Top Concerts 2017

[NogbadTheBad]

Saw quite a lot of music in 2017, here are my favorites in no particular order:-

Nik Bartsch Mobile - Boston - played MIT as a free gig, seen them twice now and love their performances, small venues, set that grooves, band look like they are having fun. Their performances just seem to evolve with subtle cues from Nik. One of the best modern minimalist jazz bands performing live these days.

Knifeworld - London - flew in to see 2 days of music also featuring Spratleys Japs, Guapo & Admirals Hard. Small gig in a pub in Islington, acoustic set. Played all the classics to a small crowd of enthusiastic fans. Met friends old and new. Wonderful stuff.

Jean Michel Jarre - Boston - played a surprisingly large venue that was only a third full, mix of vintage material & more EDM stuff. Superb light show.

Roger Waters - Boston - mainly later days Floyd set with really good support musicians, was more for the stage show that the performance though great to hear the Animals tracks live. Personally I was too far away in the gods of TD Garden but you need that size venue for that stage show.

King Crimson - Boston - This is probably the best live version of Crimson I've seen (been seeing them since 2001), great set list of vintage material, new stuff that works, really tight performances. Great night out. These players have really gelled as a unit playing off each other and presenting new interpretations of classics.

North Sea Radio Orchestra - London - supported by William D Drake in a small church, chamber folk with ethereal vocals, the balance of the chamber instrumentation with upbeat feel, gorgeous, sublime. A quite unique band.

Claudia Quintet - Boston - tiny little venue in Cambridge sitting right next to the band. Modern jazz played with expertise and feeling.

Sonar & David Torn - ProgDay - was pretty surprised how well this worked, been wanting to see Sonar for ages and they grooved and grooved, Torn really added another element to their music.

Cheer-Accident - RIO - mix of experimental, humor, performance art and recent album music, superb stuff

a.P.A.t.T. - RIO - an experimental band from Liverpool featuring a rotating cast of characters, they had 7 people on stage playing guitars, keys, tuba, trumpet, clarinet, xylophone & drums. Everyone played multiple instruments and they swapped between tracks. They played a selection of wonky pop/cabaret/rock tracks that reminded me most of Chrome Hoof and Mirthkon.

In Love With - RIO - a minimalist brutal jazz trio featuring violin, cello & drums, extremely tight, high energy bonkers jazz. Wonderful stuff

Supersilent - Big Ears - dark visceral angry ambient, layer upon layer, along with Deathprod one of the highlights of the festival.

The Horse Lords - Big Ears - high energy minimalist punky stuff that really grooves.

There were a bunch of other really good concerts from the likes of Secret Chiefs 3, Chelsea Wolfe, Tortoise, Bent Knee, Ahleuchatistas, Alec K Redfearn & The Eyesores.

[progeezer]

iNFiNiEN @ ProgDay - discovery of the year for me.

[Zeuhlmate]

Magma - Malmö, Sweden

^^^ would love to have heard Supersilent!

[markwoll]

Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble - nice show. very pleased after seeing her solo briefly at Big Ears
DeathProd - Big Ears- Just Wow, The Void opens
Wilco - Big Ears and Wolftrap. So much better live than the recorded versions
Mike Keneally & BFD and Travis Larson - Jammin Java. Keneally is awesome.
Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings - Kennedy Center, acoustic bliss
Roger Waters - Verizon Center, Fucking spectacle. Just what it should have been.

[flytomars]

Enjoyed all the RIO shows you mentioned, and surprised you didnt mention Slapp Happy, which I also saw in Cafe Oto in the beginning of the year.
In the same week of RIO I also went to the Freakshow in Wurzburg, fantastic show by Piniol, the best for me from those 10 days packed with music.
Saw 5 Peter Hammill shows in Italy, each with a different set, PH in fantastic form with great setlists- what more could you ask for?
Saw PFM for the first time, in Genoa, beautiful city and nice show though I skipped in the middle to go see Matt Elliott- if you don't know him do yourself a favour and listen to The Mess We Made.
Nick Cave! Was a big surprise, not a huge fan of him but his performance was a religious experience, emotional dramatic preacher from hell.

[NogbadTheBad]

Enjoyed all the RIO shows you mentioned, and surprised you didnt mention Slapp Happy, which I also saw in Cafe Oto in the beginning of the year.
In the same week of RIO I also went to the Freakshow in Wurzburg, fantastic show by Piniol, the best for me from those 10 days packed with music.

Slapp Happy were good but to be honest their set wasn't really my kind of stuff and the enjoyment was really seeing a legendary band rather than the actual music. Though Dagmar as usual was outstanding.

I'm sure PinioL would have been well up my list if I'd seem them. Them not playing RIO was a major disappointment on the year, hopefully 2018 RIO with a new album out.

[adap2it]

Not been to many concerts this year, I guess age is become a factor...however what I recall.

iNFiNiON @ Progday
Martin Barre in Buffalo
Moulettes in Toronto
Gamalon in Buffalo

and a special mention to the Chromatica / Discipline / Sonus Umbra show in Toronto.

[DocProgger]

Went to a lot of shows in the past year:

Richie Furay Band--Lewis&Clark Comm. College, Godfrey IL (Dec '16)
Steven Wilson--Folly Theater, Kansas City (Dec '16)
Tortoise--Old Rock House StL
Gypsy--Wildey Theater Edwardsville IL
Steve Hackett--City Winery, Nashville
Musical Box black show-- Arcada Theater St. Charles IL
Adrian Belew Power Trio--Old Rock House StL
Chuck Berry Memorial Service--Pageant StL (Johnny Rivers, Billy Peek among performers)
Gypsy--River City Casino StL
Bent Knee--Blue Moose Tap House Iowa City IA
Explosions in the Sky--Pageant StL
Eddie Jobson Fallen Angels Tour-- City Winery Chicago
Crown Larks--Foam StL
District 97/Anglagard--Reggie's Chicago
Joe Walsh/Tom Petty+Heartbreakers 40th--Sprint Ctr Kansas City
King Crimson--Chicago Theater Chicago
Moody Blues--Days of Future Passed 50th--Ryman Aud. Nashville
Roger Waters--Bridgestone Nashville
DFagen +Nightflyers--Schemerhorn Nashville
Solar Eclipse--St Clair MO (at centerline, max time of eclipse)
DFagen + Nightflyers--Murat Indianapolis
Umphreys McGee--Pageant StL
Yes/ARW--Kauffman Center Kansas City
Brand X--Old Rock House StL
Ambrosia--City Park St Peters MO
Billy Joel-- Busch Stad StL
Chris Hillman Band--Wildey Theater Edwardsville IL
Gypsy Farewell shows--Wildey Theater Edwardsville IL
King Crimson--Riverside Milwaukee

So many great shows, but the 2 Crimson shows and seeing Anglagard for the 3rd time--this time in a small club right in front of the stage--were magnificent. Hackett, the Gypsy shows, Eddie Jobson intimate and up close also stellar. Brand X, Tortoise....on and on...

[mogrooves]

Rock Division:

Zombies - 50th Anniversary of Odessey & Oracle
KC
Strawbs
Terry Reid

[Wah3]

My list so far. King Crimson probably the best overall. Pat Metheny, Adrian Belew and Stick Men were great as always. As was Jean-Luc Ponty although that was a fairly short festival set. Bryan Ferry and Brand X were also very impressive, I wasnt quite sure what to expect from either, really enjoyed both shows.

Pat Metheny – 1/18/17 The Egg
Brian Ferry – 3/30/17 Proctors
Adrian Belew Power Trio - 5/12/17 The Egg
Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy – 5/20/17 The Egg
The Lords of 52nd Street – 6/1/17 Jay Street, Schenectady
Jazzfest with Jean-Luc Ponty etc. – 6/24/17 SPAC
Marbin – 7/7/17 The Low Beat
Joe Louis Walker – 7/19/17 Empire State Plaza
Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires and West End Blend– 7/26/17 Empire State Plaza
Chick Corea Elektric Band and Bela Fleck & the Flecktones – 8/5/17 The Egg
Stick Men – 8/12/17 Van Dyck
Albany Jazzfest – 8/16/17 Corning Preserve
Lake George Jazzfest – 9/16/17 Shepard Park
Yes featuring Anderson Rabin and Wakeman – Palace Theatre 10/5/17
Brand X – 10/12/17 The Egg
Renaissance – 10/29/17 The Egg
John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension and Jimmy Herring’s Invisible Whip – 11/2/17 The Egg
King Crimson – 11/9/17 The Egg
The Security Project – 11/11/17 Van Dyck

[Buddhabreath]

Finally got off me arse this year. All of these were well worth the effort:

Pierre Ben Susan
Tommy Emmanuel
Cheer Accident
Brand X
Renaissance
John McLauglin
King Crimson

[Orcopian]

2017 has personally been a great year for concerts, I've made a point of going to see several bands / artists I've never seen before along with some regular favourites. The list includes Francis Dunnery (playing classic It Bites material), Snarky Puppy, Iron Maiden, Kings X, IQ, Big Big Train, Gov't Mule, Pat Metheny, Magenta and 3 days at the always brilliant Summers end festival. 2018 is starting to look busy with Steven Wilson, Camel, King Crimson and the winters End festival already booked.

[JKL2000]

Aside from a couple of fests I didn't get to that many shows this year, so:

King Crimson, Beacon Theater, NYC
Focus, CTTE 2017
Curved Air, CTTE 2017
Dave Kerzner Band, CTTE 2017 (including Greg Lake tribute)

I'd probably also include some bands from Progday, but as it was the first time with family joining me, it was very hard to concentrate on the music!

[Ten Thumbs]

Top 10 of 34 shows, not all prog
Tom Cochrane and Red Rider
Black Mountain
Moulettes (Brighton, Vancouver, Duncan)
Colin Linden
Bryan Ferry
Todd Rundgren (better than headliner Yes)
Northern Pikes
Conor Gains

[jupiterspace]

2017 shows:

Yes - Decent show. Drama material was excellent.

Glass Hammer - Awesome show! All of Valkyrie plus an outstanding selection of other cuts!!

Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy - Great Show.

Deep Purple - These guys rock!

Grand Funk Railroad - Won free tickets. Show was good but they really need Mark Farner.

Dream Theater - Great show. Played all of Images And Words, A Change Of Seasons plus other material.

[gryphs also]

Unit db @ Rosfest (it was Unitopia for all intents and purposes)

Infinien @ Progday

Joe Louis Walker @ Windsor Blues Festival

Union Duke @ Munroe Mills Barn Dance

The Psychadelic Furs @ Danforth Music Theatre, Toronto

Don Ross @ Summerfolk Festival, Owen Sound

[Bartellb]

I didn't see too many this year.
Jean Michel Jarre
Yestival
Deep Purple
King Crimson
Several tribute bands

[happytheman]

Saw / heard a lot of good shows this year but Roger Waters was hands down the best overall staging / light show / music I've seen in a very long time.. hats off to Roger.. Don't know if he will do another go round after he finishes this world tour but glad I got to see him this go round for sure..

[Trane]

Mainly a jazz year, really.

Yussef Kamaal @ AB
The Wrong Object @ Prog Resiste Festival
Focus @ Prog Resiste Festival
Makaya McCraven @ Ghent Jazz Fest (three shows the same day, everytime different)
Kamasi Washington @ Ghent Jazz Fest
Shabaka & The Ancestors @ Ghent Jazz Fest (Kamasi came to play three tracks)
Dinosaur (Laura Jurd) @ Flaqeay
GoGo Penguin plays Kooyaniqatsi @ Flaqeay
Orlando Julius & Heliocentrics @ Flaqeay
Massot Plays Hendrix @ Green (Liège)


Saw Crimson last year (didn't come back in the area this year) and will see Roger Waters in May next year

[Progatron]

Glass Hammer - Awesome show! All of Valkyrie plus an outstanding selection of other cuts!!



Deep Purple - These guys rock!



Dream Theater - Great show. Played all of Images And Words, A Change Of Seasons plus other material.

I would love to see Glass Hammer some day. Have a ton of their albums and love their sound. They never come up this way though.

I am kind of kicking myself for not seeing Deep Purple in Toronto this past summer. I knew it was my last chance and I just let it go by without bothering... why? No reason at all. I love them and I love the Infinite album. Oh well...

Saw DT a lot back in the day but gave up on them with the lousy A Dramatic Turn Of Events and the subsequent lame albums, the worst of which is The Astonishing, which I see they've dumped and are back to playing their good material. I doubt I'll ever see them again but they put on a hell of a show back then. Jaw-dropping playing that also had substance and melody, as opposed to the last few albums.

[rapidfirerob]

Meeting of The Spirits in San Francisco! Best show in years.
Brand X. Atlanta Rhythm Section. MoeTar. Adrian Belew. Jean-Luc Ponty. Chick Corea Elektric Band. Vanilla Fudge. The Yardbirds.
Marshall Crenshaw with Los Straitjackets. Martin Barre. Dada.
at NAMM: Rachel Flowers, Marc Bonilla, Frank Gambale, Arianne Cap, Tony Grey, Andy Timmons, Hadrien Feraud.
Thank goodness I have photos or I wouldn't remember many of them.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Gamalon in Buffalo[/B]

I thought they disbanded because someone in the band died... glad to hear they are still making music. I wonder if an album is in the works?

[rapidfirerob]

I thought they disbanded because someone in the band died... glad to hear they are still making music. I wonder if an album is in the works?

Was this recorded, do you know? A new album would be great!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[battema]

Quick scan of favorites:

Deathprod
Supersilent
Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Com Truise
Dance with the Dead
Dalek
Goblin
Ephemeral Sun @ Progday (for personal reasons)

I have one more on the calendar for this year this Wednesday so maybe that'll make the list as well.

Honestly, most of Big Ears was amazing so it was hard to just pick a few...but HJR, Deathprod and Supersilent were just epic.

[Steve F.]

I have four more on the calendar this year. This was an extraordinary year of shows (68 shows this year, and that was without going to any festivals at all this year).

My highlights:

2/17/2017 Ahamefule J. Oluo "Now I'm Fine"

2/26/2017 Michael Formanek & Brian Settles

3/19/2017 Stephan Crump's Rhombal

4/22/2017 Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus / Jeron White’s Polarity

5/15/2017 The Claudia Quintet / Janel & Anthony

6/16/2017 Slavic Soul Party

7/2/2017 Anacostia Delta Band

7/9/2017 Kung Fu Bastard

8/17/2017 Gingerbred

9/10/2017 Joel Harrison / Mother Stump

9/14/2017 Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra with Frank Carlberg: Monk Dreams, Hallucinations & Nightmares

9/29/2017 Musicaner / Low Ways Trio

10/14/2017 Lisa Mezzacappa & avantNOIR

11/20/2017 Miho Hazama & Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra

12/2/2017 Lind Oh Quartet

These were all exemplary shows.