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View Full Version : || Best Concerts I Saw Last Year ||



Llopin
01-29-2010, 11:29 AM
Yeah, instead of buliding up a "best releases" compilation I figured I'd list my favourite 30 concerts or so from last year, that I attended (of course). As all top lists, this is a pathetic rational attempt to tidy up my memory and conjugate my remembrances in a fashionably, terribly structuralist manner. But hey, what really matters is the music, right? And that's the point around which I dare to publish it publicly, so that someway we can all merrily share opinions and shed new light(s). Besides, it's been far too long since I did something like this (a list of sorts) and I feel all teary and giggly inside. As it will be difficult to find videos from the exact shows, sometimes I guess I'll have to post a random clip which I think captures the band as vividly as I recall. Most of the concerts took place in my hometown, except for a few.

Wólòs.

Llopin
01-29-2010, 12:05 PM
First I'll offer some honourable mentions.

Wire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGh8lHD9aPA&feature=related)* - band isn't the same after Gilbert's departure, and maybe their last album isn't exactly the most exciting of their releases, but I found them to be pretty tight and well organized. The guitarist from Laika, brought in to replace Gilbert, appears to be a bit awkward, but does the job well. Also, it might seem Newman is a bit of a shmuck, yet I did interview him once when he came around with his project Githead and the man was most pleasant. The songs off "Object 47" and "Spent" and the Read and Burn EPs sounded well enough, and then they finished up with some mandatory classics.

Baroness (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGwKJyyCirY) - guys seem to be hitting it off pretty wildly. I have to admit this is one eclectic band. The lead singer seems off a stoner stunt, the guitarists have distinct thrash metal and heavy metal looks, and the drummer sports a grungy nature. Very headbangy and sweaty, what I recall the most about this concert was a cover of Hendrix's "Machine Gun" which surprised me for its awesomeness. They do a good job dodging a tag or a style, incorporating a lil bit of prog and a lil bit of sludge. Most interesting.

The Black Heart Procession (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPl3voUFnt4) - as you can see, the singer is a bit confused about what his songs are about. Although intense and dark, TBHP struck me as a rather naive outfit, which is not a criticism at all. Fellows are tender. But what is more relevant, they are unargueabily elegant. I'm generally not much of a fan of melancholic downbeat rock music, but I have to admit TBHP's concert surprised me greatly, considering their records rarely astound me. As if I was able to connect with the grooves more sinously. Both moody and muddy. "Release my Heart" in particular sounded great live.

Magrudergrind (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ivC133ROyU) - well you know, grindcore made by hipsters or something. I have to admit this band has some funny songs ("End of Season Sale at Cerebral Department") and then your average filthy declarations of shit'n'piss ("Vomit Soup", "Gangrene on Your Feet") - which is really unrellevant as the tunes will be over before you've read their titles! This concert was a crapload of sweat - only lasted for 20 minutes, but they were 20 skullfuckin' minutes. The drummer's intensity is particularly remarkable. Oh, and the guitarist showed up with a Funkadelic shirt as if to say, "Hey, we're hipsters" - oh wait, I already commented on that. Speaking of shirts, I got one of them Magruder ones, it's probably the goriest article of clothing I own.

*[denotes video doesn't match concert I attended]

Boner M
01-29-2010, 02:52 PM
Wire in 2004 was the best gig I've ever seen, period. Colin was an absolutely terrifying stage presence and the band was as tight as ever. My ears are still ringing from it.

D_Davis
01-29-2010, 03:17 PM
Wire and Baroness, nice.

I love Wire's last album. It's really, really good.

Acapelli
01-29-2010, 11:23 PM
saw wire in 08. really enjoyed myself, even though i was a bit preoccupied. also was the first time i met bruno wizard of the homosexuals

Spaceman Spiff
01-29-2010, 11:33 PM
I can't believe I totally did not hear about Wire playing my city until THE DAY AFTER. My dumb coworker who can't shut up about every show playing in town never brought up Wire, and they came and went. I love the guy, but I really wanted to kill him after.

Llopin
01-30-2010, 11:13 AM
30. Evangelista (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecGrJqZB-Jc)

Divisive concert. A buddy of mine even walked out, annoyed. But, what can I say, I'm more than mildly amused by Carla Bozulich's theatrics, I guess. There's this part of the recital in which she steps down the stage and begins staggering along the audience, hugging people and generally creeping the crowd out. And then she sings Low's "Pissing" and it's just charming. I'm not so sure if she is actually bizarre or just acting, but when she goes into trance she's a most hypnotic sight to behold. And then she gets a guitar and rocks out. For the record, I'm mostly fond of the three Evangelista records out there (and she does have a decent band): how they do, in a 90s postrockish fashion, shift from jazzy loungue cuts to mathy, intense pieces. Visceral stuff, but not everyone's cup of tea.

dreamdead
02-01-2010, 05:17 PM
Love the idea of this thread.

Llopin
02-01-2010, 11:08 PM
29. Agent Orange (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcMN-9XNl7Q)

These punksters released, in 1981, an album named Living in Darkness which was pretty much lauded as a solid record and afterwards did nothing as flashy or worthy. I do like their follow-up This Is the Voice, but I'm oblivious to whatever else they might have done. So I guess I went to this concert because I liked that first album, and also because I was bored and it was pretty cheap. To my surprise, it was a lot of fun. Vocalist Mike Palm still has a lot of energy and his bandmates (non-original members) are also pretty tight, particularly drummer Dusty Watson, kind of a powerhouse. The set was as long as it should and they performed excellent versions of their classics, such as "Bloodstains", "Everything turns to Grey" and "Pipeline". This last one in particular was shattering. And then they called their nerdy merchandise seller to stage and he got himself a guitar and they roamed through "Miserlou". I believe their version is one of the best out there. So, while not very profound, it was jumpy evening. Too bad their shirts were so expensive. That's not very punk.

kopello
02-01-2010, 11:21 PM
I would love to see Agent Orange in concert (just to see them play Pipeline and Miserlou alone), sounds like a blast.

Llopin
02-04-2010, 10:55 AM
28. Jesu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_orxeheVdc&feature=related)
Perfect example of how the context and setting of a concert can pretty much damage it. As much as I enjoy Jesu records, while listening to them I do not exactly picture being burnt under an insistent sun in the middle of the afternoon. I saw them (Broadrick + bassist + drum machine) at the PS festival, and the programmers severly misunderstood their act; not only they were unable yo use the film projections (due to the sun), it just didn't seem the right time to have them play. Still, I was really taken during the whole concert, which proves they are a tight live act: loud volume (specially bass-wise) and Broadrick is amazing to look at (what a visceral performer!). To hear songs such as "Conqueror", "Silver" and "Friends are Evil" was a riveting treat. In fact, while my overall feeling after this concert was bittersweet, it seems to grow on me as time goes by. Can't wait to see them again.

Llopin
02-05-2010, 06:24 PM
27. Grails (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf3xC__HPGU)
Some more "awesome" postrockish stuff, mostly because of its psychedelic nature. This band has been around for more than ten years but I somehow feel it's undeservedly unknown, compared to other acts of its type at least. Overall, this music is drug-inducing, trancey and mostly inspiring. They're intriguing and musically interesting: peculiar instrument dynamics, shifts from experimentation to ambient to rockin' riffs, and... yes, maybe a bit baffling. Specially if digested at five in the afternoon (again, random festival programming). Intense stuff, but requires being mind-prepared. They did play particularly from their last release, Doomsdayer's Holiday, an album I avidly recommend.

Llopin
02-06-2010, 12:22 PM
26. Sunny Murray Trio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F92VUGI2wzk)*
Murray is an undeniable influence over avantgarde jazz musicians post-60s. His constant yet abstract method of approaching the drums, as displayed in records by Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp and, most importantly, Albert Ayler, is still talked about. But the man is 73 now: while his drumming remains as self-confident as ever (as do his amazing facial expressions), it's obvious he cannot go overboard or pressure himself. They played three pieces, inbetween which Murray had to rest for some minutes. The ending to the second one was specially dramatic, with him getting up all sweaty and confused and almost falling. Still, seeing his trademark style is quite a treat. And also, his fellow bandmates were kickass: John Edwards and Tony Bevan, playing bass and saxophone respectively, who are BEASTS of free jazz. Noisy, hardcore and visceral. It's interesting to see the american tradition, represented by Murray, combined with a ideologically different, even rootless I daresay, school of fucking up jazz, the european line (represented by the other two). Murray is an outspoken, natural person; the day previous to the concert I attended a screening of the documentary Sunny's Time Now, which traces his journey as jazz re-invented itself, and he was there and offered some pearls of wisdom at the end of the film. Overall, a jolly nice guy.

Llopin
02-13-2010, 10:22 PM
25. The Ex (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxBxlpPqyLo)

This is frankly one of the most underseen bands out there. Three decades of work, during which they surprisingly have managed to get better and better, and a crapload of superb albums. Three years ago I was lucky enough to attend two Ex concerts, a few months inbetween. They were fucking incredible and both times I was left speechless. Last year, however, longtime founding member and singer G.W. Sok decided to call it quits, but the rest of the band (founder Terrie Hessels, drummer Kat and ex-Dog Faced Hermans Andy Moor) decided to continue, so they got this guy Arnold de Boer, from some other band. As much as I wanted to love the new lineup, it just wasn't the same. The band still is as tight as ever, Moor and Hessels (whose hand started to bleed after he hit his guitar too hard) burning the place down, but the grave, omnious presence of Sok was urgently missed. Besides, his voice is just too cool. They are still one hell of a guitar storm and a powerhouse punk math-rock act, and I'm looking foward to whatever they record next, but it is pretty clear to me that they'll never be as good as in their Starters Alternators-Turn era.

Llopin
02-17-2010, 04:24 PM
24. Earth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl842afqFMQ)

Twice I saw these guys live last year, playing very similar sets, basically centered on The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull. I had already experienced that album live when I first saw them a few years ago. Then they came with an additional guitar, but musically-wise the affair was very similar. Earth has evolved into a relatively digestible songwriting band, still their tunes are tough nuts to crack. That album in its live incarnation is just mesmerizing, Dylan Carlson guitaring up all over the place (I find the man to be most memorable), too bad the surprise factor wasn't there. Indeed, as much as I enjoy the hypnotic, raw quality of the songs (I wouldn't have seen them for a third time if I didn't), varienty isn't their strongest asset. If in the mood, however, this shit is skullfucking. I'm avidly expecting future material, since they did bring on a couple of new tunes that sounded fresh and promising - and let's admit it, they're dragging the Bees setlist far too long.