Top 10 Live Performances of the Year

2014 was a great year for live music. The GroundSounds team was treated to dozens of unique shows at many different venues. Brendon Goldwasser & Jake Craney each chose their favorite five shows to create our year-end list of the Top 10 Live Performances of the Year.

Jake Craney

2014 was an incredible year for live music. I saw more shows than I have in the last 5 years combined, and still didn’t scratch the surface of what I could have seen (still kicking myself for buying a ticket for Anberlin’s final tour and not making it). I saw a huge variety of live music, with many amazing shows that didn’t make this list, like Slow Magic, CHVRCHES, Magic Man, Smallpools, Augustana, Prides, Sir Sly, The 1975, Glass Towers and on and on and on.

Here are the 5 shows that truly stood out this year, in no particular order:

Empires at The Troubadour, September 17

The Troubadour is my favorite venue. It’s an intimate setting where you’re never more than 30 feet from the performers and the crew always does a great job with sound. Empires released one of my absolute favorite albums of the year, Orphan. So this show was bound to make the list. Empires infused the classic soul of rock n’ roll into their fresh sound and their performance was crisp, commanding, and brought the songs to a new level. Would love to see these guys headline a big show next year.

 

Clockwise at The Sayers Club, March 29

Andy Clockwise: the name came out of nowhere for me. An Australian import with a new EP out and not much buzz yet in the States. What I would come to learn is that this guy is as dynamic of a performer as I’ve ever seen. Taking his cue from the great live rock acts of generations past, Clockwise was a rogue wave of energy, charisma, and passion. I don’t have the appropriate words to describe his performance, other than it was unforgettable. Even though it was back in the Spring, I still remember this show like it was yesterday.

 

St. Lucia at The Fonda, Oct 17

Oh the lights! The terrific light show accompanying St. Lucia’s grand performance created a special atmosphere. This was the second time this year I saw St. Lucia supporting their debut album When The Night, and I was impressed that they actually improved their live show in a few short months. It was great before, but this time was even better. The songs even bigger, the lights even brighter, and the performance even more memorable. Fantastic live band.

 

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness at The Fonda, Oct 15

I last saw Andrew 10 years ago with Something Corporate after North came out. It’s crazy how time flies. Seeing him at The Fonda was nostalgic and completely fresh at the same time. His energy is still up at an Energizer Bunny type level, and his command of the piano and the stage is excellent. Weaving through new songs, Jack’s songs, and even some SoCo favorites, Andrew was able to create a set-list that pleased everyone, including myself. What a great night of music – I could have watched him go for hours.

 

HAIM at The Wiltern, Aug 8

I loved their debut album and was expecting a nice show. What I didn’t realize was that these ladies are unquestioned rock stars on stage. The songs sounded huge, their energy was contagious, and they commanded the stage in an unexpectedly great way. Seeing them live only made me appreciate that album and their music even more.

 

Brendon Goldwasser

I can’t believe it’s already time to do this! As Jake said, 2014 was an incredible year for music and live music. I would say that I saw some of the best shows of my life during this past year, and while I still didn’t make it out to every tour that came through Los Angeles, I still managed to see a huge variety of live music, with many amazing shows that didn’t make this list like Spoon, Chet Faker, Earl Sweatshirt, Grimes, Caribou, De Lux, Galantis, Tycho, Jon Hopkins, and many more. Also saw some amazing emerging international acts at Culture Collide this year. Needless to say, this year, while having our typical mainstream pop shoved down our throat by mainstream media, was increasingly positive when it came to the birth of inventive, original, and unique groups and artists coming onto the scene.

Here are the 5 shows that truly stood out this year, in no particular order:

Chromeo at The Shrine, October 9

Not only did Wave Racer open up the set with infectious synth-infused hip-hop and electro-pop chillness with every beat and instrumental production he dropped, but then we got treated to an incredibly full and vibrant set from Chromeo. They played mostly new songs from their recent release White Women, but towards the end of the gig they played some solid crowd pleasers like “Night By Night,” “Momma’s Boy,” “Fancy Footwork,” and my personal favorite “BonafiedLovin.” It was an incredible evening and unforgettable experience. Truly one of my favorite performances of the year and of my life thus far.

 

S. Carey at The Troubadour, July 7

When it comes to S. Carey, there really is no better word to describe is live performance than the words powerful and emotional. Hailing from the band that has toured and recorded with Bon Iver, it’s no surprise that he carries the same passion for intricate builds, smart lyrics, and unique instrumentation and timing. Tempos vary, but the whole set contained some of his most heavenly cinematic work. That is what his music does. It creates a picture of a memory for you, either of something in your life that happened or something you hope might happen one day. The set contained stand-out tracks from his most recent full length Range of Light, including “Crown The Pines,” “Alpenglow,” and “Glass/Film.” The entire audience was entranced by his smooth lullabies, intuitive harmonies, and tight percussion. Easy pick here.

 

Goldroom at El Rey, May 31

I had been a fan of Goldroom ever since hearing the sun-drenched single “Fifteen.” Something about this music just puts a smile on my face and my worries drift away into the West coast sunset. Led by front man Josh Legg, this wasn’t just any regular show. They had been working on this “new” show and this was their official return show to LA, so that alone led me to believe this would be an epic live experience. The show included fellow Vitalic Noise artist Chela on vocals. There was an awesome guest appearance by the one and only Mereki who was a featured vocalist on the hit single “Only You Can Show Me,” which she came out to sing with Chela. I’m also rarely front row at shows, but for this one, I ended up right up front. The whole audience became like a moving, living organism that shifted and danced based upon the song. The sounds, the lights, and the energy of Josh and his band was just unreal. I’ll remember this show for many many years.

 

SBTRKT at Belasco Theatre, October 16

I still see this show in my head whenever I listen to his music. Definitely another easy pick here with this one. I’ve been a huge fan of SBTRKT and his edgy, experimental electronic music since hearing the song “Wildfire.” The anticipation for his newest album release was almost too much, and he definitely did not disappoint. This was his second show during his two-night stint at The Belasco Theater in Downtown LA, as part of his Wonder Where We Land tour in support of the recently released album of the same name. He brought out emerging rapper and collaborator Raury for the single “Higher” and the whole crowd went nuts. The venue was perfect for this type of music, as some of his music has a bigger, clubby feel, but others are reminiscent of classical pieces of music. I highly recommend checking him out live if he comes through your neck of the woods. It was truly a visually entertaining show, as much as it was a great concert.

 

Jungle at The Echo, March 17

I’ll close out my list with one of my favorite groups of 2014, Jungle. I was hooked with Jungle from the minute I heard “Platoon” and “The Heat.” I just knew that they would be adored by all, for their sound was as infectious as they come. Their vocals are layered in a way that creates such interesting space. The synths in their songs aren’t overpowering, and the real instrumentation shows that they have rehearsed and practiced so much so that they are almost perfect on stage, not missing a beat. Having just released a few tracks and new single, this show was before their full-length was even out.

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