Megadeth made a return visit to Belfast on 09/03/95 to the Ulster Hall with support from Kerbdog. 

It was great to see another Irish band supporting. Two different musical styles.  I wouldn’t have seen Kerbdog as trash metal  but they fitted in with alternative rock at the time.

For me, this next one R.E.M. at Slane Castle on 22/07/95 is still one of my all time favourite outside shows.  I was late to the R.E.M. party but it was the release of Monster which this tour was promoting finally got me into them. 

Backed by local Irish artists Luka Bloom and Sharon Shannon, alongside American acts Spearhead and Belly with rising Britpop band Oasis. The almost downside to this was the audience anticipation of Oasis who were almost treated as headliners instead of support guests. There was nearly a big crush at the front and someone threw a plastic bottle on stage that nearly hit Liam Gallagher who almost walked off.

R.E.M. in contrast were sublime and delivered a performance to remember.  This gig is always in my all time top 10 and it has never been beaten. 

Another trip down south on 23/08/95 was made for Sunstroke 95. In my opinion quite possibly one of most badly organised gigs I have ever been to.

Headlined by Soundgarden, this gig clashed with the Smashing Pumpkins two night stand at the Olympia (both nights were impossible to get tickets for which resulted in opting for Sunstroke instead).  Support came from Mudhoney, White Zombie, Tad, Sponge and Pennywise.  Split over two stages in what could only be best described as a gig in an aircraft hanger the sound was awful. Why this couldn’t have been in the main outdoor arena remains a mystery.

Aimee Mann came to Belfast on 16/11/95 for a very intimate gig at Church House.  This was an all seated gig and it was very enjoyable.  Some seated gigs do work well.

Following Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994, Dave Grohl went back to music and created new songs for what would become the Foo Fighters. They done a European tour in November. Me and my mate Paul drove down to see them at the SFX Centre in Dublin.

This was the last night of the tour and it was well worth the trip down to see them. I still wear my vintage Foo Fighters 1995 t shirt at every Foo Fighters gig that I go to now. I really do remember the first time!

Last gig of the year went to Therapy? at the Ulster Hall.  Just slightly after Christmas but still felt like a Christmas gig.

This was one of my all time favourite Therapy? shows. Touring the really difficult Infernal Love album they played an absolute blinder with support from Portadown’s Joyrider and Downpatrick’s Ash this gig highlighted the best of local talent at the time. Joyrider sadly didn’t enjoy the success that both Therapy? and Ash would go on to acheive. This gig was my first introduction to Ash and I fell in love with the band immediately. Never forget the band playing Girl From Mars with a massive cardboard cut out of Princess Leia on stage. When the song ended she was chucked into the crowd which got ripped to bits! This gig was also the last of the original Therapy? line up as drummer Fyfe Ewing left the band after this gig.

• Gigs