1993 kicked off with the Belfast debut of Alice in Chains at the Ulster Hall on 06/03/93 promoting their breakthrough album Dirt. Quite possibly one of the loudest gigs I had been too since AC/DC. This was an amazing show and it was great to see the late Layne Staley live on stage.

Alice in Chains became the second Seattle band that I saw having seen Nirvana the previous year. I was still yet to see Pearl Jam at this point.

Next up was Bruce Springsteen. I was too young to see Bruce when he came to Ireland in 1985 for Slane. I remember buying Born In the USA at the time and was getting into his music whilst in my teens but sadly never made it to that epic gig.

Bruce hit Dublin’s RDS on 20/05/93 promoting the two albums he put out at the time Human Touch and Lucky Town. If I remember correctly this was a Bruce Springsteen show on it’s own. I don’t think the E Street Band were with him for this one but I would get to see the whole band eventually. Bruce ever the showman puts on a great show. There was even a cameo appearance by Jerry Lee Lewis doing Great Balls of Fire with Bruce.

Another outdoor show that summer was a trip to Dublin’s Dalymount Park, home of Bohemians Football Club on 27/06/93. This stadium gig hosted Dalymount’93 (then renamed Sunstroke).

Headliners were meant to be the Red Hot Chili Peppers but they pulled out. Think it may have been drug problems at the time and Faith No More stepped in to replace them. Angel Dust was the follow up to The Real Thing and they were in blistering form. Mosh pits opened up at the front and it was quite mental. Also on the bill were the best from the alternative nation at that time – Sonic Youth, Sugar, Belly and Spearhead.

• Gigs