I'd like to end the 2016 edition of ListyMcListerson with my favorite concerts of the year.  It was a record year for me, going to 7 concerts in 7 days, and 2 concert in 1 night.  It feels like I went to a LOT of shows in 2016, but when I look back at it all it was only a measly 36.

When you work full time, going to a concert on a school night makes the next day really rough. Even if they don't mention it during the show, bands recognize the fact that you chose to spend your money, your time, and your hours of sleep to see them play.

Without further ado, here are my favorite shows of the year.

10) Fleshgod Apocalypse - DNA Lounge - February 21, 2016   

From the moment the intro tape rolled, their stage presentation was absolutely epic.  Opening with March Royale, Veronica Bordachinni came out first with her opera garb, and the rest of the band members came out one at a time in their tuxedoes and face paint.  Once they kicked in to In Aeternum, the place just went absolutely nuts.

The DNA lounge is a small venue, and the mosh pit slowly grew as the night went on. By the end of the night, I was in the back by the bar but was still just on the fringe of the mosh pit. There really was no escaping the pit as it basically grew to the size of the venue. The guy next to me got straight up tackled at one point, and it looked like he hit the ground pretty hard. That could easily have been me, but luckily I made it out without a scratch. Shoutout to the guy eating pizza near the mosh pit, which ended up on the floor, which ended up back on his plate as if nothing happened. Congratulations guy, you now have super floor herpes.

Openers:
Carach Angren
Abigail Williams
Some local band that decided to say their name with harsh vocals every time totally defeating the purpose of it but I guess it's metal.

9)  Haken - Brick and Mortar - September 18, 2016

This was my first time at the Brick and Mortar in San Francisco. It's a small and HOT venue, with only one fan and no A/C. By the time Haken went on I was finally able to find a spot right near the fan. A few songs into their set, one Haken megafan ended up right next to me singing along to every song at the top of his lungs. I appreciate his enthusiasm, but I paid to hear Ross Jennings sing, not this guy. He was soaked with sweat, and every time he would bang his head, he would shower everyone around him like a human sprinkler. Eventually he pushed his way to the front, pushing out people who were waiting there since the venue opened it's doors. Total dick move, but at least I was out of earshot of his singing and spray radius.

Haken played their hearts out for just about two hours. The setlist was primarily comprised of songs from Affinity and The Mountain. This is not a complain in the slightest. I understand they can't play everything, especially when your songs can be over 10 minutes long. With a two hour setlist, I was satisfied, but I wouldn't have minded if they wanted to play for 2.5 to 3 hours. Hey Haken, maybe an evening with next time?!

Openers:
Thank You Scientist
Sea in the Sky (from Redwood City!)

8)  Leprous - The Phoenix Theater - October 15, 2016

Thankfully, making the trek out to Petaluma was a lot easier since it was a Saturday. This was the my first time visiting the Phoenix, and it lives up to its divey reputation. There are skating ramps there pushed up against the walls, so I'm guessing they use this space as a skatepark from time to time. The graffiti that covers the place adds to the charm, and while the bathrooms look janky, the toilets were updated and clean.

When Leprous finally took the stage, they opened with the sedate 'The Flood.' Once the entire band finally kicks in, they absolutely OWNED the place. I was skeptical as to whether or not Einar Solberg could pull off the vocals live, but he absolutely NAILED it.

The crowd was more on the proggy mcnerd side, so there was not a mosh pit in sight. This didn't stop two buttnuggets that reeked of beer from trying to start one. I saw these two tools having a conversation right in front of me about who was going to start the mosh pit. One of the guys gives it shot, pushing me and several others to the side. The crowd wasn't having it, and the mosh pit was over before it even started. I wonder if things got really out of hand, who would stop it? There wasn't a bouncer in sight and there wasn't even anybody standing by the backstage entrance.

The show was supposed to be at the Brick and Mortar music hall in San Francisco, but they moved it to the much bigger Phoenix Theater. I'm not sure why they had to change venues, but the fact that they went to a bigger venue and it was a trek from the San Francisco area could have contributed to the low attendance. Such a shame, Leprous deserves better than that.

Openers:
Earthside
The Binary Code
Dissona

7) Christian McBride and Dee Dee Bridgewater - SFJazz Center - September 25, 2016

Christian McBride had a four night run at the SFJazz center, with each night being a different band. Every night looked like it would be an awesome show, but the last night of his run sounded like it would most likely appeal to the wifey.

Simply bass and voice, that's it, and it was absolutely brilliant. Christian and Dee Dee are good friends and it reflects in the music and their stage banter. Between songs they would talk to the audience and to each other. They were both so charismatic and interesting that it made storytime just as interesting as the music itself. 

There wasn't any strict phone policy at the show, but it didn't quite feel right to take a picture of them during the show. There was this feeling of being invited into their home for an intamite and personal performance. It was nice to just be in the moment and enjoy the show. 

Openers: N/A 

6) Kvelertak - The Independent - May 5, 2016

For most shows, I like to show up on time and watch all the bands and get my monies worth. Kvelertak was during my 7 concerts in 7 days run, so I played the game of timing when to show up so I can just catch the bands I want to see. I screwed up on this one, but I'm not sure if it was because All Souls canceled their set, or All Souls started playing when doors opened. Whatever the case may be, I walked in on the very last song by Wild Throne. I wasn't too happy about missing their set, but that's what happens when you play the game.

When Kvelertak hit the stage, Erlend Hjelvik came out in his signature owl mask, but it was updated to include shiny lights. I was able to work my way up to the front right against the stage, and while it was pretty nasty to get rained on with sweat and spit from the band, it was just so much FUN! It felt like Kvelertak were putting on a party in their backyard, and were playing as if they were having the best time of their lives. Their energy fed into the crowd and the entire place was one huge party.

Openers:
Torche
Wild Throne
All Souls

5) MoeTar with The Awesöme Orchestra - Uptown Body and Fender - April 1, 2016

I almost didn't go to this show because I was feeling under the weather. I rallied and made my way out to Oakland First Fridays, which is an event I'd like to come back to and spend more time checking out the eats and booths. Towards the back of the festival, off to the side in a slightly questionable side street (Oakland!!!), is an auto body shop that allows local and non-profit organizations use their space for free.

MoeTar, a prog rock band from Oakland, was playing a free show with a full orchestra. The Awesöme Orchestra is a 100% volunteer orchestra made up of anyone in the bay area who wants to play. The orchestra was having a "reading," which is an open rehearsal. After their reading, they played/rehearsed two songs with MoeTar, which I hope end up on their new album.

Once MoeTar started their set, it didn't seem likt there were that many people there to witness it. The audience was mostly made up of orchestra members. This is a damn shame because they played with an Orchestra that night, AND it was free!! Moorea has such a great voice and just nailed all of the Zappa-esque vocal runs. The rest of the band was also on fire, playing their hearts out as if it was a packed house. I hope that after their album drops, that they play to a packed house, or that they get picked up on a dream prog bill. They deserve it.

Opener:
The Awesöme Orchestra

4) Sunn O))) - Metro Opera House - May 7, 2016

Words can't really do justice in describing what the hell I experienced here, but I'll do my best. All of their studio recordings do not even come close to capturing the live experience. Before the show even began, they slowly filled the place with fog. If you've been to any club before, you're probably familiar with fog machines, but take that experience and multiply it by 100. It was seriously a wall of fog.

Sunn O))) play a brand of metal called drone metal. For the uninitiated this is essentially just long drawn out guitar sounds. They have a reputation for loud shows, even reaching mythical proportions. There were reports of the sound being so intense it caused people to vomit. I liken it to the horror movie hype where people had to leave, people were passing out, they needed an ambulance, etc. They didn't quite live up to those mythical stanrds, but they did not disappoint either. From the opening note, I could just feel the sound in my body rattling my bones, and at one point I touched the outside of my jean pocket and I could feel it vibrating. About halfway into the set they also seemingly dumped the entire contents of the fog machine into the crowd. It was so thick that I couldn't even see the person next to me, giving me a slightly claustrophobic feeling.

When they finished their set, my body felt really weird from tingling for ~2 hours, kind of like the prickly feeling you get after your leg falls asleep. Even now it's difficult to imagine standing there listening to drone for 2 hours, but the volume of the music and the thick fog just put me in a trance state. Walking out of the venue afterwards I felt empty, almost experiencing withdrawal. Sunn O))) was not only the most unique concert experience of the year, it was one of the most unique concert experiences in my lifetime. I can understand why the show sold out and I can't wait to experience it again.

Openers:
Big Brave
Hissing

3) Periphery - The Fillmore - August 14, 2016

When they were soundchecking the bass drums, it felt like I was being punched in the chest. I knew I was in for a loud show, but I was a little apprehensive. A lot of shows that are overly loud are just loud for the sake of being loud. Everything sounds muddy and garbled, and the vocals usually end up suffering the most. While this show was definitely LOUD, it was mixed well and Spencer's clean and harsh vocals came through just fine.

Not pictured here is bassist Adam 'Nolly' Getgood, who retired as a touring member of the band. He is still a member of the band in the studio and I imagine will continue playing on their records. With three guitarists it didn't really sound like anything was missing. I'm not sure if they had the bass parts playing from a recording or if they just went without it. Either way, it didn't detract from the show.

As good as they sound in the studio, it all sounds so much better live. Even the useless filler songs that they have on Juggernaut made a lot more sense in a live setting. Unfortunately, the set was really short, just about an hour long. I like to hear at least 1.5 hours of music from a headliner, so I feel a little cheated. But, the time that the band was on, they were ON. They played the hell out of their set and I appreciate that. 

Openers:
Sikth
Chon
Toothgrinder

2) Wagakki Band - The Fillmore - July 16, 2016

I have the TIcketmaster Curt Schlesinger et al. v. Ticketmaster class action lawsuit to thank for this one. I was browsing the list of free shows and saw that some band called Wagakki Band was playing at the Fillmore. One Youtube search later, that was good enough to get me to pull the trigger on those tickets.

The band is made up of a whopping eight members, including a percussionist, a flautist, and two traditional Japanese string players. Right from the start, the entire band had so much energy and looked like they were having so much fun, I couldn't help but get caught up in it all. The flautist especially was all over the stage, jumping in the air, doing split kicks, almost stealing the show.

Several members of the crowd had these purple, pink, et al glowsticks that they would move around along to the music. At first I thought it was really odd when I saw people carrying them in line, but if you watch any of their live videos you'll see this exact thing. 

Anytime you mash together folk music with modern rock/metal, I'm so down. Wagakki Band merges the two sounds together beautifully, and put on one of the best live shows I've seen this year.

Openers: N/A

1) The Dillinger Escape Plan - The UC Theatre - October 27, 2016

I've seen The Dillinger Escape Plan four times.  Opening for Mastodon, headlining DNA Lounge twice, and now headlining The UC Theatre. The first two times, I was up in the balcony or second floor, away from the action. The last two times I was right up front where the action is. I've had a few very minor bumps and bruises, including getting my eye gouged, getting stepped on, kicked in the head, and getting smacked right in the eyebrow. I consider that getting off pretty easy compared to the poor fellas that were being attended to by the medical staff after the show.

There's no denying that mosh pits are a pretty rough place to be, especially during a show like this. However, it's very wrong to assume that everyone is out to hurt each other. I would say 99% of the crowd are very polite and extremely quick to help anyone that falls to the ground. In fact, I had one guy that had his arm around my chest and lingered there a little too long, and another guy tenderly grabbed my hand thinking it was his girlfriend's. So much love and tenderness and in that mosh pit.

The band themselves are always a pleasure to watch, and sometimes I wonder if it's more dangerous in the pit or on stage. There are countless videos out there of the band stage diving (sometimes from the second floor), standing on top of the crowd, Greg running on top of people, and so on. At the UC Theatre there was a a barrier (so not metal) between the stage and the crowd, making it a littler harder for the band to interact with the crowd.

Towards the end of the set is where they finally DID IT LIVE. Ben Weinman did his signature move of playing while standing on top of people. When they kicked in to Sunshine the Werewolf, Greg jumped on top of the pit, crowd surfing his way towards the back, then climbed up onto the divider which is maybe 10 feet high, jumped down from up there surfing his way back to the stage, all while singing. 

The one downside to being in the pit, it's harder to watch the bande. I spent a lot of time watching out for arms and legs flying into my face, but I wouldn't change a damn thing. I came out of the show with my adrenaline pumping at full volume. I will miss this band so damn much, thanks for the memories Dillinger!

Openers:
O'Brother
Cult Leader
Entheos

And The Rest

1/7 - Queensryche, Meytal, Halcyon Way at Rockbar (RIP Rockbar San Jose)
1/31 - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony at Regency Ballroom
4/13 - Intronaut, Scale the Summit, North at Bottom of the Hill
5/2 - Apocalyptica, 10 Years, Failure Anthem at The Fillmore
5/3 - Fear Factory w/ Soilwork, Spades and Blades, Omnikage at Slim’s
5/4 - WRVTH, pcmkr, Roman Lions, Proud Sponsor at X bar
5/6 - Behemoth w/ Myrkur at Regency Ballroom
5/8 - Dream Theater at The Fox Theater
5/15 - Bosse De Nage, So Hideous, Ion at Elbo Room
6/4 - Etienne Charles, Lynne Arriale, Grace Kelly, Charenee Wade, Jazz on the Hill at CSM
6/19 - Janelle Monae, Midtown Social at Stern Grove
6/21 - Maxwell, Ro James at The Mountain Winery
6/30 - Raiju, Cyborg Octopus, The Last of Lucy, Among the Torrent at DNA
7/10 - SF Symphony at Stern Grove
7/12 - Dixie Chicks, Anderson East, Josh Herbert at Shoreline
7/14 - Babymetal at Regency
7/14 - Ghost Bath, Underling, He Whose Ox is Gored at Bottom of the Hill
8/19 - Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Alter Bridge, Saint Asonia at Concord Pavilion
8/24 - Heart, Joan Jett, Cheap Trick at Shoreline
8/26 - Richard Cheese, The Lukcy Stars at Bimbos
10/5 - Devin Townsend, Between the Buried and Me, Fallujah at Regency Ballroom
10/21 - The Foreign Exchange at The New Parish
10/28 - The Dear Hunter w/ Awesöme Orchestra, Eisley, Gavin Castleton at The Fillmore
11/4 - Steven Wilson at The Masonic
11/18 - Epica, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Arkona, The Agonist at Social Hall SF
12/28 - The Black Queen, Telefon Tel Aviv, Lavender, Vogel at Rickshaw Stop