It seems apt that on the day I'm guest-posting over at JC's place, I end up doing a Bonus Post... after all, he's one of the only bloggers I know who sometimes manages two posts in the same day. (Jez is the other one, but he doesn't post every day like JC.)
Anyway, you've probably all seen this meme over on facebook. It's been doing the rounds. I had to have a go, of course, and I thought I'd post my response here in case you wanted to have a guess.
Ten bands/artists I've seen live. One of them is a lie.
By the way, I haven't chosen any of the OBVIOUS acts you all KNOW I've seen live. If this list was made up of Springsteen, Billy Bragg, Elvis Costello, Lloyd Cole, Morrissey et al, it would be far too easy.
1. Depeche Mode
2. Suzanne Vega
3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
4. Guns n Roses
5. Alison Krauss & Union Station
6. Bon Jovi
7. Oasis
8. Hayseed Dixie
9. James Brown
10. Nearly Dan (Steely Dan tribute act)
One final clue: 8 of the true ones were really, really good. The ninth really, really wasn't.
2. Suzanne Vega
3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
4. Guns n Roses
5. Alison Krauss & Union Station
6. Bon Jovi
7. Oasis
8. Hayseed Dixie
9. James Brown
10. Nearly Dan (Steely Dan tribute act)
One final clue: 8 of the true ones were really, really good. The ninth really, really wasn't.
Am torn between Tom Petty and James Brown... argh! Am going for The Godfather Of Soul....
ReplyDeleteJames Brown for me.
ReplyDeleteSorry, you're both wrong. Saw JB at Leeds Festival in the late 90s, although I did leave after a couple of hours to go watch The Verve. Which seemed like the right choice at the time.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Oasis then.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done this on FB, or anywhere, but here's my list:
01. Abba
02. Showaddywaddy
03. James Brown
04. Kylie Minogue
05. Menswear
06. Scouting For Girls
07. The Hoosiers
08. Imelda May
09. Booker T Jones
10. And just for you, Rol, U2
No, sadly I HAVE seen Oasis live. They were the ninth true one I mentioned above. Even worse it was on the Be Here Now tour when they'd lost the tiny appeal they had in the first place.
DeleteIn my defence, it was a free ticket, and Travis were very good in support. One of my greatest regrets in life is that Liam Gallagher walked directly below us through the arena tunnel and I didn't drop a sharp object on his head. That regret will stay in my mind forever, up with the day that Louise prevented me from punching Michael McIntyre when he ran past us on a street in Clapham.
As to your list, experience tells me that the most obvious wrong answers will actually turn out to be true. With that in mind... Abba? You're not that much older than me and they last toured in 1980, so you must have been pretty young if you did go see them.
Good logic, but no, I have seen Abba - my first gig! Had the afternoon off school to go up to Wembley and everything!
DeleteI'd like to think it was U2, but...
DeleteKylie?
No, saw her at Earls Court in 2005 and, I have to say, she was excellent.
DeleteI'm going to say you haven't seen G'n'R.
Saw them on the Chinese Democracy tour (minus Slash). Axl was about three hours late coming on stage, but still put on a decent show.
DeleteWell, you've obviously seen Showaddywaddy, so...
DeleteImelda May?
No, have seen her too, and Showaddywaddy.
DeletePlant & Kraus?
Saw Alison Krauss with Union Station.
DeleteNot many left, but that's probably because the one I haven't seen is the one you might most expect me to have seen. Great regret that I haven't.
Scouting For Girls?
Suzanne Vega?
DeleteSaw Scouting For Girls in 2010, as a support act. They weren't good.
Actually, I just realised... you should have gone with your original guess!
DeleteWhich pretty much leaves Booker T or The Hoosiers.
DeleteThe Hoosiers.
No, it was them that SFG were supporting. And The Hoosiers were great, as I recall.
DeleteTom Petty would be a good gig, I reckon.
He's coming to the UK this summer, but only playing That London.
DeleteMenswear?
Yes! Never saw them, thank heavens.
DeleteWell, that was a lucky escape.
DeleteIs it Nearly Dan? - Somehow can't see you bothering with anything other than the real thing. (And of course I don't mean The Real Thing from Liverpool!)
ReplyDeleteNope. Saw them last year in Holmfirth. Figured I had very little chance of ever seeing the real thing. They were pretty good too.
DeleteI'm joining the game late, now that some of the suggestions have already been ruled out, but I don't think this gives me any better chance of getting it right - it's still going to be a complete guess, with nothing to substantiate it.
ReplyDeleteDepeche Mode?
Nope. Saw them in Manchester on their Greatest Hits tour, late 90s.
DeleteWe're not doing very well, are we?! I think this will deserve a follow-up post from you...
Delete