051/ My favourite gigs of 2024
After a few years of exceptional gigging, 2024 felt like a stumble. There’ve been killer shows but fewer overall, and what comes to mind is, this is the first year since the pandemic (since I ‘got back into music’) where I’ve missed a lot of stuff I was keen to hear.
It’s just the usual nonsense really: had tickets then couldn’t go, or didn’t bother, then regretted it. Got in a wozzle trying to justify the cash. I missed Chappell Roan’s Brixton Academy run, despite being onto that album way early. I skipped Julien Baker’s London residency, then Lucy Dacus showed up.
Here in Brighton, a couple of important local all-dayers swished by while I sat at home watching telly, so I still haven’t checked out most of the Goo Records roster. Similarly I still haven’t seen MJ Lenderman for example, had to give away my Garage tickets to Rifa and Jen because I was touring. They weren’t even that into it! I’ve got Chalk tickets for May. I skipped Charli’s arena shows, thinking it was okay having done Primavera (see below) but then madly wished I’d gone. I was too placid at Primavera, caught fewer acts than usual, missed Mitski for example. I even regret not going for it with the Eras Tour, despite the cost.
The best gig I remember from 2024 only existed in a dream I had during summer. It was my dream-state iteration of the band Black Country, New Road performing a rebooted version of Prokofiev’s ‘Peter And The Wolf’, in their typical chamber/prog style, with famous guests. I can’t remember the guests, apart from Greg Davies. I didn’t sing, I was just in the audience.
In real life, here’s what I most loved…
9.5/10+
PJ Harvey in the rain, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Charli XCX launching Brat, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Waxahatchee, Chalk, Brighton
Lisa O’Neill and Britten Sinfonia, Barbican Hall, London
9/10+
Dear Everyone, Cowley Club, Brighton
Atarashii Gakko! Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Maggie Rogers acoustic duo set, Chalk, Brighton
Black Country, New Road, Gaza Benefit, Concorde 2, Brighton
8.5/10+
Charlemagne Palestine, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Dayramir González & Adriana Lord, Unitarian Church, Brighton
Ugly, Chalk, Brighton
William Basinski: Disintegration Loops, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Cubzoa two songs, Slack City Social, Spiegeltent Garden, Brighton
8/10+
Jai Paul, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Yo La Tengo, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Beth Gibbons, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Joanna Sternberg, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Goat Girl, Bearded Theory, wherever that is
Roxanne de Bastion, Hear No Evil, Worthing
Tapir! Concorde 2, Brighton
Lonely Tourist, Totally Acoustic, The King And Queen, London
Lime Garden, Chalk, Brighton
Pog, Cowley Club, Brighton
Abdoujaparov, Bearded Theory, wherever that is
Lambchop piano and voice set, Primavera Sound, Barcelona
Mozart Estate, Shiine On, Minehead
Resolution: in 2025 I’ll say ‘yes’ more often, go on the blag more often, and work harder not to miss things I might love.