2009 Tabulated, Part Two: Gigs

Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex at Polish Combatants Hall, 9/13/09, photographed by John Leeson

MY TOP 15 SHOWS OF 2009

1. Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex at the Polish Combatants Hall, September 12 & 13 (you can watch the entire Sunday show on Youtube)
2. Dirty Projectors at Lee's Palace, July 22 (photos; clip of "No Intention")
3. Bite Yr Tongue II w/Lucky Dragons, Corpusse, Nif-D, Feuermusik and Castlemusic at Centre of Gravity, November 21 (Carl briefly and beautifully described this show during Slate's year-end Music Club discussion)
4. King Sunny Ade at Harbourfront Centre, July 4 (opening song from the set)
5. Buraka Som Sistema at the El Mocambo, April 29 (can't find any documentation of the show online, but this will give you an idea of how crazy it was)
6. Owen Pallett's 30th birthday party w/Final Fantasy, Kids on TV, Hank, $100, The Magic and 24 other bands at the Lula Lounge, September 6 (three songs from the Canaille Electric Trio's mini-set were recorded)
7. Micachu & The Shapes at the El Mocambo, July 14 (photos; clip of "Lips"; my review of the show for Eye)
8. Oumou Sangare at Afrofest, July 12 (forget the title of this song, but look at those dancers!)
9. Veda Hille & Christof Migone at the Music Gallery, June 28 (the iPhones stayed pocketed, it seems, but here's a music video)
10. Irma Thomas at Harbourfront Centre, September 6 (photos)
11. Cluster at the Polish Combatants Hall, October 21 (a review by Dave Morris)
12. Bite Yr Tongue I w/Final Fantasy, Gowns, Huckleberry Friends and Wyrd Visions at the Guild Inn, September 5 (photos; more photos; assorted live recordings)
13. Blood Ceremony at the Silver Dollar, July 31 (no snaps or clips from this show; the sendoff before their European tour a month later, with special guest stars, was a lot less raucous but almost as good)
14. Extermination Music Night XII w/Christine Duncan's Element Choir, Faroah Phinkelstein, Slim Twig and Onakabazien at one of the usual clandestine locations, on the bank of the Don River, July 17 (ArtStars were there for some not-entirely-serious reporting)
15. St. Vincent and Gentleman Reg at the Horseshoe, August 8 (photos; more photos; the "Dig a Pony" cover; even more photos of Annie Clark)

That #1 is the easiest decision I've made all year. The ongoing collaboration between Getatchew Mekuria and the Ex embodies my musical ideals: of technical virtuosity, of great outfits, of Fourth World mutualism and of party-starting. At times their sword-wielding dancer seemed to be vibrating every atom in his body. Seeing Dirty Projectors pull off Bitte Orca's vocal harmonies live was astonishing, and Buraka Som Sistema incited a different riot of hips, but nothing else in 2009 left me feeling so elated as that weekend of guitars, Ethio-jazz and Polish beer. September was a good month! And this one might be even better. I'll take one last look back tomorrow.