Gigs you've walked out of

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Since I'm new here, I thought I'd make a bit of an effort and start a thing. Sorry if it's an old one. Anyhoo, as far as I can recall, I've only once bailed on a gig (leaving during encores so you can be first to get your coat doesn't count).

It was Spacemen 3 at the Duchess in Leeds, and I was so booored.

If you'd told me then that about 12 years later I'd be going to see one of those men playing one of two sold out nights at the Hammersmith Apollo...I'd've laughed till the cider came out of my nose.

― dan, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bill Cosby standup (I love bill, but it was a bit too soft for me), hundreds of hiphops show where three guys shout the end of each sentence and everything is muffled, the mixdown is totally off, but the monkey ass backpackers and white bitches keep nodding away anyway....i hate them because they remind me of a younger me......face it, basically all live hiphop sucks.

― Ramosi, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I walked out of The Divine Comedy at the Brixton Academy in October after about twenty minutes. It was horrible. They were wearing trainers and had facial hair. They also sounded dreadful - like some scummy Camden indie band covering TDC. Yuck! Still, I'm glad I went - otherwise, I'd have been sad that they'd split up. Now I'm glad they're dead.

― jamesmichaelward, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I walked out of Pan American a couple of months back. Not only did the guy have the nerve to request a chair to sit on, he looked like he had SERIOUS trouble working that equipment. The 'music' was shite, by anyone's standards. It made me realise that ambient is not necessarily the lazy medium that I sometimes assume it to be. Apparently, atonal droning with the occasional click or pop can be completely fucked up.

― mdieter, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I bailed on the Acid Mothers Temple, who played in Seattle this past Saturday. Not that I thought they were particular awful, but each song had a nasty habit of overstaying its welcome by 5 to 10 minutes. And I kinda got seasick from seeing the chain smoking girl in the D-Generation X jersey trying to Jennifer Herrema all over her modular synth from behind.

― Brian MacDonald, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Spiritualized at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange a couple of weeks ago - cos i was bored, my feet were hurting and the venue is in the middle of nowhere. Also Evan Dando at Wilkie House in Edinburgh cos it was jam packed and boring

― Leigh, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This is a bit sideways from the question, but a few years ago in Olympia there were two guys who set up a bunch of instruments in an art space and promised to make music for 24 hours without a break. It wasn't a proper show, and people were expected to walk in and out while it was going on. I showed up with some friends, had plenty of time to kill, and was all prepared to sit for awhile, gossip, and listen to what I thought would be some predicably soothing, droning sounds. When we got there one guy was flat on his back, sort of humming through a trumpet in that obnoxious way people do when picking up an unfamiliar instrument, and the other guy was scratching the strings of an acoustic guitar with a coin. We sat there for all of two minutes. Considering we planned to stay for at least 30, I think this definitely counts as a walkout that, when factored into the expectation you would naturally walk out at some point anyway, makes this a walkout of exponential proportions. So much for Art...

― xwerxes, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

mercury rev. bowlie weekender. april 99. tedious rock jams. appalling. how did it come to this? i don't know.

― gareth, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

b b but I've got some of that on video and it looks fantastic.

― chris, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Last one was The Hotwires at the Metro on Oxford Street. I'd gone to see if they'd be any good at Strange Fruit and after two songs of bog standard rawk'n'roll I made my excuses and left.

― RickyT, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

chris, as far as i can remember there were tedious covers, rubbish newer material (deserters song), and, worst of all, plodding leaden versions of much greater earlier material.

cornelius wasn't much better either

― gareth, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Good call, Gareth. In fact, anyone who's been to any/all of the three Camber Sands weekenders will surely have their fair share of walking-out tales. Though it might be more drifting-away or popping- in, I suppose. Cornelius and Mogwai were abandoned early on by me.

Earliest memory of leaving a gig early was Goodbye Mr Mackenzie at the Loughborough Uni Students' Union in 1990. Well, it *was* free - but they were terrible.

― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've only got a couple of the songs on video and can only remember "tonight it shows" and that was ace.

I drifted in and out of so many of the bands playing at the last atp it was silly. I did give up on Lambchop though, I was expecting greatness and was thoroughly bored. Lots of people left Calexico though and I thought they were great.

― chris, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw the Go-Betweens open for Lloyd Cole - around 1992, I think. The Bo-Betweens were so much better than Lloyd Cole that night that I left halfway through Lloyd's set.

I saw Morphine - one of their last shows. It was really crowded & I was getting irritated that Mark Sandman was being too much of a rockstar. Fishing for gratuitous applause, "You guys really rock!" "wooo". ... left early and went to see Scrawl.

Violent Femmes - went to a free show because Fishbone opened. Left about 2 songs into the Femmes set.

― Dave225, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah the Mercury Rev set at Bowlie was a clunker - I'd seen them a few weeks previously and they had been lovely - I was pretty keen to see them and lasted about a sing before scurrying downstairs to the queen vic- I wonder if the band knew they were failing to take off?

I liked Cornelius - though I missed the first half as it was on early, and the Mogwai set was the one I usually describe as the best I've seen them JD cover and all - I've certainly seen them play and disliked it much much more.

I think I've left lots of shows, partly cos I go see gigs for the support bands - e.g. recent Porcupine Tree gig were I lasted half a song. Or I used to go see bands I'd never heard of, on the off chance.

Actual walk outs of gigs I was expecting to enjoy: Morrissey at the Usher Hall Edinburgh - I was nearly in tears at how dismal it was.

― Alexander Blair, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Walked out of Afghan Whigs show about 2 or 3 years ago in Providence. Wasn't the music, I had to puke.

― Poops McGee, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bailed out mid-way through the Jesus And Mary Chain set on the 1992 Rollercoaster tour. Admittedly, I was there only to see Spiritualized and Curve, but damn JAMC were sucking incredibly hard.

Only other gig I walked out on was Siouxsie And The Banshees in 1995, but I was only there to see Spiritualized open up anyway.

― Chris Barrus, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

there was a gig at the 13th note in glasgow about a year ago where bill wells stood in the dj booth and played loops of classic riffs (everything from smoke on the water and purple haze to army of me and smells like teen spirit) while lol coxhill and a couple of other improvisors blew dense free jazz on the stage. what a spectacle.

just for the record i didn't actually leave. i stayed to prove a point, but there were only a handful of people left by the time it wound down. i really wanted to get drunk after that show

― fields of salmon, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tortoise at ATP. jesus, was that dull. watching the mould forming on the curtains in my chalet was more exciting.

― rener, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bailed out mid-way through the Jesus And Mary Chain set on the 1992 Rollercoaster tour.

Ah, and there was me thinking how great that was. Mind you, when I saw them (twice - Whitley Bay and Brixton) it was with Dinosaur Jr, Blur and MBV. Fantastic.

― dan, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Pere Ubu. Thomas nasal singing just gave me the creeps. Dunno why cause on record I really like him. He just seemed such a pompous ass.

― nathalie, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

dan, ditto Glasgow SECC, with the Dino Jr (nice but kinda lost), MBV (amazing), Blur (great) and JAMC (fantastic)

― Alexander Blair, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mogwai at Reading 98, it must have been. Boring!

― DG, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mercury Rev at Camber Sands were a bit leaden (and I like Deserter's Songs) but I couldn't leave cause I was at the front, bagging my place for Belle & Sebastian later, as I recall.

― N>, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ryan Adams.

I know exactly why I left, it's why I was there in the first place that troubles me. Also MOP at the Stratford Rex, but only cos it was about to turn into a riot.

― jacob, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Frank Black. He was boring.

― Sean, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Melvins. Sonic Youth.

― geeta, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The For Carnation at Lee's Palace. I wasnt interested in them anyways and had a three hour drive to Buttfuck, Ontario to do. Picastro were worth the 10 or so minutes of poop that I stood though, most of it was in the crowd. I've never before wanted to give a mass bitchslap. Might have enjoyed it as it stayed but Id rather not have ended up wrapping my car around a tree through tiredness.

― Mr Noodles, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

aphex twin::
something about watching a guy laying on a couch with his laptop beside him just did'nt do it for me. walked out after about 7 songs. had actually really gone to see/hear luke vibert open anyways.

― william harris, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah, Mercury Rev At Bowlie, god I wish I could have left that gig. Kevin Sheilds was supposed to have appeared with them, and the rumour was that they were going to do a couple of MBV songs, so I stuck around for the entire dreadful experience. The bastard didn't even turn up. GRRR. At least I got to see him on stage a couple of years later standing in the shadows at a Primal Scream gig, and stood near to him and Belinda Butcher at a Pastels gig, but was far too scared to tell the fucker to hurry the fuck up.

Bands I've left include Kula Shaker, and also Stereophonics who I both saw in toilet venues before they had records out, both times I decided my time would be much better served playing pool somewhere far away from the offensively tedious fare presented to me.

I remember going to a Gold Blade gig and watching in amusement at the once capacity crowd almost entirely shuffling away, I would have left myself but I was intreged to see just how many would be left. Soul Power

― Chewshabadoo, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My friend and I left an Alfred Brendel (brendle?) "gig" early to catch Credit to the Nation on the other side of town. Pretty sad either way huh? Those were the days...

― Chris Sallis, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yo La Tengo (after one song, they were so boring after Stereolab), Soul Coughing (ditto after Madder Rose) the Pastels at ATP 99 (I liked M Rev - was down the front like N. waiting for B&S - & also loved Mogwai there).

Plus Golden Earring, Newcastle City Hall, 16.11.74. I mean, who could follow lynyrd Skynyrd, maan?

― David, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't remember any cases when I actually walked out, but I didn't stay around for Charles Gayle's second set the one and only time I went to see him. The most I can say is "uncompromising," but definitely not fun for me.

― DeRayMi, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i walked out of emmylou harris because she had played all the songs I'd wanted to hear so perfectly and I thought any more would be too much to process, i wanted to walk away whilst it was brilliant, ebfore i started squeezing the zits on the backof my neck.

― Queen G, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm starting to think that we could assemble the entire disgruntled audience for Mercury Rev at Bowlie from ILM contributors..

― N., Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

trans am at london garage ... the show was stolen by opening act HiM. man were they ever intense.

― fields of salmon, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Brassy. That Muffy Spencer woman is the most irritating frontperson I've ever seen.

― Arthur, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I wanted to walk out on Jonathon Richman.

― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i left the strokes!! they were boring, the troubador was too crowded and some for of pfunk was playing down the street!

― chaki, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

errrr Loop (bored shitless & too loud) SnC YtH (blown off stage by mudhoney, futile to stay any longer, Hanoi Rocks (ditto, but by Johnny Thunders) Jane's Addiction (slack & untogether - too sad to stay), The Darling Buds (ditto). Some of these bands I was earlier & better.

― Norman Phay, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Smashing Pumpkins, Leeds 1994. As Billy Corgan launched into another solo I started feeling queasy, grabbed my companion, and walked.

― stevo, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Hey Stevo, nice to see you. Just don't tell the Toon lot about this, ok? heh heh

― dan, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

stevo, was that at the town & country club (cuz that was sep93). we went, but didn't stay for smashing pumpkins, we only went because verve were supporting (hmm, i'm not sure that makes things any better...)

― gareth, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i've left smashing pumpkins too! and foo fighters.

― chaki, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah Gareth we were at the same concert, not only that but I too only went as the Verve were supporting! You did right to leave early.
hey Dan, welcome, BUT walking out.... on the Spacemen 3........at the Duchess..... a cultural crime on a par with leaving SJP early before the Albert chip.

― stevo, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

macha.

― ethan, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

A few of the last acts of Lollapolooza (except when it was Sonic Youth, which required actually sitting through Hole). Then again I walked out on half the acts at these kind of shows, which can actually be a treat because I've seen some great bands like the Poster Children on the side stages.

Also, Paul Revere and the Raiders. No, I'm not THAT old. Tickets were only $5 for some fireman's benefit or something, and they did have a few good songs in their day. It was just pathetic. The guy weighs about 275 and still wears that Cap'n Crunch outfit.

― Dave Beckhouse, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah Gareth we were at the same concert, not only that but I too only went as the Verve were supporting! You did right to leave early.

*SIGH* Listen to you people. A chance to see the godlike 1993 version of Verve *and* the Pumpkins in the same place at the same time and you leave after Verve. I weep for you. [No, I'm not AT ALL BITTER THAT I DIDN'T SEE VERVE UNTIL 1997 FOR FUCK'S SAKE.]

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Stevo - very sad to see the Duchess had shut down the last time I went up to Leeds. Many happy memories. I've still got the flyer that lists Sultans of Ping FC supported by...Radiohead.

― dan, Thursday, 14 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Only recently heard the Duchess had closed Dan, sob, great little pub/venue.

― stevo, Thursday, 14 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.