Best Gigs Of 2017

Out of all the shows I went to this year the two most memorable were touched by death and that's what will forever define them in my mind. There was the first night of Eddie Vedder's two shows at Hammersmith where Chris Cornell's death hung over everything like a huge black cloud. Cornell's suicide affected me more deeply than other celebrity deaths for many reasons so to experience that shared grief with other fans and also to witness Vedder's first public acknowledgement of it was very moving and cathartic and I will never forget it.

Goodbye Tom Petty

Thank you for everything, Tom. :(

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers + Stevie Nicks at Hyde Park

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Stevie Nicks
The Lumineers
Hyde Park, 9 July 2017

After a couple of years away, I'm finally back to vast and beautiful Hyde Park, scene of many legendary concerts for me, some sun drenched and some rain soaked, but all filled with great memories. This year's has to have one of the best ever line-ups, even though it's just two artists I'm interested in, but those two - Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks - have been two of the most important in my life and I've dreamed for years of seeing them live together.

Best gigs of 2012

This year I seem to have been revisiting my youth as I saw more reunited bands than ever and my summer was like a big flashback to the early 90s. But it wasn't all nostalgia as I got to experience some great new bands too as well as a few legends I had never experienced before, like Mike Nesmith, who was back on these shores for a solo show for the first time in 38 years! I feel pretty lucky to have seen him, as different and quirky as his show was.  I also spent two days standing in the rain and mud in order to see Soundgarden and Bruce Springsteen, both of which were worth it but I don't know if I have it in me to do again. Still there's part of me that is sad that the Hard Rock Calling concerts will longer be taking place in Hyde Park, I definitely had some good times at those events over the years. Also sad was Cat Power cancelling her December show at the Roundhouse due to illness. I was really looking forward to that one but hopefully she'll be back next year to make up the dates. So anyway, with all that said, here's my list of my favourite shows this year:

10. Eddie Vedder at Hammersmith Apollo

9. Bat For Lashes at The Forum

8. Anaïs Mitchell at Camden Dingwalls

7. Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park

6. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at Royal Albert Hall

5. First Aid Kit at Shepherd's Bush Empire

4. Sharon Van Etten at the Scala

3. Wild Flag at the Electric Ballroom

2. Soundgarden at Hyde Park

1. Afghan Whigs at Koko

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers at the Royal Albert Hall

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Jonathan Wilson
Royal Albert Hall, 18 June 2012

Although I've been a fan of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers since I was a kid (one of my few musical loves that actually outdates my Fleetwood Mac obsession), in all my years of being a fan I only got to see them live twice in 1999 (two absolutely stunning back-to-back shows at the Shepherd's Bush Empire) and they haven't been back since.