The Best Live Shows Of 2007 I Saw

December 9, 2007 by
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!!!, House Of Fire, A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Adam & Dave’s Bloodline, Adam Arcuragi, Adrienne Young, algernon cadwallader, ALO, Amos Lee, Andrew Lipke, Anthony Lattanze Band, Apollo Sunshine, Art Brut, Audible, BC Camplight, Beach House, Beretta 76(3), Billy Harvey, Bitter Bitter Weeks(3), Black Mountain, Blitzen Trapper, Blonde Redhead, Bob Mould, Brown Recluse Sings, Bruce Springsteen(2), Buried Beds, Buzz Zeemer, Canadian Invasion(2), Cartwright, Cloud Minder, Cover Band, Cracker, Creeping Weeds(8), David Vandervelde, Daymaker, Denison Witmer, Donny Hue & The Colors, Dr. Horsemachine, Drink Up Buttercup, Earl Greyhound, Eastern Conference Champions, Elevator Parade, Emma Pollock, Enon, Esctatic Sunshine, Exit Clov, Fountains of Wayne, Foxycontin(3), G.Love Solo, Gildon Works, Gore Gore Girls, Grammar Debate, Grand Electric, Hail Social, Holy Fuck, Hong Kong Stingray, Hoots & Hellmouth, Ian D.G.Bennett, Illinois(2), Illuminea(3), Immaculate Machine, Jana Peri, Jealous Girlfriends(3), John Flynn, Jonathan Richman, Josh Ritter, Joshua Marcus, Jukebox Zeroes, Julian Velard, Kim Richey, LCD Soundsystem, Like A Fox, Limbeck, Love Of Diagrams, Martin Sexton, Mint Chicks, Nada Surf, Napalm Sunday, Neko Case, Nethers, New Pornographers, OK Go, Okay Paddy, Oppenheimer, Paper Trigger, Piebald, Public Record(2), Rhett Miller(2), Robert Hazard, Ruder Than You, Rufus Wainwright, Run to Sandy, Ryan Adams, Sam Champion, Sam Roberts Band, Say Hi, Shane, Sharon Little, Silversun Pickups, Snow Patrol, Steel Train, Switches, The A-Sides(4), the bees and the birds, The Bloodsugars, The Boggs, The Broken West(3), The Canon Logic, The Capitol Years, The Cat Empire, The Cave Singers, The Charms, The Clientele, The Cobbs, The Comas, The Cribs, The Cryptkeeper 5, The Fiendz, The Format, The Frantic(2), The Fratellis, The Gripweeds, The Hold Steady(2), The Hoodoo Gurus, The Ladybug Transistor, The Novenas, The Peace Creeps(2), The Peekers, The Prayers, The Rigbees, The Safes, The Slip, The Smithereens, The Smoking Popes, The Swimmers(13), The Swinging Neckbreakers, The Thrives, The Velvet Teen, The Whigs, These United States, Upsince Friday, Vampire Weekend, VHS or Beta, Walter Meego, War on Drugs, Whales and Cops, White Rabbits, Wild Sweet Orange, Will Hoge, XYZ Affair, Milton And The Devils Party, World/Inferno Friendship Society

Just so no one is left out as I can’t honestly saw I saw too many sub par shows this past year, the list above is all of the bands I’ve seen at the roughly 75 or so shows I’ve seen since January. A couple I didn’t get to see were Arcade Fire and The National, two I would really have liked to.

The Philadelphia music scene is just amazing right now and my favorite venue of the past year hands down goes to Johnny Brendas, where I saw over twenty shows. Rolling Stone magazine named it in their recent Hot issue as Hot Music Club and it is well deserved, it is outstanding on all counts.

The list below represents my standout shows of the year in roughly chrononlogical order.

The Hold Steady @ The Stone Pony and The TLA – The Hold Steady is out playing good old sweat drenched rock and roll, and the communal experience at one of ther shows is amazing. One of the best American bands playing live today.

Snow Patrol @ The Tweeter Center – Snow Patrol’s album was one of my favorites of 2006, this was my second time seeing them and although the first was in a smaller club this one delivered.

The Clientele @ Johnny Brendas [More]- Went to see this on a whim on a Monday night, mostly songs from their excellent new God Save The Clientele cranked up a notch for a live setting.

!!! w/ Holy F*ck @ The TLA – I expected a non stop funk filled dance fest from !!!, but Holy F*ck was one of my great surprises of the year and were as good as or maybe even better than !!!

LCD Soundsystem @ The TLA [More]- a free Myspace sponsored show in a club. They took one of the best albums of the year to an even higher level live.

Ryan Adams @ World Cafe Live Free At Noon – Ryan Adams return to form with a breathtaking all acoustic set.

David Vandervelde w/ Blitzen Trapper @ Johnny Brendas [More]- This was on a Monday night coming after three days in a row at the WXPN music fest having just seen some 25 or so great bands and it still blew my mind.

The Cribs @ Johnny Brendas [More]- Do not miss this band if you have the chance, one of the true “holy shit !” performances I saw this year. A three piece band that comes at you with the in your face live fury of The Ramones.

Illuminea CD release party w/ The Swimmers @ Johnny Brendas [More]- Two of Philadelphia’s finest playing stellar sets on the same night.

The Format @ The Trocadero – The Format have one of the best high energy fun shows going.

Josh Ritter @ World Cafe Free At Noon [More]- Josh Ritter kicks it up a notch with a band for this tour and just absolutely delivetrs apon all counts. Phenomenal. An acoustic cover of Springsteen’s The River was one of the single best performances of any song I witnessed all year by any band.

The A-Sides CD Release Party w/ The Capitol Years,Bitter Bitter Weeks @ Johnny Brendas [More]- Philadlelphia bands sharing a bill know how to bring out the best in each other and this was no exception. Top notch performances by all three of the bands.

Bruce Springsteen @ Wachovia Center (10/6/07) – The second night of two for Bruce in Philadelphia, while the first night was marred by horrible sound and an average performance, this night was classic Springsteen and just tore the roof off.

Black Mountain @ Johnny Brendas [More]- I’ve been waiting nearly two years for Black Mountain to head back out on tour, and this was worth the wait. A rhythmic, psychedelic tour de force. A friend I took with me who had never heard of them walked out saying it was one of the best club shows he’d ever seen.

The Creeping Weeds @ The Khyber and Johnny Brendas [More & More]- Another of Philadelphia’s finest, the opening and closing nights of their summer tour were both brilliant.

Jealous Girlfriends @ The Khyber,Tritone & Johnny Brendas [More]- The first time I saw the NYC’s Jealous Girlfriends I was blown away. Every show after that lived up to the high standard set by the first one. An excellent live band.

The Shots @ The Khyber [More]- Another Philadelphia band, I just happened to catch these guys on an opening slot in which they blew the two bands that followed of the stage.
My newest Philly band to watch out for.

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