radiohead old trafford cricket ground 2017

Best Gigs of 2017

2017 was a great live music year for me. There was a healthy dose of nostalgia – I got to see Radiohead for the first time, experience the Flaming Lips at their euphoric best, and dance very hard indeed to the Avalanches – singing along to songs that had soundtracked various chapters in my life. There was also the stunning Frank Ocean, the fabulous funky goddess Nao, the world-weary and wise Jonwayne with such graceful deadly flow. Richard Dawson and Marisa Anderson were primal forces, powerful and life-affirming.  Ian William Craig and David Moore were ethereal and transcendent. The Bristol s’s were strong with  Scalping, Slonk and Stereocilia all delivering great sets throughout the year. There was even joy to be found in sharing a bottle or two of red on the Liverpool docks with an old friend as John Cale and co battled with the worst sound I have ever experienced at a gig.

I’d like to take the opportunity to offer a sincere thank you to those promoters, venues and musicians in Bristol and beyond that continue to do what they do for the love of the music. With independent venues across the country shutting down or facing closure, and promoters struggling to breakeven when putting on shows, I’m truly thankful that you continue to do what you do.

 

1. Radiohead

4th July – Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester

2. Frank Ocean & Nao 

10th June – Parklife Festival, Manchester

3. The Flaming Lips

23rd January – Brixton Academy, London

flaming lips brixton academy 2017

4. The Avalanches

20th June – Motion, Bristol

5. Jonwayne

14th March, The Lantern, Bristol

6. Richard Dawson

23rd June – Fiddlers, Bristol

7. Marisa Anderson

7th November – Southbank Club, Bristol

Marisa Anderson southbank bristol

8. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

13th September – Thekla, Bristol

9. Lambchop

17th August – The Fleece, Bristol

10. De La Soul

24th February – Colston Hall, Bristol

11. Daniel Bachman & Jake Xeres Fussell

30th April – Centrespace, Bristol

12. Ian William Craig & Matana Roberts

11th May – The Cube, Bristol  

matana roberts ian william craig cube gig

13. Holy Fuck & Scalpings

22nd August – The Lantern, Bristol

14. Micah P. Hinson & The Saxophones

1st October – The Lantern, Bristol

15. Bing & Ruth

17th November – The Lantern, Bristol

16. Irma Vep

St. James Wine Vaults, Bath

irma vep wine vaults bath

Click to see my albums of the year 2017.

About the author

Tom Spooner

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