July 1985 aged 20 I had spent the day watching “Live Aid” at home mostly and in the evening at the Pub. It was such an Historic event and at that age my life evolved around music. The next day whilst chatting over what we had witnessed my friend asked me had I seen the segment from Australia outlining some unknown (to us) Aussie bands one of which was INXS? I had somehow missed it, perhaps whilst walking round to the pub. Anyway my friend had “Taped” it so we watched it a good few times and were blown away by the band. The next few weeks had us trying to find out as much as we could about them, no mean feat pre-internet. My friend managed to get a copy of “The Swing” and that was it. We checked listings for tour dates in the NME and a couple of months later low and behold they were playing that evening in Sheffield South Yorkshire so that evening a car full of us from Manchester crossed the Pennines and headed to Sheffield University for the gig.
From memory “Listen like Thieves” was the current album and “What you Need” the current single was receiving heavy airplay on BBC Radio 1. The concert hall was so disappointingly attended that Michael and the band seemed a little embarrassed. It felt to us like there were around 20 people in attendance and as the night progressed we rocked out to the band who were so tight and sounded amazing the “Crowd” really became one and the atmosphere was just amazing, total strangers all together to make the most of what could have been such a disappointing evening.
Michael started to become at ease with the situation and was really chatty, when my friend and I started requesting songs from “The Swing” to the amusement of our new friends in the “Crowd” he was so happy we had knowledge of them. The night became magical for us all. The band became determined to give us a show and we became determined to be the best audience we could be for them. It must have been so difficult for them but they were totally professional and it became by far the best gig I ever went to.
We set off back to Manchester full of awe and amazement at what we had witnessed and my friend mentioned the band were playing the Manchester Apollo in a couple of days, of course we were all up for that! The gig was the polar opposite of the Sheffield gig, full light show around 3500 fans in attendance it seemed like INXS had made it they were so goddam awesome.
As an aside, the following July 1986 the same bunch of us were queuing at Check-in at Manchester Airport for a Holiday to Corfu when we noticed a young couple looking at us. The girl smiled and eventually came over saying “Hello, do you remember us? We met you at the INXS gig in Sheffield last year” “We got engaged that night and got married yesterday, we are going on our honeymoon”. Needless to say we were delighted to see them again and thrilled at the memories they had made for themselves.
Thank you Michael and the Band for some of the most magical memories that have lasted a lifetime and for the amazing legacy you went on to create after the “Greatest gig you ever did!”
My love and respect to all of you for maintaining this Memorial to a Truly talented and inspirational Human Being. Michael Hutchence, ❤️.
From memory “Listen like Thieves” was the current album and “What you Need” the current single was receiving heavy airplay on BBC Radio 1. The concert hall was so disappointingly attended that Michael and the band seemed a little embarrassed. It felt to us like there were around 20 people in attendance and as the night progressed we rocked out to the band who were so tight and sounded amazing the “Crowd” really became one and the atmosphere was just amazing, total strangers all together to make the most of what could have been such a disappointing evening.
Michael started to become at ease with the situation and was really chatty, when my friend and I started requesting songs from “The Swing” to the amusement of our new friends in the “Crowd” he was so happy we had knowledge of them. The night became magical for us all. The band became determined to give us a show and we became determined to be the best audience we could be for them. It must have been so difficult for them but they were totally professional and it became by far the best gig I ever went to.
We set off back to Manchester full of awe and amazement at what we had witnessed and my friend mentioned the band were playing the Manchester Apollo in a couple of days, of course we were all up for that! The gig was the polar opposite of the Sheffield gig, full light show around 3500 fans in attendance it seemed like INXS had made it they were so goddam awesome.
As an aside, the following July 1986 the same bunch of us were queuing at Check-in at Manchester Airport for a Holiday to Corfu when we noticed a young couple looking at us. The girl smiled and eventually came over saying “Hello, do you remember us? We met you at the INXS gig in Sheffield last year” “We got engaged that night and got married yesterday, we are going on our honeymoon”. Needless to say we were delighted to see them again and thrilled at the memories they had made for themselves.
Thank you Michael and the Band for some of the most magical memories that have lasted a lifetime and for the amazing legacy you went on to create after the “Greatest gig you ever did!”
My love and respect to all of you for maintaining this Memorial to a Truly talented and inspirational Human Being. Michael Hutchence, ❤️.