Rory Gallagher, Town & Country Club, Camden. Embarrassing and shameful. He wasn't long for this earth afterwards, what a waste.
The Young Fresh Fellows did a legendary show in 1990 at the Lounge Ax in Chicago -- a one-off affair they flew in for. The story goes that to tweak Sue Miller at Lounge Ax, Cubbie Bear's owner (a jackass, BTW) had offered a substantial amount to come out. Sue was pissed about it because of the long relationship she had with YFF, and Scott said they'd play Lounge Ax if she matched the offer. So they come out, borrow equipment and are obviously quite drunk when they start playing. Sue's standing off to the side glaring at the band as they careen out of control during the night. It was enormously entertaining and the subject of a lengthy Bill Wyman article in the Reader. A boot was unearthed recently as well.
The Replacements (of course), August '87 at the Riviera in Chicago. Royal Crescent Mob were one of the openers (I think the other opener was Precious Wax Drippings), and blew the 'mats off the stage, despite the fact that they were mercilessly booed. This was my first 'mats show (out of two), and I'd read up on them; I was fully prepared for a 10-minute set of half-attempted Blue Oyster Cult covers. Instead, while they played a full set, they were definitely drunk, but tired and bummed-out, and they slogged through their set without a shred of energy or enthusiasm. I almost wish they'd played a ridiculously horrible set rather than an aggressively mediocre one. I didn't see them again until early '91, which was almost the polar opposite: tight, focused, and disconcertingly professional.
I saw the Replacements on the Pleased To Meet Me tour in Bloomington, Indiana - yes...they were quite drunk. Fun show though.
Just hurts to hear this. Few performers gave more than Rory, when he was healthy. He was a curious chap--a real loner, focused almost solely on his music. His alcohol problem developed slowly, it seems, and was compounded by mental issues, such as a spontaneous fear of flying (a serious problem for a musician who seemed to tour almost constantly), and possibly overuse of prescription drugs. He seems to have just worked and drank, and worked and drank, until his health finally gave out. He lived the last few years of his life incognito in a London hotel. For those wishing to know more about this singular musician, there is now a very good biography entitled "Rory Gallagher: The Man Behind the Guitar" by Julian Vignoles. It's well worth seeking out.
I have to go with the earlier posts, Shane McGowan with The Pogues at The Mayfair in 1986. Plastered is not the word. It was an insult to the audience, I left. I was also left thinking, why we think it's acceptable/heroic that certain musicians are stoned eg Keef, Lemmy when they perform but not others? Phil Lynott was in a shocking state on the last Thin Lizzy tour & like the above post about Rory G, it was sad. Just sad.
I saw Joe Walsh play two shows on the same day at Toads Place, a small club in New Haven CT, back in his heavy drinking days. His eyes were slits, slurring his words and wobbling all over the stage while drinking vodka screw drivers between songs but the man still played brilliantly both shows.
He was really wasted, although it didn't seem to affect his playing. There were several times during the show when he was about tell a dirty joke, or do something, and Rick Rosas would say "I don't think you should do that; this is a family park."
Lemmy? Saw him many times and never saw him give less than 100% on stage, off was a different matter.
John Martin RIP Totally slaughtered on a combination of substances most of the times I saw him. Always did a good show musically but song intros were often incoherent. Obviously his singing style was slurred but between song banter often gave away his inebriation.
So many posts about the Replacements and the Pogues... those should just go without saying, right? Same with the Faces, who actually had a bar on stage.
I was that Mats show. I remember Westerberg sitting in a chair for a few songs, probably cuz he was sloshed
Every Guided By Voices Show! I don't know how he (Robert Pollard) stayed upright some nights they played 50 plus tunes!
The Allman Brothers in the 90's at what was called at the time "Great Woods" Mansfield Mass. They were 90 minutes late starting the show and it was a terrible show cause they were so Sh.. faced.
In 1996 my first year visiting a conference at Memphis, we went to BB King's restaurant on Beale Street. Playing was Jimmy King, presumably the nephew of Albert King. He played some amazing guitar (including the obligatory using his teeth, playing behind his back, etc) all while being as wasted as any person I have ever seen. The fact that he was conscious was impressive enough.