Like I said earlier this month; this will be a concert year to remember. Here’s 5 – 1 of the best concerts I’ve been to this year.
5 - TIE. Woven / Finn Riggins at Milly’s Tavern, Manchester, NH – This show was really something special. I have been searching for records of this band for years and I eventually found their full length and older E.P. this past year. When I found out they were playing up here (in a bar in Manchester too) I was stunned and very excited. I had to drive almost an hour up to New Hampshire to see this band play at midnight, when I had to get up for work at 4am. So add in the hour drive and you’ll get a recipe for disaster. Well show wasn’t, they have such an amazing live presence. And the new E.P. is far beyond anything they’ve ever done. Simply remarkable all around.
Download: Woven – Cosmonaut from the E.P., Aftermath
5 - TIE. Interpol / Liars at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA – Katie was able to score some fucking awesome seats (3rd row) at this enormous stadium to see Interpol. They were just incredible. Whether it was the lights or the perfect sound they had that night…I don’t know…they were just on point.
Download: Interpol – Mammoth (Erol Alkan Rework) originally from the album, Our Love to Admire
4. Division Day / iLIKETRAINS / Dylan in the Movies / Lady of Spain at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA – Seeing that Division Day was coming to Boston made me scream out loud, “Holy Shhhhhit!” I’ve been a fan of Division Day since ’03 and this was an opportunity I was not going to miss, especially with their new record in heavy rotation in my car stereo. This show was absolutely perfect. Katie and I got to hear pretty much every song we wanted to hear from them. Also I got their old self-titled E.P. signed by the whole band.
Download: Division Day – The Water Fails from the E.P., Division Day
3. M.I.A. / Big Digits at the Palladium in Worcester, MA – There isn’t much to say other than, wow. She is truly an artist to be reckoned with. The show involved your average crowd interaction as well as some the coolest imagery in the background on the big screen behind her. She played pretty much everything off her latest album as well as favorites off Arular. The whole show was full out energy in it’s truest form.
Download: M.I.A. – Paper Planes (RyeRye and Afrikan Boy Remix) originallyfrom the album, Kala
2. Jonah Matranga at the Paradise Lounge and the house show in Boston, MA – What it is it, the 20th time seeing him live? This time though was very special to me. One of Katie’s friends and my best friend was finally able to attend what I consider one the best live shows on earth (I mean that by the way). I like to believe we all became better people after that night.
Download: Jonah Matranga – I Want You to Be My Witness from the album, And
1. Björk / Konono No.1 at Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY – This show is number one for a multiple of reasons. First off this was my brother’s first concert ever. For what I could tell, he was having the time of his life. Second, this was just such an awe-inspiring show of epic proportions. She had everyone from her recent record show up and do their guest performances. Antony Hegarty on The Dull Flame of Desire, Konono No.1 on Earth Intruders (with flames on stage), and even Min Xiao-Fen on I See Who You Are. This show was one to remember and one of the best I’ve ever been to. There was even a guy on the train on the way back who said my brother had already peaked in his concert experiences. Maybe, at least until the next Björk concert.
This Björk mp3 will not be from the new album though, but from her finest work and the best album for winter, Vespertine.
Download: Björk – Harm of Will from the wonderful and flawless album, Vespertine
Runner-ups –
Strata at the Living Room in Providence, RI
Do Make Say Think / The Berg Sans Nipple at the SPACE in Portland, ME
3 / The Distraction at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA
Jenny Owen Youngs / Sean Hayes at the SPACE in Portland, ME
