1. Pink Floyd, Knebworth
2. Six of the Best - Genesis reunion with Peter Gabriel, Milton Keynes Bowl
3. Roger Waters, Earls Court
4. Texas, Town & Country Club, Kentish Town
5. Goldfrapp, Reading Hexagon

All were memorable for me for different reasons, all superb events.

It was a good venue and I saw many great performers there, such as Debbie Harry, Voice of the Beehive, Timbuk 3, The Proclaimers, Talking Heads, Roxy Music.

Texas were memorable as they had just released their first album (their best) and the guitarist was really into Jimi Hendrix. They also played a fantastic rendition of The Stones' Sympathy for the Devil.

1. Eric Clapton's 70th Birthday Celebration @ Royal Albert Hall, London
2. Def Leppard @ Hammersmith, London
3. Kerrang Summer Party - Foo Fighters & Guests @ Hyde Park, London
4. Def Leppard @ O2, London
5. The Script @ O2, London

I saw them again at the old Wembley Stadium some years later, Paul.

Both times were amazing, they really did create a fantastic atmosphere with their music, lights and signature round screen.

Seriously jealous!

The first time I saw Roger Waters was at Earls Court and he did a lot of Wish You Were Here.  I still remember to this day his performance of Welcome to the Machine.  I have never been so pounded with sub-bass vibrations, it was completely body-shaking in a very physical way.  I can't even comprehend the total power output of the speaker array he was using that day.

He does play bass, after all!

Correct, Paul ...

1969 - Hyde Park - The Stones Third Ear Band, King Crimson, Screw, Alexis Korner's New Church, Family, The Battered Ornaments. The sound was rubbish, so were the Stones, but at least I was there and claimed the bragging rights. It was my first "proper" gig. I was 15. My wife, a huge Stones fan, and who was 3 years older than me, never forgave me after she found out I was there. Her parents wouldn't let her go.

1970 - Hyde Park - Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Kevin Ayers, Edgar Broughton Band, Formerly Fat Harry, Lol Coxhill.
Floyd, for the last 25 minutes of their set, brought on a brass section, and then a choir.

1972 - Tunbridge Wells - Hawkwind. Bloody brilliant!

I can't choose between the three Garden Parties I attended at the Crystal Palace Bowl. They were all special for their own reasons.

All 1972

#3 Richie Havens Sha Na Na Melanie Joe Cocker and the Chris Stainton All-Stars, The Beach Boys. - The Beach Boys' harmonies really did sound just like their albums, and Elton John played keyboards. Richie Havens was inspirational, and Sha Na Na rocked and rolled in gold and silver lamé. Joe Cocker was...Joe Cocker. Immense, despite the fact that we kept losing power, probably due to the torrential rain. The rain didn't help The Beach Boys much, either. Singing about sun and surf visibly, and audibly, pissed off some of the idiots in the audience. We snuck into the American film truck and watched most of the Beach Boys' set on the monitors, which is how we spotted Elton playing the piano.

#4 Arlo Guthrie, Osibisa, Stone the Crows, Edgar Winter, Roxy Music, Loggins and Messina. - It was Stone The Crows' first gig without Les Harvey, who had been electrocuted on stage a couple of months previously. Roxy opened with Virginia Plain, which had been released a few days earlier, but nobody had really heard yet. Many minds were blown, including my own. A month later they "arrived" on The Old Grey Whistle Test. I bought Osibisa's album on the strength of their brilliant 'sunshine' performance.

#5 Yes, Lindisfarne, Capability Brown, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gary Wright's Wonderwheel. - Yes premiered "Close To The Edge" which was released a couple of weeks later. John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, who opened proceedings, were amazing. It was the second time I'd seen Lindisfarne, always a great live band. They were previewing their 'Dingly' Dell album.


1991 - Hyde Park - Luciano Pavarotti. This gig scored me the most "brownie points" in one go, ever, from my wife. I managed to keep where we were going a secret until we actually got there. She didn't even know he was performing in England, and she was mind-blown. It poured with rain. We didn't care.



Missing from this list are acts like, off the top of my head, Queen, Steve Hillage, Supercharge, Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, Toots and The Maytals, and Roger McGuinn.

A special mention must go to James Last. My dad was a huge fan and one day, completely out of the blue, handed me a ticket, told me I owed him an extortionate amount of money, and that I was going to Bournemouth in nine months time. Apparently, he'd asked me if I wanted to go and took my silence as assent. The fact that I was in bed, fast asleep when he asked me didn't seem to phase him. It was an absolutely blinding gig. Big Jim Sullivan was on guitar, the band rocked, and so did the audience. I'm eternally grateful to my Dad for suckering me into it because I'd never have believed him if I hadn't gone and he'd just told me how good it was.