Best Live Acts: English Edition

I have been going to large scale arena shows since I was in middle school; and yes, that was to Garth Brooks. And to be quite honest, Garth set the standard pretty high since he is no slouch at showmanship. I was presented to the large scale arena rock show with a surprise birthday gift to see KISS (Reunion Tour '96); again, the bar was set very high. I have also attended the 10th largest concert in the United States via Blockbuster Rock Fest at Texas Motor Speedway (385,000). But these shows were great by their scale and theatrics but some of my favorite gigs to date have been more recent and by contrast, much more intimate.

So here we go:

1. Muse: come on now. These guys still provide the light shows and epic guitar riffs but I have yet to see them at a large festival with their grandiose stage setup. Nevertheless, the top my list by sheer music ability and energetic performances.


"Stockholm Syndrome" Riff by Muse @ Edgefest 16

2. Radiohead: these guys are a must-see when it comes to live music. A staple in international acts since the early-mid 90's, the powerhouse known as Radiohead provide a auditory spectrum of sound put to an equally appealing visual presence.


"Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead @ Superpages.com Center

3. The Cribs: not as well known as the aforementioned bands but still create a fun and captivating live show. The brothers Jarman play simple but energetic music that is easy to sing to but even easier to dance to. They're a good time.


"Martell" by the Cribs @ the Loft

4. Bloc Party: pretty much the same as the Cribs but with the occasional slowed down moments and larger musical variance.


"This Modern Love" by Bloc Party @ House of Blues, Dallas

5. British Sea Power: not the same fun, melodic sound as the Cribs and Bloc Party but a band with a lot of raw energy and great talent.


"Waving Flags" by British Sea Power @ Norman Music Festival

*all videos courtesy of the MTC youtube account.

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A Taste of the Town

Something I wasn't aware of my first few years in Norman, OK was that there was an abundance of quality musicians and a great music scene here. I was in a strange rap/metal phase during those times; not a pretty sight. I grew more into the indie culture, enjoying music based on its content and quality as opposed to its mainstream value. Though my music tastes have evolved over the last few years, I cannot help but listen to and support music made by Normanites; not hard when the music is great. Enter Evangelicals. If early rock and roll had a baby with a horror flick, that would be a good illustration of what Evangelicals sound like. It's so damn catchy is what it is. Take a listen and I think you'll agree.

Catch them on their current tour of the U.S.:

09-17 Dekalb, IL - House Café
09-18 Champaign, IL - Pygmalion Festial
09-19 Muncie, IN - Village Green Records
09-20 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
09-21 Bloomington, IN - The Bluebird
09-22 Covington, KY - The Mad Hatter
09-23 Columbus, OH - Skully's Music Diner
09-24 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
09-25 Rochester, NY - Bug Jar*
09-27 Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dee's*
09-29 Ottawa, Ontario - Zaphod Beeblebrox*
10-01 Cambridge, MA - Middle East*
10-02 New York, NY - Cake Shop*
10-04 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel*
09-28 Hamilton, Ontario - Casbah Lounge
10-06 Harrisonburg, VA - Clementine
10-07 Greensboro, NC - TBA
10-08 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern*
10-09 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn*
10-10 Chattanooga, TN - JJ's Bohemia
10-11 Nashville, TN - The End
10-13 Ames, IA - Maintenance Shop
10-14 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive*
10-15 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
10-16 Boise, ID - Neurolux*
10-17 Seattle, WA - The Vera Project*
10-18 Anacortes, WA - Deptartment of Safety*
10-19 Bellingham, WA - Whaam
10-20 Tacoma, WA - The New Frontier
10-21 Portland, OR - Backspace
10-23 San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Tavern*
10-24 San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Art Center*
10-25 Los Angeles, CA - Little Radio
10-27 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
10-28 Santa Fe, NM - CSF SUB
10-29 Lubbock, TX - Bash Rip Rock's 2
10-30 Norman, OK - Opolis (Halloween Show)
* w/Parenthetical Girls

enjoy.

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