Best rock gigs you've seen at the City Hall

[Dr_Bunsen]

I'm in complete agreement with Ned and Ruby,

Black Crowes was by far the best gig i have ever seen at the city hall, i haven't seen anything else that comes close, an amazing performance that will stay with me for always!!

[Rushup]

Manic Street Preachers in either 97 or 98 for me. It was my first ever gig.

[timo]

Gong in 1976. I ought to keep it to myself really...

[docmel]

Emerson Lake and Palmer (twice) - started and ended in the Buccaneer where they played ELP music just to get you in the mood

[John_66]

first gig at the City Hall was Whitesnake in 81 ish - ready n willing tour, followed by Gillan who always put on a good show.

Others i saw were UFO, MSG,Thin Lizzy,Blue oyster cult, Blizzard of Oz, Marillion,AC/DC ,The Alarm, Robert Plant + loads others

 

Best was Thin Lizzy - Renegade tour

 

The skinheads seemed to come out in numbers when there was a heavy rock band on at the city hall

[Guest Ant]

Wow, there's an impressive collection of metalheads posting on here. Not my scene, though.

 

The first City Hall gig I went to were the Ramones in about 1980 when Joey drawled "We're the Ramones, stop spitting on the Ramones" and threatened to take the band offstage. Classic.

 

The support act for this concert was "Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias" a fourteen piece comedy/parody band from Manchester, who were great.

Never saw them live, but they were a riot.

 

My brother went to the Feelgood concert recorded live at the City Hall (excellent album). He swears he can hear himself shouting a request for Gong Back Home to Wilco Johnson. But he would say that.

[owdlad]

Originally posted by docmel

Emerson Lake and Palmer (twice) - started and ended in the Buccaneer where they played ELP music just to get you in the mood

 

Good times doc, did you see them at the Polly too ? Emo broke some ribs down there , and one of the council security men came on...uniform and all and shouted you might as well P*** off home as he's bust a rib..classic.

[RoyalRegular]

I've seen maybe hundreds of bands over the years, but without doubt the most memorable was Jimi Hendrix at the City Hall about 1967/8.

 

As a budding but skint guitarist at the time, I stood there with my mouth open while Jimi proceded to pour lighter fluid on one of his many stratocaster guitars and then set fire to it!

 

Great gigs then, and you got loads for your money.

[mojoworking]

How many people know that there's a smaller auditorium behind the City Hall (but in the same building). I forget the name of it, but I saw Tyrannosaurus Rex there as an acoustic duo (pre-T.Rex) in 1969. They were introduced by John Peel, who was a big champion of Marc Bolan in the early days.

 

Not the best City Hall gig, but one of the most memorable was the Incredible String Band, again around 1969. When we came out after the show there was a gang of skinheads waiting outside chanting "kill the hippies". We managed to escape, but I heard later that the skins chased some fans through town as far as Pond Street where they gave them a good kicking.

[mikey]

Originally posted by mojoworking

How many people know that there's a smaller auditorium behind the City Hall (but in the same building). I forget the name of it,

 

Mojo - Its called the Memorial Hall - It is highly praised in the music industry for its acoustics.

 

Seen a couple of gigs myself in there and it is a bit special.

 

Lets hope the current refurb plans dont spoil it.

 

I still advocate the best gig for me was Thin Lizzy, One memory I have is Phil Lynott using his bass guitar to reflect the light around the hall. Magical.