Tuesday, 2 Dec 2008
2008 provided plenty of memorable nights of live music in Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and at various festivals and cities across the US. Below you’ll find my 30 favorite concerts of 2008 [*]. Inevitably, there are probably ones I forgot about, didn’t attend, or straight up didn’t know about. That being said, the 30 shows listed below represent some of the best times had this year.
1. Tom Waits - Moren Theater, Jacksonville (Muzzle of Bees Review)
2. Bruce Springsteen - Lakefront/Harley-Davidson 105th (Muzzle of Bees Review)
3. Bon Iver/AA Bondy - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)
4. My Morning Jacket - Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
5. David Byrne - Austin City Limits, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
6. Radiohead - Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa (Muzzle of Bees Review)
7. R.E.M. - United Center, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
8. Steve Earle - Barrymore Theatre, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
9. Fleet Foxes - UW Terrace, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
10. Jens Lekman - Music Hall, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
11. The Swell Season - Overture Hall, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
12. Black Mountain - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville (Muzzle of Bees Review)
13. The Avett Brothers - Monolith Music Festival, Red Rocks (Muzzle of Bees Review)
14. Bruce Springsteen - Bradley Center, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)
15. Sigur Ros - Chicago Theatre, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
16. Of Montreal - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
17. DeVotchKa - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)
18. White Denim - The Mohawk, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
19. Band of Horses - Austin City Limits, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
20. TV On The Radio - Monolith Music Festival, Red Rocks (Muzzle of Bees Review)
21. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Overture Hall, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
22. David Byrne - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
23. The Hold Steady - Majestic Theatre, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
24. Girl Talk - Lollapalooza, Chicago
25. Wilco - The Riveria Theater, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
26. Dark Meat - SXSW Vice Party, Austin
27. AA Bondy - Austin City Limits, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
28. The Rosebuds/Megafaun - High Noon Saloon, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
29. Langhorne Slim - High Noon Saloon, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
30. Drive-By Truckers/The Felice Brothers - Pabst Theater (Muzzle of Bees Review)
* We will be seeing a handful of shows before the year comes to an end. We reserve the right to edit this list with consideration to those performances, but also want to give you something to talk about and discuss for the rest of the month.
That’s our list kids. What did we leave out? What did we miss? Leave your favorites, memories and thoughts in the comments!
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:16 am
you know you really should have gone to that Hold Steady/Drive-by-Truckers show at the riv in Chicago, and apparently i should have paid more attention to the Boss this year.
Hey Andy T, you were right, we probably should have gone to see Ryan Adams in Madison. See the thing is, you never know if you’re going to get “pissed off short-set Ryan Adams”, or “kickass rock-your-face-off Ryan Adams”
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
It’s good to Langhorne slim on your list, I saw him at the Borderline in London just over a month ago and he was fantastic - the audience loved him, he managed to get some of them up on stage dancing with him for the last song. It’s great to see such stars in really small clubs like the borderline, one of my top gigs of the year and can’t wait to see him again. One my other top gigs was Of Montreal @ Koko’s in Camden. Looking forward to seeing Mumford & Sons before Christmas.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
off the top of my head, and i’m sure there are more, and if all goes well i expect i’ll have a new one after tomorrow night.
drive by truckers+the hold steady - the riviera, chicago
my morning jacket - the forum, london
my bloody valentine - the zenith, paris
the hold steady - the majestic, madison
killdozer - forward music fest, madison
fleet foxes - union terrace, madison
animal collective - pitchfork music fest, chicago
avett brothers - high noon, madison
sigur ros - bonnaroo, manchester
radiohead - verizon ampitheater, st louis
mia - bonnaroo, manchester
dave matthews band - alpine valley, east troy
monotonix - forward music fest, madison
matt&kim - club770, madison
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wyndham - you saw some good shows! You’ll love Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Awesome Waits photo. I was so bummed he didn’t make his way through San Francisco on this tour.
Can’t believe TVotR was so far down the list - they blow me away every time I see them.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
it’s been a good year. wish i could have seen that tom waits in my home town. with sharon jones, bon iver and my morning jacket shows still on the plate for the year, next year is going to have to be pretty amazing to match this one.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Top Shows:
Bon Iver, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
Ryan Adams, Overture Hall, Madison
Jens Lekman, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
Beastie Boys, US Cellular Arena, Milwaukee
David Byrne, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
Stephen Malkmus, High Noon Saloon, Madison
M. Ward, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
Fleet Foxes, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
Nostalgic Shows:
Camper Van Beethoven, The Abbey, Chicago
The Police, Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee
Bruce Springsteen, Bradley Center, Milwaukee
Looking at the shows that stood out this year, I would be remiss not to give a big tip of the hat to the Pabst Theater for continuing to be the greatest music venue in Milwaukee (or at least my favorite).
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
1. Bruce at the Bradley Center
2. Bruce at Harley Festival
3. Hold Steady at the Majestic
4. Wilco at Lollapalooza
5. Rage at Lollapalooza
6. The Whigs, HoB Chicago, Majestic
7. The Swell Season, Overture
8. Galactic/Chali 2na, Majestic
9. Robert Randolph at the Majestic
10. Dropkick Murphys at the Majestic
11. Over the Rhine at the Majestic
12. Fleet Foxes at the Terrace
I know this is all Majestic shows, but those are basically the only ones I saw this year besides Bruce. I would have liked to have seen a lot of the shows listed though. Not a bad year for live music.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Thanks for a great venue this year Scott!
I know you had an amazing spot for the Bradley Center show, otherwise I would argue with you about which show was better.
You also reminded me how much I loved seeing RATM at Lolla this summer. Probably should have made my list.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
True that Ryan… being in the GA pit for Springsteen is a religious experience within the religious experience. On this next tour, you have to suck it up and make it happen, it’s like nothing else you’ve experienced.
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I don’t know about that Jacket show, wasn’t there but saw the setlist. Nothing really too special. Nashvegas and Louisville shows most likely would definitely blow that show out of the water. If you were at either of those shows you know the beauty I speak of. The proof is in the Louisville setlist if you still don’t believe me. Not to mention Abraham Lincoln’s head fell off during the epic One Big Holiday closer. Face melting to say the least…
Nashville also had that incredible War Begun with fireworks and stage climber. As well as Nashville to Kentucky, and James sporting LED flashing goggles with his cape on Wordless chorus. Wow that was definitely the best weekend of 2008 for me.
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with The Duke Spirit at Turner Hall in May was amazing in my book. Also Fleet Foxes @ the Pabst and Bruce at Harley Fest. The Kills at the Annex in the Spring was pretty hot, too.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
AA Bondy/Bon Iver-Pabst
M. Ward/The Watson Twins - Pabst
Hotel Cafe Tour (March) - High Noon Saloon
The Swell Season - Riverside
Missy Higgins/Eric Hutchinson - Turner Hall
Amos Lee/Priscilla Ahn - Pabst
She & Him - Barrymore
Hotel Cafe Tour (November) - High Noon Saloon
Sara Bareilles/Rachael Yamagata - Pabst
I also enjoyed seeing Ingrid Michaelson at Summerfest, and I’m sure I would also have loved seeing her and Greg Laswell at the Barrymore, but the terrential rain that day prevented my making the trip.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Oh, and I forgot to add in the Joshua Radin show at the Pabst, where I was introduced to Laura Jansen.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Malkmus/Trapper-High Noon, Adams-Overture, and Bon Iver-Pabst were my three highlights of the year….Nice list….
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
A pretty good list, but you forgot Kathleen Edwards at the Majestic. That was a great show.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Kanye at Lollapalooza! he worked his ass off that night and backed up his big talk with a performance for the ages.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
oh, and Lupe also put on an intense show. Chicago really brought it this year, culminating with Obama’s victory.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Tortoise - Empty Bottle, Chicago
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
My top 5 of the year
Wilco - 930 club, Washington DC (night 1)
Of Montreal/The National - Langerado Music Festival, Florida
Pearl Jam - Colonial Center, Columbia SC
Fleet Foxes - Black Cat, Washington DC
Wolf Parade - State Theatre, State College PA
Honorable mention: Band of Horses - State Theatre, State College PA
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:46 pm
How could I have forgotten Kathleen Edwards? That was a great show.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Kathleen Edwards was good, just not great for me. I really enjoyed the show, and it was one of the few on the list that got left off when push came to shove. Obviously when you do something like this, other remembrances come up. How could I leave off MGMT’s indoor pool party at SXSW? Not sure, it was great.
As I stated in the post this list is near-complete, a little tinkering, updates, etc are to be expected, and that’s why your feedback is so valued and appreciated. Keep em coming.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
wasn’t the Wilco Residency in ‘08? none of those nights make the list?
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:06 am
I don’t know why everyone ignores Radiohead at Lollapalooza. The show was great and the finale with the fireworks in the background during “Fake Plastic Trees” was a chilling experience.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
@ Tina - I included this show from the residency at #25:
http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2008/02/17/review-wilco-the-riveria-chicago-21608/
Was the only one I caught during their run there. Great show.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
@ Jason
I had a great time at Radiohead’s set at Lolla, but was surround/distracted by dozens for friends throughout the entire evening. Therefore, it was much more about camaraderie of people I don’t get to see very much. It was fun, but wasn’t all about the music itself for me. Fireworks were definitely timely and a bonus!
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:02 pm
1. Dodos @ Terrace UW-Madison
2. Eddie Vedder - Riverside
3. Bon Iver - Barrymore (Madison Dec. 19th!!!)
4. Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds with Acoustic Death Cab for Cutie and the Dalai Llama in Seattle
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
deerhunter @ hns
tortoise @ terrace
fleet foxes @ terrace
bon iver + co.co.bees @ stage door
why? @ momo
phosphorescent @ project lodge
weakerthans@ hns
December 8th, 2008 at 12:01 am
death cab for cutie in millienuim park, chicago.
amazing show.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:14 am
TINA TURNER BEST CONCERT OF 2008
January 1st, 2009 at 7:30 pm
i’m really glad jens lekman made the list. that was a really beautiful show.