100 GIGS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

Everybody knows the feeling. Staggering out of a venue, ears ringing, drenched in sweat, having witnessed a truly amazing band lay waste to all before them. Frankly, things don’t get much better.

Which is precisely why we’ve compiled a list of the 100 greatest gigs ever. These are those astonishing gigs that people talk about in hushed tones. The gigs that changed history, in other words.

It wasn’t easy narrowing it all down to just 100, but after much heated debate, countless arguments and the odd bout of fisticuffs, we finally managed it.

Here they are, then. Enjoy…

47. RED HOT  CHIII PEPPERS

THE  ASTORIA, LONDON FEBRUARY u,1990

AS THE Chili Peppers’ tour bus pulled into London, Anthony Kiedis told their tour manager to buy paint and as many UV lights as he could lay his hands on. Later that day, covered head-to-toe in that paint, the LA funk-metallers threw the party of the year in the Astoria, the gig ending with band, stage and audience members in a sweaty, gooey, Day-Glo mess. A colourful night. (PB)

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS THE GARAGE, LONDON

MAY 31, 2002

The Red Hot Chili Peppers played London’s 12,000-capacity Docklands Arena soon after. Guess which gig Hollywood superstar Gwyneth Paltrow showed her face at…

32. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS/SMASHING PUMPKINS/PEARL JAM

BENDER ARENA, WASHINGTON DC NOVEMBER 9, 1991

THE CHILI Peppers’ ascension into rock’s premier league was complete upon the release of ‘BloodSugarSexMagik’ and specifically stunning singles ‘Give It Away’, ‘Suck My Kiss’ and ‘Under The Bridge’. Odd then, that on their first arena trek they were upstaged by a pair of hirsute newcomers. Eddie Vedder instantly won hearts when he ‘swam’ to the mixing desk to grab a proffered rose between his teeth, and then Billy Corgan led the Pumpkins into a mind-f**king kaleidoscopic, psychedelic rock set. Nirvana hopped aboard for the West Coast dates. No competition for the Chilis there then either. (PB)