Roll up roll up, to rank and discuss your experience of music played by live human individuals and/or robots over the past calendar year
Yes there’s still a month of gigging left but I’m sure a lot of people are wrapping up for the year (not me though, 4 more to go because I’m hardcore)
My last gig is 22nd Dec so deffo more to go!
I’ll need to have a look and see who I’ve seen this year but the one that immediately comes to mind is godspeed at the barras; just unbelievable.
didn’t go to many. no more planned.
Chris Corsano @ Cube, opening for Earth Ball.
Uranium Club @ Rough Trade
Suno))))) @ Marble Factory
Pilot Whale Research @ Golden Lion
Tempted to see them on the Europe tour next year, bored of missing them
Still got hope of the states and romy this year but although I’m sure they’ll be fun, i can’t see them outdoing those pesky godspeeders.
Top 10 in chronological order:
Niecy Blues @ Paper Dress Vintage
MAQUINA @ Fuzz Club Eindhoven
Corridor @ Shacklewell Arms
Jessica Pratt @ Primavera
Yo La Tengo covers set @ Primavera
Mdou Moctar @ Electric Brixton
OSees @ Shacklewell Arms
The Moonlandingz @ The Garage
Rafael Anton Irisarri & Abdul Mogard @ Le Guess Who
W.H.Lung @ Islington Assembly Hall
Still got the Tubs to come on Monday.
Mickey Callisto at The Chameleon, Nottingham
Hope of the states might change that
Think I’m done for the year so, by a considerable distance, it’s The Notwist in Glasgow:
I will be first in the queue if they head back this way any time soon.
Honourable mentions also for Ævestaden and Niteworks, who both did the ‘folk music with beats’ thing very well indeed if in very different ways.
A very good year for shows.
Emma Ruth Rundle was probably the highlight, just a magical, career spanning set.
Runner up spots for the Mizmor show a few weeks ago (a whirlwind of noise) and Killtown Deathfest (a full weekend of brutality - Rippikoulu the best set of the event).
Oh and Slift! Immense psychedelic grooving.
One of those posts that gives you deep fomo for a gig id barely been interested in before
I really enjoyed seeing Slow Pulp the day after Taylor Swift had packed out the stadium, so the welsh club was bouncing. They got pretty emotional.
Honourable mention to Les Savy Fav (Electric Ballroom).
Haven’t been to anywhere near as many gigs as normal this year, for……reasons.
Also still got three gigs to go, including our very own All Structures Align, and The Unthanks performing a winter / Christmas show (which, as a Geordie, I have a social obligation to love).
That said, these were special:
Sunn O))) at De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill - Exactly what you’d expect, and every bit as good as you could hope for.
Jane’s Addiction at The Roundhouse - One of my favourite bands for 30+ years, at one of my favourite venues, performing at the top of their game. Thankfully before the tour turned to shit.
Explosions in the Sky at Chalk, Brighton - Maybe not objectively gig of the year material, but it coincided with the height (or depths?) of a particularly horrible time. Against that backdrop it was transportative. Reminded me of how good EiTS are. Stunning.
I didn’t go to many although my number is up on previous years following the Pandemic. Favourites were:
Chime School - Grayston Unity, Halifax
The Reds, Pinks and Purples - Brudenell
Rain Parade - Brudenell
Yo La Tengo - Leeds Academy
Top 5 off the top of my head so probably forgetting some
Los Campesinos! @ Brudenell
Adrianne Lenker @ Aviva Studios
MJ Lenderman @ Brudenell
LCD Soundsystem @ All Points East
Trust Fund @ Upper Chapel
Best was definitely Les Savy Fav at the Electric Ballroom, will need to think about the rest
Ezra Collective at Glasgow Barrowlands. Best gig I’ve been to in my life (and I’ve been going to shows for 30 years). There wasn’t a single person in the audience not eating out of their hands.
and dancing too, such a nice change from standing with other middle-aged men, nodding head slightly, occasionally sipping a beer.
Went to 6 (six) gigs this year. Which is more than the last 3yrs combined. So that was nice.
Spanish Love Songs - Engine Rooms, Southampton
Cheekface - Chalk, Brighton
Ratboys - The Joiners, Southampton
Spanish Love Songs - Lafayette, London
Waxahatchee - Chalk, Brighton
Rozi Plain - The Railway, Winchester
Waxahatchee probably the pick out of that lot, but that Ratboys gig was pretty special.
