The Worst of 2022

Yesterday we posted an entry about our favorite concerts of the past year, so this is the counterpart. We don't like being negative but what can you do?

Now, we're not going to list the worst concerts of 2022, for one main reason: we did not attend any bad shows. Some were better than others, some were not necessarily our preferred style, but we haven't seen a bad gig. 

What we're going to do is list the (probably) awesome concerts that we've missed. And there have been a few. Again, these are presented to you in no particular order.

The Hellacopters/The Datsuns

The Hellacopters with support from the Datsuns is a bill that we saw back in 2003 and it was awesome. Just pure, unadulterated rock n' roll. We would have loved to see these great bands again, alas we couldn't get credentialed.

Porcupine Tree

This was a tough one: Steven Wilson decided to go back on his word and re-activate Porcupine Tree for active duty and by all accounts, the show was phenomenal. We were actually 200 feet away, at another much smaller venue, enjoying a completely different type of music with Gregory Alan Isakov. Going to see Porcupine Tree instead of him would have been equally gutting. Sometimes, things can't be helped.

KISS

We'd already seen KISS twice. The first time was when they put the make-up back on and reunited with their original members in 1996, and it was surreal getting to see the inside of Alive II come... alive. The second time was in 2015 and it was a lot of fun, but their powers had already begun to fade. So when they came through town on their second farewell tour, amid rumors of lip-synching, we decided to skip it in favor of the more relevant Mastodon. Now, had there been no conflict, we would have loved to see KISS one last time. But it was not to be.

Iggy Pop

Iggy was playing the prestigious Salle Pleyel in support of Free, his excellent lounge-y new record in which the jazzy arrangements highlight his rich baritone. Since then, he's announced a new record and if the first single is any indication, he is coming back to the raw, aggressive, confrontational punk rock that he's helped create. Hopefully this means a new tour and an opportunity to see him again: the last Iggy show we saw in 2016 was an absolute banger.

Nightwish

Nightwish have one of the most spectacular live shows in Metal today, and their new album is another excellent slice of Symphonic Metal. Their vocalist Floor Jansen has recently beaten breast cancer and no doubt that experience has informed her performances. From what I've read and heard, the Paris show was a very emotional one, one we wish we could have attended.

Sting

Sting doesn't seem to age. His voice is still as pure and as powerful as during his days with the Police. And of course, he has an amazing catalog of nearly fifty years of great songs. It's been over a decade since we last saw him and we would have liked to remedy that situation. Next time perhaps.

Tedeschi/Trucks Band

The Tedeschi/Trucks Band played three nights in Paris in November and thankfully we were able to attend the last one at the Bataclan. However, we would have loved to go to the previous two at the Trianon. They never play the same set twice and every one of their shows is magical. I guess we can't complain, as we did get to see them.

Blue Öyster Cult

Same thing for Blue Öyster Cult's return to Paris after 13 years. We got to see the first of their two dates but we would have loved to go to the second one as well, as the setlist that night was absolutely insane. The first date was fantastic, of course... But it didn't feature Astronomy! Unfortunately, we were out of town for that second show.

Rose Tattoo

We'd been credentialed for this show by Australian Hard Rock legends several years ago, but it got postponed several times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time the date actually took place... it fell on a day when we were away on vacation. Aaaargh!

Are there any concerts that you've missed this past year? Gigs you regret having been unable to attend? Vent your frustrations in the comments below or on our social media channels!