I have called this 'performances' rather than 'gigs' as I consider arena pop concerts to be more like shows than gigs, music is just one element to these situations. Here goes...
5. Tom Odell - O2 Academy, Sheffield - 13th February
This gig was originally scheduled for the previous tour in October but it was postponed earlier in the day due to illness, initially I was gutted but we got a good deal! By the time Tom finally made it to Sheffield he had become a seasoned performer, selling out much bigger venues with a bit of production and a few new songs to ease the crowd into as he prepared to conclude the Long Way Down promotional stints.
The singer-songwriter had an amazing 2013 where his debut record topped the charts, awarded with the Brits Choice and wowed festival crowds. This year was all about creating the next chapter ready for relaunch in 2015, that has been propelled thanks to that John Lewis ad. This gig saw him at his best, comfortable on-stage with his long-term backing band, he flawlessly performed pretty much all of the debut record but it was the new material which really stood out. I'm rarely a fan of hearing new songs in a live setting but the quality of these tunes deserved to be heard, especially Parties, performed in-front of a crowd for the very first time.
2015 looks to be a bumper year for this guy who has already announced a summer stint in forests around the UK.
4. Eminem - Austin City Limits Festival, Zilker Park - 11th October
Although Lorde deserves the title 'Queen of ACL 2014' taking her age, the massive crowd and energetic performance into account but Eminem rose above high-expectations. Seeing icons can sometimes be a disappointment. Sometimes they fail to shine. I'm rarely blown away by festival headline shows after a full day of watching bands it can be tiring and when you stood so far away that the artists can only be seen on the big screen, it seems a bit pointless. Eminem is a megastar. He changed modern music and pop culture. He helped take hip hop into the mainstream. The Detroit rapper has never been a fan of performing, he used drugs to get him through the two hour shows but he is clean and sharper than ever.
I've seen Eminem a few times before, usually headlining festivals and he always makes it memorable but after almost twenty years as an artist his back catalog is pretty intense. He rapidly rattled through some of his biggest hits whilst throwing in some classic albums tracks in the compliment the story he was telling. Marshall Mathers is a smart guy, he's shown this through out his career, using characters to hide behind and a sharp-tongue when delivering clever lyrics. The rapper has had some downs over the years, struggled with fame, drugs and relationships, his music suffered but last years Marshall Mathers LP Part 2 saw a return to form, Rap God is one of his finest moments, seeing him perform that verse was quite something. The whole set was cohesive, full of iconic sets, pyro and the crowd loved it!
3. Paolo Nutini - Stubbs BBQ, Austin - 9th October
On the eve of the second weekend of Austin City Limits two of the acts performing made a warm evening quite special. The venue, a garden of one of Austin's finest BBQ eateries Stubbs was the perfect place to host a vibrant performance by Jimmy Cliff, the reggae star didn't need to encourage the crowd who were more than happy to get involved.
It can't be an easy job following a legend but Paolo Nutini has the talent to pull it off. The sun had set but it was still a warm evening, Scots are famed for not wearing coats in the winter, Paolo arrived onstage with a leather jacket on. This was an intense performance, passionate, heartfelt but most importantly flooded with great songs. The majority of the brilliant Caustic Love was covered whilst reworked versions of material from his two previous records were given a cool twist as Paolo effortlessly swaggered yet remained humble.
I saw Paolo the following afternoon on the main stage at the festival then a couple of weeks later at the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, these were both equally great but the intimacy of Stubbs BBQ on a balmy evening was the perfect recipe.
2. Katy Perry - Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield - 23rd May
At the time, as Katy Perry left the stage with a celebratory performance of Firework I uttered the words 'best thing I have ever seen' and it was, I said the same after Taylor's O2 show three months previous, Katy's show was more spectacular, more mind blowing but this comes second as I look back on the Red tour with fondness.
I had seen Katy Perry on her first UK tour after I Kissed A Girl went huge, it was interesting, a bit naff and over the years her live tv performances have often seen iffy vocals but there was nothing tacky on the PRISMATIC Tour as KP hit the high notes in spectacular fashion with a show-stopping performance that felt like a trip to the theater.
From the opening moments where a tribal sequence welcomes Katy on to the stage for Roar to the eye-popping Firework it was full on entertainment with a great soundtrack. This is why it isn't a 'gig of the year' list, this isn't a gig, it is a show, gymnastics doing all kinds of tricks, dances all over the stage which spread across the arena and huge props (balloons, blow-up cars and candy) filled the venue whilst the costumes were nothing short of eye catching. The pop singer and her crew frequently had a quick change of clothes, visually matching each song, bringing it to life with the stage themed too.
This couldn't have been any better.
1. Taylor Swift - O2 Arena, London - 1st February
It is pretty obvious that I adore Taylor Swift, my number one pop star. Red, her fourth album, is one of my favorite pop records, 1989 is even better, but this show came before her incredibly successful fifth album. I didn't really need to go to this show (again, not a gig, it offered so much more than just music) as I had watched it many times on YouTube from the American leg but despite knowing what was coming next I remained on the edge of my seats with a grin on my face for two hours.
It was the first of five nights at the O2 Arena for Taylor, all sold out and lauded with rave reviews, not just from me but highly respected music fans too. I knew what to expect but these guys were caught off guard as Taylor totally won at being Taylor. It might not have been as elaborate as the PRISMATIC tour (not far off though!) but it felt more personal, you weren't just watching a pop star perform, this one knows how to build relationships with her fan base.
Up until 1989 Taylor has always had a country edge, it was what made her successful and this tour showed her dig out the twang one last time in the set mostly dominated by big pop chorus' by a loveable performer. She did the impossible and brought intimacy to the 18,000 capacity arena with a stage in the middle, an acoustic guitar, a stool and a load of stories, she even brought her pal, Ed Sheeran and performed Lego House. As she ended the show with the classic We Are Never Getting Back Together an intruder managed to get on stage and like a pro the singer seemed unfazed, like a pro. The only disappointment was that it had to end.
I have since watched the show on YouTube many times but it isn't the same when not in the presence of the enchanting Miss Swift. So bloody excited for the 1989 tour in June! Just not sure how she will top the last one!
