This was a banner year for shows, with Rick Astley, Garth Brooks, and Iggy Pop not only putting on some of the best shows of 2016, but some of the best shows I have ever seen. These three amazing talents produced all-time-top-10 concert material, and I am so very lucky to have been able to experience these incredible events. Thus, every other artist I saw this year had a very high standard to live up to, and only 4 other shows made the cut.
Indigo at The O2, 8 April & The Box, 10 August
If I can fly to England for the weekend to see a painting, I can certainly fly over there to see one of my all-time favorite pop stars – which is exactly what I did in April. Of course I managed to get some great seats, and the show was everything that I hoped it would be and more. Rick is now 50 (!!!), but his voice is just as rich and soulful as ever. Plus, he has a fabulous, slightly wicked, self-deprecating sense of humor. His banter between songs was priceless. The show was a satisfying blend of all the big hits alongside new tracks from Rick's new album and a few contemporary covers (one of the songs that Rick covered was Calvin Harris's "We Found Love", and that kind of blew my mind a little bit). Even though Rick gave his all for a solid two hour set, the show still felt too short, considering I had been waiting about 28 years for it.
It turns out I was doubly lucky this year, because I got to see Rick again in August at a show that marked Rick's first performance in the US since 1989 (!!!). I obviously had to be there – and I'm very glad I was. The Box is an extremely small venue, so it was a super intimate show packed with hard-core fans. Rick sounded even better than he did in London, and many renditions of his hit songs sounded even better than the recorded versions I know by heart. Kudos for Rick for keeping his voice in top condition all these years! Once again, Rick's between-song banter was top notch; the man has an extremely winning personality and a wicked sense of humor. He seemed to be having a lot of fun up on stage, and that made him even more fun to watch. Sadly I wasn't in town (or in the country) for Rick's mini tour in October, but I am very much looking forward to seeing him during his full-scale US tour next year!
Terminal 5, 24 June (& Hudson Hotel, 16 March)
While this show wasn't quite good enough to make my all-time-top-10 list, it has become my touchstone for happy thoughts when I need to lower my blood pressure (not a joke). A Mayer Hawthorne show is one of my happy places in general. Even though I usually hate Terminal 5, Mayer's crowd was giving off nothing but good vibes, and the place wasn't too packed, so there was room to dance to all of Mayer's smooth grooves. Mayer played for about an hour and a half, and that time was jam packed with tunes from all four of his albums. He even got out his old glasses for a kicked-up medley of songs from How Do You Do & A Strange Arrangement. However, the best part of the night was the closing cover of Tears for Fears's "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". That song is one of my all time favorites, and to hear it performed live by one of my favorite artists at the end of a great show was nothing short of magical.
While not technically a concert, I would be remiss not to include Mayer's Man About Town Listening Party, which is definitely one of the highlights of my year, due to the fact that I got hang out with the man himself and get a picture with him (still my lock screen all these months later). Plus, I randomly got to meet and trade small talk with Sammy Adams, who put out one of my Top 10 albums of 2016 (and 2010). The only problem is, I didn't realize it was Sammy Adams until just after I (briefly) spoke with him, and by the time I had gotten my pic with Mayer and collected my swag, Sammy was on his phone – so I didn't get to tell him how much I love his music, or get a photo with him, which would have put the night even more over the top.
Yankee Stadium, 8 & 9 July
Seeing Garth Brooks at Yankee Stadium two nights in a row (from amazing on-field seats no less) is an experience that nearly defies description. It was exhilarating, electrifying, and oh so much fun. On the first night, I was sitting in the pit section, 18 rows from the stage. It had been threatening to rain all night, and the skies finally let loose just as Garth got into "Friends in Low Places", which meant the crowd went extra crazy and the atmosphere was unlike any other concert I've experienced. "Friends in Low Places" is always a crowd pleaser, no matter who's performing it, but to be at the center of a massive Garth Brooks show was to hear that song like I've never heard it before. Garth covered most of his mega-hits, but at just under two hours, the show felt way too short. At the end of the night, I was glad to know that I was going to do it all again in 24 hours.
On the second night, the threat of rain was even worse, and it really did pour down for over an hour. Because of this, they moved everybody off the field for a while, and Garth didn't go on until just before midnight. The stadium was still packed, and I have never been happier to stand in the rain waiting for something. Garth mixed up the setlist a bit, and even played songs that fans requested via homemade signs that they brought to the show with them. Garth's energy was amazing – he is a tireless performer who truly wants his fans to have a great time, and he definitely delivers.
United Palace Theatre, 12 April
Here's the deal: I was mainly interested in Post Pop Depression because of Josh Homme's involvement; the man is a fox, as well as an unbelievably talented musician. I bought the album and thought it was decent, but not something I put on heavy rotation (like, say, QOTSA's ...Like Clockwork). Outside of Post Pop Depression, I know three Iggy Pop songs ("Lust for Life", "Nightclubbing", and "The Passenger) thanks to the two volumes of the Trainspotting soundtrack. However, no way I was going to skip a super buzzy show that would also happen to give me a chance to see Josh Homme play live. Man-oh-man, I am *so* glad I went to this show! It is one of the very best rock shows I have ever been to, by a long shot. Of course I had an awesome seat, but the music was just so, so good! I pretty much danced through the entire show, even while I was being mesmerized by Josh Homme's crazy good guitar playing. Sometimes when I get really stressed, all I want to do is go to a really good rock show and get lost in music that consumes me. I wasn't stressed when I went to this show, but it was exactly the kind of show that I have in mind as an ideal escape. Iggy Pop is a tireless performer and clearly loves being up on stage, and the whole Post Pop Depression band has incredible chops. The evening was such a rush, and I felt very lucky to have experienced it.
David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 11 April
Chris said that the NY Phil is one of the best orchestras he's ever performed with, and I am willing to bet that that wasn't just lip service. The live orchestra brought an amazing depth to so many of my favorite pieces from Chris's albums, though of course he's equally astounding to hear when playing solo and holding notes for what seem like impossible lengths of time. Violinist Sandy Cameron added a bit of whimsy to the evening with her velvet jumpsuit and her highly skilled playing. Tenor Jonathan Johnson ably lent his smooth, rich voice to "Italia" and "Per Te", originally recorded by Andrea Bocelli. The performance of those two songs was so beautiful that I was moved to tears. The show lasted over two and a half hours (though there was an intermission), and those hours were full of musical bliss.
Highline Ballroom, 25 May
Dierks typically does an amphitheater-focused summer tour, which means it's nearly impossible for me to make it to one of his shows, so I jumped on the chance to see him at Highline Ballroom, even if it was for a songwriters showcase, rather than a solo Dierks show. Turns out, the show was kind of amazing because it was all acoustic, and Dierks nailed every single song he sang. The four other songwriters on stage (Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman, Luke Dick, and Jessi Alexander) were also super talented and impressive. Between them, they've written massive hits for Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Eric Church, and Miley Cyrus, among others. My favorite song of the show was "Roses and a Time Machine", which was actually performed by Luke Dick, who wrote it for Dierk's new album, Black. Between Dierks and his collaborators, they covered over half the songs from Black, including the stand-outs "Freedom", "What the Hell Did I Say", "Somewhere on a Beach", and the title track "Black". Dierks also did killer acoustic versions of "Riser" and "Drunk on a Plane". The songwriters showcase format made for a unique, memorable, intimate experience that still allowed Dierks and his amazing voice to shine.
Barclays Center, 19 November
Brett Eldredge was a pleasure to watch (even in the less than desirable arena setting), delivering a smooth, relaxed performance while still exuding his signature energy and enthusiasm. In fact, Brett was the original reason I bought a ticket to this show, but that was way back in February before I fell in love with Keith Urban's Ripcord album – and Keith was absolutely awesome, playing a set that lasted over two hours and featuring too many impressive guitar (and banjo) solos to count! He clearly loves performing and his energy is infectious. He is a master performer who knows how to connect with his fans, even on a huge scale, which made the songs I didn't know (or didn't know well) just as fun to listen to as the ones I love. Looking forward to a show for nine months can be a recipe for disappointment, but Brett and Keith were everything I had hoped they would be.
No comments:
Post a Comment