Best Live Shows of 2008

[Mark_Read]

James @ 930
Ray Davies @ 930
Paul Weller @ 930
David Byrne @ Warner
Amy MacDonald @ The Note, West Chester PA
AC/DC @ Verizon
The Who @ Verizon
Mocheeba @ 930
Crowded House @ 930
Roseanne Cash @ Library of Congress

[Giles]

I'll probably end up adding more to this list when I get home tonight, but here goes...

James @ 930
Spiritualized @ 930
Wilco @ 930
Nick Cave @ 930
Calexico @ 930
Mission of Burma @ Black Cat
Delta Spirit @ DC9
The Homosexuals @ Velvet Lounge
Carla Bozulich's Evangelista @ Velvet Lounge
Simian Mobile Disco @ Mezzanine, San Francisco
Broken Social Scene @ Metro, Chicago
The Magnetic Fields @ Herbst Theater, San Francisco
Dirty Projectors @ Black Cat
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings @ Black Cat
Eagles of Death Metal @ 930

I hate you 

the wait for SMD to play a set here in DC is just ridiculous.

[miss pretentious]

ohwow ohwow oh wow. so many shows to keep up with here... i should prolly get an excel spreadsheet a la julian. here it goes:

my bloody valentine in chicago.

the one-two punch of !!! and jarvis @ pitchfork.

eagles of death metal @ 930.

flight of the conchords @ lisner.

r.e.m. @ merriweather. (although mm were terrible)

the hives @ 930.

radiohead @ nisson.

nine inch nails @ v fest.

denali @ the national.

[Got Haggis?]

I barely went to any shows this year   for me it was

Nine Inch Nails @ VFest
Matmos @ Charles Theater / Whartscape

[Firebutt McGee]

Give me a while to compile thoughts/ticket stubs/etc.

Off of the top of my head, Radiohead @ Hollywood Bowl (Night 2), R.E.M. in Jones Beach, Spoon in San Francisco (Night 3), and Goldfrapp in Seattle would be up there.

Oh, and the Hercules/Gnarls Barkley show was pretty spectacular, as well.

[Jesse]

Top Show:
A Tribe Called Quest/Q-tip @ merriweather

Other highlights:
Mogwai @ 930
DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist @ 930 (1-24)
M83 @ The Black Cat (July Show)
Jay-z & Mary J @ 1st Mariner
Kanye West @ Virgin Festival
The Stooges @ Virgin Festival
q-tip @ 930
Gnarls barkley & H&La @ 930

[Giles]

Give me a while to compile thoughts/ticket stubs/etc.

Off of the top of my head, Radiohead @ Hollywood Bowl (Night 2), R.E.M. in Jones Beach, Spoon in San Francisco (Night 3), and Goldfrapp in Seattle would be up there.

Oh, and the Hercules/Gnarls Barkley show was pretty spectacular, as well.

if the Hercules show hadn't been a late show on a Sunday night I would have gone, but I bought a live CD of theirs that is pretty good, obviousily live "live" would have been better. 

[Sage 703]

The Director rightfully texted me to remind me of this key exclusion from my previous list:

Stone Temple Pilots - V Fest

[miss pretentious]

The Director rightfully texted me to remind me of this key exclusion from my previous list:

Stone Temple Pilots - V Fest

*sigh* i think i was getting a massage and/or drinking too heavily to remember this.

[xneverwherex]

Ill add to this later - but off the top of my head

For best theatrical show (possibly ever) - of Montreal @ Roseland
Mercury Rev @ Highline
Stella @ Nokia I <3 MIB 'who let the dogs out'
Kids In The Hall @ Nokia
The Dandy Warhols - Philly, NYC, DC (hard to choose which i liked the best)
echo & the bunnymen w/orchestra performing Ocean Rain @ Radio City
last shadow puppets w/orchestra @ Grand Ballroom
James Walsh (Starsailor) solo show @ Living Room
Radiohead @ Lollapalooza

Prob a bunch of other stuff im omitting - but gotta get out of here.

[sweetcell]

for some reason, i completely neglected festival performances in my previous list... so i'd like to add: Underworld @ APW and Booka Shade @ Lolla (with honorable mentions going to NIN and sharon jones)

[killsaly]

Cloud Cult - RNRH and Black Cat
Sons and Daughters/Holy Fuck - RNRH
My Morning Jacket - Bonnaroo
nine inch nails - Lollapalooza
Mates of State - Ottobar and Lollapalooza
Bonde Do Role - Sonar
Spank Rock - Lollapalooza
Time Fite - RNRH
DCFC - Merriweather
Datarock - RNRH
Flight of the Conchords - Lisner
Tegan and Sara - Rams Head Live
Cold War Kids - 930
Minus the Bear - 930
Neil Diamond - Verizon
Phil Lesh and Friends - Bonnaroo
Holy Fuck - Lollapalooza
MC Frontalot/MC Lars/YTCracker - Ottobar

Those are my favorites of the year so far.  The Spank Rock show at Sonar will probably be on this later on.  

[andyrichter]

Only saw about 15 shows this year but my top 5 would be:
1.  Mission of Burma @ Black Cat-playing Vs. front to back; simply mind-blowing, spine-tingling stuff
2.  X/Detroit Cobras @ 9:30 Club-seen X play 4 times now this decade, this was the best show, both setwise and energy wise I've ever seen them play
3.  Nine Inch Nails @ Virgin fest-first time I've seen them and I'm glad I got all my moneys worth
4.  Suicidal Tendencies @ Sonar-surprised they didn't play Institutionalized but they simply destroyed all the other songs in the set to make me forget that omission
5.  Jenny Lewis @ 6th and I Synagogue-hearing her sing Acid Tongue alone probably made this one of my favorite shows of the year

[Mobius]

Lou Reed - The National
Spiritualized - 9:30
Radiohead - Nissan
R.E.M. - Merriweather
The Verve - WaMu
The Who -  Verizon

[Samantha]

Jolie Holland on Election Day @ the Iota

All 20 or so BRMC shows I saw this year.  Possibly SF shows were best, but I can't choose a favourite child.

Rasputina @ the Black Cat

Nick Cave  @ 9:30, 10/5...although all three shows I saw were ridiculously wonderful.

To be honest, all the shows I saw this year were AMAZING.  I have to stop here or I'll just name them all.