The Best Live Acts of 2014

For us music lovers here at The Indiependent, we live for musical moments: nothing can beat the wave of euphoria that washes over us as we sing along to our favourite songs; whether we’ve gone lone ranger to a gig or we’re sharing that blissful moment with friends or a loved one.

In this feature our team have written about the crème de la crème of live acts that we were lucky enough to see this year.

The Libertines // Alexandra Palace, London

Hyde Park was the reunion, Alexandra Palace was the comeback! Ally Pally restored my faith in the Albion ship, from the start of Roger Sargent’s video montage to the very last chord of final song ‘I Get Along’, it was mesmerising. The showmanship of Pete and Carl was as good as it was in 2002, the way Carl strutted about the stage while Pete played the guitar during ‘What Katie Said’ was majestic and the raw as ever sounding ‘Horrowshow’ showed The Libertines haven’t lost their touch.

The likes of ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’, ‘Music When The Lights Go Out’ and ‘Last Post On The Bugle’ were set highlights for me personally. The crowd were on fire; singing every riff and bellowing back every word, they loved every minute. I’ve been to some gigs in the past but The Libertines will always be my favourite for years and years to come: this was the show that proved that they were in it for the long haul and not just for the cash Hyde Park offered. The good ship Albion sails on and there’s no danger of them pissing it up the wall any time soon.

Words by Callum

Paolo Nutini // V Festival

Back in July, V Festival was home to a large and diverse crowd; from the avid festival goer to those just there for a good time. However it can be said that they all gathered in masses to witness Paolo Nutini’s highly coveted set.

Following Lily Allen’s performance, a somewhat drunken Paolo carelessly staggered onto the main stage over the introduction to Scream (Funk My Life Up), remaining true to his audacious rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. This was made evident by the hickey on his neck, which was to be inexorably greeted by the roaring crowd! As the set progressed with some of Nutini’s most famous tracks, it felt as if you were listening to the authentic, gritty and rough cut vocals of the original recordings with the acoustic ambiance truly uniting the audience.

The surprising addition of CHVRCHES’ ‘Recover’ to the setlist was a major highlight showing Nutini’s capability to apply his vocal style to any song. With set closure approaching and the crowd left wondering as to whether ‘Iron Sky’ would be featured, the poignant guitar riff made clear that it was. The expressive political message delivered in the interlude of Charlie Chaplin’s speech resonated through the crowd, evoking thoughts and creating a sense of liberation – the perfect way to leave the crowd in a sense of astonishment.

Personally, some of the best songs performed include: ‘Let Me Down Easy’, ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’, ‘Recover and Iron Sky’.

Words by William Castile

Chic feat. Nile Rodgers // Belsonic, Belfast

The highlight of my concert-going adventures this year has got to be Chic’s performance at one of Northern Ireland’s only music festivals, Belsonic, held in Belfast’s Custom House Square. Chic, quintessential seventies disco band the brainchild of Nile Rodgers, had enjoyed a considerable revival since Rodgers produced Daft Punk’s funk-influenced 2013 record Random Access Memories, and this was clear through the mix of ages and the fantastic buzz of the crowd. I had a spare ticket and took a friend along with me who claimed not to really know anything by Chic but by the end of the night, she was certainly proven wrong!

What made the setlist so great was the string of decade-spanning hits produced by Nile for countless artists from Madonna to David Bowie. The band opened with their 1977 hit ‘Everybody Dance’ – which did exactly as it promises – and the groove continued through covers of Diana Ross (‘I’m Coming Up’), Sister Sledge (‘Lost in Music’), Duran Duran (‘Notorious’) and, of course, Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. I’d wanted to see Chic for ages but they had sold out the last time they played Belfast, so it was amazing to finally see the living legend that is Nile Rodgers in the flesh, and his fantastic rapport with the audience made the experience all the better. Chic’s soulful blend of funk, disco and synthpop had the crowd all singing and dancing along, despite the cold… ‘Good Times’, indeed.

Words by Kristen Sinclair

The Orwells // The Leadmill, Sheffield

Sheffield’s Leadmill is dark. A small smattering of people have amassed in the second room, usually reserved for small bands who won’t sell out the main stage. There are whispers around me as to why The Orwells are playing here – surely they can draw more than a smattering of beer-sipping, politely-clapping fans from Sheffield?

Our whispered concerns become truths as the band from over the pond take to the stage, the room is packed to full capacity. With no barrier between The Orwells and the crowd, save for a few speakers at the front of the stage, there is nothing preventing a mass stage invasion. The venue’s security and the band’s tour manager attempt to control the chaos that ensues… but barely manage it.

Mario Cuomo emanates apathy; he doesn’t give a shit about health and safety and he cackles like a mad man as he surveys the sea of anarchy before him. The night is incredible, from start to finish but tracks that elicit even more of a response from the audience than usual are the opener ‘Southern Comfort’, which has people across the room shouting “Give me a smile and then take off your pants!”. The simplistic ‘Mallrats (La La La)’, has the audience chanting en mass like we’re summoning evil spirits and then the raucous ‘In My Bed’ blows the bloody roof off.

The crowning gem of such an incredible punch to the face ‘Let It Burn’: The Orwells’ live shows are like walking over a bed of burning coals. It’s exhilarating, terrifying and there’s the potential for something to go really wrong – but once you’ve survived the ordeal? You can’t wipe that Cheshire cat grin off your face.

Words by Beth Kirkbride

Jaws // The Oobleck, Birmingham

Perhaps what made this gig so special about Jaws’ hometown gig was the sense of ownership the crowd possessed over the band. It is always a special sight seeing a band grow from just another local band around town to a band that is selling out venues across the country, and Jaws’ performance at The Oobleck earlier this year was no exception to. As I wrote in my original review of the gig, “maybe it’s this sense of community, this sense of entitlement, the sense of home that accompanies Jaws’ return that makes it so unique”. Indeed, Jaws’ appeared indebted to the crowd who bounced off their every move, with lead singer Connor Schofield admitting to the crowd “Birmingham: this is home” in a way that revealed a sincere sense of thanks to a fanbase that helped secure them a status of ‘B-town’ pioneers alongside the likes of Peace and Superfood.

A gig that roared through songs from the band’s debut album ‘Be Slowly’ while also featuring an array of fan favourites from their much loved ‘Milkshake’ EP, it was a gig that surpassed everyone’s expectations. The crowd was filled with a non-stop energy that seemed almost out of character for Jaws’ laid back and breezy summer sound, which was perhaps perfectly summarised by one NME journalist as sounding like ‘the internal monologue of a sunbathing cat’. In fact, despite the cool air that Jaws possess, this was the first gig where I ever had to leave the crowd for a few minutes to catch my breath because I simply could not handle the extreme pace to which the crowd was rocketing. And for someone who goes to a lot of gigs, this was certainly surprising. This was the gig, in my eyes, where Jaws finally became men, stepping out of the shadows and proving their unique sound to be worth your attention. Bravo Jaws, and thanks for a tremendous night. Bravo.

Words by Juliette Rowsell

Martha // Southsea Fest

There was one band that for me stood out on the Southsea Fest line-up, and that was Durham indie poppers Martha. I’d seen them previously at Indietracks Festival over the summer where they did a small acoustic set, and wondered how they would fare in a live environment, considering they had not played in Portsmouth before.

I encouraged some friends to come and see them and the adrenaline was flowing when they set up and came onstage. The band were full of energy as they blasted through a setlist mostly consisting of tracks from debut album, Courting Strong, and I lost my mind in the best way possible: by singing/shouting the words to most of the songs, even knowing what song was going to come next when they tuned up. Although their set only lasted half an hour, it lived up to expectations and the sweatiness of the One Eyed Dog pub provided the perfect setting.

Personal highlights included ‘1997’, ‘Passing in the Hallway’ because there were a few people around me singing, therefore it was great to see other people who knew them, and ‘Bubble in my Bloodstream’ because being one of my favourite songs off the album, it was fun to sing along to.

Words by Ermis Madikopoulos

 St. Vincent // O2 Academy, Liverpool

To coin a generic phrase: wow. But St. Vincent’s Annie Clark is light years away from being remotely generic. If Annie was at all ‘middle-of-the-road’, she’d have to be literally standing in the middle of a road, probably in the middle of nowhere, clad in sequinned attire, armed with psychedelic riffs and a killer hairdo. On stage, she is a wonder to behold. From transfixing melodies in ‘I Prefer Your Love’ to raw face-melters including ‘Your Lips Are Red’, she delivered to us a feast of sound. The audience listened avidly as she ripped her way through her extensive repertoire, hardly daring to sing along for fear of spoiling the performance.

What’s fascinating about St. Vincent is that it’s rare to see an artist get so mentally enveloped in their performance; opening with a twitchy, robotic routine during the intro of ‘Rattlesnake’, she threw caution to the wind and just completely went for it. She’s worked on choreography with Annie-B Parson, creating a spectacle that oozes intentionality and rigidity. I expected her live show to be impressive, after seeing her for the first time on Jools Holland earlier this year, but what I got at the O2 Academy in Liverpool was far beyond my expectations. Granted, there were some long-winded, albeit virtuosic, guitar solos; but her sheer presence, eerie vocals and mastery shone through. Her bizarre stage banter with the audience added to her other-worldliness. It was all rather strange. Yet at the same time, it was completely brilliant.

Words by Zia Larty-Healy

Palma Violets // Reading Festival

If there’s one thing that is crucial at a festival: it’s a good headliner. An act that can wind down the day on a high and one the crowd spends all day looking forward to. This year Reading & Leeds chose South Londoner’s Palma Violets to headline their Festival Republic stage. So of course Palma Violets’ had huge expectations to live up to when taking such a huge slot. From the first guitar strum of ‘Rattlesnake Highway’, I felt the pulsing atmosphere and thought THIS is what Palma Violets are all about: music that makes you want to let out all your pent up angst and just completely go for it.

That’s what makes Palma Violets an exciting and fresh band; their energy on stage rivalled that of any other performers at Reading. Neither chart toppers Arctic Monkeys and Queens of the Stone Age nor duo Drenge could outdo the energy that pulsed through that tent. They are a band that knows how to please a crowd whether it’s through their riff-heavy tracks or with one of the stage dives they are notorious for. Thus, even at the end of the year Palma Violets’ reading set still sticks with me: what an unforgettable show that was and here’s to many more to come.

Words by Corrine Corrodus

The Kooks // Leeds Festival

This summer, when I wandered into the NME tent at Leeds festival looking for friends that I had lost, I came across The Kooks and was taken completely by surprise. The Kooks have been on my ‘bucket list’ of bands to see for several years now, but I have to say, up until this summer, I had almost forgotten they existed. I wasn’t even remotely familiar with their recent 2014 album but the festival set list was a pretty eclectic mash up of new tracks mixed in with old favourites, so when they strummed out the opening chords of ‘Ooh La’ I was overwhelmed with a wave of nostalgia. There wasn’t much time to come to terms with the surprise though because the whole crowd was already bouncing about, and a follow up of ‘Naive’ obviously called for a sing-along.

Overall, I would say the funky new dance numbers, and the old acoustic classics made for my favourite festival show of the weekend and Luke Pritchard’s sunny disposition spread through the tent like wildfire, so by the time the end came around, even the pretentious head nodders at the back were dancing to ‘Junk of the Heart’. I found myself with a grin permanently fixed upon my face for the rest of the festival after that and when I eventually caught up with my friends I certainly made sure they remembered The Kooks!

Words by Lisa Campbell

The Who // Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

If you’d told little six year old me that by the time she turns eighteen she would have seen The Who twice, I would have laughed and gone back to trying to be the reincarnate of Roger Daltrey. But as they say, dreams do come true and I was lucky enough to see The Who for the second time last week, on their 50^th Anniversary tour. I’d seen them at the O2 last year performing Quadrophenia in full and I could have honestly died happy right then and there.

But this show…this show was on another level. The venue – Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena – was much, much smaller than the O2 so we were closer to the band and I have never been to a gig where it wasn’t just me that was over-excited about seeing these rock legends. Even though the show was cut short because of Daltrey’s deteriorating voice, he and Townsend put everything they had into pulling off a kick ass show.

Words by Sophie McEvoy

Bombay Bicycle Club // O2 Apollo, Manchester

After months upon months of trudging through the aching need to see a full Bombay Bicycle Club set I finally saw one in Manchester earlier this month. By the time it came around, my expectations were set pretty high – high enough to usually result in disappointment – yet the night made me more ecstatic than I had felt in a while.

In terms of atmosphere, the Catfish and the Bottlemen gig I saw five days later beat any other concert I’ve been to, but the reason I chose Bombay is because of how they transported me from a bitter December night to the height of summer, revelling in the freedom the season emits; all I needed was a vodka and coke, a bum-bag and cheesy chips and I would’ve been convinced I was at a festival.

Bombay played every one of their songs I’ve claimed to be my favourite: albeit this changes most days, but they didn’t miss out many songs. ‘What If,’ ‘It’s Alright Now’ and ‘Evening / Morning’ are just a few of their songs the crowd and I danced and jumped along to happily, creating something I wished would never end.

Words by Caitlin O’Connor

Peace // Parr Hall, Warrington

On a grey and overcast day in May, Peace brought sunshine vibes to Warrington. Although only around a 1/3 full I couldn’t even tell when in the crowd, the atmosphere was electric, it was only when I stepped back a bit to capture the whole picture that I realised how many people were actually there.  Most of which should probably have been ID’d at the bar, if not the door, but I don’t wanna be a party pooper.

The American/ Welsh support band, Drowners, fronted by the charismatic Matt Hitt really got the crowd going with their feel good tunes, much like a tasty appetiser making way for the main meal. It was amazing to see that no matter what the size of the venue or crowd is, Peace and always make it an amazing experience proving that size isn’t really everything after all, and I left the gig content with the knowledge that I knew Peace wouldn’t let me down.

Stand out songs included the epic and euphoric ‘Higher Than the Sun’, indie-pop love song ‘Lovesick’ and obviously ‘Wraith’, which got the whole crowd jumping in unison which was kind of unfitting with the beat and feel of the song, but anything for a good time.

Words by Olivia Walsh

Kasabian // LG Arena, Birmingham

After a phenomenal year for the band, Kasabian put on an incredible show at The LG arena in Birmingham as well as a multitude of other venues across the UK. As live acts go, this was ranked top for me probably because I honestly don’t think there was one person in the arena who wasn’t dancing, jumping or singing along at some point during the night. The band burst onto stage with their opening song: ‘Bumblebeee’ and overwhelming feelings of ecstasy seemed to grip the crowds who began jumping and shouting along in an instant, the atmosphere was incredible.

‘Re-wired’, in my opinion the best song of the night, leading into a rendition of ‘Word Up’ gave the gig a whole new feel- more retro. The encore featured a cover of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise you’ and this, paired with Sergio sitting on the edge of the stage for at least 5 minutes after the last song had been performed taking everything in, made it feel as of the band truly valued your presence. It’s always nice to feel as if a band genuinely appreciates the fans and everything they do and with this; you really felt as if they did.

Words by Emily Booth

Arcade Fire // Earl’s Court, London

After months of eager anticipation, a gruelling 6-hour coach journey and a (drunken) night spent waiting like a child before Christmas, the day finally came for me to witness some of my all-time musical heroes, Arcade Fire, live at the notoriously magnificent Earls Court. With stories rife of the previous night’s performance, which featured a surprise appearance of Echo & The Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch, I was naturally pretty excited.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed.  Opening with a tremendously powerful support performance from Lorde, everything from the set-list to the outstanding visuals was utterly impeccable; the band showcased a vast array of material from both their newer albums and their formative years, with each and every song performed with a unique sense of mastery. They positively shone when engaging in a heart-wrenching performance of Funeral’s ‘Haiti’, as well as rousing the audience with a party-style rendition of the Smiths’ lesser-known classic ‘London’ (complete with fake Morrissey).

Best of all, Arcade Fire achieved exactly what they wanted. With the vision of thousands of dancing fans dressed to the nines in glitter, face-paint, and in some cases Vince Noir-style mirror ball suits, it’s unlikely to be a show that any of us will forget any time soon.

Words by Emily Ingram

 Courteeners // The Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline

Foxygen // Komedia, Brighton

As the force that is Foxygen shuffled onto the tiniest stage I had ever seen, a certain euphoria overtook me. I had loved this band since the fledgling age of 14- I was transfixed by their hypnotic lucidity ever since. To see them in all their glory was truly the highlight of my year. France’s glittery face stared out satanically into the anticipating crowd like an elfin sprite and I knew that we were in for one hell of a journey through time, space… And Star Power.

The up-beat opener ‘How Can You Really’ took the crowd by surprise. France unleashed his energy immediately and it seemed to engulf the whole room; it was like we were puppets being controlled by his outbursts of maniacal fidgets. Foxygen flew us to a parallel dimension of unhinged indulgence and spectacular lunacy until the show sadly came to a close. Doused in sweat but blinded by love, a sea of bodies caressed France as fan-favourite ‘No Destruction’ had me falling face first onto the stage. I actually held him in my hands at one point as encore, ‘Teenage Alien Blues’, woke us up from the reverie.

After the gig, all damp and breathless, France and Rado were more welcoming than expected and the night was ended just as euphorically as it started. Rado’s girlfriend, one of the backing singers, summed up the gig pretty well with her Instagram post of my friends and me: ‘Love you, belligerent Brighton alien people’.

Well, Foxygen, we loved you too.

Words by Alicia Carpenter

 Foals // Alexandra Palace, London

14^th February 2014, many had this date down in their diary for the obvious reasons, but for me and several hundred other idiosyncratic individuals it was a night to remember. The windiest day of 2014, a storm brewing something different a feeling of nervous excitement racing through the brains of hundreds. Anticipation for the overwhelming concoction of reverb, distortion, addictive bass, quirky drum beats and entrancing choruses that is the Foals. After the support act Cage the Elephant had stumbled off stage everyone was left pumped to the brim with adrenaline.

I was centred unexpectedly in prime mosh position. Time ticked painfully slowly like Christmas Eve for a child with the urge to fast forward time. Eventually though it happened. The lights dimmed and Jimmy Smith (rhythm guitarist) lured us in with the beginning notes of their intro jam ‘Prelude’ as Jimmy was joined by the rest of the band Jack Bevan (drums), Walter Gervers (bass) Edwin Congreave (keyboard) and Yannis Philippakis (lead guitarist and singer). As the gig went on the band picked up steam and thundered through the set list with the greatest and longest jam of “Two Steps, Twice” climaxing with a collision of sweaty bodies running purely on shear excitement.

Yannis posed like a god on his speaker observing the rhythmic chaos he had caused below amongst us mortals. The momentum was interrupted with ‘Spanish Sahara’ in which we the crowd suitably sat on the floor swaying to the melancholic melody and gradually as the song built its layers and the drums kicked in we rose leaving nothing but a few space heads and my mate remaining on the floor. This gig was special, such a great band different from any other, in their prime, everyone was engaged and transfixed by their presence, the smell of a certain substance drifted through the sweaty fog, the crowd chanting, the drop building, this is what live music is about.

Words by Elliott Godden

 Spector // Glastonbury

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and as we stood in the Williams Green Tent being told that Spector wouldn’t be playing due to an insane thunderstorm we were heart broken. After a challenging half hour of uncertainty, Spector took to the stage to play they shortened set. Their first gig of 2014, they fit in as many songs as they could, playing hits from their 2012 debut album Enjoy It While It Lasts, and debuted new songs Stay High and Bad Boyfriend, which gave the crowd a little taster of whats to come in 2015.

As Fred introduced a change around in the bands line up, he hinted towards telling the crowd the release date for their album which was met with hope from the crowd. Apologising for the shortened set Fred asked the crowd to choose between Lay Low and Grim Reefer, with Lay Low being the obvious choice and powered right through to the anthemic Never Fade Away. Their set reminded me of what Spector have yet to bring, and the seeing Spector play one of their four 2014 shows made me unbelievably excited for the next ‘Spectour’.

Words by Maisy Farren

 Robert Plant // The Roundhouse, iTunes Festival, Camden

“I’m fourteen again!” squeals the bald gentleman to my right; head like a pendulum, his torso twisting. Walls of sound shudder through me as the riff to ‘Whole Lotta Love’ is masterfully recreated from the instruments of Liam ‘Skin’ Tyson and Justin Adams. My elderly companion is reliving Led Zeppelin’s first stint at The Roundhouse back in 1968. I feel my eyes turn a deep shade of green. Being part of a Zeppelin fan base that missed out on the live experience by just either side of two decades is a grievance that plagues me daily. Nevertheless, there is some serious rocking out to be done; I save my envy for another day.

As you’d expect, The Roundhouse is still very… well, round- having changed little over the years bar the introduction of modern steel furnishings and its status as host of the iTunes festival. The night’s entertainment commences with promising yet perhaps not wholly relevant support act, Luke Sital-Singh, who finds himself sharing his solo material with a largely un-responsive audience. A cringe-inducing countdown follows as Robert Plant saunters on-stage with touring band The Sensational Space Shifters. Plant exposes us to fresh material from his latest album Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar, including favourites ‘Little Maggie’, ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Turn It Up’, which opened his set. Gambian musician Juldeh Camara offers a West-African rendition of Led Zeppelin staple ‘Black Dog’ which goes down a treat amongst classics such as ‘Whole Lotta Love’, ‘Going to California’ and ‘Thank You’. Of course the early Led Zep’ works are incomplete without RP’s pelvic thrusts and gentle yet potent vocals.

Forget your stereotypical sixty-six year-old; the messiah’s still got it, growing intrepidly wise in his old age, he is as capable as ever of euphoric masterpieces.

Words by Jamie Peake

Who’s the best live artist you’ve seen this year?  Maybe we missed your highlight – tell us who it was on Twitter: @indie_pendent_