Best Gigs of 2008

[getinthevan]

Mike suggested it and I thought it was a great idea, so here it is!

What were the best gigs you went to in 2008?

For now I'll post mine chronologically, but I intend to put them in an order later.  Plus I still have a show or two to go this year.

February 24th
Foo Fighters, Against Me! @ Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
Woo!  I finally got to see the Foo Fighters!  Not only see them, but right against the barricade on the catwalk through the crowd.  They played pretty much everything I wanted to hear.  I didn't care how they sounded because I was having so much fun singing along.  Plus at one point, Dave Grohl did a double take and then with a shit-eating grin, did a classic point, nod, and thumbs up at my sister and I after spotting my At Dawn shirt.  I was in such a good mood for a couple weeks after this one.  

June 4th
Death Cab For Cutie @ Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI
I took my sister to see them and we had a great time.  They sounded really good and Ben seemed to be having a really good time.  At the end of the show we walked out of the side door onto a street in downtown Detroit where fans were flooding into the streets because the Redwings had just won the Stanley Cup.  Thinking back on it, it was one of the coolest moments of the year for me.

June 8th
The National @ Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac, MI
I went with people that I'd never really hung out before and that made for a really fun evening.  We sat on a couch against the rail in the balcony, looking down on the stage.  It was so incredible to see all the different things the drummer did to get different sounds out of his kit.  There was so much energy and where we were sitting, the sound was absolutely perfect.

August 1-3
Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Easily the most memorable weekend of the entire year.  I think about it all the time.  I got to hang out with a good friend of mine for a few days and see so many great sets, including a few bands that I'd wanted to see for a really long time.

August 15th
My Morning Jacket @ Riverfront Park, Nashville, TN
My first time seeing them play a full set since I got really into them and WOW!  They sounded good, they played well, Jim said some great things, the fireworks, War Begun, the fireworks during War Begun, everything except the crappy food cart that took forever to give me lukewarm corn dogs.  All in all, a fine experience in a fine city.

August 16th
Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
I wasn't sure what to expect and my Mom and I went because we were looking for something to do that night in Nashville.  Little did I know that I'd witness so much energy coming from two acoustic guitar players and get to participate in a crowd sing-a-long of Wish You Were Here.

October 9th
Fleet Foxes @ Ladies Literary Club, Grand Rapids, MI
I have nothing bad to say about their set.  The harmonies were spot on and the banter in between songs was fun.  I'd never been to the venue before and it was exactly the setting I had imagined seeing Fleet Foxes play in.  Plus, I've never heard a crowd so quiet during a show, except the cheering after each song.

October 25th
The Roots @ Saint Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI
I went in expecting a good show.  We ended up standing in the second row (with little pushing all night) and the level of musicianship was through the roof!  My jaw just kept dropping all night.  I never thought I'd ever go to a hip-hop show and see solos from every person on stage.

November 8th
In Flames, All That Remains, Gojira
@ Emerald Theatre, Mt. Clemens, MI
Fun, fun, fun.  I was really excited for this show when we got tickets but by the time it actually rolled around, I wasn't too thrilled about going.  Lucky for me the sound was great for 2 of the bands and both of those bands blew my expectations for them out of the water, and the other band was fun.  

There's nothing better than walking out of a show just beaming about how good it was and how much fun you had.  These were the shows that did that to me this year.

[AllyDee]

Deerhoof, Fucked Up, and My Morning Jacket all played really great shows when I saw them this year

[xmascriminal]

Since I'm going to college in a remote part of Ohio, I didn't get to see as many concerts as I usually do and probably won't until I either get a well-paying job, get a car or get a new location (which probably won't happen for at least three more years since I really like my school). But other than MMJ in Detroit, seeing Pearl Jam three times was incredible. Hartford and Mansfield 2 both ranked among the best shows I've ever seen. Night 1 wasn't as good, but it was still awesome and for anybody who was there, tell me that moment the crowd had during Betterman wasn't one of the greatest experiences you've ever had at a gig. Good times.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

MMJ roo 08.

[mjkoehler]

I'll have to post a detailed one tomorrow. I kept a calendar in my office for all the shows I went to this year. I had some really good shows this year, even if the boys weren't in the list....sadly.

GITV, thanks for starting this up.

[dragonboy]

I only went to a couple of shows this year  :'(

Fleet Foxes - should have been excellent but ruined by the disrespectful audience.
Mike Ness - one of the best gigs I've ever been to!

Here's hoping for a few more next year...The Jacket in Feb is a pretty good start, fingers crossed for Tom Jones in August!!!

[red]

LEGENDARY:
Tom Waits - Columbus, OH.
Tom Waits - Knoxville, TN.
Tom Waits - Dallas, TX.
Tom Waits - St. Louis, MO.
The Sadies - Saskatoon, SK

EXCEPTIONAL:
Tom Waits - Tulsa, OK.
Tom Waits - Houston, TX.
Neil Young - Regina, SK.
Constantines - Regina, SK.

GREAT:
Constantines - Saskatoon, SK.
The Sadies - Regina, SK.
Feist & Hayden - Regina, SK.
Birds are Dinosaurs - Craik, SK.
Regina Folk Festival (Broken Social Scene, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Kathleen Edwards, Final Fantasy...)

SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTING:
Bob Dylan - Regina, SK.
The Zombies - Regina, SK.


I'm sure I'll be editing this post a few times, I've likely forgot a number of shows that fit in there somewhere.

[bold99]

Black Keys - Boston, MA  May 08'

Drive-By Truckers Dirt Underneath Tour  Brooklyn, NY  Jan 08'

Phil Lesh/Levon Helm Boston, MA June 08'

Gov't Mule Halloween Show Boston, MA

Grace Potter Boston, MA Sept 08'

Ryan Adams Boston, MA Sept 08'

[ManNamedTruth]

LEGENDARY:
Tom Waits - Columbus, OH.
Tom Waits - Knoxville, TN.
Tom Waits - Dallas, TX.
Tom Waits - St. Louis, MO.
The Sadies - Saskatoon, SK

EXCEPTIONAL:
Tom Waits - Tulsa, OK.
Tom Waits - Houston, TX.
Neil Young - Regina, SK.
Constantines - Regina, SK.

GREAT:
Constantines - Saskatoon, SK.
The Sadies - Regina, SK.
Feist & Hayden - Regina, SK.
Birds are Dinosaurs - Craik, SK.
Regina Folk Festival (Broken Social Scene, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Kathleen Edwards, Final Fantasy...)

SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTING:
Bob Dylan - Regina, SK.
The Zombies - Regina, SK.


I'm sure I'll be editing this post a few times, I've likely forgot a number of shows that fit in there somewhere.

I should've went to that Columbus show, about 3 1/2 hours from where I am.

[ManNamedTruth]

It was a great year for shows this year, I saw a lot of bands that made my top albums list. I went to my first festival too. All these took place in or around Pittsburgh, except MMJ in Columbus.

April 12
The New Pornographers, Okkervil River @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
Got to meet Neko before the show. Getting to see her before she got sidelined with an ankle injury was good luck (for me).

April 17
Iron & Wine, Califone @ The Palace Theatre
I had an extra ticket and gave it to some random girl I met who was by herself so she could be closer.  

June 10
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Steve Winwood @ Post-Gazette Pavillion
I had a headache and was in a terrible mood. It was my third time seeing him though so I didn't mind too much. I don't have much desire to see him again.

June 30
Modest Mouse, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ Ice Garden Arena
The venue kinda sucked, the sound wasn't that good. The bands had good energy though.

August 5
Dr. Dog, The Takeover UK
My favorite show up to that point. No Toby songs though since his throat wasn't 100% yet.

August 8, 9
New American Music Union Festival
Bob Dylan, Gnarls Barkley, Spoon, The Roots, The Raconteurs, The Black Keys, Black Mountain
An amazing weekend. The Black Keys, The Roots, The Raconteurs, and Gnarls Barkley were my favorite sets. I missed a couple bands that I think would've been good - The Duke Spirit, and NASA. The only negatives were sleeping (I didn't actually get any sleep) on a floor, and having to put up with this dude who was a friend of my friends from college. I don't think he was really a fan of any of the bands and was just there for the party aspect, and was really annoying and was obnoxious during Spoon's set.

October 6
My Morning Jacket @ Lifestyle Communities Pavillion
Show of the year. My second MMJ show, better than the first time seeing them. The venue was better, I really want to see a show there again. I got to meet TEO.  8-) My friend almost passed out and I missed part of Touch Me Part Two while helping him. Once again, I feel lucky getting to see the boys the day before Jim's fall.

November 12
The Hold Steady, Drive-By Truckers @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
Front row seats! A fun show, liveliest crowd I've been to for a theater. I still wish it was at a different venue but Pittsburgh doesn't have a lot of mid-level venue options.

[Penny Lane]

MMJ roo 08.

i second that

[red]

I should've went to that Columbus show, about 3 1/2 hours from where I am.

Damn, you really should have.  The greatest show I've ever been to, I can't imagine anything bettering it.  Hearing "Cold Cold Ground" for the first time was one of the best moments of my life.

[tomEisenbraun]

Kaley. You put all of us to some serious shame. Dangit, now I have to figure out who I've seen this year...

Okay:

I saw Fleet Foxes three times. Each time was special. Drove three hours to catch them in South Carolina when they were opening for Blitzen Trapper in March and it was incredible. The monitors broke down right before their set and they apologized profusely for how much they were going to suck and then bust into Sun Giant almost completely a cappella for the opener. Completely new arrangement. Completely beautiful and flawless and room-silencing. I thought I was already hooked. That was the true moment, right there, though. Absolutely incredible.

Saw them in Atlanta in July and it was beautiful. First show I saw with J. Tillman on drums and they were so much more polished and energetic. Bigger room, more focused audience. Incredible.

And then Athens. I think we've seen the interview where they pinpoint Athens as one of their favorite shows from this last tour. It was absolutely magical and they loved playing for us so much. It was such an incredible experience. The room was perfect, the set was perfect. There was so much love in there. Absolutely magical. The combination of Sun Giant and Sun It Rises was absolutely stunning and they just straight up brought it all night. Beautiful. Not to mention running into Josh Tillman before the show and finding out how genuine all these guys are. Great person. Met Casey and Christian after the show and though they were visibly exhausted, they were so jazzed to meet us and see how excited we were. Casey shook our hands and did his best to remember our names afterwards, which was totally unnecessary and really cool of him to try to do. Seriously. this band is something else.


Where to go from there?
My Morning Jacket at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in ATL.
Good freaking Lord. I find that I've over-listened all of their recorded material and I get sort of jaded on the band every now and then because of that, but seeing them live is always absolutely transcendent. Good Lord. Finally understood "I'm Amazed" for all it's worth during this show. About broke my neck during Run Thru. Was hoarse for a couple days. Couldn't hear well for a couple days. Could turn my head much more than 30º either direction for a couple days. Exactly what I needed to remind me of how incredible these guys are. And let's not forget the ridiculous new "War Begun"!

I must not get out much, because I'm not remembering any other shows. Bailed out of Clutch and Built to Spill when they came through, unfortunately. Going to shows alone is never too fun, but those both would've been incredible. Definitely catching more this winter. GWAR on December 12? I'm fucking there.

[charps]

MMJ roo 08.

i second that

THIRDED!  :D

[mjkoehler]

I'll have to post a detailed one tomorrow. I kept a calendar in my office for all the shows I went to this year. I had some really good shows this year, even if the boys weren't in the list....sadly.

GITV, thanks for starting this up.

Like a dumbass, I left my special calendar at work when I went in this AM. So here it goes from memory. In no order until the last 3.

Drive By Tuckers- Fanfuckingtastic. Just a rocking night. Felice Bros opened for them and they were really good.
Harry & The Potters- This is like the 5th or 6th time I have seen them. Took the Boy again and sat with the other parents whilst the kids rocked it out.
Supergrass-They opened for the Foo Fighters. Supergrass was great. I wish they would have gotten more time and the asshole fans around me weren't such well assholes. I didn't stick around for the Foos
Dead Confederate- Outstanding. Hooked up with BH and Tenn. Great show even if we were 3 of like 11.
Kings of Leon/Whigs/We Are Scientists- Another great show for KOL. I know people like baggin on them now. Whatever. The new album is good and they still sound great live. I would go see the Whigs again. They blew me away. We Are Scientists were good. I would like to see them do their own show in a smaller venue.
New Pornographers/Okervil River- NP's were good, but they sorely missed Neko. They rolled through town after her accident. Okervil River blew them away.
Kathleen Edwards- I never heard of here until that night. BH had a spare ticket and called me up. I can never thank him enough. She's great live, her albums are great, and she is dead sexy.
Explosions In The Sky- 'nuff said!
Neko Case- My number 2 show of the year. Just fantastic. She sounded so good and the new songs she played were great. I cannot wait for the new album.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- This is my show of the year. They never disappoint and I had such fantastic seats that I knew from the getgo it was going to be a special night. It was as close to having a spiritual moment as I'm ever going to have outside of the birth of my kids. It is in my top 5 concerts of all time. The Duke Spirit opened for them and they were hella tight. Their singer OWNS the stage, she OWNS it.

[TheBigChicken]

Pre Nomination The Whigs and Band of Horses @ Variety Playhouse in the ATL on NYE....this will kick ass

[getinthevan]

Explosions In The Sky- 'nuff said!

I second that.  I need to add them to my list.