Top Live Shows of 2009
[graphic by Copycat]
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[Mayhem by Chris DeLine]
[list by Chris DeLine]
#1) Mayhem @ Station 4 (live performance)
By the time of the St. Paul date, Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation and Withered had all pulled out of the tour due to backstage (thought to be financial) issues, and a delay in the visa process had prevented Marduk from performing at any of the Blackened Fest dates. Mayhem & Station 4 offered up refunds to those who weren’t down with seeing the band on its 25th Anniversary Tour, but those who stayed were treated to one of the sickest metal shows of the year. And although I still think the band sucks, Anal Blast’s opening performance would prove to be one of Don Decker‘s last.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#2) Peelander-Z, Birthday Suits, Awesome Snakes & Fuck Knights @ Turf Club (live performance review)
Not only did this night stand out as the first time I saw one of my local favorites, Fuck Knights, but it was the first (and thus far only) experience I’ve had with Peelander-Z. Wow. Just wow.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#3) Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ First Avenue (live performance review)
Though visually stunning and musically sharp, the night’s performance was ultimately dominated by Karen O; she is the sun to which eyes have no choice but to gravitate toward.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#4) Moby @ Fine Line Music Cafe (live performance review)
While I’ve been a fan of Moby’s since my unfortunate Dance Mix phase as a youth, I hadn’t ever seen him live before. Toting an overwhelmingly powerful backup band, the Little Idiot took the packed house on a sentimental voyage through his entire catalog: from “Go” to “Honey” (which on this night was blended with a rendition of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”) to music from his most recent release Wait For Me. It was beautiful.
Purchase | Official | Twitter | MySpace | Wikipedia
#5) Sonic Youth @ First Avenue (live performance review)
The light show alone was enough to cause trauma, but it ended up being the music that left a lasting impression. Shying away from older material for the most of the set, the band played all but one song from its most recent release (2009′s The Eternal) and offered a vibrancy that puts younger bands to shame.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
[Antony and the Johnsons by Erik Thompson]
[list by Erik Thompson]
#1) Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theatre (live performance review)
As emotionally vulnerable and affecting as a live show can be, Antony and his stellar band delivered a captivating set of gorgeous material that was completely at odds with the saccharine, artificial nature of the holiday on which the concert fell. An elegant, beguiling performance by a truly singular artist.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#2) Phoenix @ Varsity Theater (live performance review)
By far the hottest show of the year, both figuratively and literally, the stifling theater was set alight by the on-fire French band performing material from one of the years strongest records, as well as their stellar back catalog. Opening with “Lisztomania” and closing with “1901″—how could this show be anything but brilliant?
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#3) Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ First Avenue (live performance review)
Karen O coming out in a neon mask certainly got the attention of the audience, but the band’s gripping, high energy show truly is what captivated the crowd. The YYY’s tore through a set that featured a solid blend of material both new and old, performing with a level of enthusiasm that few, if any, bands can match.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#4) The Kills & the Horrors @ First Avenue (live performance review)
A stellar double bill that featured both bands at the top of their game, delivering inspired, riveting sets that were heavy on both substance and style. There was plenty of mood to all of the music performed throughout the night, with more than enough moxie from the bands to match the spirit of their songs.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
#5) Mastodon, Kylesa & Intronaut @ Fine Line Music Cafe (live performance review) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– [list by Josh Keller] #1) George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic @ First Avenue (live performance review) #2) King Khan and the Shrines @ Triple Rock Social Club (live performance review) #3) Sufjan Stevens @ 400 Bar (live performance review) #4) Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy @ McGuire Theater (live performance review) #5) Black Lips & Vampire Hands @ Turf Club (live performance review | video coverage) Honorable mentions: Phoenix @ Varsity Theater, The Levon Helm Band @ Fitzgerald Theatre, Dr. Dog & the Cave Singers @ 400 Bar, Fucked Up @ Triple Rock Social Club & the Tallest Man on Earth @ Turf Club. ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– [list by Jon Behm] #1) Peelander-Z @ Turf Club (live performance review I | live performance review II) #2) Yeah Yeah Yeah’s @ First Ave (live performance review) #3) Phoenix @ Varsity Theater (live performance review) #4) King Khan and the Shrines @ Triple Rock Social Club (live performance review) #5) Grizzly Bear @ Cedar Cultural Center (live performance review) Honorable mention: Lily Allen @ First Avenue (live performance review) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Strong, innovative metal rattled the walls of the tiny venue all night as Mastodon delivered a sprawling, audio/visual performance of Crack The Skye in its entirety, as well as a second set filled with their blistering older material. Both opening bands gave glimpses as to what the future of metal has in store, but Mastodon are the true kings of the genre, and proved so on this night.
Purchase | Official | Twitter | MySpace | Wikipedia
[King Khan and the Shrines by Jon Behm]
Over the Hill? Yes. A walking, rambling anti-drug ad? For sure. Even so, the godfather of funk was backed by his ever evolving P-Funk All-Stars put on a long, funky show that was more of a tribute to his previous greatness than a testament to his current live ability, but it was still a damn good time.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
Worn out from drinking and catching too many shows (including the amazing tent shaking set from Skoal Kodiak behind the 331) at Art-a-Whirl that day, I was afraid I would be too worn out to enjoy a band I had been waiting to see for a long time. I was wrong. Everything that everyone has said about how awesome King Khan and the Shrines are live is right. The craziest, most exuberant garage rock under the sun. Plus a cheerleader.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
Stevens’ first performance in the cities in a few years ended up being an amazing show played to a packed to the gills 400 Bar. The old stuff still sounded beautiful (especially my all time favorite “Jacksonville”) and the new, epic prog rock songs were weirdly fascinating. It was one of those shows where I genuinely felt like I was seeing something special.
Purchase | Official | Twitter | MySpace | Wikipedia
Will Oldham and the gang were performing their second show of the night and didn’t hit the stage until after midnight, but they ended up playing one of the most engaging and emotionally poignant shows I saw all year. My respect and adoration for Oldham grew significantly after finally seeing him live, which is impressive since I was already a huge fan.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
After seeing the Black Lips at the 7th Street Entry last year, I was worried the less scuzzy confines of the Turf would not be as good a home for the band, but I was wrong. The band played their usual high energy, frenzied show, highlighting the great songs off their 2009 album 200 Million Thousand. Opening the show were local greats Vampire Hands before their latest lineup, and they were firing on all cylinders, making us local music fans proud to see one of our own standing toe to toe with one of the most entertaining live bands around.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
[Peelander-Z by Adam Bubolz]
This Japanese punk trio played the Turf twice this year, and each time they absolutely blew my mind. Bar-top jump-roping, human bowling, sea monsters with guitars—it’s all part of the greatest show on earth.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
I actually had low expectations for this show, but Karen O and company ended up pretty much melting my face off. My favorite pseudo-sexual rock move of the year was O trying to eat her microphone.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
Another case of low expectations utterly destroyed. I don’t really like Phoenix all that much, but man, do they know how to rock a house.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
The voodoo rock king and his German gang once again rocked my world. These guys are consistently one of the best live acts around.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
It was sickeningly hot in the Cedar that night but for me, but GB has never sounded better (and I saw them three times this year). By contrast the band’s later First Ave set was a huge letdown.
Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia
I just wanted to mention this too since I still really can’t believe it. I always thought Allen was kind of a flash in the pan diva, but it turns out that she can really kill on stage.
You guys snuck in honorable mentions?! Bastards. It was tough to leave the Sunny Day Real Estate show at First Ave off my list, as well as Moby and Tricky at the Fine Line, Dan Auerbach at First Ave, Black Lips at the Turf, and the National’s set at Pitchfork. Just a great year for live music around the Twin Cities-we’re truly lucky to have so many great live music venues here.
I should have written up one of these, I realize I only went to one of the mentioned shows here.
My favorite show of the year was The Jesus Lizard in Chicago in November.