Best gigs of 2005

During the middle of last Thursday’s snowstorm, Sloan played at Kitchener’s Elements Night Club in front of a small but enthusiastic crowd. I guess anyone who travels through testicle-freezing weather and dangerous driving conditions (in a speeding cab especially!) to see a small Canadian band is definitely insane – like the 3 of us that night! It was a good show but probably the last I’d see before the new year, thanks to final exams and holiday commitments. (Hello LCBO!)

So I’ve decided now is probably the best time to list my favorite gigs (or concerts) of 2005. Out of roughly 10-12 gigs I’ve been to (which include The Rolling Stones, Megadeath, Boy, and Shout Out Out Out Out), there are 3 that stand out.

Here they are (in reverse order)…..

3. Oasis @ Molson Ampitheatre (Jun. 17)
w/ Jet & Nick Armstrong
For anyone who knows me well, it shouldn’t be a surprise. After seeing them live four times, buying all of their cds, and learning guitar through their music, the fact that I can still listen to songs like “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Live Forever” without aiming a gun to my head is simply amazing. I’m starting to think I might actually like this band.
Is this the best Oasis show I’ve been to? No. But keep in mind I was standing at the back end of the venue, so who knows?… I might just have been “too far into space” to notice they actually played a killer show. However, there was something unique about this night which I cannot explain in words. I guess it was just the summer atmosphere and the feeling of being lost in a sea amongst other “Britpop hooligans”. Being able to sing along to every song in the setlist is also quite an accomplishment.

2. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ The Phoenix (Sept. 24)
w/ Mark Gardener
What can I say… they played a great set, shot a cool video, and had a very nice (and expensive) guitar collection. I got excited just watching the ES-335s get tuned. (Yeah, I’m a fucking loser!) They played a good share of songs off their latest album, HOWL, which in my opinion is their best yet (sorry Brock!), as well as classic jams like “Spread Your Love”, “White Palms”, and my teenage angst anthem, “Whatever Happened To My Rock and Roll”. Man, were their amps fucking loud or what?! Did I mention they are the greatest band of this decade?

1. Kasabian @ Kool Haus (May 20)
w/ Mad Action
Here’s what I like about Kasabian: 1) They sound nothing like the Franz Ferdinand clones that flood today’s British charts (eg. Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs). Instead, they’ve resurrected the late 80s “baggy” era with influences like The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. 2) They are the closest thing to seeing The Space Monkeys live. 3) They’re fucking crazy! I’ve never seen anyone dance around with as much energy as the singer of this band, except maybe Mick Jaggar. Just think of seeing the Stones, forty years younger and playing psychedelic dance music. Songs like “Club Foot” and “Processed Beats” are where it’s at. Mad Action were also one of the better opening acts I’ve seen this year.