Gigs and Concerts 2003

Typically I went to gigs on my own, it was always my thing to turn up to gigs early, queue outside and get the best vantage point. This was the routine for the Limelight as back in the day, you could smoke indoors, and I was a fool/smoker back then. I usually drove to gigs too, so in order to not look a complete pleb I would sit and puff away to blend in. The best seat in the Limelight (old version) was at the front of the wee island that jutted out onto the dancefloor. There was a load of leg room there and you had distance so that nobody could stand in front of you. Perfect view of the stage. It was also right below the PA and might explain why my hearing is wrecked! The night US Joy Division copyists Interpol played their first gig in the city, in support of their brilliant debut album, I was queued up outside. The support band on the night was an unknown Scottish band called Franz Ferdinand. As I waited outside a dandy young man with a brilliant mop of blond hair swaggered pass. He was wearing a tight black shirt, tight black trousers a huge belt and the pointiest winkle pickers. I thought to myself, this lad has to be in a band. So when the aforementioned Scottish upstarts bounded onto the tiny Limelight stage, I was not surprised at all to see Alex Kapranos as their front man. They were bloody brilliant too, as were Interpol. A top pairing for two bands who went on to bigger things.

Another Scottish band playing a bigger venue in 2003 was Mogwai, who were playing at the Mandela Hall. This show was infamous in that the mostly student crowd were mostly there for the beer and the annoying facet of yammering all the way through gigs was starting to raise its ugly head. By the end of the show, which had featured a lot of quieter tracks, the band were so pissed off, they left the stage with a blizzard of strobe lights and squealing feedback that lasted an eternity. The crowd, stupidly thinking it would end soon, and there would be an encore, remained. After the hell ended, the lights came on and that was it. Mogwai never came near Belfast again for 3 years.

It's still hard to believe that legendary hip hop band Public Enemy played Belfast at the Mandela Hall. They subsequently backed The Prodigy years later in the SSE, but this was a chance to see Chuck D, Flavor Flav and the S1Ws up close and personal. The Anthrax collaboration had just happened so PE were touring with a full band including drummer, bass player and guitarist. It’s debatable if this enhanced their sound or not truth be told. But hey, these guys are legends and Chuck D’s booming voice has to be heard in person to be believed. The show was mid-week and I had work the next day. The night dragged on as hours went by with no sign of PE. Eventually a hype man appeared to get the crowd going. He seemed to bang on forever and it was around 11 o’clock before PE hit the stage. The show was full-on and furious, it was incredible to see the masters at work. BUT, concerned I would sleep in for work I left that gig early. To this day I regret that decision. Surely I could have taken that chance?! Or booked the next day off. Ah well…

It was certainly a year for Scottish bands as I went to see Travis in the Ulster Hall too. They were at the height of their powers at this point and Fran Healy is a superbly endearing man with a very underrated way with melody and a great voice. How they didn’t become even bigger is a mystery. Rounding up 2003’s blog, American hipsters The Strokes played to a packed Ulster Hall, in celebration of their second album ‘Room On Fire’. They were absolutely blistering as Julian hadn’t quite succumbed to the demon drink and drugs that would impact his performances latterly. The band were super tight and in full flow, the band really knew how to bring a groove.

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