Best Live Shows of 2008
Posted on Sunday, January 4th, 2009 under Best Of, Concert, Festivals, Photography
This past year ended up being a bit quieter for me on the concert front, seeing and shooting just over 200 bands. The past few years I was averaging 300, so even though 200 still seems like quite a lot, it was a pretty significant drop.
My overall highlight of the year was Bonnaroo, which is starting to become an annual trip. The breadth and depth of this festival makes it so fantastic, which is why five out of my top ten shows came from that weekend–and it looks like June 14, 2008, in particular, was a really great day for me.
These are in no particular order, aside from number one:
B.B. King @ Bonnaroo - June 14, 2008 (pictured above)
I already wrote about this show earlier in the year, and even though I didn’t see his entire set, what I did manage to catch was pretty amazing. B.B. King’s interaction with the crowd is second-to-none, and his spirit is infectious. The fact that he made eye contact and tried to throw a pick to me (which another photog grabbed) was just a bonus. I know this seems like a short cop out write-up about him, but it’s very hard to put into words how I felt watching the man play. You just had to be there.
Oasis @ Virgin Festival - September 7, 2008
Despite the totally shocking Noel Gallagher on-stage assault debacle, Oasis put on a helluva show. It was the one performance I was especially looking forward to seeing all weekend. Last time (and first time, actually) I saw Oasis was at the Molson Amphitheatre with four other bands, for $10. The plan was to leave right before Oasis came on—at that point in time I was totally sick of Oasis and was only at the show to see the four openers. For some reason I stayed and they completely blew me away. By the time V Fest rolled around I was loving them again, so figured the experience would be even better.
Besides the fact that I was gleefully singing along to every song and loving it, what puts this show in the top ten is the class that the Gallagher brothers showed by coming back on stage to (pretty much) finish up their set after the attack during ‘Morning Glory’. Given the scary situation, I’m not sure I would have if it was me in that position, so I give them a whole lot of respect for being so professional. We ended up getting 17 songs–a good mix of new and old, which closed out with a cover of ‘I Am the Walrus’. We also got a great story to tell.
Stone Temple Pilots @ Edgefest - July 12, 2008
Stone Temple Pilots were the sole reason I wanted to trek all the way to Downsview to cover the very wet and muddy Edgefest this past summer. I’m not sure if it was more out of morbid curiosity to see if the show would be a train wreck or if it was for the nostalgia of my youth, but I was hoping for some good entertainment, and the newly reunited STP didn’t disappoint. Scott Weiland’s voice was, for the most part, bang on, and although I didn’t find his sex appeal nearly as, uh, appealing as I used to, he still has it. After shooting, I watched the show from my dry perch in the media tent with the biggest grin on my face, as they brought out hit after hit, ending with one of my faves, ‘Dead and Bloated’. I’m not sure if the STP reunion was a short-lived commitment, given that Weiland has recently released a solo album, but I’m certainly glad I got to experience it, since I didn’t get to see them live the first time around.
Ghostland Observatory @ Bonnaroo - June 14, 2008
I knew almost nothing about Austin, Texas band Ghostland Observatory before checking them out at Bonnaroo, but heard rumblings about their live show, so thought I’d check them out for a few minutes after leaving Pearl Jam and before heading to Kanye West’s completely obnoxious and way too late piece of crap show. Light show = awesome. Music = fun. Lack of a packed tent = a total shame. I blame Kanye. Anyway, I hope they come to Toronto sometime soon because I’d love to see a full show. Along with K’Naan, they were my favourite new discovery this year.
The National/Modest Mouse/REM @ Molson Amphitheatre - June 8, 2008
While I don’t think I’d give any of the above bands on this bill individual honours in the top 10, the show as a whole certainly belongs. From watching Johnny Marr play with Modest Mouse, to seeing The National again now that I actually appreciate them, to experiencing R.E.M. live (finally!), all topped off with a vivid rainbow, it was a pretty tight show.
K’Naan @ Bonnaroo - June 12, 2008
I have to confess, seeing K’Naan at Bonnaroo was a completely happy accident. I’d never seen K’Naan before, and I had no intention of “wasting” time seeing the (Somalian-born) hometown boy 1300km away from Toronto, when there were all these other international bands to see. But somehow I found myself crossing paths with the small tent he was playing in and decided to slip into the front row for five minutes or so to grab a few quick photos, and then take off on my merry way to one of the bigger stages. Well, that five minutes turned into a full set, and I’m glad I stayed because the man blew me away. While I don’t dislike hip hop and rap, it’s not generally the kind of show I seek to attend/shoot, but I would go see K’Naan again in a heartbeat. I was completely enveloped in his articulate and moving lyrics, and the general catchiness of each song. What helped to elevate the performance into mindblowing territory was the bursting tent full of Canadians singing along and hanging onto every word. I’ve never felt so close to home being over a thousand kilometers away.
Mastodon @ Bonnaroo/Mayhem Fest - June 14, 2008/August 2, 2008
Mastodon. Oh man. I’m not the biggest metal fan in the world, but seeing/shooting these guys will melt your face, kick up your adrenaline and then leave you completely exhausted, but in a totally exhilarating way. I LOVE shooting these guys almost more than any other band out there. I’ve never taken speed (or any other upper), but if I did, the feeling I get when shooting them is what I imagine it to be like. I’ve seen/shot them three times in the past few years, and you know what’s funny (and maybe a bit sad)? I still couldn’t tell you the name of a single song of theirs. I don’t mean that in a bad way, I just don’t listen to metal at home. I actually mean that as a compliment—even if you don’t really know Mastodon’s music, they are definitely worth seeing live. Run, don’t walk.
Sloan @ Supermarket - March 7, 2008
Sloan’s inclusion on this list might come as a bit of a surprise, since they play quite a bit, but it’s not often that you get to see them these days in a tiny venue with a capacity of 150 max. The band was headlining a Murderecords showcase during CMW and it was one of the toughest shows to get into. I arrived crazy early, but it was worth the wait to be front and center to watch a band I used to be a big time fangirl of (I’m still a fan, just not as rabid as I once was). The night was lighter on the Chris Murphy antics than usual, and heavier on the new songs, but a ton of fun was had and I went home with a renewed love for Sloan.
Raconteurs @ Kool Haus - June 5, 2008
I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again. I love Jack White and everything he does. Love him. I wrote an entry on this Raconteurs show right after it happened back in June, so I don’t really have a whole lot more to add. I did see them again a week later at Bonnaroo and have since become enamored with Brendan Benson, too. They keep getting better and better.
Pearl Jam @ Bonnaroo - June 14, 2008
Do I even need to say anything about Pearl Jam’s inclusion on this list? Okay then, one word: Heart-wrenching.
Honourable mentions to: Metallica @ Bonnaroo, Stereophonics acoustic set @ V Fest, Semi-Precious Weapons @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, Of Montreal @ QE Theatre, and The Kills @ Opera House.
