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Last updated: February 21, 2012

Public Image Limited play their first gig of 2012 at The Queen Elizabeth Hall on Friday 16th March.
PIL have released their first new track in 20 years called "One Drop" .It is superb.
Check www.johnlydon.com to hear it and all the latest PIL news.

31 Jan 2012.Bands have always been a bit shy about how much money they make so hats off to Mani from The Stone Roses who made this disclosure this week.The band reform for big outdoor shows in the summer.Mani has said he got a staggering £1.8 million advance for his services.Wow.

Officially licensed by Peter Gabriel and Genesis, Homage group – The Musical Box, will perform The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway at 4 shows from 13th March in
Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester and ending at Londons Hammersmith Apollo on Fri 16th March.
The group perform the whole of the seminal Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in its original format.
During the show The Musical Box show over 1200 slides from the Genesis stage
Production, feature original costumes from the show together with Genesis's musical arrangements,stage sets and lighting.


26 Jan 2012.Sex Pistols to tour this year would be perfect timing as it is the 35th anniversary of The River Thames Jubilee Boat Gig and the release of "God Save The Queen" but instead John Lydons Public Image Limited will be releasing a new album and play a full UK and European Tour to promote it.First date to be confirmed is the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool in August.

12 Jan 2011.Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers will play The Isle Of Wight Festival in June 2012.It will be their first UK shows since 1999 when i saw them at Shepherds Bush Empire.
They also play The Royal Albert Hall on 20 June 2012 with a second Royal Albert Hall show added for 18 June 2012.
These shows are a must see.


KISS are to release a new studio album in 2012.
They will play The Sonisphere Festival,
Knebworth on Friday 06 July 2012.They have said it will be their only European show in 2012.

29 Dec 2011.Rock legends Van Halen will confirm
dates on their long awaited world tour in January.Expect some UK shows in the summer.
The USA and Canada dates go up to mid June and i am guessing that as their world tour is promoted by Live Nation they will join Bruce Springsteen as one of the three headline acts for Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park mid July.Or perhaps Van Halen will headline The High Voltage Classic Rock Festival?.Will Scorpions play there too?



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Follow me on: www.twitter.com/raysgigs .............

Here is my Top 20 bands/gigs of 2011.Another great year as i went to 180 music related events.
This brings the total seen by me since 1973 to 5731 so the UKs number one gig goer will hit the 6000 mark in two or three years.There were loads of great gigs on but here are a few of my fave ones of the year .............
1.Paul McCartney live at The 02 Arena,London.
A stunning show.Macca seems to play London every year these days with a nice long set including loads of Beatles classics.Gig of the year........
2.Alice Cooper + New York Dolls live at Alexandra Palace,London.A fantastic pair of legends on the same bill.New York Dolls played a full 75 mins set and Alice Cooper was rock theatre at its very best as usual................
3.Foo Fighters live at The Roundhouse,London.
A rare indoor show for this stadium rock band.
A long show of over 2 hours 30 mins.Their 90 mins set at Brixton Academy for The NME Awards was also great.Sadly i did not get along to see their show at Wembley Arena as same night was a great event to launch John Lydons book "Mr Rottens Scrapbook" .....
4.Roger Waters live at The 02 Arena,London.
I went to three of these fantastic shows.........
5.Kylie Minogue live at The 02 Arena,London.
You would be surprised how good a show Kylie puts on.I went along to see it three times.......
6.Def Leppard + Motley Crue + Steel Panther live at LG Arena,Birmingham and Wembley Arena.The best indoor rock package of the year.Three great bands ....
7.Ozzy Osbourne live at Hammersmith Apollo.
A greatest hits set by this rock legend..........
8.Iron Maiden live at The 02 Arena,London.
I went to both the shows at this venue...........
9.Brian Wilson live at The Royal Festival Hall.
So many great Beach Boys songs..................
10.Who + Debbie Harry + Jeff Beck + Bryan Adams live at Hammersmith Apollo.A one off charity show that started off the year great.............
11.Manic Street Preachers live at The 02 Arena,London.Amazing one off show where they played all their 38 singles ..
12.Roger Daltrey live at The Royal Albert Hall,London.A great show by this Who legend......
13.Elton John live at The Royal Opera House,London.A one off charity show in this amazing venue.Just Elton and Ray Cooper..........
14.Lenny Kravitz live at Hammersmith Apollo,London.A fantastic 2 hour show............
15.Red Hot Chili Peppers live at The 02 Arena,London.Funk rock at its best...............
16.Public Image Limited live at Guilfest.Punk legend John Lydon on top form
17.Bon Jovi live at Hyde Park,London.
A full three hour show .......
18.Buzzcocks + 999 live at The Punk By The Sea Festival,Portsmouth.A fantastic punk alldayer on the pier.An excellent atmosphere.................
19.Motorhead + UK Subs live at Hammersmith Apollo,London.Rock legends always great..........
20.Bryan Adams live at The 02 Arena,London.
Greatest hits 2 hours 15 mins set.Really good....

It was also another good year for music awards as i attended The BRIT Awards,NME Awards,Ivor Novello Awards,MOJO Awards,Metalhammer Awards,
BMI Awards,Q Awards and Classic Rock Awards.

Also in London we are spoilt to see big bands in small venues/secret gigs.Here are my top three...
Manic Street Preachers live at The Hard Rock Cafe.Just 200 people with free booze and food for this Q Mag event.On stage for 80 mins........
Lady Gaga live at Annabels.One of the poshest clubs in London for this four song set with free booze for 200 guests including Kate Moss and Stephen Fry.No real Lady Gaga fans here.Just a bunch of posh folks ..........
Lenny Kravitz live at The Box,Soho,London.
Just 200 people here for this 65 mins hits gig for Absolute Radio with free booze at one of Londons coolest new clubs ....

Going to less and less festivals these days as standing up all day at my age half a mile from the stage with huge crowds and with possible rain does not appeal that much when i can see the same bands in London.Always better to see bands indoors rather than outdoors.



Check out some photos of me taken in 2009 on www.london-media.co.uk and type in Ray Morrissey in the search.

Here is my Top 10 bands/gigs of the 208 music related events i went to in 2010.This brings the grand total of gigs seen by me since 1973 to 5551.Great gigs can be great for various reasons.Its just my personal choice..............
1.KISS.Bigger and better than ever.I saw them nine times.Seven UK arena shows and an
amazing club show at The Islington Academy and also overseas in Madrid,Spain that has to go down as the gig of the year where they played two extra songs on top of the UK setlist and i had an hours meet and greet with the band with photos of me with the band in full make up and costumes,autographs and swag galore that was very kindly arranged by KISS UK and Europe booking agent Rod MacSween.See the picture in my photo gallery........

2.Paul McCartney.The last few years he seems to be on some kind of mission to play every venue in London.I saw him three times.Hyde Park was great but small gigs at The 100 Club and Hammersmith Apollo were pure 10s.................

3.Alice Cooper.I went to both the Halloween shows at The Roundhouse.From start to finish it just mega.Over 30 years since i first saw him live and every show is still just total quality and very theatrical ..........

4.Ozzy Osboune.I went to three shows.02 Arena,Roundhouse and the best was to 1000 hardcore fans at the tiny Oxford Academy.Like Alice Cooper it was a perfect greatest hits set from a true legend of rock ...

5.The Faces.Reunion shows with Mick Huchnall on vocals and Glen Matlock on bass.
I went to both UK shows.First to just 400 people at The BME Soundstage at The 02 Complex.then the Goodward Festival Show.Mick Hucknall did a fantastic job on vocals with those classic songs ....

6.Suede.Their first gig back after a few years away to just 300 fans at The 100 Club.
In full flow in such a small venue.This is why The 100 Club cannot be closed down.EVER..............

7.Aerosmith.Much better to see them indoors at The 02 Arena rather than Download Festival.
A briiliant show.Like KISS i have seen them at least once on each time they have come to the UK......

8.Specials .2009 had seen great shows by them at Brixton and Hammersmith and this year the The Royal Albert Hall really was bouncing to their non stop ska pop gems......

9.Iron Maiden.A stunning Sonisphere Festival show from these UK rock legends who are always great live.Excellent support from Iggy Pop And the Stooges and The Cult .....

10.Rammstein.German rockers who put on a stunning fire show that is totally mental.
Wembley Arena was superb and they headlined a great Sonisphere Festival with Motley Crue and Placebo..........And there were loads of other great gigs in 2010 ..........