1.Kanye West
In the words of Richard Kingsmill, it was the 'Year of the Ye.' Not only did he dominate music news throughout the year but he also dominated end of year critic lists and album sales charts around the world. His incident with Taylor Swift continued to hound him but the music community forgave and forgot as Kanye started his brilliant GOOD Friday series, releasing a new track onto his blog free of charge every Friday night (Hawaiian time, so Saturday night in Sydney) the songs were varied in quality but more often than not had people sitting up and paying attention. Add to that the mini-movie he made for Runaway, his first shot at MJ-dom. In support of the film Kanye travelled to all corners of the planet including Sydney which sent many of his Aussie fans into a frenzy, and was ultimately a stroke of genius on his part as it reminded everyone that he was still alive and fighting after Taylor-gate and that he hasn't forgotten about his fans all over the world. But in true Kanye style he was never too far from controversy thanks to his Twitter account which he updated frequently with lengthy rants about everything from loneliness to his hatred of the media. But buried beneath all that was an album, 13 tracks of unparalleled production and a guest list unlike anything seen before.
2.The Edge appears at Glastonbury
On 23rd November 2009 the worst kept secret in music was finally made public, the biggest band in the world U2 was going to headline the 40th anniversary of the biggest music event in the world, Glastonbury. But a matter of weeks before the mega event disaster struck. Frontman had suffered a serious back injury during rehearsals and required immediate surgery, ruling U2 out of the festival. Gorillaz were quickly named as replacements but everyone knew it would not be the same without the stadium trotting Irishmen there. But over an hour into Muse's Saturday night headlining spot, out rang the opening moments of The Joshua Tree followed by its creator The Edge. Here is what followed:
3. Thom + Jonny appear at Glastonbury
Staying with the massive festival, the biggest surprise organiser Michael Eavis had was not The Edge on the Pyramid Stage. That honour went to one of the smallest stages on the site, which played host to one-third of two time headliners, Radiohead. Rumours about a surprise appearance by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood spread like wildfire and was proven to be true late on Friday. The duo played an hour set to just a few thousand very appreciative fans. It was rumoured that the following video was captured by a member for Vampire Weekend, it truly encapsulated the beauty of the festival:
4. Splendour in the Grass announces its line up
For the past few years festival lineups have been invariably met with animosity and criticism. That all changed on April 15 with the announcement of the Splendour in the Grass 2010 line up. Moved from Byron Bay to the larger Woodford site in Queensland and from 2 days to 3 days, this was always going to be a huge event. But the lineup was jaw-dropping. Headliners included The Strokes, Ben Harper and the Pixies. Debut album superstars included Mumford + Sons, Florence + The Machine, Two Door Cinema Club and The Temper Trap. Personally there were no fewer than 32 acts on the lineup that grabbed my attention, almost as many as Glastonbury. It was possibly one of the best festivals this country has seen in a very long time.
5. AC/DC tour Australia
After nine years of waiting Australia's most successful entertainers finally returned for a home soil tour. What was incredible about the tour was the money it generated. According to Billboard Boxscore, across 13 shows in Australia the band earned close to $100 million in ticket sales alone playing to over 700 000 fans. Their 3 night stay in Sydney alone made $27 million and was named the Highest Grossing Music Event of 2010 anywhere in the world. Incredibly 2nd place went to their 3 nights in Melbourne and 3rd place to Download Festival, headlined by AC/DC.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Top 20 Tracks of the Year Cont'd
Local Natives - Camera Talk
Just as I have an act surprise me every year, there's always one I put off listening to until the last few weeks of the year and Local Natives were that band. They may be generic in more than one way but that doesn't take away from the quality of their music.
The National - England
I know perfection is a dirty word but you don't get much closer to it than this. Lyrically, vocally, musically, emotionally, spiritually, structurally and every other way possible this song is just about perfect! When you start a song with a line as brilliant as "Summer sent her running through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today" you really can't go wrong. A magical tear-jerker of a song.
Laura Marling - Rambling Man
Staying with the "England" theme and lyrical geniuses we have young Laura Marling of London, wife of Mumford and darling of the indie scene. Why the Middle Earth speak? Well that's what this song reminds me of, a simple world filled with short hairy people with big feet.......
Tame Impala - Expectations
In many years time when I listen back to all these tracks, I will find it very difficult to believe that this particular song is from the 21st century. It has all the qualities of an awesome classic from the 60s and there's nothing wrong with that. In terms of pure musicianship this would be the best song on the list.
Hot Chip - One Life Stand
Cheesy? Tick. Pathetically romantic? Tick. Awesome? Tick! If this isn't being sung in karaoke bars in 10 years time there is something seriously wrong with this world. Of course I wouldn't be one of the people singing it but I'm certain it would work perfectly. They absolutely murdered (in a bad way) the song live on stage when I saw them but that doesn't take away from how incredible it sounds on CD.
Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill
The word genius has served its utility quite well so far in my blog and yet it is the most apt description that comes to mind when describing Damon Albarm and this song is emblematic of that. Buried deep in Gorillaz's latest offering this is a gem of a track.
Arcade Fire - We Used to Wait
You would think with up to 10 musicians on stage at the same time, Arcade Fire's music would often sound like a bit of a mess. Many bands struggle to maintain any sense of coherence with only 4 on stage but Arcade Fire pull it off perfectly. On We Used To Wait each instrument is clear and distinct and nothing is lost in the mix. It might not be a true festival anthem like some of their previous singles have been but with band's live show prowess I'm sure they can turn it into something spectacular.
LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
WOW! What a way to start an album. 188 seconds of simmering synthesised beats and gentle harmonies leading into a pulsating electro epic. The moment this song kicks in is probably one of the finest moments in music this year, if gets my head and body moving every time. The band didn't perform this during their last Australian tour so lets hope they bring it down with them in 2011.
Foals - After Glow
For a long time great rock music was associated with axe shredding guitar solos and 10 minute drum solos. Thankfully that era of self indulgence is behind us and great melody writing and song writing is now appreciated. After Glow is a perfect example of great modern rock with its inventive guitar work, ciggy lighter worthy drumming and wonderfully wholesome vocals. Best of all the 6 minute song does not lose its appeal at any stage as it goes through a number of phases, each built upon a simple guitar riff. And people thought rock was dead. pffftt!
She & Him - In the Sun
Sickeningly cute and shamelessly poppy. But I still love it! Zooey's sun kissed voice with M Ward's KISS (the acronym not the glam band) playing style creates......well the type of music I wouldn't be caught dead listening to. But the two of them add sophistication to their music that makes it irresistible. Or maybe it's just Zooey.......
Just as I have an act surprise me every year, there's always one I put off listening to until the last few weeks of the year and Local Natives were that band. They may be generic in more than one way but that doesn't take away from the quality of their music.
The National - England
I know perfection is a dirty word but you don't get much closer to it than this. Lyrically, vocally, musically, emotionally, spiritually, structurally and every other way possible this song is just about perfect! When you start a song with a line as brilliant as "Summer sent her running through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today" you really can't go wrong. A magical tear-jerker of a song.
Laura Marling - Rambling Man
Staying with the "England" theme and lyrical geniuses we have young Laura Marling of London, wife of Mumford and darling of the indie scene. Why the Middle Earth speak? Well that's what this song reminds me of, a simple world filled with short hairy people with big feet.......
Tame Impala - Expectations
In many years time when I listen back to all these tracks, I will find it very difficult to believe that this particular song is from the 21st century. It has all the qualities of an awesome classic from the 60s and there's nothing wrong with that. In terms of pure musicianship this would be the best song on the list.
Hot Chip - One Life Stand
Cheesy? Tick. Pathetically romantic? Tick. Awesome? Tick! If this isn't being sung in karaoke bars in 10 years time there is something seriously wrong with this world. Of course I wouldn't be one of the people singing it but I'm certain it would work perfectly. They absolutely murdered (in a bad way) the song live on stage when I saw them but that doesn't take away from how incredible it sounds on CD.
Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill
The word genius has served its utility quite well so far in my blog and yet it is the most apt description that comes to mind when describing Damon Albarm and this song is emblematic of that. Buried deep in Gorillaz's latest offering this is a gem of a track.
Arcade Fire - We Used to Wait
You would think with up to 10 musicians on stage at the same time, Arcade Fire's music would often sound like a bit of a mess. Many bands struggle to maintain any sense of coherence with only 4 on stage but Arcade Fire pull it off perfectly. On We Used To Wait each instrument is clear and distinct and nothing is lost in the mix. It might not be a true festival anthem like some of their previous singles have been but with band's live show prowess I'm sure they can turn it into something spectacular.
LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
WOW! What a way to start an album. 188 seconds of simmering synthesised beats and gentle harmonies leading into a pulsating electro epic. The moment this song kicks in is probably one of the finest moments in music this year, if gets my head and body moving every time. The band didn't perform this during their last Australian tour so lets hope they bring it down with them in 2011.
Foals - After Glow
For a long time great rock music was associated with axe shredding guitar solos and 10 minute drum solos. Thankfully that era of self indulgence is behind us and great melody writing and song writing is now appreciated. After Glow is a perfect example of great modern rock with its inventive guitar work, ciggy lighter worthy drumming and wonderfully wholesome vocals. Best of all the 6 minute song does not lose its appeal at any stage as it goes through a number of phases, each built upon a simple guitar riff. And people thought rock was dead. pffftt!
She & Him - In the Sun
Sickeningly cute and shamelessly poppy. But I still love it! Zooey's sun kissed voice with M Ward's KISS (the acronym not the glam band) playing style creates......well the type of music I wouldn't be caught dead listening to. But the two of them add sophistication to their music that makes it irresistible. Or maybe it's just Zooey.......
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Top 20 Tracks of the Year
Those of you who know me, know that I'm a big believer in albums being the best way to enjoy and appreciate good music. But without great tracks you can't have a great album. So here are 10 of my favourite songs of the year. I will post a further 10 tomorrow. These have not been ranked in any order.
Sufjan Stevens - From the Mouth of Gabriel
I've never really been much of a Sufjan fan. I've always admired his talent and passion for music and art but his brand of music seemed quite inaccessible to me. But this so-called "EP" opened the door for me to his beautiful music. This track was a true stand out, I might not connect with it spiritually like others but I do feel the serenity in his voice.
Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
So American. So very very American. This song reeks of a Mid-Western Burger joint filled with college kids. The accent on the vocals has me seeing stars and stripes but instead of being the generic patriotic voice we are all so used to, this is a voice questioning his great country. I can see why The Boss loves them so much.
Janelle Monae - Tightrope
Every year I stumble across half a dozen or so songs that have taken me by surprise. This year that list includes Tightrope, a r'n'b track with a difference. It has noteworthy arrangement (will.i.am could learn a thing or two here), sweet vocals and catchy as anything! Big Boi does a pretty cool guest spot here too.
Cloud Control - The Rolling Stone
This song has everything an indie song should have. This band has everything an indie band should have. Arrhghghghghhh but what does "indie" even mean these days! I honestly don't know. All I know is that this is an awesome song and I love it!
Broken Bells - The Ghost Inside
Is there a bigger Beatles fan out there than DangerMouse? The man behind the Grey Album (mash up of Beatles and Jay-Z) teamed up with James Mercer to make an album that I can only listen to halfway through before feeling the urge to put on some Beatles. The Ghost Inside isn't the best example of the resemblance, which might be why I like this song so much.
Crystal Castles - Baptism
I don't know what to say about this song. So just listen for yourself and enjoy.
Crystal Castles - Baptism by sinasohrab
Angus + Julia Stone - Yellow Brick Road
One of the most common and most banal criticisms I hear of A+J Stone is that they are "boring" and in a way those people are right, the sibling's music is a little boring. But I don't see it that way, I see it as rewarding patience and that's exactly what this song does. It might send you into a coma the first time but after a while it really grows on you and it is easy to appreciate it's beauty.
The Drums - Forever and Ever Amen
I've had the pleasure of following this band right from the very beginning when they had recorded only a handful including that wonderful piece of surf pop Lets Go Surfing. Thankfully they didn't let me down with their debut album and this was one the finest moments on it. If this was Melody Writing 101 this lot would most certainly walk away with a High Distinction.
Kanye West - Monster
I know I said this list has no order or ranking but if I was to choose my favourite song of the year, this would be it. It is a truly epic song with verses from Kanye, Jay-Z, Nicky Minaj and Bon Iver. Each verse is unique and highly effective. This track also does something most "epic" songs don't do, that is pay attention to the intricacies of the song. It's those little things that make a song enjoyable the 67th time you hear it.
Jonsi - Animal Arithmetic
If this song doesn't make you smile you are dead inside. That is all I have to say.
Sufjan Stevens - From the Mouth of Gabriel
I've never really been much of a Sufjan fan. I've always admired his talent and passion for music and art but his brand of music seemed quite inaccessible to me. But this so-called "EP" opened the door for me to his beautiful music. This track was a true stand out, I might not connect with it spiritually like others but I do feel the serenity in his voice.
Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
So American. So very very American. This song reeks of a Mid-Western Burger joint filled with college kids. The accent on the vocals has me seeing stars and stripes but instead of being the generic patriotic voice we are all so used to, this is a voice questioning his great country. I can see why The Boss loves them so much.
Janelle Monae - Tightrope
Every year I stumble across half a dozen or so songs that have taken me by surprise. This year that list includes Tightrope, a r'n'b track with a difference. It has noteworthy arrangement (will.i.am could learn a thing or two here), sweet vocals and catchy as anything! Big Boi does a pretty cool guest spot here too.
Cloud Control - The Rolling Stone
This song has everything an indie song should have. This band has everything an indie band should have. Arrhghghghghhh but what does "indie" even mean these days! I honestly don't know. All I know is that this is an awesome song and I love it!
Broken Bells - The Ghost Inside
Is there a bigger Beatles fan out there than DangerMouse? The man behind the Grey Album (mash up of Beatles and Jay-Z) teamed up with James Mercer to make an album that I can only listen to halfway through before feeling the urge to put on some Beatles. The Ghost Inside isn't the best example of the resemblance, which might be why I like this song so much.
Crystal Castles - Baptism
I don't know what to say about this song. So just listen for yourself and enjoy.
Crystal Castles - Baptism by sinasohrab
Angus + Julia Stone - Yellow Brick Road
One of the most common and most banal criticisms I hear of A+J Stone is that they are "boring" and in a way those people are right, the sibling's music is a little boring. But I don't see it that way, I see it as rewarding patience and that's exactly what this song does. It might send you into a coma the first time but after a while it really grows on you and it is easy to appreciate it's beauty.
The Drums - Forever and Ever Amen
I've had the pleasure of following this band right from the very beginning when they had recorded only a handful including that wonderful piece of surf pop Lets Go Surfing. Thankfully they didn't let me down with their debut album and this was one the finest moments on it. If this was Melody Writing 101 this lot would most certainly walk away with a High Distinction.
Kanye West - Monster
I know I said this list has no order or ranking but if I was to choose my favourite song of the year, this would be it. It is a truly epic song with verses from Kanye, Jay-Z, Nicky Minaj and Bon Iver. Each verse is unique and highly effective. This track also does something most "epic" songs don't do, that is pay attention to the intricacies of the song. It's those little things that make a song enjoyable the 67th time you hear it.
Jonsi - Animal Arithmetic
If this song doesn't make you smile you are dead inside. That is all I have to say.
Monday, December 20, 2010
5 Gigs I Wish I Hadn't Missed
I was fortunate enough to go to many incredible gigs in 2010 but here are 5 I wish I could've been at:
The Strokes
The Splendour 2010 headliners arrived down under just a couple of months after frontman Julian Casablancas completed his solo Australian tour. The band arrived with great anticipation and from all reports they did not disappoint. The shows were high energy, sweat saturated with plenty of leather and dark shades on stage. So why do I wish I was there? Well near the top of my ever-growing bucket list (you can never be too young to have one of those can you?) is to witness at least part of Is This It? live on stage and this would've the perfect opportunity before their setlist becomes filled with tracks from their forthcoming 4th album. But it wasn't to be
Gorillaz
Unlike The Strokes, Gorillaz 3rd effort had been very very well received. The band had just, albeit somewhat unsuccessfully headlined Glastonbury in place of U2 and travelled the world on their, far more successful first world tour. Missing their Entertainment Centre performance didn't bother me initially but it was the superlative laden responses to the show that made me really regret missing it. Add to that the buy one ticket get one free offer the promoters had running in the days leading up to the show, this was a show I could've, would've, should've gone to.
Metallica
The last 2 months of the year saw basically every huge band on the planet pay Australia a visit including Muse, U2, Linkin Park and Bon Jovi but the first to arrive was Metallica on the final leg of their massive World Magnetic Tour. In tow they had the latest incarnation of their in-the-round spectacular, a technique poorly executed in the following weeks by Muse and U2. The so-called "hardest working band in the world" stood true to their reputation over the 3 months they spent playing 4 brilliant shows in Sydney, attended by far too many close friends. The fact that they played Orion on their 3rd night in Sydney made matters all the more worse.
Them Crooked Vultures
Ah the band I doubted! Jones is too old.....Grohl is past it.......Homme is a red head! Nevertheless I decided to listen to the Triple J recording of the show and how wrong I was. They sounded incredible! After saying that their debut release was just a cash in, I'm now desperately hoping they release a second record and tour Australia with it.
Grizzly Bear
The band behind my album of 2009 was a must see for me but it didn't quite work out in 2010, twice, for geographical and financial reasons respectively. In January they created a mouth-watering bill by playing the stunning Hyde Park Barracks and City Recital Hall with the ethereal The Middle East in support but I was left to drool over it on the other side of the world. The Americans returned in July for Splendour in the Grass, announcing sideshows just after I had exhausted my last few cents on other sidehows. Oh well there will hopefully be a next time.
The Strokes
The Splendour 2010 headliners arrived down under just a couple of months after frontman Julian Casablancas completed his solo Australian tour. The band arrived with great anticipation and from all reports they did not disappoint. The shows were high energy, sweat saturated with plenty of leather and dark shades on stage. So why do I wish I was there? Well near the top of my ever-growing bucket list (you can never be too young to have one of those can you?) is to witness at least part of Is This It? live on stage and this would've the perfect opportunity before their setlist becomes filled with tracks from their forthcoming 4th album. But it wasn't to be
Gorillaz
Unlike The Strokes, Gorillaz 3rd effort had been very very well received. The band had just, albeit somewhat unsuccessfully headlined Glastonbury in place of U2 and travelled the world on their, far more successful first world tour. Missing their Entertainment Centre performance didn't bother me initially but it was the superlative laden responses to the show that made me really regret missing it. Add to that the buy one ticket get one free offer the promoters had running in the days leading up to the show, this was a show I could've, would've, should've gone to.
Metallica
The last 2 months of the year saw basically every huge band on the planet pay Australia a visit including Muse, U2, Linkin Park and Bon Jovi but the first to arrive was Metallica on the final leg of their massive World Magnetic Tour. In tow they had the latest incarnation of their in-the-round spectacular, a technique poorly executed in the following weeks by Muse and U2. The so-called "hardest working band in the world" stood true to their reputation over the 3 months they spent playing 4 brilliant shows in Sydney, attended by far too many close friends. The fact that they played Orion on their 3rd night in Sydney made matters all the more worse.
Them Crooked Vultures
Ah the band I doubted! Jones is too old.....Grohl is past it.......Homme is a red head! Nevertheless I decided to listen to the Triple J recording of the show and how wrong I was. They sounded incredible! After saying that their debut release was just a cash in, I'm now desperately hoping they release a second record and tour Australia with it.
Grizzly Bear
The band behind my album of 2009 was a must see for me but it didn't quite work out in 2010, twice, for geographical and financial reasons respectively. In January they created a mouth-watering bill by playing the stunning Hyde Park Barracks and City Recital Hall with the ethereal The Middle East in support but I was left to drool over it on the other side of the world. The Americans returned in July for Splendour in the Grass, announcing sideshows just after I had exhausted my last few cents on other sidehows. Oh well there will hopefully be a next time.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Top 5 Live Moments
I didn't quite feel that I could set aside 5 shows I attended this that could justify being in a "best of". Not because I didn't see any great gigs, I had the pleasure of seeing plenty this year. Rather I felt that each was excellent in its own away and that putting 5 of them above the rest would not be right.
So here are 5 of the best moments I experienced at gigs this year.
Powderfinger @ Big Day Out - Sydney Olympic Showgrounds
Being the massive Muse fan I am, I had taken my place in front of the Orange Stage when Powderfinger took the stage on the Blue Stage. There was an incredible energy around the venue for their entire set but it wasn't until they kicked into My Happiness that I was truly amazed. I quite literally could not hear Bernard sing a single word for the entire song, the crowd, particularly the Muse fans around me were singing every word. It made me realise what a profound impact Powderfinger have had over the Australian music public regardless of whether they're fans of the band or others like Muse. Hopefully in the future, bands from this generation can reach those levels of popularity.
LCD Soundsystem @ Hordern Pavilion
What a show this was! With 3 spectacular albums under their belts they had the comfort of playing any song from their catalogue. The only question was, how well would they play them? With talent like Juan MacLean's Nancy Wong and drummer Pat Mahoney on stage with frontman James Murphy it was no surprise the band delivered their hits with perfection. Too many times I've seen great bands whose great studio work preceded them but failed to recreate them adequately on stage. Pow Pow was one of the very few tracks on This Is Happening that I didn't enjoy but live on stage it was a different story, Murphy delivered the lyrics with more ease and fluency and I was sold on the spot.
Mumford & Sons @ Enmore Theatre
With LCD I walked in not liking one of their tracks, I walked in to Mumford & Sons not particularly liking the band at all. I felt that they were simply riding on the rise and rise of indie folk styled music and didn't justify the hype. I didn't change my mind until the closing moments of the show when the Englishmen kicked into The Cave and got the whole venue rocking into a frenzy. There really is something special about seeing a band on their debut album tour, there's this heightened sense of anticipation and excitement in the air with some degree of curiousity and uncertainty which creates an unique energy inside the show.
Muse @ Acer Arena
As I mentioned before I saw these guys as the headline act at Big Day Out 2010 in January so I had a fairly good idea of what to expect going into the show. But there was one song my mates and I were hanging on hearing and that was Citizen Erased and the fangirl-like scream we let out when Matt Bellamy played the opening riff was unforgettable. It isn't their laser shows and jaw-dropping stages that make Muse a great stadium act, it's their rock anthems and Citizen Erased is one of their very best.
U2 @ Olympic Stadium
I'm sick of people talking about how they saw great stadium trotters like Led Zeppelin, Queen and Guns n Roses back in their day. So this was my chance to add one of the true megabands to my "seen em" list. Over my 2 nights at the Olympic Stadium I spent close to 5hrs watching this incredible band on a magical "space station" stage in front of a terrible crowd of almost 80 000 with disappointing acoustics in support of a mediocre album. But it was one song that passed the goosebump test with flying colours and that was the classic Where The Streets Have No Name. The length guitar intro before the drums and bass kick in creates the perfect stadium moshpit moment as the entire venue lit up and every arm went up in the air and countless began to bounce up and down. It was wonderful being a part of that moment on the first night and just as wonderful watching it from the stands on the second.
So here are 5 of the best moments I experienced at gigs this year.
Powderfinger @ Big Day Out - Sydney Olympic Showgrounds
Being the massive Muse fan I am, I had taken my place in front of the Orange Stage when Powderfinger took the stage on the Blue Stage. There was an incredible energy around the venue for their entire set but it wasn't until they kicked into My Happiness that I was truly amazed. I quite literally could not hear Bernard sing a single word for the entire song, the crowd, particularly the Muse fans around me were singing every word. It made me realise what a profound impact Powderfinger have had over the Australian music public regardless of whether they're fans of the band or others like Muse. Hopefully in the future, bands from this generation can reach those levels of popularity.
LCD Soundsystem @ Hordern Pavilion
What a show this was! With 3 spectacular albums under their belts they had the comfort of playing any song from their catalogue. The only question was, how well would they play them? With talent like Juan MacLean's Nancy Wong and drummer Pat Mahoney on stage with frontman James Murphy it was no surprise the band delivered their hits with perfection. Too many times I've seen great bands whose great studio work preceded them but failed to recreate them adequately on stage. Pow Pow was one of the very few tracks on This Is Happening that I didn't enjoy but live on stage it was a different story, Murphy delivered the lyrics with more ease and fluency and I was sold on the spot.
Mumford & Sons @ Enmore Theatre
With LCD I walked in not liking one of their tracks, I walked in to Mumford & Sons not particularly liking the band at all. I felt that they were simply riding on the rise and rise of indie folk styled music and didn't justify the hype. I didn't change my mind until the closing moments of the show when the Englishmen kicked into The Cave and got the whole venue rocking into a frenzy. There really is something special about seeing a band on their debut album tour, there's this heightened sense of anticipation and excitement in the air with some degree of curiousity and uncertainty which creates an unique energy inside the show.
Muse @ Acer Arena
As I mentioned before I saw these guys as the headline act at Big Day Out 2010 in January so I had a fairly good idea of what to expect going into the show. But there was one song my mates and I were hanging on hearing and that was Citizen Erased and the fangirl-like scream we let out when Matt Bellamy played the opening riff was unforgettable. It isn't their laser shows and jaw-dropping stages that make Muse a great stadium act, it's their rock anthems and Citizen Erased is one of their very best.
U2 @ Olympic Stadium
I'm sick of people talking about how they saw great stadium trotters like Led Zeppelin, Queen and Guns n Roses back in their day. So this was my chance to add one of the true megabands to my "seen em" list. Over my 2 nights at the Olympic Stadium I spent close to 5hrs watching this incredible band on a magical "space station" stage in front of a terrible crowd of almost 80 000 with disappointing acoustics in support of a mediocre album. But it was one song that passed the goosebump test with flying colours and that was the classic Where The Streets Have No Name. The length guitar intro before the drums and bass kick in creates the perfect stadium moshpit moment as the entire venue lit up and every arm went up in the air and countless began to bounce up and down. It was wonderful being a part of that moment on the first night and just as wonderful watching it from the stands on the second.
2010: My Year in Music
Hi music fans.
Welcome to my latest blog, this time I'm covering the incredible year in music that was 2010. Over the next fortnight I will cover all the best albums, songs, gigs and moments of the year.
First up will be the best shows I went to this year. Check back tomorrow for the top 5!
Welcome to my latest blog, this time I'm covering the incredible year in music that was 2010. Over the next fortnight I will cover all the best albums, songs, gigs and moments of the year.
First up will be the best shows I went to this year. Check back tomorrow for the top 5!
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