My favourite live shows in 2012 were…

5. Regurgitator (The Hi-Fi): I’ve seen the ‘Gurge a bunch of times, but this gig was truly outstanding, featuring performance of both “Unit” and “Tu-Plang” in full (plus a surprise Devo cover!).

4. Dan Deacon (Coniston Lane): Dan Deacon makes fun music, but his live show practically defines the word, getting the entire audience to dance around like idiots without a second thought.

3. Radiohead (Boondall Entertainment Centre): These guys would make this list purely of the virtue of being Radiohead, live! But they more than warranted their spot with a grand performance that stretched to about two hours.

2. At the Drive-In (Splendour in the Grass): Maybe this a cash-in gig, but if they perform with this kind of energy and power when just going through the motions, man I wish I could have seen them a decade ago.

1. Refused (Eatons Hill Hotel): I think the fractured, stream-of-consciousness post I wrote at the time sums up the experience of this show than any rational explanation could hope to. Incredible.

Honourable Mentions:

Fuck Buttons, Los Campesinos! (both at Harvest Festival)

M83 (Laneway Festival): a shortened, very delayed gig that was nonetheless excellent.