Here is my list of the most memorable gigs of last year:
1. Fleet Foxes @ Botanique: I was fortunate enough to see them in such an intimate venue before the start of the big hype (a few months later they would sell out the AB). Those gorgeous harmonies made you feel like you were in paradise for an hour. A gig I will treasure forever.
2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ Sportpaleis: Of the many times I've seen Bruce live this concert was without a doubt the best one. Taking requests from the audience and playing rarely performed songs, the setlist was a dream for the fans. And finally I got to hear my favorite song Thunder Road.
3. Josh Ritter @ Rotterdam: As always supported by his big smile, Josh played an amazing gig where everybody on stage clearly were enjoying themselves. I even got a hug from the man himself afterwards!
4.Elbow @ Botanique / Pukkelpop / Eindhoven (I couldn't choose!): The year in which they finally got their big breakthrough, every gig I've seen of them was nothing less than amazing. They are the most warm and humble persons on stage you can imagine and their success is greatly deserved.
5. Sigur Ros @ Vorst Nationaal: They may have become popular now with their pop songs but that doesn't mean they have forgotten how to rock. Ditching the strings and trumpets they had brought with them on the Pukkelpop festival, the band played an very intense set which proved that they have lost nothing of their power.
6. The Swell Season @ Handelsbeurs: Backed by several members of the Frames and Marketa Irglova mostly on backing vocals, it was as always Glen Hansard who was at the center of the stage. Playing a mixture of swell season and frames songs and several very promising new songs it is clear that we haven't seen the best of the man yet.
7. Radiohead @ Westerpark, Amsterdam: It took a while to getting used to the idea of seeing Radiohead play in the full daylight or seeing Thom Yorke smile so much. Playing the whole of In Rainbows and leaving most of the big hits behind, this is a band still on the top of their game and they sure aren't going to make any compromises.
8. Malcolm Middleton @ Botanique: With his self-depreciating humor and his bleak lyrics he isn't what you would call a cheerful guy but depression rarely sounded so lovely as that evening.
9. Bon Iver @ Vooruit: This was amazingly enough a free gig and with lots of students present there was an incredible atmosphere in the (very hot) room. Bon Iver played much louder than on the album which gave the songs a whole different kind of intensity. Together with the mighty Fleet Foxes my discovery of 2008.
10. Tom McRae & Artists of Hotel Cafe @ Botanique: A different kind of Tom gig, it was very enjoyable and the atmosphere was very relax and Tom and his friends had a lot of fun on stage. Especially Catherine Feeny and Brian Wright made a big impression on me.
11. Bell X1 @ Botanique: The preshow of Micah P. Hinson (when are these guys finally going to get their own show here ?). Not as impressive as when i saw them with Damien Rice but still with the limited amount of time they had a very fine show. Still the most underappreciated band i know.
12. Leonard Cohen @ Vorst Nationaal Before the gig i had some doubts: he hadn't performed in ages and the only reason he was going on tour because his manager ran off with his money. And would his voice still be ok?. From the first note on it was clear that my doubts were unfounded and he played for more than three hours (!) and i got to hear all his most well known songs while he remained extremely humble and grateful.
13. Damien Jurado @ Trix: Playing in one of my favorite venues and having just released another great record this couldn't go wrong and it certainly didn't. His songs simply melt your heart.
14. Band Of Horses @ Botanique: If you saw the singer lying on the side of road you might mistake him for a beggar or a drug addict but when he opens his mouth he has the most angelic voice you can imagine. Great gig, the Funeral is one of the best songs of this decade.
15. Loney, Dear @ Botanique: I discovered him last year at the Pukkelpop festival, and I clearly wasn't the only one because the place was packed. I love the melodic pop songs of this Swede, they always bring a smile upon my face (see also Jens Lekman)
16. Emiliana Torrini @ AB: Although i do not like her new album as much as the previous one the concert was very intense and emotional. She sings straight from the heart and tells great stories.
17. Tindersticks @ Cirque Royal: I've only discovered Tindersticks and the wonderful voice of Stuart Staples this past year . Playing with a string orchestra the concert was breathtaking.
18. Boudewijn De Groot @ Dranouter festival: The emperor of the dutch chanson. All his well known songs, great atmosphere and everybody sang along. Makes the walk through the heavy rain and dirt afterwards and trying to pull my car out of the mud all worth it.
19. Alela Diane + Mariee Sioux @ AB: My first acquaintance with the lovely and barefoot Mariee Sioux (i would later in the year see her once again twice). She also sang backing vocals with Alela like on the record. A wonderful double bill.
20. Jens Lekman @ Trix / Vampire Weekend @ AB: I'm cheating a bit here but I couldn't choose which one to leave off the list ;-). Two very fun gigs where you just couldn't stand still and both left me with a big smile on my face.
1. Fleet Foxes @ Botanique: I was fortunate enough to see them in such an intimate venue before the start of the big hype (a few months later they would sell out the AB). Those gorgeous harmonies made you feel like you were in paradise for an hour. A gig I will treasure forever.
2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ Sportpaleis: Of the many times I've seen Bruce live this concert was without a doubt the best one. Taking requests from the audience and playing rarely performed songs, the setlist was a dream for the fans. And finally I got to hear my favorite song Thunder Road.
3. Josh Ritter @ Rotterdam: As always supported by his big smile, Josh played an amazing gig where everybody on stage clearly were enjoying themselves. I even got a hug from the man himself afterwards!
4.Elbow @ Botanique / Pukkelpop / Eindhoven (I couldn't choose!): The year in which they finally got their big breakthrough, every gig I've seen of them was nothing less than amazing. They are the most warm and humble persons on stage you can imagine and their success is greatly deserved.
5. Sigur Ros @ Vorst Nationaal: They may have become popular now with their pop songs but that doesn't mean they have forgotten how to rock. Ditching the strings and trumpets they had brought with them on the Pukkelpop festival, the band played an very intense set which proved that they have lost nothing of their power.
6. The Swell Season @ Handelsbeurs: Backed by several members of the Frames and Marketa Irglova mostly on backing vocals, it was as always Glen Hansard who was at the center of the stage. Playing a mixture of swell season and frames songs and several very promising new songs it is clear that we haven't seen the best of the man yet.
7. Radiohead @ Westerpark, Amsterdam: It took a while to getting used to the idea of seeing Radiohead play in the full daylight or seeing Thom Yorke smile so much. Playing the whole of In Rainbows and leaving most of the big hits behind, this is a band still on the top of their game and they sure aren't going to make any compromises.
8. Malcolm Middleton @ Botanique: With his self-depreciating humor and his bleak lyrics he isn't what you would call a cheerful guy but depression rarely sounded so lovely as that evening.
9. Bon Iver @ Vooruit: This was amazingly enough a free gig and with lots of students present there was an incredible atmosphere in the (very hot) room. Bon Iver played much louder than on the album which gave the songs a whole different kind of intensity. Together with the mighty Fleet Foxes my discovery of 2008.
10. Tom McRae & Artists of Hotel Cafe @ Botanique: A different kind of Tom gig, it was very enjoyable and the atmosphere was very relax and Tom and his friends had a lot of fun on stage. Especially Catherine Feeny and Brian Wright made a big impression on me.
11. Bell X1 @ Botanique: The preshow of Micah P. Hinson (when are these guys finally going to get their own show here ?). Not as impressive as when i saw them with Damien Rice but still with the limited amount of time they had a very fine show. Still the most underappreciated band i know.
12. Leonard Cohen @ Vorst Nationaal Before the gig i had some doubts: he hadn't performed in ages and the only reason he was going on tour because his manager ran off with his money. And would his voice still be ok?. From the first note on it was clear that my doubts were unfounded and he played for more than three hours (!) and i got to hear all his most well known songs while he remained extremely humble and grateful.
13. Damien Jurado @ Trix: Playing in one of my favorite venues and having just released another great record this couldn't go wrong and it certainly didn't. His songs simply melt your heart.
14. Band Of Horses @ Botanique: If you saw the singer lying on the side of road you might mistake him for a beggar or a drug addict but when he opens his mouth he has the most angelic voice you can imagine. Great gig, the Funeral is one of the best songs of this decade.
15. Loney, Dear @ Botanique: I discovered him last year at the Pukkelpop festival, and I clearly wasn't the only one because the place was packed. I love the melodic pop songs of this Swede, they always bring a smile upon my face (see also Jens Lekman)
16. Emiliana Torrini @ AB: Although i do not like her new album as much as the previous one the concert was very intense and emotional. She sings straight from the heart and tells great stories.
17. Tindersticks @ Cirque Royal: I've only discovered Tindersticks and the wonderful voice of Stuart Staples this past year . Playing with a string orchestra the concert was breathtaking.
18. Boudewijn De Groot @ Dranouter festival: The emperor of the dutch chanson. All his well known songs, great atmosphere and everybody sang along. Makes the walk through the heavy rain and dirt afterwards and trying to pull my car out of the mud all worth it.
19. Alela Diane + Mariee Sioux @ AB: My first acquaintance with the lovely and barefoot Mariee Sioux (i would later in the year see her once again twice). She also sang backing vocals with Alela like on the record. A wonderful double bill.
20. Jens Lekman @ Trix / Vampire Weekend @ AB: I'm cheating a bit here but I couldn't choose which one to leave off the list ;-). Two very fun gigs where you just couldn't stand still and both left me with a big smile on my face.
