The Best Shows I Saw This Year
December 9th, 2009
As I’m sure you’re keenly aware (hopefully, anyway), the end of the year is nigh. And in loser blogger parlance, that means list-makin’ time! Here’s the first: the best, most awesomest shows I had the privilege of attending in 2009. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t make it to as many small, local shows as I would’ve liked, but I’m also decidedly appointed (is that the opposite of disappointed?) that I witnessed an accomplished cavalry of national acts rolling through town. I decided to rank the Lucky Top 13, mostly because of the whole suspense factor, but after the first few, it’s all really up for debate—with myself. Because this only represents the one opinion. I love arguing with myself.
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And since I’m a bit laborious, I put in some Honorable Mentions at the end. Onward:
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13. Noise For The Needy with the Curious Mystery, See Me River, and Grand Archives @ the Crocodile (6/12/09): My first time at the renovated Crocodile, my first time seeing both the Curious Mystery and See Me River, and the first time hearing the new Grand Archives songs. All for a good cause. [Full Review]
12. the xx @ Neumos (11/27/09): New Londoners wow a raucous crowd with a heavy, goth-romantic set. Eight songs was way too short. [Full Review]
11. The Vaselines @ Neumos (5/13/09): Vulgar Scots win me over with 20 year old pop songs that sound better than most contemporary versions. [Full Review]
10. Broadcast/Atlas Sound @ Neumos (10/31/09): A weird and wonderful Halloween night listening to one of my favorite musicians around (Bradford Cox). [Full Review]
9. Seattle Subsonic 1st Birthday @ the Sunset Tavern (5/14/09): With the Liars Club, C-Leb & A-Bro and the Celebrity Orphans, we celebrated this website’s 1st birthday (!) the only way we know how—drunk and sloppy. [Full "Review"]
8. The Murder City Devils/Past Lives @ the Showbox MKT (2/11/09): The reunited (again) local booze-punks recapture that old MCD spirit. [Full Review]
7. Dinosaur Jr., Viva Voce, Japandroids @ the Mural Amphitheatre (KEXP BBQ) (8/8/09): A revelatory first-time experience with J. Mascis and crew, and Viva Voce’s endearing psych-folk. [Full Review]
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Top 6 after the jump/cut/fold/whatever.
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6. Handsome Furs @ Neumos (6/5/09): The Montreal duo absolutely killed it, and was a hot mess while doing so. [Full Review]
5. John Spalding Benefit with TOLSATD, the Cave Singers, Rocky Votolato, and Minus the Bear @ the Showbox MKT (1/9/09): This buzz-heavy event was both sobering and intoxicating, as friends and strangers gathered to commemorate the passing of a common companion. RIP, John. [Full Review]
4. Capitol Hill Block Party (7/24-25/09): Yeesh, too many great performances to name, but as always, this was a summer highlight. Even if they did confiscate my flask. [Friday] [Saturday]
3. Grizzly Bear @ the Moore (10/16/09): Like an auteur at his peak, the fanciful foursome brought Veckatimest stunningly to life. [Full Review]
2. Mad Rad/Champagne Champagne/C-Leb @ the Lake Street Bar & Grill (2/27/09): Hands down the best hip-hop show I’ve ever seen—in Kirkland, of all places. MR and C2 would continue to skyrocket their local fame after this drunken carousal. [Full Review]
1. Pixies/No Age @ the Paramount (11/13/09): My number 1 favorite band reunited in my number 1 favorite city? Nuff said. [Full Review]
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Honorable Mentions (since I’m a bit laborious):
- The Raveonettes @ Neumos (11/6/09) [Full Review]
- Lykke Li @ the Showbox MKT (2/13/09) [Full Review]
- Love is All @ Neumos (6/8/09) [Full Review]
- Rain Machine @ Neumos (10/1/09) [Full Review]
- Junior Boys @ Chop Suey (10/10/09) [Full Review]
December 10th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
B2 said:
First, I can’t believe how many of your top ten made my top ten. I gotta say Seattle Subsonic B-day gave me the best memories, Handsome Furs made me dance my ass off and the John Spalding tribute was one of the sweetest, kindest concerts I’ve been too.
2009 was a good year for music. Now LB – hit the top 10 albums. DO IT!
December 11th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
LB said:
I’m workin’ on it, I’m workin’ on it…
December 14th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
The Lady said:
I can’t stop listening to the XX album. I think the Handsome Furs show may have been my favorite.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
fobbs said:
a fine list, i vaguely remember the subsonic birthday party, but i hear there’s footage of it somewhere… here are a few that i feel you left out: monotonix at neumos (the drummer played on my face), edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros at neumos (you’ll never see a more adorable accordian player), the heavy at the croc (we created a mini hydrologic cycle with the amount of perspiration happening), black mountain at neumos (i’m pretty sure Stephen McBean was levitating at one point), william elliot whitmore at el corazon (i’m guessing his show at the tractor was better but i didn’t make it, the coolest man i’ve ever gawked at).
December 15th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Kevin leDoux said:
Fobbs, I’m going to have to 2nd you on the Heavy show at the Croc. The life those guys breathed into the audience was overwhelming. It was a little like being at a revival. It’s my second best of the year behind LB’s #1 pick of the Pixies. I really didn’t think they (the pixies) were going to be all that spectacular – being that they’re an all but estranged band back together on a one-off tour but DAMN!
December 15th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Chris Craig said:
Hi Kevin. Long time no blog. Agreed. The effin Pixies were
dy-no-mite. Really enjoyed Dan Auerbach at The Showbox as well. Best local show was The Lonely Forest and The Oregon Donor at Folklife, though I was twice the age of anyone else in that audience, I still had fun.
December 15th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Kevin leDoux said:
Sorry Craig, I’ve been doing all the dirty work in the eves and letting LB have the glory.