I should start by saying that one of the major reasons for moving from Orlando to Seattle was to be able to experience living in a city with a thriving live music scene. My first full year here failed to disappoint. From the intimacy of seeing Montag with a handful of people in Ballard, to the spectacle that is the Sasquatch Music festival, here I will attempt to narrow down a list of my 5 favorite shows of the year.
5) Montag & The Lymbyc Systym - Sunset Tavern
Playing to a handful of people at the Sunset Tavern on a Monday evening, this under the radar show really showcased these bands in a setting perfectly suited for the music they play. Montag's French-Canadian pop is just about as infectious as it gets, and to see the man behind it performing with 2 keyboards, a series of toy instruments, and a crash cymbal is to see his heart on his sleeve. It was impossible to leave without a smile. Following shortly afterward was the Lymbyc Systym. I have seen them previously, however, it was difficult for them to escape from underneath the shadow of the band they were opening for, the Album Leaf, who they have undoubtably been compared to. Almost a year later, they not only made apparent how different (and far more dynamic) they are from their previous tour mates, but how two musicians can sound like an full-fleged band. With their warm, fuzzy keyboards, electronic infused syncopated drum beats, occasional jazz wanderings, and heavenly melodies - as I said before, it was impossible to leave without a smile.
4) Bjork & The Arcade Fire - Sasquatch Music Festival
Well, there's really not much to say that hasn't been said about either of these two acts. They're good, and we all know it. For the Arcade Fire's performance I was way in the back (and top) of the Gorge Amphitheater. While I couldn't quite see the band as well as would have liked, I at least had the big-screens to watch. This band is really happy to be doing what they're doing, and it is evidenced by their vigor in their live performance. What was more impressive was taking in the entire scene, and the 50,000 people in the middle of the Washington desert experiencing it. Watching a sea of people wave their hands back and forth to Wake Up was a moment I will not soon forget. The setting was big, epic even, and the Arcade Fire stepped up to it handily. Then it was a race down to the stage for Bjork. I'm going to be honest, there is rarely a time when I feel like sitting down and listening to a Bjork album, but the proverbial 'they' say to see Bjork live is to fall in love with her, and, well, its true. Opening with the apocalyptic tribal drum rhythms of Earth Intruders, she had us, and she didn't let go. I'm usually not a fan of large concerts such as this, but to see Bjork is to see the preeminent female artist/musician of our time, and to experience that, even amidst such a large crowd, is an entirely personal encounter. Truly inspiring.
3) Soulwax - Chop Suey
By far my favorite rock show of the year, and the one I was most pleasantly surprised by. Genre-bending Soulwax are one of the most prominent producer/DJ duos of the past decade. For this show they played with a full band, with the omnipresent Korg MS-20 Synthesizer (see Justice, Digitalism, et al) leading the way. Truth is, when in the right hands, this synth will just about peel your face off, and you will love every second of it. About 5 minutes into the show, with the completely gripping breakdown of 'Miserable Girl', the crowd was mere silly puddy for the band to pull and stretch as they pleased. We submitted, they didn't disappoint. With better-than-the-original covers of Tiga's 'Move My Body' and Justice's 'Let there Be Light' along with a mixed-up performance of their 2005 album Nite Versions almost in its entirety, I can't remember the last time I've rocked so hard.
2) Ulrich Schnauss - The Crocodile
Since first hearing the 2001 album 'Far Away Trains Passing By' I have absolutely floored by everything Schnauss has released. His brand of shoe-gaze electronica is not only unique, it is mind-numbingly beautiful, cinematic, and powerful, all at once. HIs latest full length is no exception to the rule, this time including vocals from himself and Judith Beck on several of the tracks. What we were treated to at the Crocodile that evening was a solo Schnauss performing instrumental versions that did not diminish even slightly with the lack of a vocal track; on the contrary, the instrumental versions embellished upon each layer of the the washed out guitars, synths, and percussion that are Schnauss' trademark. While the idea of one man performing solo sitting in front of a laptop may not be entirely palatable to most, listening to Schnauss build layer upon layer to moments of pure sonic bliss reverberating through the bodies in the crowd was more than enough to keep my both brain engaged and my ears happy. Hearing his music as it was meant, as a full-on wall of sound, was, to say the least, entirely satisfying. More, please.
1) Daft Punk - WAMU Theater
The event of the year that everyone is still talking about. Spin Magazine calls them Entertainers of the Year, however, attributes much of their popularity this year to the Kanye West single 'Stronger', even puts them on the cover with Mr. West. I'm going to argue that their success this year has nothing to with Kanye West. 2007 has been a year of dance music dominated by the so-called 'French Electro' scene (don't mind that this type of music has no real resemblance to the Electro that I've come to know). What I mean by this term is the brand of thumping club-bangers embodied by the sound of taste-maker French label Ed Banger. Since Justice blew the lid off the scene, acts such as Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, Herve, Boyz Noize, Guns and Bombs (the list goes on), have more than perpetuated it. So it is more than fitting that in a year where the kids have been getting sweaty to pounding bass lines, gritty synth leads, and the quintessential Kick-Snare house beat, that Daft Punk make their grand appearance in the States. Having not played here in over 9 years (minus their Coachella appearance last year), Seattle was lucky enough to host them on one of their 6 North American dates. By now I'm sure you've heard of the spectacle that was Alive 2007; the pyramid of LCDs, the light show, and the ultimate mega-mix of all of their hits - Daft Punk mixed with Daft Punk, by Daft Punk. The best part of it all was being in a packed house of people who have all seemingly been waiting a long time to be a part of this. I couldn't find a single person that wasn't dancing, smiling, and pumping their fist in the air throughout the entire show. The energy was tangible, electric even; I still get a chill down my spine when I think about them breaking into 'One More Time'. They are the founding fathers of dance music as we know it today, and they've come to show that they are still the best. I have them to thank for paving the way for the acts that comprise a vast majority of my DJ set lists, I have them to thank for bringing dance music to the masses, I have them to thank for putting on the best show of the year, and I have them to thank for inspiring me to care about making people dance. Long Live the Robots!
