40 Gigs In 2010

Hands down, going to gigs is the best part of this “job”. Live music has this power over me- I lose my surroundings and act like a fool and come away having had the time of my life. When a performer bares their heart on stage, an irresistible energy takes the room. It is a fine form of art that so many people get the chance to share in.

Narrowing down the shows with the greatest impact was the hardest of all the year end lists for me. This year, I traveled from one side of the country to the other and got to experience shows with a handful of other Ruckus bloggers. I’ve revised and rethought, going through photos, posts, my calendar, YouTube… and I’m still wishing this list could have fifty entries.

Here are our favorites of 2010 from coast to coast and over the Atlantic. Thanks for an amazing 2010. Here’s to an even better 2011.

Tiffiny & Melanie & Lizzie & Dave & Amita

Tiffiny.

Langhorne Slim/Tin Horn Prayer | Hi-Dive | Denver, Colorado | 10 February


Every time I see Langhorne Slim, it’s something special. This gig was especially of note because the venue sold out. This would possibly make for an uncomfortable experience with another performer, but the room was full of love and excitement. This was also my first time seeing Tin Horn Prayer, who went on to be one of my favorites.

Frank Turner | 1982 Bar/Surfside 7/Illegal Pete’s | Gainesville, Florida/Ft. Collins, Colorado/Denver, Colorado | 15 February/11 August/16 October


I saw Frank Turner eight times this year. Three of those were headlining shows and they were all amazing in their own way. Gainesville was nearly a 2000 mile journey to a tiny, smoke filled room where everything went technically wrong but emotionally right. I think I hate the drive to Ft. Collins more than flying cross country, but it was worth it as the room was once again on fire. Then Mr. Turner came to my city and played in a burrito restaurant and it was everything I had hoped for and more.

Murder By Death/Ha Ha Tonka | Cervantes | Denver, Colorado | 02 April


My love for Murder By Death is immense. Good Morning Magpie was nothing short of essential to this year. Seeing it come alive was breathtaking. This was the gig where Ha Ha Tonka blew my mind for the first of many times. My husband is also a die-hard HHT fan now.

OK Go | Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado | 14 April


I don’t know where I’ve been, but this is the first time I saw OK Go outside of a festival. I won’t make the mistake of missing them again. I’m pretty sure they made me fall in love with pop music all over again. I had almost as much fun as Damian Kulash seemed to be having.

Josh Ritter | State Room/Ogden Theater | Salt Lake City, Utah/Denver, Colorado | 18 June/11 November


Josh Ritter is another performer that I will do anything to see because he (and his band) are absolutely stellar every single time. It was worth every second of driving sixteen hours through three states to see Josh in Salt Lake. Denver was experienced with family and friends. To see Josh light up the eyes and hearts of others like that was something I’ll never forget.

Pezzettino/Wolfgang Schaefer | Laughing Goat | Boulder, Colorado | 23 September


I’m not sure where to start with this gig. I wasn’t having a good day and I didn’t want to drive to Boulder after work. Margaret Stutt and Wolfgang Schaefer turned my day around and then some. I had never heard Wolfgang perform and I think that is part of what caught me so far off guard. I believe I sat there with my mouth hanging open from halfway through the first song to the end of his set. Margaret gives this heartwrenching, bouncing, electrifying performance. The accordion seems like it is going to engulf her. If you can believe it, she’s even more spectacular live then on the record.

James | Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado | 04 October


This was my favorite gig of the year. I found energy I didn’t know I had to dance and scream and cry along with Tim Booth and company. I was buzzing for days afterward.

The National | Fillmore Auditorium | Denver, Colorado | 18 October


I had expected this gig to be really emotional and intense but it was surprisingly chill. I found a peace that I didn’t know I had in me gazing over the ballroom, absorbing the energy in the room and the sound of The National. Recently, Pitchfork published a piece in which Pete Silberman of The Antlers said “The National isn’t so much ‘a band’ as it’s a piece of another person’s life that helps yours make sense.” I’ve rarely heard something that rang so true.

Mumford & Sons | Ogden Theater | Denver, Colorado | 27 October


I feel like I’ve been waiting for this gig for years. I guess I have. I’m a bit at a loss on how to sum up this gig. I really like their stage set up- they are all presented like equals. The moments when the lighting flashed over all of them were particularly intense. I chose this video because it spans the theater and gives a bit of an idea of how much energy was in the room. I felt awake and alive. I believed every word that was sung.

The Frames | The Fillmore | San Francisco, California | 28 November


If you don’t know that I love The Frames then you’ve probably never read the blog before. This show was years coming. The Fillmore is one of those venues that I’ve read about but this was my first time visiting- it was fitting to have a legendary show in a legendary venue. There was excitement and passion overflowing from the band and the crowd. I chose this video because the style in which “What Happens When The Heart Just Stops?” is fantastic. It implements bits of “Heyday” (Mic Christopher) and “Caravan” (Van Morrison).

Melanie.

Frank Turner at 1982 Club, Gainesville and House of Blues, Orlando


If you’ve been a reader for any length of time (or if you know us personally – hi Mom!), you’ll be familiar with the abject love that Tiffiny and I have for Frank Turner. You’ll also doubtless recall that we jumped at the chance to road trip around central Florida to see Frank supporting Flogging Molly for a few dates in February. If you’ve ever been to a Frank Turner gig, you know what I mean when I say that we were at home every night in a crowd full of revelers – and that was never more true than at his surprise headlining gig at a tiny dive in Gainesville called 1982. There aren’t any words descriptive enough to tell you what it was like hanging out at the front, shouting the lyrics to every song along with the rest of the crowd. We didn’t take our cameras to this show. It was the first time in months that either of us had been to a gig that we weren’t working, and it was perfect. It is not without a touch of gravity that I say this was my favorite gig of 2010.

Tegan and Sara at Tampa Theatre, Tampa


To put it simply, this was a show that I waited eight years to see. Tegan and Sara rarely come to Florida, and they hadn’t been to Tampa before this night, so it was kind of a capital E EVENT for me – why I’d never seen them while traveling or when I lived in every other state that I’ve ever lived in, I have no idea, but there you have it. This show was so, so great – Tegan and Sara were in fine form, and the crowd interaction was just fantastic – two essential elements that make an ideal show.

Arctic Monkeys at The Ritz, Tampa


Alex Turner was all hair and skinny jeans and personality as he worked the crowd. This was a supremely tight performance of 19 songs – the boys didn’t miss a trick.

Band of Horses at House of Blues, Orlando


Ben Bridwell and I go way back to his days with Carissa’s Weird, so seeing him in concert is always a huge treat for me. This show shines like a beacon in the crush of gigs that I went to this year, because Ben and company were in perfect form. I once read a review of a Band of Horses show in the Guardian that waxed poetic about “guitars that sound like bells dipped in honey,” and Bridwell’s “yearning reverberations,” channeling “a little Neil Young, a touch of Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips, a bit of Jonathan Donahue from Mercury Rev, and a lot of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James,” and all of it is true – this is the kind of thing you’re treated to at a BoH show.

Ha Ha Tonka / Murder By Death at The Orpheum, Ybor City


It’s pretty rare for the opener to be just as fucking awesome as the headline act, but that’s what happened when I went to see Ha Ha Tonka and Murder by Death at The Orpheum. Both bands had insane energy and tore through their songs with the kind of grit and enthusiasm that most bands only give by half.

OK Go at Crowbar, Tampa


The lighting gave them trouble because the confetti guns were hogging all the power. The venue was boiling hot. About halfway through the show, the venue decided to fix the malfunctioning spotlights and while they did, front man Damian Kulash and bass player Tim Nordwind, who were childhood friends, told an anecdote about how the two spent a lot of time as kids performing numbers from Les Misérables – then they launched into a fantastic rendition of Confrontation. Furthering our enthusiasm were Damian leaving the stage to perform on the floor, audience participation in the form of someone’s kid sister playing the tambourine, and the crowd selected performance of the rarely performed live “You’re So Damn Hot”. Fantastic.

K-Os and Flobots at The Social, Orlando


I was pumped to see Flobots, because I really enjoy their brand of social activism and goddamn, do they perform an amazing live show. My enthusiasm was infinitely heightened, however, when I learned that K-Os would be joining them for this performance. The entire thing was amazing, from the packed house at The Social to the high energy on stage – I have never enjoyed hip-hop more.

Imogen Heap at House of Blues, Orlando


Devoted fans already know what Imogen Heap is like in concert: passionate, gracious, immensely talented and engaging. Her stage presence is perfection, and her stage design is just gorgeous. If you find yourself lucky enough to live in a city where she is playing, go – I promise you that it will be nothing less than a transformative experience.

Passion Pit at The Ritz, Tampa


Passion Pit‘s live show is phenomenal – If you ever go, I dare you not to dance your ass off. Beats tend to pulse. Melodies and voices squeal. The 1980s provide a sonic touchstone, but (refreshingly) not in a campy way. Pop bliss is the goal here, just as it was for Ric Ocasek back in the day. Passion Pit will do whatever it takes to reach our pleasure centers—more than once, the band utilizes what sounds like a kids’ choir. A hackneyed trick? Yep. Still effective? Definitely.

Bad Books (Andy Hull & Kevin Devine) at The Orpheum, Ybor City


The perfect show to close out my year. Bad Books is the side project of Kevin Devine and Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra). We were essentially treated to three shows in one, with Robert McDowell performing his Gobotron stuff, Kevin Devine‘s immaculate solo work, and plenty of Manchester Orchestra with Andy Hull, often joined by Kevin and Robert to fill out the sound. Absolutely amazing.

Lizzie.

Jamie T at Brixton Academy (February)


Jamie T is someone I’ve loved for a very long time. ‘Sheila’ was a University Anthem for me. Jamie T surpassed my expectations, playing an extremely long set and overcoming previously known stage fright, whipping the Brixton crowd into a mosh pit frenzy. Brixton Academy is a venue that seems to have not lost its atmosphere despite it now being a bought out branded venue.

Jack Penate, Alan Pownall, Club Royale & Marcus Foster at the Lyric Hammersmith (March)


It felt like I was sitting in someone’s living room but I happened to be at my favourite theatre, the Lyric. The Lyric abandoned any airs and graces and threw open their tiny studio for some outstanding acoustic sets to the theme of ‘Heartbreak’.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool at The Coronet (April)


Sheena and I arrived at The Coronet with the Ou Est boys in which will be forever a memorable night for us. The line up was great that evening, Uffie and Fenech Soler being on the bill. Ou Est launched into an energetic and as always, entertaining set, ending on the infamous ‘Dance The Way I Feel’, we left at 5am with huge smiles on our faces. Little did we know, it would be the last time, Sheena and I would share a moment whilst seeing Ou Est together, again.

Kyla la Grange at The Flowerpot (June)


This was the first time I saw Kyla perform and her unique vocals paired with standing on stage bare foot whilst belting out angry completely captivated me. I am so glad we decided to pop into The Flowerpot that day; I found one of my favourite artists.

Ed Sheeran at Secret Garden Party (July)


Ed is a local legend from my home county of Norfolk, having signed to the small NR1 label. His eclectic set on the Living Room stage at SGP blew me away, working loop pedals, beat boxing, rapping with folk undertones. Totally worth the sweat box that was the Living Room stage.

Damien Rice at The Flowerpot (July)


The Communion Flowerpot take over was a pretty fun week for us at The Ruckus which culminated in us heading down on a warm July evening to catch ‘Pownall & Sons’ with a surprise guest beforehand…only bloody Damien Rice. Cue Damien Rice inviting people on stage to sing with him in a small North London pub…Amazing doesn’t really cover it.

Jack Palmer & Will McNicol at Southsea Fest (September)


A bit of a coincidence this one, we packed into the small Magic Bean Cafe on Southsea’s Albert Road to see these young guys turn the place to silence with beautiful acoustic guitar, loop pedal & banjo. The crowd refused to let them leave and made them play a longer set that intended. The young ones showing exactly how to do it…

Frankie and The Heartstrings at The Lexington (October)


I liked Frankie, now I love Frankie. A seriously fucking energetic performance in a packed Lexington at the beginning of their tour. They’ll go far these ones.

Mumford & Sons at the Hammersmith Apollo (October)


For anyone that doubts that folk music can ever be uplifting and raucous then you weren’t at this gig. Ted, Winston, Ben and Marcus gave a long set; there was crowd surfing, a small mosh pit, foot stomping & clapping. There was an acoustic set, there was full band and there was brilliance. It’s Mumford & Sons, okay?

The Mariner’s Children at the Luminaire (November)


Angry, loud folk music from the Mariner’s Children. Animalstic cries came from this alt folk band that grabbed your attention just a wee bit. The atmosphere was electric and the band seemed rather happy to be back in London, giving the Luminaire their all.

Dave.

Metric @ Palladium


Los Angeles, California – 26 March 2010


The band was high energy, right from the get-go, and the crowd went right along the same way. While I certainly liked the band’s latest album, Fantasies, before this gig, it wasn’t until after experiencing so much of it live that night that I really grew to love it.

Crystal Castles @ the Echoplex


Los Angeles, California – 12 April 2010


Not only the best gig I’ve been to this year but one of the best of my life. I’d seen video clips and heard about the madness that is Crystal Castles live for a while and was finally able to experience it. The dancing, writhing, and audience forays of Alice Glass before Ethan Kath’s engulfing wall of noise, along with one of the most enthusiastic crowds you could hope to find in a smaller venue, made for an experience that borders on religious.

Josh Ritter @ Fingerprints (in-store)


Long Beach, California – 16 April 2010


Josh performed almost all the songs on his latest album, So Runs the World Away, along with a handful of other great material at Long Beach’s fantastic indie record store. For an in-store performance, the set was surprisingly long. Combined with the intimacy of the environment, this made for an amazing gig that felt like finding a diamond in the rough. After, Josh stayed for hours as fans waited to get a (sometimes not-so-) brief conversation or autograph.

BEAK> @ the Troubadour


West Hollywood, California – 10 September 2010


While the band’s album is brooding, melancholy, and, at times, creepy, this sound somehow translated into one of the most enjoyable live performances I’ve seen this year. After BEAK>‘s performance, you could see and feel the joy on everyone, band and audience members alike.

Arcade Fire @ the Shrine


Los Angeles, California – 8 October 2010


Arcade Fire blew me away with the band’s excellent stage presence on top of their great songs.

Amita.

Tegan & Sara (Royal Oak Music Theater: Royal Oak, MI)


Tegan and Sara shows are always my favorite. I’ve been to more of their concerts than any other band, and they never cease to amaze me. In fact, they only get better with time. The songs off Sainthood gained new depth performed live, and the energy of the crowd was amazing. I also really enjoyed Holly Miranda‘s opening set, with her gorgeous vocals and elaborate pop melodies.

Thao and Mirah with the Most of All (Magic Stick: Detroit, MI)


Thao and Mirah are two completely independent artists who merged their bands and setlists for this show and played together on stage. It meant a new take on both their songs, which was really a fun and unique experience. These United States did a wonderful job opening, hooking me instantly with their brilliant lyrics and melodies.

The Lilith Fair (Comcast Center: Mansfield, MA)


Despite over a decade of loving Sarah McLachlan, I had never seen her in concert. When this festival was announced I knew it wasn’t a matter of whether I would go, it was a matter of which show I would attend. Each city had a different line up, and Boston’s added bonus of Tegan & Sara had me sold. McLachlan was as stunning as I had ever imagined; her voice and stage presence were absolutely captivating. Tegan & Sara were brilliant as usual, and I had a great time experiencing many other wonderful female acts I hadn’t heard live before, like Sara Bareilles and Missy Higgins. The closing number of the evening, when McLachlan brought all the other artists on stage to sing Patti Smith Group’s “Because the Night,” was one of the most memorable concert experiences of my life.

Frank Turner (Magic Stick: Detroit, MI)


It seemed a little like I was committing treason at The Ruckus to not have attended a Frank Turner gig before. I was concerned after all the hype, the show would fall short of my expectations. If anything, it blew my expectations out of the water. Every song and every story had me hooked, the crowd was fantastic, and the music was completely consuming. I see now why Frank Turner is so universally adored at the Ruckus, and I fully agree.

Frightened Rabbit (Magic Stick: Detroit, MI)


The Phantom Band almost stole the show for me as the openers for this fantastic line up. I was instantly hooked to their synthesizer beats and elaborate instrumentals. They pumped up the crowd so much, everyone booed when they announced their last song of the night and demanded at least one more number. Frightened Rabbit only intensified the crowd’s energy, and they sounded amazing. It was one of the most interactive and collaborative audience experiences I’ve ever had.