a concert ticket for one of these acts, and you will never come away disappointed.
Alice Cooper
An Alice Cooper concert transcends a mere musical concert. It's a show, an actual performance of not just top quality rock and roll music, but a horror, a stage play, and a human experience of immense proportions all rolled into one.
Alice Cooper will take you to the depths of the human soul, twist you round and drop you on your head, then sail you close to the dark side before delivering you redeemed, and free to live another day.
Cooper is a legend, which is why his concert tickets cost so much. Each show is as carefully crafted as a Cuban cigar, so you can be sure that any ticket for one of his concerts is the promise of a night to remember. http://www.alicecooper.com
The Rolling Stones
Legends in their own time with a back catalogue to pull from that most other modern bands can only envy, The Rolling Stones, despite being grandfathers most of them, are still rocking hard and leading the way in quality live musical entertainment.
Rumor has it they have a team of doctors watching various monitors backstage to ensure they stay fit (alive?) enough to perform - while performing! But even so, the lifestyle that made them so famous means that even the people hired to keep their hearts pumping are banned from the after-show party.
A Rolling Stones gig will either take you back down memory lane, or expose you to a time when rock and roll really was rock 'n' roll and it stood for something more than just a marketing angle. These guys really mean it. http://www.rollingstones.com
Madness
Still on the go after 28 years, this North London band never did much to change their act in any huge way, other than let it mature into a solid and skanking master showpiece. From playing in back street London pubs to 100,000 in London's Hyde Park, these guys will make every section of society move it's feet whether they want to or not.
Their legendary Madstock concerts sold out every time, and the first one in 1992 went down in history as the only concert ever to ever register on the Richter Scale. And it's all done with a backdrop of humorous cockney banter and a clear love for the music.
Madness never liked rehearsing, but their stage presence comes over with no pretension - just a simple rock-stomping beat, it is no wonder they still have followers of all ages, colours, creeds and sexes up and dancing madly on their feet. http://www.madness.co.uk
Jean Michel Jarre
Ever since his famous gig in London's Docklands, the UK public has been fascinated by Jarre's surreal and exciting on-stage wizardry. With some spectacular and confounding visual performances with light and sound, that have to be witnessed to be believed, Jarre now only plays to massive crowds at one-off events, yet his music is such that it works anywhere.
A Jarre concert is more than just a concert, it is a chance to witness a modern-day musical genius at work, with a selection of timeless tracks some of which you will recognise, but never knew were his. http://www.jeanmicheljarre.com
Queen
No list of top live bands would be complete without mentioning Queen.
So legendary were their concerts, people from all walks of life would go to see them even if hey disliked their music. The appeal and magnetic allure of Freddie Mercury is something more people should have had the pleasure of seeing, and as such tickets for his concerts sold like gold dust.
Mercury can never be replaced, and Queens' performances, pinnacled with their Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1985, gave them a new audience and fondness within the British psyche, that can never be matched.
It's one of the tragedies in life that people like Mercury leave us so young, but the rest of the band live on, and the music will never die. http://www.queenonline.com
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Bret Robson
There's nothing quite like going to see a live concert; you've bought your concert tickets, you've waited a while for the day to come round, and finally it arrives. All the excitement has built up and you are ready to explode. But the gig turns out a flop, and never quite meets with your high expectations.
So how can you ensure that no matter where you go, a top-class concert will always be delivered? What bands exist that no matter where or when they play, your concert ticket will deliver a memorable gig, packed with memories and experiences you can tell to your grandchildren?
There are five UK bands that deliver legendary performances to their audiences time and time again. Buy a concert ticket for one of these acts, and you will never come away disappointed.
Alice Cooper
An Alice Cooper concert transcends a mere musical concert. It's a show, an actual performance of not just top quality rock and roll music, but a horror, a stage play, and a human experience of immense proportions all rolled into one.
Alice Cooper will take you to the depths of the human soul, twist you round and drop you on your head, then sail you close to the dark side before delivering you redeemed, and free to live another day.
Cooper is a legend, which is why his concert tickets cost so much. Each show is as carefully crafted as a Cuban cigar, so you can be sure that any ticket for one of his concerts is the promise of a night to remember. http://www.alicecooper.com
The Rolling Stones
Legends in their own time with a back catalogue to pull from that most other modern bands can only envy, The Rolling Stones, despite being grandfathers most of them, are still rocking hard and leading the way in quality live musical entertainment.
Rumor has it they have a team of doctors watching various monitors backstage to ensure they stay fit (alive?) enough to perform - while performing! But even so, the lifestyle that made them so famous means that even the people hired to keep their hearts pumping are banned from the after-show party.
A Rolling Stones gig will either take you back down memory lane, or expose you to a time when rock and roll really was rock 'n' roll and it stood for something more than just a marketing angle. These guys really mean it. http://www.rollingstones.com
Madness
Still on the go after 28 years, this North London band never did much to change their act in any huge way, other than let it mature into a solid and skanking master showpiece. From playing in back street London pubs to 100,000 in London's Hyde Park, these guys will make every section of society move it's feet whether they want to or not.
Their legendary Madstock concerts sold out every time, and the first one in 1992 went down in history as the only concert ever to ever register on the Richter Scale. And it's all done with a backdrop of humorous cockney banter and a clear love for the music.
Madness never liked rehearsing, but their stage presence comes over with no pretension - just a simple rock-stomping beat, it is no wonder they still have followers of all ages, colours, creeds and sexes up and dancing madly on their feet. http://www.madness.co.uk
Jean Michel Jarre
Ever since his famous gig in London's Docklands, the UK public has been fascinated by Jarre's surreal and exciting on-stage wizardry. With some spectacular and confounding visual performances with light and sound, that have to be witnessed to be believed, Jarre now only plays to massive crowds at one-off events, yet his music is such that it works anywhere.
A Jarre concert is more than just a concert, it is a chance to witness a modern-day musical genius at work, with a selection of timeless tracks some of which you will recognise, but never knew were his. http://www.jeanmicheljarre.com
Queen
No list of top live bands would be complete without mentioning Queen.
So legendary were their concerts, people from all walks of life would go to see them even if hey disliked their music. The appeal and magnetic allure of Freddie Mercury is something more people should have had the pleasure of seeing, and as such tickets for his concerts sold like gold dust.
Mercury can never be replaced, and Queens' performances, pinnacled with their Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1985, gave them a new audience and fondness within the British psyche, that can never be matched.
It's one of the tragedies in life that people like Mercury leave us so young, but the rest of the band live on, and the music will never die. http://www.queenonline.com
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Rush The Snakes and Arrows Tour
Article Presented by:
Bret Robson
One of Canada's most successful musical exports, Rush, are currently touring to support the release of their latest Snakes and Arrows album. Having amassed hugely impressive sales over four successive decades, earning nearly 40 Gold and Platinum records while shifting an estimated 35 million albums worldwide, this progressive rock trio is showing no signs of giving any of it up.
With Geddy Lee (lead vocals, bass and keyboards), Alex Lifeson (lead guitar), and Neal Peart (drums), Rush have been as constant a success in the worldwide record industry as they have been a solid rock band since the release of their debut album in 1974.
With a lengthy discography behind them, Rush have always been about the album, not the single. An emphasis on instrumental skills combined with chief lyricist Neal Peart's fondness for science fiction and fantasy-inspired lyrics, hasn't always been especially pop or radio friendly.
Despite this, they have managed to score a number of hit singles through the years, including Limelight, Fly By Night, Tom Sawyer, Closer To The Heart, Spirit of Radio, New World Man, and Subdivisions.
Their music has proved popular as cover material for bands as diverse as Catherine Wheel and Audioslave, and Rush are frequently listed on other artist's lists of musical influences. If you want a good introduction to the band and some of their more accessible material, their 1990 double-CD best-of release, Chronicles, is a very worthwhile purchase.
Discography (original studio albums only):
Rush - Mar 1974, #105 (US only) Gold Fly by Night - Feb 1975, #148 (US only) Platinum Caress Of Steel - Sep 1975, #113 (US only) Gold 2112 - Apr 1976, #61 (US), #1 (Canada) 3x Platinum A Farewell To Kings - Sep 1977, #33 (US), #2 (Canada), #22 (UK) Platinum Hemispheres - Oct 1978, #47 (US), #4 (Canada), #14 (UK) Platinum Permanent Waves - Jan 1980, #4 (US), #1 (Canada), #3 (UK) Platinum Moving Pictures - Jan 1981, #3 (US), #1 (Canada), #3 (UK) 4x Platinum Signals - Sep 1982, #10 (US), #3 (Canada), #3 (UK) Platinum Grace Under Pressure - Apr 1984, #10 (US), #1 (Canada), #5 (UK) Platinum Power Windows - Oct 1985, #10 (US), #2 (Canada), #9 (UK) Platinum Hold Your Fire - Sep 1987, #13 (US), #9 (Canada), #10 (UK) Platinum Presto - Nov 1989, #16 (US), #11 (Canada), #27 (UK) Gold Roll The Bones - Sep 1991, #3 (US), #1 (Canada), #10 (UK) Platinum Counterparts - Oct 1993, #2 (US), #1 (Canada), #14 (UK) Platinum Test For Echo - Sep 1996, #5 (US), #1 (Canada), #25 (UK) Gold Vapor Trails - May 2002, #6 (US), #3 (Canada), #38 (UK) Feedback - Jun 2004, #19 (US), #5 (Canada) Snakes & Arrows - May 2007, #3 (US), #3 (Canada), #13 (UK)
Over the years Rush have become Canadian cultural icons, even crossing boundaries to become involved in the most unlikely of mediums for a serious band, such as spoofs and TV comedy.
Geddy Lee with Bob & Doug McKenzie (the infamous Canadian SCTV brothers), scored a 1982 hit with their anthem Take Off, and the Canadian comedy series Trailer Park Boys features a character with a Rush fixation. A 2004 episode of the show was based around an appearance by Alex Lifeson, who was kidnapped from his hotel prior to a concert and forced to perform a private concert in the trailer park.
Rush have built a solid reputation for incredible live performances and the band have released half a dozen live album recordings to support this. Currently on tour throughout Canada, this October sees the band injecting their special brand of rock to a European audience, kicking off with several dates around the UK.
3 Oct - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC 5 Oct - Newcastle, England - Metro Radio Arena 6 Oct - Sheffield, England - Hallam FM Arena 9 Oct - London, England - Wembley Arena 10 Oct - London, England - Wembley Arena 12 Oct - Birmingham, England - NEC Arena 14 Oct - Manchester, England - MEN Arena 16 Oct - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy 17 Oct - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy 19 Oct - Oberhausen, Germany - Arena 21 Oct - Mannheim, Germany - SAP Arena 23rd - Milan, Italy - Forum Arena 26th - Oslo, Norway - Spektrum 27th - Stockholm, Sweden - Globe Arena 29th - Helsinki, Finland - Hartwell Arena
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Bret Robson
One of Canada's most successful musical exports, Rush, are currently touring to support the release of their latest Snakes and Arrows album. Having amassed hugely impressive sales over four successive decades, earning nearly 40 Gold and Platinum records while shifting an estimated 35 million albums worldwide, this progressive rock trio is showing no signs of giving any of it up.
With Geddy Lee (lead vocals, bass and keyboards), Alex Lifeson (lead guitar), and Neal Peart (drums), Rush have been as constant a success in the worldwide record industry as they have been a solid rock band since the release of their debut album in 1974.
With a lengthy discography behind them, Rush have always been about the album, not the single. An emphasis on instrumental skills combined with chief lyricist Neal Peart's fondness for science fiction and fantasy-inspired lyrics, hasn't always been especially pop or radio friendly.
Despite this, they have managed to score a number of hit singles through the years, including Limelight, Fly By Night, Tom Sawyer, Closer To The Heart, Spirit of Radio, New World Man, and Subdivisions.
Their music has proved popular as cover material for bands as diverse as Catherine Wheel and Audioslave, and Rush are frequently listed on other artist's lists of musical influences. If you want a good introduction to the band and some of their more accessible material, their 1990 double-CD best-of release, Chronicles, is a very worthwhile purchase.
Discography (original studio albums only):
Over the years Rush have become Canadian cultural icons, even crossing boundaries to become involved in the most unlikely of mediums for a serious band, such as spoofs and TV comedy.
Geddy Lee with Bob & Doug McKenzie (the infamous Canadian SCTV brothers), scored a 1982 hit with their anthem Take Off, and the Canadian comedy series Trailer Park Boys features a character with a Rush fixation. A 2004 episode of the show was based around an appearance by Alex Lifeson, who was kidnapped from his hotel prior to a concert and forced to perform a private concert in the trailer park.
Rush have built a solid reputation for incredible live performances and the band have released half a dozen live album recordings to support this. Currently on tour throughout Canada, this October sees the band injecting their special brand of rock to a European audience, kicking off with several dates around the UK.
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
The Police are Back on the Road
Article Presented by:
Bret Robson
The Police are back on the road this year for the first time in two decades, in one of the most eagerly anticipated tours of recent years.
As one of the most definitive post-punk/early new-wave bands, The Police made their name in the late seventies with their distinctive punk-meets-pop-meets-reggae sound, while showing off a carefully contrived peroxide blonde look. The mix served them well as they produced a series of five successful albums before breaking up in 1984.
Comprising Sting (a.k.a. Gordon Sumner) on lead vocals and bass guitar, drummer Stewart Copeland, and lead guitarist Andy Summers, the trio took advantage of the growing medium of new musical videos and a general public weariness with punk and pop music. They began with a raw, punk-inspired power-pop sound, but evolved quickly into producing much more complex material, both musically and lyrically, allowing reggae and jazz influences to become increasingly apparent in their music.
In their seven years, they amassed five U.K. number 1 singles, four U.K. number 1 albums, with sales of Synchronicity going platinum eight times in the U.S., as well as hitting number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. They are the recipients of two Brit awards and six Grammy's.
Discography (original studio albums only):
Outlandos d'Amour - Nov 1978, UK #6 Reggatta de Blanc - Oct 1979, UK #1 Zenyatta Mondatta - Oct 1980, UK #1 Ghost in the Machine - Oct 1981, UK #1 Synchronicity - Jun 1983, UK #1
While the band enjoyed both critical and commercial success, they fought incessantly and often violently (to the point that Stewart Copeland reportedly broke one of Sting's ribs during a scuffle). The tumultuous relationship among band members was documented by Copeland who recently compiled personal archived footage and released it as a film. Everyone Stares: The Police Inside and Out premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, an event that many credit as the being the main spur behind the band deciding on a come-back tour.
Sting's son Joe Sumner and his band, Fiction Plane, are currently supporting The Police on the North American leg of their world tour, which is continuing through the summer and then again in November. In October the band are set to come to the UK for several dates in England, Wales and Ireland.
Fans can expect a straightforward set with a black amphitheatre design and several video screens suspended discretely overhead to show close-ups of the band members. They are touring with no back-up singers or accompanying musicians, special effects or gimmicks, which is bound to keep the purists happy.
The set list is a straight-up, no apologies "best of", but most people attending these gigs will be wanting precisely that; a trip down memory lane and to hear some of the best musical tracks ever written and performed.
Forthcoming UK Dates:
6 October - Croke Park, Dublin, Eire 15 October - M.E.N. Arena Manchester 16 October - M.E.N. Arena Manchester 19 October - Cardiff Millennium Stadium, Wales 20 October - Wembley Arena, London
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Bret Robson
The Police are back on the road this year for the first time in two decades, in one of the most eagerly anticipated tours of recent years.
As one of the most definitive post-punk/early new-wave bands, The Police made their name in the late seventies with their distinctive punk-meets-pop-meets-reggae sound, while showing off a carefully contrived peroxide blonde look. The mix served them well as they produced a series of five successful albums before breaking up in 1984.
Comprising Sting (a.k.a. Gordon Sumner) on lead vocals and bass guitar, drummer Stewart Copeland, and lead guitarist Andy Summers, the trio took advantage of the growing medium of new musical videos and a general public weariness with punk and pop music. They began with a raw, punk-inspired power-pop sound, but evolved quickly into producing much more complex material, both musically and lyrically, allowing reggae and jazz influences to become increasingly apparent in their music.
In their seven years, they amassed five U.K. number 1 singles, four U.K. number 1 albums, with sales of Synchronicity going platinum eight times in the U.S., as well as hitting number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. They are the recipients of two Brit awards and six Grammy's.
Discography (original studio albums only):
While the band enjoyed both critical and commercial success, they fought incessantly and often violently (to the point that Stewart Copeland reportedly broke one of Sting's ribs during a scuffle). The tumultuous relationship among band members was documented by Copeland who recently compiled personal archived footage and released it as a film. Everyone Stares: The Police Inside and Out premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, an event that many credit as the being the main spur behind the band deciding on a come-back tour.
Sting's son Joe Sumner and his band, Fiction Plane, are currently supporting The Police on the North American leg of their world tour, which is continuing through the summer and then again in November. In October the band are set to come to the UK for several dates in England, Wales and Ireland.
Fans can expect a straightforward set with a black amphitheatre design and several video screens suspended discretely overhead to show close-ups of the band members. They are touring with no back-up singers or accompanying musicians, special effects or gimmicks, which is bound to keep the purists happy.
The set list is a straight-up, no apologies "best of", but most people attending these gigs will be wanting precisely that; a trip down memory lane and to hear some of the best musical tracks ever written and performed.
Forthcoming UK Dates:
About the Author:
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
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