Joey788 inspired me to think about the best concerts I saw this decade. In no particular order:
2010-05-07 - Broken Social Scene at Webster Hall (Forgiveness Rock Record tour)
Emily Haynes joining the band for Anthems the first time I was seeing the band was just perfect.
2010-08-05 - Arcade Fire at MSG (The Suburbs tour)
My favorite Arcade Fire concert was in the Neon Bible tour, but this one was so good too. Ready to Start as an opener is perfect, Power Out -> Rebellion is the best two-song transition there is (sorry Bad-Streets), Keep the Car Running closing the main set, and Tunnels/Sprawl II for an encore, all this before the band became insufferable (also, Spoon opened for them).
2010-11-03 - St. Vincent at Webster Hall (Strange Mercy tour)
Annie Clark had just exploded, and touring behind her best record was great. The new songs were fantastic, but Marrow/Your Lips Are Red to close the main set/encore were the high points.
2013-05-07 - The National at Park Avenue Armory (Trouble Will Find Me release show)
There are other National shows I enjoyed more - the tiny club show I saw when they were touring Boxer or the back-to-back nights with unique setlist in NYC last year, but this was special. It was a by-invitation show to which I had applied for tickets, and one day found an envelope in my mailbox with two tickets. The Park Avenue Armory is a gorgeous venue, too. And this was the first time I (and most people) were hearing these new songs.
2015-10-31 - Sufjan Stevens at the Lowe's Jersey Theater (Carrie & Lowell Tour)
What a fucking awesome tour, this was. I didn't expect Sufjan to top the Age of Adz shows, which were so fun, but this was the most captivated I've ever seen an audience. Blue Bucket of Gold live is one of my favorite live moments ever. And after all the emotional heft, he covered Hotline Bling in the encore.
2016-12-16: Kendrick Lamar at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (around the To Pimp a Butterfly tour)
I still don't know what magic I made to buy these tickets, but seeing Kendrick at the height of his powers at a venue for about 600 people is something I'll definitely have to tell my son about. It's a shame I can't remember the whole setlist, and nobody seems to have registered it outside the 4 songs that were broadcast online.
2017-06-19: LCD Soundsystem at Brooklyn Steel (reunion tour):
One of my biggest concert regrets is missing their farewell MSG show that my friend had invited me to go to, so I was ecstatic when they decided to get back together. This is by far the loudest show I've been at, and it was perfect. I didn't realize how monstrous Dancer Yrself Clean is until seeing it live, plus All My Friends as a closer was everything I expected it to be.
2017-06-28: U2 at MetLife Stadium (JT30 Tour):
Hey, I finally found a spot for U2 in these lists. I saw three of the JT30 shows, all of them a blast (despite just about missing ASOH). Do more of this, U2. Also, this one had The Little Things... as a closer, which to me is their best song since...I guess Fez/Being Born.
2017-07-28: Frank Ocean at Panorama Festival (Blonde Tour):
I guess I didn't realize how immense Frank was until I saw this crowd singing every word of an album he had just released - the only older song he played was Thinking Bout You. The end of Self Control live is still unforgettable.
2018-07-11: Radiohead at MSG (A Moon Shaped Moon Tour):
Finally caught the big white whale of Fake Plastic Trees, and that wasn't even the best part. Singing "bring down the government / they don't speak for us" with 20,000 people was fucking liberating. The setlist was just about perfect. One of the best shows I've been at.
2018-07-12: Los Campesinos! at Elsewhere (10th anniversary of Hold On Youngster):
Probably the most fun I've had at a concert this decade, from the opening with This is How You Spell Ha Ha Ha (a Rushmore LC! song for me) through the last song with Gareth in the crowd 5 feet away from me singing Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks.
