Signs of Life 2008: Best Music
Jolie Holland - "Mexico City"
Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons - "Tennessee"
Seven Best Things About Beyonce's “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
Live at Paste: Duncan Sheik
#11
Guadalcanal Diary
Sept. 15, 1989, Center Stage (Atlanta)
I've had a lot of favorite bands through the years, but the one that held the top spot through my senior year of high school was an Atlanta band called Guadalcanal Diary. They played literate rock songs on topics as varied as the Trail of Tears and unexplained visions of The Three Stooges. The music veered from stately Rickenbacker college rock to loose-as-hell rockabilly. They were smart and fun. Problem was, they were on the verge of breaking up soon after my discovery. So my first time to see them happened to be their final Atlanta show. Each song that they launched into was one that I'd listened to dozens and dozens of times on one of their four albums. I crushed my way towards the very front, danced and sung every lyric of "Watusi Rodeo," "Litany (Life Goes On)" and "Cattle Prod." Guitarist Jeff Wall went on to play in another great live band, Hillbilly Frankenstein, and still plays with The Woggles. Singer Murray Attaway had a very good solo album on Geffen. And Guadalcanal played a glorious reunion show at the Roxy in 1996. I can't wait for the next one.
The Countdown:
#12 Radiohead - Oct. 6, 2003, HiFi Buys Amphitheater
#11 Guadalcanal Diary - Sept. 15, 1989, Center Stage
#10 The Hold Steady - Oct. 25, 2007, The 40 Watt
#9 Uncle Tupelo - Feb. 11, 1994, The 40 Watt
#8 The Ramones - Nov. 22, 1988, Center Stage
#7 U2 - Nov. 19, 2005, Philips Arena
#6 INXS - March 3, 1988, The Omni
#5 Midnight Oil - Aug. 28, 1993, Lakewood Amphitheater
#4 Sufjan Stevens - April 1, 2005, Calvin College
#3 Beck - Oct. 28, 2006, The Knitting Factory
#2 Pixies - Oct. 15, 1989, The Roxy
#1 Arcade Fire - May 1, 2007, Atlanta Civic Center
I'd love to hear about your favorite concerts or your recollections from tours on this list, especially if you happened to be at one of these shows.
#12 Radiohead - Oct. 6, 2003, HiFi Buys Amphitheater
#11 Guadalcanal Diary - Sept. 15, 1989, Center Stage
#10 The Hold Steady - Oct. 25, 2007, The 40 Watt
#9 Uncle Tupelo - Feb. 11, 1994, The 40 Watt
#8 The Ramones - Nov. 22, 1988, Center Stage
#7 U2 - Nov. 19, 2005, Philips Arena
#6 INXS - March 3, 1988, The Omni
#5 Midnight Oil - Aug. 28, 1993, Lakewood Amphitheater
#4 Sufjan Stevens - April 1, 2005, Calvin College
#3 Beck - Oct. 28, 2006, The Knitting Factory
#2 Pixies - Oct. 15, 1989, The Roxy
#1 Arcade Fire - May 1, 2007, Atlanta Civic Center
I'd love to hear about your favorite concerts or your recollections from tours on this list, especially if you happened to be at one of these shows.
Email
So here is my list Josh. Maybe we will have a little overlap since I was at some of these shows with you.
Thanks for the Guadalcanal Diary nod! I had (almost) forgotten about that band. Never saw them live but played their cassettes (and Attaway's solo) for anyone who would listen from 89-93. Nice flashback.