Well, the past couple of years, I used to to this on Twitter, and well before the end of the year. But I’ve slowly disengaged from that, with people leaving and with Elon Musk being an absolutely evil person advancing without even being masked anymore. Bluesky? I’ve been toying with the idea of restarting it all, even tried to make an excel file to see who I’d want to follow again, limit it and if it was worth it. But as was my initial intention, I am not sure I can be arsed with more of the same social media thing, even ‘better’. It might just evolve in the same way, with bots and people you don’t care about. I’m kind of slowly retiring while doing more, real life is what I want, and sure, it’s good to keep in touch with a few people and also get the latest news from bands and artists so I’m not entirely sure on totally giving up and I am technically ‘there’, but yeah, I’m not sure I can bother, it’s too hard for me to ‘make myself heard’ anyway, it’s not in my nature and I’m tired of more or less forcing it without any good effect. So I’m trying to put this gigs YT page here. Part also of the bigger reflection on changing the way I do these ‘gig reviews’ next year in a more succinct form rather than rant on. There are pros and cons, but since nobody really reads I suspect, who cares?
Anyway, this was 2024.
There were a few for which I didn’t unearth YouTube vids, so you might find that the list is slightly different from the one in the actual reviews page. I might have taken my own short videos occasionally, but don’t think they are worth it, and also, in this web page format rather than twitter, I don’t see the point of the 10-20 seconds clip I normally take, so yeah, there will be ‘missing’ gigs. Although, I have sometimes found substitutes from other gigs when I thought these were some of the top gigs missing a video from the actual one I attended.
Starting with a treat, as the ENTIRE Slowdive gig from the 16th of January at La Cigale is available. And it was a very good concert.
If you don’t have the patience or love for them, you can have a short highlight with Kisses.
TORRES at Hasard Ludique on 2/2 next, not the gig of the year, but a decent show in a great venue. Here’s a good video of I Got The Fear.
I will skip SPRINTS+English Teacher at Point Ephémère on 10/2 for a simple reason. I find nothing great (or didn’t at the time I looked, I have to admit, anticipating this time, I did most of the YT searches not long after gigs rather than at the end of the year so might have missed publication), and, mostly, because both bands were seen again much later in the year, so there will be another opportunity to post about them.
So we are in Petit Bain on 12th of February next with CMAT. Here again, the whole show as a treat, or a very nicely filmed 2 Wrecked 2 Care including the whole introduction with CMAT speaking French so worth it on its own.
Now if you want a gig I am absolutely gutted I couldn’t find a youtube for, it is Art School Girlfriend at La Boule Noire on 13/2 (featuring Marika Hackman on bass) as it made my top 10 gigs of the year, just what I needed at that time. Lovely sounds.
So well, sod it, a video of a gig I wasn’t at then, in Amsterdam just a couple of days later.
Changing atmosphere for the next gig, with Amaarae at Elysée Montmartre on 6/3. Think this is the only excerpt I found, so part of the acoustic section (I remember less of these gigs within gigs in 2025 compared to 2024, to be fair), maybe not representative of the whole gig. Just remembered it was the first of a sort of…..marathon week of gigs after running the actual half-marathon in Paris. Unfortunately, none of these gigs went to the top of the list, you had to wait until the end of the month for the first real ‘wow’ gig.
Hannah Jadagu at Hasard Ludique on 8/3 was nice but again not the concert of the year. In fact, already the third gig there this year, and none were particularly memorable.
DIIV at Le Trianon on 10/3 was one of the disappointments of the year compared to expectation. For me anyway, as they played again later in the year (I didn’ bother), and either gig seem to have made some people’s top gigs of the year, but I guess, it’s not what I want from a concert. There was only one saving grace, predictably, Doused stole the show, so here it is.
And the final gig of ‘4 in less than a week’ was IST IST at Point Ephémère on 12/3. It felt like a relatively good gig, although a bit monochrome. Here’s Trapdoors.
Jumping to the end of the month, and I decided to go and see Talk Show on 30/3, at Hasard Ludique, rather than NMA at Trabendo, and it was a most inspired choice for many reasons, while I could still enjoy a couple of beers at Porte de Pantin with friends beforehand. Yes, the Hasard Ludique delivered that night, one of my really favourite gigs on the year, first occasion for proper moshing after a few drinks, meeting new people, and a great, energetic performance, that was a precursor of all the best gigs this year. Unfortunately, I am finding no youtube video, so once more, a substitute will have to do, a couple of days earlier this time, from Lille.
And just a week later, bang, another of the very very top gigs of the year with Yard Act in what was a new venue for me, Le Cabaret Sauvage, on 5/4. I had most fun there!
And the only possible selection among a few available is the absolutely monumental finale of The Trenchcoat Museum featuring Murkage Dave. You must absolutely check that video, until the end.
One of the rare excellent, consistent albums this year, came from Francis of Delirium. A less exciting live act than the previous two, quite naturally, but a pretty enjoyable gig all the same at the Pop-Up on 11/4. Nearly incredibly, a video made it to YouTube, even though it’s far from the best song, but I couldn’t find any other.
A different sort of concert with Patron at Petit Bain on 30/4.
A special gig in London was next with Cranes at Islington Assembly Hall on 11/5. The full gig is available (twice in fact, another account has it in four parts, though oddly cut). Unfortunately the sound seems to be similarly affected by issues as noticed live.
But you can also have a single song here if you wish. What about Starblood?
No time to breathe, back in Paris the next day for another gig, with the lovely Still Corners at Café de La Danse. White Sands.
Belle & Sebastian at Salle Pleyel on 28/5 was quite a happy show. I really don’t know how or why amateurs film whole fucking concerts, but some seem to do. Not sure if they can enjoy the gigs, but as it’s there, thanks for bringing back the memories, so yeah, the full concert below.
A single song? Do You Follow.
Then came the ‘Block Party’, on 1/6. Unfortunately and weirdly, I am not finding many videos, so no Library Card or Baba Ali for you. Very fortunately however, the highlight for me, Test Plan, has some of the best/more powerful moments available on youtube. Here it is, complete with working around technical bass problems in the middle and finishing with Squat Rave. Phenomenal.
You want the whole Slow Pulp gig from Point Ephémère on 5/6? No you don’t, I can’t force that on you as it was one of the poorest gigq of the year for me, but it’s available if you want to look for it.
Instead, a little trip to Brussels for Cherry Glazerr on 7/6 was organised to make up for some planning fuck-up that made me miss the gig at Maroquinerie. And it was a very inspired move, as I enjoyed Brussels and its Musical Instruments Museum (check the photos page), and discovered a marvellous little gig venue, the Witloof Bar at Botanique. Some locals posted a fair few videos, which I’m grateful for, despite the weird occasional camera focus on the guy filming (in every single video). Self-obsessed? Not a whole song, but I have to make an exception for this gig. So have a bit of Daddi. If you’ve got incredible eagle eyes you can maybe even spot me before the guy films himself. Though I think it’s just that I know where I am, otherwise I don’t think you are able to.
And once more, a gig abroad is followed by another gig in Paris the next evening. This time, Dream Wife at Petit Bain for a shorter than usual headline slot due to being part of a festival/event: More Women On Stage. Orbit is still ace.
Later in June on 20/6 at La Cigale, last gig before the summer concert break, with Bar Italia. Here’s what is possibly still their best song, Punkt.
One great/fun gig I don’t see a video for is Avalanche Party at Supersonic on 15/8. And I can’t really find a substitute video from around that time either. So I have to mention it as it was one of the top gigs, but sadly no video.
Next was a day at Rock en Seine on 24/8. Many bands seen, and quite a few videos from that. I’ll stick to chronogical order, and making a simple selection from all that is available will be tough.
Sleater-Kinney were on first. If you want the whole SK gig, it’s still available for a few months on the France Televisions app with top quality, but here you’ll have to make do with this version of Untidy Creatures.
The Kills were on next. Plenty of videos, though weirdly, I’m struggling to find anything I really like in terms of good songs filmed. So Future Starts Slow will have to do. Not my favourite concert of the day anyway, but also available on the France Télévisions app.
I came to see Blonde Redhead, and Blonde Redhead was the best gig of the day. And one of the best of the years. In slightly adverse weather circumstances, I heard most of the songs I wanted to hear, and old songs I didn’t know who became firm favourites. It will be a very tough choice to select only one song, but it will have to be the amazing Snowman, especially as I’d rather oddly put Kiss Her Kiss Her ahead of that in my 2023 tracks. Goosebumps just listening to this gain. So many great songs played that afternoon.
The pressure (for me) was off after that, so something lighter was perfect, and CVC provided the fun for about half an hour on a smaller stage.
Inhaler are very popular with the ladies, probably something to do with being led by Bono’s son. Plenty of Irish around as the night was slowly falling, and thankfully they played their best song, and unencumbered by the needless ‘other part of the track but not the same song’ that features on the album, so here’s just ‘Who”s Your Money On’? Another show that’s available on FT. Where you can spot the Arsenal logo on the bass player’s earpiece!
Massive Attack were the headliner. Impressive in many ways. And no I won’t select Teardrop, but you can have some Unfinished Sympathy.
Oh, and because there was a little ‘after’ before leaving the site with a performance from 2manyDJs, have a bit of that party time! This was a good return to a festival I had last visited nearly 20 years earlier. Yes I was meant to see The Cure there in 2019, but I was such a mess I didn’t go.
And so to final part of the year. Sort of, but it’s La Rentrée in September even if I only took my ‘summer’ holidays at the end of September this year.
The Mission at Petit Bain on 23/9 kicked off that ‘less busy than last year’ time. Plenty of excellent videoed tunes to choose from, but I have to pick the beautiful Butterfly On a Wheel, don’t I? (Especially as I included Naked & Savage in the 2024 tracks section, but that live version is also available on YouTube with funny introductory banter). Complete with a couple of false starts, here it is, with a bit of eBow action, first noticed at ASG.
La Maroquinerie was on the menu next, a week later with Camera Obscura. Quiet and lovely gig. Here’s a classic, with Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken.
After a little impromptu gig at Supersonic (not particularly remarkable), return to the same Maroquinerie for something different, and a great gig from DEADLETTER on the 12th of October. You can have a double dose as two of the best songs were captured at once. More Heat!+Hysterical Strength (but if you want to help yourself to another double dose, the frantic finale of Binge+It Flies is available, just look it up).
English Teacher were back next for a gig at Le Hasard Ludique on 23/10, so weirdly not headlining a bigger venue, but definitely a more seasoned band by that time. I still don’t know if I really like them on record, but live they are always interesting and engaging.
You want some (Nearly) Daffodils, don’t you?
Gurriers at Point Ephémère on 30/10 was probably the most proper pogo-heavy concert of the year. I couldn’t get involved for physical reasons, and I think it was better this way, it might have been just too much. There’s a few songs available, I’m going to go for Des Goblin.
The next gig was another visit to Le Point Ephémère more than half a month later, for a much more civilised and not sold out concert with Been Stellar, who released one of the best albums this year. Not many videos around, but you can have the excellent Manhattan Youth.
For some reason, I can’t find any Bob Vylan videos despite the excellent concert at Petit Bain on 25/11 so we’ll have to jump straight to the final month of the year and the last three gigs. Videos for Porridge Radio at Trabendo on 5/12 do, on the other hand, abound, although some are short snippets so can’t make it through my policy for this page. So which should I post? I’m quite tempted to post one of the solo songs, as they are impressively performed including the new song Don’t Want To Dance that is available with restart and the ‘shut the fuck up’ bit, but I’ll have to go for the classic Sweet in full band performance.
Off to London the following day for a much anticipated gig. I could only find one song video for Hope Of The States at The Dome in London on 6/12, otherwise only the Manchester gig or the next London night at a different venue that was belatedly added. Might not even have been the best gig, I’m not sure, but it was still my number one this year for several reasons, so special because of the surprise of it even happening (they reformed out of the blue), the unlikeliness of me getting a ticket, and the incredible evening of meeting friends old and news that happened without any warning. The gig itself was fantastic, needless to say.
Yes the only one I found was one of the promising new songs not yet released: Ghost Story.
But there was also a sort of extended highlights reel available. Sound is a bit poor, but it has the full version of Black Dollar Bills, and some of the incredible singalong between main set and encore.
And so to the final gig of the year, back in Paris, not the following night, in fact ten days later, with the return of SPRINTS, this time at Le Trabendo on 16/12. A bit like English Teacher, they showed they had much progressed as a band and especially a live band during the year (and has Karla lost a lot of weight? 103 gigs certainly is a lot of physical effort!). Cathedral may be the video worth checking if you want to laugh when the stage bouncer puts his glasses aside before launching himself into the crowd, but I’m In A Band will be my final choice of video for 2024, especially as Shadow Of a Doubt was already included in the year’s top tracks.
And that’s another year of gigs concluded. Can you tell I’m being more reasonable? Less than 40 this year even counting those not including in this page (all fully reviewed in the appropriate pages).