You know you are starting to look your age, when you go to check out a Fighstar gig and the audience keep asking you if you are able to get them backstage to meet the band... , but, we were very content with our Greek meal beforehand and joined the show to see the support act, who were rather good. It was very generous of the guitarist to be wearing a lapel badge supplied by myself.
I really like the Fighstar song "Paint Your Target", but I would like to have heard them sing the hook lines themselves, which was a trend that continued throughout the show. Robbie Williams has a lot to answer to for this growing trend I feel.
They are ok Fightstar, but they look like a band pulling in different directions to me, without previous success they would be quite low down the signing order and I am afraid have only achieved cult status, I do hope they achieve more than this.

I went to see Go West last night (part of my wifes birthday present).

I wanted to like them. And went with an open mind even though I wasn't impressed in the 80's. And was even less impressed now ... Sad really - because I think Peter Cox comes over as a really nice guy. Just not very good songs ... (apart from their two hits - which were the only songs I recognised).

But what amazed me was how all the women in the audience loved them! They got up and danced for most of the second half of the gig (only sitting down when Go West played tracks off their new album - which must have been disappointing for them).

Last week I saw the Blockheads and really enjoyed them - especially Norman Watt-Roy the brilliant bassist.

Stretch
www.Dastards.com

Norman is great, although I have not been impressed with his Wilko work.
This thread does prove though how important it us for us guys to go to gigs still. Sales are low, and we need to get out there and find out why.
There is an incredible attitude running up the UK(I don`t know about the US), that appears to say, that if a gig/tour is well advertised it may be best to stay in, in case it is "busy".
The smoking ban at the Fighstar gig did little to help the show, but was great for industry and band chat, as quite simply everybody met and shook hands outside whilst having a fag.
A sign of the times, if you want to meet the band and entourage, carry a packet of Marlboro, even if you dont smoke!