Best shows I’ve been to this year:
10. Neon Indian @ The Larimer Lounge – All the pretty scenester boys and girls showed up for this one. Wish I could have seen the adorable Alan Palomo better, but we were all grooving to this one. If felt like a hazy, dreamy summer night on this cold fall eve.
9. Abe Vigoda @ Rhinoceropolis – My first Rhino experience and I fell in love, hard. Noise, noise, noise, beautiful people and handfuls of glitter.
8. My Bloody Valentine @ The Fillmore – I almost threw up from the pure sonic insanity. Seriously.
7. The Dutchess & The Duke @ The Larimer Lounge – They stole my heart with their witty, self-deprecating on stage banter and harmonious, heart-breaking songs.
6. Peaches @ The Gothic – You will never see another show that compares to a Peaches show, there are leotards aplenty, strap ons, duct taped nipples and that’s only the crowd. Peaches was everywhere in the venue, on the balcony, on top of your head and in your face.
5. Dan Deacon @ Rhinoceropolis – Dan Deacon shows are more of an experience than a traditional show. Synchronized interpretive dancing, check. Massive human tunnel, check. Fun, double check.
4. The Very Best @ Pitchfork Fest – The most memorable show of the fest. When you are competing with The Flaming Lips on the mainstage, singing in a language no one knows, and you some how manage to have the crowd eating out of your hand, whipped up into a dancing frenzy, well you’ve nailed it.
3. Starfucker @ The hi-dive – Hands down the best show I’ve ever seen at the hi-dive. Ryan Bjornstad has the ability to eye fuck an entire crowd at the same time. I have no idea how he accomplishes this, but it’s amazing. You feel like he is singing just for you. This was one hot, sweaty, amazing, can’t-stop-dancing-for-a-second show.
2. Diplo @ The Church – The man didn’t crack a smile until the very last spin, he takes his dance music dead seriously. Another hot, hot, hot, sweaty dancefest. Every new song that dropped was somehow more wonderful than the next.
1. Phoenix @ The Bluebird – The night of MJ’s death the Frenchies brought it. They sound absolutely amazing live and they are super nice and down to earth. Their tour drummer is to die for. We bailed a little early and apparently missed an epic MJ dance party with the band on the floor and in the mix.
Penguin Prison, of course. Born in Manhattan as Chris Glover, and spending time in choir class with Alicia Keys, the Pris has clearly had the fire in his belly for a long time. And after a steady diet of school lunches and Michael Jackson it’s no wonder that the final product is ridiculously danceable and oh-so-smooth. Penguin Prison stands for something important….laying down the groove, pretention-free. Next time you’re at the club, watch the electro-indie kids try to dance to a so-so Phoenix remix, but get out of the way when the Hall and Oates drops back on. And that’s the point. Penguin Prison’s putting out solid, accessible tracks…….with soul.
