Best Live Shows of 2008

Top Show:
A Tribe Called Quest/Q-tip @ merriweather

Other highlights:
Mogwai @ 930
DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist @ 930 (1-24)
M83 @ The Black Cat (July Show)
Jay-z & Mary J @ 1st Mariner
Kanye West @ Virgin Festival
The Stooges @ Virgin Festival
q-tip @ 930
Gnarls barkley & H&La @ 930

ixkpd-bk wrote:
Give me a while to compile thoughts/ticket stubs/etc.

Off of the top of my head, Radiohead @ Hollywood Bowl (Night 2), R.E.M. in Jones Beach, Spoon in San Francisco (Night 3), and Goldfrapp in Seattle would be up there.

Oh, and the Hercules/Gnarls Barkley show was pretty spectacular, as well.

if the Hercules show hadn't been a late show on a Sunday night I would have gone, but I bought a live CD of theirs that is pretty good, obviousily live "live" would have been better. 

The Director rightfully texted me to remind me of this key exclusion from my previous list:

Stone Temple Pilots - V Fest

callat703 wrote:
The Director rightfully texted me to remind me of this key exclusion from my previous list:

Stone Temple Pilots - V Fest

*sigh* i think i was getting a massage and/or drinking too heavily to remember this.

Ill add to this later - but off the top of my head

For best theatrical show (possibly ever) - of Montreal @ Roseland
Mercury Rev @ Highline
Stella @ Nokia I <3 MIB 'who let the dogs out'
Kids In The Hall @ Nokia
The Dandy Warhols - Philly, NYC, DC (hard to choose which i liked the best)
echo & the bunnymen w/orchestra performing Ocean Rain @ Radio City
last shadow puppets w/orchestra @ Grand Ballroom
James Walsh (Starsailor) solo show @ Living Room
Radiohead @ Lollapalooza

Prob a bunch of other stuff im omitting - but gotta get out of here.

for some reason, i completely neglected festival performances in my previous list… so i'd like to add: Underworld @ APW and Booka Shade @ Lolla (with honorable mentions going to NIN and sharon jones)

Cloud Cult - RNRH and Black Cat
Sons and Daughters/Holy Fuck - RNRH
My Morning Jacket - Bonnaroo
nine inch nails - Lollapalooza
Mates of State - Ottobar and Lollapalooza
Bonde Do Role - Sonar
Spank Rock - Lollapalooza
Time Fite - RNRH
DCFC - Merriweather
Datarock - RNRH
Flight of the Conchords - Lisner
Tegan and Sara - Rams Head Live
Cold War Kids - 930
Minus the Bear - 930
Neil Diamond - Verizon
Phil Lesh and Friends - Bonnaroo
Holy Fuck - Lollapalooza
MC Frontalot/MC Lars/YTCracker - Ottobar

Those are my favorites of the year so far.  The Spank Rock show at Sonar will probably be on this later on.  

Only saw about 15 shows this year but my top 5 would be:
1.  Mission of Burma @ Black Cat-playing Vs. front to back; simply mind-blowing, spine-tingling stuff
2.  X/Detroit Cobras @ 9:30 Club-seen X play 4 times now this decade, this was the best show, both setwise and energy wise I've ever seen them play
3.  Nine Inch Nails @ Virgin fest-first time I've seen them and I'm glad I got all my moneys worth
4.  Suicidal Tendencies @ Sonar-surprised they didn't play Institutionalized but they simply destroyed all the other songs in the set to make me forget that omission
5.  Jenny Lewis @ 6th and I Synagogue-hearing her sing Acid Tongue alone probably made this one of my favorite shows of the year

Lou Reed - The National
Spiritualized - 9:30
Radiohead - Nissan
R.E.M. - Merriweather
The Verve - WaMu
The Who -  Verizon

Jolie Holland on Election Day @ the Iota

All 20 or so BRMC shows I saw this year.  Possibly SF shows were best, but I can't choose a favourite child.

Rasputina @ the Black Cat

Nick Cave  @ 9:30, 10/5…although all three shows I saw were ridiculously wonderful.

To be honest, all the shows I saw this year were AMAZING.  I have to stop here or I'll just name them all.

The Hives @ the Cat
The Raconteurs both nights @ 930
Justice @ Sonar [the crowd was awesome but not stupid like at 930]
Eagles of Death Metal @ 930
MSTRKRFT @ Bedrock [they finally got their own light show and it kicks
The Presets @ 930, I was too drunk to remember Cut Copy
Gogol Bordello @ Electric Factory, the fucking punks sucked but it was better than the first Gogol show I saw, they played about twice as long and I think somehow managed to get more people added to their band. Can't wait to see them back at the club.

I need to whip out my stubs to see what else.

1) My Bloody Valentine @ Aragon Ballroom, Chicago
2) Social Distortion @ House of Blues, Anaheim
3) The Cure @ Patriot Center, Fairfax
4) X @ 9:30 Club
5) Eagles of Death Metal @ 9:30 Club
6) Nice Cave & the Bad Seeds @ 9:30 Club
7) Marilyn Manson @ Electric Factory, Philly
8) Southern Culture on the Skids @ 9:30 Club
9) Lou Reed @ 9:30 Club
10) Weezer @ GM Place, Vancouver (BC)

bearman wrote:

8) Southern Culture on the Skids @ 9:30 Club

That one had some moments, for sure.  ;D

DeathFromAbove1979 wrote:
Justice @ Sonar [the crowd was awesome but not stupid like at 930]

I almost forgot about that one.  That was a great set.  I had a blast that night. 

forgot to add
white lies - empty bottle - chicago
digitalism/holy fuck/a place to bury strangers - they werent all playing the same venue, but it was all the same night.
jose gonzalez acoustic -highline ballroom

1. MBV ATP 09
1. Radiohead, Liars @ Nissan
2. BOREDOMS, Soft Circle, Black Pus at 9:30
*eye needs to spaz out more often
3. 88BOADRUMS in LA
4. Evangelista at Velvet
5. Boris at Blackcat
*while the ottobar show was better overall, the show's rendition of untitled was pure feedback and noiseful bliss.
6. Legendary PinK Dots at RNR

and i'm forgetting a shit ton but the top 3(4) wont change even as i remember.

Hah our lists are gonna come out similar.


How did you leave out the Bishops!?!?!?!


Mine off the top of my head:
1. MBV Roseland 9/23
2. Alan/Richard Bishop Black Cat 6/25 (the night I got hit in the face with Charles Gocher's ashes)
3. Carla Bozulich Velvet Lounge
4. Jack Rose/Fern Knight/Glenn Jones/Alexander Turnquist Velvet
5. Gary Higgins Velvet
6. Boris BC
7. Nick Cave 930
8. Spiritualized 930
9. Major Stars Velvet
10. Dirty Projectors BC

Forgot to mention the four Jukebox the Ghost shows I saw in 2008, including one last night :P
Great, great DC band…

Also, NIN and Radiohead @ Lolla.

wanderlust wrote:
I&#039;ll probably end up adding more to this list when I get home tonight, but here goes…

James @ 930
Spiritualized @ 930
Wilco @ 930
Nick Cave @ 930
Calexico @ 930
Mission of Burma @ Black Cat
Delta Spirit @ DC9
The Homosexuals @ Velvet Lounge
Carla Bozulich&#039;s Evangelista @ Velvet Lounge
Simian Mobile Disco @ Mezzanine, San Francisco
Broken Social Scene @ Metro, Chicago
The Magnetic Fields @ Herbst Theater, San Francisco
Dirty Projectors @ Black Cat
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings @ Black Cat
Eagles of Death Metal @ 930
THE EX with Getatchew Mekurya @ Black Cat

Hmm…


Replace DP with the Homosexuals in my list.

azaghal1981 wrote:
Hmm…


Replace DP with the Homosexuals in my list.

uuuugh…..