Top 10 Shows of 2008 – #10 to #6

Tweet

Well the year is coming to a close and there really aren’t any shows between now and the end of the year here in Dallas so I don’t think anything can really change in the next few weeks outside of what I saw earlier in the year so I thought I would go ahead and start bringing you my picks for my own top 10 shows this year. Most of the year was spent in Chicago where good shows happen twice a week minimum so the majority of shows in contention here are from the big Windy, with only a couple Dallas shows making noise here. I was originally going to do a top 5, but when I went through and wrote down all the shows I thought could be in contention for a top 5 I had a list of 25 shows written down so I decided to expand. I managed to hit 2 festivals this year, Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, as well as a ton of shows elsewhere throughout the year. My one regret was that I had a ticket to the Sigur Ros show back in Chicago but had already moved so I wasn’t able to go, wish I really could have seen that one because it sounded awesome. Anyway, let’s revisit the good ole days of 2008 and hope we can keep it going in 2009.

10. Blitzen Trapper/Fleet Foxes – Schuba’s – 4/6/08

This was one of those shows I went into not really knowing what to expect, maybe some chilled out folky rock, but instead ended up with my face melted, as seems to happen oh so often for me up in the Windy. Fleet Foxes I had heard their EP and they came on and put on just a brilliant chilled out performance of the songs with their soft, sincere sound that works perfectly in a place like Schuba’s. They were awesome, and not knowing a ton about Blitzen Trapper, I thought they might have trouble following them, but instead they tore it up. Blitzen Trapper turned me from knowing and liking them into a full fledged fan with this set as they blazed through most of Wild Mountain Nation with an absolutely awesome stage show. I was incredibly impressed by how much they rocked out, but also how well they played slower more acoustic numbers against blistering solos. They are a great live band. With both of the bands sitting on this bill, this was a show I am 100% glad that Schuba’s released more tickets so I was able to go, because it was awesome.

9. Justice – Riviera – 3/20/08

While this show certainly differs from the rest of the list in terms of the lack of a “band” feel for the show, the sheer energy of the crowd and size of the venue combined to make this a memorable show back in March. I was a big fan of their latest album Cross and they pretty much hit all the high points from the album and literally everyone in the Riviera (which is a pretty big place) was going absolutely ape-shit for the entire show. For the most part they follow the tracks in structure but then they add in quite a few things into the live show to mix it up and make it different. This was just one of those shows where everyone came to 100% party and Justice did not allow anyone in the audience to not party.

8. Cut Copy – Abbey Pub – 5/7/08

They had just released In Ghost Colours and headed to Abbey Pub with the very buzzed about Black Kids as opening support. Black Kids didn’t necessarily blow anyone away with their end of the performance, but it didn’t matter as Cut Copy really brought frenzied dancing and jumping in a very stuffy/sweaty Abbey for a nice long set. Of all the 80s revival kinds of acts out there nowadays I think these guys are my favorite live, although M83 is pretty damn solid as well. They really get a great crowd reaction, and even if the crowd wants to act like they aren’t into it at the beginning, it won’t last and these guys will make sure everyone is bouncing by the time “Hearts on Fire” blows up. At this particular show you could feel the floor of the Abbey bouncing up and down as everyone was jumping at the really intense parts. They put on a great show.

7. Bon Iver – Lakeshore Theater – 4/10/08

One of my favorite records this year is easily Bon Iver’s folksy masterpiece For Emma, Forever Ago. Now that it is (sort of) winter time again I have busted it out quite a few times and it still never gets old to me. It has such a genuine heartfelt quality, and that really showed at his first post-release show in Chicago at the good ole Lakeshore Theater up on N. Broadway. He brought some fellow musicians along and played most of the songs on the record as a 3 piece, though sometimes it was just him (Justin Vernon). During the quieter parts you could hear a pin drop, and my camera starting up sounded like a jackhammer when I tried to open it. Perfect atmosphere for him to play these songs, and they sounded even better live than on the album. The crowd participation on “The Wolves” was great, and greats like “Blindsided” and “Lump Sum” really shined. Awesome performance. I was sorry I missed him at Pitchfork (same goes for Cut Copy above), but I can’t ever turn down J Mascis, sorry.

6. Man Man/Yeasayer – Logan Square Auditorium – 4/16/08

Another Logan Square entry here, man, what a show this was. The frenetic craziness of the band was only matched by the audience and everyone was pretty much going apeshit crazy for 2 hours. A truly unreal scene. Yeasayer opened for them and were truly awesome, but if it possible to overshadow Yeasayer these guys did it. This was my first experience seeing Man Man and it was pretty much mindblowing. Kind of like Cut Copy, you really have to go to one of their shows looking to party as much as possible, because everyone else will be doing exactly that. Lots of interesting outfits in the crowd, and insane stage antics from the whole band combined with some really great songs led to a memorable night. The addition of Yeasayer really made this one for the ages.

Stay tuned for #5 to #1 coming soon…..

Justice – D.A.N.C.E. – From Cross
Bon Iver – Flume – From For Emma, Forever Ago
Man Man – Easy Eats Or Dirty Doctor Galapagos – From Rabbit Habits