My most memorable gig...

[HarperPR]

...of Nick's it would have to be October 2005, Marrs Bar, Worcester. Can't tell you why (bit private!), but the memory of it will always be with me.

Of Roy's, I guess the first time I ever saw him, back in the late 70s at the Victoria Astoria( Apollo?). Just blew me away and so different to what I had been listening to up to that point.

[Marcie]

Roy, with Nick in Tel Aviv, I think it was in December of 1992.

Roy was top form - Nick was laying pretty low at the time and wasn't interacting with the audience. Fine guitar playing from the both of them, particularly on "Same Old Rock".

[HarperPR]

Yes, he - Nick - remembers that one!

[scotpaulabear]

This could be the worst thread EVER for me - do you know how many gigs I have to go through in my head now... :blushing: :rofl:

But for just this second I'm gonna go for the first one that popped in my head - first gig I saw on Arran in April 2002, candlelit hall, no PA, my homegirl Philippa in tow, wee Trev, not so wee Dan, and Nick singing (if I remember correctly) Funkytown while squiffy on the homebrew of DOOM :rofl: Pure dead brilliant it was! I think Arran gigs are always the most magical-est :thumbup:

[Marcie]

Yes, he - Nick - remembers that one!

As you say... cool beans! :D

[pd]

My most memorable gig was a Roy/Nick one at the Town Hall, High Wycombe a few years ago. I am a bit loathe to go into too much detail for fear of incriminating myself... but...

A friend I was there with had made some nice little cakes before the gig. They were bite sized, chocolate, very tasty, but had an interesting added ingredient. I was a bit hungry.

During the first half the effect started and I thought "hmm, this is interesting! Oh.. there are two more to come in about ten minutes...". Ten minutes later I was glued to my chair, with this sort of tunnel vision onto the stage with both Roy and Nick staring at me while playing (did I mention I was in the front row) and with a very weird kind of swirly echo feedback to the sound. Thankfully this settled down for the second half but for a while there I wanted to sink into a hole in the ground...

I'm not sure this is the sort of "memorable" you were after but this was the first one that came to mind...

[HarperPR]

I would never have believed of you! I can see there is a whole other side to you - hadeha!

[toneitup]

Right, this should be fun. 'My first proper Roy gig'.

It wasn't so much memerable. But I do remember, that there was a definate air of magic about the place.
It was in Leeds in about '84 at the Astoria Ballroom. (sadly, no longer there).
There was a rumour going round that Jimmy Page was going to be there too.(good ol' Jimmy, I've still yet to see him).

At the time, Leeds had a fantastic gig culture, (as did most of the country) and I had the privelidge to see many top bands, big and small. I also knew a lot of people around that time. We were Rockers! (I also wnted to be a punk, but my mum wouldn't let me!).

Anyway, back to the main point. The Astoria, I guess, had a capacity of approx 2-3 hundred people. On this one night, it seemed everybody I ever knew had turned up. And I reckon there must have been at least 500+?!
There was no way thru for Roy to even get to the stage. Talk about religious events: 'parting of the waves' comes to mind.
The rest of the gig was probably more of a stand up comedy show than anything else. Unfortunately, the details escape me, but that warm fuzzy feeling it left me with tells me it was a special event!

I do remember one song that he did though. It was about football hooligans.
He donned a Rod Stewart type wig and a scarf and sang about 'Millwall' and the 'Constabulary'.

Can anybody fill in the blanks for me and elaborate?

I keep going back to see Roy (and Nick) because of that something special? that I cannot put into words.

Every gig is different!

Cheers Tony.

[pd]

The song was called Millwall.
http://www.stormcock.net/images/rhmohic2.gif

[HarperPR]

Have you got a picture then of the occasion (s?) Roy recited The Game, accompanied by mime? I can't remember whether that was the first time I saw him or one of the later ones, but it left an indelible impression with me. So much so that I learnt the whole thing off by heart.

[pd]

Can't say I have. I do have the Rockpalast German TV thing he did somewhere or other though, and he recited the game on that too. That was from January 1978... maybe around the same time?

[Barry]

The Game, a very underrated piece, both musically and lyrically.
Although I prefer him acoustic this is one song I would love to see Roy perform with a full band....along with Too Many Movies.
Come on Mr Lane tell us what it was like back in the day?

[HarperPR]

I agree with you there, Barry. Didn't he ever do it with Trigger (is the 'Admiral' still around?)? I would have heard it if so. Sadly, with Roy I never kept setlists.

[SHAUN I]

It's good to hear peoples recollections of memorable gigs, I used to travel up and down the country following Roy in the 80's and 90's and have been to several in the noughties. Cambridge folk festival 84 is probably my most memorable because jimmy page was present, however it was a completely different atmosphere to the theatre type of gigs, a festival type of atmosphere and sound as opposed to the unique pure acoustic sound and more refined surroundings.
Roy used to accept a lot of exotic branded cigarettes then, he also had his fair share of pint glasses filled with smoke too, which was a quicker solution, that's one of the things that stick out for me, not just the sound of them gigs, but the smells! Another all time favorite was the Bloomsbury Theatre London in 1990 Roy wore an all white outfit on the first night, and performed a set of his "lighter" songs as it were and the second night he wore all black and had a set of deeper darker songs, the acoustic sound and incredible volume he built up towards the end was mindblowing, something that will always stick with me..
Shaun I

[HarperPR]

I have had quite a few memorable gigs this year - trouble is, they have largely passed into one big hazy blur!:biggrin:

I must have clocked up approaching 100 all told. :w00t:

But probably The Twang's are the ones that I really enjoyed the most and that got me through the year. The energy, the atmosphere; their swagger and Brummie accents, the great tunes. There wasn't one gig that I wasn't thoroughly exhausted at by the end of the evening, or that I didn't have a soppy grin on my face all the while (and I weren't on nuthin' neither!:D).

[dim]

Torquay last xmas.. though it never appeared on the tour list.. :D

technically a mike last gig, but a wonderful duet of fairytale of new york featuring nick as kirsty mccoll....

sadly the bulk of the song was spent with one singer singing all the words as the other tried to plug in his guitar, tune his guitar, trip over leads before finally coming in for the last choruis...

shame the pogues never saw it... nick could spend every december cameoing at there gigs...

[d]

Most memorable Gig of Roy's and Nick's - ALL OF 'EM! and there have been a few........

[HarperPR]

Is this d as in dc? Should imagine there have been quite a few if so!

[pd]

But he needs to post more! :)

[KarinB]

Nick at Whitley Bay Dome - can't remember the year. Help?? Anybody??

Awesome sums it up.

[Travellerman]

Nick - Maybe the Borderline in 2003 (Gotta confess I'm not a regular due to travelling all the time :D)

Roy - Hmmm, too many to choose from, but maybe one of the Bloomsbury gigs c.1992/3 or even the San Francisco gig in 1998 (?) when I managed to obtain his autograph in my passport :D

And one of the absolute best was Ben Harper at the Greek Theatre in Berkley, California 2000. That gig was absolutely amazing! but I wouldn't go to see him again since there's now another guitarist playing in the band which takes some of the 'bite' out of things. http://www.benharper.net/?section=tour-dates&page=tour-archive&id=1511

[scotpaulabear]

Nick at Whitley Bay Dome - can't remember the year. Help?? Anybody??

Awesome sums it up.

Perhaps June 2000 (http://www.houseofharper.co.uk/live2000.htm)? :biggrin:

[KarinB]

Perhaps June 2000 (http://www.houseofharper.co.uk/live2000.htm)? :biggrin:

Was it really that long ago. :w00t:

Thanks Paula.

[MarkFerres]

I think my most memorable was either the first time I saw Nick in The Room in Hull in 1996 - I had never heard of him but had been recommended by a friend.

This guy walked onto the stage, drinking something that I am sure was purple in a pint glass, sat down (!) and with very little announcement (the podcast says Nick used to be quite shy) burst into Riverside. I don't think I really need to convey on this forum how I reacted, but what was amazing was the reaction of the room en masse. I have never seen an entire room of people completely freeze, staring open mouthed at the stage.

The second most memorable gig was at Holmsfirth in 2002 / 2003 I think (Gig was memorable, year was less so). Unfortunately it nearly became very memorable for all the wrong reasons when me and my then girlfriend decided to dance to Headless (drink may have played a part in this decision). In the constant battle of rhythmic enthusiasm vs dancing talent, enthuisiasm won yet again and I nearly knocked Nick over during a particularly vigourous strumming section. He recovered without any indication that near disaster had been averted and I carried on dancing, less enthusiastically and feeling a total arse.

[HarperPR]

On this tour of Nick's, I don't think I am going to find one to beat Komedia, Brighton, for everything a good gig should be - before, during and after.:)

[UK_Merlin]

My first gig was the best as I was so blown away by Roy's voice and music. A friend said come along you'll love it and if you don't enjoy it I'll pay for your ticket. It was at some club near Central Station, Newcastle, Work of Heart Tour around 1983. Roy had a band with him and that was the one and only time I saw him with a band.

I particularly remember "Short and Sweet", that was awesome.

I've seen Roy around 20 times since then and he never disappoints.

[telemonster]

ac/dc at sheffield arena a few years back. great gig. came outside after-couldn't hear A THING! then after a bit i started hearing little 'splats' of noise, which eventually became longer and closer together. anyone old enough to remember norman collier will know what i mean.

really scary! thought i'd gone deaf! obviously done permanent damage to my hearing. GREAT!:thumbup1:

[pixiefitz]

The first time I saw Roy was at what was the famous Eric's club in Liverpool in about 1980 when it had been renamed Brady's. Roy did an acoustic set and he was wearing a bright red military style shirt and red pixie boots! (i know this as I took loads of photos :biggrin:). The next gig I went to was at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre possibly the following year???? when I hung round after the gig like some stage door jenny clutching a handful of the afore mentioned photos, and Roy very kindly posed for some more piccies and signed some from the Brady's gig. To say I was well chuffed would be an understatement! :14:

[scotpaulabear]

Way cool, Pixie! :biggrin:
(and to think my mom used to roll her eyes at my pixie boots :wink: )

[Craig_Powers]

...of Nick's it would have to be October 2005, Marrs Bar, Worcester. Can't tell you why (bit private!), but the memory of it will always be with me.

Of Roy's, I guess the first time I ever saw him, back in the late 70s at the Victoria Astoria( Apollo?). Just blew me away and so different to what I had been listening to up to that point.

I saw Roy in the mid 80's at the International, Manchester. Whilst Roy was talking I knocked over my beer, exclaiming 'Sh*t' just a bit too loadly. Roy thought I was heckiling so retorted ' Yes I have one every morning'. I'm glad it never ended up on a live recording.

[Craig_Powers]

My first gig was the best as I was so blown away by Roy's voice and music. A friend said come along you'll love it and if you don't enjoy it I'll pay for your ticket. It was at some club near Central Station, Newcastle, Work of Heart Tour around 1983. Roy had a band with him and that was the one and only time I saw him with a band.

I particularly remember "Short and Sweet", that was awesome.

I've seen Roy around 20 times since then and he never disappoints.I saw Roy for the first time around that time at St.Helens Tech and bought a copy of Born in Captivity, which I still have. Probably '83 or '84. I have since given away nearly all my Vinyl but have all my Roy albums.

[pixiefitz]

The first time I saw Roy was at what was the famous Eric's club in Liverpool in about 1980 when it had been renamed Brady's. Roy did an acoustic set and he was wearing a bright red military style shirt and red pixie boots! (i know this as I took loads of photos :biggrin:). The next gig I went to was at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre possibly the following year???? when I hung round after the gig like some stage door jenny clutching a handful of the afore mentioned photos, and Roy very kindly posed for some more piccies and signed some from the Brady's gig. To say I was well chuffed would be an understatement! :14:
Pictures of said events (if they've uploaded!), and from info on the pics, the Brady's gig was November 1980. My, aren't we all getting on a bit!

[scotpaulabear]

Cool! And is that a Harpic I spot behind him... :wink:

[pixiefitz]

According to my notes on the back of the pic, it was Andy Roberts.......

[scotpaulabear]

According to my notes on the back of the pic, it was Andy Roberts.......

Haha! My eyes must be blurry :wink:

[pixiefitz]

...... more likely the blurry picture :wink:

[critch]

Haha! My eyes must be blurry :wink:

I expect so! :) It would be a bit off to forget your son's name wouldn't it?!

Most memorable gig? That's tricky - memorable doesn't essentially mean good.

I worked at many, been to lots so i must have a think about it. That said, if it's memorable, then surely that'd be the first that comes to mind!

[aspwatterson]

I expect so! :) It would be a bit off to forget your son's name wouldn't it?!

Most memorable gig? That's tricky - memorable doesn't essentially mean good.

I worked at many, been to lots so i must have a think about it. That said, if it's memorable, then surely that'd be the first that comes to mind!

I asked Roy this at Clon Gathering last year and he thought it had to be Festival Hall when they all came out of the musical woodwork to celebrate the genius wallpaper

andi

[Cardinal Doomsday]

I saw roy in Leeds a few times [well 3] the first time was at the Irish center and it was recorded for the inbetween ever line lp the second time i saw him he played at leeds universty in a small bar he was in a bad mood and didn't talk between songs.People where shouting for songs and he would just say "no" he did about an hour and went off dunno what that was about.But Roy angry is somehing you shouldn't miss can you imagine a angry version of 1984?.
I also saw him at the irish center again my friend asked me to help with the pa [just carrying it nothing technical] and it turned out he was doing roys pa.Well i had a ticket anyway so we went early set up and roy came out to do a soundcheck ect and we talked to him for a while he singed a few album covers and showed Jacqui my american copy of hq [i think the one with the rules of cricket on it] and i was telling him how sorry i was for singing last time i saw him there.He laughed it off and said when rhey where playing back the tapes they had a good laugh about it.
I just sat at the back [with the PA guy] and watched Roy sober and in perfect stereo and was just amazed i would have to say that's my favorite roy gig.

[Kenny_Wisdom]

i was telling him how sorry i was for singing last time i saw him there.

Are you the classic, "Every Wednesday Morning..." crooner, then?

[riceyboy]

Hi, first saw Nick in 1999 in Edinburgh, unless the Kirkmichael guitar festival was before that? Since then i've been to a few Nick gigs and wherever possible tried to spread the word, to say I was chuffed to bits when he came to play my home town (Greenock) in 2006 is an understatement.

I pestered the promotor so much that he promised to phone me when the tickets were printed. I ended up with tickets No.1 and 2 :biggrin:.

I took along my copy of Passions of Great Fortune to the gig, which Roy had already signed, with the intention of getting an autograph from Nick and during his encore I waited outside the stage door to catch him. He said to give him a few mins and he'd be back out then disappeared into the dressing room. I waited about 20 mins and then the door opened and he said to come in if i wanted the book signed. I went into his dressing room and it was just him and I, he signed the book then started to look through it chatting about each of the pictures and the memories that came flooding back to him. All in he chatted for about three quarters of an hour and weirdly it ended with Nick apologising to me for not being able to chat longer! He had driven up from Hull that day and looked absolutely shattered.

They say that you should never meet your heroes as you'll only be disappointed. That certainly doesn't apply in Nicks case, a real down to earth bloke who gave the impression that with a few beers and not such a desperate need for sleep he'd happily chat all night.

:cheers2:

[scotpaulabear]

What a great story! :biggrin:
And it's all true, a genuinely nice guy who's that talented, it's just not fair is it... :wink:

*trying to remember why I wasn't at that gig - musta been slacking LOL*

[HarperPR]

'My most memorable Roy/Nick gig' and/or 'The first time I saw Roy/Nick live' - could be put into a little filler piece in HDO, eh Pete? Would be interesting to others.

[Sock Puppet]

Roy - Hmmm, too many to choose from, but maybe one of the Bloomsbury gigs c.1992/3 or even the San Francisco gig in 1998 (?) when I managed to obtain his autograph in my passport :DQuoting this old post for the SF reference. I thought it was 1999, but I could be wrong. I have the ticket stub someplace. Anyway, it's my most memorable Roy performance 'cause it's the only one I've been to, being an ignorant 'Merukan. It had been 12 years since his last US tour, and he seemed pretty pleased with how this one was going. He promised it wouldn't be another 12 years before he came back and ... well ... 10 years so far (and now Tracy says he's pretty much retired from gigging -- *sob*).

Roy was in great voice and humor that night. It was a tiny little club called Bottom of the Hill, and utterly packed to the gills. At the time I couldn't go to Santa Cruz for the next night's gig, so I was highly pleased that my one chance at seeing him came off so well. (Although somebody called out for "12 Hours of Sunset" and he said that would be in the next night's set. Damn.) He said he rather liked the US on the "sides," it was just "the middle" he didn't care much for. Now that I live in the middle I certainly can't blame him.

There was one point when a lady started shouting out, "Give me something special!" Roy had her repeat that, thought for a moment, and then recited the lyrics to "The Spirit Lives." I thought it was a cute moment.

At the end of the set, the whole fire marshal's nightmare of a crowd gave him a loooong ovation. I don't think there was even a fake excuse for a backstage for him to retreat to, so he did a sort of bewildered walk around the tables and came back for the encore songs. I really couldn't have asked for a more flawless night for my one date with Roy.

[Milo]

Best ever gig has to be on Roys Death or Glory tour(i think) at some part of the university in Manchester. Nick and Roy just mashed it up, so much so, at one stage I thought I was gonna burst with pleasure, mind you I'd had 2 purple hommes.

Worst gig was in Liverpool mid eighties, Roys dad had sadly passed away recentley and the whole thing was just horrible.

Weirdest gig was Roy in a reggae club in Nottingham, there cant have been more than 20 of us there. They were a few people playing pool at the back of the hall and one of them shouted out for Roy to play something she could dance too. Roy then proceeded to play Same old Rock with some massive effects and echoes which I think frightened the said group to death as they fled.

[Travellerman]

...Roy was in great voice and humor that night. It was a tiny little club called Bottom of the Hill, and utterly packed to the gills. At the time I couldn't go to Santa Cruz for the next night's gig, so I was highly pleased that my one chance at seeing him came off so well. (Although somebody called out for "12 Hours of Sunset" and he said that would be in the next night's set. Damn.) He said he rather liked the US on the "sides," it was just "the middle" he didn't care much for. Now that I live in the middle I certainly can't blame him.

There was one point when a lady started shouting out, "Give me something special!" Roy had her repeat that, thought for a moment, and then recited the lyrics to "The Spirit Lives." I thought it was a cute moment.

At the end of the set, the whole fire marshal's nightmare of a crowd gave him a loooong ovation. I don't think there was even a fake excuse for a backstage for him to retreat to, so he did a sort of bewildered walk around the tables and came back for the encore songs. I really couldn't have asked for a more flawless night for my one date with Roy.

Yep... that was the night. Imagine that we 'met' over 10 years ago. :D (T'was definitely '98 - I think ;) - I wasn't with the girl I was with that night in 1999)

[HarperPR]

Weirdest gig was Roy in a reggae club in Nottingham, there cant have been more than 20 of us there. They were a few people playing pool at the back of the hall and one of them shouted out for Roy to play something she could dance too. Roy then proceeded to play Same old Rock with some massive effects and echoes which I think frightened the said group to death as they fled.

Why? I mean why a reggae club? Was it having a folk night?

[Milo]

Not really sure why, I just put it down to Roy working in mysterious ways

[firehorse]

Have seen Roy perhaps a dozen or so times...My favourites:

Stonehenge 1984 - first time seeing RH (1st festival too) - was just blown away....far away!

Manchester Free Trade Hall 1990, the 'Once' tour...I thought it would be a good idea to suggest a trip to see RH to my (ex) inlaws....fantastic show, but unsure what the olds thought of RH sitting smoking a giant spliff with his legs dangling over the stage while inquiring "Is James Anderton (controversial chief of Manc police) in the audience by any channce?"

Canterbury Fayre 2003...RH held an outdoor crowd of thousands in the palm of his hand - the best I've ever seen him.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre - a few days after 9-11. Lots and lots (and lots) of political banter, a great set....and just before playing an encore of 'Another Day' RH told the audience that the lady he had written the song about all those years ago had just left the theatre minutes ago...awww, as if that song isn't poignant enough eh

...ah the memories...thanks man

[Sandie]

So many .......... perhaps the most memorable was on my 18th b.day, April 24th 1970 when Roy was supporting Humble Pie at Sunderland Locarno. Wasn't the best audience for Roy, but it was the very first time I'd seen him do anything more than reciting "White Man" at a Nice gig in Belsize Park while Baz the sound man was trying to get everything linked to another electricity supply for their encore. There's been so many fabulous memorable Roy Harper concerts since then.

[HarperPR]

Who is going to name Roy Harper at the Royal Festival Hall as most memorable?! :)

[Johnbarkeriom]

Me for one. Nothing is going to top that! I suppose that's a bit depressing though, must keep looking forward!

[SHAUN I]

Roy Harper & Jimmy Page, live on stage playing Same Old Rock, can it actually get any more memorable than that? I've been to a lot of gigs in my time, and this ranks in the top 3 of my lifetime. The other two being the late, great, Frank Zappa.

[pd]

Last Saturday counts as my top gig. I thought so at the time but thought it might be just a case of being swept up in the moment. However, a few days reflection later, I can't think of a better and certainly more memorable gig than that.