"Thank you, Good night, God Bless, Goodbye"....final gigs you've witnessed.

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Which artists' final performances have you witnessed?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 22 March 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw Cop Shoot Cop's final, acrimonious bow out at Irving Plaza in 1995...followed shortly by an equally low-key debut (and swan song) performance by the Red Expendables (Cop Shoot Cop without Tod [A]shley....opening for Foetus) later that year.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 22 March 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The only 'final' gig I went to (i.e. that they had announced as such, previously) was the Ramones one.

Quite a few that turned out to be the final one without knowing (Stone Roses, World Domination Enterprises, and a band that supported Beck who's main guy got killed a week later)

(Post repeated for completeness)

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 22 March 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

3 come to mind.
1. the three johns in leeds. they played a last series of gigs @ Duchess of York, which were advertised as their last gigs. they were all ace and made me sad, but langford was on fine humourous form and so many laffs were to be had ..
2. Madness at Finsbury Park. Madstock .. oh how misled were we ..
3. Age of Chance - Town and Country .. end of 1000 Years tour in 87 (??) after this Steve left (a-hem) the band .. who were never to Perform properly live (PA sets dont really count methink). no idea re the last words of the band that fateful night .. the future was lookking Rosy so didn't realise it was to be the last time ..oh hindsight where fore art thou ? ..

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 22 March 2004 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

New Order at Reading 1993? OK, they did reform, but it was final for a while.
World Domination Enterprises, Town and Country Club, March 1990 - I think this was their last ever.

― M Carty (mj_c), Monday, 22 March 2004 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The Dismemberment Plan's supposed last show last year.

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, M Carty: the one I went to was at the Powerhaus, Islington. I don't remember the date though. Was it with their "new" drummer? (If it was with Loop as main band, it wasn't the last one as I went to that one. Got any tapes?)

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

The only one I can think of right now is the fuckin' Loft, at the Hammersmith Palais years ago...

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"with the sad eyed journeymen?" (supporting the Colour Field?)

How to finish as a band...

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Replacements in Grant Park. If I had known at the time it was their last gig, I might have paid attention to them instead of getting drunk, playing cards and saying, "Gosh, I hope they play Merry Go Round". (The show kinda sucked, but it was fun.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Was the Loft gig as momentous as it's made out in the "My magpie eyes..." book?

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Murry The Hump... hey a few of us cared, at the time

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I was at the last gig the Cloud Minders ever performed. But then I was their lead guitarist so I would expect it.

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Rob, it did seem notably 'tense' on-stage (esp. after some punter in the audience managed to land a full plastic beaker of beer on Pete Astor) but momentous...nah

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

World of Pooh, Maxwell's, spring 1990. You could feel the interband tension in the audience.

― mike a, Monday, 22 March 2004 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Khaya, who agreed to break up during their set. Not a great night.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Damned farewell gigs to thread!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Oof! I remember that night. Talk about memories I'd rather forget...

― Psycho Kate (kate), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

The Damned? At least 3 or 4 times now.
Another vote for New Order at Reading (and didn't Stone Roses grind to a halt after their main-stage appearance there too? If they didn't, they bleedin' well should have done!) and The Ramones last UK gig.
The Monochrome Set (the mid-80's split documented on "Fin")
Orange Juice (unexpectedly at a Miners Strike benefit IIRC)
Theatre Of Hate (before they morphed into Spear Of Destiny)
Killing Joke (the last performance of the original line-up before Jaz buggered off to Iceland anyway)
The Only Ones (another totally unexpected announcement)

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

God yeah, that WAS the Roses last gig. Fucking hell, they were rubbish that night.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Discordance Axis.

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

and a band that supported Beck who's main guy got killed a week later

That would be Brainiac.

(From Beck's Slate.com diary at the time [1997]: "We received sad, sad news today. Our friend Tim Taylor, the singer of Brainiac, was killed in a car accident over the weekend. We were just on tour with Tim and Brainiac in England last week.")

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah yeah, my ex saw that. And had enough cool points as a result to rule over me... well I thought so at the time. I suppose it was at Beck.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 22 March 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Levitation - The Dome, Tufnell Park

Where they rather spectactularly split up on stage, Terry Bickers had been making cryptic/opaque comments to the band, but just out of earshot, then just before their last track, sensing the occasion, he announces 'We've really lost it, haven't we?' They do one last song (Attached, if yr interested) and then they all tear off the stage.

Bark Psychosis - Garage, Highbury

Supporting, or supported by God (who were fucking incredible) BP did a DJ set, pretty good in places, stylistically not quite Boymerang, still rooted in the very late BP style, but much more beaty.

― mzui, Monday, 22 March 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I believe I saw South Pacific's final gig (for those in the Toronto area who might remember them).

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Monday, 22 March 2004 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Danish rap geniuses Malk de Koijn...
... and I saw Nirvana on their last tour, but I guess that doesn't count...?

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Monday, 22 March 2004 19:10 (twenty-two years ago)

the germs at the starwood (i am old).

― dan (dan), Monday, 22 March 2004 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't think I had seen any final gigs but then I suddenly remembered -- Love and Rockets. To their credit, most of the set was new material, then a few oldies, and for encores they had Stephen Perkins onstage for "Yin and Yang the Flowerpot Man" (I knew somebody from Jane's would show up) and a great blast through "No New Tale To Tell" to wrap it up. Good way to go!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 22 March 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw Richey's last Manics gig at the Astoria in December 1994.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 22 March 2004 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The first time Sunny Day Real Estate broke up, at the Black Cat in D.C., playing with Shudder to Think. It was tense and hot in there and I'm pretty sure the show ended with everyone leaving the stage pissed, with deafening feedback from the still-on guitars and amps.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Monday, 22 March 2004 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Halo Perfecto
Anton Bordman
Black Masks For Secrecy

― Ian Johnson (orion), Monday, 22 March 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I want to touch the hems of both dan & alisa's gowns, whether they are wearing gowns or not

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 22 March 2004 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to Big Black's Cat Club/NYC show thinking it would be their last show ever, but they played at least one more afterward...

― mike a, Monday, 22 March 2004 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)

the hummingbirds, the earthmen..

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 22 March 2004 21:51 (twenty-two years ago)

neutral milk hotel, i believe (the Camden Underworld was their last show, yeah?)

― stevie (stevie), Monday, 22 March 2004 22:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Pulp, assuming it was the final one ever etc etc etc (but hopefully NOT, obv)

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I was at that Bark Psychosis / God show at the Garage.
Swans at the LA2 in London 1997 - was that their last?
I saw Phil Lynott come on for the encore at a Gary Moore show in 1985, which I'm pretty sure was his last ever appearance on stage before he died. Given the era, they probably played "Out In The Fields".

― udu wudu (udu wudu), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Pitchblende at Brownie's.
Skull Control at the Empty Bottle.
To Live and Shave in L.A. at Northsix, this past weekend (I guess).

― hstencil, Tuesday, 23 March 2004 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Hi Mr Grout
Yup, that was the World Domination Enterprises show where they supported Loop, which happened to fall on my 17th birthday. Well, I thought it was their last show as I heard they'd split soon after.
No tapes I'm afraid, and I'd have to say that Godflesh were the best band by miles that night, in my humble opinion.

― M Carty (mj_c), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 08:23 (twenty-two years ago)

East Village, New Cross Venue.

― harveyw (harveyw), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 08:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Evil Superstars and Kiss My Jazz.

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Hi M.Carty again.

Yeah, I don't remember Godflesh so much, just that World Dom had their whole stage set supplied by the Mutoid Waste corporation (sliced trucks and headlamp structures), then the folks cleared it all out for loop to take to the stage without anything on the stage at all apart from their amps and that, and the singer was "ooh, i've got a really heavy cold, yeah" (oh shuttup we all said. )

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 10:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Godflesh made a particularly big impression on me that night because of their colossal volume. They struck up as I was utilising the erstwhile T&C's 'gentleman's facilities', and the whole room started shaking in a way I've never seen before.
Yeah, Mr Loop deserved no sympathy for such blatant whingeing. Seem to recall they rather ruled, though!

― M Carty (mj_c), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 10:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Count me in for that final NMH gig too...what else? Thee Headcoats springs to mind.

― Wandering Boy Poet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Felt, Birmingham Burberries, 19/12/89
Denim, Brighton, 18/7/97 (I think that date's right...in fact, I think that was Denim's last gig...if it wasn't, I was probably at whatever was the last one.)
Oh, there's a pattern here isn't there? Um, I'm certain I've been to quite a few last-ever-gigs, but no more come to mind now...

― Canada Briggs (Canada Briggs), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw the sunflowers last gig.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw the Chills' final show, or what they claimed was their final show, in I think 1993, before all that Martin Phillips And... stuff. Tramps, NYC.

Uncle Wiggly's farewell gig at McCarren Park in Brooklyn was a beautiful thing (as was their impromptu one-off reunion at Rubulad a year or so later).

Bratmobile's last show before their reunion--Thread Waxing Space, I think. Tense.

I'm pretty sure the Purple Ivy Shadows show at Luxx last year was their final one (after ten years together). Possibly also the Eggs show I saw at some large venue in NYC back in the mid-'90s. Can't determine whether or not the MBV show I saw was their last; it might've been, but it might not.

Thought I'd seen God Is My Co-Pilot's final show about four years ago... but then I got a call from Craig this morning, to the effect that they'll be playing a show in a couple of weeks!

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

the verve at slane castle

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Pavement at Brixton Academy. None of us realised it'd be their final show, but none of the crowd seemed all that bothered when Malkmus announced it. Weird.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I've just realised I was at The Wonder Stuff's last ever gig as well. I don't even like them.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I was at that Wonderstuff gig too. I also didn't like them much.

I believe I saw South Pacific's final gig
I was at this as well - oddly this was the only one that came to mind when I saw the thread.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw the last Swans show in NYC. It was great and very sad.

― dlp9001, Tuesday, 23 March 2004 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I was at the Pavement show too! Annoyingly I turned up late and missed Royal Trux :-(

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

first show i ever went to was The Who's "final concert", 1982!

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Makin' Time

― eleki-san (eleki-san), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

If Douglas was at the same concert I was, I may have been at MBV's last show, too. (It was on June 19, 1992.)

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Saturday, 27 March 2004 07:10 (twenty-two years ago)

"To Live and Shave in L.A. at Northsix, this past weekend (I guess)."

They've only just reunited! A tour is planned for later in '04. They have a new album out next month... That's straight from the Rat's mouth!

― rat bastard fan, Saturday, 27 March 2004 07:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Last New Order gig, last Richey in the Manics gig, last Stone Roses gig, last Pulp extravaganza.

― suzy (suzy), Saturday, 27 March 2004 07:26 (twenty-two years ago)

not sure if it counts, but I saw the Joe Jackson Band's final Canadian show, and Blur's (likely) final North American show.

― derrick (derrick), Saturday, 27 March 2004 09:26 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Somehow, up above, I completely forgot to mention that I saw My Bloody Valentine's last show. Temporary insanity on my part. As it turns out, apparently I've also seen the Chameleons' last ever show. Combine with Love and Rockets and that's one hell of a trifecta.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 02:15 (nineteen years ago)

Sleater! Kinney!

― Chris L (Chris L), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 02:21 (nineteen years ago)

I'm pretty sure I saw Anti-Product's last show, they played at my house with Submission Hold. They didn't know it was their last show.

wow, you'd think I would have more from going to gigs for 20-plus years. guess not.

recently in my town a friend of mine saw Pinback break up on stage!

― sleeve version 2.0 (sleeve testing), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 02:31 (nineteen years ago)

Squeeze's first last-show-ever, at the Ritz. (I am old. And lame.)

― Hideous Lump (Hideous Lump), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 02:31 (nineteen years ago)

recently in my town a friend of mine saw Pinback break up on stage!

Aren't they always doing that?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 02:32 (nineteen years ago)

I once had tickets to see A Tribe Called Quest, but they broke up the day before. Biz Markie played in their place. The Biz is always fun, but it just wasn't the same.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 06:54 (nineteen years ago)

Crowded House.

― rchinn (rchinn), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 07:26 (nineteen years ago)

Orange Juice (unexpectedly at a Miners Strike benefit IIRC)

Ooh ooh I was at the same gig as Stewart! Brixton Academy 1985, bottom of the bill beneath Aztec Camera, Everything But The Girl, Joolz The Punk Rock Poetess, and even the f**king Woodentops, oh the INSULT of it all!

Which meant that The Last Orange Juice Gig Ever was played as a warm-up set to a largely indifferent venue that was still filling up. They finished with "Simply Thrilled Honey". It was very sad.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

Surely a lot of people have been to some of Orbital's last gigs evers?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 10:00 (nineteen years ago)

Smashing Pumpkins
Curve, I think (until they came back)

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

I believe I saw South Pacific's final gig
I was at this as well - oddly this was the only one that came to mind when I saw the thread.

At Lee's Palace with Siansperic's big Toronto reunion and I think an early version of the Beethoven Freeze right? Light show by the same folks who do all the Mean Red Spiders shows. Damm they were good.

I also managed to attend Thrush Hermit's big blowout at The Marquee which was absolutely amazing. Played well past 3am and seemed to be having a better time then normal.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

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