The magic of live music
Music comes alive when it’s played in front of an audience.
After more than 100 years of recorded music, music still remains as important to people helping them through their day. Sir George Martin reflected on this and the impact of music in our lives in the Soundbreaking documentary:
“Music is the only common thread and universal language that binds us together regardless of race, nationality, age or income. And, recorded music is how we experience it and what makes it accessible.
As much as I enjoy collecting vinyl records and listening to recorded music as the artist has intended, there is a power to live performances that studio recordings can only imply. Sometimes an album’s songs version are unintended too, as The National’s frontman Matt Berninger mentioned in a conversation with Dave Letterman,
“The very premature version of that song that’s on the album and then they bloom as we play them live, they change a lot” — Matt Berninger
Going to a live music performance additionally offers a multitude of benefits that cannot be replicated by simply listening to all the recorded albums in the world, creating unforgettable memories that can last a lifetime along with providing a boost to your well being:
“Live music definitely makes you feel better and does seem to have protective benefits against ill-being too”
But then along came the Coronavirus pandemic which brought so much misery and heart ache for people, and put a halt to that experience which in turn had such a negative impact on a music industry which was already creaking.
Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl articulated it so well, in a piece for the Atlantic at that time:
“There is nothing like the energy and atmosphere of live music. It is the most life-affirming experience, to see your favourite performer onstage”
Etymologist Susie Dent also captured the feeling I was experiencing when there were no live performances happening, with one of her wonderful word of the day entries:
When live music finally returned, I was just giddy at the thought of it again after so long, having not been to a gig since Aug 2019 the first act I went to see was Villagers in September 2021 and he didn’t disappoint, delivering a sublime set of songs.
Experiencing ‘hystriciasis’ again when exposed to live music, I decided to try make the most of it and get to as many gigs as possible in 2022, but that year the music industry was still playing catch-up coming to grips with the world post-Covid. I did manage to see some of the rescheduled events, including Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire and a unusually subdued concert from the National.
Concerts in 2023
For 2023, I was determined to make up for the previous few years lack of live music opportunities. 2023 saw the music industry return to full swing and I was genuinely excited about the possibility of finally marking a couple of artists off my yet to see live list. Here is a look back at that year.
Gaz Coombes ★★★★
Gaz Coombes was my first gig of 2023, we made the 400km round trip to catch his performance. I’ve posted about Gaz on the Toppermost music blog about his excellent trilogy of albums. Gaz didn’t disappoint live, delivering a great set featuring tracks from all three records and generally having fun with the audience.
Bruce Springsteen ★★★★★
Back in the car again, as the Boss rolled into Dublin in May, the septuagenarian looked spritely and was in great form as he made his way through a 3 hour set in front of an audience made up of three generations all of whom sang along with each track. It was my first time experiencing Springsteen live and I stood in amazement at the man’s energy and appetite to continue playing live, long may he continue.
“Born in the USA” was the Springsteen album I was most familiar with growing up, but for whatever reason I neglected many of his album releases over the years and skipped on opportunities to see him play live. It was only in recent years, especially during the early days of the pandemic I started rediscovering Springsteen from listening to his earlier album releases which rekindled my interest and I began collecting his studio albums on the way.
I’ve read some posts about his expensive ticket prices, but I still think we should cherish these type of performers for as long as we can and especially with the amount of incredible music he has turned out over the last 50 years, with so many memorable albums. (I did think however €50 for a concert tee shirt to be a bit exorbitant!).
The good news is he is returning again to these shores in 2024, I am already looking forward to that.
Teenage Fan club ★★★
June provided an opportunity to see Teenage Fanclub locally without a car journey, so naturally we went along.
Blur ★★★★★
Also, in June, we saw Blur return after their long absence and it was back in the car for another 400km round trip. (Their gig at the Olympia theatre way back in 2003 still stands out as one of my all time favourite shows.)
The band and audience, took a few numbers to warm up to each other but once reacquainted thousands of happy revellers danced and sang their way through a perfect Summer evening, with their set spanning the albums “Parklife” ,“Modern Life Is Rubbish” ,“13" ,“The Ballad of Darren” ,“Blur” ,“Leisure” and “The Great Escape”. Phil Daniels appearing for Parklife was a fun surprise.
Kaiser Chiefs ★★★
Almost 12 years since we saw the Chiefs last perform, the local Arts Festival served up an opportunity to see them without having to travel. I wrote about the Chiefs, over on the Toppermost blog where you pick your top 10 tracks from a favourite band/artist. Most of my favourites included were played live that night.
Wilco ★★★★
Wilco were on my must see list for some time, but my wife wasn’t so sure.
“Wilco?” she asked, …“Do I know any of their songs?” she tends to say things like that.
I replied, “Yes, you know.. remember their tracks on The Bear TV show? ”
“No”
“Ok, well ..that show featured 3 Wilco tracks including Handshake Drugs, Spiders and Via Chicago”.
“Really”? “Did I see that show”?
That is sort of how our 4oo km round trip journeys usually start, just on this occasion Wilco’s “The Whole Love” cd was blasting from the car stereo en route again to the capital early in September.
Wilco were playing the special place that is the Olympia Theatre, which has that uniquely intimate ambience. This Victorian music hall is a landmark Dublin music venue that has been welcoming music fans for well over a hundred years and there is something quite special that remains about it.
Nels Cline’s mesmerising electric guitar performance and the banter with the audience with Jeff Tweedy, were particularly memorable.
“We probably played a show at Whelans, who was there?” ( 32 years ago) chuckles Jeff Tweedy…“Get your prostate checked and a mammogram!”
They have an amazing body of work to choose from playing live, but there are some stellar and fun tracks, especially the likes of “Misunderstood” where Tweedy shouts.. Do you still love rock and roll? they and the audience then chant “Nothin’( x 20 times) …Nothin’ at all”, for almost 2 minutes!
The National ★★★★
On the road again in September, this time for one of my favourite bands The National. I’ve seen them on many occasions and I collect their records and this time they were back in top form during a year where they rolled out 2 albums. The last time I saw them live Matt Berringer wasn’t himself and since has been open about his battle with depression and the challenges the band faced over the course of the pandemic.
With 10 albums now in their back catalogue, the thing about seeing this band live is that even though you may feel smitten with so many “belters” you fall in love all over again with others that you may have neglected. An example song would be ‘Pink Rabbits’ with that exquisite piano and brass.
New Order ★★★★
Unfortunately for my friend he couldn’t make the show and offered the tickets to see New Order for a second time. Having gladly accepted this gift it was off to the capital again, another 400km round trip on a Sunday night.
When it comes to New Order I’m a bit of a “completist” record collector and I’m trying to complete their collection of studio albums
The band, who are getting on in years, are so tight at this point and sounded great again.
I have mixed emotions about the Joy Division songs, because as much as I love Bernard Sumner, those songs are just not the same with his vocals at this point but I did like they way they kept them for the encore numbers.
Lisa O’Neil ★★★
The first time I saw Lisa O’Neil was in a small venue in New York as part of the CMJ festival in 2012 and I just couldn’t get over her voice and the huge on stage presence she has. Her delightful version of Dylan’s ‘All The Tired Horses’ features in the closing scene of the TV series Peaky Blinders.
Thankfully on this occasion it was a local gig as she meandered through her set. She really is from a different realm, a performer who likes to share anecdotes about her songs and whatever random thoughts are going through her mind.
Arctic Monkeys ★★★★★
The final concert of the year, hitting the road again to the capital but saving the best for last.
I thought Alex Turner and Arctic Monkeys received a lot of unfair criticism at their Glastonbury performance earlier in the year.
They are simply a phenomenal live act. That night in the 3arena was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to, loud and chaotic and they delivered a perfectly balanced set. They looked and sounded awesome, the vocals, the music, the set.. musically and visually, just everything.
Hopefully, 2024 will turn out to be another memorable year for attending live music! 👏
“At its absolute best, live music plays a unique role in modern society. In a world of shrinking sacred spaces, concerts are one of the last places where groups of strangers can gather and experience, together, something transcendental, something other and beyond.”
