Best gigs of 2010

This year I don't think I've ever been so many seated gigs but I have to say it's been pretty nice to not only have a guaranteed place and not be pushed around but also have a nice little sit down during the show. I guess I'm getting old because I used to measure how good a concert was by the amount of bruises I sustained throughout. Maybe because of this there wasn't as many shows that blew me away (aside from the first three) but I have to say that overall I've seen some fantastic gigs this year and got to see a few legends in the process. So, in descending order, here's my 10 favourite shows from 2010 (with links to the original write-ups). Let's hope 2011 has just as many great concerts to look forward to.

10. Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses at Bush Hall

9. Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy at The Forum

8. She & Him at Koko

7. Crosby, Stills & Nash at Royal Albert Hall

6. Jeff Tweedy at Union Chapel

5. Elvis Costello at Royal Festival Hall

4. Joanna Newsom at Royal Festival Hall

3. Rickie Lee Jones at Union Chapel

2. Iggy & The Stooges at Hammersmith Apollo

1. Kris Kristofferson at Cadogan Hall

Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy at The Forum

Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy
Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara
The Forum, 2 September 2010

Thinking back Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands I fell in love with. I remember waking up early before school just so I could listen to them in order to get my Zep fix for the day and sleeping under an enormous, almost wall-sized, poster of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page that I had got free with some magazine. And, although I moved on to other bands, I actually never stopped loving the Zep so really, all these years on, I don't know why I had never seen Robert Plant live. Sure, like millions of others, I had applied for tickets for the one-off Led Zeppelin reunion but, as recently as 1998, I could have seen him play with Jimmy Page. But for whatever reasons, despite having seen him numerous times out and about in London, this was the first time I had ever attempted to see him in concert and fortunately for me it was a fairly small gig at the Forum in Kentish Town.