By Jessica Dionne for Curtains Up (@maccajess)
There’s little in life that can stir up my emotions as much as watching some of my favourite artists performing live. Whether it be in a crowded venue or the muddy fields of an outdoor festival, I’ve spent upwards of a hundred hours waiting in lines to see some of the hottest artists perform. As the end of 2014 draws nearer, what better time to reflect on the five concerts that blew my mind this year.
The beginning of the year brought about two of the biggest rap artists of the 21st century, Jay Z and Kanye West, and with that, my first ever Rap/Hip-Hop experiences. Jay Z, joined by Timbaland, focused on the music and had everyone smiling as they held their diamonds up to ‘Public Service Announcement’ and other classics. Kanye’s show on the other hand was a journey. Wearing a mask for most of the concert, it was next to impossible to take your eyes off of the enormous mountain that took up half the Bell Centre and even more difficult to take your eyes off the Jesus impersonator who walked through the mountain to talk with Kanye. That, mixed with a 25-minute rant and his greatest hits had me come to the conclusion that one doesn’t simply see a Kanye West show; one experiences it.
Next on my list is Jay Z’s collaborator on ‘Holy Grail’ Justin Timberlake, who finally made it to the Bell Centre this year after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. Sure, it was a long wait but when JT and his beautiful hair appeared on stage, joined by the Tennessee Kids to perform ‘Pusher Love Girl’ from the 20/20 Experience, the crowd was in love. Highlight of the show: the moving stage that brought JT to within 10 feet of where I was sitting.
That brings me to my greatest musical discovery of the year, Vance Joy. What’s not to love about this Australian wonder? From his signature Blundstone boots to his hypnotizing voice, Vance Joy at Metropolis was one of the greatest concerts I’ve ever seen. As soon as he took the stage I was completely mesmerized. His performance of ‘Riptipe’ shook the venue and ever since then his debut album ‘Dream Your Life Away’ finds it’s place on my record player more often than not. If you’ve not checked him out yet, you must.
As with every ‘Best Of’ list, there must be a number one. This year I have to give it to Imagine Dragons. There are no words to explain the energy behind one of their concerts. The solid drum Beats and lead singer Dan Reynolds’ powerful voice mesh together to create the perfect sound. With a new album scheduled for release at the beginning of the new year I’m sure we’ll see them back in Montreal very soon.
Honourable mentions must go out to Outkast, Chromeo, Bastille, Sir Elton John, Lionel Richie and Twin Forks for also providing me with some of the best concert experiences of my life. The new year will bring about the likes of Sam Smith, U2 (for four nights), Fleetwood Mac, Bryan Adams and Taylor Swift (with Vance Joy). Here’s to a great year in concerts, but as Jay Z would say, onto the next one…
