Friday, October 6, 2023

Totally Unauthorized's Top Concerts & Festival Sets of 2022: Emptying Out the Bucket List 25-1

This year didn't start off with any kind of particular plan in mind but by the end, it had become by far the biggest live music year of my life. Things began accelerating when I realized what a great opportunity I had to knock several bands off my bucket list that I had listened to since I was young but never saw. Tool, Porcupine Tree, The Killers, The Dead Kennedys, and many others were bands I chased for a long time, and was fortunate that it all lined up this year to catch them all. From there, it all kind of snowballed with the number of crazy good tours and festival lineups popping up all over. I hope you all enjoy this breakdown of one of the wildest years of live music.

Part 1 of this list: 50-26

25. Stevie Nicks

June 19 at Bonnaroo

There's no other way to describe the incomparable Stevie Nicks as anything other than a legend. As Bonnaroo's closing headliner, she regaled us with some of the most timeless tunes from Fleetwood Mac's catalog as well as her own, and accompanied that with stories from over the course of her storied career.

24. Lingua Ignota  
November 14 at The Basement East // Nashville, TN 

Up until now, I had admired the works of Kristin Hayter but did so from a safe, respectful distance. With her harsh soundscapes and fire-breathing persona, it was easy for me to respect her intensity and passion but found it hard to truly love. Her live set gave me a new perspective on how beautiful her performance could be.

23. Andy Frasco & the U.N.
June 16 at Bonnaroo  

I almost made a terrible mistake. I was this close to going to camp for the night and not even seeing this band. Their set started at 1:15am, and I was tired from having traversed Bonnaroo's first full day and having set up camp in the blazing heat earlier. What a colossal error it would have been to miss these guys. The vibe is a big, fun, silly rock show in the vein of Mac Demarco or Twin Peaks. There were innumerable on stage antics that made this such a memorable show. The ascendant jam band Goose are quickly establishing themselves as Bonnaroo darlings, and the whole band joined Frasco on stage for a few songs. Bassist Trevor Weeks wore a block of cheese hat and read poetry. And if that isn't enough, the band ended with a bone crunching cover of Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name.

 
22. Widespread Panic
December 30 at Bridgestone Arena // Nashville, TN

Every time I see Widespread Panic, I walk away with a new favorite song. The jam band idols emerged from Athens, Georgia, in the mid 80s and have been revered ever since as one of the most beloved bands in the scene. It's easy to understand why once you witness the raw instrumental prowess these guys put out, anchored by the impressive lead guitar playing of Jimmy Herring. And in true jam band tradition, you're going to hear a new set of songs at every show. My favorites this time was Rebirtha, an ode that captures the adventures and misadventures of its titular characters, along with a rafter shaking cover of Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth.
 

21. Chris Lake

August 27 at Deep Tropics Fest // Nashville, TN

 
Most commonly associated with the current tech-house craze, Lake hard edged beats and infectious rhythms have catapulted him into being one of the world's most sought after DJs. Just when you think you can't groove any harder, he'll mix one his patented hits like "Automatic" or "Deceiver" and reignite the whole dancefloor. Whether he's playing to a massive field or small club, Lake has what it takes to keep your booty moving all through the night.
 

 
20. Elton John
October 2 at Nissan Stadium // Nashville TN 
 
Missing Elton on his last tour was clearly not an option. I have had such a great time with his music over the years that it's only fitting to see the man one last time to pay respects. My favorite memory of this show is glancing down my aisleway during Crocodile Rock to see everyone bopping around and singing along, having the greatest time. After the show, I saw this older woman in tears, clutching someone who looked to be her son. I realized then, at my age, there's no way to fully know what it's like to have grown up and spent your entire life with a particular artist, anticipating each new release and chasing them on tour like I'm sure this lady had done over the years. I can say one thing. Whether you've been a fan of him for day or a lifetime, Elton has created indelible memories none of us will ever forget.
 
19. Tame Impala
March 23 at Bridgestone Arena // Nashville, TN  
 
At long last, I finally got the two hour extravaganza from Tame Impala I had always wanted. The last time I saw them was at their ignominiously billed Late Night Bonnaroo show in 2016, and I couldn't help feeling like I wanted more after they walked off stage with 30 mins still left on their set time. They made up for it and more with this set, which greatly elevated the material on The Slow Rush and treated us to all their other faves we've come to know and love. They bookended their set with One More Year and One More Hour, cleverly offering us a retrospective on what we'd witnessed at set's end. And the crowd got louder than I can ever remember them being at Bridgestone arena, showing there is perhaps still some hope for the next generation of rock and roll.
 
18. Caitlyn Smith
April 7 at Brooklyn Bowl // Nashville, TN 
 
There was one point during the first song of this set where Caitlyn did this sidestep away from the mic, cocked her head back and let out this little scream. I knew right then and there this was going to be a kickass show. The Nashville by way of Minnesota country starlet has wowed with the raw power and incredible command of her voice, and offers a refreshing alternative for those who find the music row sound has grown stale. Smith's lower range gets a strong showcase during Contact High," in a performance that leaves the microphone molten, while on "Tacoma," she channels that same energy into a biting tearjerker. What's magnificent is it avoids the common pitfalls of being overwrought or a by the numbers power ballad and delivers a performance that feels both refreshing and heartfelt. She also got some guests in on the act, bringing out the night's opening performers in Caylee Hammack, Jillian Jacqueline, and Emily Weisband for a cover of Kenny Rogers's "You Can't Make Old Friends," while bringing out Old Dominion's Matt Ramsey to duet on her breakout hit "I Can't."

17. Marc Rebillet
June 18 at Bonnaroo 
 
It took some time before I could fully come around on Marc's zany brand comedic musical improv. When I first discovered Marc, I wasn't sure if this was some kind of American Pie style gross out sex stuff or something equally dumb. There are some elements of that, but it's not nearly as bad as I equally thought. Instead, what I found was that Marc has a mind dedicated to having the most ridiculous kind of fun possible, and isn't afraid to make himself look comical in order to do so. The show began with Marc playing on his turntables out in the crowd, and had to haul his equipment up to the stage due to technical malfunctions. What we got once he got there was one of the latest, greatest, and weirdest late night dance parties that Bonnaroo has seen. 
 
16. The Killers
September 17 at Bridgestone Arena // Nashville TN 

“It is my great pleasure to say that we are The Killers,” singer Brandon Flowers jubiliantly proclaimed as he took a bow about midway through his band’s set. You know what to expect with a Killers show: this is a big band with a big sound and big hits. They did their best to go through as many of them as early as possible in the set it seemed like (which borderline caused pacing problems for the latter half of the set), but we were here for it as Flowers performed these cuts with his fist raised high. The distinctive keyboard layering of “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine,” the earnest driving guitar churn of “When You Were Young,” and the dancefloor bop “Somebody Told Me” all factored in to the early portion of the setlist. But we were also treated to “Quiet Town,” which is fast becoming a fan favorite. It’s pulled from their latest offering Pressure Machine, an album which paints a pastoral portrait of small town living in the American West, something akin to the band’s attempt at their very own version of The Joshua Tree. It’s hard to deny the feel good story when Flowers let the fan from the crowd come up to play drums on “For Reasons Unknown.” I didn’t know this until I researched it more but this is apparently a semi-recurring thing the band does at shows. Not everyone who’s tried it has actually been able to do it! But the guy we got in Nashville did a bang-up job. This set up for a great show outro as the main set ended with longtime Killers anthem “All These Things That I’ve Done,” while opener Johnny Maar strutted back out for a ravishing rendition of “This Charming Man” during the encore, before the night came to an ultimate end with a slow jam version of “Mr Brightside,” which lasted for the first verse and chorus before the band erupted into the full speed version of the song.

 
15. The Smile
December 3 at Ryman Auditorium // Nashville TN 
 
There's no doubting any project helmed by Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood. It's not that any songs presented here couldn't necessarily fit comfortably into the Radiohead lexicon, but the group seems to be more relaxed and ambitious not having to live up to the expectations of writing music for their flagship band. This time, they also have jazz-based drummer Tom Skinner in tow from Sons of Kemet, who you saw on the earlier installment of this list, to help propel their engine. It's difficult to think of a musical experience that compares to kicking back and watching this impressive battery of musicians do their thing. 
 
14. Old Crow Medicine Show
 
December 31 at Ryman Auditorium // Nashville, TN
 
Move aside, Mumford & Lumineers. These boys have been stomping since long before you were ever even thought of. They pulled out all the stops for this special set. There was a Nashville New Year's hype song and a cover of "Rock & Roll All Nite" alongside familiar favorites. And, of course, there are few better ways to kick off the new year than with a gigantic sing along of OCMS's quintessential tune "Wagon Wheel" just after the stroke of midnight. Year in and year out, the band continues to prove there are few better ways to ring in the new year in Nashville. 
 
13. Gorillaz 
October 23 at FTX Arena // Miami, FL
 
The most exceptional attribute to a Gorillaz show is how many moving parts there are and somehow it all works, melded together by the mad vision of Damon Albarn. You're treated to dazzling sound and genre shifts, powered by a massive band tasked with conjuring any type of sound Albarn can imagine. There's also a strong audiovisual element, considering that they're trying to keep the animated band a part of it all. Some of the visuals seemed particularly a bit violent or anti-authoritarian. During one sequence, one of the animated bandmembers was on a floating island getting bombed to bits by fighter jets. And of course, another highlight is all the guests. which further expands the palette of what's possible onstage. Notably, this would be their last show with De La Soul member Dave Jolicoeur, who died in February 2023. 
 
12. Rosalia 
October 22 at III Points // Miami, FL

What an audiovisual feast for the senses this show is. The immediate thought it brought to mind is how it looked like a music video being filmed. The cameraman was onstage with her panning all the way around her, and like a consummate professional, she knows how to play to it as well as anyone. Rosalia wows with her natural exuberance, she was born to be onstage. She also has a strong, diverse catalog to back it up. She can go from singing something sultry to absolutely heartrending ballad, before breaking into an intensely choreographed dance stompers, or even traditional Spanish flamenco. I'll add my voice to the chorus of those who believe Rosalia is well on her way to becoming a major fest headliner. 
 
11. Ghost 
September 3 at Gas South Arena // Duluth, GA
 
I was not prepared for how good Ghost was going to be. My only past exposure to them was when they opened on the Iron Maiden tour a few years ago. Their set then started off very strong but got old quickly. What they did here was a major evolution. I can’t remember the last time I was this surprised by a band in a positive way. If you’ve got just a little bit of wonder and imagination, it’s not hard to get swept up in this whole vibe they work very hard to construct of dancing in the graveyard at midnight with your forbidden lover. You can practically hear the ghouls singing in the background. There are highlights galore; at on point a mummy even jumped out of a sarcophagus and started playing saxophone. The entire set was very well constructed, particular the build to the end. Frontman Tobias Forge was masterful in enchanting the crowd. He announced there would be three more songs, then two. Then when it was done he was basically like well here's one more for you anyway. And the setlist selections during this final phase of the show were equally inspired as well, with the Gothic horror Mummy Dust, the poignant dance of the dead "Dance Macabre," and finally the hard-edged "Square Hammer" to close things out.
 
10. Billy Strings
June 18 at Bonnaroo 
 
He opened with "Dust in a Baggie," a song detailing the rise and fall of a backwoods junkie, and it was the only song of his I knew but man, what a clinic this was. Before his announcement on the Roo lineup I had little conception of what type of musician Billy was, save for the fact that he was some kind of guitarist. Safe to say I won't forget any time soon. Watching this guy operate is insane; with his deft and frenetic four finger picking it's like watching some kind of bluegrass Dream Theater. His band was equal to the task, aiding him through delicate, heartfelt numbers like "Love and Theft" and the prog/jam/bluegrass barnburner "Hide & Seek." Playing the main stage before Saturday night's headliners Tool allowed Billy to inject a little humor, remarking that he wanted to avoid running over his set time so Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan wouldn't skullfuck him. Feel free to come on back anytime, Mr. Strings. 
 
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers
August 12 at Nissan Stadium // Nashville, TN

Normally, I roll my eyes pretty hard when I see a jam section written into a band's setlist. Not with these guys. The big story here was the return of classic era guitarist John Frusciante, who played a pivotal role in lifting the band to its highest heights. They have a very thougt provoking way of playing with one another. Flea on bass and Chad Smith on drums are power players with a propulsive style. If I had to compare them to a different art form, I could easily imagine these guys as sculptors, powerfully chiseling their vision out of a slab of marble or concrete. Frusciante, on the other hand, I could picutre behind an easel with his headphones on, lost in his own world, painting these sweeping brushstrokes on a canvas in a way that's very whimsical but at the same time very purposeful. Onstage, it creates a marriage of majesty and power, and no other band comes to mind that does things quite like they do. You all know their hits well enough that there should be no need to go over those in detail, although the setlist did make some attempts to throw curveballs (Strip My Mind), and the tunes from their recently released album Unlimited Love nestled their way among the band's bigger staples without feeling too intrusive. The boldest decision was the omission of "Under the Bridge," but opening the encore with "Soul to Squeeze" gave the crowd plenty to crow about. If we're lucky Frusciante will stick around, as his return has clearly revitalized the band onstage in a major way. 
 
8. Roger Waters
August 20 at State Farm Arena // Atlanta, GA

Pink Floyd's former bassist has unapologetically been one of the most confrontational artists of our time, and he showed no signs of retreat during his This is Not a Drill tour. There's so many once in a lifetime moments in this set, from the opening strains of "Comfortably Numb," which is soon followed by the fist pumping rebellion of Another Brick in the Wall Parts 2 & 3, and the giant inflatable pig floating around the arena during the confrontational 1st set closer "Sheep," which sees Waters cajoling his audience to pay better attention to world around them. Of course, there's a more thoughtful side as well, case in point with one of his solo songs The Bar," in which he describes the titular bar as a marketplace for open exchange of ideas of all different shapes, sizes, and topics. There's the sublime "Two Suns in the Sunset," one of his last moments working with former bandmate David Gilmour before departing from Pink Floyd, and there's an undeniable energy crackling through the air when he launches into his signature bassline that opens Floyd 's mega-hit Money. But by far the evening's most poignant and best moment came during the montage that led up to "Wish You Were Here," which recounted trips Waters used to make into town with Pink Floyd founding guitarist Syd Barrett to watch concerts together, experiences that would no doubt be foundational in the development of the band's sound. Waters may be as divisive as ever, but there's no denying the power and immediacy of one of his performances.
 
7. Jack White
September 15 at Bourbon & Beyond // Louisville, KY
 
It’s rare to find an artist who blows me away this consistently on a live stage. I’ve seen White four times and he’s made my end of year Top 10 each time with room to spare. This time around he’s got two new albums to boot, one focusing on his hard rock side and the other significantly more mellow.  I’m gonna skip over the normally obligatory rundown of new material to call out the fact that I finally got “Fell in Love With a Girl” live. I remember watching that Lego-ass video on a Saturday morning at my buddy’s place, it was the first thing I’d ever heard from that band. He had a sick solo he snuck in right in the middle of it before he resumed kicking our asses. Carolina Drama was pretty great too. I had never even heard that song before but I got heavy “Tweeter & the Monkey Man” vibes off that song with its heavy focus on storytelling. “What’s the Trick” was the easy highlight out of the new songs.
 
6. LCD Soundsystem  
October 21 at III Points // Miami, FL 
 
One of the things I marvel about the most with this band is how remarkably consistent they are. LCD Soundsystem has been a regular entrant onto my live lists since I first saw them in 2016, and I'd be hard pressed to rank any of those shows above or below one another. They simply are one of the greatest touring acts for many reasons. James Murphy's outfit inventively blends together elements of dance, punk, and garage rock, and are very tight and always in sync with one another, which is even more impressive when you consider there's about 8 or 10 of them on stage. On this occasion, they were headlining the first night of Miami's III Points Festival which had, to this point, flown under my radar, but as I discovered is certainly a little gem of a fest. James called out that he had lobbied the festival for an extended set time, and they certainly made the most of their 1hr 45 mins to weave their spell. Rare is it that a band can melt you with white hot heat (Movement, Get Innocuous!), then turn around and smack you with a fist raising tearjerker (Someone Great, All My Friends) with the type of zest that LCD can.
 

 5. My Morning Jacket  
October 29 at KFC Yum! Center // Louisville, KY
 
Seeing My Morning Jacket is always a treat. Catching them at a hometown show right before Halloween, with giant monsters joining them onstage is a whole other level of awesome. With one bandmember in a skull mask, another wearing a floppy wig, and Jim James sporting dark eyeliner, you might be excused for thinking he was putting on his best impression of a goth-rock frontman. Although not technically a jam band by definition, they draw inspiration from The Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, and many other titans of the scene to create a sound that many find more accessible, and stands strongly on its own merits. They kicked off with slow burning fan favorite "One Big Holiday," but reached into their bag of tricks for a few surprises, including the full length version of "Run Thru," which commonly is only played from the bridge onward, both parts of the blissfully moody "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream," and a couple of holiday themed covers with Donovan's "Hour of the Witch" and Classic IV's "Spooky." Time and time again, James & crew continue to prove why they're one of today's greatest rock bands. 
 
4. Goose  
March 5 at Brooklyn Bowl // Nashville, TN
 
This was the first ticket I bought to any show in 2022 and had I waited much longer I doubt I could have. Connecticut-based jam rockers Goose have risen quickly in the ranks of the jam band world, and they showed a sold out crowd at Brooklyn Bowl exactly why that is. They're so good at locking in on a groove with the bass and drums, setting the tone for a booty shakin' three hour dance party. Nothing demonstrated this better than the opening salvo of "Jive II" and "Jive Lee," They wasted no time in capturing the crowd in the palm of their hand. But their real x-factor is lead man Rick Mitarotonda, whose lead playing is just as crisp as his vocal delivery. Considering the jam band scene is not known for quality singers, Mitarotonda definitely stands out. Nowhere was this more evident than on "Arcadia," with his soothing voice layering over top of these rich, warm earth tones of the song, or when they broke out a cover of Jim James's "State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)," a bonafide crowd pleasing moment for sure when taking into account James's revered status within the scene.
 
3. Tool  
June 18 at Bonnaroo
 
Bonnaroo could have easily been a pass this year but then I was like, ah, damn, they've got Tool. What am I to do? Not miss them, that's what. Tool does a great job of transporting you into the world. I remember taking awhile just being absorbed by their visuals. The setlist was one of the best as well. It took guts, especially in a festival environment where most folks expect to hear your best known stuff, but they went with some deeper stuff. I actually said to myself pre-show that I'll probably never get to hear The Patient and them bam! They broke it out in all its glory. Pushit is one I'll never forget either. My only regret is I wish they could have gotten longer. I've been following these guys since high school and to finally see Maynard, Danny, and the boys was a real dream come true.
 
2. Porcupine Tree  
September 25 at Bellco Theatre // Denver, CO

When I first encountered these English prog rockers as a high schooler, my mind was immediately blown by the dizzying way the could mix psychedelia and ambient sounds with pop rock and harder edged metal. What was less certain was if I’d ever have the chance to see them do it in person. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in 2010, with frontman Steven Wilson moving on to a solo career and drummer Gavin Harrison, who had widely been credited with playing a major role in the band’s shift from the psychedelic space rock of its early days into a harder progressive metal type of sound, spent the intervening years touring with several different projects. So lo and behold, our heroes (along with keyboardist Richard Barberi) decided to get back together and give it one more go for a brief tour strongly alluded to as their last, behind their first album in 13 years, fittingly titled Closure/Continuation.

They gave us everything they had over the course of the show’s near three hour runtime. What wasn’t a highlight? You had the rarely played full 17 minute version of Anethietze from the band’s breakout album Fear of a Blank Planet, which starts off rather innocuously with an understated guitar and keyboard pattern but gradually builds tension over time as Wilson expounds on anxiety with our 21st century relationship with technology before ultimately exploding with a magnificent combination of heavy riffs and one of the greatest solos of their career (played by Rush’s Alex Lifeson on the album version, no less). Perhaps topping that was “Collapse the Light Into Earth,” a simple yet powerful piano statement between Wilson and Barberi that touches on wistful emotion and nostalgia in all the right ways. It had never been played live by the band prior to this tour. Wilson’s biting wit was also on full display. Part of the band’s commitment was to play the new album in full on each show of the tour. “I don’t understand these bands who put out a new album             and then play one song ,” he quipped. Wilson was, unfortunately, quite beset by technical issues but pulled through to deliver an outstanding first set highlighted by the ethereal deep cut “Last Chance to Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled.” And Gavin Harrison is one of the greatest drummers I have ever seen live. He has this Ringo Starr type ability where his playing never sounds too sparse or too cluttered. His fills are always spot on and are a joy to listen to.

 
1. Orbital 
October 22 at III Points // Miami, FL

Ever since I started going to festivals, I always dreamed of seeing Orbital. I once hoped I'd see them at Bonnaroo. My plan was to sit and rest my legs for three whole sets before them to make sure I had enough energy to go wild. When it became apparent they weren't going to come to me I eventually resolved to go to them, which set the stage for the Saturday evening preheadlining slot at Miami's III Points festival. It was everything I thought it would be and more. They're one of the absolute best at creating emotion out of their intricate, lushy arranged layering. The vigorous protest of Dirty Rat, the first-in-the-air pomp of Smiley is enough to persuade the most cantankerous crowdmember to move their feet. Then they'll sneak in a Spice Girls remix to get the nostalgia energy pumping, before unleashing the coup de grace by blissing you out with these spiritual, burning earth tones of Halcyon + On + On and lighting the dancefloor (and seemingly the whole globe) ablaze with Impact (The Earth is Burning). I've never had more fun dancing at any show.