20 of the most amazing gig photos

5 February 2023, 09:00

2023 is shaping up to be one of the best years for live shows - so let's take a look back at the greatest gig moments captured on camera. Is your favourite artist on here?

  1. Queen, 1980

    Freddie Mercury performs with Queen on the Game tour at Joe Lous Arena in Detroit, Michigan, 20 September 1980
    Freddie Mercury performs with Queen on the Game tour at Joe Lous Arena in Detroit, Michigan, 20 September 1980. Picture: Ross Marino/Getty Images
  2. Arctic Monkeys, 2005

    Arctic Monkeys at an early show at Barnsley's Birdwell Club on 26 July 2005
    Arctic Monkeys play an early show at Barnsley's Birdwell Club on 26 July 2005. Picture: Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images
  3. Foo Fighters, 2007

    Dave Grohl faces the crowd at the huge Live Earth show at Wembley Stadium, 7 July 2007
    Dave Grohl faces the crowd at the huge Live Earth show at Wembley Stadium, 7 July 2007. Picture: Getty Images
  4. Joy Division, 1979

    Joy Division live in 1979
    Ian Curtis and Peter Hook onstage at the Electric Ballroom in London, 26 October 1979. Picture: Chris Mills/Redferns/Getty Images
  5. Muse, 2006

    Muse live in 2006
    Matt Bellamy onstage at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, 19 July 2006. Picture: Karl Walter/Getty Images
  6. The Stooges, 1970

    Iggy Pop meets his public at the Cincinatti Pop Festival, June 1970
    Iggy Pop meets his public at the Cincinatti Pop Festival, June 1970. Picture: Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
  7. The Clash,1977

    The Clash live in 1977
    Frontman Joe Strummer swaps shirts with a fan at the Rainbow, London, 14 May 1977. Picture: Chris Moorhouse/Evening Standard/Getty Images
  8. Richard Ashcroft, 2016

    Richard Ashcroft live in 2016
    The Verve frontman live at Manchester's Albert Hall, May 2016. Picture: Jon Mo
  9. The Rolling Stones, 1967

    Damaged furniture after a Rolling Stones in Zurich, 18 April 1967
    Damaged furniture after a Rolling Stones in Zurich, 18 April 1967. Picture: ATP/RDB/ullstein bild via Getty Images
  10. The Flaming Lips, 2017

    Wayne Coyne in his ball at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, Georgia on 2 April, 2017.
    Wayne Coyne in his ball at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, Georgia on 2 April, 2017. Picture: Paul R. Giunta/Getty Images
  11. Pink Floyd, 1989

    The famous Floyd pig goes aloft at a show in Nijmegen, July 1989
    The famous Floyd pig goes aloft at a show in Nijmegen, July 1989. Picture: Rob Verhorst/Redferns/Getty Images
  12. Florence Welch, live in 2010

    Florence Welch performs on stage during the Adelaide leg of Laneway Festival at Fowler's Live on February 5, 2010
    Florence Welch performs on stage during the Adelaide leg of Laneway Festival at Fowler's Live on February 5, 2010. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
  13. Coldplay, 2017

    Coldplay live in 2017
    Chris Martin lets off the confetti bomb in Milan on 3 July 2017. Picture: Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
  14. David Bowie in 1977

    David Bowie live in 1977
    Bowie relaxes during the show at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom, 1977. Picture: Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images
  15. Oasis, 1996

    Oasis live in 1996
    Liam Gallagher surveys the crowd at Utrecht, 10 January 1996. Picture: Frans Schellekens/Redferns
  16. Blur, 1991

    Blur, live in 1991
    Alex James and Damon Albarn get personal, Ein Abend In Wien festival, 31 August 1991. Picture: Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images
  17. The Prodigy, 1996

    The much-missed  Keith Flint leaves the stage to crowd-surf over the audience during the group's support slot for Oasis at Knebworth on 10 August 1996.
    The much-missed Keith Flint leaves the stage to crowd-surf over the audience during the group's support slot for Oasis at Knebworth on 10 August 1996. Picture: Brian Rasic/Getty Images
  18. Nirvana, 1991

    Kurt Cobain crowd surfs during a Nirvana show in Frankfurt, 12 November 1991
    Kurt Cobain crowd surfs during a Nirvana show in Frankfurt, 12 November 1991. Picture: Paul Bergen/Redfern/Getty Images
  19. U2, 2017

    U2 live in San Diego, 2017
    The crowd's mobile phones twinkle as the Irish band perform their album The Joshua Tree in San Diego, 22 September 2017. Picture: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
  20. The Rolling Stones, 1969

    The Rolling Stones live in 1969
    Mick Jagger pays tribute to his bandmate Brian Jones at the Stone's Hyde Park show, 5 July 1969. Picture: Reg Burkett/Express/Getty Images