1. LCD Soundsystem @ Lollapalooza, Chicago 8/3/07
With the Chicago skyline in the background and Daft Punk setting up roughly 300 yards away, the crowd was primed to dance. And dance we did. An electrifying set in the perfect setting. Images and recap.
2. Jarvis Cocker @ Webster Hall 4/23/07
Nothing is more gratifying (and rare) than seeing a genuinely urbane performer. Jarvis's wit was exceeded only by his remarkable singing (and bizarre hand gestures). The cover of Springsteen's "State Trooper" wasn't bad either. Images and recap.
3. Deerhunter @ Mercury Lounge 4/26/07 (video); Bowery Ballroom 7/11/07 (images and commentary); Bowery Ballroom 10/17/07
I can barely differentiate between these shows, so what's the point? Pretty sure Bradford Cox only wore a dress at the first two shows, and only used fake blood at the first one. He also talked to the crowd for 20 minutes (until they turned off his mic) at the second one. It doesn't matter. An absolutely brilliant live band in any case. Check out Kim's recap of the October show HERE.
4. Interpol @ Bowery Ballroom 6/5/07
One of those tiny kick-off-the-tour hometown shows that're always the worst-kept secrets on Earth. Anyway, Kim somehow got tickets and off we went to feel all cool and special. Interpol are clearly suited to smaller venues, so this was a real treat. Images
5. Ted Leo + The Pharmacists; Polyphonic Spree; Matt & Kim; Spoon; Interpol; White Rabbits; 1900s; Iggy & The Stooges; and TV on the Radio @ Lollapalooza, Chicago 8/3/07–8/5/07
Attempting to integrate the rest of this year's great Lollapalooza acts into the list as a whole... well it just seemed like a lot of work. And this [cheat] solution allowed me to have my listy cake and, uh... write it too? Anyway, we had one of the best times of our lives. And I proved that you can still enjoy music festivals in your thirties. Images and recap here and here.
6. LCD Soundsystem @ Bowery Ballroom 3/30/07
See #1 above. Favorite live band on the planet.
7. Amy Winehouse/The Pipettes @ Bowery Ballroom 3/13/07
As a devout Pipettes fan, my main question going in was, "Who in hell is Amy Winehouse and why isn't she opening for them??" This question was answered quickly and definitively. The pre-meltdown Amy Winehouse in a small club was truly something to behold. Images and recap
8. Daft Punk @ Keyspan Park, Coney Island 8/9/07
As this was my third time seeing them in "the pyramid of light," the novelty had worn off slightly. Still, you cannot deny the sheer power of this show. And "show" really applies, as this has as much to do with spectacle as it does with music.
9. Morrissey @ Hammerstein Ballroom & Film School @ Mercury Lounge 10/23/07
What a night. Tye took me to see the Mozzer for the first time in over a decade (and the first since he started doing Smiths songs), and the man did not disappoint. "Death of a Disco Dancer" was a complete show-stopper. Then we hopped a cab down to Mercury Lounge, grabbing a beer just as Film School started their first song in a blistering set of top-notch shoegazery.
10. Sonic Youth @ Webster Hall 2/16/07
Amazingly, this was my first time seeing Sonic Youth live. In a way it was fitting, as Rather Ripped is my favorite album of theirs in over a decade. Suffice it to say they are in every way deserving of their reputation as world-class mindblowers. Video
11. Band of Horses @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn 7/22/07
Their cover of Ron Wood's "Try Together" alone was worth the price of admission. I mean, it was free, but... well you know what I mean. Images and commentary
12. Grizzly Bear @ Bowery Ballroom 3/6/07
Gotta admit I'm lukewarm on their recorded output, but this show knocked me for a loop. The vocal harmonies seemed to good to be true, and (apparently unlike the rest of the blogosphere) I was utterly charmed by their cover of "He Hit Me (It Felt like a Kiss)."
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Webster Hall 8/7/07
The fabled Karen O of old returned for the final-night-of-the-tour homecoming show. A scorching set of hits, oldies, and EP cuts had the decidedly young-skewing crowd testing the stress capacity of Webster Hall's dancefloor.
14. Fields @ Mercury Lounge 5/19/07
A total surprise. I liked the album quite a bit, but we were all totally unprepared for their rampant enthusiasm and guitar virtuosity.
15. Bat for Lashes @ Bowery Ballroom 9/25/07
Although I was told repeatedly how much I was going to hate this show, Natasha Khan's haunting vocals won me over completely. As for the Stevie Nicks-meets-Red Sonja vibe? Well, I also enjoy giggling.
16. The Thermals/Ted Leo + The Pharmacists @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn 8/12/07
It's hard to separate the performances from the setting and the dodgeball tournament, so why even try? Despite Ted's ultra-solid set, The Thermals stole the show.
17. Arcade Fire @ Radio City Music Hall 5/9/07
Although very nearly ruined by the drunken band of Upper West Side douchebags in front of us (good lord do I hate assigned seating), the latter half of the show redeemed thee entire experience. Once the band demanded that the crowd rush the aisles, the experience shifted from torturous to transcendent.
18. Blonde Redhead @ Webster Hall 5/8/07
Interestingly, their spooky/ethereal vibe, which worked so well in this context, has bored me to tears at subsequent outdoor shows.
19. Art Brut @ Bowery Ballroom 4/17/07
Eddie Argos could stand on stage and read the phone book and still make this list.
20. Black Lips @ Siren Festival, Coney Island 7/21/07
Despite our collective boredom and borderline agoraphobia due to massive crowds, the Black Lips were a total revelation. They're just a crazy as one would expect. Images and commentary
...and the Biggest Disappointments
The Shins/Viva Voce @ The Theater at Madison Square Garden 3/14/07
Viva Voce did their very best, but they simply couldn't compete with the cavernous space. The Shins, who have never had much of a reputation as a live band anyway, didn't bother trying. One of those bands who stand still and sound exactly like their studio recordings. Meh.
The Black Angels @ Mercury Lounge 4/7/07
After an amazing set at the Knitting Factory two years ago set the bar at roughly forehead height, these guys have subsequently failed to impress. This time around, it seems likely that the sound guy was on quaaludes.
The Jesus and Mary Chain @ Webster Hall 5/22/07
We could barely hear a thing. Let me say that again: At a JaMC show, we could barely hear a thing! That's supposed to be your complaint as you're leaving their shows, not as you stand 20 feet from the stage. One of the loudest, most tinnitus-inducing bands of all time...neutered. It was like someone's mom made them to turn down all the amps.
The White Stripes @ Madison Square Garden 7/24/07
This show was probably amazing for the folks in the first five rows. For the other 18,000 people in attendance...not so much. Images and commentary
Interpol/Cat Power @ Madison Square Garden 9/14/07
This just in: unless you're U2 or Bruce Springsteen, the Garden sucks. Cat Power? Not ideal for this setting. At least we had a good time laughing at poor Interpol, who were beset by Spinal Tap-style technical difficulties. "We're gonna take a short break while they figure out how to lower this giant curtain." Classic.
No comments:
Post a Comment