Seger, Sabbath, Satch & the Mule: Newt's top concerts of 2013

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      As far as huge events go, 2013 didn't boast the killer Roger Waters and Paul McCartney concerts that made 2012 such a memorable year for stadium shows in Vancouver.

      But in terms of club and theatre gigs there wasn't much to beef about during the last 12 months.

      Especially if you like the sound of guitars.

      Bay Area fretburner Joe Satriani brought the noise to the Vogue Theatre on October 19, focusing on tunes from his latest album, the Top 10-worthy Unstoppable Momentum, and he got a lot of help in the hot-lick department from longtime cohort Mike Keneally, who used to trade riffs with a guy named Frank Zappa.

      Another exceptional Vogue show was the November 8 appearance by the 11-member Tedeschi Trucks Band, wherein Southern-fried slide-guitar ace Derek Trucks and his lovely wife Susan Tedeschi led the way in a rapturous celebration of soulful roots-funk that kept the sell-out crowd transfixed from note one.

      Kevin Browne

      But the best damn concert of the year actually happened in between those Vogue shows, when Gov't Mule—touring behind its phenomenal double-album Shout!—played down the road apiece at the Commodore on October 25. The jam-happy quartet channeled everyone from Led Zeppelin to Humble Pie during a marathon set that revolved around the musical mastery of singer-guitarist Warren Haynes.

      Across the street at Venue seven months earlier, on March 19, Wishbone Ash brought its classic twin-guitar sound to town, performing its 1972 Argus album in its entirety. If you needed a reminder of how "majestic" sounds those guys had the Les Pauls and Flying Vs for the job.

      Ferg

      And since it's not a real year of rockin' without some time spent down at the ol' hockey rink, we must make mention of a couple of impressive Rogers Arena shows: Black Sabbath on August 22 and Bob Seger on March 27

      But things were not all joy and light in Concertville during 2013. Dishonourable mention goes to the godawful-sounding Soundgarden show at the Queen E. Theatre on February 10.

      Talk about falling on black days. That one was pitch black.

      Unlike the one before.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Meathead

      Jan 1, 2014 at 5:22pm

      Danzig at the Commodore was EPIC. And would the Venue please dispose of that God-awful LED board?