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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2009 > January > 02 > Entry
Sonia and Shane’s Top 5 Local Shows — And Local Indie Releases of 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Of course, Sunday’s recap of notable moments in local music wasn’t our only look back at 2008.
On New Year’s Eve we rounded up our Top 10 albums. Yesterday it was the Top 10 singles. And finally, here’s the top 5 local shows and Top 10 local indie releases.
Again, feel free to add your own…
SONIA MURRAY’S FIVE FAVORITE LOCAL CONCERTS
PHOTO CREDIT: Raymond Hagans
Usher at the Tabernacle. Atlanta’s arena-sized, R&B superstar played the far-more-intimate Tabernacle, and as one would expect, the few thousand in attendance got pretty close to him. Not just because of the proximity, mind you, but a revealing, unforgettable performance that included unexpected hits (“Lovers and Friends,” “Bad Girl,” “Think of You”), unexpected covers (“Adore,” “Rocket Love,” “Prototype”) and an absolutely dynamic delivery.
Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z at Philips Arena/Jill Scott at the Fox Theatre. Sixteen years into her professional career, Blige sang, danced and ingratiated this sold-out arena like April 8 would be her last night on stage. Scott was equally as wonderful — as much for her vocal power as her eight-piece band’s.
Lalah Hathaway (above) and Rahsaan Patterson at the Atlanta Civic Center. (With Brian Culbertson headlining). These two must-see vocalists are the rare performers for whom you can’t wait to get to the end of each song - just to delight in their smoldering ad-libs.
George Michael at Philips Arena. Seventeen years after he last toured the U.S., this pop superstar returned for what he could confidently call a grand farewell; as it was vividly staged, well thought out, and sung even better than fans since “Wham Rap!” may have remembered Michael’s pipes. Janet Jackson/Madonna at Philips Arena. For the sheer what-is-she-going-to-dust-off-next factor, Jackson’s generous reflection on her 26-year catalog was just what a Jackson would want. Completely reprised choreography and all. Madonna, on the other hand, focused on her latest - and relatively poorly-received — CD (“Hard Candy”). But again, for the sheer what-is-she-going-to-DO-next factor, this amazing production ranks. SHANE HARRISON’S TEN FAVORITE LOCAL INDEPENDENT RELEASES “All Y’all,” Gringo Star. A prime candidate for the next break-out band from Atlanta. The world has already discovered the charms of Deerhunter and the Black Lips, and Gringo Star’s sprightly garage psychedelia, a hooky update of ’60s mod pop, deserves to be heard by a much wider audience, too. “Life … The Best Game In Town,” Harvey Milk.
Sludge metal with subtlety? You bet. This Athens outfit takes a metallic grind, indebted to the Melvins, Motorhead and Black Sabbath, and turn a potentially one-dimensional sound into a complex and compelling set of music. “Microcastle,” Deerhunter. Atlanta’s self-described “ambient punk” band just keeps getting better. The bonus album “Weird Era Cont.,” which came with the inventive “Microcastle,” was better than most of the year’s regular releases. “Introducing Gentleman Jesse and His Men,” Gentleman Jesse and His Men. This much anticipated debut album was worth the wait and marked a welcome reinvigoration for old-school power pop. “Mission Control,”The Whigs. Crunchy modern rock that transcends most of its contemporaries with hook-filled and memorable songs, Athens’ Whigs prove that you don’t need gimmicks to make great records. There’s nothing fancy about this trio’s solid, straight-ahead indie rock, but it works like a charm. “Wrecking Ball,” Dead Confederate.
Not just one of the best Georgia releases of the year, but one of the year’s best debuts, period. Pink Floydian atmospherics mingle with the crashing crescendos of Nirvana. “Rats,” originally release on the Athens quintet’s 2007 EP, and “It Was a Rose” are absolute stunners. “The Air Salesman,” The Selmanaires.
Maybe these guys are just too inventive for their own good. They make music that sounds like so many things, often all at the same time. A bit of Talking Heads, a touch of the Kinks, a pinch of Can and a some surf-rock are just the tip of their iceberg of cool. “The Rustic Contemporary Sounds of … ,”Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause. A layered cocktail of torch songs, punk blasts and gritty old country. If Patsy Cline were a punk, she’d be Anna Kramer. Listening to Kramer sing is the perfect accompaniment for a tall glass of beer. “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark,” Drive-By Truckers. The departure of Jason Isbell, one of the band’s three main songwriters, didn’t hurt these guys a bit. Another brilliant addition to an already stellar catalog of Southern goodness. “Dinosaurs Turn Into Birds,” Silent Kids. Fuzzed-up traces of psychedelia and a ramshackle pop charm distinguish this long-awaited follow-up to 2003’s “Tomorrow Waits.”
Comments
By Thirdwheel
January 2, 2009 12:02 PM | Link to this
I am really glad to see George Michael on here. His concert was wonderful!! What about Tina Turner though??? Now that was the concert to see! She put on a show!!
By Blackstar
January 7, 2009 9:08 PM | Link to this
Man, I really want to love the Selmanaires, and I feel like I get them, but I just can’t get into them.
I have an earlier album that i bought from them (the name escapes me right now) but it was pretty good.
That air salesman album however was okay, certainly not their best.