Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Michelle's Picks for Best Concerts of the Decade

10. The Rapture at El Rey (November 15, 2003)

9. The Faint at the Mayan Theatre (November 14, 2004)

8. A Camp at the Troubadour (June 15, 2009)
This probably would have been higher on my list if I saw the show back in my childless days, when I had energy and could form sentences after dark. It was still great though.

7. Royksopp and Annie at Avalon (September 13, 2005)
Dance party!

6. Jens Lekman at the Troubadour (November 10, 2007)
I will never forget all those beautiful little Swedes dancing around the stage in their white embroidered dresses. I think it was the most heart-warming show I've ever been to.

5. !!! and Future Pigeon at the Henry Fonda (July 28, 2004)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've never seen so many people on stage at once as during Future Pigeon's set.

4. The Hives at the Henry Fonda (August 2, 2004)
Each one of those Swedes has more energy than both of my hyperactive children combined.

3. Jens Lekman and Richard Swift at Spaceland (October 28, 2005)
Most people left after Richard Swift, so Jens pretty much played for just me, Tom, and a handful of other people. He walked around the "crowd" with his ukulele, and we even got to meet him afterwards and tell him how we had been waiting for YEARS for him to come play in LA.

2. The Cardigans at the Troubadour (May 25, 2004)
When Nina Persson came on stage, the first time I ever got to see my idol in person, I shed a single warm and heavy tear of happiness.

1. Fischerspooner at the House of Blues LA (September 21, 2003)
This show was so amazing that it literally intoxicated me. Literally. I came home and vomitted after the show... and I wasn't sick or drunk.

7 comments:

Paul said...

I remember that Hives show well - one of the best lives bands I've ever seen. I'm trying to think of any other band that is equally charming and antagonistic.

Was that Faint show the one with Les Savy Fav opening? I can't remember if that was at the Fonda or the Mayan. What a show. My first Tim Harrington experience, and the Faint were, and remain, genuinely scary; still can't believe they hail from Omaha.

Unknown said...

Sounds like a fun year Michelle! Are there any Swedish bands you didn't get to see this year! =) Miss you guys...we should all go have lunch at Malibu Gardens again for old times sake sometime!

michelle mcmahon said...

I don't think it was the Faint show with Les Savy Fav. Tom will probably remember.

Nate, these are my picks for the decade, not the year. I only saw two concerts this whole year... if I leave my house after dark, it's usually in my sweatpants to go to Target to buy childen's Tylenol or chocolate milk and peanut butter crackers since Tommy won't stop screaming about them.

Ricky said...

These shows all sound terrific. The Annie + Royksopp combo sounds terrific, and seeing The Cardigans would've been amazing, too.

Plus, I want to get the kind of intoxication from music without actually imbibing in adult beverages. How fascinating.

Thanks for sharing!

Thomas McMahon IV said...

The Faint show with Les Savy Fav was at the Fonda. At the Mayan, T.V. on the Radio opened.

So many great shows.

Unknown said...

Oops..ok, yeah well still a fun decade! Hope you guys are well!

Chris said...

Great idea for a top 10 list Michelle . . . I just might have to steal it! Unfortunately, I didn't make it to any of these shows. Many of them sounded life-changing. I love it when that happens.