Last year was a killer year for some really epic big name shows and while this year did include my first foray to Austin for SXSW, we didn’t have the big name Radiohead shows this year, and I was living in Dallas instead of concert-rich Chicago, but we still hit our fair share of great shows this year and here are my favorites from this year.

10. No Age – Red 7 – 3/19/09
This is my favorite concert picture that I took all year, the image of Randy Randall surfing on his back while shredding on the guitar just summed up SXSW perfectly for me, and it was one of those sublime moments where everything was just awesome. They absolutely killed it on stage, and actually made me not really mind that I was missing The Hold Steady on the outside stage, which is a feat to say the least. Awesome set, just explosive and noisy as possible, and so rock and roll.

9. Dinosaur Jr. – Mohawk – 3/19/09
It was the best Dinosaur setlist I had seen with the reunited lineup, even better than their next night at Cedar St. Courtyard, and once you had the addition of Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene joining the legendary J Mascis on stage for “The Wagon”, it just took it to another level. Pure SXSW greatness. Honorable mention to the Friday night set at Cedar St. Courtyard as well, which was very similar, but I think the energy was a little better at Mohawk, a little crazier. Although I will say one of my other favorite things of the year was how you can see backstage at Cedar St. and you could look up and see Peter Moren of Peter, Bjorn and John just mesmerized by J Mascis during that last set. Both were awesome shows.

8. Cut Copy/Matt & Kim – Granada – 3/7/09
Cut Copy had twice before proven to me that they could rock mine and many collective faces off with their awesome live show, so I knew I was already primed for greatness there, but this was also my first time to see live the great Matt & Kim. Needless to say Matt & Kim absolutely killed it, and if they were followed by anyone but Cut Copy they probably would have stolen the show, but Cut Copy once again proved they have got this shit down ice cold and blew it out. Two insanely great live bands on the same bill, tough to beat.

7. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Emo’s – 3/20/09
I didn’t know too much about these guys going into this afternoon free showcase at SXSW, but they totally blew me away with this live set. They played like a million sets around Austin during SXSW but this was the one I caught and they killed it. In this hot tiny room in Emo’s they just put their indie-power-rock on full blast and ran through it. Great sound, great energy, and they were just clicking on all cylinders here.

6. Dirty Projectors – Emo’s – 3/20/09
Oddly enough, this set was pretty much right after the one above, and this was my first time seeing the Dirty Projectors before. Didn’t really know a ton about them going into this, but they blew my mind and really had such an incredible chemistry and sonic complexity that you really are transfixed on what is going on on the stage. This was just a springboard to my pretty much becoming a huge fan of these guys, and awarding them with my nod for the top album of the year for Bitte Orca. An awesome set, and you just couldn’t help but be blown away by how damn good they were on this afternoon.

5. David Byrne – Majestic Theater – 6/14/09
This was a truly awesome show, and I think if I were a bigger Talking Heads fan this would probably be #1, but not being super familiar with all of their back catalog (or his) did not really detract from the show at all and he was awesome. The crowd was incredibly into it, he put on an expert performance in every sense of the word, and he just played it out the way you love to see people do it. And to see someone as talented and legendary as David Byrne get up there and give it his all and really tear it up was a sight to behold. The guy is a master, and this show was greatness.

4. Grizzly Bear – Granada – 6/15/09
Saw Grizzly Bear twice this year, and both times were pretty amazing. Their set at SXSW had the benefit of featuring Victoria from Beach House doing a guest spot after playing just before, but I personally felt they were more impressive and electric in their headliner set at the Granada when they returned in June. The energy on stage was incredible and they really made the songs from their latest Veckatimest come to life and fired them up extremely well for the live setting. This was just a band on top of it at the right time and this was an excellent show.

3. St. Vincent – Granada – 6/18/09
Annie Clark returned to Dallas in late June in support of her excellent album Actor and really took over the stage of the Granada like few have done before. She played with passion and emotion and really had the crowd in the palm of her hand from the first chord. She had that rare air of confidence and stage swagger but also of emotional attachment to the music that really makes a show come to life. This was an incredible set by her.

2. Franz Ferdinand – House of Blues – 4/24/09
In support of LP3 – Tonight – Franz Ferdinand played the House of Blues here in late April. I had not ever seen them live before, and kind of wondered if they were a band that could live up to the limitless levels of hype a band like Franz Ferdinand has based on their success with their first two records. They did not disappoint – at all. They were really amazing, and despite Nick (the 2nd guitarist) being on crutches for the whole show, it still turned into an awesome dance party with the band blazing through all of their new songs and hits with an energy that was really impressive. They put it all out there on the stage and had no sense of mailing it in, they totally killed it. A great way to see a band for the first time, especially one we’ve heard so much of.

1. Andrew Bird – Granada – 3/22/09
This was a concert by all rights I shouldn’t have even tried to go to. It was on Sunday night the weekend that SXSW ended, so after standing on my feet for 3 days in Austin I drove back to Dallas to stand on my feet for Andrew Bird. Exhausted, I internally debated whether I should even be there, but I went and man I am so glad that I did. We had missed seeing him in his brief appearances at SXSW, and his album was one of my favorites of the year so I really wanted to see him live, and he did not disappoint. The stage presence was remarkable, and every song seemed to be like a journey for him, and the way he brought the songs both new and old to life he had me hanging on every word, every little violin twinge, everything was so spot on and perfect. The band was in great form, and he led them expertly when they were out there, but there were also those priceless Andrew Bird solo moments on stage with just him whistling and picking away. The guy is an unbelievably incredible performer and he really blew me away a hundred times over with this one. A show of a quality that you rarely see, and I still contend that this was probably the best show I’ve ever seen at the Granada.

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