Saturday, December 31, 2022

2022 in Live Music

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


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