Best Concerts :: 2008
George Michael
George Michael proved an exciting and captivating live presence, making one wish the rather reclusive star had toured much more frequently in the past 20 years. A true performer in the Freddie Mercury style, Michael sat out some of the best years of his career, but can still belt out a great pop ballad.
Chris Botti
Trumpeter Chris Botti hit Symphony Hall in Boston this Fall for two concerts which were recorded for an album and taped for a PBS special to air in March. While he was wonderful on his own, special guests Sting, Steven Tyler, John Mayer and20Josh Groban made it a magical event to remember.
Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews brought out the 20- and 30-somethings in droves and offered fans a show filled with hits, obscurities and covers. While the singer’s albums have done well, it’s live where the band excels. They might be Grateful Dead 2.0, but they’ve learned the Dead’s lessons well by putting on an unpredictable and surprising concert every night.
Van Halen
Getting a chance to see Van Halen with David Lee Roth was a dream come true, as the band cranked out one 1980s hit after another. Eddie Van Halen’s talent on guitar is nothing short of remarkable and Diamond Dave is still the clown prince of frontmen, and with the pipes to back it up. The only disappointment was they replaced long-time bass player Michael Anthony with Wolfgang Van Halen. Surely they could have accommodated both men and given fans a chance to see the original Halen line-up once again.
The B52s
Harkening back to the band’s founding days 30 years ago in Athens, Georgia, The B52s played this Spring in a real treat of a show. On the road to promote their first new album in 16 years, the B’s looked and sounded great and the band seemed to be having almost as much fun as the lucky fans. One hopes a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame berth awaits them soon.
And Some Buzz Kills
Disappointing shows included David Cassidy (painfully schmaltzy - but what was I expecting?), The Who (zero chemistry between Daltrey and Townshend), The Cure (three hours of whiney dirges), Jimmy Buffett (even he looks uncomfortable performing his idiotic songs to fat, drunk, middle-aged white people) and Madonna (everything is choreographed with zero element of spontaneity), who are clearly just doing it for the bucks. Let’s hope for a 2009 with looser, more unpredictable shows, fewer set lists cemented in stone, more music and fewer big production numbers.
