Gig of the year 2018 edition

spindex

As 2018 comes to an end, what were the best gigs you have been at this year ?
It was a great year for gigs for me. My top 5

5. Pearl jam night 2 the O2 London. A very good gig but I don't think the deserve the title of best live band in the world today.
4. Public service broadcasting the academy, a really fun show in a great venue. I hope to catch them again in January.
3. The Rolling stones Twickenham stadium, I wasn't planning on going to this show I just happened to be in London and got a ticket the day of the gig. I'm really glad I went, got to see these legends play a home town gig. Wow what a show.... some energy (although if they were playing in a circus there would be protesters outside saying it's cruelty to Charlie Watts ).
2. Shame Whelan's Dublin, A pure balls out rock show, no bull ****e political messages just a young band starting out giving it all on stage.
1. David Byrne the Three arena Dublin. If you were there you know ! Outstanding.

redzor

Nick Cave for me

circular flexing

Deafheaven - still not sure how the drummer never misses a beat
Jon Hopkins - the drop in Magnets was one of my best gig moments ever
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - songs really come to life when played live, how they get some of the sounds out of their guitars.
Young Fathers - huge energy and Cocoa Sugar is probably my album of the year.

Ferris_Bueller

The War on Drugs in Kilmainham on the Monday of Forbidden Fruit for me, first time seeing them and one of the best gigs I was ever at, nice crowd, glorious day, perfect gig for me!

Other honourable shouts go to Arcade Fire in the 3Arena, The Blaze at Electric Picnic and Underworld at All Together Now. 2019 is already shaping up to be a good year for gigs!

henryporter

As the OP said David Byrne at the Three Arena, and also The The at the Iveagh Gardens

rtron

Pearl Jam Roma - best gig I have ever seen.
Liam Gallaher malahide was pretty good aswell.
Two very different gigs.

Hercule Poirot

Chemical Brothers in the 3arena, an absolutely stunning audio/visual experience - not only one of the best gigs in 2018 but one of the best I've ever attended

PTH2009

So many gigs this year and it was hard too pick a top 5

Foo Fighters- Manchester
Pearl Jam- London Night 1
Rolling Stones- Croke Park
Queen- Marley Park
U2- 3Arena night 2

grudgehugger

David Byrne, Radiohead @ 3Arena and my favourite, Mount Kimbie @ EP.

Special mention to Aphex Twin @ Forbidden Fruit for just being the most fantastically weird genius I saw play this year (James Holden and Fever Ray close runners-up for that title) and Nilufer Yanya @ EP for being way too good to play to so few people (not the only victim of that disease at the picnic)

Lastly Ben UFO’s DJ set @ Forbidden Fruit.

Allowances must be made for me forgetting lots of other great stuff I saw. More cause I’m too feckin old to remember last week than cos I go to loads of gigs...

bkrangle

5. Kamasi Washington at Beatyard
4. Gary Numan at the Olympia
3. Fontaines DC at the Button Factory
2. IDLES at the Button Factory
1. Shame at the Tivoli

spindex

Were Radiohead in the 3 this year ?

grudgehugger wrote: »

David Byrne, Radiohead @ 3Arena and my favourite, Mount Kimbie @ EP.

Special mention to Aphex Twin @ Forbidden Fruit for just being the most fantastically weird genius I saw play this year (James Holden and Fever Ray close runners-up for that title) and Nilufer Yanya @ EP for being way too good to play to so few people (not the only victim of that disease at the picnic)

Lastly Ben UFO’s DJ set @ Forbidden Fruit.

Allowances must be made for me forgetting lots of other great stuff I saw. More cause I’m too feckin old to remember last week than cos I go to loads of gigs...

grudgehugger

spindex wrote: »

Were Radiohead in the 3 this year ?

Was that last year? Like I said, I’m getting old!

gmisk

The aces... Sound house... Absolutely brilliant gig

BabysCoffee

David Byrne at the 3 Arena

dasdog

This was my lot for the year...

Public Service Broadcasting (Academy)
Joan Baez (Bord Gais)
Gary Numan (Olympia)
Leftfield (Vicar St)
Rolling Stones (Croker)
Sister Nancy (Sugar Club)
Warpaint / War on Drugs (FF)
Nick Cave (Kilmainham)
Roger Waters (Three)
Autechre (N.C.H)
Dweezil Zappa (Vicar St)
D.R.I (Voodoo Lounge)
Public Image Ltd (Vicar St)
Mulatu Astake (Sugar Club)
Van Morrison / Robert Plant (Three)
Slayer (Three)
U2 (Three)
Horseman (Sugar Club)

Dweezil Zappa was just head and shoulders above everything else. He has put together a frighteningly good group of musicians. Three hours of MIT levels of playing and one of their five dates outside the US was Vicar Street for some reason. Autechre was mental too. A stroke of genius putting that on in darkness in the National Concert Hall. And I finally got to see D.R.I. after missing them many moons ago due to lack of money which was a bit of a personal one. Van/Robert Plant, Slayer, PSB, Nick Cave, Mulatu Astake...all excellent shows. Even the Stones were surprisingly good for such a terrible venue. Had to hold back the tears when Joan Baez came on stage, what an impressive lady, even if her politics is way to left leaning for me. Only one stinker and that was Sister Nancy. And Roger Waters/U2 were snooze fests. Left both early out of boredom.

Missed out on David Byrne, sounded like it was amazing. And St Vincent. And unfortunately Scientist didn't make it due to flight delays but the undisputed heavyweight dub champion is coming over next year.

peteeeed

Shame at Whelan's
Idles the button factory
Gwenno other voices EP

4Ad

Nick Cave - Kilmainham
Fontaines - Both gigs I seen them.
Bad Manners - Limerick

MadYaker

LCD Soundsystem at Malahide was good but Jon Hopkins at B&S was my best

spindex

grudgehugger wrote: »

Was that last year? Like I said, I’m getting old!

Ya I think it was last year alright, at least you can remember you were at it !

Oilbeefhooked!

6)Father J Misty - Vicar St
5)Snow Patrol - Olympia
4)The National - Donnybrook
3) Future Islands - Nos Alive
2)NIN - Nos Alive
1)Pearl Jam - London 2

MadYaker

grudgehugger wrote: »

Was that last year? Like I said, I’m getting old!

It was last year :pac: in fairness you do go to a tonne of gigs if you count festies! I even get confused between festivals and years sometimes and I'm young!

kerry37

Queen in Marlay Park. Wasn't expecting much but it was one of the best gigs I've been to. Adam Lambert is amazing.

Black Stone Cherry in the academy. My 4th time seeing them and they bring an intensity to a gig I've never experienced by another band. They were so good that night, I booked a ticket straight after for their Belfast gig the following night. Rang in sick the next morning and went up to it. That was also amazing and they played a different set list which made me happy.

Crow Black Chicken in Whelans. These guys always produce the goods.

Rigor Mortis

Public Service Broadcasting in Blackwood, Wales
St,Vincent in Stradbally

Zaph

Not just gig of the year, but the best gig I've ever been to - David Byrne at The Point. Like nothing I've ever seen before, or am likely to ever see again. There are no words to describe how good it was.

Conor Bourke

Didn’t get to many gigs this year but thoroughly enjoyed Parquet Courts in the Academy last month

rednik

Roger Waters Us + Them 3 Arena 27th June, .magnificent show
Marillion Vicar Street 9th April, unreal but far too long between gigs
Steven Wilson Olympia Theatre 19th March, brilliant show
Sons of Apollo 04th July Tivoli, sweaty brilliant night
Tremonti Academy 03rd July, great night and hopefully they come back
Myles Kennedy Academy 05th July, emotional night. Simply brilliant
David Byrne 3 Arena 24th October. WOW

Another great year here for rock gigs.

bodhrandude

Fever Ray/Jon Hopkins Body&Soul Festival.

Jimmy Cliff - All Together Now Festival.

The Prodigy/Death Grips - Electric Picnic.

RayCon

In no particular order .....



Roger Waters Us + Them 3 Arena
Steven Wilson Mandela Hall 17th March
Steven Wilson Olympia Theatre 19th March
Iron Maiden SSE Belfast 2nd Aug




Looking forward to 2019 -


Ozzy & Judas Priest - 3 Arena, Jan
Cellar Darling - On The Rox, March
The Viagra Boys - Grand Social, May

sydthebeat

1. Steven Wilson in the olympia
2. Nick cave kilmainham
3. The murder capital EP
4. Engine Alley EP
5. War on drugs Kilmainham.
6. The national, donnybrook
7. The stunning. Feile

Mrs Shuttleworth

1. Queen & Adam Lambert in Marlay Park in July, I didn't shut up about it for two months after.

Adam Lambert is, as Brian May said, a gift from the Gods.

2. David Byrne at 3Arena in October.

3. Tom Misch at Electric Picnic.

Gutted I missed Dweezil Zappa.

Roll on 2019.

Reznorek

Nine Inch Nails - London Royal Festival Hall
.
.
.
The Rolling Stones, Nick Cave, Ministry, U2, Alanis Morissette, Rober Plant - Dublin

sabrewulf

Did't see a ton this year and nothing stood truly out. I enjoyed this one though (supporting T Swift in Croker):

Charli XCX

The Nal

Top of my head in no particular order

Snapped Ankles at End of the Road
Rolling Stones in Croke Park
Idles at the Button Factory
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in the Olympia
Nine Inch Nails at Mad Cool
Roger Waters in the Three Arena

phunkadelic

The ones that stand out for me:

Shame in Whelans
Daithi at Other Voices
Unknown Mortal Orchestra in Academy (short, but all killer)
Jon Hopkins at Vicar st (pity visuals failed so early on though)

Breaston Plants

Paul Weller at the Olympia, sensational.

shamtastic

Car Seat Headrest for me in May, was the day before The Rolling Stones played. The setlist was just perfect and because of the lo-fi nature of their records it was great to hear them louder and punchier live. Interpol last month too also in the Olympia was excellent.

RayCon

The Nal wrote: »

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in the Olympia

D'oh .... forgot that ..... excellent gig

Conor Bourke

RayCon wrote: »

D'oh .... forgot that ..... excellent gig

Me too, it was savage stuff. Had a ball at it!

Mushy

Steven Wilson - Olympia
Pearl Jam - Berlin

Don't get to many gigs nowadays, at least these ones were great!

Dargull

Iron Maiden - Belfast
Nightwish - Manchester
Black Label Society - Tivoli
Corrosion of Conformity - Tivoli
Stones - Croker

machiavellianme

Alestorm at the Tivoli.

Nothing else compares.

Birneybau

Zaph wrote: »

Not just gig of the year, but the best gig I've ever been to - David Byrne at The Point. Like nothing I've ever seen before, or am likely to ever see again. There are no words to describe how good it was.

Up there with mine as well. AND I MET HIM THE NEXT DAY!

That was a cracking week and a half, David Byrne, Parquet Courts (wow) and Johnny Marr.

Nick Cave sold out straight away (massive fan) so bought tickets for Ty Segall instead. Top gig in the Tivoli but I bitterly regret not trying harder to get Nick Cave tickets.

Honourable mention to Ezra Furman in Tivoli as well.

MadYaker

The Nal wrote: »

Top of my head in no particular order

Snapped Ankles at End of the Road
Rolling Stones in Croke Park
Idles at the Button Factory
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in the Olympia
Nine Inch Nails at Mad Cool
Roger Waters in the Three Arena

A solid year considering there was no glasto!

davef1000

Not Paul Simon anyway.

corm500

For me these stood head and shoulders above the rest:

Rolling Stones - Croke Park
John Fogerty/ Steve Miller Band - 3arena
Van Morrison/ Robert Plant - 3arena

The Nal

MadYaker wrote: »

A solid year considering there was no glasto!

Very much so. Loads more in there too. Too many to mention. Pearl Jam and Depeche Mode didn't even make the list!

Wooderson

Breaston Plants wrote: »

Paul Weller at the Olympia, sensational.

Loved this one too, have to say.

Billy Mays

Nick Cave in Kilmainham

A personal highlight was seeing 3 of the all time great frontmen (Jagger, Cave, Lydon) in the space of 3 months

sally cinnamon89

Nick Cave - RHK
David Byrne - Point Depot
Fontaines DC - First show at Button Factory
Parquet Courts - Academy
King Gizzard - Olympia

Also a random one The Bonk down in Coughlan's in Cork blew the balls of me and herself. Really great stuff

citycentre

Top 10:

David Byrne - 3 Arena
Nils Frahm - All Together Now
Arcade Fire - 3 Arena
Bicep - Forbidden Fruit
The National - Donnybrook
LCD Soundsystem - Malahide
Róisín Murphy - All Together Now
War On Drugs - Forbidden Fruit
Four Tet - Forbidden Fruit
U2 - 3 Arena (night 1)

Say Your Number

Enjoyed Alestorm, Black Stone Cherry and Christy Moore this year, but Volbeat was the highlight for me, great live band.