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Emeritus
Reviews 300
Approval 96%
Soundoffs 209
News Articles 250
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Album Edits 368
Album Ratings 2015
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Last Active 11-16-18 8:49 am
Joined 03-06-08
Review Comments 22,500
| DaveyBoy's Top 10 Live Gigs Of 2011
Here are my top 10 gigs of 2011. I'm slowly whittling down the festival sets, with 5 included this time around. | | 1 | Anberlin
I had already seen Anberlin twice earlier in 2011, so was initially leaning towards giving their "An Evening With..." show a miss when they journeyed back down under in August. Thank God that I did not, since the show may well have been the best concert I have experienced to date! Thinking outside of the square and, more importantly, big, the Floridian quintet carried this performance off with a confidence and charisma that may well be the final piece of the puzzle which has been required to send Anberlin to even more dizzying heights. A few lesser-known songs were played, a sensational version of Crowded House's 'Don't Dream It's Over' made an appearance, as did We The Kings' Travis Clark, Tonight Alive's Jenna MacDougall & Horsell Common's Mark Stewart. There was an acoustically played section, a little Q&A with the band and the 26 song setlist was aptly capped off by the phenomenal & awe-inspiring '*Fin'. On previous occasions, I had been a little critical of the band for attempting to rock themselves up too much, ultimately drowning out their major strengths: intricate musical hooks and Stephen Christian's superb vocals. On this night, however, everything sounded so crisp... So (dare I say it) perfect! | | 2 | Foo Fighters
In a strange contradiction, the last decade or so has seen every man & their dog laud the Foo Fighters live show, while maintaining their recorded output has been on a steady decline. However, I am pleased to report that the arrival of their excellent seventh LP 'Wasting Light' did not see a reversal in fortune, with the Fooeys doing what they always do best: Rocking the f**k out. Headlining the first ever show at Melbourne's AAMI Park (a 35,000 odd capacity soccer & rugby venue), Dave Grohl & Co. highlighted just how deep their back-catalog is, with hit after hit after hit leaving the audience in raptures. Whenever a break was needed (excluding the multiple stage invasions), extended instrumental jams were added on to the likes of 'Breakout' & 'Stacked Actors'. The melodically catchy 'Arlandria' was the pleasant surprise of the new tunes, while the raucous 'White Limo' pleased those more metally inclined. The band were on point throughout, while Grohl was his usual captivating & charismatic self that makes him the kind of guy you just want to sink a pint with down at the local pub. | | 3 | Dead Letter Circus
To put it simply, Dead Letter Circus blew away my expectations with an outstanding performance of atmospheric alternative rock. The Brisbane quintet were on song from the get-go, with all 5 members undeniably pulling their weight. Out front, the range & strength of Kim Benzie's vocals pleasantly surprised me, as he put absolutely everything into his performance. Drummer Luke Williams bashed the absolute crap out of his instruments to the point that I was astonished that he could occasionally provide backing vocals. The energetic Stewart Hill's bass-lines were mixed to perfection, Mr. Do-It-All Tom Skerlj moved from guitar to keys to percussion as the track required, while Rob Maric was a picture of concentration laying out his delay drenched guitar work. When these 4 got in the groove, they drew the entire audience in with them, and quite possibly the highlight of the evening was at the beginning of EP track 'Tremors' when practically everyone in the building were convoluting their bodies in similar fashion to the compelling rhythms of the song. | | 4 | The Gaslight Anthem
It must be noted that this performance was at a festival & I could easily see The Gaslight Anthem ranking higher had this been their own headline set (which they did not play in Melbourne). Strangely, I was a little skeptical about their live show since I have heard mixed feedback... But they impressed the hell out of me. And I'm not even certain I can properly explain why. Despite the rather large audience, it just felt really personal & intimate. Before a guitar had even been strummed, Brian sincerely dedicated the set to a local venue they had previously played at and was soon closing down. From there, the band was all business, yet also looked to be having fun with smiles planted on their faces between songs. Everything was spot on musically, but most impressive were the tones of the guitars, lending some of the slower tracks extra character. Brian also sounded great, although for the more casual listener it would have been nice if he was mixed a little higher for those all important lyrics. It is only personal preference which makes me choose 'Great Expectations' as the set's highlight. Simply awesome & I can't wait to see them perform a longer set. | | 5 | Foals
I've never really considered going to too many indie gigs (how UnSputnik of me), despite liking my fair share of bands that could loosely be categorized as such. Foals seemed the perfect (pardon the pun) antidote for my situation; a group whose debut LP was filled with catchy & energetic math-rock, and whose follow-up was simply too f*cken fantastic to ignore. The near sold-out audience sang along to every word from opener 'Blue Blood' to closer 'Two Steps, Twice'. Everything sounded exceptionally clear... Not in a sterile fashion, but in how crisp and sharp both the dual guitar-work & synths pierced the room as layer upon layer - instrument upon instrument - were added to songs as they progressed. The most impressive factor of the night turned out to be the way in which Foals cohesively integrated the new & old into their set... No easy feat when you consider the stylistic difference between their 2 LPs. Of course, the undoubted jewel in the crown was the song of 2010 'Spanish Sahara'... The closest thing to a religious experience I've witnessed at a live show! | | 6 | Story of the Year
I'm a fan of these guys & saw them live in 2008... Yet, even I was surprised with the set they performed in the early evening of the Counter Revolution mini-festival. I reckon they've located the fountain of youth, since everyone but drummer Josh Willis was bouncing off the walls. The energy was just contagious throughout the arena, while the band themselves didn't miss a beat in playing a great cross-section of tunes from throughout their 4 album career. I've heard it said from even the band's detractors that Story of the Year are a great live band, and this set proved why, since they were practically faultless. I just have to learn to look up quicker when bassist Adam Russell decides to hurl himself into the crowd. | | 7 | Yellowcard
I had been waiting a while to see Yellowcard & they did not disappoint as they had me as soon as the familiar violin melody of 'For You & Your Denial' kicked things off. Their break may have given them a sense of perspective of sorts, since they delivered a set that effectively combined fun & maturity. There was a nice up-down-up feel about the setlist (EG: Way Away, Light Up The Sky, Five Becomes Four, Hang You Up...) & they had the confidence to play a genuine ballad in a festival setting. The band were spot on musically, Ryan hit all the right notes, while Sean provided the energy. And then there was 'Ocean Avenue'; the perfect set closer if ever I've heard one. | | 8 | Bayside
To be honest, I saw Bayside perform twice in the space of 3 days, so this ranking may in fact be an amalgam of both sets. Having previously seen them live a couple of times, I already knew that they were a fantastic band up on stage. It only hit me on their Anberlin supporting slot however, that they are also one of the few bands who sound great right from the get-go. They either sound-check all day or are just that damn good. Playing songs from most of their releases, new tracks such as 'Already Gone' & 'Sick, Sick, Sick' felt like they had been on their live set for the past decade, with the way in which the audience were singing along. Lead guitarist Jack O'Shea arguably took MVP honors with his impressive axe-wielding. | | 9 | The Blackout
Back to back appearances on this list for The Blackout, as the Welsh sextet just keep getting better & better, both from a musical & entertainment perspective. Playing their melodic & accessible brand of post-hardcore, it took all of 2 minutes for Sean Smith to head into the crowd & drag his mic cord as far as it could go, while later in the set he had a hilarious one-sided conversation with fans waiting for Mayday Parade on the opposite stage of the Soundwave festival. Smith has also continued to improve his singing, as he & Gavin Butler duelled away, allowing the others to concentrate on the music. 'Save Our Selves' & 'I'm A Riot...' were highlights, while a couple of the newer more alt-rock oriented tunes more than held their own. | | 10 | Panic! At the Disco
Despite hearing numerous reports to the contrary, I had always thought that Panic would not be suited to a live setting. That feeling carried over into the first 2 songs of this festival headlining set, as I tried to get my head around whether they favored the rock, pop or theatrical side of their sound. As it turned out, placing 'The Ballad of Mona Lisa' so early on the setlist (3rd) was a master-stroke as it proved they could meld all 3 rather comfortably. Brendon Urie played the front-man well, having fun with the audience yet always stopping short of crossing the line into being juvenile. His voice was also top-notch, while hired hands Ian Crawford & Dallon Weekes played their roles as if they are already part of the band. 'Lets Kill Tonight' & 'Nine in the Afternoon' were mid-set highlights, but a cover of The Darkness' 'I Believe In a Thing Called Love' may just have stolen the show. | |
ohfoxxxycole
12.27.11 | i saw 1 opening for tbs in 09, they were great | AtavanHalen
12.27.11 | LOL I'm amazed you saw this many bands | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Such a shame that Anberlin are opening for TBS, but I guess (kinda) comeback tours draw in the money.
Stop copying & pasting comments from previous years DavID. ;-) | TheNewWhack
12.27.11 | Story of the Year are amazing live! Glad to see they made the list. Dillinger Escape Plan would have to be my #1 though... They are just insane. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | I've seen DEP for 0.3 songs & I'd say "insane" is a perfect description. Haha. | TheNewWhack
12.27.11 | Seeing them with Mastodon and Red Fang was an interesting combo. | kris.
12.27.11 | before i even clicked i was like hmmm i bet anberlin is #1 WAY TO BE PREDICTABLE BRO | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Meh, if you wanted an unpredictable list Kris, I could have put all metal & dubstep acts. | Deviant.
12.27.11 | "before i even clicked i was like hmmm i bet anberlin is #1 WAY TO BE PREDICTABLE BRO"
Yeah but Kris if you did one I'd be surprised if BTMI! weren't #1 | AtavanHalen
12.27.11 | no jared leto
sad | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Jared won the "best military style jacket" award. | TheNewWhack
12.27.11 | That, and the trophy for most dicks in the face. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Thanks for the back-up andcas. Have you seen a few of the others in previous years? | Metamorphosis
12.27.11 | Sounds great. Wished I could have gone to most of these shows. | elephantREVOLUTION
12.27.11 | i went and saw panic at the disco this year just because fun was opening and i was really surprised by
how good they were. and they covered carry on my wayward son. i saw dead letter last week too and they
were great | FearThyEvil
12.27.11 | I need to see DLC so bad. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Put them on your checklist andcas.
You too Metamorphosis.
Yeah, me too re: PATD eR. I was very sceptical after 2 songs, but they eventually won us all over.
DLC are very much recommended. At the very least, you know they will give it their all. | CasinoColumbus
12.27.11 | Saw 2, 4 and 9 this year. Foo Fighters were amazing, the other two were a bit dissapointing. Really looking forward to seeing Verse next year. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Add another to the "mixed feedback" I was talking about re: The Gaslight Anthem. | JWT155
12.27.11 | Great list Davey, some bands I should def see if they come my way. | Vooligan
12.27.11 | That was probs the worst set i've seen DLC play, too. But still pretty decent :)
| DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Thanks Jim. And obviously, they're all very much recommended. Of course, it always helps when they have good support acts OR they're at festivals.
I tell you what Billy: If that was them at their worst, I'd love to see them at their best. Although, not playing 'Big' was just strange. | Vooligan
12.27.11 | Come down to the Espy on Feb 18th and watch them tear a small venue to shreds :P THAT will be DLC at their best :)
One of their gigs at the Corner earlier in the year was probably the best i've seen them, whole crowd was going batshit crazy with it being much more intimate than the HiFi. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | I was gonna say something about you preferring to see them at a smaller venue. It's all relative, I guess, since I find the HiFi rather intimate (compared to the Palace, Billboard, Festy, etc... | KILL
12.27.11 | foo fighters fuck yea rule | syffuf25
12.27.11 | Didn't make it to as many concerts as I would of like this past year but I did go to some good shows. Top three would probably be; Ben Harper, 4onthefloor, Dropkick Murphy's. | AliW1993
12.27.11 | Good to see you enjoyed The Gaslight Anthem, and you're right... they're far better at their own shows.
I suppose I should make a start with my albums songs and gigs lists... | Adash
12.27.11 | Since when was everyone on sputnik such a hipster? | CrackTheSkye
12.27.11 | Gaslight's headline show in Sydney was amazing. Easily the best I've seen a band play.
Only others I saw on here were 5 & 8, both were great. I have seen Bayside play a lot better. | Phideaux
12.27.11 | Anberlin played a free show in my city a couple weeks ago. It was pretty sweet. I also saw Dead Letter Circus a little while ago. Nice list. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Who/what is 4onthefloor?
I did Ali. There was definitely something special about them. And ditto for me, my lists are a little late this year, since it's been more hectic than usual this holiday season.
Now Adash, I am no hipster.
CTS, I'm still jealous, especially since Foxy Shazam as support would have been great too.
Thanks Phideaux. Good to see DLC are really getting around nowadays. | AtavanHalen
12.27.11 | lol betty inviting ck to a small gig
what a fucking nerve
is pete murray even playing
or daryl braithwaite | thatoneguy726
12.27.11 | Panic is SO good live. | DaveyBoy
12.27.11 | Hey, I go to the Espy... To drink. | WhiteNoise
12.27.11 | Foo's were amazing! That gig seemed to never end and the Jam's were really fun! You also hit the nail on the head with Gaslight Anthem and I'm jealous you saw Yellowcard (why on earth didn't they do a sideshow!?) | DaveyBoy
12.28.11 | "I don't know who your favourite band is, but if they don't play for over 2 hours, then I don't like 'em".
That mini-fest was a bit of a hit & run when all was said & done Croc. It's lucky it went ahead, so there was definitely no time for sideshows. | kris.
12.28.11 | "Yeah but Kris if you did one I'd be surprised if BTMI! weren't #1"
...touché, sir... | DaveyBoy
12.28.11 | When Dev has rated his 10th album for the day, he prepares a dossier on every Sputnik user. | syffuf25
01.03.12 | Little late replying, but 4onthefloor is "blues rock" band from Minneapolis. | DaveyBoy
01.03.12 | Ahh ok, I'd never heard of them. Interesting band name for the genre. | AtavanHalen
01.04.12 | they're not as good as thirsty merc | DaveyBoy
01.04.12 | I'll take your word for it DavID. | syffuf25
01.04.12 | If you look them up it'll make sense. They all have a kick drum, so there's four kick drums on the floor... 4onthefloor... They do put on a really good live show, though listening to them on a regular basis can get old kinda fast. | DaveyBoy
01.05.12 | Haha. Sounds very interesting & I would expect they would be a hoot live. | Douglas
01.20.12 | Davey, I am pretty sure we were at the same Foals gig, and man was it awesome. | DaveyBoy
01.20.12 | At The Palace. I wrote a blog about it. And yes, it was awesome. | Douglas
01.20.12 | Yep, that was the one. Jeez they were tight. | DaveyBoy
01.20.12 | Oh yeah, that's right. I recall you saying that Yannis almost got you when he stage-dived. |
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