Another sterling year for live music, and one that takes my gig total to four shy of a thousand. Maybe I should find a new hobby. I saw quite a few acts in 2014 that in previous years would have doubtlessly made my Top 50, but weren't quite amazing enough to match this year's exceptionally high standard. So sorry, Haiku Salut, Hidden Cameras, Moonface, Chilly Gonzales, Tamikrest, Martha Wainwright, My Brightest Diamond, Daniel Rossen, Ramona Lewis, Peter Broderick, Tall Tall Trees, Flamingods, !!! and Tyondai Braxton. Maybe next time.
50. MIILA AND THE GEEKS- Tokyo Batica
Frankly, any event where cheesecake is a purchasable commodity is guaranteed to get me on side, but my first ever gig on Asian show also introduced me to the offbeat brilliance of this Tokyo trio, who match scuzzy post-punk with squalling saxophone and three Godzillas worth of energy.
49. PRINCE- London Electric Ballroom
The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, in a 800-capacity venue, for ten English pounds? Don't get me wrong, it was an excellent set from a supernaturally charismatic and talented motherfunker, but the fact he kept all his best material for the Johnny-come-latelys at the later performance did kinda screw over all of us who spent eight hours queuing in the pissing rain for the first one.
48. MUTUAL BENEFIT- London St. John on Bethnal Green Church
The clientele of this show may have been a bit "International Sad Man Conference 2014," but this gorgeous, subtle performance, somewhere between Radical Face and Stars of the Lid was one of this year's low-key highlights.
47. BOOKER T. JONES- Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
A lot of people take the piss out of Latitude - and rightly so- but these days I'd frankly much rather watch an effortlessly charming Stax legend perform the likes of "Green Onions" or "Soul Limbo" (A.K.A the BBC cricket song) than sit through yet another band who wants to be Pavement.
46. KATE BUSH- London Hammersmith Apollo
A creatively stunning, brilliantly batshit but rather overlong piece of musical theatre from one of Britain's most endearing and eccentric performers.
45. THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS- London Shepherd's Bush Empire
A show wherein the New Pornographers competently rattled through their enviable catalogue of top-drawer power-pop - as they always do - but with the welcome addition of Dan Bejar looking vaguely nonplussed throughout.
44. BESNARD LAKES- London Lexington
Don't let the fact the lead singer looks like Jimmy Savile put you off - few bands do Fleetwood Mac-inspired shoegaze better than these hard-working Québécois.
43. JULIA HOLTER- Latitude Festival, Henham Park
Julia Holter's shows at the Barcelona Auditori and London Barbican were too clinical and prissy for my tastes, but her Latitude performance, late at night in a secluded woodland clearing lit only by fairy lights, really did sound like something from another world.
42. MOGWAI- London Royal Festival Hall
Mogwai may fear Satan (and my God, that song almost pulverised my already-frazzled eardrums into sub-atomic oblivion), but they should be more concerned about the exceptionally small bladders prevalent amongst their fanbase. DRINK LESS REAL ALE, PEOPLE.
41. LAIBACH- London Village Underground
Three and a half decades haven't blunted the Slovenian industrial band's taste for controversy (the visuals for their first three songs incorporated graphic fellatio, wartime imagery and space Nazis- rather like a Richard Littlejohn wet dream), but underneath the faux-fascistic bluster, they're a bunch of bleeding heart lefties who now sound more like latter-day The Knife than Rammstein.
40. YAMANTAKA//SONIC TITAN- Primavera Festival, Parc del Forum, Barcelona
I personally suspect YT//ST's impressive mixture of Japanese traditional influences and balls-to-the-wall hard rock riffage was merely a pretext to summon Ramuh, eldritch God of Thunder, as seconds after they left the stage, the heavens opened and Barcelona was subjected to the most Biblical deluge I've endured since Glasto 2007.
39. WILDBIRDS AND PEACEDRUMS- London Village Underground
As per Swedish constitutional law, Wildbirds and Peacedrums have taken a swerve into darker, R&B tinged electro-pop, which on the whole seems like a sensible move. But as beautifully bleak as their reworking of "My Heart" was, I couldn't help missing the steel drums and zithers of old.
38. FUTURE ISLANDS- Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
*gyrates in the fashion of a constipated crab*
37. KISHI BASHI- London Bush Hall
Can't help but feel Kishi Bashi's full-band shows aren't quite as magical as his more spontaneous solo performances (less looping, less beat-boxing, less unadulterated filth), but by God, does he carry off a good cover of "Live Or Let Die."
36. CHARLES BRADLEY- London Shepherd's Bush Empire
Charles Bradley: a once-homeless sexagenerian reborn as an soul man with the voice of James Brown and the moves of a drunken uncle. One of the most raw and passionate performers you ever will see.
35. THE FLAMING LIPS- RiotFest Festival, Humbolt Park, Chicago
Sure, it's as style over substance as ever, and yeah, Wayne Coyne has now reached apocalyptic levels of messianic self-regard, but let's face it: for sheer, unrestrained, joyous spectacle few things can match a Flaming Lips gig.
34. VIOLENT FEMMES- London Troxy
Some older bands, when reuniting to play material from their long-distant youth, expend the least amount of effort possible in doing so (ain't that right, Frank Black?) Violent Femmes, on the other hand looked like they were having the time of their lives, and ensured we did as well.
33. TONY ALLEN- London Village Underground
Progenitor of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti/Damon Albarn collaborator and all-round cool dude brings some genuine class-A Nigerian funk to East London. One can only dream of being so bad-ass at the age of 74.
32. tUnE-YaRdS- London Village Underground
Nothing will ever top the Cargo show a few years back, but I'm never going to turn down the opportunity to see the marvellous Merrill Garbus bringing her hyperactive musical vision to life.
31. CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH- London Electric Ballroom
It's a shame the indie-rockers are considered also-rans these days, because they're an infinitely more enjoyable live act now than they ever were at their peak. In 2005 Alec Ounsworth had all the stage presence of a dead Tory accountant; now he's relaxed, charming and blessed with one of the most lively backing bands I've seen all year. Songs are alright too, I guess.
30. SINKANE- London Oslo
If Yeasayer ditched the Animal Collective influences for Fela Kuti, they might be as catastrophically funky as Ahmed Gallab and his band. Bonus points for the William Onyeabor cover at the end.
29. FANG ISLAND- London Birthdays
What I learnt from this gig is i) you can never have enough riffs and ii) you can't really accommodate three simultaneous crowdsurfers in a 200-capacity venue.
28. COLIN STETSON- London St John on Bethnal Green Church
How does Colin Stetson produce such an array of weird and otherworldly sounds from his saxo-mo-phone? Answer: he's a sorcerer and should be burnt.
27. WHO IS WILLIAM ONYEABOR?- London Barbican
Who IS William Onyeabor? A Russian-trained Nigerian cinematographer? A religious evangelical? A businessman of slightly shady repute? Whatever the truth is, he put out some bloody amazing electro-funk records out back in the 70's and Damon Albarn, Sinkane, Money Mark, the drummer from LCD Soundsystem and Alexis from Hot Chip overall did a solid job in recreating them.. In truth, this probably wouldn't have made my Top 50 if it wasn't for the sheer celebratory exuberance of "Fantastic Man" and "When The Going Is Smooth And Good", but give me an average gig with one or two moments of absolute brilliance than one that is solid but unspectacular any day.
26. MELT YOURSELF DOWN- London Village Underground
A ferociously dynamic mixture of jazz, no wave and central African rhythms underpinned by the irrepressible energy of Zun Zun Egui's Kushul Gaya and on this occasion, the slightly unnerving presence of no-wave pioneer James Chance.
25. OF MONTREAL- London Electric Ballroom
The "Camden Crawl" incarnation of Of Montreal may have only had three people and no theatrics, but they more than made up for it by ignoring pretty much everything they've released since "Skeletal Lamping." Can't go wrong with a Sunlandic Twins/Hissing Fauna greatest hits set, right?
24. PATTI SMITH- RiotFest Festival, Humbolt Park, Chicago
No "Gloria" or "Land" alas, but if there was a single person that summed up what RiotFest should have been about, it was Patti Smith who at 67, is more punk than a gazillion Offsprings put together.
23. JANELLE MONAE- London Brixton Academy
A show that felt too small for the 3,000-capacity Brixton Academy, I'm frankly surprised that Janelle Monae isn't world-famous at this stage. The natural heir to Michael Jackson or Prince, her slick pop-funk, powerhouse vocals and impeccable stage presence makes her one of the few acts on this list I suspect would be enjoyed by normal people as much as me.
22. EELS- London Barbican
From string-drenched classicalism, to gospel revivalism, to dour acoustic minimalism, to balls-to-the-wall rock and roll, it's hard to predict what tone a particular Eels tour will take. This time Mark "E" Everett, fresh from being granted "Freedom of the City of London," went for a richly orchestrated Leonard Cohen vibe, which worked fantastically with a setlist uncharacteristically filled with old-school hits. Sometimes respectability ain't such a bad thing.
21. AK/DK- London Lexington
God knows what happened to Holy Fuck, but AK/DK sound a lot like them...but perhaps even better? Two drummers, synths, a lot of electronic gubbins and a 1940's oscillator because why the hell not, they're one of the best support acts I've seen in recent times.
20. THE FIRE! ORCHESTRA- London The Laundry
If it wasn't for a mid-section of noodly free-form wank, this show by a 28-piece Swedish jazz orchestra may have been a contender for gig of the year. Mariam Wallentin's vocal talents never fail to send a shiver down my spine, but it was Sofia Jernberg, an impossibly versatile Ethiopian-born jazz singer who truly took my breath away.
19. SATELLITI- Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
If you ever find yourself at Latitude, I'd recommend moseying down to the "Late Junction" stage after the main headliners have finished, because more likely than not you're going to discover something brilliant. Case in point: Satelliti, an incredible Italian duo who fuse jazz, krautrock, noise and techno influences into something brutal and propulsive without devolving into self-indulgence.
18. NINE INCH NAILS- Primavera Festival, Parc del Forum, Barcelona
Can't help but think Trent Reznor is essentially culpable for the existence of emo, but that notwithstanding, this really was a masterclass in how to do a headline slot. If it wasn't for the fact I was in a concrete exhibition park in the middle of Barcelona and it was 2am, I'd have gone and bought some black nail varnish right there and then.
17. THE HOLD STEADY- London Bush Hall
My interest in the Hold Steady diminished rapidly after Franz Nicolay left, but I still couldn't bring myself to pass up the chance to see them in a venue as tiny as Bush Hall. And it appears even they've realised that their recent stuff is crap, as the setlist overwhelmingly drew from "Separation Sunday", "Boys And Girls In America" and "Stay Positive". Craig Finn was at his over-enthusiastic best, the audience treated the whole thing like a religious revival, and the encore of "Massive Nights", "Constructive Summer", "Hot Soft Light", "Stay Positive" and "Killer Parties" was SO AMAZING that it more than made up for the number of bruises I acquired.
16. TEETH OF THE SEA- Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
Yeah, it did feel slightly incongruous watching Teeth of the Sea in the middle of a forest, rather than an abandoned Peckham warehouse or the set from "The Running Man," but their uncompromising mix of electronics, brass and electronic guitar left nothing but burst eardrums and blown minds in their wake.
15. JEFFREY LEWIS- London Electric Ballroom
I've seen Jeff Lewis a hell of a lot over the years, and this was one of the sharpest and wittiest shows I've ever seen him do. I mean, who else could get away with reciting a (fully illustrated) rhyme summarising the history of Vietnam in-between a ballad on his love for British cuisine and an ode to Russian feminist punks Pussy Riot without coming across like an utter jemble?
14. BO NINGEN- Raw Power Festival, Tufnell Park Dome, London
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGEN! *flails around on stage, swings guitar around, unleashes massive psychedelic riff, destroys audience*
13. 65DAYSOFSTATIC- London Koko
The Sheffield-based math-rockers have always been admirably cynical about rose-tinted nostalgia, but the 10 year anniversary of "The Fall of Math" reluctantly persuaded them to finally play their debut in full, to the net benefit of all concerned. "Retreat! Retreat!" nearly broke me; the encore of "Radio Protector" finished the job.
12. EZRA FURMAN- London Sebright Arms
Springsteen reincarnated into the body of a nebbish, shrill-voiced youth. On paper, this should be awful. In reality, it's absolute genius. If you don't fall in love with his infectious enthusiasm, you're basically a UKIP voter.
11. ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE- Raw Power Festival, Tufnell Park Dome, London
Acid Mothers Temple claim to be from Japan, but they are not of this Earth. They are ancient psych wizards from another dimension, sent to bombard the people of this accursed plane with waves of AWESOME EAR-SPLINTERING NOISE.
10. THE OCTOPUS PROJECT- London Lexington
I've never seen a band blow up three separate pieces of equipment in a single set before, but perhaps the sheer brilliance of the Octopus Project cannot be bound within mere electronics? Also, they use a theremin and that is an awesome and beautiful thing.
9. ZA!- Primavera Festival, Parc del Forum, Barcelona
Za! are that rarest of beasts: a band that genuinely defies categorisation. My memories are a bit hazy as I did watch them at 4 in the morning, but the Barcelona duo's insane genre-hopping odyssey was a genuine marvel, incorporating Boredoms-esque noisiness, traditional Catalan folk songs, full-on Eurorave and everything in between.
8. OWEN PALLETT- London Oval Space
Given I've seen the Artist Formerly Known as Final Fantasy in churches, fancy concert halls and on one occasion, surrounded by palm trees in the Californian desert, it seems odd that the best show I've ever seen him play took place in a converted industrial space in Hackney. But there you go.
7. NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL- London Roundhouse
Neutral Milk Hotel are a disorganised, scrappy mess of a band, and Jeff Mangum looks like a murderous hobo with that stupid beard but nonetheless this was as close to a spiritual experience I'm likely to get until I inevitably join some Californian murder-cult.
6. SONS OF KEMET- Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
Combining the talents of Shabaka Hutchings (saxophonist for Melt Yourself Down), frizzy-haired drumlord Seb Rochford, another percussionist and a tuba player, Sons of Kemet's visceral fusion of hard jazz and Jamaican dancehall influences turned the intimate Lavish Lounge stage into an unrestrained dance party that included, for reasons as yet unfathomed, a stage invader with his own cowbell. Forget post-dubstep or whatever poncey genre the Dalstonites are pushing this week - drum and brass is where it’s at.
5. ST VINCENT- London Roundhouse
I am certain that in years to come, Annie Clark will be considered one of the defining artists of our generation. As someone who first saw her back in 2007 playing a student union bar to less than 50 people, it's tremendous to see how a shy solo guitarist with a bunch of loop-pedals has become this imperious, theatrical, vital performer whose has honed her craft to near-perfection. There are those that would argue that parts of her current show are a bit stage-y (probably a result of hanging about with David Byrne too much), but that rendition of "Your Lips Are Red" are as potent an antidote to those complaints- or any complaints about anything whatsoever- as one could imagine.
4. JOHN GRANT- London Royal Festival Hall
I generally find "gigs with instrumental ensembles" a bit disappointing, usually because they fail to gel with the regular band set-up or dilute the impact of the original compositions, but John Grant's collaboration with the Northern Sinfonia was an absolute triumph. Sure, sometimes he's too earnest for my tastes, but to hear "Queen of Denmark" and "Pale Green Ghosts" with full orchestral backing was to hear perfection. Line this guy up for the next Bond theme.
3. STEVIE WONDER- London Clapham Common
I've been to nigh-on a thousand gigs and Stevie Wonder at Clapham Common may have contained the highest number of bona fide, stone-cold pophits out of all of them. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." "My Cherie Amour." "Sir Duke." "Living For The City. " "I Wish." "Master Jammer." God-damn "Superstition." So brilliant, it almost made up for having to endure Jack Johnson, the musical equivalent of gonorrhoea and Nigel Farage combined.
2. SON LUX- London Lexington
The last time an New York band blew me away so comprehensively as Son Lux was Battles in '07, and pretty much for the same reasons. True, they don't sound much alike, but they both marry originality and intelligence with a blistering, passionate, sublimely executed live performance that's quite unlike anything else out there. Hipster bollocks perhaps, but of the best possible vintage.
1. ARCADE FIRE- London Earls Court
Never thought I'd experience a Arcade Fire gig like this again. The Suburbs tour saw the band going through the motions with songs so middling even I, Mr "I've seen AF 28 times" can't remember the names of them all. The early Reflektor shows were by and large a return to form, but the audiences were filled with teenagers who'd get excited about "Rococo" but would be oblivious to "Tunnels" (an overwhelming argument for the return of National Service if there ever was one.) But this...this show had the old magic. Everyone around me knew the words to the Funeral songs. The band seemed re-energised. There was a piñata, not to mention Ian McCulloch. And, of course, there was Here Comes The Night Time->Wake Up to wrap things up. It may not have been the most intimate or epoch-defining or even well-performed show I've seen this year, but it's certainly the one that gave me the most of a buzz, and that ain't to be sniffed at.
Photo credits:
John Gleeson (St Vincent)
Matt Crossick (Sons of Kemet)
(For previous editions of this egotistical bollocks, here are the lists for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.)
No comments:
Post a Comment