2022 was really defined by the return of live music, something I really embraced wholeheartedly (it was the part of my cultural life that I missed most during the acute phase of the pandemic). This was not without its risks and pitfalls - some of these shows were rescheduled pandemic cancellations, musicians (and their crew members) were still testing positive for COVID and this made touring even more challenging, mask wearing seems to have now been abandoned for good here, so the risks of acquiring COVID for audience members were still pretty high. So I attended events with some wariness and trepidation, but once there was able to enjoy the experience and once again treasure that great feeling of being in the same physical space as some incredible musicians.
If I had to pick some favourites from these shows - Low at Hackney Church was a gig I nearly restrained myself from booking due to rising prices and having seen the band so many times before. What a mistake that would have been. Hearing Hey What performed in full made me realise I had underrated that record on its release and, more importantly, this very tragically turned out to be my final opportunity to hear Alan and Mimi’s wonderful voices meld together in live performance. This band’s incredible legacy will live on of course - but Always go to to the show. Alexis Taylor’s brief but hugely satisfying solo show at SJQ was the best solo gig of his that I’ve seen, not least for the great contributions of the band (Zongamin and Leo Taylor). The Weather Station really brought Ignorance to vivid life on tour this year, and I was grateful to have seen them twice. A huge shout out to Cafe Oto which continues to offer the bravest programming in London while also reliably bringing in good size audiences. It can be done. The highlight there must have been the kinetic and wildly engaging Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamps. At the London Jazz Festival, seeing the still innovating elder statesmen of improvised music Anthony Braxton and Henry Threadgill on the same show was a colossal privilege. Against all odds, the octogenarian Bob Dylan played what was by some distance the most consistently engaged and captivating show I’ve seen him deliver, with a set focusing strongly on the Rough and Rowdy Ways songs. Again, I’m glad I committed to this in spite of the ridiculous ticket prices. I am not too confident of getting to see Bob again now.
Really big shows were a little less frequent - but career spanning set lists from Pearl Jam in Hyde Park and The Cure at Wembley Arena were carefully selected. It is a shame the latter was slightly ruined by my bizarre end of year foot injury, which left me in excruciating pain for much of the set and for two weeks beyond it.
2022 Gigs
Craig Taborn at The Vortex
Sons of Kemet at The Roundhouse
Big Thief at Shepherd’s Bush Empire
London Jazz Orchestra with Stan Sulzmann at The Vortex
Eric Chenaux at Cafe Oto
Big Thief at Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Andre Canniere at Pizza Express Jazz Club
Slauson Malone 1 at Cafe Oto
Tom Rogerson, Pete Wareham and Sebastian Rochford at Servant Jazz Quarters
The Weather Station at The Scala
Future Islands and Dan Deacon at Alexandra Palace
Bas Jan at Cafe Oto
Mdou Moctar at EartH Hackney
Teenage Fanclub at Union Chapel
Low at Hackney Church
Jake Xerxes Fussell at Oslo
Modern Nature at Cafe Oto
Nikki Yeoh at Lauderdale House
Calexico at The Forum
Daniel Rossen at Union Chapel
Ryley Walker at EartH Theatre, Hackney
Eli Winter and Cameron Knowler at Cafe Oto
Chris Corsano at Cafe Oto
National Youth Jazz Collective Fundraiser at Pizza Express Jazz Club
Eiko Ishibashi at Cafe Oto
The Smile at The Roundhouse
Horse Lords at Cafe Oto
Mary Lattimore at Cafe Oto
Laura Veirs at Storey’s Field Centre, Cambridge
Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Brixton Academy
Yasmin Williams at St Mathias Church
Arooj Aftab at The Barbican
Hiss Golden Messenger at EartH Theatre, Hackney
Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society at Cafe Oto
Nile Rogers at Kenwood House
Seafarers at Willow Tree Cafe
Pearl Jam at BST Hyde Park
Alexis Taylor At Servant Jazz Quarters
Sun Ra Arkestra at South Bank Centre
Patti Smith at London Palladium
The Magnetic Fields at Hammersmith Apollo
The Weather Station at Union Chapel
Rose City Band and Rosali at Studio 9294
Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Electric Ballroom
Hot Chip at Brixton Academy
Autechre at The Barbican
David Longstreth at The Barbican
Sloth Racket at Cafe Oto
Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp at Cafe Oto
Cass McCombs at Alexandra Palace Theatre
Dinosaur Jr. at The Forum
Come at Cafe Oto
Counting Crows at Hammersmith Apollo
Bob Dylan at London Palladium
Alta (Tomorrow’s Warriors) at Foyle’s
Julia Jacklin at The Roundhouse
Chicago x London at The Barbican
Henry Threadgill’s Zooid and Anthony Braxton at The Barbican
Alta (Tomorrow’s Warriors) at Foyle’s
Anais Mitchell at KOKO
Stereolab at EartH Hackney
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at Hackney Church
The Cure at Wembley Arena