The Dirty Dozen
While I am recuperating from the holidays and trying to come up with other blog posts, chew on this music-related year-end list (my top discs of the year will be coming up later this month). But for now...
The 12 Best Shows I Saw in 2006:
12. Sia with Eagle and Talon at the Paradise, Boston, MA (04/19/06) - A wonderfully entertaining (albeit brief) show from the Zero 7 singer. Her ethereal yet strangely poppy voice, along with a strong backing band, made for a great concert.
11. Grant Lee Phillips at TT the Bear's, Cambridge, MA (08/12/06) - A pure frontman, full of energy and talent. The show suffered from the tiny venue, the large population there that preferred to talk through the whole show, and our lousy vantage point. But go see Grant-Lee when he comes to your town. He's excellent.
10. Willy Porter with Glen Phillips at the Stone Church, Newmarket, NH (05/05/06) - Guitar virtuoso Porter and ex-Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Phillips made for a fantastic double-bill, filled with crazy guitar riffs from Porter and songwriting nuggets from Phillips. Stone Church is also one of my favorite local venues.
9. Murder By Death at the Middle East, Cambridge, MA (05/22/06) - A unique an amazing band, MBD absolutely ripped through their set with ferocity. The problem was the sound at the Middle East SUCKS. I really hope this band comes back around and plays a venue with a sound system that can do them justice.
8. Iron Maiden at Agganis Arena, Boston, MA (10/06/06) - What can I say? Despite a setlist that left me yearning for a few more "hits", these guys completely shredded and Bruce Dickinson's vocals were as fresh sounding as ever. Read my review here.
7. Throwing Muses with 50 Foot Wave and Bullseye at the Middle East, Cambridge, MA (08/11/06) - Kristin Hersh took her two bands and blew the roof off the Middle East, despite the lousy sound. Muses fluctuated between melody and speed while 50 Foot Wave was just content with knocking your head off your shoulders.
6. Twilight Singers at the Paradise, Boston, MA (11/14/06) - Greg Dulli's second jaunt through Beantown was great, but not quite as great as the first time around.
5. Wilco with the Autumn Defense at Pines Theatre, Florence, MA - A typically flawless set by Jeff Tweedy and company, augmented by a gorgeous outdoor arena in an equally gorgeous area of the state. I wish they played for four hours.
4. Neko Case with Martha Wainwright at the Roxy, Boston, MA (04/05/06) - Easily a top 2 show of the year for me if not for the chatterboxes all over the Roxy. Neko's voice is absolutely mint live and the addition of Kelly Hogan on vocals (along with a mind-blowing backing band), made the songs explode. Meeting Neko after the show was also a treat. Now, if I can just get folks to SHUT UP while she is singing, I'll be happy!
3. The Who with The Pretenders at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA (12/02/06) - Shaking your head? Read my review.
2. Twilight Singers with Jeff Klein and Afterhours at the Paradise, Boston, MA (05/29/06) - Meeting Greg Dulli beforehand, along with two excellent opening acts, standing right at the foot of the stage, and a blistering set makes this one of the year's best. Read my review again, if you wanna.
1. The Raconteurs with Dr. Dog at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston (09/29/06) - Wow. Take a pretty cool theatre setting, add third row center seats, a face-melting power set, and my man-crush on Jack White and you have what is unquestionably the best live show I saw in 2006.
The 12 Best Shows I Saw in 2006:
12. Sia with Eagle and Talon at the Paradise, Boston, MA (04/19/06) - A wonderfully entertaining (albeit brief) show from the Zero 7 singer. Her ethereal yet strangely poppy voice, along with a strong backing band, made for a great concert.
11. Grant Lee Phillips at TT the Bear's, Cambridge, MA (08/12/06) - A pure frontman, full of energy and talent. The show suffered from the tiny venue, the large population there that preferred to talk through the whole show, and our lousy vantage point. But go see Grant-Lee when he comes to your town. He's excellent.
10. Willy Porter with Glen Phillips at the Stone Church, Newmarket, NH (05/05/06) - Guitar virtuoso Porter and ex-Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Phillips made for a fantastic double-bill, filled with crazy guitar riffs from Porter and songwriting nuggets from Phillips. Stone Church is also one of my favorite local venues.
9. Murder By Death at the Middle East, Cambridge, MA (05/22/06) - A unique an amazing band, MBD absolutely ripped through their set with ferocity. The problem was the sound at the Middle East SUCKS. I really hope this band comes back around and plays a venue with a sound system that can do them justice.
8. Iron Maiden at Agganis Arena, Boston, MA (10/06/06) - What can I say? Despite a setlist that left me yearning for a few more "hits", these guys completely shredded and Bruce Dickinson's vocals were as fresh sounding as ever. Read my review here.
7. Throwing Muses with 50 Foot Wave and Bullseye at the Middle East, Cambridge, MA (08/11/06) - Kristin Hersh took her two bands and blew the roof off the Middle East, despite the lousy sound. Muses fluctuated between melody and speed while 50 Foot Wave was just content with knocking your head off your shoulders.
6. Twilight Singers at the Paradise, Boston, MA (11/14/06) - Greg Dulli's second jaunt through Beantown was great, but not quite as great as the first time around.
5. Wilco with the Autumn Defense at Pines Theatre, Florence, MA - A typically flawless set by Jeff Tweedy and company, augmented by a gorgeous outdoor arena in an equally gorgeous area of the state. I wish they played for four hours.
4. Neko Case with Martha Wainwright at the Roxy, Boston, MA (04/05/06) - Easily a top 2 show of the year for me if not for the chatterboxes all over the Roxy. Neko's voice is absolutely mint live and the addition of Kelly Hogan on vocals (along with a mind-blowing backing band), made the songs explode. Meeting Neko after the show was also a treat. Now, if I can just get folks to SHUT UP while she is singing, I'll be happy!
3. The Who with The Pretenders at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA (12/02/06) - Shaking your head? Read my review.
2. Twilight Singers with Jeff Klein and Afterhours at the Paradise, Boston, MA (05/29/06) - Meeting Greg Dulli beforehand, along with two excellent opening acts, standing right at the foot of the stage, and a blistering set makes this one of the year's best. Read my review again, if you wanna.
1. The Raconteurs with Dr. Dog at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston (09/29/06) - Wow. Take a pretty cool theatre setting, add third row center seats, a face-melting power set, and my man-crush on Jack White and you have what is unquestionably the best live show I saw in 2006.
posted by Dim at 1/02/2007 09:45:00 AM
4 Comments:
awesome list man..i got mine just about ready as well..the live show list that is!
A+ stuff
Ah, yes...I'm glad to see that Murder By Death made your list! The concert I saw in July was, musically, the #1 highlight of my year, and was actually one of the coolest things I did this year overall. One of the best concerts I've ever seen.
Good list, even though I don't know a lot of those bands. :)
I am going to see Willie Nelson in a couple of weeks. Not kidding. You jealous?
Insanely. I'm not even kidding. You really should write a review of that show, Pog.
- D.
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