to start every gig with "Get Down and Get With It" by Slade. Like the national anthem at the end of the night, this needs to open every show.

"Are you readdddddddddy......."

Good question. The ones that stick in my mind are always fans favourites, usually fast and hard. Nothing worse than the excitement of a band you've been waiting ages to see coming on stage, then starting with some dirge you've never heard before. (I'm looking at you, Massive Attack)

Here are some from gigs I've seen that I remember off the top of my head.

The Prodigy - around 94 - Fire (the one that goes 'I am the god of hellfire!')

Kraftwerk - 1997 - Numbers (ein, zwei, drei...)

Scooter - 2008 - Call Me Manana (fast as hell, with horses neighing in it)

Underworld - lots of times - Rez/Cowgirl (awesome tune)

Remember seeing them at Brixton in '97 and they opened with "Breathe"

I've never seen an entire crowd go so absolutely apeshit before or since. The building shook. It was immense.

Also - it's good to build up the first number with a well selected play list as build up. Manic Street Preachers are fantastic at this (I think Wire selects them all himself)

I reckon every gig should finish with this. The band have just left the stage, the moshing has given way to isolated gentle appluase, the house lights come on and everyone searches for their lost friends and clothing and queues for the exit....

This is how you start a gig;

Pet Shop Boys - Heart/More Than A Dream Pandemonium - Live At The O2 Arena London 2009

I saw Jeff Buckley a few times, once at the smaller LA2 venue on Charing Cross Road. He started the set with four or five of the strongest songs from Grace. I said to myself well, this is strange, I think he's blown it. But he then proceeded to play for another hour and a half, mostly covers, the band and the audience seemed to enjoy that he wasn't rather than was playing the obvious stuff. It was one of the best gigs I've ever seen.

My favourite opening song was Pulp's Party Hard at their Liverpool Royal Court gig in the late 90s. The song's got a great driving rhythm, and Jarvis stood on a speaker stack on one side of the stage, whilst his Stars in their Eyes doppelganger mirrored him perfectly on the right.

Genuinely thrilling.

"Knights of Cydonia" just about everything an opening song should be.

Then go faster.

Stop.

Then play "Faster".

Madness: According to legend it was the start of "One Step Beyond", the opener to their hugely anticipated comeback gig Madstock in 1992 which caused an earthquake: http://bit.ly/vVZBN2 You can guess the exact second it happened - "ONE STEP BEYOND! Baa naa NAA...."

Public Enemy: Not a particular song, but I still don't know of any more exciting way of entering a stage than to the deafening sound of police sirens (and soldiers taking position - even if those soldiers are a bit camp and, these days, overweight).

This:

was mighty impressive but I thought kicking off with the two big 'uns didn't help the pacing of the rest of the set..

In reverse order

3 - Hawkwind with a dramatic countdown to the appearance of some kind of spaceship - pity the rest of the gig was rubbish.

2 - Led Zeppelin - 'The Immigrant Song' Robert Plant's opening wails were most effective! The drama was in the song.

1 - Mott The Hoople - stage in total darkness - a single spotlight picks out Ian Hunter at the piano. He plays the opening verse of 'American Pie'. He comes to the last line of said verse 'The Day the Music Died'. Then the stage goes totally dark again. An announcer's voice comes over the PA, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the Golden Age of Rock and Roll'. The light's all come on with the band going straight into 'the Golden Age of Rock and Roll' with 'all guns blazing'. Wow!

Some weird stuff in Latin on the backing tape, then the boys open with Going Up ....

And then finish the show with the same tune but change "Hello There" to "Goodnight Now".

Genius recycling!

But then I would

the Sensational Alex Harvey Band way, by playing The Faith Healer. Still the most incredible opening number I've ever witnessed.

This only gives a flavour of the magnificence
:

This one could've been written to be a show opener:

Then proceed to play the entire album (which has yet to be released) before a stunned audience expecting to hear 'Heart of Gold' and other family-friendly toe-tappers. Intersperse songs with drunken, slurred, unintelligible banter. How to alienate your audience in one easy lesson. Great night out.

Prince with Sign of the Times and Talking Heads with Psychokiller. It helps of course if you have a stonking track you can strip right down.

Spell out your manifesto, let the audience know which member of the crew can sort out some drugs, announce which labels your albums can be found on. Job done.

"The National Anthem" is a fantastic way to start a set. Sample local television, loop a bass guitar for 6 minutes with some funky drumming, occasionally use free jazz experimentation or distorted guitar stabs, wail nonsensically over the top. Sets everyone up for a good time!