Top 10 Live Shows of 2010
I keep a spreadsheet of shows I’ve attended, though I only started doing this last year. One of these days, I’ll fill in the blanks all the way back to my 1st concert in 1989 by using old ticket stubs, the internet and my memory for those many shows for which I don’t have a stub for. In any case, in 2009, I attended 64 shows while in 2010 I only attended 50. This is unquestionably due to work and school taking up even more of my time, but I try to get out when I can if I wanna see an artist.
OK, enough chatter. It’s time for the ten past shows I saw in 2010. This is chronological order, not order of preference. I should also note some honorable mentions, so here they are: The Feelies at World Cafe Live, Rogue Wave at the First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, Eddy Current Suppression Ring at Johnny Brenda’s, Buzzcocks at Trocadero, The Gerunds, Sleeper Agent! and Dot Dash at Sidebar in Baltimore and Seabrook Power Plant along with Split Red at Danger Danger Gallery.
Mission of Burma with Sleeper Agent! – First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia), February 18, 2010
Mission of Burma played a typically great headlining set and John Stabb’s new band Sleeper Agent! proved a formidable opener with their brand of post-punk fury, ably covering Killing Joke‘s “Kings and Queens” and the Pixies‘ “Break My Body”. What made this show that much more memorable was that it came after several huge snowstorms and that it was nice to see such a great bill after being trapped indoors by the snow!
The Joy Formidable with The Dig – Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia) – May 7, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Damien Jurado – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia) – June 19, 2010
I was completely unfamiliar with Jurado’s music before we went to see him at the insistence of my wife and boy I’m glad we did because he was fantastic. Stripped-down, acoustic, confessional, sad singer-songwriters are rarely this engaging, but Jurado (who was joined by a backing band for half of his set, albeit that part was understated, too) belongs in the rarefied company of folks like Mark Eitzel who are able to pull this off effectively.
The Big Takeover’s 30th anniversary festival – Bell House (Brooklyn) – July 30 and 31, 2010
Sheer Terror – Starlight Ballroom (Philadelphia) – August 14, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Superchunk with Jenny and Johnny and Versus – Trocadero (Philadelphia) – September 22, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Teenage Fanclub with The Radar Brothers – Trocadero (Philadelphia) – October 1, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Guided by Voices with Blitzen Trapper – Trocadero (Philadelphia) – November 6, 2010
Yo La Tengo with Jon Glasser and Syl Johnson – Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ) – December 4, 2010
Regrettably, I didn’t have a chance to write a review of this show as December was a busy month, but like just about every Hanukkah show I’ve ever seen Yo La Tengo perform, it was absolutely incredible. Not only were the headliners on fire on this evening with originals (including an incredible “Out the Window”) and covers of songs by Jewish songwriters (this night’s edition included Lou Reed‘s “She My Best Friend”), but opener and soul legend Syl Johnson was terrific as well. We also got comedian Glasser’s hilarious take on “Autumn Sweater” as Yo La Tengo backed him and did I mention that Peter Wolf joined Yo La Tengo for a few songs during the encore (including “Ain’t Nothin’ But a House Party”, which J Geils Band played regularly throughout the ’70s)? What a night!
Government Issue with The Goons and Set to Explode – Black Cat (Washington, DC) – December 11, 2010
Please see my full review here.
