What else can be said about The Ramones that hasn’t been already? Credited with kicking off punk as part of New York’s famous CBGB’s scene, they were a massive shot in the arm to the 70s music scene. Songs barely lasted more than a couple of minutes (if you were lucky) and were played at what seemed like 1000mph.

My first introduction to the band was the “Loco Live” album recorded live in Barcelona. Still my favourite ever live album. It was a number of weeks until I heard the band’s recorded versions of these songs which I had played on a continuous loop for that period of time – and I wasn’t sold. They sounded like ballads compared to the “wham, bam, thank you ma’am” style of their live show. Over time I grew to appreciate the recorded versions as much as the live versions but it took me a while!

I was just about to start university the following week from this gig in what would be an ill-fated Chemistry degree course. As difficult and boring as it sounds. Seeing The Ramones would be a last hurrah as I left the world of having money to having none at all for 9 months.

The support for the gig was Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, a band who were only really famous in Scotland but perhaps best known for their members Shirley Manson who left to form Garbage, and Big John Duncan who was in The Exploited and played guitar with Nirvana at some of their early 90s shows. Unfortunately we missed then as we got there late however.

The Ramones were every bit as good as I’d hoped they’d be. They played a very similar set to “Loco Live”, so much so that I pissed my mate Kev off (RIP Kev) telling him what the next song would be after every single song. I was right nearly every time too.

As an aside, the infinite threads of life and chance were apparent at this concert. A couple of years later I met one of my best friends in life, JJ. Turned out he had been at the same gig, standing where we were – on the rail stage left. We were probably bopping along next to each other, completely unaware of how our lives would end up completely entwined for the next 15 years.

This was the last time the band ever played in Scotland. They only played one more date in the UK on their farewell tour in 1996 at Brixton Academy in London. I considered going but the usual problems of getting someone to go with me got in the way. It’s somewhat ironic that a band who infamously had their frontmen at loggerheads for most of their career managed to not only stay together but go out with a planned farewell tour rather than imploding. Three of the founding members died within a few years of the end of the band, and Tommy eventually joined them in 2014. Sad really. I like to think they couldn’t live without each other.

This gig will always rank as one of my top 10 gigs ever and is certainly one of my proudest “I was there” moments. Legends.

This was a bucket list gig. One of the greatest artists of all time. Ridiculously talented. First and only time I’ve been to the O2. Only thing I really recall about the venue was the sound was remarkably good, especially for such a large cavernous space. Arenas really are hit and miss. The SECC has some of the worst sound I’ve ever heard anywhere but the arena in Manchester is usually pretty decent. Also no photos or videos were allowed.

Anyway, the gig itself was just breathtaking. Definitely in my top 10-20 of all time. I think it started off with Purple Rain and let’s face it, if that’s the first song then it’s going to be some night. All the expected hits were played along with some covers thrown in for good measure. One Nation Under A Groove and Le Freak were definitely churned out, and I’m sure Come Together was in there as well. I remember thinking it was like watching the greatest funk band in the world.

The tickets were priced at £31.21, in reference to his previous album “3121”. To say they were a steal is an understatement. A reasonably talented band with 3 albums out would charge that but this is someone who’s sold tens of millions of albums. So pleased to have seen Prince. He doesn’t tour much nowadays and although it wasn’t really a once in a lifetime opportunity, it certainly felt like it. (This was written in 2013, well before his untimely death. So yeah, turns out it was once in a lifetime.)

Look at the state of this ridiculous setlist… https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/prince/2007/the-o2-arena-london-england-6bd5d616.htmlhttps://www.setlist.fm/setlist/prince/2007/the-o2-arena-london-england-6bd5d616.html