If the 90’s saw my musical tastes become a little more eclectic then the ‘noughties’ was no different. Who else goes to see Motorhead and Faithless within a couple of weeks of each other and absolutely loves BOTH bands?! My only disappointment is that concert tickets became a little less colourful in the supposedly bright new millennium, as evidenced by this little pile of grey and beigeness…
One of my claims to fame – I saw Muse in a ‘pub’ before they conquered the planet (ok The Charlotte was a bit bigger than your average pub but you get the idea) . Saw them again 4 months later at Glastonbury 2000 and they were awesome. 
I genuinely have no recollection of this gig or the band Bush, except that their singer Gavin Rossdale dated Gwen Stefani and Courtney Love and they had a song called “Swallowed’. (Not sure if this song had any connection to said ladies?!) 
Strobe lights….swastika eyes….trippy gig – my memories of this show 
Mmm….Sarah Cracknell 
Idlewild – a hugely under-rated band in my opinion. Worth a second trip to Leicester DSU in the same year as Saint Etienne so I must have liked that venue. Can’t remember it now! 
Another one of those head scratching “did I really go to this gig?” moments. Can only assume it was because a) his Glasto ‘back from the dead’ show in 1998 was actually pretty good and b) my ex-wife wanted to see him. My brother will be proud of me anyway… 
Irish band. Great debut album. Can’t remember much about the gig apart from the pretty female bassist (Hilary?) Whatever happened to JJ72 anyway?! Off to Google… 
Loved the trippy chill out sounds of this French duo. First of two gigs I saw them play at Rock City in the 2000s…Moon Safari is a classic 
Starsailor’s debut album was released in the month of this gig. The songs ‘Good Souls’ and ‘Alcoholic’ drew my in and I’ve been a fan ever since. My Warrington mate knows the band 🙂 
I genuinely have no recollection of this gig. Not even sure I went to it (possibly my ex’s ticket stub) but I’ll claim it anyway! Bet it was awesome… 
Ah….some colour! My first and only trip to Sheffield City Hall. Great gig – adore Gomez, especially those first 3 albums. 
Doves – another outstanding live band. Shame it took me another 17 years to go to one of their shows (Warrington’s Parr Hall in 2019) 
Think I went to this gig on my own. Loved The Verve. Mad Richard is a legend.. 
£28 to see Gene at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms in 2004? I’d like to think this receipt was actually for 2 tickets but if not the band were worth it anyway. They could be kings… 
Second Air gig at Rock City – Feb 2004 
Gomez again – this time in my home city on familiar territory, May 2004 
My all time favourite rock band of all time mate…Rush at Birmingham NEC, September 2004 – 16 years after i first saw them at the same venue in 1988. There was much ”air drumming’ 
Motorhead at Rock City Nottingham in 2004 – 20 years after I’d first seen them at the Royal Concert Hall in 1984. I would see them one more time at Glastonbury 2015, 6 months before Lemmy left this earth and the band rightly called it a day… 
One of my favourite live acts. Think this may have been my first visit to Nottingham’s new(wish) arena at the National Ice Centre, December 2004 
I was introduced to David Kitt by a work mate at a time when I’d just met and fallen for my future wife, literally a few days before this gig. All ‘loved up’ Kittser’s music provided the perfect backdrop to my life at that time and I still love his stuff today 
Another of my all time favourite bands. I first saw Hawkwind at Rock City in 1985 (20 years before I went to this show) but unfortunately that ticket hasn’t turned up yet 🙁 
One of the rare occasions I would venture over on to the ‘Red side of the Trent’ – The brilliant REM at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground – July 2005 
Goldfrapp – with that bass makes your ribs vibrate 
Before Youngr there was Picture Book. Before Picture Book there was Otherside of Sound. All these acts are the creation of my uber-talented stepsons. They’ve matured a lot since 2005! 
Who doesn’t love a bit of Elbow and the enigmatic Guy Garvey? Magnificent… 
Skunk Anansie singer on her 2006 solo tour playing to a sold out Rescue Rooms, Nottingham 
Awesome intimate show in a very random venue! Marcus Garvey Centre, 2006 
Kittser back at the Rescue Rooms for a second year running, 2006 
The brilliant Manics at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall – last seen at the same venue back in 1996 and in Cardiff on Millennium Eve 1999 
Reverend & The Makers at Leicester Uni in their breakthrough year before they went on to become “Heavyweight Champions of the World” 
Picture Book’s debut performance at Manchester’s Revolution Bar (my stepsons band – see also Otherside of Sound ticket above) 
Great band in a great Manchester venue (think this was my first visit – 2008 
One of the biggest UK bands of the 80s in the stunning and atmospheric surroundings of Edinburgh Castle. It rained …..boy did it rain! 
Puressence at Manchester Apollo 2009. I knew very little about this band before the gig (my wife’s work colleague was in support band ‘Glass’). They were actually brilliant!
Like old gig tickets?
See my stubs from the 2010’s here…