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User
Reviews 31
Approval 97%
Soundoffs 54
News Articles 10
Band Edits + Tags 17
Album Edits 76
Album Ratings 5739
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Last Active 12-28-22 5:34 am
Joined 04-12-10
Review Comments 1,455
| Twenty SevenDean: Live Performances
I didn't make it to as many shows last year as I would have liked, but I still saw a lot of great shit. Here are the best performances I saw in 2017. | | 14 |  | Spur
Demo '16
Masquerade 1/10, Headliner
Really awesome, energetic alt rock band that has a lot of fun on stage. They've only released a couple demos and a split LP so far, but mark my words, they're gonna do great things. | | 13 |  | Kayo Dot
Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue
Masquerade 9/8, Opener
For a live band that only includes three people, Kayo Dot were able to replicate the density and complexity of their studio work surprisingly well. And the fact that they pulled out "Gemini Becoming the Tripod" made my night. | | 12 |  | Two Knights
Effing
Dreamland 9/20, Headliner
This set at a cramped house show couldn't have been longer than 15 minutes, but it still packed a whallop, with striking emotional expression and impressive technicality. | | 11 |  | Torche
Restarter
Masquerade 9/8, Opener
Torche is always a blast, and this performance was no exception. They played a half-speed version of "Loose Men" that was really interesting, but aside from that, it was just what I've come to expect from Torche: a great rock show with a really fun energy. | | 10 |  | Pile
A Hairshirt of Purpose
Masquerade 12/14, Opener
I was super impressed with how Pile was able to carry the sound of their studio albums over to a live performance. Everything from the angular technicality of the guitars, to the tight instrumental interplay, to the stark contrast between fast and aggressive on the one hand and soft and gentle on the other, was executed flawlessly. | | 9 |  | Majority Rule
Interview With David Frost
The EARL 10/29, Opener
Just as chaotic and ear-splitting as I'd hoped they would be. | | 8 |  | Le Butcherettes
Sin Sin Sin
Tabernacle 3/18, Opener
Take Alison Mosshart, replace the raw sex appeal with a fire-eyed intensity, and you'll have a good sense of why Teri Gender Bender is among the most captivating frontpeople I've ever seen. | | 7 |  | City of Caterpillar
City of Caterpillar
The EARL 10/29, Headliner
They played with all the fiery passion that was present on record, as well as a palpable joy at being back together. It was almost as though they had never left. | | 6 |  | Against Me!
Shape Shift With Me
Center Stage 10/22, Headliner
Against Me! could teach a masterclass on giving your audience a hell of a good time. Part of it is that they're still great rock songwriters (Shape Shift With Me was a great album and I will fight you on that), part of it is that Laura Jane Grace has a magnetic stage presence, but beyond that, sometimes it's as simple as throwing a couple giant inflatable ghosts on stage (it was close to Halloween, after all). | | 5 |  | Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
Phillips Arena 4/1, Headliner
A 25-song, 3-encore demonstration of why Radiohead is still one of the best rock bands working today. I'm not usually a fan of big arena shows, but Radiohead knew how to make good use of the space, with lights and projected visuals that perfectly matched the tone of each song. And they're great musicians, but you knew that already. | | 4 |  | PEARS
Green Star
Masquerade 5/16, Headliner
The hardest working punk band that no one knows about. Vocalist Zach Quinn's stage presence is equal parts sardonic, animalistic, and completely fucking unhinged, and the rest of the band matches his intensity with a fantastic energy. Also, they start their set with samples from Princess Mononoke and the Family Matters theme, so there's that. | | 3 |  | Converge
The Dusk in Us
Masquerade 12/14, Headliner
In 2017 I was lucky enough to see all three of my favorite bands to see live. Converge always puts on a fantastic show, with Kurt, Nate, and Ben bringing all the aggression and technical wizardry that Converge are known for, and Jacob Bannon working his absolute ass off to connect with the crowd. | | 2 |  | Deafheaven
New Bermuda
Masquerade 3/7, Headliner
Pretty much everything I said about Converge is true of Deafheaven, but George Clarke is a better frontman. Sorry, Jacob. | | 1 |  | At the Drive-In
Relationship of Command
Tabernacle 3/18, Headliner
This tour preceded the release of Inter Alia, so their set was mostly made up of old stuff. And thank Christ, because At the Drive-In are still beasts on the stage. Especially Cedric, whose frenzied footwork and powerful wailing puts every great frontperson on this list to shame. Even with the disappointment that was Inter Alia, they're probably still worth seeing today. | |
hesperus
01.13.18 | Stuff I was disappointed I missed: Alcest/The Body, Oathbreaker, PUP, Chelsea Wolfe, mewithoutYou | Conmaniac
01.14.18 | woah Two Knights, Pile, Radiohead....damn some sick acts boi. all these seem hella fun | AsleepInTheBack
01.14.18 | damn, you had a great gig year with 3 and 5 and 6 and 7 all in one | hesperus
01.14.18 | yeah this was definitely a quality over quantity year for me. didn't see as many shows as last year, but so much of what i saw was awesome |
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