BOT's Year in Review: Top Shows of 2008
Submitted by breakfast on tour on Fri, 12/26/2008 - 23:35.
Photo by I am K.E.B.
This was the most fun I'd ever had at one single festival set in a really long time. We covered most of the other festivals we attended this year and had to carry around equipment and other junk, so we never had the chance to really get into a set. It wasn't until ACL that we had the opportunity to shed the gear and just have a good time. Hot Chip was one of the bands we were most looking forward to, but I still didn't expect to dance so much. I was so damn sweaty leaving that set! Absolutely brilliant.
This is the show that gave BOT its first real surge in readership back in March. MMJ played eight songs from their new album Evil Urges for the first time in front of an audience that night, and we decided ahead of time to try to capture all of them on video. Well, it worked out for us, and that next day turned out to be/still is our busiest day ever. Our videos were posted on heavy-hitting blogs like Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan, and BOT finally got some of the love that it deserved (just kidding, but it was quite nice to have a day that busy only a few months into the whole thing).
Photo by JPinH-Town
This was one of the only shows that we attended but didn't cover in 2008. The no-camera rules at the Woodlands Pavilion meant that we were left with absolutely no media from the show, but it did enable me to completely absorb the entire experience (and the 23-ounce Miller Lites). The first set consisted of a smattering of Pink Floyd hits, but it was the second set's run through of Dark Side of the Moon that really had me going. The musicians that surrounded Waters for the two-and-a-half hour show were incredible at translating the psychedelic sounds of Floyd into a live format. The stage show–which included the famed flying pig–was a spectacular mix of on- and off-screen antics that had my full attention throughout. It took me back to the days of my youth, spent digging through my dad's old records in the basement, and putting Dark Side on the player for the first time. It also just made me even more pissed that I didn't see the Pink Floyd reunion in London right before I moved back to the States. Damn.
Highest. Energy. Show. Ever. Wilco came out swinging on the first of their two-night Austin run at the famed BBQ joint/music venue Stubb's. The long sold-out show found Jeff Tweedy and the rest of the boys in rare form as they ripped through a ridiculously large amount of their back catalog. Every song held its own that night, but the true highlight of their set was the sick rendition of A Ghost Is Born's "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" that had the whole hill enthralled by the triple guitar attack. We were fans among many that night, which noticeably brought the energy level through the (metaphorical) roof. At one point in the evening, another excited show-goer leaned over to me and queried, "Isn't it just great to be surrounded by true Wilco fans?" My answer was simple: "Yes. Yes it is."
Photo by recovering lazyholic
This will forever stand out to me as one of my favorite shows of all time. I'd spent the 9 months prior to this show building up my anticipation by listening to their material on a pretty consistent basis. I knew that I'd be seeing them on the Sunday of ACL, but when I heard about this show at the tiny Parish Room, I simply had to be there. We even left the Man Man/Okkervil River show down the street early so we wouldn't miss a beat of BoH. Frontman Ben Bridwell seemed to be having more fun than anyone in the room, constantly letting off "Wooooo!"s of delight after every song. Even after two long festival days, another aftershow down the street, and dodging brosephs on Sixth, I left this show with more vigor than I had walking in. It was the cherry on top of a great day that had already featured my 9th, 15th and 17th favorite shows of the year.Band of Horses - "Our Swords":
Of Montreal's live show is intoxicating, both aurally and visually. Their nighttime set at Rothbury's Ranch Arena completely captivated me, and I'll see Kevin Barnes et al. every chance I get in the future.
Bloody phenomenal and – for me, anyway – completely unexpected. Both the musicianship and the light show were top notch. Trent Reznor gained at least one avid new fan that night.
I was ecstatic almost to the point of being giddy going into MMJ's Houston show back in March. I'd expected to hear at least a few songs from their upcoming album and was floored when they played through a total of eight new tracks. The venue was at only half capacity that night, making for a relatively intimate affair. A few months later, I found myself planted in front of a speaker stack, screaming gleefully and jumping around with schoolgirl excitement as Jim James ripped up the night at Stubb's. For the next several days, I couldn't hear or speak normally, but it was totally worth it.
It felt like a privilege to share such an intimate space with this phenomenal band. Frontman Ben Bridwell seemed just as enthused as I was, adding to the surreal awesomeness of this semi-secret show.
Photo by Mandahattan
Eggs, Toast and I had caught Wilco back in March in Houston, and I'd had a less-than-positive experience. An incident involving a heinous cougar and a beer that I may or may not have dumped on her head soured the vibes that night, and the mellower-than-usual show that Wilco played (Jeff Tweedy was recovering from being sick, and wasn't able to tackle the band's more rocking-er material) did nothing to lighten the mood. As a result, I was a bit hesitant and apathetic about hitting up their Stubb's show a few months later, but I couldn't be happier that we did indeed attend. It was the most high-energy set that I attended all year, and it was absolutely enthralling to look around and see that everyone around me was equally into the show. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" blew my mind and made for the single best live music memory I have from 2008.Wilco - "Misunderstood":
Wakarusa wound up being slightly disappointing in general, but that didn't stop Doug Martsch and Built to Spill from coming out and playing an amazing afternoon set in the Kansas sun.
Photo by Maddy Julien
The opening act wasn't anything special, but the beautiful venue played host to a sold-out crowd and the night was bound to be a blast. The Raconteurs were one of the acts I needed to check off of my list, and I accomplished that. I now have a much better respect for Jack White's guitar skills.
As previously stated, I'm alone in BOTland with my love for The Mars Volta. I had been wanting to see these guys for awhile, and after being denied a couple times, I finally got my wish. The Volta provided a high energy show that lasted about an hour and ten minutes and consisted of approximately 2-3 songs.
It had been a long time since I had seen Nine Inch Nails. Eight years to be exact. I'd heard good things about their stage show on this tour, and I was not disappointed. It'd be impossible for Reznor to not bring the heat in his former hometown. NIN played through a slew of classics, and occasionally waded through their newer, more politically driven material as well.
Despite all of the amazing acts that made their way to Michigan for Rothbury, I was still most excited about Panic. Ever since I popped my Panic cherry, they have been a must-see every opportunity I have, and they are well-known for bringing the house down at festivals. Their show at Rothbury, although not the best I've seen, was excellent, and the fireworks display that followed was a great way to kick off the night on the Fourth of July.Widespread Panic - "Fishwater":
We here at Breakfast On Tour are decidedly fanatical about music, and as a result we've spent a large portion of our adult lives bobbing our heads in front of stages. This past year, though, was hands-down our busiest (so far) in terms of show-going. It's sort of mind-boggling to think back on all the great sets we caught, and when we decided to list our favorites of the year we knew it'd be a daunting task. After much head-scratching and brow-furrowing, though, we persevered – check out Eggs, Cereal and Toast's top 20 shows of the year after the jump!
Eggs' Top 20 Shows of 2008:
20. Caribou/Fuck Buttons @ Emo's Outdoor, Austin, TX - Sun, Apr 27
19. Nine Inch Nails @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Sat, Oct 25
18. MGMT/Yeasayer @ Walter's On Washington, Houston, TX - Sun, Jan 20
17. Yonder Mountain String Band @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
16. Islands @ Walter's On Washington, Houston, TX - Wed, Jun 25
15. Fleet Foxes @ Austin City limits Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
14. Widespread Panic @ Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TX - Fri, May 2
13. TV on the Radio @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Fri, Oct 24
12. Neil Diamond @ the Toyota Center, Houston, TX - Tue, Oct 14
11. Built to Spill @ Warehouse Live, Houston, TX - Mon, Mar 3
10. The Flaming Lips @ Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival, Lawrence, KS - Fri, Jun 6
9. Beck @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
8. Trey Anastasio @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Sun, Jul 6
7. The Avett Brothers @ Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival, Ozark, AR - Fri, Sep 12
6. Radiohead/Liars @ Superpages.com Center, Dallas, TX - Sun, May 18
5. Hot Chip @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Fri, Sep 26
This was the most fun I'd ever had at one single festival set in a really long time. We covered most of the other festivals we attended this year and had to carry around equipment and other junk, so we never had the chance to really get into a set. It wasn't until ACL that we had the opportunity to shed the gear and just have a good time. Hot Chip was one of the bands we were most looking forward to, but I still didn't expect to dance so much. I was so damn sweaty leaving that set! Absolutely brilliant.
4. My Morning Jacket/Yo La Tengo @ Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX - Mon, Mar 10
This is the show that gave BOT its first real surge in readership back in March. MMJ played eight songs from their new album Evil Urges for the first time in front of an audience that night, and we decided ahead of time to try to capture all of them on video. Well, it worked out for us, and that next day turned out to be/still is our busiest day ever. Our videos were posted on heavy-hitting blogs like Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan, and BOT finally got some of the love that it deserved (just kidding, but it was quite nice to have a day that busy only a few months into the whole thing).
3. Roger Waters @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX - Sun, May 4
This was one of the only shows that we attended but didn't cover in 2008. The no-camera rules at the Woodlands Pavilion meant that we were left with absolutely no media from the show, but it did enable me to completely absorb the entire experience (and the 23-ounce Miller Lites). The first set consisted of a smattering of Pink Floyd hits, but it was the second set's run through of Dark Side of the Moon that really had me going. The musicians that surrounded Waters for the two-and-a-half hour show were incredible at translating the psychedelic sounds of Floyd into a live format. The stage show–which included the famed flying pig–was a spectacular mix of on- and off-screen antics that had my full attention throughout. It took me back to the days of my youth, spent digging through my dad's old records in the basement, and putting Dark Side on the player for the first time. It also just made me even more pissed that I didn't see the Pink Floyd reunion in London right before I moved back to the States. Damn.
2. Wilco @ Stubb's BBQ, Austin, TX - Sun, May 11
Highest. Energy. Show. Ever. Wilco came out swinging on the first of their two-night Austin run at the famed BBQ joint/music venue Stubb's. The long sold-out show found Jeff Tweedy and the rest of the boys in rare form as they ripped through a ridiculously large amount of their back catalog. Every song held its own that night, but the true highlight of their set was the sick rendition of A Ghost Is Born's "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" that had the whole hill enthralled by the triple guitar attack. We were fans among many that night, which noticeably brought the energy level through the (metaphorical) roof. At one point in the evening, another excited show-goer leaned over to me and queried, "Isn't it just great to be surrounded by true Wilco fans?" My answer was simple: "Yes. Yes it is."
1. Band of Horses @ the Parish Room, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
This will forever stand out to me as one of my favorite shows of all time. I'd spent the 9 months prior to this show building up my anticipation by listening to their material on a pretty consistent basis. I knew that I'd be seeing them on the Sunday of ACL, but when I heard about this show at the tiny Parish Room, I simply had to be there. We even left the Man Man/Okkervil River show down the street early so we wouldn't miss a beat of BoH. Frontman Ben Bridwell seemed to be having more fun than anyone in the room, constantly letting off "Wooooo!"s of delight after every song. Even after two long festival days, another aftershow down the street, and dodging brosephs on Sixth, I left this show with more vigor than I had walking in. It was the cherry on top of a great day that had already featured my 9th, 15th and 17th favorite shows of the year.
Eggs' Honorable Mentions of 2008:
Ray LaMontagne @ Verizon Wireless Theater, Wyclef Jean @ Voodoo Experience, Girl Talk @ Warehouse Live, Hot Buttered Rum @ Wakarusa, Mucca Pazza @ the Orange Show, Donavon Frankenreiter @ ACL, The Whigs @ Warehouse Live, The Dodos @ the Mink/Backroom, Q-Tip/The Cool Kids/The Knux @ Warehouse Live, Apollo Sunshine @ Wakarusa, Octopus Project/Diagonals @ Warehouse Live, Lil Wayne @ Voodoo, and the entire Rothbury Festival.
Cereal's Top 20 Shows of 2008
20. The Octopus Project/Diagonals @ Warehouse Live, Houston, TX - Fri, Aug 29
19. Spiritualized @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
18. Built to Spill @ Warehouse Live, Houston, TX - Mon, Mar 3
17. Fleet Foxes @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
16. Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Sun, Jul 6
15. Mucca Pazza/Baby Dee/Benjamin Wesley @ Orange Show, Houston, TX - Thu, Oct 16
14. Yonder Mountain String Band @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
13. Busdriver @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Sat, Jul 5
12. Widespread Panic @ Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TX - Fri, May 2
11. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
10. Thievery Corporation @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Fri, Jul 4
9. The Avett Brothers @ Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival, Ozark, AR - Fri, Sep 12
8. Beck @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27
7. Radiohead/Liars @ Superpages.com Center, Dallas, TX - Sun, May 18
6. Hot Chip @ Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX - Fri, Sep 26
5. Of Montreal @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Fri, Jul 4
Of Montreal's live show is intoxicating, both aurally and visually. Their nighttime set at Rothbury's Ranch Arena completely captivated me, and I'll see Kevin Barnes et al. every chance I get in the future.
4. Nine Inch Nails @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Sat, Oct 25
Bloody phenomenal and – for me, anyway – completely unexpected. Both the musicianship and the light show were top notch. Trent Reznor gained at least one avid new fan that night.
3. My Morning Jacket/Yo La Tengo @ Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX - Mon, Mar 10 and MMJ @ Stubb's - Sun, Aug 24 (no, it's not cheating)
I was ecstatic almost to the point of being giddy going into MMJ's Houston show back in March. I'd expected to hear at least a few songs from their upcoming album and was floored when they played through a total of eight new tracks. The venue was at only half capacity that night, making for a relatively intimate affair. A few months later, I found myself planted in front of a speaker stack, screaming gleefully and jumping around with schoolgirl excitement as Jim James ripped up the night at Stubb's. For the next several days, I couldn't hear or speak normally, but it was totally worth it.
2. Band of Horses @ the Parish Room, Austin, TX - Sat, Sep 27 and @ ACL - Sun, Sep 28
It felt like a privilege to share such an intimate space with this phenomenal band. Frontman Ben Bridwell seemed just as enthused as I was, adding to the surreal awesomeness of this semi-secret show.
1. Wilco @ Stubb's BBQ, Austin, TX - Sun, May 11
Eggs, Toast and I had caught Wilco back in March in Houston, and I'd had a less-than-positive experience. An incident involving a heinous cougar and a beer that I may or may not have dumped on her head soured the vibes that night, and the mellower-than-usual show that Wilco played (Jeff Tweedy was recovering from being sick, and wasn't able to tackle the band's more rocking-er material) did nothing to lighten the mood. As a result, I was a bit hesitant and apathetic about hitting up their Stubb's show a few months later, but I couldn't be happier that we did indeed attend. It was the most high-energy set that I attended all year, and it was absolutely enthralling to look around and see that everyone around me was equally into the show. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" blew my mind and made for the single best live music memory I have from 2008.
Cereal's Honorable Mentions of 2008:
Caribou/Fuck Buttons @ Emo's, The Dodos/Silje Nes/Wild Moccasins @ the Mink, Islands @ Walter's on Washington, Buxton @ Westheimer Block Party, Trey Anastasio @ Rothbury, The Whigs/What Made Milwaukee Famous/The Dead Trees @ Warehouse Live, EOTO @ Club DubDub, Ra Ra Riot/Walter Meego @ Rudyard's, Of Montreal @ Warehouse Live, Q-Tip @ Warehouse Live, Wyclef Jean @ Voodoo, TV on the Radio @ Voodoo, Lil Wayne @ Voodoo
Toast's Top 20 Shows of 2008
20. Wilco @ Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX - Mar 7
19. Blind Melon @ Slowdown, Omaha, NE - Sat, Mar 22
18. Cornmeal/Triggertown @ Knickerbockers, Lincoln, NE - Thurs, May 8
17. Snoop Dogg @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Fri, Jul 4
16. Apollo Sunshine @ Wakarusa Camping and Music Festival, Lawrence, KS - Fri, June 6
15. Yard Dogs Road Show @ Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival, Sun, Jun 8
14. EOTO @ The Box Awesome, Lincoln, NE - Sat, May 3
13. Keller Williams and The WMD's @ Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS - Tues, Jan 22
12. Slightly Stoopid/Outlaw Nation/The Expendables @ Slowdown, Omaha, NE - Thurs, Feb 21
11. State Radio @ Rothbury Music Festival, Rothbury, MI - Sat, July 5
10. Trey Anastasio @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Sun, Jul 6
9. Lil Wayne @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Sat, Oct 25
8. Atmosphere @ Slowdown, Omaha, NE - 9/12
7. The Flaming Lips @ Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival, Lawrence, KS - Fri, Jun 6
6. My Morning Jacket @ Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX - Mon, Mar 10
5. Built to Spill @ Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival, Lawrence, KS - Fri, Jun 6
Wakarusa wound up being slightly disappointing in general, but that didn't stop Doug Martsch and Built to Spill from coming out and playing an amazing afternoon set in the Kansas sun.
4. The Raconteurs/Birds of Avalon @ The Uptown Theater in Kansas City, MO - Tues, April 29
The opening act wasn't anything special, but the beautiful venue played host to a sold-out crowd and the night was bound to be a blast. The Raconteurs were one of the acts I needed to check off of my list, and I accomplished that. I now have a much better respect for Jack White's guitar skills.
3. Mars Volta @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Sat, Oct 25
As previously stated, I'm alone in BOTland with my love for The Mars Volta. I had been wanting to see these guys for awhile, and after being denied a couple times, I finally got my wish. The Volta provided a high energy show that lasted about an hour and ten minutes and consisted of approximately 2-3 songs.
2. Nine Inch Nails @ Voodoo Experience, New Orleans, LA - Sat, Oct 25
It had been a long time since I had seen Nine Inch Nails. Eight years to be exact. I'd heard good things about their stage show on this tour, and I was not disappointed. It'd be impossible for Reznor to not bring the heat in his former hometown. NIN played through a slew of classics, and occasionally waded through their newer, more politically driven material as well.
1. Widespread Panic @ Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, MI - Fri, Jul 4
Despite all of the amazing acts that made their way to Michigan for Rothbury, I was still most excited about Panic. Ever since I popped my Panic cherry, they have been a must-see every opportunity I have, and they are well-known for bringing the house down at festivals. Their show at Rothbury, although not the best I've seen, was excellent, and the fireworks display that followed was a great way to kick off the night on the Fourth of July.
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