Top ten concerts of 2018?

1. Lorde, with Run the Jewels, Mitski @ the Anthem

2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with Cigarettes After Sex @ the Anthem

3. Elvis Costello & the Imposters @ DAR Constitution Hall

4. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds @ the Anthem

5. U2 @ Capital One Arena [night one]

6. Arctic Monkeys, with Mini Mansions @ the Anthem [night one]
7. The National, with Cat Power, Phoebe Bridgers @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
8. Johnny Marr, with the Belle Game @ the Fillmore Silver Spring
9. The Kills, with Dream Wife @ Lincoln Theatre
10. Paul Simon @ Capital One Arena

Ten honorable mentions:

• Belle and Sebastian, with Men I Trust @ the Anthem
• Chvrches, with Lo Moon @ the Anthem
• Courtney Barnett, with Julien Baker, Vagabon @ the Anthem
• Dave Davies @ Rams Head on Stage
• Graham Coxon, with Justin Trawick @ Rock & Roll Hotel
• The Killers, with Alex Cameron @ the Anthem
• Sunflower Bean, with the Nude Party @ Rock & Roll Hotel
• The Vaccines, with Park Snakes @ Rock & Roll Hotel
• Van Morrison, with the Taj Mahal Trio @ Jiffy Lube Live
• Weezer, Pixies, with Sleigh Bells @ Jiffy Lube Live

Nick cave and new order are the two standouts for me


Cave is possibly the best live performer today


Pixies at Nissan also really impressed

Feelies at 930 (I caught first set) and Malkmus at cat also were really good although Malkmus played a bit short

Most disappointing was Lucero at 930 on many levels

You’ll get 5 and you’ll like it…

1) GBV - Otto
2) RBCF - BC
3) Parquet Courts - Club
4) Segall acoustic - Club
5) B&S - Anthem

O gbv… how could I forget?

the best:
Nick Cave for sure
Elvis
New Order
Killing Joke
Pixies @ lube
Byrds SOTRadio show
Beck
Fishbone

good, not great
Lorde
B&S
flasher @ fort reno
Judas Priest
feelies
MC50
NIN

Saw a lot of shows in 2018, but there were a bunch of duds that didn't make the list

A relatively ho-hum year for me, unfortunately. Loved what I saw but the number of shows was down substantially.

Nick Cave @ Anthem
Jesus Lizard @ Black Cat
My Bloody Valentine @ Phillmore Philly
Killing joke @ BSS
Enemy Soil/DOC/Triac @ St. Stephen
Wormrot @ BSS
Noel Gallagher @ Anthem (enjoyed waaay more than I expected)
Fishbone @ FSS

I also forgot David Byrne which has some amazing moments

Almost Queen and Herndon Fest ftw.

Parquet Courts - Club
Johnny Marr - Fillmore
U2 - just because GA floor were amazing tix
Manchester Orchestra - Fillmore
Springsteen on Broadway
Robyn Hitchcock Ramshead OnStage
Feelies - Club
Foo Fighters - MPP
Pylon Reenactment Society - Comet Ping Pong

The Feelies @ Rough Trade Brooklyn
The Jesus Lizard @ Black Cat
MC50 @ 9:30 Club
Radiohead @ Wells Fargo Philly
Descendents @ FSS
Pylon Reenactment Society @ Comet Ping Pong
Dream Syndicate @ Rock'n'Roll Hotel
Dean Wareham w/Cheval Sombre @ la poisson rouge NYC
The Pretenders @ FSS
Belle and Sebastian @ Anthem

(I could put all 3, possibly 4 Feelies shows in my top 10, as well as both Radiohead and MC50 shows I saw, but I tried to stick with the best of each one.) The Jesus Lizard absolutely slayed, but the Feelies edged them out because they played a perfect setlist that night. Also loved the Flasher and Bat Fangs shows I saw, as well as Jason Narducy. A great year for live music.

As usual, y'all are too early. There's 14 days left!

1. David Byrne @ The Anthem

2. Depeche Mode @ Barclay's Center

3. Flaming Lips @ The Orange Peel

4. Beck @ The Anthem

5. Weezer/Pixies @ JLL

6. Smashing Pumpkins/Metric @ Wachovia Center

7. Lucy Dacus @ Hardywood Brewery

8. Lorde/Run The Jewels @ The Anthem

9. Graham Coxon @ State Theatre (Detroit)

10. Guided By Voices @ Broadberry

Honorable Mentions (not in order):
Thievery Corporation/The Suffers @ 9:30
Belle & Sebastian @ The Anthem
MGMT @ The National
Milky Chance @ The National
The Descendents @ The National
Parquet Courts @ Brown's Island
Car Seat Headrest @ The National
Saves The Day/Kevin Devine @ The Broadberry
Violent Femmes/Echo & The Bunnymen @ The National

Nothing can top Nick Cave for me.

I don't go to as many shows anymore, but I did really love the following:
Jesus Lizard
Johnny Fucking Marr
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
JAMC/NIN
David Byrne

So great to meet some of you this year as well! Nice to put faces to the names after all these years! Have a great holiday season, everyone, and thanks for always keeping me informed of the goings on.

K8teebug wrote:
I don't go to as many shows anymore

well you've replaced it by vising breweries and distilleries

Top Nine
Dream Syndicate/Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band @RnR Hotel
Sloan@RnR Hotel
Ghost@Warner Theater
Angelo Moore and the Brand New Step@RnR Hotel
Jesus Lizard@Black Cat
Gray Matter@Black Cat
Supersuckers@Pearl Street Warehouse
Gruff Rhys@DC9
Hackedepicciotto@Comet Ping Pong

The Best
Pylon Reenactment Society@Comet Ping PongJ

Just Missed
Adolescents/Electric Frankenstein@Black Cat Backstage (RIP Steve Soto)
Saint Etienne@Union Stage
Poster Children@DC9

Coulda been, shoulda been - Fishbone@Fillmore - all original lineup (minus one) playing almost all old songs, can't miss.  Unfortunately, the sound was so bad, it did.