ninehertz

1. • pull-my-plonker
   • I don't know about you, but this has been a phenominal year for live music in my book! Here's a few of my nominations - who kicked ass for you this year in the live arena?
     
     
     Fu Manchu/Winnebago Deal (Islington Academy, January) - I had to make a round trip from the Midlands to make it back for this one, but I was very glad that I had! A vintage performance from the fuzzy great ones.
     
     Stinking Lizaveta/Crumbling Ghost (Bardens Boudoir, April) - In contrast, a tiny little venue hosting one of the best jazz-rock bands on the scene, and they didn't disappoint! Intricate grooving riffs, tight and punchy upright bass with frenetic improv drums - spell-bounding.
     
     Astra/Diagonal/Litmus (Scala, April) - Quite simply, the perfect mid-week gig. Sophisticated prog, fantastic light display and a fully appreciative crowd. Astra seemed a little unsure at first on their UK debut, but finished up showing us all how good an album 'The Weirding' really is.
     
     The Sword/Gentlemen's Pistols (Camden Barfly, July) - There's just something about seeing a personal favourite band in a tiny room on a sweaty evening, absolutly blowing away 150 true fans. Playing old classics beautifully woven into their shiny new space-rock-opera template, this was a feast of killer riffs, energy, boogie and swagger.
     
     Ufomammut/Bong/Bast (Kingston Fighing Cocks, October) - After the mysterious Bong and the rocktastic Bast, the cosmic-doom lords from Italy were a truly unbeatable sonic revelation. Combining astounding guitar intricacies, powerhouse drumming finesse and other-worldly might and vocal range with Malleus Rock Lab's haunting projected visuals, no-one could quite believe what was unfolding. I wasn't a big follower of the band beforehand, but a titanic 'Eve' and two FORCED encores later, I still wanted more.
     
     Godflesh/many others (Supersonic Festival, October) - Supersonic had another great year this year (although a lot colder than in their previous August slot!!), the climax being the mighty Godflesh closing out satuday night. 90 minutes of programmed drumming bombastics, venomous scything guitar attack and Justin Broadrick's harrowed scream - a performance of glorious deafening industrial might.
     
     LOUD HOWLS FESTIVAL (The Gaff, May) - Hats off to Jack. If you were there, you'd know why. No doubt the start of something special, this was a great weekend to see brilliant music of all varieties, meet friends, make new friends, discover new bands, have a laugh and enjoy the ride. And all for a low cost. Spiffing.
   • [21:37 on 12/12/10]
2. • FDFC
   • Wino/Darsombra/Conny Ochs - Star & Garter, Manchester. Darsombra is my new hero after this gig. Truly fucking inspiring. Wino was awesome, but I could take him or leave him compared to Darsombra. Next fucking level.
     
     Another vote for Ufomammut here too. They played the Star and Garter a few days before Wino. Support was gash, but they were fucking mighty.
     
     Also, big shouts to Airbourne. I was stunned when I saw them at Download. Hadn't heard much of them before and had couldn't name any of their songs either. A lot of people wouldn't be impressed by Joel O'Keeffe's climbing antics, but it just encapsulated their entire attitude for me. I saw them on their own tour this week and they were fucking mighty. Balls out, unrelenting hard rock from start to finish.
   • [23:30 on 12/12/10]
3. • sabbathfan
   • Loads of contenders, but the following ones stand out:
     
     Sonisphere 2010 - Just brilliant, best festival line up ever. The Cult, Iggy and the Stooges, Rammstein, Alice In Chains, Alice Cooper were all magnificent, and than Iron Maiden to finish it off. Awesome weekend.
     
     Download 2010 - AC/DC, RATM, Aerosmith were all great
     
     Motorhead, Brixton Academy, November - very loud and very fun, defiitely one of the better times I've seen them
     
     Lord Vicar, The Gaff, September - really good fun gig
     
     Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hammersmith, March - OK so there is only one original member but what the heck they were still amazing. Freebird live is just brilliant!
     
     Cathedral, Islington Academy, December - The original line up played the whole of Forest of Equilibrium, then the regular band played a Carnival Bizarre heavy set. Really good show and very interesting to compare the two line ups, very different vibes to each set
     
     Down at High Voltage Festival - My surprise gig of the year, didn't expect it to be amazing but it was fantastic. Down are a band who sound a lot more organic live, and though I wasn't overly familiar with their material I really enjoyed their set.
     
     But for personal reasons, I think top of the list has to be Heaven and Hell at High Voltage, because it was the last H&H gig ever. My review of it is on the site so I won't repeat myself too much here, but it was very special. Jorn Lande and Glenn Hughes did a really good job on vocals. I remember when they played 'Children of the Sea', and sang out the line "Though they say that it's over...." - well, it really was over..... and I feel so privileged to have seen this occasion.
     [Edited by sabbathfan at 09:27 on 13/12/10]
   • [09:27 on 13/12/10]
4. • mamba
   • Looking through my last.fm list of gigs, there aren't that many that stand out to be honest. These ones do though:
     
     Fu Manchu @ Islington Academy in January - If I see Fu Manchu in a year they will always be a highlight.
     
     Loud Howls in April - Good times, good people.
     
     Reef @ Water Rats in April - Say what you like about Reef but it was a great nostalgia trip for me and in a tiny venue.
     
     Rage Against The Machine @ Finsbury Park in June - mostly because it was one of the few times a good few of my mates actually came with me to a gig this year. Fun/drunk times.
     
     Download Festival in June - AC/DC, Deftones, RATM, Airbourne, Steel Panther, Mazz & co. Good times.
     
     Reading Festival in August - not camping helped me have a better time this year. Weezer, QOTSA, Bizkit, Manchester Orchestra all highlights.
     
     Paramore @ O2 Dublin in November - the first time I think I've had proper fun at a gig with the woman. The wine beforehand helped that.
     
     Deftones @ Southampton Guildhall in November - Better than ever and the new album is great.
     
     I guess it wasn't such a bad year.
   • [10:22 on 13/12/10]
5. • Hopkins
   • i think i've been to about 3 gigs this year, so they all count
     
     last ever spazzareth gig was rad, hammers were crushing and had suck a laugh with the koresh boyz
     
     taint/manatees/dead in the woods at the social
     
     humanfly at the maze
   • [10:35 on 13/12/10]
6. • Ollie
   • I don't think I've actually been to a gig this year other than the ones we've been playing. Maybe that's because Exeter and Plymouth only get shitty metal and emo bands on. So here are the bands we've played with whose sets I've enjoyed the most
     
     Sun Gods In Exile
     Domes of Silence
     Trippy Wicked
     Alunah
     Desert Storm
     Suns of Thunder
     Thunderhorse
     Medamaki
   • [10:55 on 13/12/10]
7. • alan
   • I've had a relatively quiet year for gigs. Highlights were:
     
     'Last' Spazzareth gig. Many beerz, sliding Rich's guitar up his sweaty back, falling into an amp, and Rich filming me having a wee (I think just for his personal collection).
     
     Earthless were great, Russian Circles afterwards was something of an anti-climax though.
     
     Palm were insane, I think anyone else there would agree.
     
     Gig of the year for me was probably Widows/Dead in the Woods/Manatees/Taint - can't argue with that line-up really, plenty of friendly faces there too.
   • [11:42 on 13/12/10]
8. • Hopkins
   • alan says:

     Palm were insane, I think anyone else there would agree.
     
     
     
     oh yeah, that was this year, that was insane
     oh, and year of the flood/the end of history at stuck on a name studio was ace
     
     that's 5 gigs, an annual low
     
   • [11:50 on 13/12/10]
9. • mike
   • Gawd, I can't remember what I've seen but here goes:
     
     Taint/Humanfly/Manatees @ Brudenell
     
     Glassjaw @ Manchester Academy
     
     Supersonic was great this year, in particular: Mothlite, Zeni Giva, Swans, and loads more.
     
     Omega Massif @ Wurzeburg was amazing, very loud.
     
     Dysrythmia @ all over europe and at the Brudenell.
     
     I've hardly seen anything this year I don't think.
   • [12:57 on 13/12/10]
10. • bad admiral
    • alan says:

      'Last' Spazzareth gig. Many beerz, sliding Rich's guitar up his sweaty back, falling into an amp, and Rich filming me having a wee (I think just for his personal collection).
      
      
      
      donny made me do it...
      
      seriously kidz. don't do drugs. however, this gig was a fucking cracker. spazz were awesome al;though it was a bit sad to say farewell to such a good band. hammers were br00tal.
      
      kominas, al-thawra & fun-da-mental @ south bank centre: taqwa-fest. bloody great. got in free. good d00ds.
      
      loud howls: nuff sed. great fun. get in.
      
      transient constellations alldayer: shitmat, atomck, skat injector, bbblood, Nwodtlem, gymnastic decomposition, blue sabbath black fuji, cementimental, realicide. absolute belter. ears fucked. went edge for the night. boom.
      
      
    • [14:13 on 13/12/10]
11. • Desert_Storm
    • Clutch and Down @ High Voltage festival,
      
      EyeHateGod @ The Birmingham Asylum.
      
      Taint @ The Wheatsheaf, Oxford
      
      Orange Goblin/ Winnebago Deal @ The Regal, Oxford
      
      Monster Magnet @ sub 89 Reading.
      
      
      
    • [14:46 on 13/12/10]
12. • Hopkins
    • bad admiral says:

      donny made me do it...
      
      
      who got their balls out in wetherspoons after i safely deposited trace and ryan back at the house?
    • [16:55 on 13/12/10]
13. • Pete
    • I' going to have a think and get back to this thread, but one thing stands out... Roadburn.
      
      Especially the last day - (Garcia plays) Kyuss, Karma to Burn, Brant Bjork, Fatso Jetson and Witchcraft on one day, in a row - a fantasy football line up, without the transfer price restrictions.
    • [17:59 on 13/12/10]
14. • bad admiral
    • Hopkins says:

      bad admiral says:

      donny made me do it...

      
      
      who got their balls out in wetherspoons after i safely deposited trace and ryan back at the house?
      
      
      donny made me do that tooooooo...
    • [18:22 on 13/12/10]
15. • basstard
    • 1. Supersonic Festival (Swans in particular but Neu!/Hallogallo, Zeni Geva, Bong and plenty of others were great aswell)
      
      2. Black Breath/ Grimpen Mire- B'ham Hare & Hounds (Intense)
      
      3. Municipal Waste/ Victims/ Violent Arrest - B'ham Academy2 (Never impressed by MW on record but live they were suprb, Victims were a D-Beat bulldozer and Violent Arrest were way better than any 40-something hardcore punk band should ever be)
      
      Apart from those,not a great year all told. Nothing to compare with ZZ Top at the Wolves Civic last year.
    • [18:39 on 13/12/10]
16. • Mazz
    • I have enjoyed ALL THE GIGS.
    • [20:34 on 13/12/10]
17. • pull-my-plonker
    • alan says:

      Earthless were great, Russian Circles afterwards was something of an anti-climax though.
      
      
      
      Couldn't agree more mate. I've seen Russian Circles twice before and they've totally destroyed venues sonically, but Earthless blew them off stage for me this time.
    • [20:59 on 13/12/10]
18. • mike
    • Oh yeah, the two Eyehategod gigs in two days was incredible.
    • [21:21 on 13/12/10]
19. • Rob Himself
    • Not been to much this year but:
      
      Watain at Armageddon Festival in June. First time and long overdue for me, so would have enjoyed it even if they'd been shit. Discovered Devil's Blood as well.
      
      Ghost, Angel Witch and Vulcano at Live Evil in Oct.
      
      Would say Electric Wizard but they weren't that amazing this time round. Other than that Witchsorrow in Oxford and a handful of my solo gigs, Sheffield tour replacement and my album launch were highlights.
      
      
    • [11:07 on 14/12/10]
20. • mamba
    • You can add Helmet last night to my list. That was waaaaay better than I was expecting.
    • [09:55 on 16/12/10]

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