Year in Review: The Best Concerts of 2013

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Stephen McGill
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Bands: Fucked Up, Iceage, White Lung, CATL, Single Mothers
Venue: The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Date: June 15th, 2013

Damian Abraham of Fucked Up. (Photo: Neil Van/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)

A stacked line up during NXNE, it was sweaty, violent, and every band turned in a fantastic performance. Culminating in Fucked Up doing exactly what they do best.

More photos here.

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Artists: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Sharon Van Etten
Venue: Massey Hall, Toronto
Date: March 23, 2013

Really, It’s Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, between Cave’s commanding presence, and strategically-shaved-sasquatch Warren Ellis providing the backbone of a stellar live group. Playing largely from quieter new album, Push The Sky Away, Cave still brought the passion and the intensity for the louder numbers.

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Artist: Patti Smith & Her Band
Venue: Massey Hall, Toronto
Date: September 6th, 2013

Patti Smith. (Photo: Curtis Sindrey/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)

No matter how good her spring show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre was, Lenny Kaye’s presence at this electric show was what made all the difference. Culminating in a medley of “Horses” and “Gloria” that got the aged crowd to their feet and into the aisles.

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Band: Savages
Venue: The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Date: March 22, 2013

Jehnny Beth of Savages. (Photo: Stephen McGill/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)

At the height of their international buzz, Savages snuck on as the special guest of a CMW showcase, before their official show at Lee’s the next day. The focused intensity and barely contained violence of their performance left a hell of an impression. Anyone attending was telling everyone they knew to make sure they didn’t miss the next performance.

More photos & read the review here.

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Band: July Talk
Venue: The Dakota Tavern, Toronto
Date: October 25, 2013

July Talk. (Photo: Stephen McGill/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) 

Despite being an industry showcase, typically stuffy, depressing affairs, July Talk made sure to make theirs special. It helped that they were playing the Dakota Tavern, which feels like it was made for them. Drawing from their new album, and amping up the onstage combativeness that has come to define them, they managed to get a fairly dull, early Friday show going into a full on rock show. They are by far one of, if not the best, live bands in Canada now.

More photos & read the review here.