2008: The Shows

Last year at this time I said that I would definitely be toning down the concert going in 2008 because my frail old body simply cannot sustain the momentum. 2007's final performance tally weighed in at approximately 132 acts. For 2008, the band count was 145. Yep, as per usual I didn't keep to my word as I intended to, but the fact remains that my personal concert going agenda is still about half of what other music bloggers do, so I still feel that I've remained relatively balanced. So to speak.

This year has easily been my favourite concert year thus far, and although I missed some of the big ones like Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine and V-Fest, I still feel pretty good about the shows that I did see. Before I lunge into my list of the best of the best however, let me take a minute to explain how I compiled things this time.

In years past, I've always compiled the list according to individual performances. This year, I've decided to rank the shows as a whole. In other words, instead of counting Eric's Trip and Quest For Fire as two separate entries, I'm going to keep them together since they performed on the same night. However in cases where the opening band were not a real contributing factor to the show's inclusion on this list, I won't be mentioning them at all. Get it? No? Whatever...here's the list...

1. Neil Young & Wilco @ Air Canada Centre on December 5th. (Review)

From the moment that I knew I was attending this one, I had a feeling it would likely be my year end fave. Both bands performed their greatest hits that night and both bands rank within my top 20 favourite artists of all time.

2. My Morning Jacket & The Besnard Lakes @ Kool Haus on June 16th (Review)

I had just finished an intense few days of NXNE-ing and I was completely fried. Add to that the fact that I haaaaaate the Kool Haus, and the odds of me enjoying this show was reduced greatly. However here it is at number two on my list. Yep, they are THAT good!

3. Cuff The Duke, Bruce Peninsula & The Stables @ Horseshoe on August 22nd (Review)

I was filled with some intense Oshawa pride as this show turned out to be one of the greatest surprises of the year for me.

4. Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes & Fox Jaws @ El Mocambo on April 2nd (Review)

This show was a flawless example of controlled chaos as all three bands displayed their amazing ability to rock out, culminating in the best encore of the year.

5. Deerhunter @ Lee's Palace on November 12th (Review)

I've heard Bradford Cox's performances described as everything from train wreck to religious experience but I have to say that whatever audience alienating techniques he had used before, he clearly got that aspect of his persona out of his system. This was a rock show my friends, plain and simple.

6. The Sadies & The Sunparlour Players @ Horseshoe on October 3rd (Review)

It's a fact that if I plan on making a Sadies show a yearly tradition, then they're going be on the list every year. They're simply too amazing for words.

7. Eric's Trip, Quest For Fire & $100 @ Mod Club on June 3rd (Review)

This was a year of legends for me and Eric's Trip are one of those legends. Seeing two of the most amazing current local bands open for them was not too shabby either.

8. R.E.M., Modest Mouse & The National @ Molson Amphitheatre on June 8th (Review)

Seeing one of my top 5 favourite bands of all time for the first time was an amazing experience and this show would likely have been higher if I hadn't stumbled across some better set lists from other shows on the tour.

9. British Sea Power @ Lee's Palace on May 16th (Review)

The band emphasizes the fact that an encore is not necessary if your last song is an intense 10 minute jam that'll make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

10. Nicole Atkins & The Sea @ Lee's Palace on February 17th (Review)

This woman needs to be experienced live in order to be fully appreciated. Her vocals are guaranteed to send shivers up the old spine.

Honourable mentions:
Evelyn Room, Golden Hands Before God, Spiral Beach & High Dials @ Horseshoe on November 11th (Review)
Broken Social Scene & The Beauties @ Sound Academy on November 28th (Review)
Amos The Transparent @ Supermarket on June 12th (Review)
Fox Jaws @ The Rivoli on June 13th (Review)
Olenka and the Autumn Lovers @ Rancho Relaxo on August 13th (Review)
Hawksley Workman @ Danforth Music Hall on March 7th (Review)
Born Ruffians @ Opera House on November 1st (Review)
Black Diamond Bay @ The Drake on September 10th (Review)
The Dears & The World Provider @ Music Gallery on October 10th (Review)
The Dodos & Au @ Horseshoe on October 6th (Review)

Also, if you're interested in seeing what my top 5 single performances of the year were, then check out my submission over on the blog London, ON: Burgeoning Metropolis. There are lots of other neat blogger lists on there as well.