Jump to content
aberdeen-music

Top 10 gigs of 2011.


davidm

Recommended Posts

Yeah, it's that time again. I'm not going to lie, I'm only creating this thread because I want to be a boastful bastard for the first time in my life.

So, tell us all about your top 10 gigs of 2011. Where/when/why etc.

Mine are:

1) Lightning Bolt @ Valentine's: Albany, NY

This:

for an hour. And they closed with my favourite song of theirs. Best gig of my life.

2) Mike Watt and the Missingmen @ Nice 'n Sleazy, Glasgow

Bass player from my favourite band tours his third solo album. Incredible sound, tight as hell, and they did an encore of Minutemen songs, including my favourite of theirs (again!)

3) Lady North/Paws/Min Diesel @ Snafu

Three bands on absolutely tremendous form, tiny venue, loads of people at that stage of being drunk where the world, and everyone that inhabits it, is a wonderful thing, stage invasions, pyramids, skipping ropes, the lot. Ace.

4) Sebadoh @ Black Cat, Washington DC

90s indie rock heroes, played a 30 song set. Loads of mistakes, missed notes and false starts for songs... but that's what makes them all the more better for it.

5) Les Savy Fav @ Tunnels

A band I never thought I'd ever see live in my life, let alone in Aberdeen!

For those who don't know of them:

6) Take A Worm For A Walk Week/Battery Face/Prelude to the Hunt/Min Diesel @ Tunnels

One of the best line ups in Aberdeen this year. Every band was outstanding.

7) Joan of Arc/Hot Club de Paris @ Tunnels

This was the last gig that I put on in Aberdeen, and it was a nice way to stop doing it. Both bands were fantastic, and after getting to go out drinking with Hot Club (who got me into countless wonderful bands, never thought that'd happen!), I then went home to my flat, where Tim Kinsella and Victor Villarreal were staying. Totally surreal, and something that'll never happen again in my life.

8) Sebadoh @ Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh

Essentially the same set as when I saw them in March, but a bit less fun. Still, it's Sebadoh. Wads of ace songs. Yas min.

9) The Residents @ World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA

Three very odd men played a series of songs about god only knows what. One of the oddest bands to ever exist, and they've been on the go for over 40 years now. A live experience that no other band can come close to.

10) Male Bonding/History of Apple Pie/Paws @ Admiral Bar, Glasgow

Three very fun, loud bands. They share a similar musical vibe of distorted guitars, loudQUIETloud dynamics, but they all do it in distinct ways.

Share your stories!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's some list Dave! It's so hard to pick just 10, but mine would have to be:

1. Low, The Mohawk, Austin TX. I was at SXSW this year, so a lot of my favourite gigs were here. This was just amazing, one of my favourite ever bands, in a venue smaller than The Moorings playing their new record almost in entirety, and a few oldies.

2. The Decemberists, Barrowlands, Glasgow. This was an absoluitely superb set, Colin Meloy was on great form and the crowd was up for it, lovely.

3. Wild Flag, The Parish, Austin TX. GUITARS!!!! What a show, soooooo much energy, great songs, kicked ass.

4. Tune Yards, The Tunnels, Aberdeen. Just wow! Probably the most fun I've had a gig at this year, the musicianship was excellent, and everyone was up for it.

5. Sharon Van Etten,The Mowhawk, Austin. Outstanding voice and brilliant tunes.

6. The Antlers, The Parish, Austin. This was the NPR listening party for their new record, and the first time Burst Apart was heard in it's entirety. This is one of the best records I've heard this year, and the gig was great too.

7. Laetitia Sadier, The Tunnels, Aberdeen. Another great imp gig. Lovely chilled-out Sunday night entertainment.

8. Paws/Min Diesel, Cellar 35. The first time I'd seen Paws live, I totally fell in love with their sound.

9. Yuck, King Tuts, Glasgow. Just a brilliant, brilliant band, such great hooks ad choruses and great charisma.

10. Joan of Arc/Hot Club De Paris, The Tunnels. Both bands were incredible and really nice people too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Devin Townsend - Glasgow Garage. Was just like a big party. Maybe best gig ever, partly due to the fact I he played all my favourites.

2. The Jezabels - King Tuts. Only saw half of it because I stay in Dundee and had to work, but i got to meet them and the sound was amazing.

3. Foreign Beggars - Reading Rooms. Mad sounds, mad rhymes, excellent showman ship.

4. The Faceless - Apollo23 in Glasgow. Crowd were boring as shit, but the band were spot on. Not a note missed. Met the guy after as well. He couldn't be bothered.

5. We Were Promised Jetpacks - Doghouse. 100% smashing and total lovely lads.

Pretty sure I've been to more but these stick out mega style.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

List season is upon us.

I've only been to a couple of gigs this year but I did get to a a day of Primavera Sound and a night at sonar.

1. Cut Copy at Sonar was absolutely incredible, definitely the best live performance I saw this year.

2. PJ Harvey, at primavera. The brilliant Let england shake had recently been released and she performed most of wonderfully here.

3. Animal Collective, again at Primavera. A group I'd wanted to see for ages. They mostly played new material from next year's album but it all sounded good and I was drunk and I danced, nothing more is necessary.

4. Florrie a couple of weeks ago. I was very excited about this gig and it didn't disappoint at all. Except that the only one of her officially released songs she didn't play was one of my favourites.

5. The Horrors on thursday. I'm not a big fan of theirs but a friend asked me to go along. They were very good and I'll probably give more time to their albums now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) Bon Iver ~ Usher Hall

2) Fleet Foxes ~ Corn Exchange

3) The Low Anthem ~ Oran Mor

4) Twilight Sad (Electric) ~ Tunnels

5) Twilight Sad (Acoustic) ~ Tunnels

6) Explosions in the Sky ~ Picture House

7) Mogwai ~ Picture House

8) Arctic Monkeys ~ AECC

9) Jonah Matranga ~ Tunnels

10) Jimmy Eat World ~ Corn Exchange

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Year has been a blur, can't think of ten off the top of my head so just had to go through the calendar on my phone. Will probably edit/add two later.

1. Pulp - Primavera Sound, Barcelona (May)

One of my favourite bands ever on the first night of their comeback festival-tour. Emotional. Fucking brilliant.

2. Grinderman - Primavera

Loved Nick Cave for years, but still haven't seen the Bad Seeds live. He was on excellent form, baiting Warren Ellis and

with his progressively more manic shouts of 'TIPPY-TOE, TIPPY-TOE, TIPPY-TOE, TIPPY-TOE!"

3. tUnE-yArDs/Thousands/FOXHUNTING - The Tunnels (June)

Support was ace (HEY YOUNG JOE) and Merrill herself was amazing. Such a joy to watch her perform. And the dancing, oh, the dancing.

4. The Jeffrey Lewis & Peter Stampfel Folk Show - Mono, Glasgow (January)

They played for around two hours, duetting their own respective songs and ones they'd written together. Punctuated with Stampfel's raspy-voiced anecdotes about acid-influenced recordings in the 70s.

5. Einstürzende Neubauten - Primavera

Before seeing them, I thought they were okay, but they just blew me away live. Such a force.

6. PAWS/Lady North/Min Diesel - Snafu (July)

Ridiculous gig. The perfect mix of people in attendance and bands. Such a fun night. Pyramids, skipping ropes and a

. Perfect, made me remember that Aberdeen can do gigs pretty fucking well sometimes.

7. Les Savy Fav/Young Legionnaire/Battery Face - The Tunnels (February)

I think if I was more drunk, this would be higher up the list. Party atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyable, though. Harrington is still a terrifying hero.

8. Thomas Truax/Kitchen Cynics - The Tunnels (October)

One of those gigs you look back on and just think "Oh, that was so pleasant, wasn't it?" I missed Steven Milne, but Alan's set was lovely and Tommy Tommy Truax is always great to watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3. tUnE-yArDs/Thousands/FOXHUNTING - The Tunnels (June)

Support was ace (HEY YOUNG JOE) and Merrill herself was amazing. Such a joy to watch her perform. And the dancing, oh, the dancing.

HEY ... YOUNG KIRSTEN

Also thank you :) And, fun fact, I was gonna support Tom Truax until I was whisked to Australia. Fact.

On topic: Good list!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did pretty well this year, despite spending a large chunk of it sea doggin'. Not as well as some of the above (gee whizz), but I even made it beyond Aberdeen like... twice.

1. Les Savy Fav at Tunnels. Bucket List Band, in Aberdeen. All I could have wanted. What a party.

2. The Hold Steady at ABC. Rubbish support band, but it was my birthday, I was smashed, and it was totally rockin'.

3. This is the Kit at Project Slogan. My favourite tiny venue in Aberdeen, totally rammed. Beautiful, beautiful subtle music.

4. Joan of Arc and Hot Club de Paris at Tunnels. Wasn't expecting much after the last time they played, but they were seriously good. Smashing post-gig night as well. Great bunch of lads.

5. Punchbowl Festival. Tiny festival in Wiltshire with a weird and brilliant, mainly Jazz-tinged Drum n Bass line-up in a massive farm-house back garden. Lots of friendly people and local cider until 6am.

6. Take a Worm for a Walk Week at Tunnels. Great supports, great band. Great Dave Shower.

7. Martin Taylor at The Lemon Tree. World class gypsy jazz guitarist. Went with my dad, and we had a blast.

8. Min Diesel and Toke at The Montrose Music Festival. This was worth setting foot in Montrose for. High praise.

9. Katerwaul, Carson Wells and Min Diesel at Snafu. This years Oxjam Takeover deserves a mention, as it was real quality. This was the best part though. Three really great bands which prove that good things do come from this place.

10. Second Hand Marching Band in UTG. I was sat on the hill eating a pretty nice sandwich and having a pleasant ol' time on a nice sunny day. More of this sort of thing next year please.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been pretty shit for gig-going this year. Loads that I wanted to go to, I couldn't make (Algernon Cadwallader at 13th Note and Meursault and Happy Particles @ the Glasgow Planetarium spring to mind). Here's the best of what I've been to though:

1. Vitamins 5, Glasgow Cheating since it wasn't really a "gig", but the best night of music I've enjoyed this year. Basically a massive party, the line up included Eclair Fifi and Auntie Flo, in a disused railway somewhere underneath Yorkhill. Best combination of amazing tunes and amazing environment. Belter.

245598475490705

2. No Age/Male Bonding/Paws @ Stereo, Glasgow Really Ace. Nice dudes, loud music, good times.

3. Modeselektor @ Rockness Highlight of the weekend for me. Cracking tune choices, really good atmosphere and champagne sprayed all over my mug.

4. Paws/Lady North/ Hairy Area @ Captain's Rest, Glasgow I think this was the night after the Aberdeen gig, so crowd surfing round the air conditioning unit that sticks out the roof and a shoddy human pyramid (my fault) were encouraged. All 3 bands played a blinder.

5. Mogwai/Remember Remember @ Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow First time I've ever seen them, and I was really impressed. Lots of my favourite tunes of theirs, although Grand Ole Opry still weirds me the fuck out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lau @ Woodend Barn

Julie Fowlis @ Woodend Barn

Session A9 @ Stonehaven Folk Festival

Fiction/Action @ Tunnels

Twilight Sad @ Tunnels

King Creosote, Kid Canaveral @ Woodend Barn

The Spooky Men's Chorale @ Woodend Barn

I haven't been to enough gigs this year really but those Lau gigs (also saw them at the Lemon Tree the night before), Session A9 and the King Creosote gig were all absolutely stunning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Gladstone

I doubt I've even been to 10 gigs this year...

Some good ones though:

Bombay Bicycle Club @ Barrowlands

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds @ Roundhouse, London

The Little Kicks @ Notting Hill Arts Centre

Arctic Monkeys @ AECC

Various bands @ Rock Ness - Kasabian, Frightened Rabbit and Zane Lowe probably being the highlights

Various bands @ Wizard Festival - Cast (for old times' sake) and a few others - some good local bands actually, Velvet Audio, Little Kicks, The Lorelei and Brothers Reid all ace!

Struggling to think of any others that I've been to. The Underkills @ Lemon Tree and The Underkills @ Snafu were obviously the best shows of the entire year, but I was hoping someone else might say that*

*someone would have had to have been there to realise they were good

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure that I even attended 10 gigs this year, not so good. These were all pretty cool, in no particular order -

PJ Harvey @ Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, ace gig all round

Les Savy Fav @ Tunnels, ace gig all round, especially for Aberdeen

Interpol @ The Music Hall, better than anticipated due to good set-list and despite shonky sound

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds @ Edinburgh Usher Hall, better than anticipated and good choice of Oasis songs

The Cult @ O2 Academy Glasgow, finally seeing them after many years of fandom, end result was slightly disappointing due to lazy Astbury vocal efforts but still good

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sons & Daughters/ Peggy Sue @ Tunnels

Scroobius Pip/B-Dolan @ Tunnels

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffatt/ RM Hubbert @ Lemon Tree

The Phantom Band @ Tunnels

Found/ Kid Canaveral/Rick Redbeard/ Iona Marsh @ Tunnels

The Go! Team/ The Phoenix Foundation @ Lemon Tree

Iron Maiden @ AECC

Fleet Foxes @ Edinburgh Corn Exchange

Thomas Truax/ Kitchen Cynics/ Steven Milne @ Tunnels

Bad Religion @ Glasgow ABC

sure I'm forgetting something...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out of action for the best part of 6 months and therefore missed a heap of great gigs...PJ Harvey in particular. I did manage to see a few good ones this year though :

Tune Yards @ Tunnels

The Phantom Band @ Tunnels

Laetitia Sadier @ Tunnels

Kylie Minoise @ a Torry carpark

Skullflower, Werewolf Jerusalem, Reptilian Bastards @ Nice n' Sleazy

Sharron Kraus & Kitchen Cynics @ Mr Cynics pad

Esperi, Seas, Starry, Frog Pocket & Conquering Animal Sound @ PVA

Bardo Pond, Eternal Tapestry, White Hills, Kogumaza, Barn Owl, Silver Apples, Astro, Cut Hands, Circle, Pharaoh Overlord, Tony Conrad, Part Chimp @ Supersonic Festival

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...