30-08-2023 02:52 PM - edited 18-10-2023 02:51 PM
You, your bestie and 90's icon Natalie Imbruglia at a show money can't buy... sounds pretty incredible, right? There’re 10 pairs of tickets up for grabs and every SMARTY customer has the chance to enter. Try your luck below.
Tell me more
This money-can’t-buy experience will take place at Virgin Radio's Sunset Sessions with SMARTY on Friday 29th September.
Hosted by drivetime legend Ricky Wilson, Natalie Imbruglia will perform an honest, intimate and stripped back set of her biggest and best hits. This exclusive performance will be set at the top of the NewsUK tower in London as the sun sets across the city – what an experience, right?
But hurry, the competition closing date is just around the corner…
Fancy it?
To enter you’ll need to respond below, telling us “What has been your favourite live gig and why?” We can’t wait to read your answers.
UPDATE - COMPETITION CLOSED
The competition is now closed, and we will make the draw for the winners from all the eligible entries and contact them in the next 24 hours.
So, keep your fingers crossed and an eye on your email inbox. Make sure you check your spam folders too, just in case.
Thanks to everyone who contributed some brilliant entries. We had over 560 posts and have had an amazingly diverse range of response, from Christian festivals to back-room-of-a-pub gigs, from massive stadium concerts to someone’s wedding. It’s been brilliant reading them all. Thank you.
And it’s never too late to see live music; go to a big venue, visit a festival, or just see what your local arts’ centre has on. You never know what you’re going to find.
Keep up the great work everyone; the SMARTY Community belongs to us all and succeeds because of your great contributions.
We were delighted to welcome SMARTY competition winners to watch this intimate performance with Drivetime host Ricky Wilson hosting the event.
06-09-2023 08:22 PM - edited 06-09-2023 08:23 PM
I've been lucky enough to go to many. All good for different reasons. But I must say the latest one.... PULP at Scarborough open air theatre with my 21 year old grandson. Was memorable not only a great gig but peed it down, everyone got soaked. Just special for this 55 year old to spend time with Eden. Who incidentally has just found out he got a 1st in his degree... so shout out to Eden... wooo hoo!! Here's to many more gigs ☺ ☺ 🎶
06-09-2023 08:28 PM
I have recently been to 4 gigs Shalimar in Glasgow and The Who at Edinburgh Castle and Sister Sledge in North Berwick near Edinburgh and ELKIE Brooks in North Berwick near Edinburgh all different music and one better than the other never seen Nataliein concert but would love too
06-09-2023 08:52 PM
Attending Live gig is having the best time in your life
06-09-2023 09:02 PM
George Michael in the velodrome in Berlin amazing incredible unforgettable
06-09-2023 09:03 PM
Friends took us to see The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park last year. We were not big fans but happily went along for the day to enjoy the experience of seeing the aging icons. We got a great position in the crowd and the weather was great so we waited in anticipation. O M G they blew us away, we now understand the “Legends Status” the guys have. So so glad we went.
06-09-2023 09:10 PM
'Great Xpectations' at Finsbury Park (London) on 13 Jun 1993 - It was literally the best day of my life (including my wedding and kids being born! 😁 ).
It was just before I turned 16; The Cure, Belly, Senseless Things, Kingmaker, Carter USM and others played. All my favourite bands, friends, sunshine, freedom...loved it!
06-09-2023 09:14 PM
First time I saw Michael Bublé at Wembley Arena and at the end he stood away from the mic and sang a capella. You could hear a pin drop in the crowd and his voice carried around the whole arena. The hairs on the back of neck went up - it was so amazing!
Would love to see Natalie!
06-09-2023 09:24 PM
Paul Simon 1991 Saratoga Springs - freedom
06-09-2023 09:58 PM
The Killers in Las Vegas. Hometown gig for them at the Hard Rock and it was epic! We spent the next 24hrs singing "I've got soul but i'm not a soldier..."
06-09-2023 10:03 PM
Saw Ian Brown at Shepherds Bush Empire many years back. Went with a big crew of friends the music was great and the atmosphere was amazing, electrifying even, and because one of the guys new Ian from school we got to go to the back stage party
06-09-2023 10:10 PM
Went to see Ian Brown at the Shepherds Bush Empire with a big crew of mates the gig was amazing and because one of the guys knew Ian from school we got to go to the backstage party
06-09-2023 10:10 PM
I’m 40 years old and my partner is the same , we have never been to a live gig or any music concert, we’ve been together since we were 16 Year’s old and would be the perfect place for me to propose to her , many thanks
Ricky.
06-09-2023 10:13 PM
My favourite so far MTV Varna beach 2017 or 18.. can't remember.. in Varna Bulgaria, 12 hours beach festival with so much diversity and popular artists that will probably never come again in such small country and also amazing sound and effects...
06-09-2023 10:17 PM
MTV Varna beach 2017 in Varna Bulgaria, it was amazing beach festival.
06-09-2023 11:56 PM
I saw Elton John's last UK gig at Glastonbury this year in June whilst volunteering for Oxfam. I'm a massive fan and it was made extra special with it being my 33rd birthday when he performed!
07-09-2023 02:40 AM
My favourite gog was the Dropkick Murphys in Birmingham.
I took my wife and two young daughters and they were amazing.
Singalong songs from start to finish ...hit after hit.
Great entertainment and superb live music
07-09-2023 07:19 AM
For the first time I went to Riverside Festival last year as a volunteer to help. Wish I’d known about this when my children were younger it was amazing. Maybe I could take my grand children 🤞
07-09-2023 07:57 AM
My favourite gig was at the X factor semi final when I got to see Ed Sheeran performing was an experience, and all the new artists trying to make it in the industry
07-09-2023 09:07 AM
Coldplay @ Wembley my wife’s favourite band. We were standing and so close to the action, it was such an immersive experience. The whole show was so well crafted and will long live in my memory 👍
07-09-2023 09:48 AM
Ben Folds at Symphony Hall in Brum. Hasn’t happened yet but sure it’s going to be a good one.
07-09-2023 10:18 AM
My favorite gig ever was Morcheeba's concert in Santiago, Chile! I didn't even know them at the time, but my girlfriend was a huge fan so I went with her. We ended up in the first row and the concert was just amazing!
07-09-2023 10:35 AM
I never been to a live concert so if I win this will be my first. Natalie Imbruglia is one of my 90s fave!!
07-09-2023 10:39 AM
Coldplay at Wembley
Great music and crowd involvement. Don’t get many opportunities but really enjoy live music
07-09-2023 10:39 AM
I have never been to a concert before so if I win this will be my first one. Natalie Imbruglia is one of my fave artist!! So here to win it!!
07-09-2023 10:45 AM
U2 at Wembley with Stereo MC's as the support act. Was an electric atmosphere, both acts were phenomenal and U2's set with all the screens overloaded the senses.
07-09-2023 10:48 AM
I have never attended a live concert in all of my 66 years, but now retired I intend t change that.
07-09-2023 11:27 AM
Red Rocks, Colorado
07-09-2023 11:53 AM
TRNSMT 2018, Sunday 8th July, Killers headlining, with earlier performances by Lewis Capaldi, Jessie Ware, Franz Ferdinand, Friendly Fires, and Chvrches. These were all amazing, but the Killers were brilliant, fantastic set and performance, and a great spot where a guy from the crowd came and played drums on Reasons Unknown. And to top it all off, I took my daughter Hannah who absolutely loved it!!
07-09-2023 12:24 PM
Old school, Earth Wind and Fire at Wembley Arena. Almost front row and the magic show was almost as good as the band.
07-09-2023 12:39 PM
I really enjoyed Killers at Norwich City Ground, it is a smaller venue and you get to be so close to them. They are such entertainers so it was brilliant.
07-09-2023 01:05 PM
Coldplay in London as the atmosphere was electric!
07-09-2023 01:07 PM
I have never been to a live event so I’d be over the moon to win some tickets to see Natalie the legend.
Good luck everyone entering and fingers crossed 🤞
07-09-2023 01:20 PM
When i watched Fall out boy at leeds festival and got to relieve my teen years for a little while
07-09-2023 03:09 PM
June 2nd 1977 my first ever concert. I was just coming up to my 17th birthday my girlfriend was 18 and managed to get tickets . It was overwhelming to say the least not only the concert but being in a mixed race relationship was frowned on in those dark days , but I was in good company and looked after . The music was sooooo good and the smells within the venue 😎 😜
I also managed to get tickets to the Crystal Palace bowl in June 1980 , but 2nd June 77 will live in my memory forever. Guessed yet ?The one and only Nesta Robert Marley RIP Thank you for a lifetime of memories and Music
07-09-2023 06:21 PM
Uncle Lumpy & the Fish Doctors, Connaught Park, Dover 1980s. Beautiful summer day, great food, great company, great amusing quirky local band.
07-09-2023 06:52 PM
How to pick a favourite gig?
All the live performances I’ve been to over the years have been enjoyable and I still have happy memories of them all. Big names performing in front of huge audiences to a young performer with their guitar performing in front of a small intimate crowd in field or a pub. I attended one gig with an audience of just two people. The performer was great, great music and a nice chat too.
My favourite is probably the Rolling Stones at Knebworth in 1976. It was whole chaotic event but the Stones were brilliant of course. They came on very late but were worth the wait. I was young in a wonderful new world of great music and new experiences. Unforgettable.
I’ve got to say that I really enjoy cut back performances. I’ve been learning to play guitar for a few years so being able to be close enough to see as well as hear great players inspires me to keep strumming. So this competition was impossible to ignore.
07-09-2023 07:33 PM
Michael Jackson, Cardiff Arms Park, July 88, our first ever gig, Jacko was astonishing, the entire gig was amazing! Even the girl on guitar almost entirely wrapped in white fairy lights!!…..Wow!! Any one know anything about time travel by any chance?
07-09-2023 08:35 PM
Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road concert in Manchester this year. I first saw him live in 1976 in Dundee & then twice more since then but this was a very special occasion.
07-09-2023 09:00 PM
Backstreet boys with my cousin! Definitely a guilty pleasure from our childhood/ teenage years, so cheesy, very emotional just because we managed to get together as adult living across the world from each other with that excuse.
08-09-2023 03:04 AM
My first EVER gig was @ Hampden Glasgow 3 June 2018, oh I am 62 this year, I won 2 tickets in my local pub Christmas raffle Dec 2017/Jan 2018. Who to take??, well I was everyones m8 that night lol, but the only choice for me was my wee holiday pal who had been going to Roda Coru with me for at least the previous 4 years, my wee Sister!
My next gig was one I had waited about 30 years to see, Jeff Waynes War Of The Worlds at the OVO in Glasgow 2022, had some spare ££ so bought a ticket for me and my partner, he always loved Forever Autumn sung by Justin Hayward, what I didn't tell him was that the very man was performing that night!!! Am sure there was a tear in his eye when Justin came on stage.
Kev