In case you haven't figured it out, I got to a lot of shows. More often than not, you can find me in the local rock club several nights of the week. There were quite a few extraordinary shows that I was lucky enough to have been in the audience for this year, and these are my personal favorites. As always, the list is given a strong boost from the summer music festival circuit in Chicago, from stellar performances at both the Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza. All in all, this list below is a representation of some truly incredible live performances, and subsequently some of the best moments of 2008 for me. What were your favorite shows you saw this year?
1. Headlights -- 05/23/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
2. Sigur Rós -- 09/19/08 @ Bank Of America Pavilion in Boston, MA (Full Review)
3. Apollo Sunshine -- 10/30/08 @ Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA
4. Animal Collective -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
5. Deerhoof -- 10/23/08 @ Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA
6. Caribou -- 03/26/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
7. Spiritualized -- 07/20/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
8. The Kills - 08/01/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
9. Broken Social Scene -- 08/02/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
10. Blonde Redhead -- 01/20/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
11. Wilco -- 08/02/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
12. St. Vincent -- 09/25/08 @ Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston, MA (Full Review)
13. Caribou -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
14. Jaymay -- 06/16/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
15. Feist -- 07/11/08 @ Ravinia in Highland Park, IL
16. Elizabeth & The Catapult -- 01/24/08 @ Paradise Lounge in Boston, MA (Full Review)
17. Nomo -- 02/09/08 @ Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA (Full Review)
18. Mucca Pazza -- 05/31/08 @ Do/Division Fest in Chicago, IL
19. Rogue Wave -- 04/11/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
20. John Vanderslice, The M's & Heypenny -- 01/16/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
21. Keren Ann -- 02/07/08 @ Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston, MA (Full Review)
22. Via Audio, Headlights & This Car Up -- 02/27/08 @ Middle East Up in Cambridge, MA
23. The Dead Science -- 05/31/08 @ Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
24. A.A. Bondy -- 11/18/08 @ Great Scott in Allston, MA (Full Review)
25. The Hold Steady -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
Animal Collective - Peacebone (from Strawberry Jam)
Caribou - She's The One (from Andorra)
Elizabeth & The Catapult - Momma's Boy (from Elizabeth & The Catapult EP)
Keren Ann - It Ain't No Crime (from Keren Ann)
1. Headlights -- 05/23/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)2. Sigur Rós -- 09/19/08 @ Bank Of America Pavilion in Boston, MA (Full Review)
3. Apollo Sunshine -- 10/30/08 @ Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA
4. Animal Collective -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
5. Deerhoof -- 10/23/08 @ Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA
6. Caribou -- 03/26/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
7. Spiritualized -- 07/20/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
8. The Kills - 08/01/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
9. Broken Social Scene -- 08/02/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
10. Blonde Redhead -- 01/20/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
11. Wilco -- 08/02/08 @ Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
12. St. Vincent -- 09/25/08 @ Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston, MA (Full Review)
13. Caribou -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
14. Jaymay -- 06/16/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
15. Feist -- 07/11/08 @ Ravinia in Highland Park, IL
16. Elizabeth & The Catapult -- 01/24/08 @ Paradise Lounge in Boston, MA (Full Review)
17. Nomo -- 02/09/08 @ Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA (Full Review)
18. Mucca Pazza -- 05/31/08 @ Do/Division Fest in Chicago, IL
19. Rogue Wave -- 04/11/08 @ Paradise in Boston, MA (Full Review)
20. John Vanderslice, The M's & Heypenny -- 01/16/08 @ Schubas in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
21. Keren Ann -- 02/07/08 @ Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston, MA (Full Review)
22. Via Audio, Headlights & This Car Up -- 02/27/08 @ Middle East Up in Cambridge, MA
23. The Dead Science -- 05/31/08 @ Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
24. A.A. Bondy -- 11/18/08 @ Great Scott in Allston, MA (Full Review)
25. The Hold Steady -- 07/19/08 @ Pitchfork in Chicago, IL (Full Review)
Animal Collective - Peacebone (from Strawberry Jam)
Caribou - She's The One (from Andorra)
Elizabeth & The Catapult - Momma's Boy (from Elizabeth & The Catapult EP)
Keren Ann - It Ain't No Crime (from Keren Ann)
That Caribou show at The Paradise was amazing. Especially with Fuck Buttons opening.
glad to see apollo sunshine so high up. That concert so high energy and amazing.
Radiohead?
^ I'm gonna have to second Will on this one ...
Wilco was probably the second best show that weekend ... but didn't we both see the same rendition of Fake Plastic Trees? Because, if we did ...
I'm adding another Radiohead comment. Idioteque pretty much made my summer.