Gigs gigs gigs

[DFF]

After a pretty crazy amount of gigs and fests this year, I currently only have a ticket now for Saxon + HammerFall on Monday. Both are awesome live bands, an an absolute steal at £18.50. I might go and see Thin Lizzy + Clutch in January, and I'm very likely seeing Alestorm in Feb. Outside of that, everything's still a bit open.

[GA!]

The Manics, as expected, were fucking amazing. Here's t'report from t'NME about it:

Manic Street Preachers were joined by Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys and The Cardigans' Nina Persson tonight (December 17) for their special Christmas show at London's O2 Arena - watch footage of both performances by scrolling down and clicking below.

The Welsh trio teamed up with Rhys for the first time in their career for single 'Let Robeson Sing' with the SFA singer taking lead vocals on the track.

Introducing Rhys, Bradfield told the crowd that they wanted to collaborate with him during their tour of Cuba in 2001 but it fell through at the time.

Later, The Cardigans' frontwoman Nina Persson sang on their 2007 single 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough'. She previously teamed up with the band in the UK during their Glastonbury performance that same year.

As Nicky Wire promised earlier in the week, the Manics chose not to run through all 38 hits from their singles compilation 'National Treasures' in album order.

Instead they mixed many new and old songs together throughout their mammoth show.

Arriving onstage, 20 minutes later than their scheduled time of 7.30pm, Bradfield joked:"Howdy doody O2. Better late than never ever eh?", before launching into 'You Stole The Sun From My Heart'.

During their set they also took time out to recall lost member Richey Edwards with Wire describing the band's favourite single - 'Faster' as his "fucking masterpiece".

Later he also told the crowd an anecdote about the how the former guitarist wrote 'Revol'. "We were in Portugal at this festival until about 2am in the morning and Richey peaked too early," explained Wire.

"He was fucking smashed eating a kiwi fruit and he goes: 'I've got an amazing lyric, it's about group sex in the Kremlin'. I said: 'Sounds like a winner to me', so here we go."

Both Bradfield and Wire were on jovial form throughout the show, the former bantering about the flamboyant bassist's many costume changes while the latter joked following the interval: "Fuck me look at him making a costume change [during the interval]. Who'd have thought it."

Wire also took a pop at Coldplay later when he told the crowd: "In typical fashion I think I fucking pulled my shoulder on 'Revol'. I should be doing pilates and yoga like Coldplay eh?"

The band wrapped up the show with their debut single 'Motown Junk' before thanking their guest collaborators and making a final tribute to Edwards.

The show was their last for at least two years which Bradfield acknowledged when he signed off with 'A Design For Life', saying: "Thank you for coming out tonight, you're the lifeblood of old taffs likes us. Merry fucking Christmas. Well see you back in Britain in two years time hopefully."

Wire ended the show in typical Manics fashion by smashing his bass onstage and pushing a prop over.

Manic Street Preachers played:

'You Stole The Sun From My Heart'

'Loves Sweet Exile'

'Motorcycle Emptiness'

'(Its Not War) Just The End Of Love'

'Everything Must Go'

'She Is Suffering'

'From Despair To Where'

'Autumnsong'

'Empty Souls'

'Let Robeson Sing'

'Faster'

'Life Becoming A Landslide'

'Kevin Carter'

'Little Baby Nothing'

'This Is The Day'

'The Everlasting'

'Indian Summer'

'Stay Beautiful'

'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'

'Australia'

'La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)'

'Found That Soul'

'There By The Grace Of God'

'Some Kind Of Nothingness'

'You Love Us'

'Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)'

'Revol'

'The Love Of Richard Nixon'

'Ocean Spray'

'The Masses Against The Classes'

'Roses In The Hospital'

'So Why So Sad'

'Postcards From A Young Man'

'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough'

'Slash N Burn'

'Tsunami'

'Motown Junk'

'A Design For Life'

EDIT: The gig was split into two, with an interval between 'If You Tolerate...' and 'Australia'.

[SRN]

So after the Kvelertak gig, my neck was dead. Literally. I could not move it.

And now for some new gigs! Mastodon on January 17 and then Post-fest (I got hogtied into it by one of my hipster friends; I think I'm going to take the Skummy approach and wear a Justin Bieber t-shirt), Surfact and Rammstein in February. Christ, I really need to save some money for the booze I am going to drink.

[Mr Evil Guy]

i saw skrillex in calgary, not really a dubstep fan but it was pretty much everything youd expect it to be, just a bunch of people tripping on MDMA haha. It was unreal, I'm seeing los campesinos in toronto next month and that should be a good time too.

[SRN]

Right, so Mastodon gig is coming up and I just found out that Red Fan is warming up (check out this video if you are not familiar >

). It is going to be a pretty sweet night of beer drinking. Anyone on here seen Mastodon live before? Are they awesome on a scene?

[thatshortguy]

For Valentine's Day, the wife and I will be seeing They Might Be Giants. I've yet to stop wetting myself since buying the tickets a couple weeks back. It's becoming a problem.

Then I found out who was opening. Mr. Coulton himself. NERD HEAVEN I AM APPROACHING YOU!

[Stevie B]

Going to see Steel Panther on the 31st March at O2 Academy Brixton. Looking at Reel Big Fish in Reading next month if I can get the saturday off work.

[Liam]

Right, so Mastodon gig is coming up and I just found out that Red Fan is warming up (check out this video if you are not familiar >

). It is going to be a pretty sweet night of beer drinking. Anyone on here seen Mastodon live before? Are they awesome on a scene?

Saw them live last year, have got tickets to see them again this year. Awesome. Will be well worth it.

[Skummy]

Yeah, Mastodon are fucking incredible live. I'd never listened to them before I saw them, and they made me a fan in one performance. Brilliant stuff.

[SRN]

Yeah, my friend who is going with me saw them live last year, and he just told me that they were outstanding. Now I am even more hyped!

[Jimmy]

I'll be seeing Los Campesinos and The Maccabees in March. Catching Kabeedies at a free gig in Ipswich later this month and I'm tempted to buy tickets to see Summer Camp, too.

[SRN]

Fuck, I missed Mastodon because of transportation problems. Oh well, I found out that WU LYF are playing here as well so I'll be going to that instead. So POstFest is coming up next, then Rammstein, then Surfact and then WU LYF. And then Black Sabbath at Jelling Festival in May. And then all the loose change that'll come along during the rest of the year. Christ, I'll be so poor when the year is over.

[Katsuya]

I'm still determined to try and convince one of my friends to come with me to go see Lights in Leeds in February. I *need* to see that concert...

[Jimmy]

Let me what Wu Lyf are like live, SRN. I've heard great things.

[Rich]

Went to see M83 last night, they were amazing, I can now die happy.

[SRN]

Let me what Wu Lyf are like live, SRN. I've heard great things.

I've loved their album to bits so I won't expect anything else but to love their live performance. But we'll see.

[Lowerdeck]

I saw M83 in October and Mastodon w/ Red Fang in November - all were pretty solid.

I'm seeing Tool next weekend. Dropkick Murphys on St. Patrick's Day. Rammstein in April. Roger Waters playing The Wall in late June. That's all I got so far this year.

[Liam]

Just realised that Mastodon are being supported by Dillinger Escape Plan in their upcoming UK tour. BOOYAH!

[db07]

Love when we have The Big Day Out here in Australia.... Got Kasabian and the Vaccines tomorrow night, then Soundgarden and the Bronx on Wednesday. Gutted I didn't get tickets to Noel Gallagher tonight.

[Lowerdeck]

Just realised that Mastodon are being supported by Dillinger Escape Plan in their upcoming UK tour. BOOYAH!

It's been Red Fang, then DEP, then Mastodon headlining.

Personally I thought Red Fang was better than DEP.