I recently ran a poll on the Music in the Attic Facebook Group asking members to vote for one of twenty gigs that people had shared a memory of since this group was born a few short covid-riddled months ago. The question I asked was:
“If you could attend just one of the following 20 gigs TONIGHT which one would you choose?”
The results were interesting, My own diverse musical tastes and those of this group meant that there would always be a strange assortment of gigs to vote for and a mixed response to the poll. The group represents a real mixed bag of musical genres but that’s exactly what I wanted this community to become when I started my ‘lockdown project’ in 2020. I never set out to create a specialist ‘hard rock/metal’ group or an ‘indie/dance’ group or even a ‘northern soul’ or ‘funk’ or ‘disco’ group (I have learnt to love them all by the way!) I just wanted people to come together because of their love of MUSIC, regardless of their tribes or personal tastes. Try to imagine “Later… with Jools Holland” but in an online/social media format rather than on the telly! That’s what I was aiming for. The thing I have always loved about that show is the respect that every artist appears to have for one another in the studio, regardless of their background or genre. I get a real buzz when I see members of bands like Idles, Foo Fighters or Queens of the Stone Age grinning wildly and nodding along to Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige or The Stereo MCs (OK, I might have just imagined those scenarios but you get the general idea?!) If an artist or their music pushes your buttons and makes you feel good then embrace it, even if they aren’t always white males with guitars, long hair, beards or tattoos…
Anyway I digress! The purpose of the poll was to discover which, if any genre of music is the most dominant in my Facebook group. The results were mixed but it came as no surprise that many members would turn the clock back to see (Ziggy era) David Bowie at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1973, such is the universal appeal of the Star Man and his Spiders From Mars. I personally would have KILLED to go to that show (had I not been just 6 years old at the time!) Group member Barry Wardle is fortunate to have been there, paid £1.25 for the privilege and still has the ticket stub to prove it (you lucky sod Bazza!)
I also regret never seeing Queen while Freddie was still with us and the poll revealed that many of the group felt the same. Gill Crisp was fortunate to see them in Birmingham way back in 1980. I was really into them then – ‘Live Killers’ era – that show would have been immense!
And how about The Stone Roses at the ‘Ally Pally’ when they were spreading their love from Madchester back in 1989? (Darren Hodgkinson was there – here’s one of his many awesome gig tickets to prove it)
And the Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington in 1984 proved to be a clear favourite thanks to Van Halen (RIP Eddie), headliners AC/DC and a really strong lineup featuring Ozzy, Gary Moore, Y&T, Accept and making their UK debut, Motley Crue. I was there – read all about my first Donington HERE!
My question is…..
If you had a time machine and could go back to ANY gig from the past what would it be? It doesn’t have to be a gig you actually went to. Think about gigs and festivals you WISH you had been to. Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock 1969? The Stones in Hyde Park? Pink Floyd at Pompeii? Nirvana at Reading in 1992? The early warehouse raves of the late 80s/early 90s? The first Glastonbury in 1970….? It can be anything! Leave a comment below or join the Music in the Attic Facebook group and grow our awesome community. Fans of all musical genres are welcome!
You can also see how people voted for the 20 gigs in the the poll over on the Facebook Group here.