Top Ten Concerts of 2017

I counted, and this year I had the pleasure of going to 23 live shows and festival where in turn, I watched 71 live acts. 

I know. Wow.

I've been lucky enough to see a myriad of performances this year, but naturally some will stand out more for me than others, hence we have my Top Ten List of Live Music Performances for the year. Whether it's down to the quality of the show or how much I care about the act, I think you'll find this list to be a pretty accurate description of me as a fan of live music. 



10: Slam Dunk 2017 @ Hatfield

I will admit that this one is a bit of a cheat. Slam Dunk, if you weren't aware, is a day festival that takes place over three days in three different locations across England. In my opinion, it's the closest thing we have to Warped Tour, and yes, that included the actual UK version of Warped. Normally, I'd agree that a whole festival shouldn't be counted in a list like this, which is basically the reason I've put this at ten. Trust me though, I wouldn’t add this if it wasn’t special. The day provided a wonderful mix of Alt Rock and Punk-ese acts. The line-up was eclectic but at the same time truly appealed to everyone. There’s irony in that the only downside was that pretty much everyone had a clash with all the different bands they wanted to see. I’m addition to that, some of the performances at saw at Slam Dunk were better than whenever I saw the bands play their own headline show - that's just the magic of the atmosphere. You know it's special when a festival is mainstream but still feels intimate. It was just the perfect example of what a metropolitan festival should be.


9: Paramore @ The Royal Albert Hall

Paramore are old hands at putting on a great show, and that was definitely the case here at their first London show in over three years. The recent reinvention of the band's sound bleeds over into the live show and works just as well. There seems to be something very carefree about the way they perform, as if they know they don't have to impress anyone: they know they're awesome and so do their fans. The reason they're so low on this list however is because their show didn't feel very engaging. Possibly they were intimidated by the size of the venue, but also I'm well aware that it could be my own personal gripe, as I was up in the balcony on the other side of the Auditorium; that's enough to disengage anyone. Nevertheless, I commend them for bringing out lesser played fan favourites like "I Caught Myself" or "Turn If Off", on which Miss Williams belts out a note in front of a blinding stage light that would leave most speechless. A charismatic performance from the obviously seasoned trio.


8: Mallory Knox @ London Tattoo Convention

Here's another one of those unorthodox live performance that I seem to keep finding myself at; Mallory Knox playing a tiny show in a side room during an annual Tattoo Convention in East London that would not be special to anyone who didn't care. I, however, did care. After seeing the band front row at Reading fest with a rather disappointing set list, I went out of my way to see this particular performance. To put it plainly, they smashed it. The show was immensely satisfying to me in terms of set list, show length, the band's performance itself and also that intimate setting you don’t get at every live show - even if it was little too intimate for me. I had been impressed with a lot of what the band are doing this year and this performance helped cap that. They had the energy and captivating nature that proves whether it's the main Stage at Reading and Leeds or a dinky underground archway, they know what they're doing.


7: Waterparks @ The Underworld

On their first UK headliner, Waterparks played a super fun energetic show. Although I wouldn't expect any less from the boys. Every moment of every song was filled with the kids in the room shouting along. The only reason this is so low on the list is that I can't say there was much else to the performance. For me, it felt a bit one-dimensional. Sure, you could chalk it up to lack of production value due to the lower tier stage the band are at. But even with that said, on the two previous occasions I had seen the band, I'd definitely enjoyed myself more, and there was a similar production value then. Either way, I know that Waterparks have what it takes to put on a great show in the future: A charismatic and chatty frontman, jumpy songs and talented musicians. I have no doubt, when they come into bigger venues next year, they'll really come into their element.


6: Green Day @ BST Summer Time

I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that the living punk legends Green Day are really good live. But even I was amazed at how contemporary and entertaining their live show was. With these "Classic Rock" bands and their stadium performances, there can be a staleness about them. I'm talking about old bands that feel they don't need to adapt for the modern day because they're the OGs. But not Green Day. I think it's part of the reason the band have survived so long. It was wonderfully engaging, just as fresh as some of their modern counterparts concerts. They played a plethora of old and new songs with something for everyone to enjoy. The show had this amazingly ability to change in tone a few different times, but it all worked for the band's benefit. Never before had I seen such a well oiled machine of a show; it's no mean feat to put on a concert for two-and-a-half hours that entertains throughout, but Green Day have found a formula that does just that.

5: Neck Deep @ Slam Dunk

This year was a landmark year for the pop-punk powerhouse Neck Deep. A new album, new style and a bumper show at the iconic Brixton Academy. While they should definitely be proud of that performance, their stage headline at Slam Dunk was the real highlight for me (yes, I know I’ve mentioned Slam Dunk before, bear with me). For starters, only Neck Deep can have a show with mosh pits and crowd surfers, but still somehow feel intimate. It was at Slam Dunk that the band brought out anthems like "Losing Teeth" and "Smooth Sea Don’t Make Good Sailors", which don't really see the light of day anymore in their live shows. On top of that, you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in that crowd that wasn’t singing at the top of their lungs to the modern pop-punk classics “Part of Me”. A simple light show, but something about their pulsing light bulbs felt truly epic. Their setlist showed the sheer plethora of songs they have in their arsenal, a testament to how far the band has grown in the past few years.I couldn't help but love their addictive energy and undeniable awe that compelled that crowd to leave their feet and unified in a way I don't see at many live show before. Maybe when everyone is moshing and headbanding, it makes them forget about differences and makes us equals.

4: Lana Del Rey @ O2 Academy Brixton

Say what you want about Lana Del Rey and her musical style, but her special, one off show completely proved that she deserves the acclaim she has. She put on a delicate, graceful performance whilst belting out that amazing pop voice. Maybe it's because I'm used to spending my time at rap or guitar-heavy shows, but I couldn't help but take note of how it was not too showy but still entertained. It was perfect mash of pop and a traditional rock and roll show. Even the setting even helped to deliver the fantasy, as Lana sang with her two backing dancers, an appropriately decadent backdrop, and a live band to help fill the room with her sonic presence. Basically, the show was the quintessence of everything this pop diva is. Very LA, a little bit Twin Peaks, and totally Lana Del Rey.

3: Bastille @ Reading Festival

Reading Festival this year marked the tenth time I had seen Bastille, my all-time favourite band, live. However to see them, it required me waiting over nine hours to see them at the main stage. I don't know if you've ever spent that long waiting in the same place for a band, but it's like an Odyssey, only without going anywhere. At one point, the crowd was so critical, I was pushed to the point of not breathing, and found myself asking "Why am I doing this? Why have I spent all day in this uncomfortable environment and missed bands I would have loved to see?" The irony lays in the fact that Bastille were doing a signing that day. So, I could have mark my 10th gig by meeting my faves, and come back and found a chill spot toward the back to watch the concert. Suffice to say, I was a bit over it. But then Bastille came on. Then I remembered. I remembered every euphoric and intensely immersive experience I’ve had watching them over last four years. It can be easy to skim over these kinds of things, but there just so effortlessly good live, which is obviously what you wants when watching a band. But one thing that was satisfying for me as a long-time fan was how Dan had come into his own as a front man. I have honestly seen him evolve and take on this persona that I think is worthy of the ten-thousand strong crowd they saw at Reading. It was my honour to be right at the front of it. I just loved it all, from their ambitious and politically charged production to their mish-mash of covers or the pacing of the set or the singalong moments during "Pompeii" that always kinda sends a chill down my spine. There were a couple of moments that almost had me shedding a tear, but I decided to hold it back as I was in the front row, for all the band and cameras to see. I think I'm not very good when it comes to reviewing Bastille, due to my somewhat blind admiration for the. But if I had to sum it up, they put on a well put-together, immersive show that could well be considered as the perfect festival experience.

2: All Time Low @ O2 Academy Brixton

One of things All Time Low is best known for is probably their live show. From their first shows, they've given off this young, exuberant, tongue-in-cheek energy. This just as true today, but now, the band have the experience to back it up. All Time Low are lucky enough to have the resources to put on a visually awesome show. In addition to that though, there's so much passion and energy in every inch of their performance. Standing in the crowd is almost like an overload of sensory experiences, but in the best way possible. It becomes clears that all their songs are made to be enjoyed in the larger-than-life live setting and they have this unique way of engaging fans. But one of the other things that made this concert so memorable for me was that everything surrounding the band's headline performance was super entertaining too. The support acts, SWRMS and Waterparks, who I was particularly excited to see take on such a large and iconic stage as the Brixton Academy. Even the interval house music was a haven of modern pop-punk and had the crammed audiences singing along loudly. In my experience of concerts, they have a least one down moment to it; a low among the peaks. But not this one. Somehow, All Time Low managed to put together a concert that was all highs.

1: Walk The Moon @ The Borderline

Since seeing them for the first time in 2015, Walk The Moon have been my favourite live act, and they seem to earn this position more and more every time I see them. But this occasion seemed even more special. In a small, underground venue off on a random mews by Oxford Street, the boys from Cincinnati were doing what they do best. From song one, they hit the 300-strong audience with a vibrant setlist and the vigour are famed for. The tiny location gave for an intimate show with an awesome stage dynamic, but somehow still managed to give off a playful vibe. Some songs saw a reworking of their classic live arrangement, which is saying something because even beforehand, the live renderings were quite something. Then there were the tear-jerking moments like the acoustic adaptation of "Aquaman", which the close acoustics of the venue underscored.

I'm struggling to properly convey why the show was so magnificent to me; maybe it's because it was more of a personal experience. Either way, just know from start to finish, it was an experience distinct and unequal to anything I'd seen before. The energy that the band exude was on top form; you simply couldn't escape from Walk The Moon's heart, which was only heightened by the closeness of the setting.



Next Week: Top Ten Memes of the Year. 
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