Best small/intimate gig ever

[shineybomb]

What is the best small and intimate gig you have ever been too?
Last night I saw James Dean Bradfield at the Zodiac in Oxford and he was fantastic. The room was not much bigger than my living room and it made such a difference from all the arena gigs I have been too. I was a metre from the stage and within touching distance when he came out.
If anyone gets the chance to see him (just two dates left I think) I would highly recommend it - definately the best gig I have ever been too.

[Noseyparker]

I went with friends to see Jamie Cullum a few years back at The Apartment in Swindon and also saw Helium Soul at The Azura in Marlborough during this years Jazz Festival. At the same Jazz festival we saw Chris Jagger brother of Mick. All these were excellent small venue gigs. Swindon, in spite of what is written about it is a hotbed of live music and intimate enjoyable gigs by relatively unknown artists occur frequently. Bob Bowles, The Mill, Locomotion,Ludwig Beatles(sadly no longer together). Nova, WMD to name but a few

[China Doll]

Not completely to do with music but I used to go to a comedy club near my house and was fortunate to see many great, well known comedians there and because it wasn't a big place there was a real connection and often banter with the audience. One of my favourites was seeing Bill Bailey, musically speaking he is vastly underrated (in my opinion) and his performance was not only hillarious but utterly fantastic from a musical point of view.

[shineybomb]

You also get to see some great up and coming bands and at this gig were a group called Vega4 who, being unknown, were just mixing with the crowd and having a drink with everyone. If you get the chance, take a look at their website and play the music videos on the right - they were excellent http://www.vega4.co.uk/

[Suzyboo]

Have seen a number of excellent small and intimate gigs but two of my favourites would have to be Paul Weller and Lloyd Cole

[naz_nomad]

Had to be when 'The Disgruntled' played at Roundacre, Basildon ...

[sg]

My best one was Frank Black / Black Francis from Pixies at the borderline way back in 1992(?).
Just big Frank on a small stage with an electric guitar, belting out Pixies numbers and sweating like only he can.

[buttchester]

I saw Nizlopi at The Marrs Bar in Worcester about a year before they released JCB. It was the first time I had heard or seen them and I was blown away. I really couldn't believe how good they were.

I saw them again at the same venue the day after they got to number 1 with JCB and even though the little venue was completely filled the way they played seemed so personal. Everyone was so silent listening that they could walk around the room playing accoustically without even a mic. It was perfect.

[andy-hughes]

I went to an end-of-term ball at Keele University to see Doctor Feelgood, one of my favourite bands, and I heard a whisper that someone special was playing a pick-up set in the TV lounge upstairs, which holds maybe 100 people if you cram them in.

It was Robert Plant playing with his friends The Honeydrippers, and it was just sensational! This was the year John Bonham died, and I'd despaired of Percy ever taking a stage again, and there he was, about ten feet away belting out scorching blues standards for the lucky few.

[pacusher]

Mine would have to be seeing marillion at the Jazz cafe in London. Out of this world.

[Rev Sermon]

I am a big fan of an American group called the Believers. I saw them at the Borderline last year and they were excellent so I checked their website to see if they were doing any more gigs locally. The only one close enough was a "house party" so I phoned up and invited myself. 10 people including the Believers themselves and a support band (who's flat it was) in a very small living room. That was certainly intimate!
R.S.

http://www.thebelieversusa.com in case anyone's interested.

[shineybomb]

How amazing to see a band you love in someone's living room. I wish I could see Madonna in someone's living room. I have only ever seen her at Live 8 in Hyde Park and she was so far away.

[mandink]

a band called 'the illegal waste'..i saw them play in newcastle upon tyne at a pub called 'the tyne'. it was outside under a bridge and the band were AMAZING live...check them out..

www.myspace.com/theillegalwaste

Amelie

[alijangra]

My friend won tickets to see Stereophonics at King Tuts in Glasgow it was fantastic. I still have the pics of Kelly on my mobile!! He was just an arms length away...sigh!

[shineybomb]

You lucky thing alijangra - my boyfriends favourite band! I would love to see Kelly up close too, but for different reasons. I saw them at Birmingham NEC but there was no atmosphere and we were too far away