Best Gigs Of 2016

I didn't go to as many gigs this year but there were still plenty of highlights for me from some old favourites, a few legends and some acts, new and old, who I had never seen before. Probably the most unusual was film director/composer John Carpenter at Troxy, whose mix of electronic soundtracks and visuals was pretty incredible. Meanwhile, Bat For Lashes' themed show showcasing her concept album The Bride was theatrical, warm and brilliant; Margo Price made me fall in love with her thanks to her no-frills traditional country and Low brought their Christmas record to life for me in ways I didn't expect. On top of that I got to meet Greg Dulli, one of my heroes, and to see Neil Young play with his new band, Promise Of The Real,  featuring Willie Nelson's sons. Not bad at all. I hope 2017 has lots of good things in store too.

10. Lush at the Roundhouse

9. Cyndi Lauper at Hammersmith Apollo

8. Greg Dulli at the Union Chapel

7. Neil Young & Laura Marling at the O2 Arena

6. Angel Olsen at Koko

5. Warpaint at the Roundhouse

4. John Carpenter at Troxy

3. Bat For Lashes at the Union Chapel

2. Low: A Christmas Performance at Union Chapel

1. Margo Price at The Scala

Lush at the Roundhouse

Lush

Pixx

Roundhouse, 6 May 2016

For some reason I never listened to Lush back in the good old 90s and only really discovered their music about ten years ago. But even though I stupidly ignored their music, just the image of Lush, especially that of Miki Berenyi's postbox red hair and Emma Anderson's cute black bob (it's all about the hair for me obviously), brings back waves of nostalgia, probably because they were ever-present in the pages of my favourite music paper back then, Melody Maker.