Best Gigs of 2024

This year really was all about MJ Lenderman for me. Not only did I see him with his other band Wednesday finally (their last album ruled 2023 for me), but I also saw him doing his first ever UK solo show all by himself at Rough Trade East (and got to meet the man himself) and saw him twice with his incredible backing band The Wind at the fantastic intimate shows at The Garage. 

Mark Lanegan Tribute at the Roundhouse

Mark Lanegan: 60 - A Celebration

Roundhouse, 5 December 2024 

As soon as this tribute concert celebrating what would have been Mark Lanegan's 60th birthday was announced, I knew I had to go. I would never see Lanegan live again, but at the very least I could see some of his friends and peers sing some of his songs and say goodbye to one of my favourite ever artists that way. Fortunately for me I was lucky enough to grab a ticket, as it sold out right away.

Farewell, Mark Lanegan

Mark Lanegan passed away today and I can't believe it. How can this giant of a man be gone? Another victim of Covid19 apparently. Over the years I've seen hm live more times than any other artist from Screaming Trees to Queens Of The Stone Age to his work with Isobel Campbell, Soulsavers and Greg Dulli. He's one of the first artists to appear on this blog. Every time I saw him it was special and memorable. His record Whiskey For The Holy Ghost, which I bought way back in the early 90s, especially means a lot to me and the first time I saw him live, while fronting the Screaming Trees, was the only time I've ever seen a support band called back by the audience to play an encore. He was that good. In recent years he became an author and his memoirs Sing Backwards And Weep and Devil In A Coma are two of the best I've ever read and I highly recommend them. I was lucky enough to meet him and get him to sign his poetry book I Am The Wolf the last time I saw him live. He was warm, lovely and gave me the nicest smile: a complete contrast to the "Dark Mark" legend. So sad he's gone. Rest in peace, Lanegan.

Albums Of The Decade

My favourite albums of the past decade. It's really hard to rank albums and really every one is interchangeable because each has meant something special to me or been something of an obsession over the past decade at different times. It's also interesting to see since starting this blog how a lot of the albums on my end of year lists are now rarely listened to by me and some almost completely forgotten (I really don't think I've thought about Yuck, for instance, since 2011 but they are there on my list that year). These were chosen for a combination of most listens and the memories they bring back. I'm sure I've missed out some good ones though.

Mark Lanegan at Koko

Mark Lanegan
Joe Cardamone
Duke Garwood
Koko, 12 December 2017

Once again I venture out into the cold, dark, winter night to see Mark Lanegan, my 19th time seeing him live no less. It's actually been five years since I saw him, the last time when his excellent album Blues Funeral came out and he's been oddly prolific since then so there are a lot of Lanegan tunes I've yet to experience live.

My Favourite Albums Of 2012

I had a really difficult time this year whittling down my favourite albums of the year to just 10, there were so many I really loved: so I decided to make it 11. There are others I really loved too like Ryan Bingham's brilliant hard rock meets traditional country Tomorrowland, The Mars Volta's underrated Noctourniquet and Kathleen Edwards' lovely follow-up to Asking For Flowers, Voyageur, but these are the records that ultimately made the cut.

Mark Lanegan at The Forum

Mark Lanegan Band
Creature With The Atom Brain
Duke Garwood
The Forum, 4 December 2012

I feel like I've said all I can say about Duke Garwood. Love him or loathe him he's pretty much a given at any Mark Lanegan gig these days. A couple of years ago his droning, feedback-fueled gothic blues really divided opinions but I think since he's now joined by a drummer to help drive the songs along and added quite a few more upbeat and shorter songs to his repertoire, for those more interested in melody over atmospherics, he's certainly easier to love. The audience tonight definitely seem appreciative for once, which is nice to see.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan at the Barbican

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan

Willy Mason
Barbican, 10 September 2010
I swear I’m not stalking Mark Lanegan, I know it seems like it, this is my third time seeing him this year after all. But then Lanegan has become something of a tour animal of late, whether by himself or with his numerous side projects and it’s hard to resist going to see him and hearing that amazing voice of his in the flesh.

Mark Lanegan at the Union Chapel

Mark Lanegan
Duke Garwood
Union Chapel, 18 August 2010

It's funny how certain artists can constantly surprise you. On the surface Mark Lanegan certainly wouldn't be the most obvious candidate for this: he hardly moves while performing, rarely says a word and sings his songs with little improvisation. Yet, having seen Lanegan 17 times now, twice on this solo tour alone, I can honestly say each show I've seen has been a unique and beautiful experience.

Mark Lanegan at Scala

Mark Lanegan
Duke Garwood
Tiffany Anders
Scala, 4 May 2010

Tiffany Anders is best known to me for singing backing vocals on one of my favourite ever Dinosaur Jr songs, the heart-wrenching Get Me. She was only a teen at the time and knew Dinosaur’s J Mascis through her mother, filmmaker Allison Anders, who J had worked with when he wrote the music for her film Gas, Food & Lodging.

Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers at The Garage

 
Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers
The Garage, 27 August 2009

For some reason I've seen Mark Lanegan live more than any other artist but then Lanegan has to have more bands and projects he's involved in than any other artist. Other than seeing him with his own band, I've seen him sing with the Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Twilight Singers, The Gutter Twins and of course Isobel Campbell. But one of my most memorable Lanegan experiences was the first time I saw him with Soulsavers.

Dulli and Lanegan at the Royal Festival Hall

An Evening With Greg Dulli & Mark Lanegan
Jimmy Gnecco
Duke Garwood
Royal Festival Hall, 19 July 2009

"I've been found out," quips a particularly well-fed-looking Greg Dulli when amid the screams for Lanegan as they walk on stage, comes a lone "Duuuuuuulllliiiiii". Appropriate really given that this show, more than any others recently, saw The Twilight Singers frontman take back the spotlight from the domineering presence of Mark Lanegan, unafraid to overshadow his deep-voiced best pal.

Dulli & Lanegan at the Union Chapel

 

An Evening With Greg Dulli & Mark Lanegan

Duke Garwood

Union Chapel, 19 January 2009

Anyone who knows me can tell you I have a long time love affair with Mr Dulli, the dashing larger than life (literally these days) former frontman of The Afghan Whigs, current Twilight Singer and one half of The Gutter Twins. He was once described as "the Dean Martin of grunge" but Greg is way more sassy than that, unafraid to cut down hecklers with a single witty line and shake his booty, funky-style, that's part Prince, part embarrassing dad at a wedding. The collaboration with his best pal Lanegan has been a long time coming, and certainly worth the wait on record, but live so far the results have been mixed due to Lanegan's towering, silent stage presence that prefers to let his booming voice make up for the lack of any charismatic chats or interaction with the audience.