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The Big Day - Glasgow Green 1990


northernsoul
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I know there were a number of other events going on throughout the day, to celebrate Glasgow's City of Culture award but it's the concert held on Glasgow Green which I recently stumbled upon.

 

I was watching footage of some of my favourite bands playing on Glasgow Green where I stumbled across footage of The Big Day concert. I had been unaware of the concert, my folks never mentioned it and I never read about in papers or magazines so it was by chance it came to my attention.

 

After watching footage of Big Country and then the headliners Deacon Blue I was blown away by the sheer size of the crowd. 250,000 people down on the Green to watch a free concert music - superb.

 

I've blabbered on a bit but did anyone on here go?, what was it like? and that year in general for the city? I wish I was my age now and lived through it.

Edited by northernsoul
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I know there were a number of other events going on throughout the day, to celebrate Glasgow's City of Culture award but it's the concert held on Glasgow Green which I recently stumbled upon.

 

I was watching footage of some of my favourite bands playing on Glasgow Green where I stumbled across footage of The Day Day concert. I had been unaware of the concert, my folks never mentioned it and I never read about in papers or magazines so it was by chance it came to my attention.

 

After watching footage of Big Country and then the headliners Deacon Blue I was blown away by the sheer size of the crowd. 250,000 people down on the Green to watch a free concert music - superb.

 

I've blabbered on a bit but did anyone on here go?, what was it like? and that year in general for the city? I wish I was my age now and lived through it.

Sheena Easton played too and was booed by the whole audience, bottles chucked. Some empty, some full of piss. Music lovers I guess :rolleyes: There were gigs all over the city centre that day not just on the green. I saw Micheal Stipe, Billy Bragg and Natalie Merchant playing together on the wee bandstand on the clydeside. here's a clip

 

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Was there and it was an amazing day out. Big Country, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie and Deacon Blue were excellent. Seem to remember watching Hue and Cry in George Sq as well but that one is well hazy :D

 

Fantastic day for Glasgow , guaranteed you couldnt have that now without their being a ton of trouble

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Sheena Easton played too and was booed by the whole audience, bottles chucked. Some empty, some full of piss. Music lovers I guess :rolleyes: There were gigs all over the city centre that day not just on the green. I saw Micheal Stipe, Billy Bragg and Natalie Merchant playing together on the wee bandstand on the clydeside. here's a clip

 

What a brilliant clip!

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I know there were a number of other events going on throughout the day, to celebrate Glasgow's City of Culture award but it's the concert held on Glasgow Green which I recently stumbled upon.

 

I was watching footage of some of my favourite bands playing on Glasgow Green where I stumbled across footage of The Day Day concert. I had been unaware of the concert, my folks never mentioned it and I never read about in papers or magazines so it was by chance it came to my attention.

 

After watching footage of Big Country and then the headliners Deacon Blue I was blown away by the sheer size of the crowd. 250,000 people down on the Green to watch a free concert music - superb.

 

I've blabbered on a bit but did anyone on here go?, what was it like? and that year in general for the city? I wish I was my age now and lived through it.

 

Full line up

 

Long time ago! On the day the only set interested in seeing was Billy Bragg with Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant which was brilliant. As you mentioned, the place was so busy, once you found a spot you stayed there and that was it. Honestly can't recall what other bands were on before or after...

 

How did people exist back then with no text messages and mobile phones???

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Full line up

 

Long time ago! On the day the only set interested in seeing was Billy Bragg with Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant which was brilliant. As you mentioned, the place was so busy, once you found a spot you stayed there and that was it. Honestly can't recall what other bands were on before or after...

 

How did people exist back then with no text messages and mobile phones???

 

I would have preferred it like that. Just like going to a music shop and buying a vinyl, obviously you still can but you know what I mean.

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Full line up

 

Long time ago! On the day the only set interested in seeing was Billy Bragg with Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant which was brilliant. As you mentioned, the place was so busy, once you found a spot you stayed there and that was it. Honestly can't recall what other bands were on before or after...

 

How did people exist back then with no text messages and mobile phones???

 

People now spend all their time trying to capture the moment on their mobiles rather than just enjoying the moment.

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People now spend all their time trying to capture the moment on their mobiles rather than just enjoying the moment.

This is what happened during the Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver last week. Facebook has been flooded with pictures with the invitation to name that rioter. Over a million pictures and videos have been sent to police. The police have been offered the use of the driver licencing pictures and facial recognition technology to match the bad guys. Quite a few have turned themselves in or been turned in by family or friends. Some have been fired from their jobs for bringing the company into disrepute.

So be careful out there, Big Brother (and your Mum) is watching.

 

Vancouver riot

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I know there were a number of other events going on throughout the day, to celebrate Glasgow's City of Culture award but it's the concert held on Glasgow Green which I recently stumbled upon.

 

I was watching footage of some of my favourite bands playing on Glasgow Green where I stumbled across footage of The Big Day concert. I had been unaware of the concert, my folks never mentioned it and I never read about in papers or magazines so it was by chance it came to my attention.

 

After watching footage of Big Country and then the headliners Deacon Blue I was blown away by the sheer size of the crowd. 250,000 people down on the Green to watch a free concert music - superb.

 

I've blabbered on a bit but did anyone on here go?, what was it like? and that year in general for the city? I wish I was my age now and lived through it.

 

 

Brilliant Day, awesome size of crowds, MacKenzies, Hothouse Flowers, Deacon Blue, and a few others were excellent (Sheena Easton getting bottled and roundly booed and ridiculed was funny and totally justified), though Big Country completely and easily stole the show for me that day, amazing performance

 

Would be amazing to have a similar type event again, but as others have said, not going to happen in this day and age (hard luck NS).

 

Incidentally i see Big Country are back with new singer and extra guitarist, playing T in the Park in couple of weeks, could be interesting.

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Brilliant Day, awesome size of crowds, MacKenzies, Hothouse Flowers, Deacon Blue, and a few others were excellent (Sheena Easton getting bottled and roundly booed and ridiculed was funny and totally justified), though Big Country completely and easily stole the show for me that day, amazing performance

 

Would be amazing to have a similar type event again, but as others have said, not going to happen in this day and age (hard luck NS).

 

Incidentally i see Big Country are back with new singer and extra guitarist, playing T in the Park in couple of weeks, could be interesting.

 

Nice to see Gerard Kelly in that clip.

 

The stage times are still unannounced but I intend on seeing Big Country. I know it won't be the same without Stuart Adamson but it'll be better than half the crap booked anyway.

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People now spend all their time trying to capture the moment on their mobiles rather than just enjoying the moment.

Too true. It has become a kind of disease. And when they're not trying to capture the moment they're looking in desperation for somebody, anybody, to have texted them or to send a text to, or somebody to talk to....

 

It amuses me if I'm in a bar or somewhere and somebody receives a call and they respond and run outside for a better reception, as if it's the most important thing they've ever heard in their life.

 

Of course it's probably "I'm on the train," or "Egg and chips tonight."

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  • 1 month later...

I remember being in a pub wondering if we should bother then just heading down there, Argyle Street was just vibrant with people all walking to the green. We went into a little dive bar near Glasgow Green and bought a carry out and there was about 5 old jakeys at the bar and a queue of about 20 young people all buying cans to go. I wanted to see Goodbye Mr Mckenzie and was happy to see Big Country as id been a huge Skids fan but Deacon Blue were amazing just feeding off the crowd (and I was so far removed from their sound I was amazed at how much I enjoyed them). It was an great show but mostly such a fun night and leaving everyone was singing Flower of Scotland.

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Full line up

 

Long time ago! On the day the only set interested in seeing was Billy Bragg with Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant which was brilliant.

 

I was around Glasgow a fair bit in 1990, but managed to miss the Glasgow Green gig somewhow. The Bragg/Stipe/Merchant set would have been a real treat...

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The free concert in George Square on the Sunday afternoon remains the only music gig I've ever attended (other than live music in pubs and hogmanay stuff).

 

Yes, I'm 37 and a have never paid into a concert in my puff!

 

Back in the day ( :sleep1: ) there seemed to be a concert on every Friday at the Greens Playhouse - Hawkwind, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson, ELP, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Genesis, Lindisfarne, Mott the Hoople...ad nauseum. Me and my pals from school would head down there whenever there was a gig on and simply bung the bouncers ten bob each. This got us into the hall and in no time everybody would be standing up and jigging etc, so it was dead easy just to blend in with the punters who had bought proper tickets.

 

Best time was the Alice Cooper concert when the bouncers couldn't let us in because their manager was hanging about, so about 50-odd punters stormed the side fire exit off Renfield Street and charged into the concert to the chagrin of the management. It was mayhem as all the gate crashers ducked and dived, trying to blend in with the crowd. I don't think anybody got captured. It was a hoot. :)

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Best time was the Alice Cooper concert...

My first concert. £2 ticket I think it was.

 

For that particular concert, due to unprecedented demand and to facilitate a ballot, we had to write away (using actual handwriting on a physical sheet of paper) for our tickets, enclosing a Postal Order for the required amount. That process must look pre-historic to today's concert-goers...

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I was there as well and vaguely remember it as being a pretty amazing experience. I don't think anyone really anticipated how many people would turn up. Remember Big Country, and also seeing Sheena Easton booed off (and the stage being bombarded with bottles if I remember rightly).

 

It was on a Sunday as well so there must have been mass absence from work on Monday 4th June 1990. I vividly remember being on a bus to work on the Monday morning feeling awful and promising myself never to eat a large donner at 2am on a Sunday night again. Thankfully, most folk at the place I worked then were also very ill or off with the flu that morning :puke:

 

It was great. Should do it again sometime :cheers:

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My first concert. £2 ticket I think it was.

 

For that particular concert, due to unprecedented demand and to facilitate a ballot, we had to write away (using actual handwriting on a physical sheet of paper) for our tickets, enclosing a Postal Order for the required amount. That process must look pre-historic to today's concert-goers...

I remember going through that procedure to see the Rolling Stones in Glasgow in 1976. To this day it remains my favourite concert after Pink Floyd in 1994.

Edited by Jaggernaut
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