I think it’s interesting to see what bands I have seen live and what I thought of it [even though I might update in my blog about it] so I’m going to highlight my personal favourites:
A Fire Inside
Fan since: 2003
Seen live: 4 times
I saw AFI for the first time in October of 2006 in Cologne and I absolutely loved it. It was a dream come true. Then I saw them in May 2007 and again in August 2009 and April 2010. Sing the Sorrow is one of my absolute Best Album Ever Of All Times, and whatever CD came before or after that is also very much appreciated by me. This band can just do no wrong. I LOVE AFI!
My all-time favourite songs are the Leaving Song Pt. 2 and the Days of the Phoenix.
Alexisonfire
Fan since: 2005
Seen live: around 7 times
I missed their very first performance in the Netherlands, but nonetheless saw them 4 times in 2006, a few times in 2009 and once in 2010. Alexisonfire was a truly amazing band, with awesome albums and very energetic live shows. Shows progressed over the years – they used to not really have a stage and walk into the crowd all the time, which was awesome. Yet when they were bigger and played bigger venues, the shows were still out of control. There was always a memorable moment, I looked forward to shows for months! Their music and shows were simply fantastic and I am very sad that AOF is no more.
A special song by AOF for me will always be Get Fighted.
Alkaline Trio
Fan since: 2003
Seen live: 2 times
I saw Alkaline Trio twice in a week, first at Groezrock at festival-setting and then in Leeds in venue-setting, and decided that the venue-setting did them a lot more justice. Alkaline Trio was definitely the band to help me through 2011 and they are one of my favourites.
My top favourite tracks of them are Radio, This Could Be Love and Mercy Me.
Anti-Flag
Fan since: 2006
Seen live: 15 times and 2 songs
Aaahh, Anti-Flag. In 2006 I became completely and utterly obsessed, and it hasn’t really changed since.
The first time I saw them was in my hometown in the venue Waterfront. It was amazing. I totally fell in love with the band that night. The second time was Groezrock [an amazing festival in Belgium]. The best thing about this performance was that at one point the sound stopped working, but the band kept on playing and turned their monitors to the audience. I’ll never forget that moment.
The times I’ve seen them after those first few never got any less magical or amazing. There are so many good memories! Whether I saw them at a festival or in a small venue, every time is different and special. From seeing Chris #2 try to make out with someone who was annoying him, to having Pat Thetic play the drums in the crowd… whether I would be sitting on the side of the stage to take photos or in the middle of the pit screaming my lungs out, it’s never been less amazing than that first time.
In April/May 2012 I went on this crazy adventure to see them 5 times in one week, we managed 4 times and 2 songs [damn you British trains!] but it was more than amazing. It blew my mind. I have so much love for Anti-Flag, it’s almost unreal.
Going to an A-F show is always one of the highlights of my year. I get a special feeling when I’m there: the music, the atmosphere… it’s like completely losing track of time, and over too soon at the same time!
Songs that top my list are Vices, Cities Burn and Die For the Government… but obviously I can’t really pick, haha.
Blink-182
Fan since: 2001
Seen live: 1 time
I saw Blink at one of their last pre-hiatus concerts, in Paris at Bercy in 2005. I got the tickets for my birthday and I’m so glad I went! It was amazing seeing one of my heroes play live, with the band that I have listened a lot to. But the bummer side was that it was an arena show and we were miles away from the stage. The quality of the concert wasn’t all that great either, they rushed through all the songs with a tempo of at least three times faster than on record and they only said about five words to the audience. Though it was a fantastic experience, meeting with UVR [see below] beforehand and having to hide our jackets under some stairs because the arena had no vestiaire. All in all, I’m very happy I got to see them even if it wasn’t perfect.
One of my all-time favourite Blink songs is Adam’s Song.
Cancer Bats
Fan since: 2006
Seen live: 14ish times
The first time I saw Cancer Bats was at an Alexisonfire show. I was immediately sold by the Bats, though. Since that first night, we’ve had at least one show a year. I’ve seen them in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, middle-of-nowhere-places in Belgium, even London… It doesn’t matter where they play. Their live shows are phenomenal. The dudes also immediately got a place in my heart because they are really, really nice. They’re always friendly enough for a chat before or after the show. The show itself is so lively, the whole band is into it and so is the crowd. People at Bats shows are really great. I always want to stand at the front [and sing as loud as I can!] and no matter how hard everyone pushes, or how many bruises I get, it’s always the best time. I’ve made some friends as well, having people sleep over after a show and whatnot. Any friend of the Bats is a friend of mine!
Hail Destroyer, Lucifer’s Rocking Chair and French Immersion are definitely top of the list of all the amazing songs on all the amazing albums out there.
Deas Vail
Fan since: 2005
Seen live: never
I have never seen Deas Vail live because they haven’t toured outside of the United States yet, and I don’t even think they’ve done any headlining tours yet. But it’s safe to say that Deas Vail is one of my favourite bands, I’m really in love with all their songs. So far they have 3 full length albums and 2 EPs, and I keep listening to everything over and over again. I really hope I can see them live once, it would be a dream come true.
I always picked Shoreline as my favourite since it was the song that introduced me to them, but I have a lot of love for Birds, Summer Forgets Me and Sixteen as well.
Sum 41
Fan since: 2001
Seen live: 4 times
I don’t care how old they get, or how old I get; Sum 41 is one of my favourite bands. And they will be for a long time. I first saw them live [one of my first live shows!] in Amsterdam, in January 2003. Then I saw them again four years later, at a festival in Paris. 2010 was a bit more fruitful, with Groezrock and headlining the Eastpak Antidote festival in Brussels. Their live show is really fun, no matter what age or what kind of fan you are. In over ten years I’ve only seen them 4 times, but they are some of my best memories!
My favourite songs are Heart Attack, Angels With Dirty Faces and Pieces.
Ultra Violet Radiation
Fan since: 2003
Seen live: 2 times
UVR gets a honorable mention because I don’t think they exist anymore. But I came upon this band once during a summer in France, turned into a huge fangirl and managed to see them perform twice in Belgium, even if they were only a local band in the States. I also saw the guys before the Blink-182 show, and went on some adventures [Amsterdam, Schiedam, Brussels, sleeping in a car] in 2005 together with my best friend Tessa. So good riddance UVR, your music is fun and makes me happy, and thank you for the memories!
Hollywood was the song that sparked my interest and will probably always be my favourite song by UVR.
The Wonder Years
Fan since: 2011
Seen live: 1 time
I might be a little late with jumping on the Wonder Years bandwagon, but damn, they are amazing. It might sound a little cliché but they really help me through the day. No wonder these boys get so much love – the lyrics are like little poems.
I caught them live at Groezrock 2012 after missing them at Hit The Deck [sad fcae] and got the fortune of meet-and-greeting them [and got a picture with Soupy! Yay!]. Their live set was so good, I didn’t even care that I got a bloody nose halfway through!
Favourite songs include Logan Circle, My Last Semester and Came Out Swinging.
And many more…
In case you are interested, you can find my last.fm in my links.
