Live Music Review 2014
December 27, 2014
Counting Crows 
Lorde 
the Avett Brothers
Jenny Lewis
Haim
Live Music Review 2014
Live 
Broken Bells
This has been a banner year for attending live music for us,
we have been fortunate to have attended a wide variety of musical performances
in a wide range of venues. From huge names and well-established artists to
brand new up and coming acts and just about everything in between. Living in
Key West makes it somewhat difficult and while we take advantage of the acts
that do make it here to play, when we really want to see a decent show, it
generally involves traveling.
Major Lazer 
Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel
Thankfully we have been free to travel a lot and we always
check to see who is playing if we are already planning a trip as well as many
trips just to see live music. Whether it be quick trips to Miami, Orlando, or
Tampa or flying to a music festival for a long weekend we have indulged in our
love of music this year. Since I haven’t been too great at keeping up with this
blog this year, I thought I might offer a short year in review and list the top
ten musical performances that I saw this year.
Eminem 
Grace Potter 
Paulo Nutrini
It was a pretty busy year as I attended about thirty
concerts and also hit a big trifecta of huge music festivals by attending
Coachella, Lollapalooza and the ACL Festival where I saw all or part of close
to 70 additional acts. I have seen huge mega-tours and small club shows and
while it is hard to compare what are very different experiences, I have tried
to keep in mind how each act played relative to what type and size of venue
they played.
Ana Tijoux
The Kooks 
Hall & Oates
Anyway here is my list for 2014:
10. Kiss- November 19th, The Joint at the Hard
Rock Hotel, Las Vegas. The mega-band Kiss had a residency at the Joint during
the fall and it just happened to coincide with a scuba diving convention that I
was attending. Seeing the pyrotechnic extravaganza with full make-up that is Kiss
in the small intimate 3200 seat venue was incredible. Our seats were so close
that it seemed like we were immersed in the show, and what a show. Seeing Kiss
is an experience, not just a concert and the band seemed energized by the setting,
it was a fun and wild experience.
Kiss
9. Marc Scibilia- October 3rd- ACL Festival. When
I attend large festivals, I often visit the smaller stages where new, unfamiliar
artists can be found. Playing the opening slot on the small BMI stage at ACL
was singer/songwriter Marc Sibilia who I had never even heard of, much less
heard. His set was fantastic. I was taken right away and stayed and watched his
entire performance. Playing mostly acoustic witty and fun original music,
Sibilia is someone I hope to see a lot more of in the future. I bought the CD,
it is good but the live version is way better. Check him out if you get a
chance.
Marc Scibilia
8.Bruce Springsteen-April 26th-Aaron’s
Amphitheatre, Atlanta. This wasn’t the best Springsteen show I have seen, less an
anthem filled crowd-pleaser than a deep digging in to the catalog rarities show.
But his two hour and forty-five minute set showed that at age 64, Springsteen
is still a sure thing live and one of the best live performers that has graced
a rock n roll stage. Playing many deep cuts from “The River” and a bunch of
cover songs ranging from the Clash to AC/DC, it was a different type of
Springsteen show, but an excellent one nonetheless.
Bruce Springsteen
7. Vic Mensa- August 2nd-Lollapalooza. Local
rising-star Chicago rapper snared a spot playing the smaller BMI stage at
Lollapalooza this year, but if the size and enthusiasm of the packed-in
overflow crowd was any indication, he will be moving up to a larger stage in
the future. The energy packed set featured everything from a blow-up sex doll,
a pack of super-soakers, being joined on stage by Chance the Rapper and a
litany of feisty rapping. It delighted the frenzied crowd who gave their local
hero a regal welcome. It was something to see and experience.
Vic Mensa
6. Cage the Elephant- April 11th-Coachella. Matt
Shultz, lead singer of the Grammy nominated alternative rockers, Cage the
Elephant, is an amazing live performer. I had the good fortune of seeing the
band three times during 2014 and each time they were spectacular. The best
performance that I saw was at Coachella, but any of the three shows might have
qualified for my top ten. Shultz is a contolled maniac as a performer, climbing
up the risers, crowd surfing and darting around the stage like a dervish all
while maintaining a driving beat and creating a frenzy in the crowd.
Cage the Elephant 
Cage the Elephant
5. Mac Demarco- October 4th, Historic Scoot Inn,
Austin, TX. While I consider myself up to date musically, I had somehow missed
out on Mac DeMarco and went to this ACL aftershow based on the suggestion of
friends in Austin and I am so glad I went. Close to two hours of magnificent
mayhem and excellent music including a cover of “Smoke on the Water” and a
twenty-minute cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” to close the show. In
between, Demarco played plenty of his own music and wowed the crowd with both
his playing and his stage diving, crowd surfing antics. It was wild and fun and
he is another one that I cannot wait to see again.
Mac Demarco
4. Counting Crows/ Twin Forks- December 14th-Old
National Centre, Indianapolis, IN. My favorite band in my favorite hometown
venue the old Murat Theatre in Indianapolis. I saw two Counting Crows shows
this year, once in Ft. Lauderdale with Toad the Wet Sprocket and this Indy
show. Both were amazing. A fantastic live band that I have seen fifty plus
times is at the top of their game these days with a fantastic new CD and this
great tour. Constantly reinvigorating and changing things up, the band is just
a joy to see. With an ever-changing set-list and alternative lyrics and takes
on their classic songs the band is constantly fresh. Can’t wait to get back and
see them this summer.
Twin Forks
3. Phosphorescent/ Papa- August 1st- Double Door
Saloon, Chicago, IL. Unlike some of the
surprising newcomers I discovered this year, I had this Lollapalooza aftershow marked
on my must-see calendar as soon as it was announced. I love the most recent CD
by the singer/songwriter Matthew Houck who records under the name of
Phosphorescent. The haunting music including the beautiful “Song for Zulu” were
all delivered during the intimate, beautiful set at the tiny club. The show was
everything that I had hoped for and more.
Phosphorescent
2.Katy Perry/ Capital Cities-July 2nd- BB&T
Center, Sunrise, FL. This is going to surprise a few people, no one more so
than myself. I certainly never expected to enjoy this one as much as I did, let
alone have it be a close second to the best concert I saw all year. I know many
of my friends may be laughing aloud at the moment, but this was a spectacular
experience. I could not have identified a single Katy Perry song before
attending though I did know who she was, but the show was nothing short of amazing.
Capital Cities was a fantastic opening act and Katy Perry had everything
including incredible pyrotechnics, amazing showmanship and costuming and a
remarkable performer in Miss Perry. She sounded great, performed well and
interacted with the large stadium crowd with a natural and sincere persona,
even ordering pizza and delivering it to a young fan.
Katy Perry 
Katy Perry
1. James Bay-October 3rd-ACL Festival, Austin,
TX. Every once in a great while you see someone who is so fantastic and
transformative that you can see stardom coming their way. This happened to me
on the opening day of this year’s ACL festival where I caught a set on a sparse
unadorned stage by a British singer/ songwriter who I had never heard of and am
now so happy that I was able to see. It is always fun to look back and say you
saw so and so before they became the huge sensation and I got the distinct
feeling that is what I was witnessing. The guy was mesmerizing and sounded
fantastic and polished considering he has only released three eps. His first
full-length CD will not be released until early next year, but expect to hear
much, much more from Mr. Bay.
James Bay 
James Bay
James Bay
Ingrid Michaelson
So that’s it, my favorites of 2014. There are a number of
honorable mention shows that we saw that just missed out on making the list,
including Fleetwood Mac, the Avett Brothers ( especially their rain-soaked set
at Lollapalooza), Ana Tijoux, Jimmy Cliff, Haim, Chromeo, Bryan Ferry, Vance
Joy, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Ingrid Michaelson, Jenny Lewis, Hall
& Oates, Broken Bells and Fitz & the Tantrums. Hopefully the year ahead
will be just as exciting, see you at the show!
Bryan Ferry 
Avett Brothers 
Tom Petty 
Eagles 
Fleetwood Mac
The Last IV 
Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan
posted by Michael and Kathy @ 9:11 PM
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