10 incredible live music moments from the 2010s
Featuring comebacks, festival triumphs and outrageous stage productions
Last updated 27th Feb 2020
As we say goodbye to the 2010s and celebrate the launch our brand spanking new station Absolute Radio 10s, we’ve cast our mind back to some of the defining live music moments from the last decade.
True, there are potentially countless incredible live music moments from the past 10 years, and everyone will have a concert that is particularly special to them, but here are 10 we’ve cherry-picked from a very long list:
Fleetwood Mac wow Isle of Wight festival (2015)
Widely tipped to headline Glastonbury 2015, Isle of Wight head honcho John Giddings pulled a major coup when he booked Fleetwood Mac to headline the Sunday. Blur were sublime on the Saturday, bust astonishingly Fleetwood Mac managed to top Damon Albarn and co. with their enthralling closing performance. Their debut appearance at Isle of Wight Festival featured the returning Christine McVie back in their ranks and a setlist peppered with classics, from the opening ‘The Chain’ through to the fireworks finale of ‘Don’t Stop’.
The Stone Roses play epic homecoming shows at Heaton Park (2012)
The seemingly improbable Stone Roses reunion kicked off with a tiny show at the Parr Hall in Ian Brown’s native Warrington, but it was the trio of shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park in June and July 2012 that truly heralded their return. All 220,000 tickets for the three concerts sold out in a record 68 minutes and The Stone Roses were met with a truly ecstatic reception as they tore through their legendary musical arsenal with panache.
Kasabian play celebratory Leicester King Power Stadium gigs (2016)
On 21st June 2014, Kasabian played a very special homecoming gig at Leicester’s Victoria Park called ‘Solstice’. The band undoubtedly thought that this would be the dizzying zenith of their career, until, two years later, their beloved Leicester City won the Premier League title against all odds. To celebrate the occasion, on the May Bank Holiday weekend in 2016 Kasabian played two utterly triumphant gigs at Leicester’s King Power Stadium.
AC/DC bring their OWN STAGE to Download Festival (2010)
Very few bands would have the audacity or clout to bring their own stage to a festival, but the almighty AC/DC did so at Download Festival at the start of the decade. The gargantuan stage featuring two trademark Angus Young schoolboy hats sat beside the Main Stage and the band duly performed one of the greatest sets in Download history on the Friday night. Asked by Planet Rock Magazine in 2018 who his favourite Download band ever was, booker Andy Copping said: “I’d have to say AC/DC in 2010. They hasn’t done a festival in nearly 10 years, and they weren’t looking to play festivals, but I convinced them to play. Yes, they brought their own stage, yes, they brought a whole load of demands, but it’s AC/DC, and I would do the same again.”
Arctic Monkeys play a slick second headline show at Glastonbury (2013)
Sheffield’s prodigal sons, th’Arctic Monkeys, first headlined Glastonbury in 2007 two months after the release of their second album ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’. However, it was their second headline slot in 2013 prior to the release of ‘AM’ that Arctic Monkeys truly excelled themselves. No longer bewildered looking tykes, the band oozed confidence and style (particularly Alex Turner in his sharp suit and slicked back hair) as they despatched a Pyramid Stage masterclass. Extra kudos too for their sublime cover of Shirley Bassey’s ‘Diamonds Are Forever’.
Guns N’ Roses rock London Stadium (2017)
In June 2017 Guns N’ Roses played two sold-out shows at London Stadium as part of their blockbuster Not In This Lifetime… Tour. The two spectacular concerts marked the first-time classic members Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Slash had performed together on UK soil since they played Milton Keynes National Bowl way back in 1993. With newly reenergised and reliable(!) Axl arriving on stage bang on time, the band played a euphoric 26-song set that melded Guns N’ Roses classics with a variety of covers including Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun’ and, of course, Wings’ ‘Live and Let Die.’ They play two gigs at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2020. Get tickets right here.
Biffy Clyro storm T in the Park (2014)
Biffy Clyro played some epic shows on home turf in the past decade including TRNSMT in 2017 and their biggest headline show ever in front of 35,000 adoring fans at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park in 2016. However, our pick of the bunch was their debut headline slot at T in the Park in 2014 on their TENTH appearance at the now defunct festival – the most by any band in T’s history. Met by an almost God-like reception from the moment they stepped on stage, it was a glorious homecoming from start to finish and Simon Neil later described it as “the very best thing we’ve ever done.”
Kate Bush makes live comeback with Hammersmith Apollo residency (2014)
In March 2014, Kate Bush surprised the world when she announced her first live shows in 35 years – an epic 22-night residency at the Hammersmith Apollo that sold out in 15 minutes. The Before The Dawn concerts ran from August until October and were met by a rapturous reception from fans and critics alike. Kate played a career-spanning three-hour set, split into three parts, each night and rightfully received a standing ovation by the time she played set closer ‘Cloudbusting’. The shows were later immortalised in the November 2016 ‘Before the Dawn’ live album.
Coldplay headline Glastonbury for a FOURTH time (2016)
Coldplay have always had a very special relationship with Glastonbury ever since they played a mid-afternoon slot on The Other Stage in June 2000 on the same week their breakthrough single ‘Yellow’ was released. Arguably their defining moment came, however, when they headline Glastonbury for a FOURTH time in 2016. Taking place in the midst of their A Head Full of Dreams Tour (and days after they played three Wembley Stadium shows), the Glasto performance was a kaleidoscopic audio-visual spectacular.
Pulp return at Isle of Wight Festival (2011)
Reforming after nine years away in 2011, Pulp made their UK live return at Isle of Wight Festival eight years ago. Appearing on the main stage before headliners Foo Fighters (who were typically sensational), Pulp played a succinct yet perfect hit-packed set that included ‘Do You Remember the First Time?’, ‘Disco 2000’, and the closing ‘Common People’. Pulp also played Reading and Leeds Festival later that summer but IOW had extra resonance.