![2011 - Live Shows Review
I’ve just finished putting together my photobook from shows I went to this year, so as per tradition, here we go…
Top 6 shows of the year?
Sufjan Stevens
Joanna Newsom
Bat For Lashes
Frente
Owen Pallett
Olof Arnalds
That was a tough list to whittle down. Outside of one show (see later on), everything I saw this year was top notch.
Total number of shows? 23 (wow, half as many as last year)
First show of the year?Kate Miller-Heidke
Last show of the year?Neil Gaiman & Fourplay String Quartet
Most surprising show?
Sufjan Stevens. My word. I was not expecting dancing, I was not expecting black lights, and I was definitely not expecting balloons to fall from the Opera House ceiling.
Most disappointing?Amanda Palmer’s Australia Day debacle. It was terrible to the point where I would seriously consider spending money to go and see her perform again.
Farthest traveled? States attended shows in?
Brisbane, to go see Frente perform.
Venue most visited?
Sydney Opera House (5 shows)
Worst injury?
I did something weird to my ankle at the Gang Gang Dance show. Not so as you’d know at the time, but the next day I was hobbling around.
Most expensive ticket?
I can’t even remember. Probably Sufjan or Martha Wainwright.
Band seen the most?
Owen Pallet - two solo shows, and opening for Sufjan.
Best new discovery?
Olof Arnalds, playing at Sydney Festival. Man, what a show. And it was just one woman and a guitar (or charango).
Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?
None that I’m aware of!
Friends made at shows?
Did have fun conversations with people sitting around us at the Neil Gaiman show, but otherwise no.
Band members met?
Apart from the usual suspects, just Olof Arnalds, which turned into this big embarrassing thing with people taking photos which I then forced them to delete. I just wanted to say hi and get an autograph on my record..
Best souvenir from a show? Only memories and photographs this year. I couldn’t even manage to grab the Frente setlist, breaking my run of regularly getting an Angie Hart-related setlist.
Longest time in line?
15-20 minutes for any shows at the Spiegeltents. Nothing bananas.
Shows seen from the barricade [front row]:
None this year, not so as you’d say technically front row or barricade.
Most shows in one month?7 for January
Most shows in one week?
4
Biggest crowd?
Anything in the Concert Hall at the Opera House
Top 5 best 2011 show moments:
1- Balloons from the Opera House ceiling. Oh man. That was just the icing on the cake that took the show from ‘amazing’ to ‘this could be the best show I have ever been to’.
2- Washington’s live performance of ‘I Believe You Liar’. Oh my god. It went from this (string-laden piano piece not out of place on Kate Bush’s first record) to this (giant live rock vamping).
3- Olof Arnalds singing a song without words twice, each time in a different mood, by changing her inflection on the “la la la”s. Also closing her performance with my favourite song of hers, and getting the audience to join in.
4- Martha Wainwright breaking up her set of Edith Piaf covers by performing songs her mother had written. Absolutely beautiful.
5- Bat For Lashes performing ‘Solsbury Hill’ with a string quartet, as well as a new song (not with quartet) that was amazingly hot.
Honourable mentions: Finally getting to hear Kate Miller-Heidke perform ‘Psycho Killer’, Josh Pyke playing with his new looping pedal, John Malkovich joining Philip Glass on stage.
Top 5 worst 2011 show moments:1- Amanda Palmer not having a clue how to rein in her ramshackle show. Outside of a couple of worthwhile moments, it was just hubris on stage.
2- Imogen Heap only playing one track from ‘I Megaphone’. I have to let go of the fact that she’s never going to play ‘Rake It In’. (I’m never going to let go of the fact that she has to play ‘Rake It In’).
That’s it this year. Even #2 isn’t an issue with the show itself (which was great) so much as my own ridiculous expectations that she play songs from an album over 12 years old.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx1iiqZ0NM1qzuyp7o1_1280.jpg)
I’ve just finished putting together my photobook from shows I went to this year, so as per tradition, here we go…
Top 6 shows of the year?
- Sufjan Stevens
- Joanna Newsom
- Bat For Lashes
- Frente
- Owen Pallett
- Olof Arnalds
That was a tough list to whittle down. Outside of one show (see later on), everything I saw this year was top notch.
Total number of shows?
23 (wow, half as many as last year)
First show of the year?
Kate Miller-Heidke
Last show of the year?
Neil Gaiman & Fourplay String Quartet
Most surprising show?
Sufjan Stevens. My word. I was not expecting dancing, I was not expecting black lights, and I was definitely not expecting balloons to fall from the Opera House ceiling.
Most disappointing?
Amanda Palmer’s Australia Day debacle. It was terrible to the point where I would seriously consider spending money to go and see her perform again.
Farthest traveled? States attended shows in?
Brisbane, to go see Frente perform.
Venue most visited?
Sydney Opera House (5 shows)
Worst injury?
I did something weird to my ankle at the Gang Gang Dance show. Not so as you’d know at the time, but the next day I was hobbling around.
Most expensive ticket?
I can’t even remember. Probably Sufjan or Martha Wainwright.
Band seen the most?
Owen Pallet - two solo shows, and opening for Sufjan.
Best new discovery?
Olof Arnalds, playing at Sydney Festival. Man, what a show. And it was just one woman and a guitar (or charango).
Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?
None that I’m aware of!
Friends made at shows?
Did have fun conversations with people sitting around us at the Neil Gaiman show, but otherwise no.
Band members met?
Apart from the usual suspects, just Olof Arnalds, which turned into this big embarrassing thing with people taking photos which I then forced them to delete. I just wanted to say hi and get an autograph on my record..
Best souvenir from a show?
Only memories and photographs this year. I couldn’t even manage to grab the Frente setlist, breaking my run of regularly getting an Angie Hart-related setlist.
Longest time in line?
15-20 minutes for any shows at the Spiegeltents. Nothing bananas.
Shows seen from the barricade [front row]:
None this year, not so as you’d say technically front row or barricade.
Most shows in one month?
7 for January
Most shows in one week?
4
Biggest crowd?
Anything in the Concert Hall at the Opera House
Top 5 best 2011 show moments:
1- Balloons from the Opera House ceiling. Oh man. That was just the icing on the cake that took the show from ‘amazing’ to ‘this could be the best show I have ever been to’.
2- Washington’s live performance of ‘I Believe You Liar’. Oh my god. It went from this (string-laden piano piece not out of place on Kate Bush’s first record) to this (giant live rock vamping).
3- Olof Arnalds singing a song without words twice, each time in a different mood, by changing her inflection on the “la la la”s. Also closing her performance with my favourite song of hers, and getting the audience to join in.
4- Martha Wainwright breaking up her set of Edith Piaf covers by performing songs her mother had written. Absolutely beautiful.
5- Bat For Lashes performing ‘Solsbury Hill’ with a string quartet, as well as a new song (not with quartet) that was amazingly hot.
Honourable mentions: Finally getting to hear Kate Miller-Heidke perform ‘Psycho Killer’, Josh Pyke playing with his new looping pedal, John Malkovich joining Philip Glass on stage.
Top 5 worst 2011 show moments:
1- Amanda Palmer not having a clue how to rein in her ramshackle show. Outside of a couple of worthwhile moments, it was just hubris on stage.
2- Imogen Heap only playing one track from ‘I Megaphone’. I have to let go of the fact that she’s never going to play ‘Rake It In’. (I’m never going to let go of the fact that she has to play ‘Rake It In’).
That’s it this year. Even #2 isn’t an issue with the show itself (which was great) so much as my own ridiculous expectations that she play songs from an album over 12 years old.
