JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009
AND THE NOUGHTIES
It’s been an incredible year for gigs here at Southbank Centre. We’ve seen Brian Eno join David Byrne onstage at Ether, Ornette Coleman reuniting with Charlie Haden, Spiritualized performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Yo La Tengo covering Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground and taking questions from the audience, Laura Marling playing with Andrew Bird, and much, much more.
And the last decade hasn’t been too bad either, with Radiohead premiering material from Kid A; Public Enemy playing at Lee Scratch Perry’s Meltdown; the first reunion show from The New York Dolls in 2004; Brian Wilson performing his lost masterpiece Smile for the first time; Jarvis Cocker singing Disney classics; and great shows from the likes of Seu Jorge, Keith Jarrett, Tinariwen, Antony and The Johnsons and countless others.
WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO AN ETHER 2010 GIG OF YOUR CHOICE
Just tell us in the comment box below what you’ve enjoyed this year and this decade at Southbank Centre and one person will be chosen at random to win a pair of tickets to an Ether 2010 gig of their choice. There will be news on Ether early in 2010…
We’ll announce the winner on Friday 22 January 2010 so make sure you’ve picked your highlights by then.
Hope you’re looking forward to 2010. There are some pretty exciting things to come…
Filed under: Electronic, Folk, Jazz, Rock & Pop, World, Blues, Post show |
Gigs Community | Southbank Centre 
the Emperor plaid by Helene Grimaud was fantastic
Plaid + resident Gamelan ensemble was sublime!
I really enjoyed the Robert Glasper featuring Bilal gig last month as part of the London Jazz Festival. It was amazing event which sent shivers down my spine!
Another memorable gig was Soweto Kinch a few years ago – they really involved the kids and broke down how jazz came about…it was very educational…even for the adults in the audience!
I loved seeing Laura Marling and Friends this year. The show was unique and fantastic, introducing me to many new bands!
I saw David Byrne (plays the music of David Byrne and Brian Eno) at the Festival Hall as part of Ether 09. I’m sure this will be a popular choice – lovely sunny evening. Had a couple of drinks in Skylon and Brian Eno even made it on stage for the last song.
This year: John Scofield
Also saw Jethro Tull and Van der Graaf Generator last year.
Where to start really, this year highlights have been The National, Yoko ono with Family and friends, Spiritualized performing LAdies and Gentleman we are floating in SPace for the first time in years last time was at Glastonbury when the rain fell so hard we returned to find no tent so was nice to see it in dry and warm surroundings with a comfy seat and not to mention better sound quality.
But it is definietly a hard decision what was the best thing I saw at the Southbank this year it a close call between Ornette Coleman at this years Meltdown, David Byrne and Brian Eno on stage which was just mesmorizing for a Sunday evening or Bonnie Prince Billy the only person I have seen who makes Dungarees look well theres no other word to describe it apart from cool.
To be honest its a hard decision but i think that could actually be Bonnie Prince Billy that wins out in the neck and neck stakes.
But it has to be said that I have actually stopped buying tickets to see gigs and concerts anywhere else and now just buy tickets to see music or all kinds whether I ve heard it or not at the Southbank Centre
Fever Ray supporting, but completely upstaging Röyksopp with their amazing light show and costumes..and they put out the best album of 2009 as well!
Highlight has to be Steve Reich – hearing him play electric counterpoint and Music for 18 Musicians was the best live music I have heard all year!
Also really enjoyed Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics followed by African Boy who was as ever amazing live
Brian Wilson – Pet Sounds
Kirsty Maccoll tribute
Laura Marling & friends
Solomon Burke/Jon Spencer Blues
Regina Spektor
Fever Ray was amazing!
seeing Ornette Coleman after many years was truly a great experience
Seeing Yoko Ono was a real treat. She’s not to everyone’s taste but she’s so influential right up to comtemporary music (of all types). Over the decade, it has to be Brian Wilson’s ‘Smile’. What a surprise!
The best is yet to come …
Every visit!
We live an hour away so getting up to the Southbank is Big News for The Monks, Us. The best show this year was Jarvis Cocker who hosted the meltdown festival. fantastic show and it still lives in my brain. Never saw so much talent in one place. Introduced us to Andrew Bird who we follow now like birds after a reeper…any new nuggets go down well. Love being there because in one dark corner of one dark seat I can pretend that I am alone and they are playing just for me unless somebody tuts me or touches me; well I’m just not having that I can assure you. Wish your bathroom stalls were larger though. It’s hard turning around after 3 glasses of beer. This was magic for me and my man and we are both in our 60’s now so I guess you could almost call us groovy, or so we like to think.
Thanks for the memories even though it cost us plenty.
Soap & Skin, Dirty Three and Plastic Ono Band were all excellent!
Three succeeding nights at this year’s Meltdown – Ornette, Master Musicians,Bill Frisell, Charlie Haden and Carla Bley – a great range of beautiful and powerful musics.
For the decade I would choose the rare and sublime evening provided by Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton.
Most intriguing gig this year was the Stockhausen ‘Stimmung’ 🙂 – unforgettable.
Gig of the decade at South Bank?Easy – Kraftwerk at the Festival Hall. A gig of a lifetime in fact!
Ornette Coleman was incredible, and Patti Smith completely exceeded my already high expectations.
The Joanna MacGregor gig last November was another highlight, a tension of total control and great passion.
I never thought I would ever get to see and hear Ornette Coleman and his band jamming with the Matser Musicians of Jajouka–that was unforgettable.
Spiritualized…..one of the best aural experiences I have ever encountered. Probably helped that it’s one of my favourite albums!!
The Hayward Gallery never fails to inspire, educate and amuse me with their top quality exhibitions…
This year I was enchanted with ‘A Walk in the Mind’, an exhibition that could be enjoyed by adults and children alike, the work spilling off the walls into the whole space, and even outside onto the Southbank walkway. I left with creative thoughts spilling out of my own head.
In the last decade the highlight was the Jacques Henri Lartigue exhibition. A volume of such fascinating work, comprehensively documenting the fashions and life of society from the last century. I spent hours engrossed, and could have spent many more if I only I could have got into the glass cases…
I loved Amiina with Shlomo and Valgeir Sirgudsson. Experimental beauty.
Seeing Fever Ray for the first time at Ether this year was my highlight of all the gigs I’ve seen this year!
And Shlomo organising Icelandic music by unconventional means, that was mind blowing!
The goddess that is Marianne Faithful on her only UK date fresh from her battle with cancer. I was absolutely transfixed and so thankful i got to see one of my heroes. Next Patti Smith *crosses fingers*
Vinicio Capossela… Such an amazing performer, loved every second of it!
Bringing my lad to Bellowhead’s lunctime free concert with story, and him getting it.
Wow! Where to start! Alison Moyet last weekend thoroughly deserved the standing ovation she got. Fantastic voice, fantastic songs.
Omara Portuondo was fab too.
Outside the hall, I loved seeing Billy Bragg doing his busking set a couple of summers ago, and the Antony Gormley statues on the roof lent a surreal edge to the complex.
Biggest thrill though was Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra. Please bring them back very very soon!
The Pestival gig was marvellous fun, but if I had to pick a highlight for this year it would be seeing Yoko Ono and Ornette Coleman on stage together, brilliant!
As for gig of the decade nothing for me would touch the New York Dolls comeback gig at Meltdown, a band I thought I would never see that I’ve loved for years, fantastic music and touching too.
I can’t believe I missed Laura Marling & Andrew Bird – 2 of my favourite artists. But when I moved to London I started booking tickets early & managed to see some great poetry from the Faber poets & a lovely celebration of Adrian Mitchell’s work this week.
Spiritualized because it was as good as expected, but an evening with Mark Lanegan & Greg Dulli was unique and beyond all expectations.
Keith Jarrett,Tomasz Stanko,Tord Gustavsen made me happy.I can not wait next London Jazz Festival.
Went to see Lisa Hannigan as a birthday treat – she was lovely and thrilled to be playing at the RFH. She was a good sport when she did the ghostbusters theme as a requested encore.
It’s got to be Porgy & Bess in October – absolutely stunning, just wish we’d had a chance to see the fully staged version
Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentleman we are floating in space was just fantastic
Herbie Hancock -one of the best of the best ; still going strong ,better than ever .More than value for money .
Squarepusher never fails. This year with a mosh pit to boot!
This year – just one month ago – I loved the Jazz Festival gig: Rachid Taha supported by Vieux Farka Toure. I was right at the front, close enough to see the sparkle in Rachid’s eyes!
Best gig of the decade was – yes, Rachid Taha, as part of Patti Smith’s Meltdown. Mick Jones (of the Clash) supported and later he came on to play lead guitar while Rachid and Patti dueted on ‘Hey Joe’ . The finale – and the last song to be played in the RFH before it closed for refurbishment – was a blistering “Rock El Casbah”. Unforgettable!
This year: Royksopp definitely with Fever Ray as support, now those FR lasers where something else!
Loved Moby too but Royksopp showmanship won it ‘Spaced out Helmet’, Robyn and all.
Earlier in the decade the Beat, with Dave Wakeling, got the concert hall up on it’s feet dancing.
The RFH has got such a great vibe and I just love the fact that the recent £m’s upgrade has seen the original green carpets retained!
Looking forward to lots more great sounds 2010 and the Binaries? 🙂
Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentleman we are floating in space was well worth the wait
Absolutely loved Jon Snow in conversation with Baba Maal – wonderful!
Ether was fantastic!,, It was where I discovered Jon Hopkins ( a musical Genius) ..he was supporting Plaid.
Square Pusher also rocked the clore ballroom..
Saw Jon Hopkins again supporting Soap and Skin.. another sublime set.
Marianne Faithfull was a true icon
whilst much impressed with the ribald fun of Bellowheads Valentines Day Sirty Weekend I got more blessings from the watersons during opics 70th.
November 13th, 2009: Rachid Taha supported by Vieux Farka Toure. As usual, Rachid closed with a blistering jam with the support artists. As he said, “This is Africa!”
A couple of faves:
The free Heliocentrics gig (without Mulatu), Barrett/Harvey, John Surman, Pestival, and (probably) more my addled brain cannot recall! Roll on 2010!
Ornette took my breath away, it was a spiritual experience and had folks talking to each other in the tube!
My Southbank experiences started in 2004 with Brian Wilson and Smile. Then the superb reopening celebrations with free gigs from Billy Bragg and the mighty Bellowhead. Some startling Meltdown moments including a cerebral Yellow Magic Orchestra and the never to be repeated sight of Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave and Shane McGowan howling like dogs to Disney songs (check it out on Youtube).
This has become one of our favourite family days out (Insect days were great this year) and we’re looking forward to Into The Hoods next week. But favourite moment? No contest – seeing my parents jiving on the Clore Ballroom last December.
Without a doubt “Hope Sandoval’ concert in November must surely be one of the highlights if not the top performance of 2009!
Roberto Foncesca with Mayra Andrade sublime!
One of the most jaw-dropping sights of my concert-going life came when The Polyphonic Spree, who I’d never heard of at that point, opened for the always brilliant Divine Comedy at David Bowie’s Meltdown. Those robes, those tunes, the feeling of joy – unbeatable!
Dieter Moebius and Michael Rother was great. Such a rare opportunity to see either artist. The two together… fantastic.