Conic's Top5 gigs of the year

So 45 gigs including two festivals, I sum up my top5 gigs this year, took me a long time to re-fresh my memory and get words to summarise them (god I must remember to do diary in 2009!),

(5) Rolo Tomassi 22nd September, Old Blue Last, London
One of the best band I have discovered this year. That was album launch gig, saw them three times before but they were all supporting. I am so sure they are capable to do headline show by now. They played the debut album “Hysterics” in full, as soon as Eva hit the note on “Oh, Hello Ghost” here came the mosh pit which was abit messy, painful but fun. Jamie split the crowd to half and we have witnessed Old Blue Last wall of death. One of the guy couldn’t let go of the amp so Jamie did a rugby tackle on him and of they went from the stage. Sound problem made their set longer than scheduled but the performance was ace as usual. All those entertainment cost me absolutely nothing, what more can I ask for?

(4) Coheed & Cambria 1st December, Astoria, London
3 years ago, I saw them for the first time in the same venue. Now they are back to same place for Neverender tour – playing all four albums each day in full. The expectation and tension from the crowd was there. As soon as they brought on “Second Stage Turbine blade”, there was no looking back, everyone was in for a cracking evening. “Delirium Trigger” brought me absolute speechless, the prog bit was amazing with light effect and the crowd clapping their hands. “Neverender” was stunning and the crowd created banter of the evening along with the crowd scating “The Ring In Return”. After the epic ending from bonus track of the album, the band came back and brought the crowd went wild by playing one song each from other three albums. Great start from their Neverender tour.


(3) Holy Fuck (Primavera Sound) 30th May, Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona
At 4:30am, the atmosphere in in Parc del Fòrum is still lively. I have heard their brilliant self-titled album, but whoever have not seen Holy Fuck live, you have definitely missed out. Electronic and synth but they made it incredibly loud, well you can called that a noise but the noise I will love to hear everyday. They also have tape machine, I have seen so many unique instruments but tape machine top them all. Stage invasion of “Lovely Allen” was fucking crazy, I well remembered the stage from the ground was very high but 50 odd people managed to get up there. Watching on youtube again that really would live on my memory for a long time.

(2) Portishead (Primavera Sound) 29th May, Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona
Almost 11 years waited to for their third album and caught one of my favourite 90s band playing live, is it worth a wait? I think so. 12 years since they last played in Barcelona, and what a comeback. The whole set from “Silence” to “We Carried On” with few of their classic songs like “Sour Time”, “Glory Box” and “Mysterons” in between was amazing. Awesome light effect and video background. Chunk D did a rap bit on “Machine Gun” and it was surprisingly brilliant. Wondering Star and Roads were both utterly beautiful. Beth Gibson is definitely, in my opinion, the best British female singer. Portishead certainly did not disappoint me for one second.

(1) Coheed & Cambria, 3rd December, Astoria, London
Day before they were meant to do In Keeping Secrets Silence Of Earth:3 album in full, but power cut forced them to postponed and skip to next chapter Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness. Because of the disappointment, Cobeed & Cambria has delivered the amazing show that made me buzzing for a week! I have never witnessed Astoria was so lively and full of enthusiasm with the whole crowd scating “The Ring In Return”. “Always & Never” and “Wake Up” were both beautiful and yet hilarious with the crowd out-of-tune singing, while “Welcome Home” was a top bollocks as usual and got the crowd bouncing and we could feel the floor vibrating like a little earthquake. “The Willing Well” Anthology was nothing short of spectacular. “From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness” in particular was amazing.



30 minutes of “Final Cut” was mental with each band member contributed their solo skill. 2 hours set including 6 songs encore, it was unforgettable set, I was definitely felt like being in heaven. Coheed & Cambria was top class, absolutely sensational!