Top Shows of 2013

[johnnYYac]

J. Roddy Walston and The Business, Burlington, IA (w/20 people!)
Jim James, Portland, ME
Lucius, Mount Vernon, IA (w/30 people!)
Jim James, Boston, MA
Wilco, Solid Sound
Bob Mould, Iowa City, IA
AmericanaramA, Mansfield, MA (left before Dylan)
Built to Spill w/Genders and Slam Dunk, Iowa City, IA
Foxygen, Solid Sound
Silversun Pickups w/Bad Books, Portland, ME

[wolof7]

Jim James - Boston MA
Futurebirds - Charlotte, NC
Charles Bradley - Boston, MA
Dead Confederate (w/ Roadkill Ghost Choir) - Providence, RI
Dudesmash (Deer Tick) - Providence, RI
Americanarama - Mansfield, MA
Arbouretum - Providence, RI
Local bands: The Silks, Smith and Weeden, Last Good Tooth, Sasquatch and the Sickabillies,   Vudu Sister, Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons (at various times/locales through PRovidence).

[APR]

e_wind, the fact that you didn't get to make it to a Pearl Jam show in 2013 is all kinds of wrong.

Tell me about it. They didn't come anywhere near close and money was tight around that time because the bar I was working at unexpectedly closed.

Hopefully this lack of PJ shows will be rectified in the spring.  There are already strong rumors of Toronto in May.  Hopefully they'll do another handful of shows.  I'm happy to hit the road to see PJ again and wouldn't mind seeing e_wind's face melt.

[oistheone]

Took me a LONG time to rank these, but I was finally able to churn out a top-five.

1. Bonnaroo Friday Night - Impossible to break up, it was all one show to me. Only at Roo could you see Wu-Tang, a nearly four-hour set by Paul fuckin' McCartney and a rap Superjam in one evening. One of the best musical nights of my life, I'll never forget it.
2. Father John Misty (full band) - It was the last club show with his full band, he was drunk and cranky, and the show was fantastic. When he launched into an impromptu Freebird and then smashed his guitar a few songs later, this show landed into unforgettable territory.
3. Soul Superjam at Bonnaroo - I've never danced and smiled so much in a two-hour span. When the band kicked into "Love Train", that might have been the happiest I've ever felt, ever.
4. Janelle Monae - Finally seeing her in concert made me a very happy man. Both her and her band exceeded my very lofty expectations, and Janelle's sweet, sweet moves lingered in my mind for weeks afterwards.
5. Americanarama (Toronto stop) - MMJ opening with "I Think I'm Going To Hell" set the tone for a night that surprised me at every turn. Wilco was fantastic, with MMJ, Richard Thompson and even Feist sitting in during their set. And Dylan fucking killed it, bringing out Jim and Jeff for the first time to sing an ode to our wonderful city.

Such a great year for live music, but this isn't a "list EVERY show you went to this year" thread, so I'll keep my honorable mentions brief: Deer Tick, for blowing me the fuck away in the first time I saw them in a non-festival setting.

Here's to a rockin' 2014!

[Fully]

3. Soul Superjam at Bonnaroo - I've never danced and smiled so much in a two-hour span. When the band kicked into "Love Train", that might have been the happiest I've ever felt, ever.

^^^This   I wish we had been able to meet up at Bonnaroo. We were at quite a few of the same shows.

[Mr. White]

1. Jim James – Private Concert with Jim James to Benefit DGI (Tibetan Monks' Home in Louisville) – Actors Theatre – Louisville -5/18/2013 – This was the most special show I have ever seen or will probably ever see. The only reason I got in was because I was lucky and very persistent while trying to procure an extra ticket with the help of one of the main organizers.
2. Jim James – Solo Show to Officially Start the Tour – Brown Theatre – Louisville – 4/17/2013 – I took my wife, and we were on the front row with our elbows propped up on the stage (Dan Dorff's side but very close to the center).
3. Jim James – Solo Show – The Cannery – Nashville – 5/2/2013 – I was front row (with elbows propped up on the stage – Kevin's side) for this very loud and energetic show. I had been having some sad times due to family issues, but this show brought me out of it.
4. Jim James – Solo Show – Forecastle Festival – Louisville – 7/13/2013 – I took my cousin's 18 year old son, and we were front row, dead center for Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Jim, & The Black Keys.
5. My Morning Jacket, Bob Weir, Wilco, & Bob Dylan – Americanarama Tour – Nashville – 6/30/2013 – I finally got to take my younger brother to see his first MMJ show, and we were around 5 to 8 rows back from the stage, dead center, for this general admission show. Plus, I hadn't seen Bob Weir since seeing the Grateful Dead in Louisville in 1993, and I had never seen Wilco or Bob Dylan. (I'm a Wilco fan now.)
6. Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville – 9/14/2013 – This was my second ever Ben Harper show, and it was wonderful. It had a genuine blues feel to the whole thing.
7. Ben Sollee & Friends – Tibet Benefit Show – Brown Theatre – Louisville – 5/20/2013 – This show had a lot of surprises (including Jim James coming out to sing "I Shall Be Released" with all the other guests for the finale.
8. Daniel Martin Moore – Lincoln Days Celebration – Hodgenville, Kentucky – 10/5/2013 – I helped get the ball rolling to get Daniel to come play this show in my hometown for the last 12 years.
9. Daniel Martin Moore – Natasha's – Lexington – 10/10/2013 – This show was better than the one in Hodgenville (but not quite as special). Dan Dorff joined Daniel and his band to give it that little extra something.
10. Robert Plant – Forecastle Festival – Louisville – 7/14/2013 – I took my wife to see this show. I hadn't seen Robert Plant since the Now and Zen tour in 1988. Bad weather cut his set short by about 30 minutes, but the drama of watching the dark clouds come up from behind the audience was pretty wild.

[oistheone]

3. Soul Superjam at Bonnaroo - I've never danced and smiled so much in a two-hour span. When the band kicked into "Love Train", that might have been the happiest I've ever felt, ever.

^^^This   I wish we had been able to meet up at Bonnaroo. We were at quite a few of the same shows.

It's only a matter of time before we cross paths! I'm betting any show we take in will be atop the "best shows of 2014" list!

[Shug]

1. Sigur Ros - Comerica Theater, Phoenix, AZ
2. Wilco and MMJ on Americanarama Tour, Irvine, CA
3. The Who - Quadrophenia  Jobing Arena, Phoenix, AZ
4. J Roddy Waltson - Phoenix, AZ
5. Black Sabbath - US Airways Arena, Phoenix, AZ
6. Vintage Trouble - Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
7. Rival Sons - Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas
8. The Allman Brothers Band - Beacon Theater, NYC
9. Tedeschi Trucks in Tucson, AZ


Honorable Mentions
Black Crowes Vic Theater, Chicago
Eric Clapton – US Airways, Phoenix
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers – Fonda Theater, Hollywood
Rolling Stones - Anaheim
Fleetwood Mac - Phoenix

Sigur Ros and The Who were probably the two most emotionally intense concerts for me this past year.  My elaborate thoughts on The Who here:  http://sugartown-shug.blogspot.com/

Sigur Ros was a trippy intense show, extremely cathartic.  I posted about it here: http://forum.mymorningjacket.com/index.php/topic,17923.msg341164.html#msg341164

Sabbath was way better than I expected, Ozzy was really good and good Lord, that drummer Clufetto is a beast!

MMJ were very good in Irvine and I loved the covers and Jackson Browne sit it, but Wilco were ON FIRE that night, truly in the groove, a short set, of course, but freight train powerful.  Give Me Back The Keys To My Heart was a highlight.

As is clear, I favor the old guard from the golden age of rock in the late 60s and 70s and newer bands that sound like that.  Probably the last time seeing a lot of these bands for me. So stoked I got turned on to J Roddy, thanks to many good MMJ fans!  Can't wait to see them again, ASAP.

[APR]

1. Pearl Jam - Charlottesville
2. Jim James - 9:30 Club
3. Pearl Jam - Baltimore
4. Local Natives - 9:30 Club
5. Foals - Baltimore
6. Americanarama - MPP

Other great ones that can't crack the top tier:

Soundgarden- Constitution Hall, D.C.
Atoms for Peace - Fairfax, VA
Pearl Jam - Philadelphia
Junip - 9:30 Club
Jim James - Johnny Brendas
Pinback - 9:30 Club
Tame Impala - MPP

I can't believe I forgot number 7

7.  Portugal. the Man - silver spring, MD

Way better than I expected.  I had a blast and can't wait to see them again

[Penny Lane]

Jason Isbell: The Ryman
Jason Isbell: Muscle Shoals Theater
Jason Isbell: Rockwood Music Hall
Patterson Hood: headhunter's backyard
Drive-by Truckers: Night 2, Athens, Georgia Theater

Best music moment of the year: Phosphorescent opening up Blues Cafe in Newport with Reasons to Quit, then Jason Isbell doing Simple Man with Deer Tick.

Whippy, Headhunter and I front row: LOOOOOOOVE THIS:

Jason Isbell and Deer Tick - Simple Man - Newport Blues Cafe, Newport RI - 7-27-13

[MrWhippy]

Cool, Penny, I didn't know that video existed. 

That was a great moment, though I think the second song Isbell and Deer Tick, Cigarettes and Wine, was when my mind truly left my body.

[headhunter]

Jason Isbell: The Ryman
Jason Isbell: Muscle Shoals Theater
Jason Isbell: Rockwood Music Hall
Patterson Hood: headhunter's backyard
Drive-by Truckers: Night 2, Athens, Georgia Theater

Best music moment of the year: Phosphorescent opening up Blues Cafe in Newport with Reasons to Quit, then Jason Isbell doing Simple Man with Deer Tick.

Whippy, Headhunter and I front row: LOOOOOOOVE THIS:

Jason Isbell and Deer Tick - Simple Man - Newport Blues Cafe, Newport RI - 7-27-13

One of the highlights for me too Penny Lane!!