The 10 Best Concerts Aeki Tuesday Experienced in 2004

We've been haphazardly compiling all the shows we've attended since 2000. This task has proved difficult this year. Too many will-calls and guest list only shows were not added to the tally; hence why the last show we've listed this year was back on June 23rd where we saw The 5.6.7.8 perform at Southpaw. From all the concert stubs collected this year, Aeki Tuesday brings you The 10 Best Concerts in 2004. We could have easily listed the 10 Worst Concerts in 2004 but it's best that these shows be forgotten, buried deep down only to resurface when gross amounts of alcohol graces our lips.


10. Cat Power/Cass McComb | 02.16.04 | Knitting Factory New York, NY

Forget what you've heard about Chan Marshall. Okay, we're kidding. She did exactly what you heard in the past. She breaks all the rules when playing but she's always forgiven. Her performance on that faithful night deserves to be recognized. It wasn't because we were left wondering if the show was over after she walked out to the bar (to get a drink perhaps?), it wasn't because she cradled her microphone, curled up into a ball and sung in the middle of the floor in the crowd, it was because she was real up there with her piano and guitar singing her heart out to you. Her presence simply cannot be measured.

9. Siren Music Festival: Trail of The Dead | 07.15.04 | Coney Island, NY

Only one band stood out amongst the rest. Trail of the Dead proved to be exhilarating. It's been a while since we've experienced an outdoor festival that caused so much commotion in the crowd. People were jumping up and fists were thrown in the air. It was very intense.

8. Sondre Lerche/ The Golden Republic | 10.19.04 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY

Southpaw was the perfect venue to catch Sondre Lerche (pronounced Sondra Lair Kay). The Velvet King, as he's been dubbed, performed a solo set from his two albums, Faces Down and Two-Way Monologue. He was later joined by The Golden Republic for a few "rocking" songs. The audience was in awe. Yes, he is quite young. We look forward to Sondre crooning his songs for the next 10 years.

7. Rilo Kiley/Tilly and The Wall/Now It's Overhead | 10.09.04 | Starlight Philadelphia, PA

It seemed like an ill-fated trip as we boarded a Chinatown bus to Philly only to realized it was heading to Washington DC. Aeki Tuesday and two other girls who were told they were on the bus for Philly, got off in Baltimore and took the next Greyhound to Philly. Rilo Kiley et al made it all worthwhile. Now It's Overhead has gotten stronger with every show and served as the perfect band to welcome the indie darlings to the stage. Though the venue was filled with teenyboppers and their parents, we thoroughly enjoyed the show and almost shed a tear as Jenny Lewis sung "I Never" and "Does He Love You?" Their summer release of More Adventurous showed how much this band has grown. The lyric to the title track begins with "It's only doubts that we're counting on fingers broken long ago. I read that with every broken heart we should become more adventurous." The night ended with wonderment and admiration.

6. Franz Ferdinand/Sons and Daughters/The Orange Band | 06.18.04 | Volume, Brooklyn, NY

The hype. The crazy hype following this band during that summer was insane. The boys of Franz Ferdinand came, conquered and made hipster boys and girls danced like it was 1999. The venue was hot; our clothes clung to our body like a second skin. With little coaxing, the crowed chanted along with them: Ich heisse superfantastisch! Ich trinke Schampus mit Lachsfisch! meaning " My name is Super Fantastic! I drink champagne with salmon!" in German. That night FF inaugurated summer.

5. Sufjan Stevens/ Nicolai Dunger | 11.13.04 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY

Besides Nicolai Dunger's awful performance at this show, Sufjan Stevens and the Michigan Militia rose above and shone like angels on that November night. The soft-spoken Sufjan warmed the crowd on his banjo with songs from Seven Swans and Greetings From Michigan which dealt with themes of love and religion. Sufjan was brilliant and inspiring.

4. Rilo Kiley/Tilly and the Wall/Jake Bellows | 01.13.04 | Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ

Rilo Kiley made our list twice this year. If you've ever been to Maxwell's you know how intimate it is to see any show be it acoustic or full on rock. The stage is leveled very low on the floor so you will always have a good view. The best part of the night was seeing Jenny Lewis walking around and handling the merch table being adorable and then performing on stage with verve. It was a great show to start the year.

3. Liars /Yeah Yeah Yeahs/TV on the Radio | 02.24.04 | Warsaw Brooklyn, NY

Wow. That's the word we'd use to describe this show. For the first time we would get to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs perform live. Karen O walked on stage with a bottle of champagne casually sipping it during and after every song cementing her rock start likeability. TV on the Radio had a stand out show and The Liars were fun though they did anger a few concertgoers who lashed out on Craigslist the next day because they were turned off with their style.

2. The Thermals/The Hold Steady/The Panthers | 05.27.04 | Mercury Lounge New York, NY

Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Jordan Hudson make up The Thermals. This trio has been touring non-stop since they released their first album. We’ve always seen their name at different venues around the city but never had the time to check them out live. What we didn’t know is that they held the key ingredient to having a kick-ass show: They play fast, play loud and exude so much energy on stage you can't help but feel it. So there we were feeling it all over the floor until their last song and wanting more. We want more of The Thermals!

1. Chappelle's Block Party | 09.18.04 | Undisclosed Lot Brooklyn, NY

This is by far the best free show we've had the pleasure of seeing. Chappelle's ambitious project featured Kanye West, John Legend, Jill Scott, Common, Freeway, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Dead Prez and the reunion of The Fugees. Music video and film director Michel Gondry filmed the “block party”. The documentary is slated for theatrical release next year. There was a big hullabaloo in getting people bussed from Chinatown and taken to an undisclosed lot in Brooklyn. The skies were a bit gray that day partly due to Hurricane Ivan. Ponchos were handed out in case of rain. It did rain. The crowd held their positions wanting to be surprised. Every act was impressive. Kanye West was the first artist to take the stage and on his left a marching band plays along to "Jesus Walks." Erykah Badu, The Roots and Jill Scott performing "You Got Me," Freeway spitting some verse, Kweli and Mos Def performing songs from A Beautiful Struggle and The New Danger, and finally on stage The Fugees reunite sending goose bumps down everyone's spine. We looked to our right and saw some concertgoers crying when Lauryn Hill started singing "Killing Me Softly." It was truly a joyous night that will be remembered in our lifetime.

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