Top 10 Live Shows of 2007
Over the course of the last several weeks, I have posted my favorite studio albums of 2007. This week, I list my 10 favorite live shows of the past year. Here are some runners-up: Buffalo Tom at Southpaw, Rogue Wave at Johnny Brenda’s, Voxtrot at Transit and at the Pitchfork Music Festival, New Pornographers at Pitchfork, Black Dice with Pissed Jeans at the Vacuum and more that I can’t think of now.
He must’ve played about 15 songs or more in 17 minutes. He played the amazing songs from Blood Visions so fast that even for as many times as I’ve listened to them, I had trouble recognizing them at first and even more trouble singing along. It reminded me of seeing the mid ‘90s hardcore band COPOUT (who later became HIS HERO IS GONE and who like Jay, hailed from Memphis) in the summer of 1994 in a shed in New Brunswick. That’s how blindingly fast and brilliant Jay’s set was! Wow!
In September 2006, their set in the basement of the First Unitarian Church qualified as my favorite live moment of the year. Their set at Baltimore’s Ottobar back in June was even better. They’ve gotten tighter since they first toured over here and it showed in how blindingly fast they played their material this time around. And furthermore, on top of all the hits from the first two albums and several from the respectable 2006 comeback album Zeno Beach, we also got great covers of THE KINKS (“Til the End of the Day”) and BLUE OYSTER CULT (“Hot Rails to Hell”), both two of my favorite songs by each band!
This bill was extra special not only because it included The Bongos’ third show since their reunion and their first in Hoboken in 20 years, but also because the presence of former FEELIES guitarist/singer Glenn Mercer and dB’s guitarist/singer CHRIS STAMEY made this show a virtual reunion of some of the brightest lights of Hoboken’s (and the nation’s) jangle-pop scene of the early ‘80s. An honorable mention should go to Glenn’s set the week before here in Philadelphia at the North Star Bar, partially because the great WILD CARNATION also played that show.
This was my second time seeing Jens Lekman and this show, supporting his great new album Night Falls Over Kortedala, and it was much better than the first time. In fact, it was quite brilliant as Jens was full of genuine exuberance and enthusiasm. Regrettably, we couldn’t stay until the very end, where he supposedly played several more songs (including “A Pocketful of Money”).
Ted Leo was great as always, but the real revelation was Melbourne, Australia’s incredible Love of Diagrams. I couldn’t remember the last time an opening band had so thoroughly impressed me and upstaged the headliner (well for me, at least). They hit all my post-punk, new and no wave pleasure points to a tee. I should also mention their great set at Johnny Brenda’s back in November, which I covered in a previous list.
The main set was terrific, with Hitchcock and his excellent band (including R.E.M. guitarist PETER BUCK ) digging into both his last album Ole, Tarantula! as well as his extensive back catalog, but the encore was what made this show truly memorable. Playing THE SOFT BOYS ’ “Kingdom of Love” and following it with BOB DYLAN ’s “Not Dark Yet”, he provided what was possibly my favorite musical moment of 2007.
This was my first time seeing Lowe, an artist I’ve long admired and liked, so this was special for me. It didn’t hurt that playing solo with just an acoustic guitar, he was absolutely spectacular. As to be expected, he concentrated on his more recent records, but dabbled in his ‘70s and ‘80s catalog more than I expected. The versions of “Seven Nights to Rock” and “I Knew the Bride” were especially memorable on this night.
When Yo La Tengo are on, they are ON and on this tonight they were switched on beyond belief. You know it’s gonna be a good night when they open a 10-minute plus version of SUN RA ’s “Nuclear War”. And the night just got better. They brought out Chris Stamey, GENE HOLDER and WILL RIGBY from the dB’s (who played a great opening set full of obscurities as well as fan favorites) to both play on some of their songs that dB’s bassist had produced as well as backing Rigby on one of his solo tunes. And the encore? JIM JAMES from MY MORNING JACKET came out to front the band, singing songs by Jewish songwriters (NEIL DIAMOND’s “Solitary Man,” PF SLOAN’s “Secret Agent Man” and KISS’ “Hard Luck Woman”, written by PAUL STANLEY, respectively). Simply amazing!
My love for The Avengers is well-documented (see here, here and here) and their set on this night was perhaps even better than the two other occasions I’d seen them play in the previous year, but what made this night extra special was the addition of Pansy Division to the bill. I hadn’t seen them play since October 1993 at ABC-NO-RIO when they shared the bill with GOD IS MY CO-PILOT (who absolutely blew me away). I’m happy to say they’re better than ever, as the addition of second guitarist JOEL READER and especially dynamite drummer LUIS ILLADES (both also members of The Avengers now as well) has bolstered their sound quite a bit. And although it wasn’t a very well-attended show, the joy on people’s faces watching these bands and singing along made it that much more pleasurable!
Party like it’s 1967! Caribou’s live show is probably the closest thing you’ll get these days to being at the UFO Club during that time and watching bands like the original PINK FLOYD or SOFT MACHINE blow your mind. They’ve got it all. Melody, beats, a groovy light show and a terrific new album, too!
