In the first of my Best Of 2011 lists...
To follow there will be Best Of's in Film, Albums, Songs, TV and a few random surprises. But we shall start here. And keep in mind too these aren't necessarily the best bands, just the best shows. Although that of course plays a HUGE influence.
And in what is becoming a tradition with my music lists here is a Spotify Playlist specially created with only bands I saw in 2011.
And in what is becoming a tradition with my music lists here is a Spotify Playlist specially created with only bands I saw in 2011.
Spotify '11 Concerts Playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/12440324/playlist/7o4TyTc4J1gyn4qRyOFFH8
15) Justin Townes Earle
Grant/Millennium Park - Chicago
Choice Moment: Doing a heartbreaking yet fun rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Racing in the Street"
Show Clip: There were only two total clips online so this will have to do.
14) Pete Yorn with Ben Kweller (On my 31st Birthday btw)
Canopy Club - Champaign, Il
Choice Moment: Ben Kweller's piano solo cover of the Beach Boys "God Only Knows". That and me catching a drumstick of course.
Show Clip: I actually have some video of this but its not handy. This will have to do instead (he played this acoustic in this show as well). I effing love it when he breaks the verse down too.
13) The Dodos
in a small church - Champaign - Pygmalion Music Festival
Choice Moment: The atmosphere is what made this so special. Just watching these guys play 8 and 9 minute+ version of their work in this small intimate setting with a stained glass window behind them was perfection. I liked this band before this show, I loved them after.
Show Clip: Sadly no actual clip can be found. But this wonderfully building piece below perfectly exemplifies what this band is like live.
12) Bob Schneider and Filter
Bat Fest 2011 - Austin, TX
Choice Moment: This was my first concert in Austin so it had a special meaning regardless. But seeing the Adam West rocking out to some 'Honey Pot' and then an impromptu cover by Bob and his band of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" are moments I won't soon forget.
Show Clip: Just a friend... with a lil' improv in that Bob Schneider way. This whole performance and show just reeks of Austin.
11) Alpha Rev with Quiet Company, Joe Pug and Ed Rolland of Collective Soul
La Zona Rosa - Austin
Choice Moment: Ed Roland on stage singing "World I Know" and "Shine" with Alpha Rev. Something I never thought I'd hear again live in my lifetime. Throw in Quiet Company's cover of "El Scorcho" and we had one hell of a successful show.
Show Clip: This is actually my own video that I uploaded to my facebook. I think my quote to my friend right before they played this was "If they play 'The World I Know' I may lose it".
10) Iron & Wine with The Head and the Heart
Vogue Theater - Indianapolis
Choice Moment: Both bands on stage for a stirring collaborative version of "Boy with a Coin". This also was the first I had ever heard of The head and the Heart who are now one of my favorite new bands of 2011.
Show Clip: Sadly no actual clip could be found. But they did perform a very striking version of this song below in the same manner, which of course was effing moving.
9) Death Cab for Cutie
Austin Music Hall - Austin
Choice Moment: Closing the show with a 10 minute version of Transatlantacism, my all-time favorite Death Cab track. That alone was worth the price of admission and was the first time I had ever heard it Live.
Show Clip: I was up stairs in a VIP area with a pretty sweet view. The crowd singing along to a stripped down version of "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" also was pretty sweet:
8) M83, Lykke Li, Ra Ra Riot, Spoon, Joy Formiddable, Childish Gambino, Cold Cave
Fun, Fun, Fun Fest - Austin
Choice Moment: Honestly it might have been Donald Glover's standup but aside from that the M83 and LykKe Li shows were two that exceeded my expectations.
Show Clip: I dig this a lot because you can see how well they utilized the stage. it was a long day so I was sitting for part of this but it was a wonderful way to wind down the fest.
7) Braid, Deerhoof, Japandroids, Asobi Seksu, Strfkr
PolyVinyl 15th Anniversary Show - Pygmalion Music Fest - Champaign
Choice Moment: Pretty much the second Braid got on stage. I felt like I was 15 again.
Show Clip: I was all over the place for this show but for Braid was pretty close the first half, and for good reason
6) Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Metro - Chicago
Choice Moment: Uhh, seeing Godspeed live. Seriously, this was something I had waited years for. The use of lights and stage accents really helped as well.
Show Clip: I was actually way in the back for this one, but it didn't matter. You can enjoy them from anywhere. This is 15 minutes that you need to invest right here
Metro - Chicago
Choice Moment: Uhh, seeing Godspeed live. Seriously, this was something I had waited years for. The use of lights and stage accents really helped as well.
Show Clip: I was actually way in the back for this one, but it didn't matter. You can enjoy them from anywhere. This is 15 minutes that you need to invest right here
5) Foster the People, MGMT, The Shins, Big Boi, Phantogram, Erykah Badu, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Phish
Outside Lands Fest - San Francisco
Choice Moment: Foster the People covering well... let me just link this below. If you don't know why this was so awesome you don't know me too well.
All in all this was an amazing festival from top to bottom. And with 65 degree weather in SF the week after I just accepted a new job and moved across the country it was a fitting way to end my weekend
4) Bon Iver
Chicago Theater - Chicago
Choice Moment: Completely stripped down Acoustic version of "Skinny Love" with the crowd singing along.
Show Clip: about ten rows from the front, on the left side. Every single song was so damn powerful, this is how the show opened. Just like on the new album.
3) The National with Local Natives
Austin Music Hall - Austin
Choice Moment: Encore set by The National that included lead singer Matt Berninger walking through the entire crowd belting the repeated lyrics at the end of Terrible Love. Followed by a 100% unplugged (literally, not even a mic) and singing in unison with the crowd for the finale.
Show Clip: The true closing number, completely unplugged. Brilliant
2) Weezer
Memories Tour -Pinkerton Album - Chicago
Choice Moment: For those not familiar this wasn't just a 'Weezer' concert, this was them playing Pinkerton, in it's entirety, from start top finish. So hearing tracks like Butterfly and Across the Sea was beyond special since these are songs that Rivers usually refuses to play in other shows because of how personal and emotionally tragic they are.
Show Clip: Was right in front, dead center for this with Vicki and friends belting out every lyric in unison. When the crowd goes nuts here is a "memory" indeed
1) Arcade Fire with The National
UIC Pavilion - Chicago
Choice Moment: The entire show really. This may have been the greatest concert of my lifetime even. Arcade Fire played an over 2 hour set that I will likely never forget.
Show Clip: I was a bit closer than this, just towards the right of the stage. The energy of the crowd was and is palpable. This may have been the greatest show of the last decade for me, not just 2011. Effing perfection.
Honorable Mention: Passion Pit (Assembly Hall - Champaign) Appleseed Cast (Champaign), Saves the Day with Bayside (Austin), Cut Copy with Washed Out (Champaign, Pygmalion Music Fest), Bear Hands (Champaign, Pygmalion Music Fest), Margot & the Nuclear So &So's (Vogue Theater, Indianapolis), Girl Talk (Canopy Club - Champaign)
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