My Top 10 Gigs of 2006

1. Gyroscope, Hi-Fi Bar
A supreme performance. They left everything they had on the stage. Lead singer Dan routinely threw up off stage, but we could still see. To top it off, they kept saying they'd finish the night, possibly at the expense of their next show in Adelaide, which delighted the raucous Melbourne crowd even more! It's gigs like that when you (in the crowd) feel a rapport that you've built up with the band. Their sets at Thank God It's Over and the Northcote were fantastic too (the Northcote one made sure we saw the Hi-Fi gig), but I won't clog the list up twice!

2. Franz Ferdinand, Palace
I'd seen them the year before and they were even better this time. The new material rocked out, so there was less filler. Take Me Out still garners a mammoth response (especially after the pause, then "Take Me Out" from the entire crowd!)

3. Hard-Fi, Palace
I'd liked the album, but I was unsure about whether the dance/electro beats could coexist in a rock environment on stage. I shouldn't have been concerned. They were entertaining, funny and got the crowd involved just when it was needed. Hailing from Ali G's suburb of Staines in London, they know soccer crowds can chant and amp up a gig ("We're the stars of CCTV!") - one of my favourite things when done well.

4. The Strokes, Festival Hall
I've never seen such a diverse crowd. It's the only time I'd been asked if I had any pills at a rock concert! They didn't talk heaps, but they played plenty and did it with gusto. The set list was well crafted from their three albums, so kudos there. A few points off for Festival Hall's renowned sticky atmosphere.

5. Coldplay, Rod Laver Arena
Another band working off three albums with a pretty solid set list. The grand entrance of Square One with a countdown timer on screen until the big rock change in the song was impressive. Lead singer Chris Martin mingled with the fans and was chatty as usual, with less preachiness than I expected.

6. Eskimo Joe, Forum
7. Snow Patrol (+ Starky), Metro
8. After The Fall (+ Starky), East Brunswick Club
9. The Fray, Prince of Wales
10. Motion City Soundtrack, Hi-Fi Bar

Highly commended:
Arctic Monkeys (+ The Grates), Palace
U2, Telstra Dome

Best Festival: Thank God It's Over, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Fuck $100-plus tickets, long queues and limited access to stages during sets (that's you, Big Day Out!). TGIO had a casual and friendly atmosphere, several stages separated by a hill so the noise didn't travel and a great line up of local talent including Gyroscope, Dallas Crane, Shihad, Kisschasy and Karnivool, to name a few. The MySpace stage showcasing generally unsigned bands made the festival though. There's nothing like a chillout sort of area when you don't expect to hear a great band, but keep leaving pleasantly surprised. The crowd seemed to be more genuinely interested in having a good time than at many other shows. The only thing missing was the beer, as it was an underage-friendly gig, but a couple beforehand and then onto the Red Bulls took care of that.