2011 was a fantastic year for live music, with everything from small shows, big package tours and massive festivals meeting and exceeding our expectations. To celebrate, we at Punks in Vegas, along with our friends in TheCore., Next Generation Rising, Snakebite, The Quitters, Amarionette and The Letter You, discuss our three favorite shows from 2011.

Emily Matview (Punks in Vegas founder)

1. 1. Descendents, May 29th at Fremont East in Las Vegas (Punk Rock Bowling)

I can remember very vividly the first time I heard a Descendents song. I was in my last month of middle school and I came home, grabbed a snack, and turned on MTV. They were having a preview of this new channel called MTV2 which actually played videos, and the first video I saw was for Descendents “I’m the One.” It was love at first listen and I was crushed to find out they played Vegas only a month before and were not planning on touring again anytime soon. 14 years later I finally got the chance to see one of my favorites live and even with all those years of building up expectations, they did not disappoint one bit. Bonus cup! Seeing ALL with all three singers the night before.

1. 1. Kid Dynamite, September 4th at Chain Reaction in Anaheim

Kid Dynamite is another band I had been yearning to see for more than a decade that exceeded my already high expectations live. They’ve been mostly inactive for the past ten years and the occasional reunion shows were always closer to the band’s home in Philadelphia, so I figured my chances of catching them were slim to none. When they were announced as part of the FYF lineup I was first excited but then disappointed as I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the time off from my then-new job. Thankfully, this more intimate show was announced for a day that I could go, and it ended up being one of the most insane, fun shows I’ve ever attended. Jason Shevchuk has my favorite voice in punk rock and he was spot-on during this amazing show.

1. 1. Last Call, August 5th at The Knight Hall in Las Vegas

This was the release show for the band’s Mightier Than Sword EP Stay on the Outside, and it was packed with friends, family and an incredibly positive atmosphere. The show and album release coincided with a time when I first decided to really push PunksinVegas.com into being something more than occasional updates and it was extremely satisfying to get to cover the various lead ups to this show and then the night itself.

Miqah Mayhem (The Quitters)

1. 1. tUnE-yArDs/Cut Chemist, November 2nd at The Music Box in Hollywood

My favorite show of the year coincides with my favorite album of the year: tUnE-yArDs.  Since so many independent bands overlook Las Vegas as a tour stop, I had to make my way to the LA area to catch this show. Cut Chemist was first and you could tell that he had been in the game for years, spinning on the decks effortlessly and getting the whole place moving.  A projection of an above shot camera angle showcased his mastery behind his set-up and gave me a huge appreciation for his technical prowess on the turntables; simply funky!

Next were tUnE-yArDs. Merrill Garbus, who pretty much is tUnE-yArDs, is one of the best performers I’ve experienced in years.  She has pipes like no one I’ve heard before and is a renaissance woman when it comes to playing multiple instruments (killing it on the ukulele!!). Her main weapon in her arsenal, aside from her killer voice, is her looping station which she utilizes to make an entire band with her vocalizations and a handful of standalone drums. She builds her songs one layer at a time to make a foundation, and then is joined by her bassist and saxophone players.

When the curtain rose, it was just Merrill at first in front of hundreds of screaming fans. Then she started with a vocal solo and it was the most amazing thing:  it became dead silent except for her wailing into the mic. When she took breaths, I swear you could hear a pin drop. I’ve never been to a show where an artist has captivated the audience into a completely silent stupor. I was awestruck. Then the rest of the band came out and it was an all-out party from then on. When tUnE-yArDs whipped out their hit “Gangsta”, Cut Chemist came out to play along and he sampled Merrill’s voice in the song.  It was a trip to hear her singing over a remix of her own voice that was recorded minutes prior, and you could see that feeling in Merrill’s face too as the song progressed.  Flat out, the best show I saw all year!!

1. 1. Arcade Fire/Local Natives, April 14th at the Joint in Las Vegas

One of my favorite bands of the last few years has been Arcade Fire (I’ll give the punk purists a moment to exhale disapprovingly).  They have been the most interesting group to me and do everything on their own terms, from musical arrangements to videos to recording processes to touring.  When I found out they were going to be playing The Joint I knew I had to be there.  I remember buying my ticket the day it went on sale because I was in Ireland covering drums for The Objex on their tour, so I staked out a spot in the corner of the hostel we were crashing in with the band’s iPad and was at the ready to secure my ticket.  And good thing too: I knew the show would sell out quick since they had just won the Album of the Year Grammy, and lo and behold, it sold out in one day.

Another reason I was stoked for the show was that Local Natives were opening up for Arcade Fire.  I had just picked up their record, Gorilla Manor, prior to my trip to Ireland and had it on repeat the entire time.  Both bands blew away my expectations!  Local Natives sounded 10 times better live than their record and their harmonies were stellar.  Arcade Fire was at the top of their game as well.  They’re a band that exudes joy when they play and that feeling was contagious throughout The Joint.  I’m also a big fan of bands that switch up what instruments the members play and Arcade Fire always makes those transitions look so effortless.  I was singing and dancing all night!!

1. 1. Ted Leo (solo set)/Mister Heavenly/The Oh-Sees, March 13th at Mohawk Bar in Austin

My band, The Quitters, went to Austin for SXSW this March for the first time and had an absolute blast.  We had a few days to check out the city and the goings-on it had to offer after we played, and my buddy JD got wise to some secret shows that were happening.  The one we decided to hit up was held at the Mohawk Bar and the acts that we were all psyched to see was a solo set by the amazing Ted Leo and a performance by Mister Heavenly.  When we arrived at the venue, the line to get in was wrapped around the block, and we jumped in line and prepared ourselves for rejection.  But to our surprise, the line dissipated in less than 10 minutes and we were in.

The Oh-Sees were playing in the outdoor area as we entered; at the time I had no idea who they were.  I’m happy to say that they won me and my crew over and our time was not wasted.  Mister Heavenly was next and we were lucky enough to position ourselves above the stage in a sort of balcony viewing area; frankly, the best spot in the joint to check them out.  The band is an indie super group featuring members from Man Man, Islands, Modest Mouse, and Michael Cera on bass.  Good god, did they deliver!!  They describe themselves as “doom-wop”, but the effect on the audience was pure bliss.  And Mr. Cera can really play that bass!

Next we made our way inside to a smaller stage where we were lucky enough to be right up front for Ted Leo’s solo set.  We could smell the sweat Leo was perspiring and witnessed the virtuosity of his guitar shredding skills.  I still have no clue how he can sing and play the licks he executes at the same time.

Honorable mentions for other great shows this year were System of a Down at the Pearl, Queens of the Stone Age at the Cosmopolitan, and TV on the Radio and Arctic Monkeys, also at the Cosmopolitan.  And of course Bad Religion at the Joint, but I could say that every year despite where BR plays.

Tom Monahan (Punks in Vegas contributor)

1. 1. Arcade Fire, April 16th at Empire Polo Grounds in Indio (Coachella)

Although I saw plenty of fantastic shows at Coachella this year (Cut Copy, Robyn, Titus Andronicus, The National, Lightning Bolt, Animal Collective, The Strokes and others), Arcade Fire was special. I suffered through Mumford and Sons to get a prime spot near the front of the gigantic main stage. I even had to deal with an hour long Animal Collective set! (just kidding, they were absolutely fantastic.)  But as soon as the marquee emblazoned with “COMING SOON:  ARCADE FIRE” was lit, and the “coming attractions” began, all 60,000+ eyes were on the band.  And they so delivered. 2 hours of hit after hit, played with intensity and impeccable talent, it was just perfect. Absolutely special and a performance I will never forget.  And also this happened: http://youtu.be/UGKL4YLynaU

1. 1. LCD Soundsystem, April 2nd at Madison Square Garden in New York City

I was there.

1. 1. FYF Fest, September 3rd at Los Angeles State Historic Park in Los Angeles

I fucking love FYF Fest. Yes, there’s plenty to complain about (the dust, the lines, the sketchy location), but you must consider what FYF Fest is.  It’s a small festival run by a small group of people who love music. This year I saw Touché Amoré, Title Fight, Cass McCombs, OFF!, Ty Segall, Japandroids, The Weakerthans, Explosions in the Sky, Guided by Voices and Broken Social Scene. But I also saw 3 very special shows.  Girls started just as the sun set and they played 50 minutes of beautiful music. Backed by 3 back-up singers, Christopher Owens and company eased my nerves after the onslaught I received just 30 minutes earlier. Kid Dynamite played to an insane crowd, turning the side stage into a flurry of crowd surfers and sing-alongs. I lost my voice and was covered in sweat, water and other liquids from the crowd, and it was completely worth it. And of course, the Descendents. The circle pit was enormous, the crowd was frantic, and the band was spot on.

Cameron Beck (Next Generation Rising)

1. 1. Blink-182, October 7th at the Red Rock Amphitheater in Las Vegas

Luckily, I scored tickets to this during a special online promotion Blink did where the floor tickets were $20 for 182 minutes. A lot of my friends tried to buy tickets through that promotion and it didn’t work, but I happened to get lucky. Blink-182 played a stellar show. I was very impressed with the new songs off Neighborhoods live, and the classic songs were just amazing. Travis Barker’s drum solo was killer, and the encore of “Dammit” and “Family Reunion” was great.

1. 1. Streetlight Manifesto/Reel Big Fish, December 23rd at the House of Blues in Las Vegas

I was pretty broke at the time, and my chances of seeing this show were slim. But luckily, we scraped together enough money to make it. RBF and Streetlight are two of my favorite ska bands, so my expectations were set pretty high. And let me tell you, they were beyond met. Streetlight had a killer performance. The entire floor was moving. The whole crowd sang along to the lyrics. Tomas Kalnoky is one hell of a performer.

Reel Big Fish came on afterwards, and they were great. They always get everyone dancing, and always make sure the crowd is really active in the show. This was my second time seeing RBF, and they were just as good. The crowd sang along to every song as well. They closed on “Take on Me,” a perfect song to end a great night of ska.

1. 1. Reel Big Fish/One Pin Short/Tuesday After School, March 25th at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas

Yes, Reel Big Fish made it into my list twice because they’re just that good live. I strongly recommend catching them next time they come. Anyways, one of our favorite locals, Tuesday After School, played a great set and started the show off with a bang. One Pin Short was great, and Reel Big Fish was excellent. Each song had you involved in one way or another. This was my first time seeing them, and man, I’ll never forget that.

Amarionette

1. 1. Animals as Leaders, November 23rd at House of Blues in Las Vegas

Tosin Abasi just completely blew my mind.

1. 1. The Devil Wears Prada, June 30th Warped Tour at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas

They were just great showmen and worked the crowd very well.

1. 1. Dance Gavin Dance, June 30th Warped Tour at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas

We saw those guys from backstage at Warped and they were just really fun to watch.

Mike Law (Punks in Vegas reviewer)

1. 1. Evergreen Terrace, July 15th at Soma San Diego

This is one of my favorite bands that I never get to see. Evergreen Terrace inspires and entertains me in every way. They don’t always make it to Vegas, but I will happily drive 5 hours and bring all my SoCal friends out to see them.

1. 1. Protest the Hero, April 9th at Soma San Diego and April 14th at Count’s Vamp’d in Las Vegas

Back to back. I hadn’t seen Protest the Hero in several years. My taste for them took off and this was a great opportunity to see them perform in 2 venues, with 2 different groups of friends.

1. 1. Animals as Leaders and Between the Buried and Me, November 23rd at House of Blues in Las Vegas

This was the perfect pairing of bands. Animals as Leaders is one of the most exciting and intellectually inspiring bands around. Between the Buried and Me constantly step up their performance, and this one was among the best I’ve seen from then.

Ian Caramanzana (Punks in Vegas reviewer, Snakebite)

1. 1. Alpha & Omega, Xibalba, The Beautiful Ones, Primal Rage, Snakebite, Fever Dreams, December 3rd at East Side Joe’s in Las Vegas

Six bands from four different states playing in a cramped house in (arguably) the sketchiest part of town.  Each band on the bill brought something different to the table.  Though I may be a little biased since I played this show, it served as a reminder that the Las Vegas hardcore scene is far from dead.

1. 1. Bane, Defeater, Miles Away, Dead End Path, Unfair Fight. October 22nd at the Hypnotic Lounge in Las Vegas

Another great hardcore show with such a diverse line-up.  Bane never disappoints and the crowd response during Defeater was insane.

1. 1. Thrice, La Dispute, O’brother, Moving Mountains, September 30th at Hard Rock Café on the Strip in Las Vegas

Major/Minor, Thrice’s latest effort before their recently announced hiatus managed to slip past my top ten this year.  That doesn’t mean anything, though, because it was a great record nonetheless.  The band holds personal significance for me and they always find ways to push the musical envelope.

Sal Giordano (theCore.)

1. 1. Chuck Ragan, April 20th-21st at the Lounge inside the Palms in Las Vegas  

An amazing 2 shows back-to-back. He played with all his heart and soul. This was one of my favorites not only because it was an amazing show, but because he played 2 or 3 new songs that would be coming out on Covering Ground.

1. 1. None More Black, October 29th at The Florida Theater of Gainesville in Gainesville (The Fest)

The energy was through the roof with kids singing along and dancing. To me, it was everything right about music.

1. Off With Their Heads, May 29th at the Bunkhouse in Las Vegas (Punk Rock Bowling)This show was sick. They sounded amazing and everyone there was down for a good time. A fun show.

The Letter You

1. 1. New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, The Wonder Years, Man Overboard, This Time Next Year, November 19th at Hard Rock Café on the Strip in Las Vegas (Pop Punk’s Not Dead Tour)

This was one of the biggest shows of the year for Vegas. There were so many kids that came out, and I haven’t seen a packed room like that night in a while. All the bands were incredible and the crowd’s response was great as well. If there were no barriers, and stage diving was allowed, this would have been one hell of a show.

1. 1. Bane, Defeater, Miles Away, Dead End Path, Unfair Fight October 22nd at the Hypnotic Lounge in Las Vegas

One of the best hardcore shows of the year. This was the first time we saw Defeater, and we’ve been listening to them ever since. Also, the circle pit around the bar was the best thing I’ve seen in a while.

1. 1. Four Year Strong, Gallows, Title Fight, The Swellers, Sharks November 5th at House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood (AP Tour)

A few of our favorite bands (Title Fight, The Swellers, Four Year Strong) were playing this tour. When we found out they weren’t stopping in Vegas, we had to take a road trip. The venue was packed and the kids at the show went crazy for all the bands. It was also radical seeing some of the bands for the first time live that we’ve all been listening to for a while.

Felipe Garcia (Punks in Vegas reviewer/interviewer)

1. 1. The Story So Far, Heart to Heart, Stickup Kid, Last Call, October 2nd at SLO BREW in San Luis Obispo, CA

Shows are always a lot more fun when you go out of town to see them. So on my 22nd birthday my best friend Jozlynn and I drove seven hours to San Luis Obispo to see some awesome bands. It was Heart to Heart’s CD release party so there was a really festive feel to everything. To top off the night, TSSF gave me a free shirt because it was my birthday!

1. 1. New Found Glory, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years, November 19th at Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas (Pop Punk’s Not Dead Tour)

Being the pop-punk junkie that I am, this was a mini Super Bowl to me. Every band sounded great and each one played most of their hits. The best part of the night was when a huge fight broke out during New Found Glory’s rendition of Sixpence None the Richer’s song “Kiss Me.” I was laughing for a solid five minutes. Plus, The Wonder Years covered Journey when all the power went out, it was so rad.

1. 1. Parkway Drive and The Ghost Inside, February 15th at the House of Blues in Las Vegas

I’d never seen Parkway Drive before so I was really excited about finally getting to check them out. They didn’t disappoint whatsoever. Every song was done perfectly and the vocals were booming. And even though I’d seen The Ghost Inside a couple weeks prior, they brought the house down like they always do. All around it was a blast of a show.

David Bartlett (Punks in Vegas contributor)

1. Bouncing Souls, May 29th at Fremont East in Las Vegas (Punk Rock Bowling)
2. Lagwagon, December 31st at the House of Blues in Las Vegas (New Year’s Heave)
3. Authority Zero, June 22nd at the Aggie Theater in Ft Collins

Last Call, Blink 182 & Chuck Ragan photos shot by Emily Matview