Worst live performance

[semi]

OK, we all have topics for everything but I don't remember a topic of WORST live performance.

What do you think? To me it's any Song 2 from 1999 to 2008.

[dougharrison]

I initially thought this was going to be a worst gig kind of thread, but it seems to have a slightly different theme.

To answer the question I think you are trying to ask - This Is A Low with Simon Tong not Graham (aka TT tour). Watching most of the back catalogue was painful enough really, not that ST is a bad guitar player for a moment, but it just didn't feel right. Still my favourite performing act of the time, but just not as good as they used to be - to steal a phrase from Mogwai at a different time entirely! Watching anyone try to perform that solo (or Beetlebum) would be pretty painful but TIAL really brought home that Blur couldn't be the same without Graham. That said I enjoyed the TT gigs (and TT for that matter) it was just different. In a weird way there was a moment that summed it up which I noticed when Damon performed Battery in Your Leg - i think at Brighton, i did see a lot of gigs on this tour, but this was the last i went to - think Bournemouth was the end of the tour, where he stubbed out a lit cigarette on his hand behind his back. This was clearly not intended for most of the audience to see, but whether he felt it necessary to do that for his voice to convey the emotion, or whether it was a more of a self-harm angle to release the pain, either way it was pretty uncomfortable to see.

On a maybe happier note, i actually loved the performances of Country House where Graham sped the thing up to get it over and done with as quickly as possible - I feel a little bad for admitting that on multiple levels, but the Budokan version of CH to me will always be a lot of fun, it wasn't until much later i understood why it was played at such frenetic speed.

[ricj]

Woah, that's a pretty dark story...

[Daysleeper]

That performance when the got the Lifetime achievement award at the Brits was pretty awful and would take some beating!

[101reykjavik]

That performance when the got the Lifetime achievement award at the Brits was pretty awful and would take some beating!

Yes, I came on here on mention that one. Not a good way to close the Brits sadly. Felt a bit miffed that night that 'my' band hadn't shown the watching millions how fantastic they are.

Thanks Doug, interesting window into Damon's frame of mind on that tour - perhaps.

[tom_cas1]

This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3qoCSiJJVY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ricj]

I remember when I finally heard the recording of that supposedly worst of all time, Town & Country club gig in 1992 and thought it really didn't sound all that bad at all.

[Mark72]

That performance when the got the Lifetime achievement award at the Brits was pretty awful and would take some beating!

Yeah have to agree. Especially this...https://youtu.be/nm3m9iEnZJA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Petter]

Rockefeller, Oslo - Think Tank Tour - october 2003:
The Universal was the last song in the main set and Damon totally missed his first line in the first verse, he then tried to catch up but failed again, before he gave up and stopped the song. Second attemt was ok, but then they came back for the encore and tried to play End of A Century which was just horrible.

But the rest of the gig was good..

[bugman]

brits awards 2012

[Moritz]

I think the 92 US tour must be a very dark time. The gigs then must suffered from the alcohol/depression.

[Pavlich]

That performance when the got the Lifetime achievement award at the Brits was pretty awful and would take some beating!

Yeah have to agree. Especially this...https://youtu.be/nm3m9iEnZJA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hah! I don't actually mind this in a way. I always see these concert videos where someone tries launching into the crowd and I wonder how often a pair of shoes they like or a personal item? I'm sure when you're energetic or drunk and something tells you to go for it when there's hundreds or thousands of people singing your songs, you might not even think about something like that happening. He sort of had a right to feel angry and he is lucky he's so pissed (honestly never seen the dude that bad before, far out) because it makes him look less diva than him up there sober.

We've all been in the situation where we lose something pissed, or break something. Your night's ruined and being drunk just adds to the anger and disappointment. In a way this would have left a sour taste in your mouth at a gig but it's probably better than seeing them play the same 22 songs they did the night before and will for the next four months.

Also, interesting thread when you consider the way basically all of them have acted (like right knobs; entitled, petty, cunts essentially after too much alcohol or drugs or time together) and their various issues. Some of the stories are very interesting, if not making you feel like a voyeur of grief.

[AstronomyD81]

For me the worst live performances is during TT, when they played the old songs without Graham...but also they didn't seem really happy during that time on stage..

[101reykjavik]

Not worst performance ever, just worst introduction to a performance ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-keHXnVQlM

[PaulG]

I'm choosing to go for a full show rather than song.

Blackburn, 30th November 2003 - TT tour: As has been mentioned Simon Tong's interpretation of the back catalogue just didn't stand up to Graham's at all - but I knew what to expect as I'd seen them earlier in the year. A lot of the audience were disinterested, which was bad enough, but even the band were disinterested. Damon admitted they'd all got pissed in Manchester the night before so were hung over. That was one of the very few times he spoke to the audience - the rest of the time it was finish one song and straight into another. To try to make up for it they played "We've got a file" three times in a row. For a number of years I was worried that this would be the last time I saw Blur live.

Ironically, the last time I did see them live was Blackpool 2015, where the safety barriers failed at the front of the crowd. That really killed the mood for the rest of the show up till the encore... but it was still better than Blackburn.