I’m a 61 year old grey haired gig goer. I get to a lot of gigs and festivals in a variety of places. The last five years or so it’s cranked up a notch with the help of a similarly (even more gigaholic) enthusiastic mate and my gig-loving wife.

I seem to be on one massive tour and keep squeezing in the music where I can.

Johnny Depp and Alice Cooper with The Hollywood Vampires at Birmingham Resorts Arena (NEC)

I thought I could leave a blog trail as I go on my gigaholic wanderings – the bands – my photos – the venues – the festivals – bits on travel and parking – the odd handy pub and all that stuff.

With Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs at The Roundhouse

All photos are my own unless I mention otherwise. I use a Panasonic compact pocket-sized zoom mostly, a TZ90, previously TZ60. Unobtrusive and only ocasionally not permitted, and that’s where there is a no phones or cameras rule which I always abide by. I occasionally take a better Nikon bridge camera to outdoor gigs, especially festivals so the pics there are best quality. Then there are gigs when I forget my camera, run out of battery etc 🙄

Keith Flint of The Prodigy at Victorious Festival

My mobile phone camera is pretty bang average, but I do take an occasional video clip or pic with it, if it isn’t going to get in anyone’s way – I like a pillar or a wall behind me. In Spring 2022 I started putting these on a YouTube channel. It saves memory on the WordPress account if nothing else but is getting hundreds of views in its own right, occasionally over a thousand. Link to my Grey-Haired Gig Goer channel.

The Covid pandemic hit activities hard but through my blogs you can see the various attempts to keep gig-fit and measures brought in during this awful period in our history.

Keep rocking!

Gary Numan – Bristol O2 Academy
  • The Skids – live in Brum
    The celebrate the 45th anniversary of the release of The Absolute Game album, Richard Jobson is out on tour again and giving it everything, with the current Skids line up.
  • Bruce Foxton – a New Start
    The first night of Bruce Foxton’s tour as part of his new venture and a different band.
  • My Top Gigs Live in 2025
    My top ten gigs from a quieter year of 55 gigs and 114 different acts. A self-indulgent reflection.
  • Slade at Christmas.. the final tour
    Just a short note to mark the festive celebration that was our visit to see Dave Hill’s Slade.
  • Sham 69 at The 1865
    The Hersham Boys from 1977 can still pack a venue with excited old blokes to hear the anthems.

Published by ivaninblack

I started going to gigs in 1979 and now, over four decades later, I'm still at it. The last ten years has seen a surge and if there is such a thing I may have become a gigaholic. Punk, post-punk, indie rock, rock and pop, yes a bit of 80s pop...folk, oh go on then I'll try anything.

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