Australians Are Going To More Gigs Than Ever Before - What Were 2019's Best?
Yet again, we polled 'The Music' team and contributors to pick out the best of the year 2019. When it came to international gigs, there was no question Childish Gambino took us to church.
Childish Gambino – our 2018 Artist Of The Year – finds his way back into The Music’s end of year lists, this time on the back of his powerful farewell tour, claiming International Live Performance Of The Year. After he cancelled his hyped Australian tour in 2018, his return this year for huge stadium and festival shows, expected to be his last under the Childish Gambino moniker, were the hottest tickets in town. He stood on the stage at Splendour In The Grass wide-eyed, shirtless and declared that “This is church,” delivering a sermon to the bouncing mass they wouldn’t forget any time soon. It’s the second year in a row a hip hop performance has taken out the category – Kendrick Lamar won in 2018 – showing the strength of an individual speaking truth to power.
Gambino in Perth, July. Pic by Travis Hayto
Across the rest of the list, like in previous years, there’s a real element of nostalgia. Legacy tours from the likes of godfather of punk Iggy Pop and Fleetwood Mac, featuring new bandmate Neil Finn, plus the world premiere and Australian exclusive 30th anniversary shows for The Cure’s Disintegration clearly left a mark on The Music’s writers, along with hipster faves Parquet Courts and Jeff Tweedy. Our writers love a bit of English indie-rock too – both Arctic Monkeys and Foals impressed throughout the year. They’re both bands that have the live routine down-pat.
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Seventeen-year-old Billie Eilish joins the list at #10. Her return to Australia in 2019 to play Groovin The Moo and mammoth solo shows were some of the loudest of the year, fans singing along and almost overpowering the pop prodigy in volume.
Lastly, The Prodigy toured Australia across January and February to support their latest LP, No Tourists. The next month lead singer Keith Flint was found dead. Tributes labelled Flint a “true pioneer, innovator and legend” and the band’s everlasting energy, on full display during the tour, saw them land at #7. Rest in peace, Keith.
The Top Ten
1. Childish Gambino
2. Iggy Pop
3. Parquet Courts
4. Jeff Tweedy
5. Fleetwood Mac
6. The Cure
7. The Prodigy
8. Arctic Monkeys
9. Foals
10. Billie Eilish
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