Shows, Concerts & Festivals [Best of 2015]

2015 has been a great year for myself for live music.
It is going to be hard to choose which ones were my favorites.
So I have narrowed it down to the best 15 of 2015.
Let the pictures speak for itself!

1. Arboretum Festival 2015
   Again this year this festival ranks as the top spot.
   Highlights was seeing Braids, Austra, U.S. Girls, Julianna Barwickm, Nightshades, New Swears and many more that performed.





2. Viet Cong, Crosss and Un Blonde @ Le Bar Ritz PDB – January 30, 2015.
   Before the controversy on the band’s name. It was their album release and they totally rocked it in Montreal!




3. Basia Bulat with the NAC Orchestra – April 30, 2015.
   It was the first time Basia has performed with the orchestra and it was a wonderful and beautiful concert.



4. Pop Montreal 2015.
   Still my favourite festival to check during the fall time in Montreal.
   Highlights was seeing Ultimate Painting, Born Ruffians, Ought (Who was hot at Ukrainian Federation), Viet Cong, Absolutely Free, Will Butler, Last Lizard, Empress Of, Braids, Bully and many more.








5. Rich Aucoin @ Metropolis – February 28
   Anytime Rich performing a free show at Metropolis in Montreal during Nuit Blanche, it is a fun and wild times!



6. Megaphono 2015.
   It was the inaugural for this Ottawa festival that happened in the February.
   Amazing times at shows at various venues like St.Albans with Evening Hymns, Scattered Clouds and Last Ex to House of Targ with The Yips to Diefenbunker with Heat, Boyhood, U.S. Girls, Nightshades and Steve Adamyk Band!





7. Yamantaka // Sonic Titans & The Yips @ Zaphod Beeblebrox – August 29, 2015.
   It was the testing grounds for the new line-up within the band.
   Proved to be pretty positive and awesome.



8. The Acorn, Pipahauntas and Isaac Vallentin @ House of Common – July 3, 2015
   Wonderful album release for The Acorn’s Vieux Loup.





9. Patrick Watson @ The Blacksheep Inn – April 2, 2015
   Magical sold out night with Patrick Watson previewing materials from the album Love Song For Robots.



10. Catriona Sturton @ Raw Sugar Cafe – January 10, 2015
    Finally this year Catriona Sturton releases her long awaited album Bumblebee.
    The place was so packed and I couldn’t move around but it was so nice that people came out to support her!



11. Wavelength 15.
    Went down to Toronto in the middle of a very cold February to check out this annual live music series.
    Highlight were: Classic Wavelength/Toronto Tribute Sets consisting of Most People playing Broken Social Scene, Delta Will playing Caribou, Hervana playing Constantines, MORE OR LES playing Toronto Hip-Hop Classics, Lockbox which is a new project by Laura Barrett playing Owen Pallett and The Skeletones Four playing Jim Guthrie. The Acorn, Last Ex, Lowell, del bel, Mozart’s Sister, Fresh Snow, New Fries and many more.






12. Greys and Brat Kings @ House of Targ – March 5, 2015
    It was great to see Greys perform in Ottawa in quite some time.



13. Suuns + Jerusalem In My Heart @ The Blacksheep Inn – June 11, 2015
    Definitely an out of the world experience seeing this unique collaboration.



14. NXNE 2015
    Highlights this year was seeing Warpaint, Doldrums, Dilly Dally and many more!









15. Ottawa Bluesfest 2015
    Highlights this year was seeing Purity Ring, The Yips and Tragically Hip in the rain. Of course the big show of all was Kanye West. There was also NAS, Scott Weiland (RIP) and the Wildabouts, Future Islands, Alvvays and many more!

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Mood Ring Release show at Le Temporaire
• Fucked Up + Doomsquad @ Ritual – May 9, 2015
• FOLK IT ALL
• Stars & Hey Rosetta! @ NAC Southam Hall – February 7, 2015
• Pharmakon @ Pressed – January 16, 2015
• Dan Mangan + Blacksmith, Hayden and Astral Swans @ NAC Theatre – February 27, 2015