Here we go! The annual, sometimes controversial, concert rankings!
Admittedly, this year was a little “lighter”. Only 15 bands ranked this year! But… the tough thing about seeing fewer bands than normal is they’re harder to rank, because frankly, all the shows I saw this year were pretty awesome. So here’s my attempt to rank ’em!
15. Jagwar Twin (Meridian Hall, October 6th 2019)
For everyone reading this over the age of 25, you know when you go to a concert and see an opening band and while you’re sipping your drink it hits you…. you are too old for this band. That’s happened to me a few times, but was pretty evident when Jagwar Twin hit the stage, opening for Avril Lavigne. In this case I realized I was probably old enough to be the mother of anyone a fan of this band…
14. July Talk (Scotiabank Arena, April 26th 2019)
CONTROVERSIAL RANKING ALERT (except if you’re Rob Duffy). I love July Talk, and I love seeing them live. But I can’t put my finger on it, this night wasn’t right. I think it was a combination of the fact they were the opener for Metric, and so they were playing to a near-empty venue. And while July Talk have a huge sound, I am not 100% sure they’re ready for arenas yet, or that it’s the right venue for them at all. The best part of this band is feeling like you’re apart of their frantic energy on stage, and feeling connected. Being in a venue like the Scotiabank Arena puts a lot of physical distance between us and the band. Even when I’ve seen them at festivals it’s felt more intimate. Thankfully, I did also see July Talk another time this year (stay tuned for a special ranking on that), so all was not lost!
13. Avril Lavigne (Meridian Hall, October 6th 2019)
You’re probably thinking, “Tesla, why were you at an Avril Lavigne concert?!” It was a surprise for Sean’s brother, who is a huge fan! I will say… it was a lot of fun rocking out to songs I haven’t heard since high school. It was also really cool to see the next generation of young girls singing along to Avril’s hits. The knock I’d give against her is that her voice isn’t that strong, but she was smart enough to keep her ballads to just a medley to avoid burning out her pipes!
12. Of Monsters and Men (Budweiser Stage, September 11th 2019)
Honestly, everything from Iceland is just so cool. These guys have made the rankings before, and I was really looking forward to this show as I love their latest album, Fever Dream. The atmosphere for this show was interesting – it was a rainy night by the lake, and so there was a fog settling amongst the crowd (thankfully for Kim & I, we were under the roof. Sadly, my buds John & Val were not so lucky). And also… a lot of people were surprisingly drunk for an indie folk/rock concert! Overall, I loved this show. This band are incredibly talented, and they always sound so polished live. My one gripe is there were some “slow” moments through the setlist where I found they kept too many slow songs together, instead of mixing it up with their hits. But anytime I get to dance to “Little Talks” is always a good night in my books!
11. Metric (Scotiabank Arena, April 26th 2019)
So I learned something this year. I learned that when you’re dealing with a lot of emotional stress, you can have next to no recollection of memorable events… and this concert is one of those nights. I actually forgot I attended this concert at all until I was going through my calendar. Thankfully, I make notes (yes I know, I can’t help being Type A), and it helped jog my memory. The main reason, I think, this concert is locked away in my memory bank is because it was unexpectedly emotional. As Emily Haines was singing “No Lights on the Horizon” I realized that the last new CD I brought home for my Dad to listen to was Metric. So cue some tears. Aside from that moment, the other standout memory was “Dressed to Suppress” sounding phenomenal live (I do recall jumping along to that one and belting it out), and the song showcased not only Emily Haines’ incredible talents, but Jimmy Shaw was excellent on guitar. Hopefully, the next time I see them will stick in the forefront a little more!
10. Vampire Weekend (Echo Beach, June 5th 2019)
This concert definitely sticks in my memory – which is ironic because I spent most of the show on my tip-toes trying to see! This would rank as one of the tallest crowds I’ve ever stood in. BUT, they opened with “Harmony Hall” and instantly I didn’t care whether I could see or not! I think Vampire Weekend would win one of the best setlists of the year. Their catalogue is so extensive, there’s always going to be something you don’t hear, but considering this was my first ever show of theirs, I heard all of the heavy hitters. But performance aside, something else made this night memorable. I ended up spending the concert hanging out with my co-worker and friend, Rob Duffy, and a group of his close friends. It was really special getting to hear them reminisce about the previous Vampire Weekend shows they’ve attended, and seeing the bonds this group have. I felt honoured to be with them!
9. The Head and the Heart (Meridian Hall, October 20th 2019)
I seem to have a strange tradition – anytime I run a race, I seem to have a concert either that night or the day before! On this day I got myself out of bed at about 6am to run in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 5km, and somehow I stayed awake long enough to enjoy a concert! But this was a night for celebrating! Our friends John & Val had literally just bought their first home, and it was the first time we could all really sit back and toast. So with all of that as the backdrop, we were able to enjoy a really fun concert. The Head and the Heart are such a perfect mix of country, folk, and rock. They rank, for me, as one of those bands (like Alt-J), that I discovered and fell in love with when I was living on my own and would listen to Indie88 all the time in my little basement apartment. Their hit “Shake” was everywhere on radio, and it immediately brings me back to those times as I discovered who I wanted to be. Whenever I get to see a band like this with Sean, it makes everything feel very “full circle”. Their latest album Living Mirage is definitely their most mature, and in some respects “mainstream”, but I was happy that it translated well on stage. The album was a fixture this summer, as my mom was always blasting it on the stereo whenever we’d visit. Their harmonies as a band are just incredible, and I love the swells in so many of their choruses. To me, their music is happiness and joy, even though so many of their songs are about loss. I guess, in some ways, it’s how I see the beauty in some of life’s toughest moments.
8. Dream Serenade (Roy Thompson Hall, November 2nd 2019)
I thought a lot about how to rank this night. Dream Serenade isn’t a band, but rather it’s a benefit concert put on by the artist Hayden and a slew of guest artists. It was a beautiful night of music and inspiring stories. The concert itself benefits families of children with different physical and developmental disabilities and their caregivers. On the bill, officially, were acts like Donovan Woods, U.S. Girls, Shad, Barenaked Ladies, July Talk and Matt Berninger (lead singer of The National). Alongside these artists, surprise guests made the night feel even more special. Canadian 80’s rock band Rough Trade came out and sang “High School Confidential” with the Barenaked Ladies, Tom Cochrane performed three songs (and even convinced Kevin Drew to come on stage during “Life is a Highway”), and Basia Bulat performed alongside U.S. Girls. This night truly felt like something special and meaningful to so many. And also… it was really funny being in the same concession line as Kevin Drew and Jason Collett! Big thanks to our friends Kevin & Heather for the last minute invite, as I think Sean & I will definitely try to make this a regular on our calendar!
7. Massive Attack (Meridian Hall, September 18th 2019)
This was an anniversary tour, with Massive Attack touring their album Mezzanine for its 20th anniversary. This album was a staple in the Beard household through my early teens. Hearing it immediately takes me back: The song “Protection” is playing, I’m sitting on the couch in my parents’ living room, the lights dimmed with my mom’s 10,000 candles going, and my dad sitting in his favourite chair, beer in hand, legs crossed and his toe tapping along to the beat. I am probably taking fistfuls of chips and trying to figure out where my cat has gone hiding (he used to hate my dad’s stereo). We might have had a hockey game on the TV, or maybe not. People might be visiting, or maybe it’s just the three of us. And then maybe I’d wander back upstairs, because after all it was the heyday of ICQ & mIRC chats, so I probably had people to chat with online. And in so many ways I’m desperate to go back to those times. This concert brought up a lot of those feelings.
Nostalgia aside, Massive Attack put on an incredible stage show. It was a sensory overload with an incredible light show and giant video screen behind the band that played an eclectic mix of videos. Everything from soundwaves, to videos of war torn countries. Mezzanine is, of course, a dark album from a dark time in the band’s history. The show, in so many ways, was perfect for the tone of the album (which has aged incredibly. Give it a listen if you have never heard of this band). My nit-pick moments with the show – at times I felt the vocals were drowned out by the instruments (especially Liz Fraser on “Teardrop” sadly), and I would place a heavy bet that many members of the band still aren’t friendly, as there was little interaction between members. However, getting to hear the aforementioned “Teardrop” live, amongst others, felt like checking a bucket list item off.
6. Joseph (Mod Club, September 24th 2019)
My girls! I flipping love this band. I discovered them at Field Trip, and haven’t looked back since. Their harmonies, their lyrics, and just even their style. If I was in an all-girl band, I would probably want it to be something like Joseph. MC and I had a date night for this show, and it was a fantastic night! We were close (OMG I COULD SEE EVERYTHING. It was glorious), and our favourite three sisters – Natalie, Allie, and Meeghan, were in perfect form with their vocals absolutely filling the room, and Natalie’s guitar playing on point. Their energy on stage is infectious, and as MC so aptly put it – “they are really FEELING every lyric”. I think my favourite part of the night was when Allie coyly asked the Mod Club staff if the disco ball could be lit up for the next song, which happened to be their song “NYE” from their latest album. When the chorus hit, the disco ball started going and it was magical! And yes, this song will be played at our New Year’s Eve party! Again… highly recommend these girls and please check them out if you want a badass blend of folk harmonies with a little rock & roll. (And if you don’t believe me, please watch this video of their song “Green Eyes” and don’t tell me their blend of delicate vocals with all out wails isn’t perfection)
5. Snow Patrol (Danforth Music Hall, May 3rd 2019)
I’ve obviously already written a little bit about this concert in my “12 Days of 2019“, so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much about the emotional weight behind this concert. I’ve only been able to see Snow Patrol once before, and that was over 7 years ago, but Mom & I both agreed they were an incredibly talented band to see live. And this night was no different – with my one complaint being that it felt they ended the night too early (only 17 songs!!) However, I will say the 17 songs they did play were nearly perfect (nearly… except for the fact they didn’t play “Spitting Games” possibly my favourite tune of theirs BUT FINE, I WILL FORGIVE THEM). OK, back to the actual concert… Gary Lightbody’s voice was perfect, and the entire band brought forth a huge amount of energy. Gary even politely asked the crowd to remain quiet during some of their slower songs in order for us all to properly enjoy the moment, something I really appreciated! (In case you haven’t noticed… I hate when people talk through concerts…) It’s really a shame that people only know this band as the “Grey’s Anatomy” band with the song about chasing cars… because they should be selling out arenas (their sound can easily fill one). I guess I should be thankful, though, that I still get to see them in intimate venues! I highly recommend their latest album Wildness, especially the song “Life on Earth” which sounded incredible live. Next time, boys, play a longer set OK??
4. Arkells (Budweiser Stage, June 22nd 2019)
Fourth time seeing these guys in two years, you think I’d be getting sick of them? Well, the former top-ranked band are back in the top five! This year’s outdoor show at the Amp had a Motown theme, and even though some of our friends didn’t enjoy the Motown laced encore, Sean & I had a blast. Also… how can you really top Raptors head coach Nick Nurse coming out to perform?? I mean COME ON. It was PERFECT. The city was still electric from the Raptors win, and this concert really officially kicked summer off. Yes, the encore filled with cover songs meant we didn’t get to hear a lot of Arkells classics… but I am totally OK with it. It was just SO.MUCH.FUN. And memorable, and one of a kind, and something we’ll never experience again! I’ll re-live it all again.
Honourable Mention. F*ck the Bridge (The Great Hall, February 23rd 2019)
Before I get into the top 3, I’d be completely remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to one of the most special performances I was able to witness this year. In case you didn’t read my “12 Days” post, then you would have missed the shoutout to John & Val’s incredible wedding day, featuring a live performance by the bride herself in her band! They performed a three song set of meaningful songs – “Stay” by U2, “Never Thought That This Would Happen” by Arkells, and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness. (Please check out the videos, my words really don’t do justice how awesome it is so see a bride in her dress rocking out on the bass and keyboards, not mention how talented the band is!) My personal favourite “I’m getting chills moment” is always when we watch their Arkells cover and the strings come in. That will stick with me forever.
3. Broken Social Scene (Danforth Music Hall, April 25th 2019)
A year doesn’t feel complete if I haven’t seen BBS live in concert! I’ve begun to lose count, and they’ve made numerous appearances on this list. It’s always hard for me to pass up a chance to see one of my favourite bands perform live. So let’s talk about how the heck this made Top 3. First and foremost – FEIST. She rarely performs with the band anymore, so it’s always special getting to hear her sing some of my favourites like “Hotel” (Side note.. they also brought out Jason Collett! He also NEVER plays with them anymore!!). Now, let me also set the scene for what made this show extra special… They opened with “Pacific Theme” and we were off and running! Except… Kevin Drew’s amp then starting to have issues. The result? An impromptu jam session! Rob & I felt like we were getting to watch a glimpse of what it must be like in the recording studio. It was so much fun, and one of my favourite live BSS moments of all time. The other highlight of the night? Kevin Drew asking everyone to scream to let their demons out. You can bet I yelled the loudest. Spending a night with BSS is like catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen in awhile, but you know they’ve got your back, and you always pick up right where you left off.
2. Tame Impala (Budweiser Stage, July 26th 2019)
Probably THE most anticipated show of the year for not only myself and Sean but also John & Val who joined us on this wonderful Friday night. I had my Dad on my mind a lot before and during this show. We gave my Dad a copy of Tame Impala’s last record Currents, and I don’t think he ever stopped playing it. He and I talked a lot about making sure we’d all go see them live next time they came to town. So it was incredibly bittersweet to be there without him. But, in so many ways, he was still there. From the Budweiser in my hand, to the picture perfect sunset that preceded the concert, to the energy in the air that summer night. The entire concert start to finish was a blast (with a lot more confetti canons than I would have expected!). Absolutely no lulls in the setlist, and the new material sounded incredible. One of the great aspects of Tame Impala is even slower jams like “The Less I Know The Better” still make you sway and feel engaged with the performance (versus running for the concession stand) It was another visually entertaining show with lots of lasers, moving lights – making you feel like you had simultaneously taken drugs and gone to space. (Again, like Massive Attack though, not a fun experience if you’re light sensitive!) The band sounded phenomenal, just like I remembered them from Massey Hall in 2015. We were definitely left wanting more, with so many incredible songs still left on the table (thankfully… we already have tickets to see them again in 2020!)
*drum roll please*
1. White Lies (Mod Club, May 4th 2019)
If I had posted my Spotify summary of 2019 it would have spoiled this result, this year for me has been the year of White Lies. They released their album Five earlier this winter, and it would definitely land as my “Album of the Year”, with the lead single “Tokyo” as one of my favourite songs of the year too. (Oh, and that song sounded incredible live!) I just had an absolute blast at this concert, dancing and belting out tunes. I’ve reflected back on this show the most, and in a heartbeat would go back to this show before all others I saw this year. White Lies are a big sound band playing in small venues, and like Snow Patrol, I wish they could be playing arenas. Their music is built for it (in fact, in Europe they do often play larger shows). In true British rock fashion, they are charming and know how to engage a crowd. Everyone sings along, jumps, and dances. They started out flawlessly – opened with “Time To Give”, slapped us all with the older jam “Farewell to the Fairgrounds”, and then launched into “There Goes Our Love Again” (the song that Sean told me to check out on our first date, which sent me down a spiral of love for this band… and I guess in some ways Sean! Haha). They didn’t let up, until closer “Bigger Than Us” when we all knew it was time to go home. I didn’t want the show to end, and could have gone for another round. My concert of the year with a bullet, and really hope they come back again sooner than later (or who knows, maybe we can catch them in their native England).
That’s it everyone! Thanks for reading! As always, get out there and experience what you love whether it’s concerts, the theatre, whatever! It’ll fuel your soul and lift you up. Take care, and enjoy the holidays! I’ll leave you with White Lies to take us home…
tesla may 