Was a busy year..but managed to make three concerts. Here goes.
Metric - One of my favorite "new" bands. Great music..and I wondered how it would translate to the stage. They were fantastic live. To often this type of music produces "shoe gazers" but Metric was quite different. They were happily bouncing around like rock stars and really did a great show.
Die Antwoord/M.I.A - Die Antwoord was extremely tight. Ninja and Yolandi Visser gave a cheeky (Literally) and balls out (almost literally) performance. The sparse stage helped focus on the two DJs who were precise and really on their games. M.I.A. was an embarrassment. Her stage show was as muddled as the sound. She had women in golden Burqas, a neon striped "ninja squad" and a rapper who was medicore..but made M.I.A look bad. The sound was so bad most of the audience left by the third song..including yours truly.
Billy Idol - One of the best shows that I attended. My Girlfriend almost didn't go because she didn't want to see a "middle aged rock star on the decline". She was really surprised. Steve Stevens was back in the line up..and gosh..he hasn't lost his chops. Billy was in fine form, it looks as he's been hitting the gym, got to a vocal coach and lost the crack pipe. Gone was the arrogance of previous shows that I've seen of his..and replaced with a humility that was very endearing. He was also able to charm most of the female audience..including my girlfriend.
Metric - One of my favorite "new" bands. Great music..and I wondered how it would translate to the stage. They were fantastic live. To often this type of music produces "shoe gazers" but Metric was quite different. They were happily bouncing around like rock stars and really did a great show.
Die Antwoord/M.I.A - Die Antwoord was extremely tight. Ninja and Yolandi Visser gave a cheeky (Literally) and balls out (almost literally) performance. The sparse stage helped focus on the two DJs who were precise and really on their games. M.I.A. was an embarrassment. Her stage show was as muddled as the sound. She had women in golden Burqas, a neon striped "ninja squad" and a rapper who was medicore..but made M.I.A look bad. The sound was so bad most of the audience left by the third song..including yours truly.
Billy Idol - One of the best shows that I attended. My Girlfriend almost didn't go because she didn't want to see a "middle aged rock star on the decline". She was really surprised. Steve Stevens was back in the line up..and gosh..he hasn't lost his chops. Billy was in fine form, it looks as he's been hitting the gym, got to a vocal coach and lost the crack pipe. Gone was the arrogance of previous shows that I've seen of his..and replaced with a humility that was very endearing. He was also able to charm most of the female audience..including my girlfriend.
