Charisma
I’ve seen a lot of gigs.
A LOT of gigs. I used to work for a PA company carrying gear about, I used to drive the van for various bands etc - and when we weren’t touring we’d go down The Falcon or The Underworld and get drunk every single night. As a result, I saw two three bands every single night for about 10 years.
The best gig ever was Neil Young with Booker T and the MGs as his backing band in Finsbury Park in the 90s. The manager of my band at the time was a guy called Marcus Russell (who also manages Oasis and an assortment of Mancunian glitterati) - and he said it was the best gig he’d seen since The Doors in 1970. It was at the height of the Grunge Period - and Neil Young was at the crest of the wave. It was fucking stunning.
Anway… seeing thousands and thousands of gigs… they get a little samey, and in the end you’re really only there to drink. For something to stand out, it really needs to stand out - and for me personally, the only thing I really cared about in the end was charisma.
And this guy’s got it:
