I love the ends of years. The week between Christmas and New Year's is my favorite. A new year is about to start, I usually have a little bread in my pocket (Christmas money), and we focus on the year that was. With the year 2016 coming to a close, you're going to see a lot of year-end lists.
This is the live shows I saw in 2016. I've been thinking about how I'd rank them, but they were all pretty great (Lucius and Ween tie for number one, and the rest tie for third), so they're listed chronologically.
Bully 1.18.16 Fine Line
I bought a ticket to this show, but didn't get to attend. I was cast in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and we were in rehearsals. This date was actually Martin Luther King Day, and there was no rehearsal; however Nerd Dad's wife is a nurse, and her schedule requires her to be on call some nights. She was on call this night, and was called into work. I stayed home and was Nerd Dad to Ozzie.
I missed Bully in January, but would catch them later in the year.
Babes In Toyland 1.30.16 First Avenue
I love women who rock. I grew up in the 90's hearing of Minneapolis' own Babes in Toyland, but never listening to them, or seeing them live. They recently got back together for some reunion shows, and I had to get out and see who Carrie Brownstein lists as an influence in Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir.
I arrived in time to see Kitten Forever, who I'd seen open for Girlpool in 2015. When Babes in Toyland took the stage, they were LOUD from the first note. Guitarist/lead singer Kat Bjelland high-kicked while playing her axe, and shouted her lyrics into the mic. A great start to the year. It was the loudest show I've ever been to. Loud in a good way.
Lucius 3.23.16 First Avenue
The two front-women, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, with their matching red hair and futuristic clothes, started the first song of the night facing each other singing into one old-time microphone. Two voices make one. It's rare that one sings a line that the other isn't matching. It's a treat to hear, and something else to see. I got chills several times throughout the night seeing Lucius perform.
Iggy Pop 4.4.16 Northrop Auditorium
I had the chance to see Iggy Pop when I was at Edgefest in 1997, but blew him off. He headlined the night, and I didn't really know anything about him. Plus, I had already seen The Rollins Band and Beck (I repeat, Beck), and was ready to call it a night by the time Pop took the stage.
So you'll understand that I didn't match the anticipation my dad had when he called me to tell me that Iggy Pop was coming to town. I basically told him I'd tag along if he wanted to go.
Quite a show by Pop, 69, and his band; including Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. Iggy shed his jacket by the second song, and performed topless, as per usual. We were sitting in the third deck, and the sound was a little thin up there, but it was still a night of great rock and roll by a veteran performer who left his guts on the stage.
Courtney Barnett 4.26.16 First Avenue
We lost Prince on 4.21. I arrived to First Avenue and saw that the purple memorial was still up outside the club. The street was actually blocked off in front of it. It was neat to see in person, but made me melancholy for the show.
Bully opened, and this was when I got to make up for missing them in January. They're good 90s rock in 2016. Their lead singer, Alicia Bognanno, bothered me when she felt the need to address the loss of Prince between songs with "I'm sorry about Prince. It wasn't my fault."
Possibly the dumbest sentence I heard anyone speak all year.
Courtney Barnett put on a good show. I actually enjoyed the songs I hadn't heard before more than the radio hits. She'd often get down on her knees and lose herself in guitar solos during songs. She just might be an artist that I can take Ozzie to later in life when she's 69. She'll be around for a while.
Barnett also made reference to our collective loss with class, saying "I know you guys have had a shit-week, but it's nice that we're all in here together singing songs."
Florence + The Machine 6.2.16 Xcel Energy Center
We arrived during the last half of opener Grimes's last song, which worked out really well, because that's exactly how much of Grimes I wanted to see.
Florence has the voice of an angel, and moves gracefully across the stage; even sprinting to the back of the arena floor to finish a song back there. A little disappointing as the floor was only half full. She asked the crowd to put away their cell phones just for one song, and it was the darkest I've seen an audience in years. Great show by a great band. Too bad it didn't sell out. You missed it.
'Weird' Al Yankovic 8.19.16 State Theater
I was a fan of 'Weird' Al when I was just a boy. This was my first time seeing him live, now a Nerd Dad. The show was two hours of fun. Al wore a different costume for each song to match the character. He donned the fat suit for Fat. Dressed as Kurt Cobain for Smells Like Nirvana, etc. Between songs, while he was offstage dressing, videos showed dozens of references to 'Weird' Al in pop culture over the years, and clips from Al TV. The first part of this "interview" with Eminem was a treat.
Ween 9.15.16 Roy Wilkens Auditorium
I got to see Ween at First Avenue in the late 90s. I remember that show was over two hours. I stood on the main floor for the whole show, and when it was over, it felt like they only played about 30 minutes. Two-plus hours is a long time for anything, but the show was that good.
I'd often think about that show as a barometer for other shows I'd go to. Was it as good as that Ween show? When I saw they were coming to St. Paul, I couldn't miss what might be their last trip through town. I got two tickets in the balcony of the auditorium (to have a seat), and took Nerd Dad's wife to experience Ween live.
They played for 2.5 hours (check out this setlist), and, again, we wanted more when the house lights finally came up. It says something about a band who plays 30 great songs, and I can easily think of 15 more that I'd like to hear. If they make it back to Minnesota, do yourself a favor and see them live.
Have a safe and happy New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment