by a long chalk. Other than that I thought Boris were amazing at Cargo earlier on in the year. Michio Kurihara was a bonus and no mistake.

(who endured the Holocaust without earplugs) at MBV, and Stapleton last night. Classic after classic.

1. Grinderman @ King Alfred Ballroom, Hove. 270 caoacity venue, hours Grinderman set then 40min encore of Bad Seeds material.

2. My Bloody Valentine @ ICA.

3. Teenage Fanclub @ Koko

4. The Wedding Present @ Corn Exchange, Brighton

MBV, Pissed Jeans, probably Stapleton on wednesday as well.

- Japanther @ Bardens
- A Silver Mt. Zion @ The Scala
- No Age @ The Dome
- Bon Iver @ St Giles-in-the-Fields Church
- Stereolab @ The Windmill

both nights of pearl jam @ madison square garden

mbv @ roundhouse

holy fuck @ the astoria

fuck buttons @ ica

it has been a rather good year for gigs so far

British Sea Power- Rescue Rooms
The Mae Shi/Dan Deacon- dot to dot
Jay Z-Glastonbury

I was away for most of this year though so quite a short list compared to what it could have been.

my bloody valentine - roundhouse, friday
los campesinos! - atp
broken social scene - atp
okkervil river - scala
the national - atp

Animal Colective at ATP
Stereolab at the Windmill
My Bloody Valentine at the ICA
Sebadoh at Koko

Fairly obvious ones I suppose, but it has been a good gig year so far

Grace Jones @ RFH followed by
MBV @ Roundhouse the next day
Nick Cave @ Hammersmith

but the best gig I've EVER been to was Neil Young at Hammersmith

60 gigs so far, been a stellar year for live music- my top five are:

1. Bjork @ Hammersmith Apollo
2. Sunset Rubdown @ London Luminaire
3. Sigur Ros @ Westminster Methodist Hall
4. My Bloody Valentine @ London Roundhouse
5. The National @ Dublin Olympia

MBV @ ICA
Boris @ Cargo
No Age @ The Dome
Sebadoh @ Koko
Bon Iver @ Spiegeltent (Great Escape)

1. MGMT @ The Park
2. Leonard Cohen @ Pyramid
3. Vampire Weekend @ John Peel Tent

The only other things I've seen this year were a free Kate Nash gig and an all-seated John Fogerty gig.

Creedence Clearwater -- All-Seated

God Is An Astronaut @ Brudenell Social Club has been the best (for quite some time not just this year)

Have high hopes for Red Sparowes this weekend and Clutch in August!

radiohead, victoria park
elbow, sheffield octagon
malcolm middleton, portland arms, cambridge
jens lekman, atp eits
broken social scene, sheffield leadmill

Down I Go/Take a Worm For a Walk Week - The Glebe - Stoke
Hot Club de Paris - Sugarmill, Stoke
Johnny Foreginer - Met Lounge. P-Town
Rival Schools - Kings College
Les Savy Fav/Future of the Left/Los Camp! at the Astoria

and Envy and The National at ATP were both amazing.

Most of the gigs I've been to this year seem to have suffered from empty venues.

2. My Bloody Valentine @ The Roundhouse

I've barely been to any gigs this year because of exams/revision, so I won't put in any filler. Those were the two that had me grinning like a fool throughout the entire thing and for a few days after, though.

MBV (Roundhouse)
The Cure (Wembley)
Morrissey (Roundhouse)
Glasvegas (Roundhouse)

never listened to them on record before that but due to the music and a load of other non-music related things it was brilliant at the time. dancing away at 4:30 am, getting home as the sun came up. it was brilliant.

Also, TNV at ATP
Monotonix, Hawk & A Hacksaw and Human Bell all at Peapods in Penryn.

Nasty Fest
Mae-Shi & JoFo, York
Deerhunter
HEALTH
Mrs Boyles Bingo @ The Shed
Polar Bear @ Boosh Fest
Loadsa comedy stuff
Tubelord

Maybe that's because the tail end of last year was so so good, with ATP and that.

Also, I don't think I've been to see all that much really, due to finances and being selective. Which is a bit sad.

I really enjoyed Comets on Fire on Saturday, and Mogwai at QEH were always going to be a highlight.

I'd also add Los Campesinos! bizarrely. I don't like their record all that much, but they were really fantastic live at Moles when I saw them. Great fun and a lot more.

I think Dananana.... at Barden's as well, but the place wasn't really full enough. I'm going to make a big effort to catch a couple of their next live shows, see them tear it up with a full venue.

Otherwise, EITS disappointed me and Black Lips were a bit too tame (but No Age were super), and I'm irritated to have missed the DEP and Boris tours due to some nasty academic deadlines.

Grace Jones @ RFH
My Bloody Valentine @ ICA
Of Montreal @ ATP
Los Campisenos! at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Lykee Li @ ICA

2. World's End Girlfriend at ATP
3. Melt Banana in Leeds
4. Why? in Leeds
5. Frightened Rabbit/Dirty Projectors/Mogwai in Glasgow

Roughly in order.

1. ENVY at ATP. I was actually crying they were so awesome. (emo)
2. MBV at glasgow barrowlands - soooo loud!
3. Merzbow at dmu - leicester...just for the sheer randomness

devo - primavera
music for 18 musicians - royal festival hall
animal collective - atp
envy - atp
mount eerie - manchester
stars of the lid - atp
holy fuck - primavera
my bloody valentine - manchester

Gay For Johnny Depp @ the Barfly - really great fun, one of the best hardcore punk bands ever.

Down I Go/Bats/The Display Team @ Cross Kings - A big group of people screaming 'Turkmenbashi! Father of the Turkmen!' has never sounded so good. Also, The Display Team were incredible. I couldn't stop grinning.

The Night Marchers @ 100 Club - lovely atmosphere, everyone singing along, just wonderful rock 'n' roll.

Alec Empire @ Dingwalls - pure chaos.

it's was brillllliant, one of the best live bands around right now by a country mile

1. Thomas Truax
2. Holy Fuck + ASIWYFA
3. Future Days Festival (High Places, White Williams, Deerhunter, Dan Deacon, Jape - all fantastic)
4. Radiohead
5. Radiohead

Merzbow/ Flower Corsano Duo- The Croft, Bristol
Boris- The Cooler, Bristol
HEALTH- Portland Arms, Cambridge
Dinosaur Jr- ATP EITS, Minehead

Tough call though- runners up would include Fuck Buttons, Whitehouse, Melt Banana/ Rolo Tomassi and MoHa...

6. subtle in the knitting factory, New york city. amazing.

2. Why? at Cargo
3. Animal Collective- Primavera
4. Les Savy Fav- The Astoira
5. Subtle- Cargo (hasn't happened yet but I have every confidence it'll knock whoever was at 5 off the spot next week)

i missed Animal Collective + Deerhunter + Casiotone playing my favourite venue this year either. :(

dam being skint at the wrong times

Lash Frenzy at Sunflower

SFA at New Year’s Eve in RFH (it counts, they went into 2008)– seen them loads of times but this was one of the few that they really interacted with the crowd and seemed in their element. 3 sets too.

Holy Fuck in Music Hall of Willamsburg – didn’t know what to expect. Got lots of fun. Great venue too.

Franz Ferdinand at The Point – totally in their element, one of the few gigs I've been to (Radiohead an exception too) where the new stuff went down as well as the old stuff - fantastic crowd.

Queens of the Stone Age. Always great live. Unfortunately JoHo didn’t offer to fuck me in the ass.

this year has been more notable for gigs I've not been able to go to than gigs I actually saw, in some respects - missed out on ATPs, Broken Social Scene, Mt Eerie and Xiu Xiu because of exams, and Les Savy Fav and Why? because of cancellations.

Still, here's my top 3:

The Hold Steady at Koko in February. Just perfect in every way.

TTNG/Mimas/4or5Magicians at the Cellar in May. Three great bands in the best venue in Oxford = really good night.

Low at the Union Chapel. Awesome setting, good setlist and everything sounded amazing.

But that would be in my top five gigs of my life so there is no point me saying any others in this thread.

Mountie Eerie - Kro Bar
RZA + pre-gig talk - Academy 2
Man Man - Scubar
Aids Wolf - Star & Garter
Gang Gang Dance - Cargo

There's probably others, but those spring to mind most readily.

Radiohead @ LCCC this year. What have I been doing!

bjork (wolverhampton)
xiu xiu (manchester)

and times new viking in bristol because of the partyfuntimez afterwards as well.

in no particular order...

* IWACS, rolo tomassi and pictures at the little civic
*Devil Sold His Soul, Mirimar disaster and Our Man In The Bronze Age at the pitz
*65daysofstatic, errors, gay for johnny depp, at wulfrun hall (I think thats what it's called)

sigur ros in westminster was probably my favourite so far.
but british sea power in canvey was amazing too.
and even though it was at a festival, i still think eluvium at atp was the best 45 minutes of anything ive ever seen.

- MBV at Manchester Apollo
- Future of the Left at Bodega Social
- Minus at Rock City

1) Radiohead (LCCC)
2) My Bloody Valentine (Glasgow 2nd night)
3) JoFo (Edinburgh, back in Jan)

special mention for JoFo, stumbled upon the gig by chance and they were such a breath of fresh air

Finnnne

1. Man Man @ ATP
2. Ruby Suns @ Great Escape (KING & QUEEN)
3. of Montreal @ ATP
4. Los Campesinons @ ATP
5. Final Fantasy @ Forum

Although I think FOTL should be there

Neil Young yesterday
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in May....

gay against you at club motherfucker
prurient at bardens
fuck buttons at the ica
richard youngs at the cross kings
boris at cargo
david thomas broughton at green note
pink reason at bardens
casiotone for the painfully alone at bush hall
library tapes/james blackshaw/dead rat orchestra at gramaphone
black dice/family underground/chops at cargo
bjork at hammersmith apollo
old time relijun/magik markers at cargo
japanese new music festival at corsica studios
talibam at whitechapel art gallery
high places/telepathe at cafe oto
justice yeldham at old blue last
afrikan boy at bardens

a good year so far.

@ Westminster Central hall, hands down

It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. In full. Live.

1. Lupen Crook - Islington Bar Academy 24/01
2. Art Brut - Bristol Trinity Centre 01/02
3. Kid Harpoon - Clwb Ifor Bach 09/03

I think.

Johnny Foreigner at Abandon Ship.
The Mae Shi at Thekla.
Man Man at Start the Bus.
Oxford Collapse at Barden's.

No Age & Black Lips @ Thekla
White Denim @ Louisianna
Elbow @ Colston Hall
Black Angels @ Fleece
Clinic @ Thekla

but top 5 at the moment for me:

Stars of the Lid @ Leeds Holy Trinity
Pissed Jeans @ Leeds Fenton
DJ Scotch Egg @ Sonar, Barcelona
Harmonia @ ATP
Public Enemy @ Manchester Academy

is the one which first stood out in my memory when i saw this thread title so it must be that.

erm...

seeing The Music in the tiny Roadhouse venue in Manchester after waiting for three years to see them live again!

iLiKETRAiNS in the same venue, they just seem to make me pour out all my emotions, pretty affecting band

and Radiohead I guess!

1. Efterklang – Corporation, Sheffield
2. British Sea Power - Primavera
3. Banjo Or Freakout – Monto Water Rats
4. Fuck Buttons - Primavera
5. The Cribs - that 'Be Safe' song -Primavera

1. my bloody valentine - once at ica, 4 times at roundhouse
2. bjork - hammersmith apollo
3. neil young - hammersmith apollo
4. the national - atp
5. devo / shellac - primavera

what a year :D

of the best years for gigs I have ever had, and we are only in July!

1. Neil Young at Hammersmith Apollo
2. Gang of Four w/Tom Tom Club at the Royal Festival Hall
3. Devo at Primavera
4. Robert Hood at Primavera
5. My Bloody Valentine at the Roundhouse

mae shi @ gramophone
casiotone @ luminaire
lovvers & war pigs (purely for fun value)
talibam! @ whitechapel art gallery
los campesinos! @ atp
times new viking & no age @ barden's
xiu xiu @ ulu
mt eerie, no kids, thee oh sees @ cafe oto
new bloods @ barden's
gentle friendly & health @ white heat
why? @ cargo

what a brilliant lineup, almost all the bands (magik markers & correcto excepted) were outstanding.

MBV @ Roundhouse, 2nd time round - better sound, more amps, more destruction.

Low in Brighton, wonderful setting, brilliant set, band on top form.

other highlights:
casiotone for the painfully alone
dananananaykroyd & johnny foreigner - every time i've seen either of them has been great.

1. Shy Child - The Cockpit
2. Old Romantic Killer Band - Brudenell Social Club
3. This Et Al - The Cockpit
4. i Concur - Brudenell Social Club
5. Whiskycats - TJs Woodhouse Club

Could maybe be best gig ever.

Bjork - Hammersmith (this would win any other year)

Joint third: Radiohead (victoria park / werchter) REM (werchter) and Justice (yet again werchter).

Breeders were really good in Nottingham trent as well.

1. Orchestre Tout Puissants Marcel Duchamp, Brixton Windmill (just a really quite stunning revelation)

2. Chrome Hoof/Rolo Tomassi/Gay Against You, Club Academy (dancing around in a box, generally good memories)

3. MBV, Apollo (yeah)

4. Sunset Rubdown, ATP (music was ace, girl I was with lovely)

5. Cats In Paris, Brainlove all-dayer (great band, great people)

Glass Candy at ATP (I'd waited something like 5 years to see them, I had an idiot grin plastered on my face throughout)
Mae Shi & Dan Deacon at Dot to Dot
MBV at the Roundhouse
Chromatics at Cafe 1001

was probably championship kickboxer in sheffield.

mae shi and jofo were both excellent, but the crowds were a bit meh

something i'd been wishing I could do for YEARS. Dream come true gig.
Dananananaykroyd and Copy Haho at Sleazys (again) SUCH. GOOD. TIMES. "You just like getting in the way, don't you, hen?". Fucking brilliant.
Also, Mae Shi/Johnny Foreigner at Barfly. It was good for the following reasons:
1-Johnny Foreigner are always always amazing. ALWAYS.
2- The way Mae Shi appeared out of nowhere, singing.
3- parachute!
4- I played a cymbal. This was actually really embarassing because i have absolutely no rhythm, and i think i just really irritated the members of the band more than anything
5- i met my best friend there - i had no idea she'd be there! The fact that I had not seen her in over two months and I was really missing her made it all the better.

Fingers crossed there'll be more brilliance later in the year.

2. Jesus and Mary Chain at Roundhouse
3. Liars at Koko
4. Deerhunter at Koko

was so overwhelmingly good, ive never seen a band play so well and put so much into it