For my first 'Best of' list for the holiday season, I'll go over the best concerts I saw this year. I definitely stepped up my concert game this year, attending 3 music festivals and numerous shows. All of the photos (except #9) were taken by yours truly.
I was only a mild fan of Mumford before Bonnaroo, as I was with a lot of bands. But despite a crowd probably 50,000 people, their set was extremely intimate and almost spiritual. They managed to pack so much power into a show without a single electric guitar or drum set; what other band could do that? (Also, if you look closely enough, you can see Ron Jeremy off stage.)
Finally, an indie band with some balls. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, unlike most indie bands, didn't just focus on recreating their records live on stage, but rather on rocking out and putting on an exciting live show.
Though technically this is the third time I've seen Kylesa, once outside of the Bluebird and the second half of their set at Bonnaroo. But Pitchfork Festival was the first time I saw them in their full, up-close, glory. From just outside the mosh pit, I saw one of the best metal bands around kick some major ass...even with a chick in the band. The best part, however, was their use of the theremin, which added an aesthetic not present in most live metal shows.
Best Coast has certainly stepped up their live show since I saw them two years ago. At Culture Shock, they were a mere timid indie band. The success of 2010's Crazy for You must have boosted their confidence, because Bethany Cosentino absolutely dominated the crowd. She led the audience in sing-a-longs and performed like a genuine rock star. Marry me, Bethany?
My Morning Jacket was born to play the headlining stage on Bonnaroo. They were completely in their element, playing long jams to a field full of fans as the sun set. They made their album tracks even better than I could have imagined and are one of the best and most unique bands that I have seen.
5. Blink-182 (Verizon Music Center)
Okay, so Blink-182 might not be the best live band in the world. In fact, you could say that Travis Barker is the only actual musician in the band. But damn, if it wasn't a fun show. Clearly having a blast playing, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus drunkenly traded fart jokes throughout the show. The show was all about having a good time. And it didn't hurt to have some of the best pop songs of the past decade, too.
Don't let Deerhunter's studio albums fool you, they know how to rock out. The show was more shoegaze-metal than dreamy, ambient, indie pop. They often switched between trippy soundscapes and banging the hell out of their instruments. The show made me a huge fan and was definitely one of the unexpected highlights of Bonnaroo.
Who knew white guys from Sweden could be so good at rapping. The Movits mix of swing, jazz and hip-hop was not only unique, but made for the most exciting show at Lotus Festival this year. Going to Bonnaroo must have boosted my crowd navigating skills, because I managed to get a front row spot and high-five every member of the band during the show. A band from Sweden probably didn't know what to expect from a small town in Indiana and seemed extremely grateful to have such an overwhelming crowd response, and that just made the show even more fun.
Arcade Fire was another band that I saw twice this year. The first show at Pepsi Colosseum was incredible, and they even featured members of the National, who opened for them, in a few of their songs. But the show that took the cake was by far at Bonnaroo, where I got a third row spot for the biggest show at the festival. The magic of the show was that everyone in the crowd knew every word to every song and sang them at the top of their lungs.
I've been waiting since the greatest metal band on earth since Blood Mountain came out in 2006, and I'd been kicking myself ever since I had to miss them on their Crack the Skye tour. But my time finally came when they played at the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis last month, and it was better than I could've imagined. These guys are in their peak live form. I was particularly impressed with Troy's bass playing and his lion-like roar. I was lucky enough to get a second row view right in front of Brent, where I witnessed his increasingly virtuosic guitar playing. The show spanned their whole career, playing at least 3 or 4 songs from every album.
Best Dance Band: Toro y Moi (The Bishop)
Best Hip Hop: Odd Future (Pitchfork)
Best Classic Rock Reunion: Buffalo Springfield (Bonnaroo)
Show I should have seen: Bon Iver (Murat)
I could go on to list all the other bands I saw this year, but I won't brag. Instead, stick around for my top songs and albums of the year!
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