Your shows of the year

Psean

Out of the shows you've been to, what performances have stood out to you this year? For whatever reason as long as it was good. Local or international.

My top few:

Guy Buttery at Tony Cox's International Guitar night.
Definitely number one. Probably one of the all time best for me so far. I was properly blown away (been ages since that's happened to me at any performance) by what he can to on a guitar. Dynamics, tension, and resolution like I've never heard before. I don't think I've ever "felt" a performance like that.

Jon Gomm at the same show was brilliant too. As well as being a monster player and writing interesting song,s he puts everything he's feeling suring the show right out there. All the better for it if you ask me. Being only a couple of meters away from him for his real unplugged encore of High and Drywas special too.

Skunk Anansie in Mary Fitzgerald square. A band I've wanted to see live for a long time now, and of this years lot, the band I was most excited for when the show was announced. They didn't disappoint (like Deftones did). Out of the bigger international rock acts I've seen, hearing the music live added more than with pretty much all the others. The live experience for this one was about music played on the edge, old school rock 'n roll style, not big screens and fancy visuals. Restored my faith in these bigger shows.

Those were the biggies.
Tony Cox at IGN was really good too. Best acoustic guitar tone I've ever heard. Of course he can play amazingly too ?
The Black Cat Bones have been great at all their shows I've seen this year. Interested to see what becomes of them now that they're getting bigger.
Adorned in Ash have to be mentioned as the first of the local "extreme" metal bands I've really enjoyed for a good few years now too.

There've been lots of other small local gigs that I've enjoyed this year, but these stood out.

Let's hear yours...

Doomsower

I had a strange year in terms of attending shows. I did not see any internationals and I did not attend any festivals.
What I did do is go to the small venues and support the local heroes and weekend warriors.

Adorned In Ash: Awesome band, can't wait for that album to finally happen.
Displeased Disfigurement: Kick ass, watching that bass player makes me feel inferior.
Touched By Nausea: Proper grind, nuff said.

Honorable mentions:
Bleeding Spawn, Spectral Realm, Chromium, Black Cat Bones, Afgepis

Danny-B

I had some great luck this year, and managed to see most of my favourite bands.

Queens of the Stone Age: loved these guys since I first got addicted to Songs for the Deaf when I was ten. I am a huge fan of Josh Homme, and it was amazing to see them live and with an 80 000+ crowd to boot. Here's the official video of the concert I was at. I was right at the front on the railings. I pop up in the video a few times ?

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C2C: I love French electro and these guys are the new kings. So talented, and the show was the most entertaining thing I have experienced. Saw them at Roskilde Festival before QOTSA.

MUSE: Matt Bellamy is probably my greatest guitar playing inspiration. The tightest band I have ever seen live. I think I heard one mistake over the two and a half hour concert. Saw them in Oslo, Norway. Norwegians don't really like to dance, which was a bit of bummer.

Honourable mentions: Metallica, Chinese Man, Jake Bugg, Of Monsters and Men, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Chocklit_Thunda

Didn't see many this year...
The hives were probably my best. Then skunk Anansie and alt J (although they were all at the same show)

For me this was a bland year for concerts.... Can't I like any of the other bands that came along....

Psean

Danny B wrote I had some great luck this year, and managed to see most of my favourite bands.

Queens of the Stone Age: loved these guys since I first got addicted to Songs for the Deaf when I was ten. I am a huge fan of Josh Homme, and it was amazing to see them live and with an 80 000+ crowd to boot. Here's the official video of the concert I was at. I was right at the front on the railings. I pop up in the video a few times ?

=

C2C: I love French electro and these guys are the new kings. So talented, and the show was the most entertaining thing I have experienced. Saw them at Roskilde Festival before QOTSA.

MUSE: Matt Bellamy is probably my greatest guitar playing inspiration. The tightest band I have ever seen live. I think I heard one mistake over the two and a half hour concert. Saw them in Oslo, Norway. Norwegians don't really like to dance, which was a bit of bummer.

Honourable mentions: Metallica, Chinese Man, Jake Bugg, Of Monsters and Men, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Damn, that sounds like a good year. Would love to see QOTSA. Big fan Homme too ?
I saw Muse in 08. They were frikkin brilliant!

Psean

Chocklit_Thunda wrote ... (although they were all at the same show)

Doesn't matter. They're different bands ?

Hammeron

Only saw 1 international but they were brilliant - Metallica.

Did a fair amount of gigging and shared the stage with some great bands.
Adorned in Ash (always great)
Mizera and Dark Matter as well

DrGonzo

Had such a great year of music. Did Splashy, AfrikaBurn, Oppikoppi, Rocking the Daisies.

LOVED the Deftones at Oppikoppi... absolutely stunning gig ?

I just got back from the UK where i saw the Steven Wilson Live gig at the Royal Albert Hall. ? what a treat. Guthrie Govan on guitar, Marco Minneman on Drums. some really famous talented bassist and Flautest that I forgot the name of!
SUPER cool venue! great sound. it was a 2.5 hour set with an interval.

Then next (and probably my favourite ) is a band probably none of you would know ? was the Shpongle Live in London concert which was absolutely mind blowing. I have never seen such a detailed production and just pure extravaganza since my life!

hows this stage!

and this guy...

so many musicians on stage. sound and lights was nuts. and a dude that busted out a 15 minute hang drum solo.

Other than that a couple of smaller gigs... I loved the tony cox GFSA and a couple acts i caught here and there.

All in all a great year for music!

(HOPEFULLY! i can catch Dave Matthews next weekend!!!)

Big-G

Haven't done any 'headliners' for a while, but the best concert I've EVER been to was Switchfoot at Grand West early on in the year! Seems like years ago now.... 'The Rescu' where supporting them, and started the show off rather excellently, and Switchfoot totally owned the night! I had my oldest son with me, who was 8 at the time, and he was completely blown away by it all! His first real concert! So I guess it had a certain sentimental touch to it too!

On the local scene, I also enjoyed Natasha Meister more than once this year, and Digby and the Lullaby always impress. But the biggest surprise show that I really appreciated this year featured Natasha, but it was the act before her that I really liked.... Gareth James. That guy can sing, and his songs are just that bit more professional and another step up from most I've seen locally. Tombstone Pete also started the evening off, so it was indeed a great night! If you haven't seen Pete, go see him! Its a rather special performance....

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Cheers
G!

Tone

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, 15 July 2013,Vienne France.

Big-G

Well, as of this past weekend, My second best show of the year (after Switchfoot) is Dave Matthews! That guy can sing! I have never heard a more professional, well rehearsed and tight set in my life. My only criticism was they did a bit too much jamming at the end of too many songs, and as a result, it started to sound a bit too repetitive. Other than that, they were absolutely brilliant! My other criticism wasn't of Dave Matthews band themselves, but actually the support act... Even before the extreme professionalism of DMB, they already demonstrated a true 'amateur hour', as the guitarist continually missed his timings, and fluffed and bummed notes left right and centre. So glad that DMB didn't disappoint though! ?

Cheers
G!