Best of 2008 – Live Music « Long Live the Album

Best of 2008 – Live Music

There are few (if any) things better than amazing live music. Now I’m not gonna go out and say these are the best live bands of the year, because I know how much certain bands can vary from night to night (although it’s probably likely if they’re on the list they’re consistently solid). I’ll just say these are the 10 best sets I saw performed this year. A lot were confined to the Sasquatch! festival this year, but I’m okay with that. Anyway enjoy…

Top 10 Sets

1. The Flaming Lips – Sasquatch! (The Gorge)

Look, I was a doubter of The Flaming Lips heading into Sasquatch Festival. I never understood what all the fuss was about. I didn’t get it. Then, I saw them live. Holy Jesus Christ and Mary Chain. It was surreal. There is just this euphoric sense of joy that their live show gives off.

The scene was surreal. From the band decending from a UFO to the people in Teletubby costumes to the naked people to the Wayne Coyne’s hallowed hamster ball, it was all part of a brilliantly insane party. Oh yeah, and the music was great too. Songs like “Yoshi vs The Robots” and “Do You Realize” just seem like epic

Immediately after their set was done it began to rain, as if the clouds had waited to release the drops not wanting to spoil their set. As I joyously ran around the hills of The Gorge, dancing with a Cherise cat grin on my face, I knew that I finally “got” The Flaming Lips.

2. The Hives – Sasquatch!

The Hives had been #1 on my “Bands I Need To See Live” since the release of Vini Vidi Vicious. They didn’t disappoint one bit. The Hives are custom made for huge festivals like Sasquatch!. Lead singer “Howlin’” Pelle Almqvist knows how to work the whole stage and sea of listeners with his frenetic energy. Meanwhile the rest of the band provides buzzing hooks and pulsing beats for him to parade around. The band rattled through 18 or so songs of garage rock brilliance in about 40 minutes, and when it was all over you could hear exclamations of praise from all corners of the crowd. That’s the way to live up to expectations.

3. Against Me! – Warped Tour (Denver, CO)

Tom Gabel and company know how to bring it, even in the less than brilliant atmosphere of this year’s Warped Tour. With their usual blistering pace the band played mostly tracks off of New Wave, but luckily still threw in a couple from their old cannon including “Walking Is Still Honest” and “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong.” No one does live punk better. No one.

4. David Bazan – The Empyrean (Spokane, WA)

A good concert doesn’t need to be loud. All David Bazan needed was an acoustic guitar and a mic to totally wow a packed audience at a Rock the Vote show earlier this Fall. Their was a very laid back communal sense among the crowd. Many audience members sat cross legged in front of the stage almost as if Bazan was a campfire performer. His emotionally wrenching voice and precise guitar playing shown on tracks off of his solo record Fewer Moving Parts as well as old favorites from his Pedro the Lion days. Bazan’s exquisite talent provided the warmth and light needed for all the campers in front.

5. Beirut – Sasquatch!

There is something so eloquent about Zach Condon and his music. Amongst the slew of big acts and the often over-thought sound of the indies of Sasquatch!, Beirut seemed understated, calm, and gorgeous. They were the classiest girl at the ball, the one you want to take home to mom. With organic sounding horns and Condon’s cool croon, the band was able to relax and enthrall the festival crowd. With a sound that truly stood out executed to a T, it would be shocking to think that anyone who watched wouldn’t become an instant fan. Beirut’s simple charm that brought similes to many a face that warm afternoon.

6. Weezer – Key Arena (Seattle, WA)

I’m a sucker for River Cuomo and company, especially when they play older material. Luckily, they did just that. While the band did play a lot of material off of the underwhelming Red Album, they played seemingly just as much from the classics Blue Album and Pinkerton. It was also interesting that the band split up singing duties, with every member singing lead on at least a couple tunes. While this may seem strange, it actually worked quite well. But when Cuomo took centerstage and sang on tracks like “Pink Triangle” and “Buddy Holly” the band really shined. While the band may be past it’s prime in the studio, they’ve still got it on the road.

7. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Sasquatch!

I stumbled upon this set after seeing Death Cab for Cutie’s set was over. I realized that although both bands started around the same time, there was a chance that Stephen and crew might still be playing up on the top of the hill. To my delight they were, and they actually continued to play for over an hour.

It’s hard to describe, but Stephen Malkmus just oozes cool. With blues riffs and a sharp tongue he floats over the songs, seeming to care only enough to make them still matter. Meanwhile, his band The Jicks lay down a bed of sonic fuzz for Malkmus to skate over. A breeze. It’s all a breeze for these guys.

8. Tegan & Sara – Sasquatch!

Tegan and Sara’s pop chops are well honed and it shows. Something else that shows, they have a ton of fun on stage. While they do occasionally false start on a song, their interaction with the crowd and banter is often adorably light and keeps a good mood for the audience. In a set caulk full of great songs from So Jealous and The Con, the girls managed to spur dancing, sing-alongs, and all the other necessities for a great folk-pop experience.

The girls’ set also provided one of my best concert going stories, when I managed get, for all intents and purposes, sexually assaulted in the pit by a girl who was hammered off her ass. I won’t go into detail, but it was nothing horrific, more funny. While it was memorable, the tunes were better. And hey, when the music can top an really amusing story, then you know the group is great.

9. The Hold Steady – The Railyard (Billings, MT)

Sometimes life is nice, like when MySpace bring The Hold Steady to your hometown for a free show in a small bar. Needless to say, the band often dubbed “America’s Best Bar Band” held up their end of the bargain. Lead man Craig Finn sweated, fidgeted, and spat through a raucous set that the booze drenched patrons ate up like bar nuts. Finn hung on his every spoke-sang word just as much as the crowd did, and with every syllable he became further entrenched in the show. There might be a few more vocally gripping front men, but few are more likely to physically reach out and shake you. And that; is a compliment.

10. Straylight Run – The Service Station (Spokane, WA)

John Nolan is just a great front man. His passion shown through during the set. This was also back when Nolan’s sister, Michelle DaRosa, was still in the band, providing lush backup vocals that helped add a softness to contrast his impassioned yelps. The whole band seemed in balance and flowed with one another. Everything about their set just seemed so…so…nice. And couldn’t music use a little more niceness every now and then?

Honorable Mention: Blue Scholars, 3OH!3, Death Cab For Cutie

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#1 – The Flaming Lips