First time you saw Fish/Marillion live?

Greetings,

I still remember it well ........ BIRMINGHAM NEC 22rd DEC 1987.
I was 16 and it was one of my first PROPER live gigs.
Go West were the support band, which admittedly weren't a favourite of mine.
Great evening, I believe Fish sang with the Roadie's just before Marillion started their set.
When we got inside the NEC there were rows and rows of seats I was seated in BLOCK C N6,As soon as Go West finished their part it was a Mad rush to the front. The poor people in the front rows went from having the best view to the worst in about 2 minutes. Loved every minute of it. The seating slowly disappeared, apart from one chair about 4ft from the front which helped give me and a friend a better view.
But it's hard to imagine it was 24+ years ago. Still have the ticket in my box of memories!
Interestingly, going to see Fish @ Exeter in May.
I apologize for leaving it so long between gigs

Regards Mark.

Greetings,

I still remember it well ........ BIRMINGHAM NEC 22rd DEC 1987.
I was 16 and it was one of my first PROPER live gigs.
Go West were the support band, which admittedly weren't a favourite of mine.
Great evening, I believe Fish sang with the Roadie's just before Marillion started their set.
When we got inside the NEC there were rows and rows of seats I was seated in BLOCK C N6,As soon as Go West finished their part it was a Mad rush to the front. The poor people in the front rows went from having the best view to the worst in about 2 minutes. Loved every minute of it. The seating slowly disappeared, apart from one chair about 4ft from the front which helped give me and a friend a better view.
But it's hard to imagine it was 24+ years ago. Still have the ticket in my box of memories!
Interestingly, going to see Fish @ Exeter in May.
I apologize for leaving it so long between gigs

Regards Mark.

enjoy your gig in exeter mark you'll love it! nothing to appologise for think we have all had at one time or another had certain things happening in our lives that we have had to put our music scene to one side for a certain length of time mate, as they say thats life and what it brings, the main thing is your back and thats all that counts.

First saw Marillion at Southampton Gaumont on February 29th 1984 - as far as I know the only Leap Day gig for Marillion ever.

First saw Fish solo at the Town & Country Club on the Vigil tour.

Both amazing gigs.

Haven't seen either for while, but Marillion are coming to Cardiff in September and I am off to Leamington in October.

First saw Marillion at Southampton Gaumont on February 29th 1984 - as far as I know the only Leap Day gig for Marillion ever.

First saw Fish solo at the Town & Country Club on the Vigil tour.

Both amazing gigs.

Haven't seen either for while, but Marillion are coming to Cardiff in September and I am off to Leamington in October.

Didn't you get to see any of the FishHeads tour John? Just brilliant. Can't wait for the next one. - The power of Fish's music loses nothing in the acoustic format. Especially Vigil!

Marillion: 21st Dec 1984 at Birmingham Odeon (UK).

Fish solo: 9th? July 1990 at the Royal Albert Hall (UK).

I saw Fish-era Marillion twice more; 1985 Misplaced Childhood tour and 1987 CAS tour both times at the NIA at Birmingham. For me, the most enjoyable gig was the first one in 1984 but there is a good case for arguing that the BETTER gig was 1985. In '87, there seemed to be something missing and subsequent events may or may not explain it retrospectively.

Oddly, I have only seen Fish sporadically over the years. So sporadic in fact that there was an 11 year hiatus from 1991 before seeing the warm up gigs at the Cavern, Liverpool for the Enschede convention in 2002. Funnily enough, I recently rediscovered a copy of a review I wrote about the gigs - not the greatest piece of writing . 2005 is the only year I have been to multiple gigs - the Return To Childhood tour. Starting at Aberdeen (the one where a dubious gang of 3 collected a very tired drummer from the airport 20 minutes after the gig should already have started - delays had been caused by industrial action elsewhere). En route from the airport, John Tonks spoke with someone at the venue nonchalantly advising he was just stopping for a quick coffee....(no, he didn't ACTUALLY stop). I'm sure the phone went "click" at the venue end....

Later, on to Glasgow, Newport, the Carnglaze Caverns (access for unloading was soooo easy - not) and a couple of other gigs including one much appreciated (and entirely unexpected) complimentary ticket from Yatta for assisting at a couple of venues. It was a thoroughly enjoyable gig / sight seeing tour. Politely gatecrashing 6 soundchecks simply added to the enjoyment . Since then, gigs (for ALL bands) have been limited for a variety of reasons. The 2012 convention will be a rare outing if I make it.

One Fish gig that remains seared into my memory is from the Internal Exile tour in 1991 - Hammersmith (first night of two). There was just something about that performance; powerful projection, excellent sound and a fantastic set list. Very occasionally, a gig just absolutely hits the spot, a bit like being in "the zone" in sport. That was such a gig. It was possibly all the more impressive because that was the tour salvaged from the ashes of the original promoter going under (tour rescued by Harvey Goldsmith); not the greatest backdrop to feeling good whilst performing.

Er, this post appears to have digressed quite a lot from the main purpose of the thread but, supposedly, it's good to talk and bore the pants off others.... .

Hi,

Don't suppose you recall the setlist from the Royal Albert Hall gig?

I think this was my first Fish gig and first gig ever! I don't remember alot except being quite high up and far from the stage! But it was an amazing experience and good show for an in-experienced gigger.

Cheers,
Nick

Hi,

Don't suppose you recall the setlist from the Royal Albert Hall gig?

I think this was my first Fish gig and first gig ever! I don't remember alot except being quite high up and far from the stage! But it was an amazing experience and good show for an in-experienced gigger.

Cheers,
Nick

Was that the gig with John Otway supporting?

Hi,

Don't suppose you recall the setlist from the Royal Albert Hall gig?

I think this was my first Fish gig and first gig ever! I don't remember alot except being quite high up and far from the stage! But it was an amazing experience and good show for an in-experienced gigger.

Cheers,
Nick

Was that the gig with John Otway supporting?

What Tour/Year was this gig at ?

Hi,

Don't suppose you recall the setlist from the Royal Albert Hall gig?

I think this was my first Fish gig and first gig ever! I don't remember alot except being quite high up and far from the stage! But it was an amazing experience and good show for an in-experienced gigger.

Cheers,
Nick

Was that the gig with John Otway supporting?

What Tour/Year was this gig at ?

I remember a gig at The Hall. Supported by John Otway and Wee Willy Barret (I think). Listed on the forum gig page as 9th July 1990. But I thought it was a bit later on the Internal Exile Tour. When did this tour start.

If it is the gig I remember being seated high up also but the views there are all good.

Did Fish climb over some corrugated iron during Voyeur? Is that the one?

Too long ago for my baby-addled brain to remember! It was in July 1990 though if that helps?