Reviews and Recommendations: 80s

Wow - what a concert!! I've seen them once before on the Zoo TV tour and this was way better. We got last-minute cheap tickets, so didn't expect a great view & we got what we expected - but the band and the music more than made up for it... [more]

Event Date: August 15, 2009
Event Venue: Wembley Stadium

Wow - what a concert!! I've seen them once before on the Zoo TV tour and this was way better. We got last-minute cheap tickets, so didn't expect a great view & we got what we expected - but the band and the music more than made up for it - and unusually for seats, everyone around us was really into it as well. Apparently they change the setlist every night & tonight's was way better than last night according to their website. It was my wife's first U2 gig & first time at Wembley Stadium & she loved it - despite not knowing all the words of the older stuff.

Highlights for me were the mental disco-bongo remx of the new single I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight and the slower One and Faraway So Close (Until The End Of The World), but in truth, there were no duff songs & the crowd had a blast!

As for the "see everything from anywhere" claim - I can say it isn't true - especially from Level 5 of Wembley Stadium.

Finally a word about the support acts - The Hours seemed good and got the early crowd going, but the sound was awful & the drummer drowned out the singer most of the time. Glasvegas were really boring - can't put my finger on why - the singer has a big voice & was giving it some, but it didn't get the crowd going at all - and they have an odd standing-up drummer woman who only has two drums and a cymbal - it looks really strange!!

To summarise - everyone go & see U2 in concert before you die - even if you hate them - they'll convert you!! [less]

Bryan Ferry's Concert on 13 April 2007 was one of his best yet.

A local lad, who was one of the original members of Roxy Music (drummer), Paul Thompson turned up.  He was to play on the last three songs.

Guitarist Guy Pratt was also there. he has played in... [more]

Event Date: April 13, 2007
Event Venue: Newcastle City Hall

Bryan Ferry's Concert on 13 April 2007 was one of his best yet.

A local lad, who was one of the original members of Roxy Music (drummer), Paul Thompson turned up.  He was to play on the last three songs.

Guitarist Guy Pratt was also there. he has played in the past for Robert Palmer and Pink Floyd.

I had a front row centre seat. We all stood up on the first song and I was against the stage right next to Bryan Ferry with an excellent view of him, Guy Pratt and Andy Newmark. I couldn't really see the others because of speakers and stuff at the front of the stage blocking my view - it is a high stage.

The whole place was rocking from the first note of The In Crowd and Bryan was loving it! He said how he had been going to the City Hall since he was 10 years old and hadn't seen an audience as good a us.  He sang a jumping set through Dylan covers from his new album to Roxy's Tokyo Joe and Casanova  and old classics Love Is The Drug and Jealous Guy.  All Along The Watchtower and Gates of Eden were great tracks from his new album, Dylanesque. I was disappointed that he had dropped Just Like You from the set list, but it was brilliant. There were huge cheers when The Great Paul Thompson joined the band on drums for the last three songs! One of the best gigs yet.

Bryan Ferry loves to have the audience on it's feet. So be prepared to stand up and have a dance along to some of his amazing music. [less]

Quite simply this was stadium rock at it's very best. With the stadium roof closed, the sound was immense and the light show incredible. U2 have such a huge back catalogue that they can seemingly play forever without running out of classic songs - New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday,... [more]

Event Date: June 29, 2005
Event Venue: Millenium Stadium Cardiff

Quite simply this was stadium rock at it's very best. With the stadium roof closed, the sound was immense and the light show incredible. U2 have such a huge back catalogue that they can seemingly play forever without running out of classic songs - New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, With Or Without You and many many more. U2 tickets are never going to be cheap, but with a show lasting over 2 hours it was money very well spent. [less]

Well, I thought it was just going to be another Glenn Tilbrook gig, with the obligatory hundred Squeeze songs - but I was wrong!  We got a few Squeeze songs, sure, but as we were reminded at one point (to the tag line in Coffee in Bed that "this... [more]

Event Date: October 16, 2008
Event Venue: Classic Grand, Glasgow

Well, I thought it was just going to be another Glenn Tilbrook gig, with the obligatory hundred Squeeze songs - but I was wrong!  We got a few Squeeze songs, sure, but as we were reminded at one point (to the tag line in Coffee in Bed that "this is not a Squeeze gig, not a Squeeze gig" and quite rightly so.

Have to say that the Classic Grand is a great wee venue and I think it suited Glenn quite well.  He and the band played their hearts out with lots of songs from all of his solo albums, along with my personal favourite - Untouchable from Transatlantic Ping Pong.  As I said, he did play some Squeeze songs - Some Fantastic Place - amongst others but the highlight of the evening was when he got members of the audience involved by putting their names in a hat when they came into the venue and if you got your name pulled out of the hat, you got to go up on stage and he would sing a song t you.

Now, I'd like to be able to say it was me, but sadly not - it was two lucky women whose names both happened to be Alison and he sang Tempted for them - with them on backing vocals!

All in all, one of the great entertainers, great songwriter in his own right and I am so glad it was a Glenn Tilbrook gig and not a Squeeze gig.  Always good to see him in Glasgow. [less]

Folks...... If you want a night of partying then check out Bad Manners. I've folowed this band for years and unlike other 80's bands, this band gets better every time they play!!! The ska beat and uptempo party sounds ensures that the whole audience ends up dancing, culminating in the... [more]

Folks...... If you want a night of partying then check out Bad Manners. I've folowed this band for years and unlike other 80's bands, this band gets better every time they play!!! The ska beat and uptempo party sounds ensures that the whole audience ends up dancing, culminating in the CAN CAN!!!!
You really don't know what you're missing !!! [less]