Lilly Symonds—2024 was the year I saw the most live shows. Having not had the opportunity to see a lot of music prior, this year saw a move that made it a lot easier to see live music, and it is something I have taken full advantage of. I saw so many incredible bands this year, and here are my top 10.
- Mudhoney 28/9/24
Mudhoney have been playing in venues far too small for far too long. The band are natural performers, and watching them blast through over an hour and a half set of songs from across their career proved why. The energy never let up, there was no point where a song didn’t hit or the band lost some steam, it was pedal to the metal at all times. You’d expect that by the end of this very long set, the band would be dipping in energy, but if anything Mark Arm was more engaged than ever as they blasted through those last few songs. This band should be playing stadiums, but if they have to keep playing venues the size of the one I saw them in, to the quality they did, then they are doing alright. If you get the chance, see them.
- Songs About Concrete 10/3/24
This show was the band’s first-ever headline show, and they made good on it, with some excellent crowd involvement, and an atmosphere of fun that carried the show tonally. What also helped was that the music was excellent, every member did their all and it led to a show that was deserving of being their first ever headliner. The material the band have is incredible for a band who have yet to record anything in the studio, and every time I hear any of it, it gets me very excited for when they eventually do.
- Cardiacs 12/10/24
The band walks in dressed in white and looks into the audience, the church has begun. I jest, but seeing Cardiacs really was akin to a religious experience, for a few reasons. For one, I never thought I would see them in my life, I assumed that as a live entity, the band was truly done but thankfully not, even without Tim they are an incredible live act. I say without Tim but as was remarked during the show, it felt like he was there, in spirit looking down at all of us, it was just magical. For two, they are just so tight as a live band, they didn’t miss a step as they blasted out most of a set of some of the best songs ever, played with mastery. I say most of a set because sadly Jim fell ill mid-show and they had to call it off. If this happened to a lot of bands I’m sure outrage and disappointment would come from the crowd but with Cardiacs all of us just huddled together and hoped Jim would recover (thankfully he did), and we all got to enjoy 9 songs worth of the band at their peak.
- Rozemary 15/11/24
Rozemary is a band fronted by a friend of mine. Prior to this single-release show, I had been unable to see them live, but I finally found the opportunity, and I am so thankful I did because the band is exceptional live. The intensity is dialled in to perfection, and the songs themselves manage to be really distinct and memorable. If you find yourself with the opportunity to catch them live, I strongly recommend it.
- Laura Jane Grace 28/11/24
After not being huge on Laura Jane Grace’s solo record from this year, her live show really surprised me. The first surprise was that she barely played any of the songs off that solo album, as this set was mostly made up of new material, as well as Against Me! songs. All the songs off the solo album were better live, and the band material was of course phenomenal, but what really surprised me was the new material as it is perhaps the best work I have heard from Laura in years. Especially the song “Walls” which has been stuck in my head since it played at the show.
- Danny 10/3/24
Danny is a natural performer. He has a talent for getting a crowd excited that takes most people years to master. As he blasted through a set of songs, most of which were unreleased, I could imagine myself at a concert of a much bigger scale. With a little luck, I could see him playing stadiums in a few years. He certainly has the talent and the material; it is just a matter of a little luck.
- Fat Dog 10/9/24
Having adored their debut album, and having been told that they are a life-changing live act, I was very excited to see them live. Even with my high expectations, I was still blown away. I had never experienced a concert this high energy, every single second the band were moving and the music sounded even better live than it did on the record. This concert also had a really solid moshpit, everyone was respectful while still absolutely losing their minds. The band were also really cool, it was a joint signing event and they were all very kind. If you get the chance to see them I strongly recommend it.
- Skindred 25/10/24
If you want a masterclass on how to put on a live show, go to a Skindred show. The band have such a talent for totally enthralling an audience within their set, blasting through a number of their classics and getting the audience just as excited about their new songs, which many (myself included) hadn’t heard. But outside of those new songs, I knew every single song and was singing my heart out. Skindred were one of my favourite bands when I was 14 and it felt like my younger self getting their day. Benji is also hilarious, he was messing with the audience the whole show in such a charming way. The band plays live a lot and it shows in the fact that they have tuned their show to a pitch-perfect extent.
- Front 242 8/12/24
I can’t not be heavily biased when talking about music sometimes. Front 242 is a band I have loved since I was very young, they were one of the first bands I felt like I found all by myself, and Front By Front is an album I have listened to for probably hundreds of hours. So when I heard the band were calling it quits and that this year would be the last chance I would ever have to hear the band live, I had to go. I am so glad I made this decision because their show was phenomenal. They played practically every song I wanted them to and did it with a constant driving energy and explosive personality. The band have been doing this for a while, but it seems from this show that it is still fun for them. As the show drew to a close they played a video of images from across their career as they stood with their silhouettes highlighted by the light of the screen, and it felt like the perfect close for one of the finest bands in music.
- Spratleys 12/10/24
While Cardiacs was what I was most excited about, Spratleys ended up being my favourite part of the night. Joanne Spratley is an incredible frontperson who commands your attention from the moment the show starts until the end and leaves you wishing the show could be even longer, and the rest of the band were equally exceptional. A combination of older songs as well as some new songs that are just as amazing as always made for one of the most faultless live experiences I have had. The band are excellent in the most elegant way, making it seem like their brilliance is just a fact, because why wouldn’t they be?
Photo by Lachy Spratt
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