This guy is uploading a bunch of HD videos from the Underworld gig on Bondi Beach on New Year’s Eve. Very cool.

This kind soul has taped and shared his recording of the Fleet Foxes show from Sydney last night. Grab it here.

Thank you!

Wow wow wow. I’d heard Fleet Foxes were tremendous live but I was really impressed by them tonight at the Metro. Walking on stage and launching into Sun Giant and Sun It Rises I realized that this is a band that has arrived on the music scene fully formed. Most bands take years and years to find their own little spot on stages and on records…but Fleet Foxes have nailed it out of the gate.

Those harmonies…well they were simply stunning. But Robin Pecknold’s voice was even better. There seemed to be more passion in the songs live than on the record, which isn’t a criticism of the record, just a testament to what a powerful live performer Pecknold is (reluctant though he may be at times).

It’s hard to pick a highlight in a set that was nearly flawless, but Your Protector definitely needs a mention. It’s actually one of least favourite songs on Fleet Foxes but the band (who are superb in their own right) just breathed so much life into it on stage.

The band played most of Fleet Foxes and the Sun Giant EP but they still had time to throw in a couple extras - both during Pecknold’s solo moments on stage. A cover of Judee Sill’s Crayon Angels was great but it was the traditional Katie Cruel that was probably my favourite moment of the night. Played solo by Pecknold to kick off the encore, the singer unplugged his guitar and moved in front of the mic and played the song straight to the crowd without any form of amplification. It was a truly memorable performance.

The night ended with the Dodos joining Fleet Foxes on stage for Blue Ridge Mountains. With the extra percussion, the song proved to be a fitting, upbeat finale to a great show. As the house lights came up I think nearly everyone in the venue was left wanting more.

I’m pretty certain I will be one of many praising this gig. The enthusiastic crowd hung off every single word and greeted every single song with applause and cheers as if they were old classic tunes we’d been singing since childhood. As my first proper gig of 2009, I could not have asked for a more impressive way to kick off the year.

Setlist
Sun Giant
Sun It Rises
Drops In The River
English House
White Winter Hymnal
Ragged Wood
Your Protector
Crayon Angels (Judee Sill cover)*
Oliver James*
Quiet Houses
He Doesn’t Know Why
Mykonos
———
Katie Cruel (trad.)*
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song*
Blue Ridge Mountains

*Robin Pecknold solo

The Dodos supported and I was initially really impressed with their set. I’m only familiar with one of their songs (Fools, which was damn awesome) but their unique stage setup and powerful percussion were instantly intriguing. As the set wore on I lost a little bit of enthusiasm as too many of the songs felt a bit samey and a number of them needed to find their endings a tad sooner. Having said that, I am definitely going to check out the album.

My photos from the gig are here.

After years of waiting, I finally saw Underworld on New Year’s Eve on Bondi Beach. Waves crashing next to us, stars in the sky, and Underworld on stage proving they are still the world’s most ambitious and engaging electronic musicians and one of the best live bands period.

With the cancellation of Eric Prydz, Shore Thing organizers gave Underworld thirty more minutes on stage which means we were treated to a full, proper Underworld show. We got a trio of early songs (Cowgirl, Spikee, Spoonman) and some stuff that has yet to be released (Small Conker and a Twix, You Do Scribble) and everything in between.

Opening with a lengthy version of Crocodile, Underworld were instantly captivating. As a longtime fan of their music I was keen to see how they would construct a set on New Year’s Eve and was pleased to see they didn’t just play “the hits.” Dropping Spoonman as the second song in the set I took to be a great sign as to where the night was headed. When it was immediately followed by a storming version of Cowgirl/Rez I nearly lost my shit.

Beautiful Burnout, the epic highlight from 2007’s Oblivion With Bells followed. It was at this point obvious that a large portion of the crowd really didn’t care about Underworld (I actually overheard someone say, “Don’t worry, The Presets will be really good.”). Luckily, Amanda and I had found a spot away from the epic douchebaggery of the main crowd and were able to enjoy the lengthy, moody pieces like Beautiful Burnout in relative peace. After this, Karl Hyde, Underworld’s magnetic and youthful-beyond-his-years frontman, read a poem about Sydney before kicking into the aggressive Rowla which led straight into Pearls Girl.

At this point in the evening, the time began to be flashed on the screens on stage as the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight. To accommodate the countdown, Underworld slipped in a concise version of Jumbo before letting the crowd count down to midnight. And then, on the stroke of midnight, two things happened. First, fireworks exploded above the stage. Second, that famous keyboard part from Born Slippy exploded from the stage (here’s a video of the countdown). It was an absolutely perfect way to kick off 2009. I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome it was to finally hear this song live in person.

Throughout the night I was impressed to see how much Karl Hyde continues to command the stage. For a man at the age of 51, he was dancing like a maniac. Clearly feeding off the crowd (who he praised throughout the evening), Hyde did something many electronic musicians really struggle with: he connected with the crowd. All night he danced, bounced, sang, and played guitar as if he was a kid. His energy was infectious.

The last half of Underworld’s set featured quite a bit from my favourite Underworld record, Beaucoup Fish. An extended Push Upstairs followed midnight’s Born Slippy before the band mixed in some unreleased stuff in the form of Small Conker and a Twix/You Do Scribble. From there it was an adrenalin rush of a finish as the band unleashed Two Months Off and a monstrous version of Spikee. The violent pace of King of Snake followed before the band ended the night with a tremendous take on Moaner. The way Moaner builds and builds as Karl races through the lyrics makes it a great way to end a show and last night was no exception.

Underworld had impossible, decade-long, expectations to live up to last night. And somehow, they delivered on every level. An unbelievable way to kick off 2009.

Setlist:
Crocodile
Spoonman
Cowgirl/Rez
Beautiful Burnout
(Sydney Poem)
Rowla
Pearls Girl
Jumbo
Born Slippy .NUXX
Push Upstairs
Small Conker and a Twix/You Do Scribble
Two Months Off
Spikee
King Of Snake
Moaner

Underworld had a great night too, if their blog is anything to go by.

I should point out that Underworld were playing Bondi as part of the Shore Thing festival. You clearly had a douche-free New Year’s, because they were all at this event; it made Underworld’s triumph all the more remarkable. As soon as Underworld left the stage we got the hell out of Bondi as I am no fan of The Presets. The only DJ that really grabbed me was Boys Noize who worked the crowd well (New Order and Feist being his set highlights).

2008 was a pretty memorable year in gigs for me. I saw my favourite band Radiohead a couple times when I was back home in August and tonight I’ll be seeing Underworld for the first time ever. Some Canadians once again made a pretty big splash down here in Australia, while some local Australian and Kiwi acts proved they are among the very best live bands around.

Here are some of my favourite gigs of the 08, in chronological order.

The Drones (acoustic) @ Annandale Hotel
Just as devastating in acoustic mode as they are when they play full-on electric shows.

Sufjan Stevens @ State Theatre
Reminded me why I fell in love with his music in the first place.

Arcade Fire @ Enmore Theatre
Probably the best gig I saw all year. Jaw-droppingly awesome.

Bjork @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt
A magical evening that I have to remind myself actually happened.

Joanna Newsom @ Sydney Opera House
Ms. Newsom with an orchestra playing Ys. Enough said? Thanks for letting us use your seats, National boys.

Broken Social Scene @ Manning Bar
Feist! I still remember how amazing Almost Crimes was.

Feist @ The Metro
We had a little chat.

Broken Social Scene @ Laneway Festival
Stars and Feist and the Broken boys put on a stunning show at Laneway.

Jens Lekman @ Manning Bar
One of the most endearing people making music today.

Baseball @ Spectrum
My first encounter with Baseball is one I won’t soon forget.

Die! Die! Die! @ Oxford Art Factory
Total insanity.

The Polyphonic Spree @ The Metro
Simply joyous.

Radiohead @ Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver
The rain made the quiet bit of Paranoid Android pretty special.

Radiohead @ White River Amptheater, Seattle
Great setlist, some funny moments, and In Limbo.

Sigur Ros @ Hordern Pavilion
Even without the strings, Sigur Ros were as epic as ever.

Goldfrapp @ Sydney Opera House
That voice.

The Drones @ The Metro
If you haven’t yet, you really need to see The Drones live.

Final Fantasy @ The Vanguard
So so so so great.

Photos from most of the gigs here.

2009 is already shaping up to be another memorable one…

While I can totally sympathize with someone who has panic attacks on airplanes (I survive on Xanax when I fly these days), the bright side of Eric Prydz cancelling his Australian tour is that we get an extra 30 minutes of Underworld tonight at Shore Thing in Bondi.

Underworld are the last band left on my Bands I Must See Before I Die list and I still can’t believe I’ll be seeing them tonight. The band will now play a full two hour set, so expect to be blown away by the likes of Born Slippy, King of Snake, Rez/Cowgirl (please!) and others. Amanda and I will be the two people fleeing Bondi the second Underworld come off stage.

Hopefully I am allowed into the event without a southern cross tattooed across my back.

Album #1: Third by Portishead
And to think I wasn’t even anticipating Third. While I’d always kind of liked Portishead, I would not have called myself a huge fan until Third completely blew me away this year. At times the record seems so incredibly fragile (Deep Water) while at other times it comes across as brash and powerful (Machine Gun). But throughout it’s Beth Gibbons’ haunting voice that ties all the disparate sounds together. How crazy is it that after a decade wait, Portishead not only managed to complete a new record, but that it also turned out to be the best album they’ve ever made?

Watch: Portishead - Machine Gun

Song #1: Nail It Down by The Drones
A friend pointed out to me that a lot of the songs on this year’s list are opening tracks off albums so I think it’s fitting that my favourite song of 2008 was yet another. Nail It Down sees The Drones perfectly straddling their two most basic sounds: loud/messy with quiet/gentle. I particularly like the bassline in this one but absolutely everything clicks: the lyrics, those nasty guitars, and Gareth Liddiard’s captivating snarl. The poet laureate of Australia.

Download:
The Drones - Nail It Down (via Polaroids)

—> See the rest of the 25 for 2008 list here.

And that’s it for the list this year. Have a merry Christmas everyone.

Album #2: Havilah by The Drones
I’ve spent a lot of time this year praising this record and this will be the last time. Havilah is, quite simply, a triumph. Another triumph, really, and I’ve run out of words to describe the world of The Drones. Powerful, moving, harrowing, funny, intelligent, important. The Drones are so good it’s scary.

Watch: The Drones - The Minotaur

Song #2: Willow Tree by Chad VanGaalen
A simple melody, lyrics full of vivid imagery, and a perfect vocal delivery. In Willow Tree, Chad VanGaalen has crafted a nearly perfect pop song and one that I will be listening to for years.

Download:
Chad VanGaalen - Willow Tree

—> See the rest of the 25 for 2008 list here.

Album #3: Songs In A&E by Spiritualized
Spiritualized are one of my very favourite bands so any album J. Spaceman puts out is pretty much an event for me; and A&E did not disappoint. Once again Jason Pierce contemplates life, death, love, and drugs while backing it all up with a combination of orchestral pomp and garage rock grittiness. The record takes on an especially eerie aspect given that Pierce himself nearly died while in the process of working on A&E’s material; Death Take Your Fiddle is particularly ominous as the percussion is accompanied by the beeps of hospital machinery. Another triumph for the Spaceman.

Watch: Spiritualized - Soul On Fire

Song #3: Sweet Talk by Spiritualized
The first proper song on A&E, Sweet Talk had one of my favourite lyrics of the year. Seemingly pointed at a certain war monger (although I’m sure a more general interpretation was intended), Jason Pierce unloads his anger over top of one of the (appropriately) sweetest melodies of the year.

Well you sweet talk like an angel
But you’re driving this blind
Why don’t you sweet talk like an angel tonight?

And you sweet talk like an angel
But you’re driving this blind
Why Don’t you sweet talk like an angel tonight?

Watch: Spiritualized - Sweet Talk (live on Jools Holland)

—> See the rest of the 25 for 2008 list here.

Album #4: Dear Science by TV on the Radio
It’s kind of unfair that TV on the Radio possess so many talents and Dear Science puts them all on display: amazing production, innovative vocalists, great lyrics, and the ability to write incredibly sophisticated, yet catchy, songs. I’ve already praised Halfway Home, the album’s opener, but the songs that follow are all of the same calibre. Dear Science cements TVOTR’s status as one of this generation’s most important bands.

Watch: TV on the Radio - Golden Age

Song #4: The Modern Leper by Frightened Rabbit
I’m always a sucker for great opening tracks and The Modern Leper is another one. Perfectly setting up the brutal lyrical focus of The Midnight Organ Fight, The Modern Leper also happens to be one of the finest pop songs of the year.

Well, I am ill
But I’m not dead
And I don’t know which of those I prefer
Because that limb which I have lost
Well, it was the only thing holding me up

Download:
Frightened Rabbit - The Modern Leper

—> See the rest of the 25 for 2008 list here.