Gigs Of The Year

Another great gig going year, with my first time at Leeds being 2005’s festival experience. I noticed when doing THE LIST that amazingly, of the top ten, it was only System Of A Down and The Hotel Alexis that I didn’t manage to see live this year (and I’ve seen System twice in the past…). Meaning as I discovered new bands and loved new albums, I still had the energy to chase down the live shows. I’m not as old as I think! Although, it does help living so close to Rock City...

Anyway, this is my top 3 for 2005:

03.
Oceansize
@ Nottingham Rock City (Basement), 22/09/05

In September, Oceansize delivered their complex and intricate sound in amazing fashion to a tiny knowledgeable group of awestruck Nottinghamlanders in the little Rock City basement, which they reserve for awesome unknown bands (in the past I’ve seen both Amplifier and Open Hand here too). In fact this was so tight and solid that it almost suffered from being too flawless. Each song was such a close representation of the various album tracks that it lost some of the raw sense of live music. This fault was also the gig’s strength, in that it became impossible not to marvel at the skill of the performers (and particularly the vocal harmonies conjured up by Mike Vennart and Steve Durose). Perhaps fitting that a band like Oceansize should produce a performance which was utterly brimming with artistry and style, but perhaps slightly lacking in passion. Still jaw dropping, though.

02.
Mastodon
@ Nottingham Rock City, 06/12/05

(NB: This is an edited version of a much longer review, which I posted on the main site. You can find that here).

Most years, this would have easily been number one.

Mastodon opened with the best track from their aptly named juggernaut of a progressive metal album, Leviathan: ‘Hearts Alive’. A fourteen minute journey through the dark deep of the progressive metal ocean, this is brought to life is stunning fashion. After which track after track of masterful prog-metal is delivered almost flawlessly (‘Megalodon’ and ‘Blood And Thunder’ stood out, but they were almost all great). I can’t quite believe how good both guitarists were. Mastodon have two singers (Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds) who took it in turns to bellow insanely at us: the thing that really blows me away is that while Sanders was playing comparatively simple bass parts, Hinds was twiddling monstrously awkward lead guitar flicks whilst howling a totally different vocal melody. However, it is the Mastodon drummer, Brann Dailor, who is the star: he is a supreme drummer, who plays not the beat, but the melody of a song. With Mastodon, it is the drums that you follow, and live it is no different. His arms were a blur all night long.

Aside from that fact that the few tracks they played from their debut, Remission, weren’t as good as the Leviathan material, this was near perfect stuff. Mastodon are really something quite special, and are so ridiculously far ahead of their peers right now that it must be really embarrassing for them at the annual hairy metal barn dance.

01.
Arcade Fire
@ Leeds Festival, 28/08/05

This took place on the last day of the festival and I was pretty tired (not as able to cope with a three day festival as I once was). Still, this was enough to wake me up and ease the aches from my joints. I had no idea what to expect, except that I loved Funeral. What I got was phenomenal: one of the best live shows I have ever had the privilege to witness. This was calculated insanity of the highest order. The band switch round from instrument to instrument after each song, and this usually leaves a couple of members free without something to play. These ‘bonus’ band members (in between providing backing vocals) run about like maniacs bashing anything they can see with drumsticks, including oddly positioned crash helmets, giant purple flags and (in one moment of sheer ridiculousness), each other.

Arcade Fire act as though having a band full of people who possess the ability to play six different instruments is perfectly normal. It’s not. Obviously Win Butler remains the focus of the band, but even he had some bass guitar and piano action at various points of the set, and of course is not always the singer. Utter lunacy, but with musicianship and passion the like of which rarely graces a festival stage. If you’ve not seen them live, make sure you do, because it really is something else.