The end of the year is fast approaching and various countdown lists are beginning to appear. I figured I'd start off by counting down my favorite concerts of 2011:
5 - Friendly Fires @ Union Transfer, Philadelphia
Prior to FF even taking stage the show became one of my favorites of the year. That was in part due to it being my first time at Union Transfer and also because Theophilus London commanded and energized the crowed unlike I think I've seen an opening act do before. Friendly Fires brought a similar intensity that the crowd ate up in a dancing frenzy.
4 - Bright Eyes @ The Mann, Philadelphia
Opening act Dawes played as the unsuspecting crowd filed into The Mann. Following their 2011 release "Nothing Is Wrong" I have a feeling they'll be headlining similar venues in the near future. I tend to prefer their live performances more so then their albums. See this version of Peace In The Valley as an example. I had previously seen Bright Eyes in a much smaller venue so I wasn't sure how they'd translate to an outdoor setting this time around. Conor & Co. didn't disappoint and neither did their album "The People's Key" which will likely end up on another Year-End list of mine.
3 - Bela Fleck & The Flecktones @ The Grand Opera House, Wilmington
It should come as no surprise that some of the best musicians in the world put on a fantastic show. The original Flecktone lineup was on tour in support of their new album "Rocket Science". I had very high expectations for this show and they lived up to them. This particular show also included the first live performance of the song 'Wolf Laurel' off Rocket Science which was a real treat to experience.
2 - Cut Copy @ Rams Head Live, Baltimore
Cut Copy put on the best live performance I saw all year, and probably longer. Even though I wasn't too familiar with their first album I was still caught up in every beat of every song. A couple years from now they're the band you'll be kicking yourself in the ass for not having seen before.
1 - My Morning Jacket @ The Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia
I've seen MMJ a handful of times and although this wasn't the best performance I've witnessed (Bonnaroo '08), it was one of the most memorable. Through their fan club I got pit tickets and experienced the show from several feet in front of the stage. Jim James & Co. can seem larger then life to a mega-fan enjoying the show from a distance, so to get that close was uncharted waters for me. I thought to myself, this is what it would have been like to see them years ago at a smaller venue, forgetting the thousands seated/standing behind me. A couple months later I saw MMJ again from a distance and it was a fantastic show as well, just not as refreshing as an up close and personal look from the pit.
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