Totally agree with comments about Japan. Working on shows there was always great – as mentioned Japanese audiences are distinctly enthusiastic and non-violent. They want all the wackiness of rock n roll – but it's about enjoyment, never about aggro.

Fuji Rock Festival has to be my favourite outdoor…

Graham, I think it was called the 'Pod' among other names.

Yeah, Pod – was that in Canterbury arcade? I've been away for a while.

A flatmate in the mid 90's played there with his band "Spine". He could play Chuck Schuldiner solos note for note by ear. Man he…

Zwines could be pretty hard core – didn't go there many times – but on the whole most other venues seemed only very randomly violent, directly related to alcohol consumption. (hmm, or was I in cuckooland) Seems more kids have fewer inhibitions these days ?

the punk gigs from about…

Re violence: I think gigs are far less violent now. I actually can't recall ever seeing a fight at the King's Arms. We're lacking the two main contributing elements: boot boys and police. The boot boys were stupid and destructive and the cops weren't much better.

posted the below on…

In the 80s, midweek gigs were great – you could grab a bite to eat, see a couple of bands play and still be…

Graham and Russell's reminiscences remind me of a constant theme in Simon Reynolds's amazing Rip It Up And Start Again – the level of violence in gigs from the '70s and '80s. Something much less common today?
The most unpleasant things I've encountered…

I saw Public Enemy play the Electric Ballroom in Camden – a low-ceilinged basement venue, after they'd been banned from the Hammersmith Odeon in the midst of a media panic.

Was that the tour where Pop Will Eat Itself were opening for them, but most gigs got booed off for…

Going to see Black Slate and Herbs at the Town Hall and being one of maybe 20 white guys in the place. Standing in the foyer when a Black Power guy came in an announced "This is our night, brothers!"

I saw Public Enemy play the Electric Ballroom in Camden…

I abhor the trend to later and later gigs.

I think punters cause this (as well as the venues/promoters) by turning up so late – in the dance scene anyhow. Clubs don't seem to fill up until 1 or so.

I remember shortly after I was 18 and finally old…

And the "venue" upstairs in an arcade just off Queen St on the right going down, in the block before Queens Arcade? I saw my oldest son's band play there a few

Graham, I think it was called the 'Pod' among other names. It might have been a strip bar…

Was it Massive Attack or Radiohead that did a gig mid-90's at Alexandra Park Racecourse?

in 1998 i saw radiohead at the greenlane expo centre (read: big tin shed). i was expecting it to sound like a tin shed but it was actually really good.

oh yeah, ben harper and…

I remember it mainly because all the lighting was on the floor – nothing was hung in the ceiling – being an aspiring roadie type I thought that was pretty cool. It worked very well…

I remember it mainly because all the lighting was on the floor – nothing was hung in the ceiling – being an aspiring roadie type I thought that was pretty cool. It worked very well…

It can't compete with Stages Spacies Parlour in the most bizarre venue stakes, but I have good memories of the now probably defunct Old City Markets. Perched on Auckland's scungey waterfront, it possessed all the rock 'n' roll glamour of a disused freezing works. Which it…

One reason I'm not to fussed to miss out on BDO this year is the whole…

we had seats at a leaner just behind the sound-stage. couldn't see the guitar on account of the unnaturally tall audience, but figured "hey, this…

I abhor the trend to later and later gigs. It's not just my impending old fartiness, I hope – it was a rare gig in the 80s and…

on a positive note, i always quite enjoy seeing gigs at the st james. and i'm going to kasabian at studio on thursday. i haven't been there before but it looks great on the website. two bars…

I once saw Gate at the Cave in Auckland. First band started at midnight, Gate we on at about 4 and by the time we left the sun was rising. Fortunately it was a Friday night...