Top 5 Live Bands of 2013

I've probably seen less bands than I would have liked to this year. Harvest being cancelled didn't help things. Next year one of my goals is to get out and see more local music like I used to. There was some great stuff that I did manage to catch though. So now that's it's the end of the year, it's time to post my top 5 favourite live shows I saw during 2013.

5. Little Bastard

I went out to the Great Britain in Richmond one night for a friends drinks (might have been a birthday?) and there just happened to be this band playing. They were so good that I ended up having to move away from my group of friends and give the band my full attention. Really enjoyable night and I hope to see them again sometime.

4. Polyphonic Spree

Polyphonic Spree came out to Melbourne yet again, the time for Melbourne festival and they played 3 nights. I went along to the first and was blown away by them. I don't think they will ever be as great as the first time I saw them down in St. Kilda but they were much better this time than when they played at the forum. A very enjoyable evening.

3. You Am I

One of my top 5 favourite albums of all time is Hourly, Daily by You Am I so when they toured playing that whole album along with Hi-Fi Way I couldn't miss it. They played Hourly, Daily first which surprised me and it brought back some great memories of the mid 90s and was really great to see live again along with an audience of like-minded people. Had a great night.

2. Jens Lekman

It had been a while since I had last seen Jens Lekman play and I had forgotten how charming and amazing his music and he can be. This show took place in a converted car park, which sounds terrible but it was an amazing night. Out under the stars, so close to the city, on Valentines Day listening to many perfect songs. A wonderful evening.

1. Sonny and the Sunsets

I was conflicted when I saw that Sonny and the Sunsets were playing on the same night as Neutral Milk Hotel. I love them both so much but in the end I thought it more likely that NMH wouldn't ever come out again and so I got tickets to see them. They were great and everything but I was still sad to have missed Sonny and the Sunsets. A day or so later I checked their twitter account and discovered they were doing a secret show in Clifton Hill the following Monday, and it was free! I was immediately very excited and made sure I was there in time. I drove so only had one drink and even though it was "secret" the tiny venue was packed. I stayed close to the front while the people I was there with just sat outside and had a few drinks. They played a lot of stuff I didn't know, and some I did know, but I loved it all. A great night packed full of fans of a great band. A great atmosphere. So glad I got to see them play and can't wait to catch them again another time.