Readers have shared their memories of legendary gigs, from rock concerts to classical performances, highlighting the unique experiences that made these events unforgettable. One reader recalled the Free concert at Middlesbrough Town Hall on 19 February 1972, which was nearly derailed by a power cut.
Free's Farewell Tour and a Power Cut
Andrew Keeley from Warrington, Cheshire, wrote that Free's gig was part of their farewell tour, led by local vocalist Paul Rodgers. Tickets cost 50p and sold out, but a seven-week miners' strike meant a scheduled power cut at 9pm, so the start time was moved to 5pm. The miners settled their dispute that same day, but power cuts continued for another week. After a brilliant gig with seven encores, the audience left just before 9pm, walking home in the pitch dark. Keeley noted, 'It all turned out All Right Now.'
The Beatles' 1964 Christmas Show
Lesley Cramp from Harrow, London, attended the Beatles' 1964 Christmas show at Hammersmith Odeon at age 12. Her mother queued for tickets, and she sat in the circle with celebrities like DJ Pete Murray. Below, a 'seething mass of teenage girls screaming their heads off' made it hard to hear, but she could make out hits like 'Twist and Shout' and 'Can't Buy Me Love'. She wrote, 'Every second of that Beatles’ performance will be with me for ever.'
Beethoven Marathon in Edinburgh
Bob Owen from Chetnole, Dorset, recalled a classical concert on 30 August 1964 at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, where Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter performed all Beethoven cello and piano sonatas through the night. The event was short-notice and first come, first served, and Owen secured an excellent balcony seat, calling it an experience he will never forget.
Missing the Smiths for a Pub
Paul Masterman from Shifnal, Shropshire, noted that more people miss legendary gigs than attend them. On a group holiday in Cornwall in the early 1980s, a friend suggested seeing a new band at Falmouth Town Hall, but the group chose the pub instead. The band was the Smiths. Masterman quipped, 'Whatever happened to them?'
