We all know one.
Electric Picnic is drawing ever closer and there’s only a few weeks remaining until music fans make their annual pilgrimage down to Stradbally.
Some gigs seem like they’ve taken on a mythical status in the Irish musical culture and with that comes the inevitable ‘I was there’ merchants.
Here are ten gigs that some people always “claim” that they were at. Let us know if there are any ones missing off the list.
Arcade Fire – Electric Picnic 2005
The lies most likely heard: “I was there for the first Leccy Piccy (ugh!) but this gig was something else. I had a copy of ‘Funeral’ before everyone else did, so I knew what was coming, but I wasn’t prepared for it. Do you know what I mean? ‘Wake Up’ was just amazing. You really had to be there“.
Truth: Here’s what they sounded like on the night.
Clip via – ArcadeFireTube
Bruce Springsteen – Slane ’85
The lies most likely heard: “There really is no show quite like The Boss and I haven’t missed a single one of his gigs in Ireland since that very first show in Slane. I’m pretty confident that he played for 7 hours straight“.
Truth: Just ignore the fact that the person you’re currently talking to is 26 and wasn’t even born when Bruce rocked the Boyne. As they say, don’t let the facts ruin a complete bullshit good story.
Clip via – Country Johnny
Amy Winehouse – Other Voices
The lies most likely heard: “There’s such a good vibe around Dingle that week. It’s impossible to describe because you really have to BE THERE to understand it (note the smug tones of the words ‘be there’). I managed to get a ticket to her gig that morning and I also met her during a trad session in Dick Mack’s“.
Truth: Sure, sure you did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_-4mjfL5bw
Clip via – Maurice Linnane
Blur – Feile ’94
The lies most likely heard: “Before Witness, Oxegen and Electric Picnic there was only one gig worth going to, the trip to Tipp. I never missed a single one but it got a bit shite when they stopped letting you camp there. Truth be told, I hardly remember any of it because I was so twisted. Blur were good though“.
Truth: No memory of The Prodigy, Rage Against The Machine, Bjork, The Cranberries, Primal Scream or Cyprus Hill then? I wonder why?
Clip via – Канал пользователя Agrainel
Oasis and more at Witness 2002
The lies most likely heard: Oxegen has, or will never, come close to matching this. Fairyhouse forever, man. Oasis were savage, trust me. I saw them supporting REM in Slane and also when Noel did the acoustic gig on his own in The Point but this was something else. Best weekend of my life“.
Truth: If this person was actually there then they could be speaking the truth. The line-up that year included; The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, 2ManyDj’s, Green Day and Foo Fighters to name just a few.
Clip via – holo matt
Micheal Jackson – Pairc Ui Caoimh 1988
The lies most likely heard: “You couldn’t move in the city for about a week. No word of a lie”.
Truth: This is actually true as people on Leeside will tell you.
Clip via – ASlaveOfTheRhythm
Bon Iver – Big Top 2009
The lies most likely heard: “He served me when he used to work in the Vodafone shop in Eyre Square?”
Truth: He did in fact work there. Really.
Clip via – Megan Gallagher
U2 – Slane 2001
The lies most likely heard: “That was the best day of my life. I managed to get back from the game at Landsdowne, when McAteer’s goal beat Holland , and still worked my way into the pit to see the white’s of Bono’s eyes. I was the one who threw the water at him during ‘All I Want is You” also..
Truth: What do you mean you don’t remember Moby asking the entire crowd to give him the middle finger?
Clip via – dolenc1234
Ed Sheeran – Whelans 2015
The lies most likely heard: “My cousins, friends, brother-in-law is the guy that works in the off-licnece in the front. He snuck me in throw a little door that no one knows about.”
Truth: Don’t lie, you only saw Ed for the first time at Croke Park a few weeks ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifaGL6FzAco
Nirvana – Henry’s 1991
The lies most likely heard: “No word of a lie, I was there. I really, really was. I know everyone says the same but believe me. They were so good that Sonic Youth found it impossible to top”.
Truth: Like the Yeti, leprechauns and Liverpool having genuine title winning credentials, this story has been told so many times that it has drifted into the realm of myth and legend.
Have a read here about what actually happened.
Clip via – negativecreep1993
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
