Best Live Shows of 2006
The HowWasTheShow staff are putting together a story for Rift Magazine that lists our favorite live local shows that we saw this year, and it got me thinking about all of the great local and national performers that I was able to see live in 2006. I'm not going to rank these since I am just listing them as they pop into my head, but if you get the chance I would highly recommend making time to see this bands/artists play live.
So here they are, in no particular order. The best live shows I saw in 2006:
The Mad Ripple Hootenanny
Java Jack's, Every Friday since November 3
It's not often that you get the chance to see a former Jayhawk make his way clumsily through a song he just wrote, or watch your friends get plucked from the audience to go up on a tiny makeshift stage to join in on the action of a totally unamplified, unscripted show. Hosted by The Mad Ripple (mad music scribe Jim Walsh), these shows are becoming must-see events. Where else in town can you descend the back stairs of an unassuming coffeeshop and find yourself thrown into a world that resembles Greenwich Village, circa 1963? Or maybe it's your friend's rec room, circa now, complete with bottles of whiskey being passed slyly around the room and taunts being thrown between performers and revelers. Every time I have gone down those stairs it's been a memorable evening, and I plan to go back as often as I can before the thing implodes on itself or gets ruined by the normies.
Jose Gonzalez
Cedar Cultural Center, June 23
It was an unexpectedly emotional night: I went from skeptical spectator to adoring fan of Gonzalez in about the time it took him to finish his first song, and I was crying by the fifth one into the set. The pin-drop silence of the Cedar and the way that Gonzalez held the room in the palm of his hand with only the use of his distinctive voice and acoustic guitar was something I had never witnessed before -- or at least not with as much intensity. And by the time he got around to playing a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Hand on Your Heart," it was all over. I was sunk. "I want to hear you tell me you don't want my love/Put your hand on your heart and tell me it's all over/I won't believe it till you/Put your hand on you heard and tell me that we're through."
Planes for Spaces
400 Bar, March 24
I wasn't quite sold on the idea of Planes for Spaces when I heard their disc -- the sound was a bit too ambiancey and wandering for my taste -- but when I saw them live, I was totally captivated. The band jerks through time signatures and syncopations so professionally that I couldn't help but let my jaw drop at points and let out involuntary yells of "Yeeeeah," and bass player Tony Najm was especially riveting with his facial contortions and screams. Najm went on later in the year to accept a permanent bass position with the Alarmists, which was an excellent move for both parties. Planes for Spaces was on a bit of a hiatus through the bulk of 2006 but lead singer Joe January has indicated that there will more shows from them in 2007.
Electropolis plays Metropolis
Southern Theater, February 19
A clip from my review of the show: "From the back of the theater, Bill Mike played an almost psychedelic guitar solo that highlighted a dream sequence scene in the film, and transitioned nicely into more trance-inducing beats from Electropolis. The evening climaxed toward the end of the film, as the tensions rose on screen the musicians responded with a growing, anxious electric beat and the shrieking pangs of cello from Jelloslave at the back of the room. More students from the Perpich Arts High School trickled out into the aisles of the theater, swinging hose-like whirring tubes like lassos above their heads and creating a high-pitched humming that penetrated the room like a chorus of angry little flies. A riot on screen was reflected in the chaotic noise bouncing throughout the theater, and in that moment the attendees got to experience true, organic surround sound."
P.O.S. CD Release Show
7th Street Entry, January 31
The push and pull of a stuffed-full 7th Street Entry. The smell of sweat and spilled beer and anticipation. The sweet sounds of the Cities' best hip-hop played set after set until two in the morning on a Monday. It was a memorable event when P.O.S. sold out the Entry to play his first of two local release shows for this year's stellar Audition, one of those shows you know you will never see again because it occurred at that exact moment when the artist realized that they are bigger and quite a bit more popular than they originally thought. Joined by Heiruspecs, Doomtree, Digitata and Passions, the release show was more of an emotion than it was a performance: Stef Alexander (P.O.S.) paced the stage in awe, repeatedly telling "I can't believe this is happening," while 250 of his closest friends got ready to usher him into would be a banner year for the rising local star.
Ani DiFranco with Hammell on Trial
Cedar Cultural Center, April 22
DiFranco is admittedly one of my favorites, so I went into this show with the kind of excitement and giddiness that accompanies seeing someone you've followed for years, but this particular performance was downright hysterical. After admitting that she had spent the last year falling in love and taking some time for herself, DiFranco bantered with audience and made jokes -- and it was a bit surreal to see someone who is normally regarded as "the angry feminist folk singer" laugh so lightheartedly at herself and the world. Of course, it wouldn't be a true Ani show without some political commentary, and opener Hammell on Trial did a great job setting the tone for social awareness and outrage toward injustice and ignorance. "It's not getting any easier to write political songs," DiFranco remarked about her opener, "but man does the world need 'em.”
Tim O'Reagan
In-Store at Electric Fetus, June 30; Stasiu's, July 26; 400 Bar, December 2
I'm a little... how should I say this... well, I'm a little obsessed with Tim O'Reagan this year. Ever since I fell in love with the track "Tampa to Tulsa" on the Jayhawk's last album, I have been craving more from O'Reagan and this year I got it in spades. Tim's solo album is remarkable, easily the best local record I heard this year, and I saw him live every chance I got. He was a bit shaky at first, clearly uncomfortable with being in the spotlight, but by the time he had toured around the country and came back for his show at the 400 Bar earlier this month his live presence had improved exponentially. His latest performance was a showcase of all of his great work: from the Leatherwoods songs of the mid-'90s to a few Jayhawks tunes to his new record, it's painstakingly clear that O'Reagan knows how to craft a great song.
Honorable mentions (click for reviews):
So here they are, in no particular order. The best live shows I saw in 2006:
The Mad Ripple Hootenanny
Java Jack's, Every Friday since November 3
It's not often that you get the chance to see a former Jayhawk make his way clumsily through a song he just wrote, or watch your friends get plucked from the audience to go up on a tiny makeshift stage to join in on the action of a totally unamplified, unscripted show. Hosted by The Mad Ripple (mad music scribe Jim Walsh), these shows are becoming must-see events. Where else in town can you descend the back stairs of an unassuming coffeeshop and find yourself thrown into a world that resembles Greenwich Village, circa 1963? Or maybe it's your friend's rec room, circa now, complete with bottles of whiskey being passed slyly around the room and taunts being thrown between performers and revelers. Every time I have gone down those stairs it's been a memorable evening, and I plan to go back as often as I can before the thing implodes on itself or gets ruined by the normies.
Jose Gonzalez
Cedar Cultural Center, June 23
It was an unexpectedly emotional night: I went from skeptical spectator to adoring fan of Gonzalez in about the time it took him to finish his first song, and I was crying by the fifth one into the set. The pin-drop silence of the Cedar and the way that Gonzalez held the room in the palm of his hand with only the use of his distinctive voice and acoustic guitar was something I had never witnessed before -- or at least not with as much intensity. And by the time he got around to playing a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Hand on Your Heart," it was all over. I was sunk. "I want to hear you tell me you don't want my love/Put your hand on your heart and tell me it's all over/I won't believe it till you/Put your hand on you heard and tell me that we're through."
Planes for Spaces
400 Bar, March 24
I wasn't quite sold on the idea of Planes for Spaces when I heard their disc -- the sound was a bit too ambiancey and wandering for my taste -- but when I saw them live, I was totally captivated. The band jerks through time signatures and syncopations so professionally that I couldn't help but let my jaw drop at points and let out involuntary yells of "Yeeeeah," and bass player Tony Najm was especially riveting with his facial contortions and screams. Najm went on later in the year to accept a permanent bass position with the Alarmists, which was an excellent move for both parties. Planes for Spaces was on a bit of a hiatus through the bulk of 2006 but lead singer Joe January has indicated that there will more shows from them in 2007.
Electropolis plays Metropolis
Southern Theater, February 19
A clip from my review of the show: "From the back of the theater, Bill Mike played an almost psychedelic guitar solo that highlighted a dream sequence scene in the film, and transitioned nicely into more trance-inducing beats from Electropolis. The evening climaxed toward the end of the film, as the tensions rose on screen the musicians responded with a growing, anxious electric beat and the shrieking pangs of cello from Jelloslave at the back of the room. More students from the Perpich Arts High School trickled out into the aisles of the theater, swinging hose-like whirring tubes like lassos above their heads and creating a high-pitched humming that penetrated the room like a chorus of angry little flies. A riot on screen was reflected in the chaotic noise bouncing throughout the theater, and in that moment the attendees got to experience true, organic surround sound."
P.O.S. CD Release Show
7th Street Entry, January 31
The push and pull of a stuffed-full 7th Street Entry. The smell of sweat and spilled beer and anticipation. The sweet sounds of the Cities' best hip-hop played set after set until two in the morning on a Monday. It was a memorable event when P.O.S. sold out the Entry to play his first of two local release shows for this year's stellar Audition, one of those shows you know you will never see again because it occurred at that exact moment when the artist realized that they are bigger and quite a bit more popular than they originally thought. Joined by Heiruspecs, Doomtree, Digitata and Passions, the release show was more of an emotion than it was a performance: Stef Alexander (P.O.S.) paced the stage in awe, repeatedly telling "I can't believe this is happening," while 250 of his closest friends got ready to usher him into would be a banner year for the rising local star.
Ani DiFranco with Hammell on Trial
Cedar Cultural Center, April 22
DiFranco is admittedly one of my favorites, so I went into this show with the kind of excitement and giddiness that accompanies seeing someone you've followed for years, but this particular performance was downright hysterical. After admitting that she had spent the last year falling in love and taking some time for herself, DiFranco bantered with audience and made jokes -- and it was a bit surreal to see someone who is normally regarded as "the angry feminist folk singer" laugh so lightheartedly at herself and the world. Of course, it wouldn't be a true Ani show without some political commentary, and opener Hammell on Trial did a great job setting the tone for social awareness and outrage toward injustice and ignorance. "It's not getting any easier to write political songs," DiFranco remarked about her opener, "but man does the world need 'em.”
Tim O'Reagan
In-Store at Electric Fetus, June 30; Stasiu's, July 26; 400 Bar, December 2
I'm a little... how should I say this... well, I'm a little obsessed with Tim O'Reagan this year. Ever since I fell in love with the track "Tampa to Tulsa" on the Jayhawk's last album, I have been craving more from O'Reagan and this year I got it in spades. Tim's solo album is remarkable, easily the best local record I heard this year, and I saw him live every chance I got. He was a bit shaky at first, clearly uncomfortable with being in the spotlight, but by the time he had toured around the country and came back for his show at the 400 Bar earlier this month his live presence had improved exponentially. His latest performance was a showcase of all of his great work: from the Leatherwoods songs of the mid-'90s to a few Jayhawks tunes to his new record, it's painstakingly clear that O'Reagan knows how to craft a great song.
Honorable mentions (click for reviews):
- Atmosphere at First Ave, September 30
- Mason Jennings at the Orpheum, June 24
- Ike Reilly at Station 4, June 3
- Benefit for Conrad at First Ave, September 6
- TOMHANKS at Club Underground, January 14
- Mark Mallman at the Turf Club, February 18
- Tracy Bonham and Martha Wainwright at the Fitzgerald, March 11
- The Fantastic Merlins at the Dakota, April 17
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