As you may know, last week CityLife published its annual year-in-review issue, and in that issue, the paper’s critics listed their favorite albums of 2006. One thing I wanted to include in summing up the year in music was a ranking of my favorite concerts and DJ gigs. Limited editorial space, of course, forced me to withdraw the idea in the published product, but here, I can drone on and on about, well, whatever I want. So, what follows are my favorite performances of the year, including a couple I experienced outside Las Vegas but within the southwestern U.S. region.
Top 10 concert/music festival performances
1. Daft Punk, Coachella
Shortly after last April’s Coachella festival near Palm Springs, Calif., the one performer that made the strongest impression upon me was Kanye West, who I’d never seen perform, and who I thought offered the most dynamic and charismatic showing all weekend. But, upon reflecting on the festival later that week, and after I filed my review for the paper, the multisensory barrage that was French duo Daft Punk’s Saturday night closing set was the first thing I’d think about. Maybe it was all the huzzah-ing online later that week, maybe it was how that performance provoked a dusting off of their studio albums, maybe it was a late processing of the elation I felt watching, dancing and singing along to this rarely touring act, who somehow I’d never seen play before. For weeks after, pals would ask me about the festival and who really blew my mind, and "Daft Punk" were always the first words out of my mouth. From their ingenious tweaking and exhilarating programming of their phenomenal catalog of dance tracks, to the perfect synchronization of lights and visuals (often projected onto a pyramid of screens that enveloped the twosome) to those songs, Daft Punk orchestrated one of those rare performances that leaves you in a state of disbelief — like, did I really experience that?
2. Sound Tribe Sector 9, The Joint
I could not have been any more exhausted once this techno-jam act hit the stage, just two hours following a full day at Vegoose, but STS9 was so entrancing during its post-midnight, two-hour-plus concert at the Joint, I had to drag myself away when it was time to attend Ice nightclub’s closing party. Ice was a grand ol’ time, but I wished I had been able to hear and watch Sound Tribe’s last song.
3. The Killers, Empire Ballroom
I’ve seen this band play seven times, from one of its first-ever shows in 2002 to its last Vegas area show last October at Vegoose, and none of those performances were as glorious as its September set at Empire Ballroom. Some argue Brandon Flowers has a lot to learn about being a powerhouse frontman — he’s even said as much himself — but at Empire, he commanded the stage like his biggest influences and surpassed the skills of his peers. Combined with the urgency and exuberance unleashed from the musicians behind him, and the Killers have never looked or sounded greater.
4. Kanye West, Coachella
The Chicago rapper danced like a Brat Packer to A-Ha’s "Take On Me" and implored a largely white crowd to sing the "nigga" part during "Gold Digger" — those were just two of the many memorable moments during West’s highly entertaining (and all-too-brief) set at Coachella.
5. Sigur Ros, Coachella
Imagine the Icelandic quartet playing its ethereal music while the sun sets below the majestic landscape of Palm Desert. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
6. Massive Attack, The Joint
There were only 550 of us, but we were witness to one of the greatest displays of transcendent artistry ever projected from a Vegas stage.
7. Muse, The Joint
Everything you’ve heard is true: This British trio has one of the most engaging live shows on the planet. A wish for 2007: Muse’s radio profile increases two-fold and the band returns to Las Vegas with the sort of arena extravaganza its European fans are currently going ga-ga over.
8. The Strokes, The Joint
Its 2006 album, First Impressions of Earth, was largely forgettable. Its raucous Joint concert this year, however, was anything but.
9. Pearl Jam/Sonic Youth, MGM Grand Garden
The only thing better than seeing Sonic Youth playing songs from one of its best albums, last year’s Rather Ripped, in Las Vegas was Pearl Jam following it up with proof it remains one of the most vital live rock acts on the planet.
10. The Coup, Vegoose
One of the few highlights of an otherwise unremarkable Vegoose, this hip-hop live act brought the funk and the fiery anti-Bush rhetoric in an utterly engrossing performance.
Top 10 DJ sets
1. Sander Kleinenberg, Empire Ballroom
Sometimes it’s just the right mix of crowd enthusiasm and DJ programming. Sander Kleinenberg isn’t the world’s premiere DJ, but he sure sounded like one on Dec. 30, where he put all of Empire Ballroom on cloud nine.
2. Dubfire, Jet
Deep Dish’s Dubfire and Jet nightclub ruled Labor Day weekend. Every time someone drops those remixes of Pink Floyd’s "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" and Depeche Mode’s "Behind the Wheel," it’s hard not to think of that night.
3. Ferry Corsten, Jet
Holland’s electronic dance pioneer eschewed most of the Eurocheese and pummeled the open-armed crowd with a driving hard trance set.
4. Carl Cox, Coachella
Cox brought some of the most wickedly fun tech house to a Coachella crowd mostly waiting for Madonna’s prime-time set. Following DJ Paul Oakenfold never did match his countryman’s performance.
5. John Digweed, Ice
OK, so every Digweed set is golden, graceful, prog-house bliss — even more so with his final Ice appearance.
6. Carl Cox, Tabu
Cox modified his set just enough to cater to Tabu’s slightly more mainstream crowd, and for once, the table dancing was truly warranted.
7. Danny Howells, Jet
We’ve been informed Howells "brought it" during his Dec. 29 gig at Empire. But since we opted for a rare night in between the Ferry Corsten and Sander Kleinenberg gigs (see above), Howells’ rambunctious set in Jet’s house room last autumn will suffice.
8. Cedric Gervais, Ice
Dunno what was better: Gervais playing his own party-time original tracks, or his "This is Las Vegas" remix of Sander K’s "This is Miami" anthem. We were all thrilled just the same.
9. James Zabiela, Jet
Oh, how we’ve pined for this young electro-house producer/DJ genius to return to Las Vegas, and he did not disappoint.
10. Markus Schulz, Giant Village/Summer in the City, Los Angeles
Markus, now we’re pining for you. Get thee to Sin City ASAP.
