The Year in Pictures and Sounds: A Best of List...

Not that you were asking, but we know you wanted it. The obligatory Best of '05 List. We chose to list off the Best NYC Shows in 2005. We compiled this list after closely surveying and consulting...ourselves. Here are our Top 11 NYC Shows of 2005. That's right, we said ELEVEN.

In chronological order...(insert drumroll here):

1/24/05 Colin Meloy @ the Fez [photos here] - of note: Colin told us these shows were also amongst his favorite New York moments.

2/2/05 Arcade Fire @ Irving Plaza (with David Byrne) [more here]

3/24/05 The Flaming Lips @ Gotham Hall (is it because we were dancing on stage with them? yes, yes it is.) [photos here]

4/23/05 Two Gallants @ Southpaw [photo here]

5/22/05 Andrew Bird @ Southpaw [photos here]

6/8/05 Spoon @ Webster Hall [photos here]

6/20/05 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ the Knitting Factory (we picked this one because David Bowie was in the audience, not because it was our show) [photo and more here]

6/20/05, 6/22/05 Ghostland Observatory @ Knitting Factory and Ace of Clubs (respectively) [photos here]

8/22/05 Bravo Silva @ the Knitting Factory (what can we say, we totally fell in love with these guys) [photos here]

9/6/05 The National @ Spin [photos here]

9/17/05 The Hold Steady @ CBGB's [photos here]

So, what were your highlights?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on December 30, 2005 11:44 AM

Comments [rss]

john

POLYSICS at CBGBs

I punched my friend in the face, it was that good of a show.

Anonymous

I'm beginning to suspect you're getting kickbacks from Clap Your Hands Say Blah - or whatever you call them... Enough already! How about replacing that show with, um, Dungen at the Bowery Ballroom?

Chris

An addition to those listed and above: One of the best, for me, was White Stripes/Shins at Coney Island-- rock on. Meg was even good during the set.

Krys

oh, andrew bird. beautiful.

matt

its kind of haphazzard of you to single out a certain cyhsy show when they played so many in nyc just because David Bowie was in attendence. He was also at the Arcade Fire show at Irving Plaza as well as the Secret Machine/ Moving Unit show at Irving but who cares? you go to see the band not the audience.

bill p

The Dears at Bowery Ballroom (opening for Crooked Fingers then later headlining with Shout Out Louds). They continue to get no respect but they're one of the best live bands going.

brinx

Aracde Fire with a guest appearance by David Bowie, looking like the thin white duke, (He did Queen Bitch!) at Central Park Summerstage in September. Best hands down.

LB

The Subways at Rothko.

Helen

Junior Senior at the Mercury Lounge. I was in a good mood for days afterward.

Nashville Pussy at CBGB...ridiculous and awesome.

Giraffes at Pussycat Lounge. Arguably their best show this year.

chicken

Les Savy Fav at Cake Shop

Boris at Cake Shop

Pelican at the Knitting Factory

The gERms at the Continental

Rob

Foo Fighters in October at the Continental Airlines Arena!

Ace

Bob Dylan five nights at the Beacon in April with Thurday night's A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall demonstrating "what it's all about"

KeithS

Lambchop at the Bowery was probably my favorite.

Oh, and the Ghostland Observatory drummer was a prick to a friend of mine who played before them at the Delancey. Warrants mentioning.