Jealousy Got Us This Far: Top 5 Shows of First Half of 2006

Everyone likes to make top 10 lists at the end of the year. But why wait until then to arbitrarily rank things? I figured I could do a brief ranking of the best shows I've seen so far this year. One bonus of doing this now is that this is happening when things are easier to remember. From my memory, I've been to 19 shows in the last 6 months. So this does have some merit. But enough pontificating!

Birdmonster - Mezzanine - 4/19

Originally uploaded by ryanfoley.
This was the record release party for Birdmonster's new album, No Midnight. There weren't many people there, but they still rocked. And those that did show up were true fans, singing along and yelling the whole time. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin also opened (something I didn't mention in the original posting). It was a nice bonus.
Helio Sequence - Mezzanine - 4/1

Originally uploaded by ryanfoley.
I think the main reason I went to this show was to see Band of Horses. They were getting a lot of buzz and I figured I'd see if they could hold up to the hype. Turns out that they couldn't. I'd like to see them again just to see if it was an off night. But the real show came from the boys in Helio Sequence. If you're looking for a show to remove the socks from your feet, go see these guys. It's just pure fun from start to finish.
Beirut - Lily Pad - 6/24

Originally uploaded by ryanfoley.
Maybe it's because I just saw them, but I sure liked the Beirut show. Sure, it wasn't the cleanest show I've ever seen. But I wasn't expecting U2. The music is good, and the intimate setting really made for an excellent time. And the band was quite approachable. They're coming to San Francisco in October, playing at Great American. That should be quite a difference.
Spinto Band - Cafe du Nord - 3/13

Originally uploaded by ryanfoley.
The Spinto Band's album has been one that I keep coming back to. The songs are really poppy, but still retain the complexities and subtleties of great music. And their live show is similar. It's juvenile in some regards (the guys are all young), using kazoos and funny dance moves, but it is subtle and complex with excellent solos and a genuine rapport between band members. Simply put, I enjoyed myself.
Islands - Slim's - 5/6

Originally uploaded by ryanfoley.
Boy, that's a small picture I have of Islands. But I think that is actually a good thing. I really enjoyed the show. And I really like the music played (if I were making a similar list of songs, Rough Gem would have probably been at #1). But Nick Diamonds is a dick (which is seen in full effect during a Pitchfork interview). The real reason I enjoyed this show so much was the energy and the events that unfolded during the concert. So having a small picture of the guy, with his band mates, might be the kind of blow to his ego that he could use. But more likely, he'll think "some people are just bitter that they ended up reviewing the show rather than playing the show, perhaps." Yes, Nick, jealousy got us this far...