Random Thoughts: My Year in Review
Happy New Year to all of my readers! Another year has come and gone. Just like 2018, 2019 was spectacular when it came to music.
I saw some amazing shows this year: The Foreign Resort, Valerie June, Kaelan Mikla, ACTORS, Metric and Chvrches (at the Basilica Block Party despite being surrounded by assholes), Echo Signal (local band), Brandi Carlile (w/Mavis Staples), Massive Attack, The HU, Hatchie, Heart w/Joan Jett, Sleater-Kinney, Rhiannon Giddens, and Clan of Xymox. So thrilled I finally got to see Clan of Xymox live. CoX was one of those bands on my bucket list and now I can say I have seen them live. Same can be said about Massive Attack with Elizabeth Fraser and Horace Andy for their show which was pushed back to the fall because a band member fell ill earlier this year. As far as my favorite concert goes, hands down my favorite show of 2019 was The HU. That show really wowed me between the live show and the fact that a relatively new band could be selling out shows prior to the release of their debut album which came out a few days after I saw them at The Fine Line. I was fortunate to get pretty close to the stage so I could see the band and their beautiful traditional Mongolian instruments.
Warning, personal rant: I would like to go on record that I would never have gone to the Basilica Block Party had Chvrches and Metric not been on the bill. That was the worst concert experience ever because: A) I am a short person, B) the combination of hot summer sun and alcohol, and C) the beginning of Metric's set was garbage I couldn't understand shit the band's singer (which I do not fault her for but the sound system), eventually the song did get better. Not sure which I hated more that the only way I got closer to the stage was two douchebags (i.e white men) got into a fight and I got knocked towards the stage or being accused by two white women I barged my way through the crowd to get closer to the stage (fortunately someone was watching out for me and she explained to the other women what happened and they apologized later). Chvrches' set was flawless. They had no issues with sound. Would I go back to BBP if Chvrches was invited back? Fuck no! This short person isn't doing that shitfest again.
As far as albums are concerned, 2019 has been amazing. I don't know where to begin other than my taste in music has been all over the board from country music to Mongolian/Scandinavian/German throat-singing, and throw in some hip hop music. My taste in recent years have been evolving. I just don't find a good portion of EBM music interesting at all. Out of curiosity, I listened to the new KMFDM and Combichrist albums. UGH! They were either repetitive or absolute garbage (I.e Combichrist). I still love darkwave music but even that genre is starting to sound too much the same. The most interesting music I have heard this year has been by Yugen Blakrok (rapper), Vagabon, FKA Twigs, Lady Midnight (local artists), the Mongolian folk/metal band The HU, and country supergroup The Highwomen. Maybe it is my age that is affecting my taste in music or maybe because I am a WOC and I spent so many years going to concerts put on by artists that are white that I crave some diversity in my music. Or maybe my attention span has gotten shorter and my patience for music that sounds too much the same over the years has diminished.
Speaking of country music, thanks to Ken Burns' excellent documentary on country music, I really started listening to country music but the earlier music by The Carter Family, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Sr (and his granddaughter Holly whose music I became a huge fan of). While I still think the genre is annoying AF (well the current country music scene) however the country music of its early years going as far back to The Carter Family is amazing. I love the working class roots of country music but in the last two decades the genre has become a joke.
So far in 2020, I have four concerts to go to. In less than two weeks I will be seeing country soul singer Yola with Amythyst Kiah who contributed to the fantastic Our Native Daughters project last year, a few days later North Mississippi Allstars with Southern Avenue, in May the prog-metal Jinjer, and in September Amaranthe with/Battle Beast and Seven Spires. I am particularly excited about the Amaranthe show because I am doing the meet and greet with the bands. I have been really enjoying the latest Battle Beast album No More Hollywood Endings. It is one of my favorite metal albums of 2019. Of course the year is very young so I am sure there will be more concerts for me to attend.
I saw some amazing shows this year: The Foreign Resort, Valerie June, Kaelan Mikla, ACTORS, Metric and Chvrches (at the Basilica Block Party despite being surrounded by assholes), Echo Signal (local band), Brandi Carlile (w/Mavis Staples), Massive Attack, The HU, Hatchie, Heart w/Joan Jett, Sleater-Kinney, Rhiannon Giddens, and Clan of Xymox. So thrilled I finally got to see Clan of Xymox live. CoX was one of those bands on my bucket list and now I can say I have seen them live. Same can be said about Massive Attack with Elizabeth Fraser and Horace Andy for their show which was pushed back to the fall because a band member fell ill earlier this year. As far as my favorite concert goes, hands down my favorite show of 2019 was The HU. That show really wowed me between the live show and the fact that a relatively new band could be selling out shows prior to the release of their debut album which came out a few days after I saw them at The Fine Line. I was fortunate to get pretty close to the stage so I could see the band and their beautiful traditional Mongolian instruments.
Warning, personal rant: I would like to go on record that I would never have gone to the Basilica Block Party had Chvrches and Metric not been on the bill. That was the worst concert experience ever because: A) I am a short person, B) the combination of hot summer sun and alcohol, and C) the beginning of Metric's set was garbage I couldn't understand shit the band's singer (which I do not fault her for but the sound system), eventually the song did get better. Not sure which I hated more that the only way I got closer to the stage was two douchebags (i.e white men) got into a fight and I got knocked towards the stage or being accused by two white women I barged my way through the crowd to get closer to the stage (fortunately someone was watching out for me and she explained to the other women what happened and they apologized later). Chvrches' set was flawless. They had no issues with sound. Would I go back to BBP if Chvrches was invited back? Fuck no! This short person isn't doing that shitfest again.
As far as albums are concerned, 2019 has been amazing. I don't know where to begin other than my taste in music has been all over the board from country music to Mongolian/Scandinavian/German throat-singing, and throw in some hip hop music. My taste in recent years have been evolving. I just don't find a good portion of EBM music interesting at all. Out of curiosity, I listened to the new KMFDM and Combichrist albums. UGH! They were either repetitive or absolute garbage (I.e Combichrist). I still love darkwave music but even that genre is starting to sound too much the same. The most interesting music I have heard this year has been by Yugen Blakrok (rapper), Vagabon, FKA Twigs, Lady Midnight (local artists), the Mongolian folk/metal band The HU, and country supergroup The Highwomen. Maybe it is my age that is affecting my taste in music or maybe because I am a WOC and I spent so many years going to concerts put on by artists that are white that I crave some diversity in my music. Or maybe my attention span has gotten shorter and my patience for music that sounds too much the same over the years has diminished.
Speaking of country music, thanks to Ken Burns' excellent documentary on country music, I really started listening to country music but the earlier music by The Carter Family, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Sr (and his granddaughter Holly whose music I became a huge fan of). While I still think the genre is annoying AF (well the current country music scene) however the country music of its early years going as far back to The Carter Family is amazing. I love the working class roots of country music but in the last two decades the genre has become a joke.
So far in 2020, I have four concerts to go to. In less than two weeks I will be seeing country soul singer Yola with Amythyst Kiah who contributed to the fantastic Our Native Daughters project last year, a few days later North Mississippi Allstars with Southern Avenue, in May the prog-metal Jinjer, and in September Amaranthe with/Battle Beast and Seven Spires. I am particularly excited about the Amaranthe show because I am doing the meet and greet with the bands. I have been really enjoying the latest Battle Beast album No More Hollywood Endings. It is one of my favorite metal albums of 2019. Of course the year is very young so I am sure there will be more concerts for me to attend.
Comments
Post a Comment