Brad Matthew

Yes, My Morning Jacket is the best live band this year and ranks among the best ever.  Sundays show at The Chicago Theatre only endorsed such accusations as they brought the rock to melt some Midwest faces.  There aren’t many bands that can captivate an audience for over 2 hours without a single let down, but MMJ does this with flawless execution and complete sincerity.  Back in October, frontman Jim James had a little mishap in Iowa City and ended up in the hospital.  Their two shows in Chicago, rescheduled from October, were the bands first since the incident.  I caught them days before the incident in Milwaukee and the beardless James seemed to be a bit more tame on stage this time around.  Either way, they put on one hell of a show and if you haven’t caught one, do so at any expense.  You can check out more pics from the show here.

Setlist: (via Muzzle of Bees)
At Dawn
It Beats For You
Evil Urges
I’m Amazed
Gideon
Wonderful Man
Golden
I Will Sing You Songs
Lowdown
Sooner
Thank You Too
Anytime
Remnants
Lay Low
Highly Suspicious
Off the Record
I Think I’m Going To Hell
Smokin From Shootin
Touch Me Pt 2
Run Thru

Encore:
Look at You (Jim James solo)
Nashville to Kentucky
Steam Engine
Cobra
Wordless Chorus
One Big Holiday

Photo: Eyton Z

Here are my top concerts of 2008.  My Morning Jacket is one of best live bands ever and their show at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee was one of the best shows I have ever been to. Whoa! The energy in that theater was through the roof and frontman Jim James was absolutely on fire. I also have to give props to the Milwaukee crowd.  They are not one to be categorized as a stand and nod audience (too hip to act like you’re into the music *Cough* Chicago crowds). MMJ returns to Chicago December 27 & 28 for their rescheduled shows at the Chicago Theater.  Tickets are sold out, but you can find some on craigslist for a decent price.  Go to one of these shows!

1. My Morning Jacket - Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
2. Radiohead - Lollapalooza, Chicago
3. Kings of Leon/The Whigs - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee
4. David Byrne - Civic Opera House, Chicago (Review)
5. The Whigs - Volume (SXSW), Austin
6. Man Man/Yeasayer - Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago
7. Death Cab for Cutie - The Riviera, Chicago (Review)
8. Wilco - The Riviera, Chicago
9. The Avett Brothers/Ha Ha Tonka - Congress Theater, Chicago (Review)
10. Beck/MGMT - Aragon, Chicago (Review)
11. Nada Surf/Delta Spirit - Metro, Chicago
12. Neil Young - Allstate Arena, Chicago
13. Kings of Leon - The Warfield, San Francisco (Review)

Note that a lot of these bands also released an album that made my “Top Albums of 2008” list.  What were your favorite concerts of the year?

Here are my top albums of 2008.  Fleet Foxes ran away with the album of year.  Their self-titled debut is a beautiful mix of Beach Boy harmonies and roots folk in the vein of My Morning Jacket.  Give this album a listen, it is truly a spiritual experience.

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
3. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Beck - Modern Guilt
6. The Whigs - Mission Control
7. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology
8. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
9. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
10. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
11. Liam Finn - I’ll Be Lightning
12. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
13. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
    
14. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
15. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

What are your top albums of 2008?

Yesterday was the first day of Fall, so I thought it would be appropriate to preview the top concerts coming through Chicago this Fall.  My concert calendar is packed with great shows for the Fall and here are my recommendations.

1. Sigor Ros @ Chicago Theater - September 24
2. Beck/MGMT @ Aragon - October 2 & 3
3. My Morning Jacket @ Chicago Theater - October 9 & 10
4. Fleet Foxes @ Metro - October 11
5. Man Man @ Bottom Lounge - October 18
6. Kings of Leon @ Aragon - October 31 (Halloween!)
7. AC/DC @ Allstate Arena - October 30 & November 1
8. Ha Ha Tonka/The Avett Brothers @ Congress Theater - November 22
9. Nada Surf @ Metro - November 29
10. Neil Young @ Allstate Arena - December 9

See you there?

I’ve always been a sucker for melodies with a little “southern” tinge to them. Bands like The Whigs, Kings of Leon and Ha Ha Tonka are some of the sweetest “southern” melody makers currently out there. My Morning Jacket ranks among the best of them and puts on one hell of a live show. I was lucky enough to catch them post-Kings of Leon at Lollapalooza last year and was sold. They make their long awaited return to Chicago with a two night stand at the exquisite Chicago Theater, October 9 & 10. Their tour, in support of their new album, Evil Urges, started yesterday in Kansas City. This album has taken quite some time to grow on me and is still in the process of doing so, but songs like “Aluminum Park” and “Touch Me I’m Gonna Scream” Pt. 1 & Pt. 2, keep me coming back for more. With inspiration taken from Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic Where The Wild Things Are, directors Chris Smith, Jesse Casey, and Michelle Higa of Mixtape Club rendezvous with Pt. 2 to produce a video of a bug-eyed thing on a wild adventure. Take one jive tune, possibly the best on the album, add some impressive animation and you’ve got yourself a very cool video.