This city has a long, established history of live music – and there’s been plenty of classic live gigs to go with it.
Everyone’s got a favourite gig they’ve seen in these parts. It doesn’t matter if it was one month or 10 years ago – share your favourite Melbourne gig, the location, and what made it so memorable!
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
It would have to be two:
Sia at the Corner Hotel
Tegan and Sara at the Corner Hotel
The Black Keys supported by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings at the Forum in 2006. Fucking epic. Also happened to be the first gig I went to since moving to Melbourne.
… actually, just about EVERY gig at The Forum has been awesome
Oh have to agree with Dan. The forum is fabulous.
So going to have to change mine:
Tegan and Sara – at the Forum.
Amazing!
The Clash, Festival Hall 23 Feb 1982. For some reason they played 6 or 7 nights in Sydney but only did one show in Melbourne but having realised their mistake they put on a good one and played a super long set.
Opeth at The Palace Theatre, November 2009. And The Mars Volta at Festival Hall, March 2007.
Death Cab For Cutie at the forum March 2009, and The Flaming Lips at festival hall september 2009
Best major concert – Green Day American Idiot – Telstradome
Best live gig – Midnight Oil, The Palace St Kilda, circa 1998.
Gotye and the Basics at the Prince Bandroom in late 2006. It was amazing.
Jarvis Cocker and Phoenix at the Forum a few years ago… I also want to echo the sentiments about the Forum, I’ve seen a lot of great shows there: Oasis, Ween, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sufjan Stevens, Ryan Adams… and more I can’t remember I’m sure.
Daft Punk – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and unless you have a seat down the front this is a SHIT place for gigs
Grant Lee Phillips – Corner Hotel, but again, I’ve seen some amazing shows there
David Byrne – Hamer Hall
The Flaming Lips – Festival Hall this year
Fleetwood Mac – Rod Laver Arena last week. Although this might not have been that great a show, it was brilliant and fulfilling and awesome to me.
I love seeing old posters showing where some bands who got big used to gig around Melbourne. Like Muse at the Evelyn Hotel, or The White Stripes at the even smaller Empress in North Fitzroy. I always wish I’d been there.
Leonard Cohen at Rod Laver.
The man is amazing – he did about 6 encores, and I still wanted more.
Colin Hay is always good value – born in Scotland, lives in LA, but I’ll still claim him as a Melbournian.
He’s great live, as his act is basically half music, half stand-up comedy.
He usually plays at the Corner Hotel, which is a great venue for a fairly intimate show.
Jack Johnon, at the sidney myer music bowl, my first concert ever and went with my best friend was such an amazing experience.
Saw 3 15 yr old kids play the Prince around 95 ish, couldn’t believe kids could put on such a massive sound-Silverchair. What were you doing when you were 15?
OWL CITY
Billboard the venue 17 August 2011
Amazing!!
Roger waters playing Dark Side of the Moon, a few years ago at Rod Laver arena.
Good Vibrations/vibes on a summer’s day festival maybe 9 years back with Groove armada and Jamiroquai.
Jackson Jackson’s first big gig at The Evelyn
Vasco Era at the Corner, around 8 years ago.
Parliament Funkadelic at the Palace earlier this year.
Many Ben Folds concerts and “The Bens” (Folds, Lee, Kweller) at the Palais theatre.
Al Green at the Palais last year.
The list goes on!!
Adam Lambert at the Palais in October 2010
The Beatles at Festival Hall in 1964.
John Fogarty at the tennis centre
A few spring to mind.
The Flaming Lips at The Palace a few years back.
Pulp at Festival Hall just this year. I would happily re-live that night.
So many wonderful nights spent at The Forum, my favourite venue in Melbourne. Paul Weller, Sonic Youth, Beck…the list goes on.
Eminem @ etihad this year
Crowded House at the Corner Hotel 2007 and the Forum, 2008
Pajama Club at the Prince Bandroom 2011
midnight oil prospect hill
Coldcut at Parklife in 2006.