2012 best shows

not to overflow the board with "best of" lists, but i'm interested in hearing what everyone's favorite shows were this year.

notables for me:
gary clark jr @ 930
white denim @ rnr
joy formidable @ st. stephens
destroyer @ 930
bahamas @ iota

most were out of my control, but regret missing swans @ bc, cloud nothings @ red palace, titus @ rnr, the men @ dc9, and beach house @ 930.

Metz at Red Palace destroyed everything I'd seen this year

I'm sure I'll come up with more.. but the ones that really stick out are:

Sharon Van Etten - Black Cat
ExitMusic - Red Palace
Conor Oberst / Daniel Johnston - Warner Theater
Screeching Weasel - Sonar
Refused - Fillmore

..and the worst thing I saw all year
Game 5 of the Nationals/Cardinals series.

1. Of monsters and men - tower theater philly
2.  Polyphonic spree - sixth and i
3. Jens lekman - 930
4. Jeff Magnum - Lincoln theater
5. Florence and the machine - mpp
6. Wye oak - scapescape
7. Santigold - virgin fest
8. Magnetic fields - 930
9. Okkervil river - rams head
10. Dum dum girls - ottobar
11. M83 - virgin fest
12.  Celebration/lower dens - ottobar

imbecile wrote:
..and the worst thing I saw all year
Game 5 of the Nationals/Cardinals series.

missed swans (and cloud nothings, i guess) that night for this.

I need to start keeping a journal or something…

I didn't go to many shows this year.  But Cloud Nothings at Red Palace was #1.

Relaxer wrote:
Metz at Red Palace destroyed everything I'd seen this year

Wish I would have gone to that.  Am LOVING their album.

#1 for me was Spiritualized @ Cat's Cradle Raleigh NC

Probably #2 was Hot Chelle Rae at the club, not because I was into it but because I took my kids (8 and 10) and they had the BEST time.  We met all 3 bands and it was just AMAZING to watch them soak it in and have the time of their lives.

Thanks for that memory Seth!

My Morning Jacket at Merriweather
Dr. Dog at 9:30 (Spring show)
Bob Mould doing Copper Blue at 9:30
The Walkmen at 9:30
Justin Townes Earle and Tift Merritt at Rams Head Live

I don't think we need another thread for worst shows so I will just add them here:

Worst Shows of the Year:

1) Jesus and Mary Chain– 930 club  Just too loud.  Couldn't hear the vocals after the 5th song.  I will say everyone but the lead singer were pretty bad

2) MMJ - MPP -  Senseless jams become boring pretty quick.  Felt like I was transported back to the 70's with the endless guitar solos.

3) Bowerbirds - ottobar - just boring.

4) Ben Folds Five - Virgin Fest - Ben Folds just isn't good live.  I saw him without the five before and he was equally as bad.

Iggy and the Stooges @ Riotfest Chicago
Afghan Whigs @ 9:30
Descendents @ Riotfest Chicago
Hives @ 9:30
Radiohead @ Verizon
Face to Face (acoustic) @ Upstairs at Trocadero
Death Cab @ Strathmore
Bad Religion @ the Mall
Feelies @ 9:30
Social D @ 9:30

Worst shows for me:

ZZ Top, Alabama Shakes, M83 at VFest
Heartless Bastards at Black Cat (better than the three listed above, but expected more)

I remember when your kids was a three year old singing along with Ramones songs. Seems his taste has gone downhill!

chaz wrote:
#1 for me was Spiritualized @ Cat's Cradle Raleigh NC

Probably #2 was Hot Chelle Rae at the club, not because I was into it but because I took my kids (8 and 10) and they had the BEST time.  We met all 3 bands and it was just AMAZING to watch them soak it in and have the time of their lives.

Thanks for that memory Seth!

James wrote:
I remember when your kids was a three year old singing along with Ramones songs. Seems his taste has gone downhill!

chaz wrote:
#1 for me was Spiritualized @ Cat's Cradle Raleigh NC

Probably #2 was Hot Chelle Rae at the club, not because I was into it but because I took my kids (8 and 10) and they had the BEST time.  We met all 3 bands and it was just AMAZING to watch them soak it in and have the time of their lives.

Thanks for that memory Seth!

They still like the Ramones and Beach Boys (we saw them this year too and went backstage and met the band but not Brian) and my boy especially likes a lot of punk rock…He especially LOVES Operation Ivy for some crazy reason…

But yeah they are kids and have their own thing too.  I'm just happy they were real bands with real instruments…could be a lot worse!  I did attend the Justin Beiber show a few weeks ago…a birthday surprise for my daughter.  You should have seen her when I told her to get dressed and get in the car to go to the show.  She lost it.  So worth it just for that moment alone.

My concert wish for 2013 is a Rancid US tour so I can take my son.  He loves them too.

chaz wrote:

James wrote:
I remember when your kids was a three year old singing along with Ramones songs. Seems his taste has gone downhill!

chaz wrote:
#1 for me was Spiritualized @ Cat's Cradle Raleigh NC

Probably #2 was Hot Chelle Rae at the club, not because I was into it but because I took my kids (8 and 10) and they had the BEST time.  We met all 3 bands and it was just AMAZING to watch them soak it in and have the time of their lives.

Thanks for that memory Seth!

They still like the Ramones and Beach Boys (we saw them this year too and went backstage and met the band but not Brian) and my boy especially likes a lot of punk rock…He especially LOVES Operation Ivy for some crazy reason…

But yeah they are kids and have their own thing too.  I'm just happy they were real bands with real instruments…could be a lot worse!  I did attend the Justin Beiber show a few weeks ago…a birthday surprise for my daughter.  You should have seen her when I told her to get dressed and get in the car to go to the show.  She lost it.  So worth it just for that moment alone.

My concert wish for 2013 is a Rancid US tour so I can take my son.  He loves them too.

Funny you say that… been on a major Rancid kick for the last month or so and have been punching myself in the junk for not checking out their black cat shows a few years ago. I don't think I've seen them since the mid 90's. They're touring the UK right now…

Yada wrote:

chaz wrote:
My concert wish for 2013 is a Rancid US tour so I can take my son.  He loves them too.

Funny you say that… been on a major Rancid kick for the last month or so and have been punching myself in the junk for not checking out their black cat shows a few years ago. I don't think I've seen them since the mid 90's. They're touring the UK right now…

I saw them in March in a dual bill with Cock Sparrer at the Warfield.  Cock Sparrer were better.

Yada wrote:

chaz wrote:

James wrote:
I remember when your kids was a three year old singing along with Ramones songs. Seems his taste has gone downhill!

chaz wrote:
#1 for me was Spiritualized @ Cat's Cradle Raleigh NC

Probably #2 was Hot Chelle Rae at the club, not because I was into it but because I took my kids (8 and 10) and they had the BEST time.  We met all 3 bands and it was just AMAZING to watch them soak it in and have the time of their lives.

Thanks for that memory Seth!

They still like the Ramones and Beach Boys (we saw them this year too and went backstage and met the band but not Brian) and my boy especially likes a lot of punk rock…He especially LOVES Operation Ivy for some crazy reason…

But yeah they are kids and have their own thing too.  I'm just happy they were real bands with real instruments…could be a lot worse!  I did attend the Justin Beiber show a few weeks ago…a birthday surprise for my daughter.  You should have seen her when I told her to get dressed and get in the car to go to the show.  She lost it.  So worth it just for that moment alone.

My concert wish for 2013 is a Rancid US tour so I can take my son.  He loves them too.

Funny you say that… been on a major Rancid kick for the last month or so and have been punching myself in the junk for not checking out their black cat shows a few years ago. I don't think I've seen them since the mid 90's. They're touring the UK right now…

Wish I'd seen those too.  Last time was mid 90's at Nation or Capital Ballroom or whatever it was called then I think.

Metz at Red Palace was pretty awesome. Best line of the night: "Is that the fire alarm? We're gonna keep playing!" No one made for the exits because Metz was rocking too hard!

Graveyard at the Golden West was a great sold out show.

Rwake and Electric Wizard at Maryland Death Fest were pretty heavy.

Farm Fest was amazing as a whole. Loved every band but not the 100' heat.

Pig Destroyer's comeback show at the Ottobar was batshit insane.

Om a few weeks ago was incredible as well.

There is probably more.

Unsanity wrote:
Metz at Red Palace was pretty awesome. Best line of the night: "Is that the fire alarm? We're gonna keep playing!" No one made for the exits because Metz was rocking too hard!

I remember that. Visions of Great White definitely flashe through my head as I looked for where the exits were.