Can You Gig It? Coldplay Can...

To the purist it's the only measure of true rock'n'roll greatness - a live performance in front of thousands of demanding fans. Now Q music magazine has published a list of the 100 greatest gigs of all time, as voted for by readers and contributors. Coldplay enter at number 4:

4 Coldplay, V2003, Weston Park, Staffordshire, 17 August 2003 - Coldplay's last major appearance. Q calls it a triumphant, anthemic set. Singer Chris Martin referred to the gig as "the death of soft rock".

Click on the link to read more and take in the top 20. The full list appears in the June issue of Q out on Saturday 1 May.1 Radiohead, Glastonbury, 28 June 1997 - technical problems hid the 40,000-strong crowd from the band's view, and singer Thom Yorke could not hear his own voice. But to festival organiser Michael Eavis it was the most inspiring festival gig in 30 years.

2 Nirvana, Reading Festival, Berkshire, 30 August 1992 - Kurt Cobain in a wheelchair and blonde wig, the band's version of More Than A Feeling at the start of Smells Like Teen Spirit, and Cobain asking the crowd to chant their love for the hated Courtney Love.

3 Oasis, Knebworth, 10-11 August 1996 - more than 250,000 fans attended Britain's biggest rock concerts to date for what some have since described as the crowning moment of Britpop.

5 Brian Wilson, Royal Festival Hall, 26 February 2004 - after a wait of 40 years Beach Boys fans got to hear Wilson's lost masterpiece Smile. Worth the wait.

6 Madonna, Earl's Court, 7 July 2001 - multiple costume changes and a dazzling array of hits proved Madonna was still the Queen of Pop after an eight-year absence. Some were prepared to fork out £150 on a souvenir jacket, despite spending £85 on tickets.

7 The Beatles, Apple HQ rooftop, Saville Row, 30 January 1969 - still regarded by some as the greatest live rock "stunt" of all time, the impromptu gig ended only when police pulled the plug. It was their first live concert for three years, and the image of John Lennon in Yoko Ono's fur coat only added to the band's iconic status.

8 REM, Trafalgar Square, 29 April 2001 - Nelson Mandela and Tony Blair joined 30,000 for the square's first ever rock concert. Overruns by other acts meant REM had time to play just seven songs.

9 Queen, Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, 13 July 1985 - Bob Geldof reputably enticed Freddie Mercury and the band to play Live Aid by saying to their manager: "Tell the old faggot it's gonna be the biggest thing that ever happened." It was.

10 Pink Floyd, Earl's Court, 4 August 1980 - indoor Spitfire fighter planes, a monstrous teacher puppet, giant inflatable pigs and 160ft cardboard wall that crashed down for a spectacular finale.

11 Sex Pistols - Screen on the Green, London (29 August 1976)

12 Stone Roses - Spike Island (27 May 1990)

13 U2 - Slane Castle (25 August 2001)

14 Eminem - MEN Arena, Manchester (8 February 2001)

15 Flaming Lips - Bristol Academy (18 January 2003)

16 Stereophonics - Earls Court (17 December 2003)

17 The Strokes - Heaven, London (28 June 2001)

18 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Camden Palais (14 June 1999)

19 The Libertines - The Forum, London (18 December 2003)

20 The Verve - Slane Castle (29 August 1998)

Source: ThisIsLondon and Ireland Online