Biscuits N' Blogging: 2008

I'll get to writing an actual blog with non-music stuff soon. But since the year is coming to a close, I'd thought I'd let you know about my top concerts of 2008. I've seen a decent amount of bands this year and some really memorable shows. Here is the top 30:

30) MGMT (Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL): I saw them at Bonnaroo a couple of months prior and only caught a few songs. I was a little underwhelmed and was wanting to head back to That Tent for another band. When I saw them at Lolla, they were a little better. Maybe it's because I was more familiar with the music. They came out with one of my favorite albums of the year.

29) The Toadies (Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL): I didn't necessarily SEE this band as much as I heard them. They played after Lupe Fiasco and I was listening while I was waiting for Rage Against The Machine. They had a lot of songs I forgot about and had a ton of energy.

28) Grupo Fantasma (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): I had never even heard of them until they hit the stage. I was actually walking from MGMT and wanted a good spot for The Sword. They are a latin-based band that is just really fun. I couldn't tell you the names or lyrics to any of the songs, but I know I danced my ass off.

27) Iron & Wine (Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque, NM): I expected him to be a very boring opener for The Swell Season. Even though it was kind of the polar opposite of Grupo Fantasma, I still respected the music. It was enjoyable for what it was. And The Swell Season came out to do a cover of Neil Young's "Albuquerque" so that helped.

26) Sigur Ros (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): I know some of you may be surprised because you know how big of a Sigur Ros fan I am, but these were weird circumstances. It was an odd combination of exhaustion and bickering that led me to go back to my tent and go to sleep. What I did see (roughly 3 songs) did motivate me to see them again in September. The music was pretty on point and Jonsi's voice grabbed my attention right away.

25) Adele (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): This is another artist who I first heard not too long ago. I actually listened to her stuff about a week before the festival and decided I at least wanted to check out some of the show. I had a blast. Forget Amy Winehouse or Lily Allen, I would take Adele. Girl's got a lot of soul.

24) Jack Johnson (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): I was expecting to see one of the most bland shows of my life. He completely exceeded my expectations. I checked out the entire show mainly because I wanted a good spot for Pearl Jam. He actually had good production value and some upbeat songs. I still lounged a bit, but I can honestly say that it was an enjoyable set. Plus, Eddie Vedder came out and did a song with him.

23) Atmosphere (Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM): I didn't stay for THAT long because I was tired from waiting forever and sitting through a couple of shitty acts. I like the new material that I heard and of course they did their old standard "Gold Loves Ugly." It is one of the better hip-hop shows there is to see, in my opinion.

22) Iron Maiden (Journal Pavilion in Albuquerque, NM): I got a lot of shit from some people (well, mostly one) for even going to this show, but I'm glad I went. I'm not a huge Iron Maiden fan, but I managed to get a really good spot and I had never seen them. They opened with "Aces High" and kept the energy going from there. The stage production was pretty cool and Bruce Dickinson still has a bunch of energy.

21) B.B. King (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): This was my first time seeing the King and it was pretty good. He's real old and has to sit in his chair the entire show, but he's pretty entertaining. He has a lot of cool stories from his many years in music and can still wail on his guitiar named "Lucille." I just thought to myself a few times during the show "Holy shit, I'm watching B.B. King". Good stuff.

20) Lupe Fiasco (Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL): He became more of an entertainer since I last saw him at Vegoose in 2007. He makes the show fun and has a pretty decent supporting band. The highlight of the show for me was probably "Go Go Gadget Flow".

19) Lez Zeppelin (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): Yes...."Lez" not "Led". They're an all-female Led Zeppelin cover band. These girls kicked so much ass. I'm so happy I decided to stick around and watch the show. They made a believer out of me by simply doing "Dazed and Confused" and "Whole Lotta Love." They aren't just a gimmicky band, they can really pull off a nice live experience.

18) Jose Gonzalez (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): First, I want you to take a moment to notice where most of these shows are coming from. Bonnaroo. What an amazing weekend. Anyway, this was the 2nd time I had seen Jose Gonzalez. I have tons of respect for his guitar skills. His finger picking style is infectious and his voice really fits the style. If you're a fan of pure guitar playing then Gonzalez is definitely worth checking out.

17) Coheed & Cambria (Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, NM): I really think this band is an acquired taste, but they've put on a good show both times I've seen them. It's fun to watch Claudio Sanchez up on stage shredding on the guitar. Highlights were "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3" and "Welcome Home." Side note: The worst band I saw all year, Secret Machines, was the opener.

16) Back Door Slam (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): This is a rock band from England with a blues edge who I first heard about a week before the Roo. They're the first band I saw that weekend that really made an impression on me. They played with a lot of energy and prompted me to buy their CD when I got back in town.

15) Ozomatli (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): Ozo has produced a great time ALL 5 times I have seen them. This was the only time in 2008. I was wondering how their show would translate onto the main stage at Bonnaroo, rather than a more intimate setting. Well, they were still very energetic and make me dance my ass off. They just bring it every time and I can really tell they love what they're doing.

14) Kings of Leon (Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX): They have a reputation for not being the best showmen on stage and I can sorta see that. They don't really act like rock stars up there. The music was quality though and I had a good spot just a few rows from the stage. Even though they didn't play "Black Thumbnail", I still like what they did with "Closer" and "Crawl."

13) The Sword (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): The first time I saw them was at The Launchpad in Albuquerque and it was pretty good but the sound kinda sucked. Needless to say, the sound was MUCH better at Roo. I was almost front and center and they just destroyed my face. They were the best band I saw at Roo on Thursday night. They play the type of metal that still resonates with me.

12) The Black Keys (Red Rocks in Morrison, CO): The duo from Akron, Ohio released my favorite album of 2008. I was really happy to see them open for My Morning Jacket at my favorite venue. Though I wish they would've played "Lies", I can see what they were going for with just a 45-minute set. They wanted to keep it more upbeat the entire time. "Strange Times" was my favorite song of the set.

11) The Raconteurs (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): It was so so tough to keep them out of the top 10. They absolutely killed at the Roo. I left The Swell Season's performance in This Tent so I could catch The Racs' entire set. They opened with "Consoler of the Lonely" and didn't let up. "Many Shades of Black" was another one of my highlights and they had the perfect closer in "Carolina Drama." Jack White is simply an amazing musician and it was a treat to him perform with an awesome band.

10) The Swell Season (Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque, NM): I was introduced to this group in May and I didn't think it would be my style. Something like this, singer-songwriter, usually wouldn't be. They have such an epic sound, though, that they cannot be ignored. The sound translates wonderfully in a live setting as well. Not only did they have a crisp sound, but Glen Hansard is one of the better frontmen in music right now. His might be the most engaging lead singer I have ever seen. That made the show that much more enjoyable. I really dug "Fitzcarraldo" and "Say It To Me Now."

9) Metallica (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): I've been a fan of Metallica since close to the time they released the self-titled black album. That was in 1991. In all that time, I had never had a chance to see them. They were one of the main reasons I went to Bonnaroo. The show was damn good. Chris Rock did a great stand-up routine before they hit the stage then he introduced them. They went right into "Creeping Death", just tearing through it. The pyros and war sound effects set the tone in a perfect way for "One." I was also happy they played "Fade To Black" Maybe the best thing about the show was they only played one song post 1991. And that was a tolerable one in "Memory Remains."

8) Calexico (Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, NM): This was actually a last-minute decision for me. My friend, and fellow music geek, Adrienne was in town from Phoenix and we were planning on hanging out. I suggested Calexico at the urging of my friend, Mark. There were 6 of them on stage and they were all incredibly talented. I think 5 of them at least sang backup and 4 of them played guitar. They were playing mariachi music one minute and shredding my skull with heavy guitar the next. And to think, I almost didn't go to this show.

7) Pearl Jam (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): They were easily one of my favorite bands when I first started getting into rock music back in middle school. I played Ten all the time. Like Metallica, PJ had eluded me for many years. That's why it was so great for me to see them. They killed a 3-hour set in what I have heard is typical Pearl Jam fashion. Eddie Vedder was really drunk and going off on tangents in between songs. It was wildly entertaining. My favorite part, though, was a rare song that also happens to be one of my favorite PJ songs. They played "W.M.A." all the way through. That's something they hadn't done in 14 years. The other big highlight for me was "Black." They ended with a good version of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower." Definitely a memorable set and I wouldn't have minded if they played longer. Fuck Kanye!

6) My Morning Jacket (Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN): This barely edged out Pearl Jam as my favorite Roo set. They went on around midnight on Friday night, right after Metallica on a different stage. They played a 4-hour set, but I only saw a little over an hour. What I did see, though, just amazed me. They are really loud and Jim James sings/plays guitar with such emotion that it's almost impossible not to get caught up in it. The song that I loved was "Gideon". They also did a cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Hot Fun In The Summertime" that I was lucky enough to see. The reason I didn't see the entire set was because I was a pussy and couldn't handle the rain and cold. Oh well. I'm fine with that and you'll read why soon enough. I did get to hear them play "Dondante" and "Run Thru" while I was laying in my tent. That was a pretty cool moment.

5) Rage Against The Machine (Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL): About 30 minutes before Rage went on, the crowd was pushing to the point where I couldn't breathe. I had to crowd surf out of where I was and find another spot. Fan douchebaggary aside, I had a blast at this set. This was the 3rd time I had seen Rage since they re-united and they didn't disappoint. They haven't in any of those shows. Zach de la Rocha made a very militant speech during "Wake Up." That's sort of become tradition during their live shows. A big thing for me was them playing "Ashes In The Fall." That's a song I hadn't seen in the previous 2 shows.

4) Nine Inch Nails (Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, NV): If you're a light show monkey like me, this is maybe the best show on the planet to see. Trent Reznor put a lot of thought and money into this production. Visually, it was stunning. Musically, it was great as well. My favorite songs were "Wish" "March of the Pigs" and "Hurt." I also really really enjoyed all of their new stuff, especially the all-instrumental songs from Ghosts I-IV. The venue was also perfect. It was a small theater at the Planet Hollywood Casino. And a geeky sidenote: I got to meet a lot of cool people from the music message board on post on all the time at Coachella.com. So that was a nice bonus.

3) Sigur Ros (Red Rocks in Morrison, CO): This is no hype when I say that this is the closest thing to a spiritual experience I've ever had at a concert. Epic is the only way I can describe every last one of their songs. The progression from soft and beautiful to intense is just stunning. "Untitled 8" was probably the best song I've ever seen performed live. I had goose pimples the entire night. It was just simply a surreal experience to see this band totally captivate the entire crowd on gorgeous night at the Rocks.

2) My Morning Jacket (Red Rocks in Morrison, CO): After only seeing a little over an hour of their Bonnaroo show, I immediately made it a mission to see them at Red Rocks. I took 2 days off, unpaid, from work to see this show. What I got was, at the time, the best show of my life. MMJ played 29 songs over the course of 3 hours. Every song sounded so full and the light show was great. After it was over, I felt like someone had kicked my nuts up to my eyeballs. That's a good thing in the world of music. It's so hard to pick my favorite songs, but a few that stood out were "Run Thru" "Dondante" "Lay Low" "Gideon" "Off The Record" and "One Big Holiday." This is a band I would probably travel anywhere to see.

1) Radiohead (Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Chula Vista, CA): Many of you know that this is my absolute favorite band. I love music in general, but their music is on another level to me. This was my first Radiohead show, but definitely not my last. Along with Tool, they are the most crisp-sounding band I've ever heard. Everything they do in studio is pulled off in concert. Every band member has a job during ever song. It is a joy to watch. The light show is pretty damn cool too. My favorite songs were "Stree Spirit (Fade Out)" "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" "How To Disappear Completely" "Lucky" and "Optimistic." All 25 songs they did are perfect, so it might be a little unfair to isolate a few. Let me just say that Radiohead gets so much acclaim because they really are THAT good. They continue to prove it time and time again.