Gongmaison - in a tent at Glastonbury Fest, 1989. I couldn't speak for an hour afterwards, my head having been blown apart by a particularly stratospheric 'Flying Teapot' (and 50 shrooms)

Peter Perrett and Strangefruit - Hebden Bridge Trades Club a couple of years ago. Good to see Peter in such great shape, the voice is back.

Cardiacs - somewhere in London, 1987. My introduction to the band.

A smidge before my time (I turned up around the time of the Koko D.O. power trio gig) but sad to see so many familiar names and fantastic contributors who no longer frequent these parts. Maybe they are all still around on fb.

Anyway the idea of a top three gigs is a slightly crazy notion as mine would change radically depending on when you asked me but hey ho ...

Yes - QPR, May 75
The Who - Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975
Art Ensemble of Chicago - Roundhouse 1982

As Ian says, ask me tomorrow, it'll probably be different but:

1.) Prince Lovesexy Tour 1988. Open-mouthed funky theatrical joy 4 2 hours +.
2.) Tricky, Barcelone 1995 or 96. With a band, claustrophobic, intense and so compelling.
3.) Circle Sky, Sebright Arms Bethnal Green 2016 - Richard Norris in a duo playing live analogue improvised hook-laden acid house that was such an unexpected treat.

..probably still the same for me.

Roy Buchanon

Ted Nugent/Blue oyster cult

Foghat...yes Foghat.

All 1970's gigs.

Another standout was Joan Jett/Cheap trick and Chuck Berry around 1981 in San diego.

Then Wham and Duran Duran and Boy George and the like took over the scene...That's when music kinda died for me.

1: Hmmm... Twelve years on and I think T.REX at the Birmingham Town Hall, 1976 still holds its place as my favourite. It was just a 'wow!' kinda night! Probably not all that technically proficient and all that but... https://bolan-boogie.bandcamp.com/album/birmingham-76

A lot of wonderful experiences do get leapfrogged by so many others. I guess I'm a lucky person to witness such spectacles.

2: Goldfrapp: Wolverhampton 2008. Utterly lovely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYzqWfBfphI

3: The Human League, Sheffield, 1978 Standing in for The Skids as a local support band for the Strangers, this band were just stunning. I'd not seen anything like this before.

Well I have probably averaged a gig a month in the last 7 or 8 years which isn't particularly prolific, but far more than before and up to 2005.

I will organise it by 3 of the most frequented venues in that time:

Miss Peapods (sadly no more as a music venue)

Six Organs of Admittance 2009

Mono

Jeffrey Lewis 2015

Eden Project

PJ Harvey 2016

How they measure up to my previous choices I couldn't fathom. Different times.