I see that The Ambassador at the end of O'Connell Street is going to be used for gigs again. It seemed like I was at a gig there every month during it's peak. Has anyone any good memories/stories? It seemed like it took over from the SFX for gigs.
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf tour. Lanegan was touring with them. I think it was Oliveri's birthday and he played the gig in the nip.
Velvet Revolver - they were close to breaking up at the time. You could tell Weiland didn't want to be there. The lads pulled up stools for an acoustic version of 'Patience' and he made a point of sitting behind them on the drum riser.
Trivium/God Forbid- an all ages gig. It felt like a crèche. The bar was closed and there was kids running everywhere. Horrific.
Also saw Deftones, Therapy?, Down, and Anthrax there. I remember fuck all.
I was only at one gig there ever,Anthrax.I think I tried to get a ticket for Slayer there but it sold out!.
What was the capacity of the place?,seemed small enough,for the level of bands that played there.
Was delighted when I saw they're doing shows there again.
The QOTSA show was excellent. Anthrax when Joey came back and Motorhead on the Inferno tour were savage craic too.
Found this on Facebook from the 2003 Anthrax gig.
The first of the three(?) Anthrax gigs there was very special, the WCFYA tour. Great, great fucking gig. The second one I also enjoyed despite the lower attendance , Metallica were playing the next day, I think? The reunion gig wasn't great at all, you could tell they and Spitz weren't getting on and it didn't seem to be a bed of roses with Joey either. Total cash in and it showed.
Who else? Sepultura supporting someone shite when they had Mayorga on drums. Megadeth with the two Drovers was a surprisingly enjoyable gig. Mastodon touring Leviathan supporting Slayer touring GHUA, possibly? I'm sure there were more.
Only went to a handful of gigs there and the only one that springs to mind was the Killswitch/Chimaira/Shadows Fall/God Forbid one.
Lots of great gigs there indeed!
Slayer, Sepultura (opening for In Flames), Monster Magnet, WASP, Anthrax (a few times) Korn, Annihilator (opened for Trivium), Fear Factory and Machine Head played there loads of times. There was a slight gradient towards the stage from where the old cinema seating used to be. Will check ticket stubs for other gigs.
I was only at two there I think: that QOTSA one - which was excellent - and I brought a friend's younger brother to CKY. They were absolute shite, pissed and had the plug pulled on them at the end but the support band - Fireball Ministry - were alright. That said, I bought one of their CDs and played it maybe twice.
I was there more when it was a cinema.
Ah that was a great venue, good to hear it's coming back. Think Motorhead was the last show I saw there back in '08 maybe? Closed down soon after that if I remember right
Remember going to Machine Head, Killswitch/Shadows Fall, Sepultura, Bad Religion, Mastodon, Apocalyptica, and I think Down. Probably a few others, need to check the old stub book
No mention of Tenacious D gig ca. 2002? :laugh:
As mentioned above, that Megadeth gig with the Drovers was surprisingly good.
That first Anthrax gig for WCFYA was amazing. Still in my top 5 gigs I've ever been to. Front row all night and was handed the extra mic from John Bush for the Antisocial singalong and pass it on.
I went to the next gig the following year but passed on the Joey reunion show because I felt my hero John Bush had been shafted. Have seen Anthrax about 6 times since with Joey playing the same fucking setlist every time.
The Slayer/Mastodon show was incredibly forgettable. Considering it was when Lombardo was fresh back in the band it was such a let down... and I was stone cold sober at it. It was my first Mastodon experience and they were a a mush of sound. They never have decent live sound though.
It was the first place that Phil Demmel played with Machine Head in 2002. Great gig that was too before they went down that Blackening shite hole.
Saw Megadeth there twice. The 2nd time had Lomenzo on bass and was a decent show. The time before was just after The System Has Failed was released and I wasn't too impressed that time.
Saw the infamous/disastrous Down show there too and the time they came back a year or 2 later.
The Shadows Fall/KSE/Chimaira gig was great fun. I remember thinking Shadows Falls singer looked like a giant on stage. Met him later in the lobby and he was tiny. Got me thinking if he was that small then how small were the guitarists.... 2 mins later 2 long hair midgets strolled by. :laugh:
I actually went to see Nu Metal heroes POD there too and they were surprisingly good.
That Sepultura gig with Mayorga may be the only time I've missed seeing Sepultura since 2000 or so.
I was at the Megadeth and Slayer gigs there when I was 16/17. I remember them being strict about having ID for Slayer, got in with a doctored driving licence. Met the Mastodon guys outside after and got the ticket signed.
I was only there twice, Trivium nit long after they took off. The support was It DieS Today and All That Remains. Awful,
awful stuff.
I was at whichever Down gig was there where they started with the movie and they were fighting the whole time. Shit.
Oh yeah, that Megadeth show on The System Has Failed tour was there! 2005? First time seeing them, I was in full-on screaming teenage girl frame of mind, right up the front. Might in part explain why I don't at all recall the room around me :laugh:
A few pics from the first Megadeth show there on 2005
(https://i.ibb.co/C7c2G8F/000-0340.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/DYdc1t9/000-0333.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/3N983Ls/000-0362.jpg)
I thought Glen Drover looked like Meatloaf at this show.
And a few from the 2nd show in 2007 (I didn't take these ones, found them on a forum around the time of the gig)
(https://i.ibb.co/m54n9y2/DSC00542.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/CVtQfZK/IMG-1271.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/km1DHKW/DSC00570-1.jpg)
That's me in the white Suicidal shirt
being the world's worst Where's Wally :laugh:
Actually, saw the Foo Fighters there too. They had just released One by One and were playing Witness the next day, some secret thing put on by MCD, I think. A mate knew somebody who knew somebody kind of thing. Decent gig, if sparsely attended.
Apparently Clutch, The Cult, The Haunted and Def Leppard played there at various times too. Not sure how I missed going to those.
Was at the qotsa gig there. Was class. Delighted it's back as a venue.
I remember wasp, anthrax , Def leppard, megadeth, slayer could be more not sure
Great to hear it's opening again.
I was at a good few gigs there, the ones I remember offhand are both of the Megadeth gigs, the three Slayer gigs with Mastodon, Monster Magnet, Down and Korn.
I was at deftones and Fear Factory there iirc and I smoked the Spice before deftones and I had an awful time until about ten minutes before the end. Paranoid to death
I heard it's just back for comedy and podcasts.
Don't forget Dio. Brilliant. Also Motorhead with a decent production. Nice to see it back in action.
Busy spot as it turns out, look slike most of the gigs are here
https://www.setlist.fm/venue/ambassador-theatre-dublin-ireland-13d455c5.html
Quote from: open face surgery on August 09, 2024, 08:13:49 PMI heard it's just back for comedy and podcasts.
Evan Dando is playing there in October as one of my mates is heading to it.
That Godflesh gig in 2001,was that the famous 'last gig ever'?
Were they supporting Fear Factory that night?
I think I only ever went to two gigs in there. Dropkick Murphys and Down.
Yeah the Murphys one from '04/05 was a good laugh.
Quote from: Paul keohane on August 10, 2024, 01:07:28 PMThat Godflesh gig in 2001,was that the famous 'last gig ever'?
That was the music centre
Quote from: Carnage on August 10, 2024, 01:28:13 PMWere they supporting Fear Factory that night?
supporting devin townsend
Quote from: Sworntothecans on August 09, 2024, 11:04:13 PMQuote from: open face surgery on August 09, 2024, 08:13:49 PMI heard it's just back for comedy and podcasts.
Evan Dando is playing there in October as one of my mates is heading to it.
Ah right, cool.
Quote from: Sworntothecans on August 10, 2024, 02:28:35 PMYeah the Murphys one from '04/05 was a good laugh.
I actually found that gig slightly disappointing as I'd seen them a year or two before in The Village (? Near Whelan's) and it was mental. The security were fucking people out for surfing during the opener (Blood or Whiskey?! Jaysus, my memory is gone altogether) but when The Murphys came on they fucked off and it was an hour and a half of stage diving, stage invasions that stopped the show on two occasions because there were more people up on the stage than on the floor, surfing the band members across the stage :laugh: . Pure mayhem. It felt more authentic to me than the more sedate buzz in The Ambassador with the staged antics of getting all the birds up on stage. Still good but there was no way it could compete with the madness of the first gig.
Looking through my tickets and I have one for Spineshank there, but zero recollection of it
Quote from: Eoin McLove on August 10, 2024, 11:05:26 PMQuote from: Sworntothecans on August 10, 2024, 02:28:35 PMYeah the Murphys one from '04/05 was a good laugh.
I actually found that gig slightly disappointing as I'd seen them a year or two before in The Village (? Near Whelan's) and it was mental. The security were fucking people out for surfing during the opener (Blood or Whiskey?! Jaysus, my memory is gone altogether) but when The Murphys came on they fucked off and it was an hour and a half of stage diving, stage invasions that stopped the show on two occasions because there were more people up on the stage than on the floor, surfing the band members across the stage :laugh: . Pure mayhem. It felt more authentic to me than the more sedate buzz in The Ambassador with the staged antics of getting all the birds up on stage. Still good but there was no way it could compete with the madness of the first gig.
Yeah think it was Blood Or Whiskey in the Village.
Wouldn't go near a Murphy's gig nowadays. One of the lads said it was as bad as the AC/DC gigs a few years ago.
I saw them supporting The Pogues a long time ago. It was embarrassing seeing them trying to one-up the headliners. Grand in their own right but just leave it at that like.
I was at the spineshank one. I'd say there was around 300 at it if I'm being generous. I was amazed that they were receiving so much airplay at the time and had one or two "hits" as far as that kind of thing went and that's all they were pulling.
I was at Pitchshifter there too in and around the same time and they pulled even less. They split not long after
The worst attended gig I was at there was the 2nd of the Anthrax gigs promoting WCFYA. It was a combination of issues I think with Metallica playing either the day before or the day after and the fact that they'd been in Dublin just a year previous for the same album. Bello was gone by that point too. Maybe they misjudged that 2nd round of the tour completely because the lack of success of their attendances overall probably led to the Joey reunion.
It was a shame to see the low attendance because WCFYA was probably the best mainstream metal album released in 2003 and it was possibly Anthraxs best live era.
I know theres a lot of John Bush loyalists around,but WCFYA is the the only album from his era that I like.I could never warm to the other albums.Hes a great singer and that first WCFYA show was brilliant.He got fucked over when Joey came back for sure,but I'm glad it happened in other ways.Both eras were great live tbh.
Quote from: Paul keohane on August 11, 2024, 10:01:33 AMI know theres a lot of John Bush loyalists around,but WCFYA is the the only album from his era that I like.I could never warm to the other albums.Hes a great singer and that first WCFYA show was brilliant.He got fucked over when Joey came back for sure,but I'm glad it happened in other ways.Both eras were great live tbh.
It's the strongest of all the Bush albums for sure, still pissed that I didn't see them on that tour.
Think the worst show in The Ambassador was the Mastodon one. Sound was all over the place, Hines was hammered and you couldn't bring pints downstairs.
Quote from: Carnage on August 11, 2024, 02:03:19 AMI saw them supporting The Pogues a long time ago. It was embarrassing seeing them trying to one-up the headliners. Grand in their own right but just leave it at that like.
Was at that one too. The Point on Dec 23rd 2004, I think. Loved it. They didn't touch The Pogues.
That Pogues gig on the 23rd was 2005 I have the poster here. I think that was my first Pogues gig as I remember only one of them being on the 23rd the rest of the shows the following years were on the 21st, 22nd etc. of December.
Was at a few shows in the Ambassador but I would have to look through my tickets (which is another great reason to always have physical tickets for all shows). The ones I can remember off the top of my head are Down 2006 reunion tour, Machine Head on Halloween night touring Through the Ashes which I think was 04 and then those Slayer shows with Mastodon supporting which I think where on a Monday and Tuesday night in June maybe 2005?
Also saw Dirty Sanchez live there which I believe was the one and only time they came to Ireland. I know people who got to see Jackass there back when it was still on MTV Johnny Knoxville, Steve-o the entire cast showed up.
I was just thinking of when Down played there. Met Bower outside, sound lad. And they had the video comp playing instead of a support band, everything from Cro Mags, to Scorpions, and Robin Trower.
Got a great laugh afterwards too, a massive heavy lad was pushing young lads around on the way out and being a general prick, and he ended up picking on the wrong lad, a skinny Dub who called him a "fookin' fat bastard" and spread his nose across his face with a single punch. I mean, you don't want to see fights at gigs, but yer man was really asking for it.
There used be the same 2 or 3 big hefty pricks with shaved heads at those ambassador shows that always behaved like they were looking for a hammering. They were the epitome of the can crushing knuckle head breed. Was gross being near them when they'd whip the shirts off and their man titties were on show.
Same goes for a really short little prick with long red hair that used the smash through bar and merch queues and the likes as if he could take on everyone in the venue at once. I always hoped someone's fist demonstrated that he should have some manners when he was out and about.
Quote from: open face surgery on August 11, 2024, 11:59:42 AMQuote from: Carnage on August 11, 2024, 02:03:19 AMI saw them supporting The Pogues a long time ago. It was embarrassing seeing them trying to one-up the headliners. Grand in their own right but just leave it at that like.
Was at that one too. The Point on Dec 23rd 2004, I think. Loved it. They didn't touch The Pogues.
The Dubliners coming out for The Irish Rover and MacGowan's mother singing (I use that word generously) Fairytale with him were two nice touches.
From my memory, Ronnie fluffed the lyrics of it. I went crowd surfing during Fairytale to make my exit 😄 Shane also kicked the birthday cake into the crowd.
Quote from: The Great Cull on August 11, 2024, 01:48:58 PMThere used be the same 2 or 3 big hefty pricks with shaved heads at those ambassador shows that always behaved like they were looking for a hammering. They were the epitome of the can crushing knuckle head breed. Was gross being near them when they'd whip the shirts off and their man titties were on show.
He was definitely one of those pricks. As I said, he was really fucking asking for it, and for once, he got it.
Quote from: The Great Cull on August 11, 2024, 01:48:58 PMThere used be the same 2 or 3 big hefty pricks with shaved heads at those ambassador shows that always behaved like they were looking for a hammering. They were the epitome of the can crushing knuckle head breed. Was gross being near them when they'd whip the shirts off and their man titties were on show.
Same goes for a really short little prick with long red hair that used the smash through bar and merch queues and the likes as if he could take on everyone in the venue at once. I always hoped someone's fist demonstrated that he should have some manners when he was out and about.
Fucking hell I remember those cunts!
Nothing worse than absolute doses ruining the craic.
Quote from: The Great Cull on August 11, 2024, 01:48:58 PMThere used be the same 2 or 3 big hefty pricks with shaved heads at those ambassador shows that always behaved like they were looking for a hammering. They were the epitome of the can crushing knuckle head breed. Was gross being near them when they'd whip the shirts off and their man titties were on show.
Same goes for a really short little prick with long red hair that used the smash through bar and merch queues and the likes as if he could take on everyone in the venue at once. I always hoped someone's fist demonstrated that he should have some manners when he was out and about.
I think I know the little red head lad you're talking about. He used to work on the newsagent I used to go to to pink up Zero Tolerance fifteen years ago or so. He was young I think. I would natter to him the odd time and he was alright but i remember seeing him at a gig and yeah, he was going spastic, jumping all over the gaff like a ginger flea... I grabbed my pint and snuck away to the balcony haha
Saw DJ Shadow play there once upon a time but that's about it, thought it was a decent venue for the one time I was there.
Little redhead fella still acts the maggot at gigs, seen someone threaten to knock the bollox out of him at Primordial at the last Academy one, I get it's a metal gig, but the lad was jumping on people at the back of the venue drinking their pints.
Yeah he was at that shite when I saw him. Maybe it was a Primordial gig actually and it was on the Academy. He was jumping on top of people down the back of the venue :laugh: maybe he's a bit special or something...
Saw Annihilator and trivium there..fond memories of it but was hammered drunk
That little redhead dude is a pain in the hoop. Should receive a permanent ban.
It's going to be a 750 seater theatre apparently so I don't think it is going back to the old setup (unless the seats can be removed like the Olympia or Brixton).
Went to so many shows there from the likes of Kila, Foo Fighters and Green Day to Slayer, QOTSA and Anthrax (though only to see Stampin' Ground ::) ).
I always preferred Vicar Street and that is the same capacity as the Ambassador was (and the Olympia). There is a second 2,000 capacity venue planned beside Vicar St (and a smaller 250 cap space) so not sure there is a call for it tor return in the form it used to be.
Hahaha,Excuse me that little redheaded man is a good friend of mine and I believe I'm the reason he hasn't had the bollox knocked out of him
Quote from: StrangersWithGuns on August 15, 2024, 02:43:02 PMHahaha,Excuse me that little redheaded man is a good friend of mine and I believe I'm the reason he hasn't had the bollox knocked out of him
It's you, innit?
Only at one show there, Machine Head. Hit the long island ice teas at lunch time in a fancy hotel on O'Connell St. At the gig got it into my head to throw a nice Sabbath t-shirt on stage, possibly think Robb Flynn would or one of the lads might adorn me with something to replace it. They didn't. Went on to Fibbers after, fell asleep, while one of the lads got photos with Robb Flynn. No memory of the gig to top it all off.
Quote from: Emphyrio on August 15, 2024, 05:06:48 PMQuote from: StrangersWithGuns on August 15, 2024, 02:43:02 PMHahaha,Excuse me that little redheaded man is a good friend of mine and I believe I'm the reason he hasn't had the bollox knocked out of him
It's you, innit?
Nae, about 1ft 6inches in the other direction
QuoteHahaha,Excuse me that little redheaded man is a good friend of mine and I believe I'm the reason he hasn't had the bollox knocked out of him
Do you think clattering into random people is funny? He may very well be sound in other respects or may be a good friend but he'll get the bollocks knocked out of him for that kind of carry on.
If it's the same lad I'm thinking of he needs a few slaps, might make him cop the fuck on a bit
No I really don't, but like a few drinks in him he goes for it. I've been scraped and had my neck pulled and swung out of in every direction but he's a mate
Quote from: Trev on August 15, 2024, 07:48:15 PMIf it's the same lad I'm thinking of he needs a few slaps, might make him cop the fuck on a bit
It's him alright, I don't know how many 4ft 10 lads with really long red hair are are flying around
Quote from: StrangersWithGuns on August 15, 2024, 10:03:40 PMNo I really don't, but like a few drinks in him he goes for it. I've been scraped and had my neck pulled and swung out of in every direction but he's a mate
Sorry meant to quote a message in earlier post
Quote from: StrangersWithGuns on August 15, 2024, 10:03:40 PMI've been scraped and had my neck pulled and swung out of in every direction but he's a mate
You're friends with a lad who scrapes you?
I've no idea who he is, but it might be no harm to have a word with him about this, if he's as annoying as a cunt as people here are making him out to be.
Also, don't defend cunty behaviour, that just enables them to continue being cunts.
That's it, if he's your friend have a word with him.
Have only ever been there once for Motorhead - Inferno tour in 2004
Thought it was a good size venue
No redhead nut-jobs near me thank God :laugh:
The amount of sweat coming out of a leather clad Blackie Lawless is what I remember most about the WASP gig.
Quote from: Anvil on August 16, 2024, 10:52:51 AMThe amount of sweat coming out of a leather clad Blackie Lawless is what I remember most about the WASP gig.
He was worried that Jesus would give out to him for playing the earlier stuff 😂
Saw a few shows in the Ambassador, would have been where the international bands were playing a lot when I started going to shows. I saw Trivium with God Forbid. They were new enough at the time and were basically doing half covers to fill out their set.
Also was at the first Down show there, the band were langers as I think it was the last night of the tour. The roadies were Crowbar lugging gear out after the gig! Phil rambled incoherently between every song. I have an old bootleg cd of that gig somewhere.