Top 5 Gigs of the Year

since i saw my last gig of the year a few weeks ago, i thought i would waste time by counting down the 5 best concerts i was lucky enough to get tickets for this year. 2008 had a lot to live up to, since in 2007 i saw bands like +44, Deftones, AFI, NIN, Dashboard Confessional, Queens of the Stone Age, and Jimmy Eat World. but i think it's safe to say 2008 kicked ass. let's get started shall we?

5. Switchfoot - Murray Hill Theatre, Jacksonville FL - April 24th

for shear thrills and excitement, nothing beats a Switchfoot show. despite being in a small venue, the band ripped through their set like they were playing a stadium show. it was loud, it was really hot, and it was a ton of fun. Athlete was also a pleasant surprise, and was a perfect band to open for Switchfoot. all in all, though there were no crazy lights or special effects, Switchfoot still brought the fast and furious rock to Jacksonville that night. besides, any time a band's frontman leaps from the stage to run through the crowd is a definite way to arouse excitement.

4. Say Anything - House of Blues, Orlando FL - April 5th

i hate the House of Blues. it's the single worst venue in the history of mankind. but even their shitty security and "jump the line" rules could stop me from seeing Say Anything this year. on their first ever headlining tour, Max Bemis and the guys basically wowed my face off for 90 minutes. though i felt the Smashing Pumpkins cover could have been left of the set list, everything else was amazing. and Max is one funny dude.

3. Radiohead - Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa FL - May 6th

after going through hell to get tickets, i kept thinking "Jesus this show better be worth it". to put it frankly, it sure as hell was. never in my life did i think i would see Radiohead play live, and i always knew they would be great live. well they were better than great; they were brilliant. in front of 17,500 people and with some of the best lights i'd ever seen, Radiohead raised the bar for how gigs are to be played with each song. i left that show with the feeling that i had witnessed something truly amazing, and that it would stay with me for the rest of my life.

2. Coldplay - Amway Arena, Orlando FL - November 7th

i almost didn't see Coldplay. two weeks before the show, i still didn't have my tickets. after some crazy negotiations, i did get them a few days before the show. thank God because i would have missed out on one of the most exciting shows ever. this show was the first gig i've been to that i can say that i was in awe of what was happening in front of me. from the close encounters with Chris Martin and crew via the side stages to the multi-colored butterfly confetti, there wasn't a single low point to the whole night. oh, and Coldplay is LOUD.

1. Nine Inch Nails - Memorial Arena, Jacksonville FL - October 29th

ok, i may be biased since NIN is my all-time favorite band, but regardless, they put on one hell of a live show. despite some technical glitches, the otherwise mind-blowing lights and screens made the music come alive. but not once did those crazy visuals take away anything from the band. the band was furious, visceral, and LOUD AS SHIT the entire night. even during the slower Ghosts songs, they never let up. for being so loud, fast, incredibly furious, and sounding like nothing else in the world, NIN will remain the best live act around.

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so there you have it. hopefully you enjoyed that little trip down memory lane. if you didn't, then it's your loss.