Top 10 Gigs of the Year

With just over a week to go until we're in the new year I'm going to start lists.

List number one is my top 10 favourite/most fun gigs of 2009, in chronological order.

13 Mar The Acorn at The Windmill, Brixton
One of my favourite venues, even if it is out of the way. And one of my new favourite bands. Not a bad combo. Throw in a few pints of Red Stripe and a comedy red nose (it was Comic Relief) and it's no surprise this night is on the list.

12 Apr David Ford at The Old Market, Hove
Watching a man play the guitar, harmonica and drums ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Pretty impressive.

14 Apr Loney, Dear with Snowbird and The Leisure Society at The Scala, Kings Cross
Pure beauty. I was already in love with The Leisure Society and Loney, Dear (I like the comma) and after this night I had fallen for Snowbird - a team consisting of Stephanie Dosen and Simon Raymonde.


20 May Idlewild at Dingwalls, Camden
The second of a three night stint at Dingwalls - with Idlewild tonight playing Make Another World and 100 Broken Windows. Gotta love early Idlewild.

12 Jun The Leisure Society with Sons of Noel & Adrian and other Wilkommen acts at Union Chapel, Islington
Despite it only being a very short set from The Leisure Society (whilst it felt like Sweet Billy Pilgrim went on for ages - too long for me anyway), this was an evening of beautiful music.

17 Aug Broken Records with My Latest Novel at Queens Hall, Edinburgh
A home show for the band, a little trip north of the border for me. I'd spent my day walking round Edinburgh in the rain ducking in and out of pubs, and this gig was the perfect way to end the day. I'd never seen My Latest Novel before but thought they were excellent (plus there's a TAT in the band!), and Broken Records were on fine form, as usual.

27 Sep The Low Anthem at Hoxton Hall, Shoreditch
After catching The Low Anthem in a dive at The Great Escape earlier in the year I was hooked. This show at Hoxton Hall was a real highlight, despite Ben losing his voice. Also, suppport from the amazing Snakewagon.

9 Nov Dan Mangan at The Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell
DAN MANGAN. What a voice. What songs. Ahhhhhhh. I'd popped over to Pure Groove before this show, so actually saw Dan perform twice in one night. Ahhhhhh.

25 Nov The Leisure Society with Erland & the Carnival at St Giles in the Fields Church, Camden
So this is the 3rd time that The Leisure Society crop up on this list. I do quite like them. St Giles is a beautiful building with a fantastic sound, so this was fantastic.

21 Dec David Ford at Band on the Wall, Manchester
Last gig of the year. The second Milk 7 Cookies show. I love David Ford shows, he's an incredibly talented man, and his Milk & Cookies charity shows are always fun. (More about this here)


See what didn't make it onto the list on my songkick profile.