The best live shows of 2023

Looking back at 2023 I notice that I have not seen that many shows. Has Covid been a watershed for live shows? I haven't seen that many movies as well. Staying home as the new normal? It may just be the case. Most likely I have still seen far more shows that the average person, just like I listen to more music and buy more music. The latter has gone down distinctly as well though. Frankly, LPs have become too expensive to buy a lot of.

All shows I saw were good, except for one that was disappointing (see last December). I have missed a few that I would have liked to have gone to but didn't. Sometimes a choice needs to be made. When all is said and done, these are my favourites.

10. Loupe, Record Store Day, Sounds Haarlem

The show because of which I almost forgot that the record still had to be released. Loupe played a nice and intimate show showing the promise its debut album was about deliver on. The dreampop is influenced by bands like Warpaint, except the level of musicality of the U.S. band is totally surpassed by the Amsterdam band. It was also the last opportunity for me to see the band with the singer on the album. She was replaced not long after the release.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/04/record-store-day-indian-askin-and-loupe.html

9. Japanse drummers, International Conference Centre Kyoto

I have no idea what the name of the performers is. They were part of the official opening of the Internet Governance Forum 2023 taking place in Kyoto, where one day later I was on stage myself with the conference band. The band with three, at times four drummers, two singers and a lady on a Japanese kind of guitar really made an impression. What a power and energy!, but also what grace in the songs with the "guitar" and vocals.

8. Mood Bored, Rotown

The Tilburg band showed its potential as support act of POM. The trio rocked a little harder than on record without losing the quality and gelling. On stage the songs came alive effortlessly.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/12/pom-with-mood-bored-live-rotown.html

7. Shame, Melkweg

Before Covid the band was in town at the wrong time, during Covid I decided not to go to shows, so 2023 and album number 3 was the first opportunity to see my favourite "postpunk" band, whatever postpunk means. To be honest, it was not as good as I had expected. That said, what remains was an energetic show with a band that really went for it. So not hard to be in this list anyway.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/04/shame-live-melkweg-amsterdam-thursday-6.html

6. De Toegift, Patronaat Café

My final show of 2023 and what beauty. The album was released very early in 2023 and was almost forgotten. Because of the show I started to play the album again, resulting in a spot in the 2023 list. De Toegift played in a small venue but the proverbial pin would have been heard had anyone dared to drop it. A band that dares to play with silence as intimately as De Toegift deserves a fully dedicated audience.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/12/de-toegift-met-puntjudith-live.html

5. Personal Trainer, Paradiso

The album kept growing on me over the months after its release and by the time of the show, I knew it should have been high in my 2022 top 10. The show totally delivered. Willem Smit is on his way to become a true frontman but wasn't there yet. For the rest this band is as good as its record. More shows will bring it to the next level, ready to conquer the world.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/02/personal-trainer-live-paradiso.html

4. The Beths, Rotown

The only show I ever was at inebriated. How good the band really was that night, I will never know. My senses worked totally different than usual. At the same time, I can only say that my favourite songs all came by in great versions. The Beths is a band that deserves a far larger audience here in NL.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-beths-live-with-lande-hekt.html

3. The LVE, Huiskamer Haarlem

Covid got in the way of this show for two years. Finally it was scheduled and The LVE played a beautiful and intimate show. The few new songs that may have been premiered in the living room sounded extremely promising. The olde(er) songs received beautiful renditions. As a surprise for all, Karen and I sung Love When You Don't Want It with the band. That aside, this band deserves a serious fanbase.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/03/magie-lve-live-in-de-huiskamer-26-maart.html

You can see us all here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asuIRMDV5g&ab_channel=Sweetwood

2. POM, Rotown

Amsterdam band POM played Rotterdam and did a rock version of crossing the Rubicon. This band is ready for so much more. It has great songs (and a great album) and knows how to play them to effect. The only comment I could make was a better matched setlist between the tracks on the album and "older" songs, would have made the show better.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/12/pom-with-mood-bored-live-rotown.html

1. De Breek, Huiskamer Haarlem

The moment the three members of The Breek started harmonising, let's say after 10 seconds into the show, I saw a few dozen mouths drop around me and knew the band had caught the audience already. De Breek did not let go until the final note. A perfect set by a perfect trio.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/11/huisconcert-de-breek-haarlem-vrijdag-10.html

Wout de Natris