People you've seen live that were either better than expected or were a bit of a disappointment

scrumhalf

Deep Purple with Blackmore in 87 - poor. Deep Purple with Morse in 95/96 - I almost cried when they did Pictures of Home.

Aynsley Lister (supporting Jan Akkerman) - just great.

Iron Maiden - didn't sweat, perfunctory gig. (I apparently saw them in 78 and enjoyed it but was too over-hopped to remember).

In Cuba last year, staying in the Sierra Maestra mountains. We'd had dinner and then the entertainment came out, based on what we'd been "entertained" by so far I wasn't expecting much. Playing a beaten-up short-scale acoustic was one of the most magnificent guitarists I'd ever seen.

Kings X in 90/91. AllI could say on the waty home was "amazing, absolutely amazing".

Belgian Jethro Tull tribute band. If they liked Tull so much they should have stopped butcherng their music.

freakboy1610

Oasis at Knebworth. It was so crap I cant remember the year! 1994? The only time I've gone to a gig as a fan and come away hating them. Utter rubbish.

On the other hand, I saw John Denver at the Albert Hall in 1986 and he was unexpectedly awesome. My mates mum was in his fan club so we had great seats. James (paisley telecaster) Burton on guitar. In fact I think that the piano player was also from Elvis' backing band. Great memories!

Handsome_Chris

Stereophonics, ABSOLUTE CRAP!!!  How can such a popular band be so meh live.  Bother times I've to seen them, and I've said it before, they have sounded really dull, and seemed to be going through the motions -badly.

Lodious

Worse than expected:

Level 42/w Allan Holdsworth c.1991. I was a big Holdsworth fan, but this was appalling. I should have expected Level 42 to be shit, but I hadn't prepared myself for just how boring this would be. I spend the last money I had for a month to see this, and left after 25minutes. I've seen Holdsworth twice and I find it amazing for a guy who puts such a lot of thought into his tone does not realise people in a gig situation, the audience can't hear anything he plays as it's so covered in reverb / delay / chorus.

 

Stone Temple Pilots

Just boring. Played exactly as per the record, they looked bored, I was bored. I left early.

 

Better than expected:

RHCP just after John Frusciante joined: Just amazing.

Fishbone: Totally insane. I expected them to be good, but they just blew my mind.

John Scofield w/ Dennis Chambers: Chambers was an absolute monster, brilliant gig and not what I expected.