the worst band you ever saw live

[dwain-dibley]

went to see motorhead live in about 1978/9 and the support band were called tank and they were awful.also saw alice cooper live in 1976 when blue oyster cult supported and they didnt seem very interested.

[smc4761]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

2 concerts spring to mind. 1980 when Blondie were at their peak saw them at the Appollo in Glasgow and they were dreadful

In 1982 went to see Japan and the support band were Blancmange. Both were dire no stage presence no decent songs live and no atmosphere

[branny]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

Easy one for me, The Human League. Dare is one of my favourite albums and to be fair they were probably victims of the fantastic production on their albums because they were dire live and Phil Oakey can't sing a note.

Saw OMD in the mid-late 80s at the start amd at the end of The Pacific age world tour. They were brilliant at the start and going through the motions at the end. Understandable though as they'd been on the road around 13 months.

I felt sorry for China Crisis when I saw them. Musically great but the audience just didn't respond. Shame.

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I bought Dare albumn in 82 but always loved Heaven 17, crazy on Japan too - never seen any live - but my friends who had any experience of these groups said they sounded awful? I dont know, I never went, (I was a Kraftwerk fan !) Perhaps you had to stand in the right place to hear them correctly?

[smc4761]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I dont think that a lot of the early 80's synthesiser based bands transferred well to a live act. As I said I saw Blacmange who just had their hit Living on the Ceiling. Their act was the 2 guys on stage behind synths as such they had no chance to move and were
hidden behind their synths.

I do tend mainly to go to rock concerts where is a least a bit move movement audience participation etc

[Techno]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

Their act was the 2 guys on stage behind synths as such they had no chance to move and were hidden behind their synths.

If they make the effort though it can be done. I went to see Howard Jones and he was excellent - came out from behind the synths and interacted with the audience constantly. I remember the drums being arranged as pads on a wall so the drummer could bash them standing up and grinning at the audience. I also saw King and Level 42 and they were both great too. I still remember marvelling at how Mark King could play bass and sing and jump around the stage all at the same time.

On the other hand I saw Ultravox and they were a terrible disppointment. They are seasoned rock musicians. It was 1984 and they were in decline so maybe their morale was low.

[Trickyvee]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I haven't seen many bands live but the worst was All Saints in 1997. Absolute poo.

[Jacqueline]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

2 concerts spring to mind. 1980 when Blondie were at their peak saw them at the Appollo in Glasgow and they were dreadful

In 1982 went to see Japan and the support band were Blancmange. Both were dire no stage presence no decent songs live and no atmosphere

I saw Japan in concert a total of 5 times. I saw them twice in the same week on one tour, once was at Birmingham Odeon and the second occasion was at Bristol - a much smaller more intimate event. I never rated Blancmange although I did see that tour. I think you were just unlucky re Japan smc - they were never less than excellent when I saw them.

[Wil]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I went to see Robert Palmer. Can't remember the year but it was around the success of the Riptide album so '85-'86 I guess and his stage presence was non-existent. I was ready to go halfway through, it was so boring.

[kazboot]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I saw Steve Harley in the mid 70s and he just looked like he didn't want to be there.
He was also sweating a lot so he may have been ill, but the show was pretty poor.

[teggers]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I saw Human League around 1983 in Berlin. The support singer was a solo who came on in a suit and an acoustic guitar, and before he sang a note plastic beer glasses were launched at him resulting in a good old soaking.
Anyway he stormed off stage and Susan Tulley appeared asking for calm and to give the guy a chance.
After about 5 mins he re-appeared and guess what ?, he managed a couple of lines and the same thing happened again.
Needless to say that was the end of him but as for the Human League they were'nt too bad vocally but musically sh*te.
The synths kept breaking down and some of the backing tapes were playing up also so a pretty poor concert overall.

[kevpk]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

I saw FISH, the ex marrillion singer and backing him was John otway and wild willy barrett, i thought they was just awful, as did others around me.

* Kazboot, im a huge Steve Harley fan and i see him whenever he is local and he is great live. I saw him as well back in the 70s and i find him a lot better now. He himself has said some of the 70s was a bit hazy due to various substances going around, maybe that was one of those " hazey " nights. if he is local to you sometime, go and watch him, i dont think you will be disapointed

[stuckinthe80's]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

Bananarama at Whitley Bay Ice Rink in 1989. They were just awfull! They truely couldn't sing imo.

[kazboot]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

* Kazboot, im a huge Steve Harley fan and i see him whenever he is local and he is great live. I saw him as well back in the 70s and i find him a lot better now. He himself has said some of the 70s was a bit hazy due to various substances going around, maybe that was one of those " hazey " nights. if he is local to you sometime, go and watch him, i dont think you will be disapointed

I would go and see him live again because I still love his songs.

[Falco]

Re: the worst band you ever saw live

That'd have to be Whitesnake at Donington, Monsters of Rock 1990. Top of the bill, but everybody else there was better - even Poison, who, after getting clonked on the head by plastic bottles of pee, swore they'd never play the gig again(!). Whitesnake sounded washed out, with stand-ins for Steve Vai and the bass player, who just couldn't deliver anything like the sound. Got bored, and made for the exits before half of humanity decided it was time to leave.