The Jarvis Lounge

From large arenas to small venues, here is a list (in no particular order) of my favorite live shows from 2014 (Yes, I realized I left off The War on Drugs, Tom Petty, Death Cab, and the Arctic Monkeys. I didn’t say this list was EASY. They were great also.)

1) The Black Keys (Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA) – Okay, I lied. This was my favorite live show of the year. Their combination of raw energy, musicianship, and setlist puts them at the top. Check out my review of this show in an earlier blog.

2) Dave Matthews Band (Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA) – This was the seventh time I’ve seen Dave Matthews Band live, and second at the Greek. This time around, they did two sets: one acoustic, and one with the full band. If you’ve never seen Dave Matthews live, do yourself a favor and remedy that.

3) Local Natives (Outside Lands, SF, and “Way over Yonder Festival,” Santa Monica, CA) – One of the bands that I caught more than once this year, LA’s Local Natives bring the melodies and tight performances.

4) Outkast (Bottlerock, Napa, CA) – Although there was a lot of criticism of their showing at Coachella, I can’t complain about their headlining performance at Bottlerock last year. They went through most of their extensive catalog, going back to early jams like “Atliens.”

5) Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam (Nokia Theatre, LA, CA) – After catching his HBO televised performance at his Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction, and realizing he hadn’t toured the US since the 1970’s, I had to get tickets to Cat Stevens’ show in LA. His voice is still great, and he performed nearly 30 songs during his set.

6) The Janks (multiple venues in LA and Orange Counties) – I first caught the Janks in January of last year, during their residency at the Wayfarer (then, Detroit Bar) in Costa Mesa. One of my favorite live acts overall, the Janks are one heavy dose of live rock. (Check out my review of them on here.)

7) The Lonely Wild (multiple venues in LA and Orange Counties) – I first caught them at that same show I caught the Janks last January. They are a band waiting to blow up: they have the songs, the performance, and are also very down to earth. (Check out my earlier review.)

8) George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (Funkfest, Long Beach, CA) – This show was not only a showcase of a sea of endless great songs, it was visually one of the craziest shows I’ve ever seen.

9) Jagwar Ma (Outside Lands, SF) – I had little expectation of this group, but they blew me away live at OSL. Seriously.

10) Ester Rada (“Make Music Pasadena,” Pasadena CA) – Hailing from Tel Aviv, this group was my favorite at the free Make Music Pasadena festival last year. She’s charismatic, and the band is phenomenal live.

11) White Fence (The Echo, Silverlake, CA) – If you like mid-60’s Who, then you’ll love White Fence. Especially live. And especially with Ty Segall guesting on guitar. Amazing.

12) Michael Franti and Spearhead (Santa Barbara, CA) – His energy, musicianship, songs, and passion he brings to his shows, makes him one of the best live acts out there. And the dude reached down and gave me a hug in the front. I’ll be posting pics from the show later this year. I’m hoping to catch him at Bottlerock later this year, for the third time.

13) Lucinda Williams (“Way over Yonder,” Santa Monica, CA) – Great band, great performer, and great songs. She was another performer for which I had little expectation.

14) The Lonely Bellow (‘Way over Yonder,” Santa Monica, CA) – I caught them at the same festival Lucinda was playing at. A nice crossroads of country-folk-rock, the Lonely Bellow were phenomenal live. Great voices.

15) David Byrne and friends (Tribute to William Onyeabor, The Greek, Silverlake, CA) – This had to be the trippiest show I watched last year. A virtual mini-star tribute to obscure African performer Onyeabor, this show blew my mind both musically and visually.

16) Moses Sumney (“Make Music Pasadena,” and “Way over Yonder”) – One of LA’s brightest stars over the last couple year, Moses Sumney is a phenomenal performer, using a series of looping, guitar playing, and his voice, to bring you into his world.

17) SOJA (Santa Barbara, CA) – Opening for Michael Franti on his Soulshine tour, SOJA is a major reggae act on their own. Great musicianship and showmanship and vibes.

18) Dave and Phil Alvin (Federal Bar, Hollywood, CA) – The key brothers from 80’s cult heroes The Blasters did this free intimate show at Federal Bar in Hollywood. Highlighting songs from their new album, they paid tribute to Big Bill Broonzy, among others.

19) Valerie June (Outside Lands, SF) – That VOICE. So original. Drop what you’re doing, and check her out NOW.

20) The Allah-las (“Echo Park Rising,” Silverlake, CA) – It helped to be right in the front for this amazing set by LA favorites, The Allah-las. They conjure up a 60’s Brit sound (think The Animals), with great energy.