I say it every year, but 2022 really feels like the year that totally outdid every other year in terms of live music experiences. I'm not sure if it was because of things coming back online after the pandemic, but it feels like can't miss shows were happening pretty much every weekend from about late July through the end of the year. 2022 was a monumental year because I finally had the chance to knock most of the rest of the bands out of my bucket list, and then some. The result is the largest live music list I've done to date, with an all out recounting of the Top 50 live music performances I witnessed this year.
50. Charli XCX
August 3 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Normally this would be higher but an unprecedented number of technical errors plagued the set and threatened to derail it entirely. As a result, we got only a glimpse of the churning, billowing production that plays such a key role in the English's crooner's sets. Blake himself was openly frustrated for most of the duration but played through as best he could. The disruptions did shift attention over to his magnificent piano work, highlighted by a cover of Don McClean's Vincent. Some sense of regularity was restored near the end of his set, just in time for a haunting rendition of Overgrown.
Godfathers of sludge? You be the judge, but what can't be denied is these guys are always a treat. They played the middle slot on the bill before Ministry but after Corrosion of Conformity on their springtime tour and stole the show with their unrelenting riffage and raw power.
Another middle slot performance here, with the Atlanta prog metallers playing basically a hometown show on the Imperatour alongside Ghost and Spiritbox. They sound resurgent and re-energized since the release of Hushed and Grim in late 2021. Setlist highlights Teardrinker and Pushing the Tides stack up favorably against anything in teh band's catalog, and are primed to be live staples for a long time to come.
Nearly a decade ago, I caught the tail end of Disclosure's late night Bonnaroo set and got to see Sam Smtih come out to do Latch with them. At that time, it seemed the English duo of Howard and Guy Lawrence were on the precipice of world domination. The moment may have passed them by to some extent since then, but their Friday night Bonnaroo set demonstrated why the brothers still command prime late night billing at the country's biggest festivals. Crowd favorites White Noise and When a Fire Starts to Burn waste no time in turning up the temperature, while more recent cuts like Douha (Mali Mali) show they still know how to get the pulse racing.
Imagine spending the afternoon in the waves of Miami Beach and following that up with the smoky, Latin stylings of The Marias? Sign me up, please! A dizzying blend of jazz and world rhythms provide a stirring backdrop for Maria Zardoya's smooth vocal. This stunning combination placed The Marias among the many highlights of Miami's III Points festival.
One of the big challenges in live concert performance is keeping your audience engaged. The Miami duo's
future/spacey/bassy sound has a lot to do with that but they have a lot
of tricks onstage as well. At various points throughout the set,
frontwoman Mica Tenenbaum can be seen playing a flute and wearing an
animal mask. Being that they were in a prog band before this, they're
well versed in how to switch up the beats and keep their crowd guessing.
One of the best examples comes during "Chaeri," when Mica urges the
crowd to chat the "three, four down to the floor" part. Which might
sound like a pretty standard thing for a performer to do, but it comes
right at a moment in the song when the beat changes and transitions to
something that sounds truly astral.
42. Animal Collective
March 24 at Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN
Veteran indie pop rockers Animal Collective put our their best album in over a decade this past year, and it coincides with the best set I've seen from them since the 2013 Bonnaroo late night performance. To no one's surprise, they line up a murder's row of the best material from Time Skiffs, but also worked out plenty of new and unreleased material in front of crowds. Chief among them is the slow burning, moody build up of Defeat (A Not Suite), which totals over 15 minutes and the aptly titled "Magicians from Baltimore." They wrap things up with a punchy blast from the past in "Chores" and the delightfully acidic "For Reverend Green," both from the band's landmark 2007 album Strawberry Jam.
41. Haim
September 21 at Ascend Ampitheater, Nashville, TN
Nine years ago I was at my first Bonnaroo, and nine years ago it was when my dumb ass walked away from that stage to get a good spot for Purity Ring (who were okay, but not mind blowing). The next band up on the stage I left? None of than HAIM (with Father John Misty coming later behind them, oof) and ever since then I had been looking for the moment to correct my mistake. With their latest album, Women in Music III being their strongest statement yet it was the perfect time as the pop/rock and roll sister trio gave the record its much deserved showcase by playing all but one of its songs. They can go from kicking out super fun bops like Gasoline and The Steps one moment to unleashing their fury on Man From the Magazine. But the best moment came mid-set when the sisters convened at center stage for “Leaning on You” and “Halleujah,” backed only by a tender acoustic guitar. The full beauty of their harmonies shined strongest here.
40. Sheryl Crow
September 1 at Live on the Green, Nashville, TN
Her name hasn't been sexy in a long, long time, but this show is up there for one of the most underrated I saw this year. Her band is well oiled, they have excellent camaraderie, and she has more hits than you probably credit her for. Give Crow a chance and she'll get you moving.
39. Clozee
June 16 at Bonnaroo
37. Wet Leg
September 4 at Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
To call them a buzz band would be a colossal understatement. The Isle of Wight rock duo, consisting of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, exploded onto the scene with their 2021 single Chaise Lounge, which bubbles under a solution of sexual tension before exploding in a big, ebullient, fuzzy chorus and final coda, and sounds like it was sung by Napoleon Dynamite's dream girl. It's an unconventional formula that turned a lot of heads and enabled the gals to leave long string of sold out shows in their wake. Their live set is a sprint through their devilishly deadpan self titled debut but is elevated even further by Teasdale's magnetic presence. And what a presence she has. Half the guys there must have left with a crush on her. While it remains to be seen how high their star may rise, they have the live tools to maintain dominance for a long time.
Get out of there with that nonsense that only the first album was good. Maybe they never topped it, but the absolute clinic they put on at Marathon Music Works is more than sufficient evidence the boys have produced an full career's worth of excellent tunes. Brian Ritchie, with his signature acoustic bass, and stand up percussionist John Sparrow are the true standouts, impressing with their dazzling array of rhythms. One of the undeniable highlights of the night came when Ritchie took his sole turn on lead vocals to blast out "Dance, Motherfucker, Dance," a skittering punk scat blast with an edge that hits every bit as hard as it sounds. Gordon Gano, not to be outdone, flexes his muscle on a variety of instruments while delivering his inimitable vocal style that has proven so vital to band's sound.
If you think jazz is just easy listening, background music, give these guys a shot. They hit with the intensity of a punk or hard rock group, and are dedicated to being firebrand spokesmen on racial issues. This tour was, unfortunately, their swan song, as the group announced they would be disbanding after their 2022 run of shows. Drummer Tom Skinner now has a prominent spot alongside in The Smile alongside Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead fame. Saxophonist Shakaba Hutchings has returned to star in his excellent jazztronica outfit The Comet Is Coming, and they'll be on the road at least through 2023.
34. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
December 31 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
My only prior live experience with Madam Tuttle came on the blazing fields of Bonnaroo for a blink and you'll miss it three song Grand Ole Opry set on the festival's first day. Was this a better atmosphere for her, serving as the lead in to a rowdy New Year's Even celebration in the Ryman's hallowed halls? Oh, a bit. The gal from California, and her whole band, prove themselves to be dedicated students of the folk/bluegrass scene, and we welcome her with open arms.
33. The War on Drugs
June 17 at Bonnaroo
Second time seeing them on the farm and they never disappoint. This Philadelphia based quartet has established themselves as one of the most consistent and satisfying bands of the past 10 years with their patented blend of heartland rock with a fuzzy coating of dream pop. Hearing those tones ring out under the hazy orange and purple hues at sunset enhances what is already a very impressive set, and ensures their legacy will only grow over time.
32. The Chicks
June 17 at Bonnaroo
More than a few eyebrows were raised when The Chicks were announced as one of the main attractions of the Bonnaroo lineup. Those of us who grew up around their music knew better. They've shed their somewhat girl pop leanings of their early days and evolved into an impressive instrumental act who fit in well on the contemporary alt/country folk circuit. This show hit on all cylinders, with impressive musicianship, a deep catalog of hits, great visuals that at one point lambasted Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
October 22 at III Points, Miami, FL
Cold, dissonant, and nostalgic are descriptors that come to mind when thinking of English producer Andy Stott's output. In a live setting, it becomes all these things and much more. It is positively frenetic. It's the most glorious combination of abrasive rhythm and warm sound. The stage also contributed greatly to the atmosphere. It was constructed out of a bunch of metal beams and rafters that enclosed a courtyard type space where you would go in and see him play, giving the environment a unique industrial flavor.
Confession time. This was my 7th Bonnaroo and first time ever experiencing the Superjam. The diminished crowds this year made it much more palatable. This one was based on 80s covers and as always, boasted a great selection of guests. Lauren Mayberry dropped by right before heading across the field for her set with Chvrches to deliver a cover of Madonna's Material Girl, while Spoon's Britt Daniel broke up the pop hits with an assured cover of Echo & the Bunnymen's steely edged Killing Moon. Rising jam band Goose made a strong push this weekend to secure their status as Bonnaroo darlings, and that continued with their frontman Rick Mitaronda making an appearance to drop a great rendition of Take on Me and It's My Life. There's little that's more fun than surprise guests though, and this year's Superjam certainly made its mark with Carly Rae Jepsen's appearance to sing What's Love Got to Do With It and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time.
29. Tchami
August 26 at Deep Tropics Fest, Nashville, TN
Although Nashville isn't traditionally known for house music, Deep Tropics festival has served as an oasis for many of the genre's more notable acts for a few years running now. French house producer Tchami's headlining set was the clear highlight of the festival's first day. It's rare to find a set that you can get lost into dancing like this, forgetting everything around you while becoming enveloped in this dense layer of sound.
Curry has started a fire that's been burning for a few years now on the strength of several excellent releases. His latest, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, Might be his best yet. There was little doubt he was going to kill it during his late night Bonnaroo set which kicked off just before 2am. His intensity was on full display as he barrelled though each song without missing a word. One of the most notable moments in this set is what's become known as the 2am wall of death. Curry split the crowd into two halves down the middle and directed the two sides to charge right at each other. After being out here on a hot festival ground all day since 1pm? Are you kidding me? I wasn't sure I was going to survive. But it was beautiful in its own way when you consider that it was one of the most potent ways for a performer as fervent as Curry to transmit that sense of surging energy into his crowd.
Sometimes you really need one of those sweat drenched shows at a tiny club. I had forgotten how good those could be for your soul. These guys are a mathcore/post hardcore/metal band from Sheffield, England, who are readily picking up steam, and it had been eight long years since I’d been to this venue. It’s about 150 something person capacity with no barricade between you and performers, so shit gets pretty intense. It was one of the most cathartic, if not a little bit downright terrifying experience when I ended up at the very front near the end of the show and had the band literally inches in front of my face. It's a real mindfuck because you try to give as much energy back to them as they're putting out for you. Fun fact: out of every show I've been to, this is the only one I've ever gotten the setlist from.
What strikes me the most about the evolution of Kendrick's live show is the visual aspect of it. It avoids the trap of being overly exuberant or over the top and instead manages to strike the perfect balance of being tasteful and elegant. His Big Steppers tour begins with all his dancers taking big marching steps single file up the catwalk toward the main stage, with shoulders shrugging in time. When the curtains are drawn, Kendrick appears somewhere you might not expect -- behind a piano. It's like you're watching the opening cutscene to the final boss of rap music. The new material, from the Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers album, holds its own against his established catalog classics but the highlight of Kendrick's shows lies in music made for your feet, not your head. It's hard to beat throwing down with Backseat Freestyle, DNA, Money Trees, or his dynamic collaboration with his show opener and cousin Baby Keem on a rendition of Family Ties.
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