Best of 2009 JamBase Staff List

wow, that is the ceo? yikes

I see a bunch of Phish shows, but I really wish someone would have given credit to the 12/05/09 Charlottesville show. I think the second set from that show is the best music the band played in 2009, period. Tweezer>Light>Piper>Free is the closest thing to Phish 1.0 we've been blessed with in a while, and an utterly fantastic Harry Hood and Antelope joined the set ("run like a naked guy!"). I've deleted Hampton from my iTunes, because while the excitement of the show was unique (in the way the 2002 MSG show was), the music isn't on par with the rest of the tour.

Shpongle's Halloween show also deserves some pub.

July 4th "Use to be fly 4th of July Christmas Party in the sand" in St. Simon's takes rager of the year by a landslide. Picture 200 people packed in, out, and around a 1 story, 3 bedroom house in the heart of one of the greatest places on earth . Between 5 cop visits and 2 bands the energy of the thriving, unbridled southeast came as close to tearing down a house as physically possible. Many thanks to the hosts and the great people that make events this rare happen... Repeater????? It might not be possible.

70% Cali shows, This list means should be the best shows in Cali

no dum dum it means the best shows they saw

also jambase: send me to shows to review them references and portfolio available

70% cali shows because at least 70% of the jambase staff resides in cali. love reading these though. i always look forward to the end of each year so I can see what I've missed and catch up on albums i might otherwise never had given the chance...

thanks jambase.

Too bad nobody saw moe. late night at Bonnaroo. It was definitely one of the best shows of the year. I'm also surprised to see how little love that Pearl Jam's "Backspacer" gets from both Jambase contributors and musicians (from the other year end lists article). It's their best work since "Yield" imo. All around great album.

Yep- Moe. at Bonnaroo was out of control, they raged till like 6:30 AM. Bassnectar got no love on the shows-probably cause he's a DJ, but his AllGood set was the best thing my eyes (and chest cavity) have feasted on in a lonng time.

Thank you for doing this every year. I have a tradition each Christmas that I ask for (and usually get) a bunch of iTunes cards, then consult this list to see what music must-purchase music I've missed (I'm not as tuned in as y'all through the year). Some of my now favorite bands that I essentially discovered through the year-end Jambase lists are The Slip, Fleet Foxes and MGMT. At first glance it looks like this year's purchases will be Grizzly Bear and The Avett Bro's. Keep these lists coming Jambase!

what do you mean "wow, that is the ceo"? because you have never heard of all of those bands other than Ben Harper? jeez man.

Best shows I saw this year:

Widespread Panic 11-12,13,14-09 Fox Theatre Oakland, CA (Best new venue in the country)

Allman Brothers Red Rocks 9-5-09 40th Anniversary Tour. One of America's greatest "musical families"!

Phish 6-16-09 Fox Theater St. Louis, Red Rocks 7-30,31-09. Total redemption after Coventry

Dark Star Orchestra Fillmore Auditorium Denver,CO 10-16-09 I Can't believe I'm saying this! I have seen DSO many times over the years with mixed feelings and reactions. It seemed a little corny to me , but they really won me over that night. Cant wait to see John Kadlecik with Furthur!

I saw both the moe. late night Bonnaroo set as well as the Bassnectar All good set. While both good shows, they def don't make my top 3. Plus Bassnectar's set from last years all good was waaaay better.

Does anyone who works at Jambase even listen to the music this site was created for anymore???

Mastodon???

Jambase, you need to climb out of the musical toilet somebody flushed you down.

futhepharmer: dude are u fucking joking me? go to PT if u wanna be surrounded by kids who love gargling treys balls...this site was created for music lovers of all genres, i would hope

there is a damn good reason Joy wasnt in many top 5's, cause there were far many more albums this year that were superior

"Jambase, you need to climb out of the musical toilet somebody flushed you down."-futhepharmer

musical toilet? wow Shakespearean level metaphor right there

futhepharmer: after u reply to my comment be sure to make sure that your cats are fed

Best show of the year...Dead Meadow and Sleepy Sun at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur...

No mention of the amazing album by Tinariwen "Companions".

Show of the year - Derek Trucks Band House Of Blues, NOLA Sunday before Mardi Gras

ghilliesblunt, just for your information, phish was the top searched for band on this site. in fact, the only non "jam" band on the list seems to be radiohead. so while the people who put the site together may like other types of music more, the people who spend time on jambase spend the majority of their time reading about bands who all have the same fans.

not to say you don't have a point, because you do. joy isn't worthy of any top lists, not even top 10. check out the best of artists list though, david murphy from sts9 listens his OWN cd in the list haha...shows where all the fandom goes (to his head)

when did jambase move to Billyburg, what a bunch of hipster nonsense (other then Phish of course)

It's been said a few times already and people seem not to like it, but let's be honest - this is jambase not indiebase. Just take a look at the most searched artists list. I went over to paste, pitchfork, and a thousand other hip music blogs and found the same lists. I admit there is definitely plenty of good music outside of the jam scene, but i come to this website for jambands.

Maybe to make this more meaningful, forget the best albums...we all know that jambands aren't judged on the quality of their albums. Lists I would like to see would be best live recordings, best shows available on the archive, best new acts in different genres.

Props to Reed Mathis for his thoughtful list.

The best shows are the ones you see with your best friends at your favorite local venue.

"Jambands?" I love em too, but Mastodon, De La Soul, Union Station, Clutch & Playing For Change were some of the best shows I saw this year. Do the Roots, or MMW Count as "Jambands"? Keep it up Jambase.

STRUBY420- Nice try douche, maybe if you would take some time to read you would have figured out that "peaceblaster remixes" are a few tracks remixed by a couple dj's, one being Prefuse 73 out of atl.... The remix cd was sick and def better than peaceblaster itself which doesn't really take too much. Before you make a ignorant comment you should know what you are talking about dick.

NOT A GODDAMN one of you mentioned WOLFMOTHER

I guess you havent heard it yet

wolf mother's cosmic egg

ouch guys i know Im just the intern and im low man on the totem, but heres my picks whether u want em or not.....

Albums

1. MSTrKrFT - The Looks

2. Yonder Mountain String Band - all mountain tracks except maybe 4

3. Farmhouse 5/16/00

Live

Phish - Deer Creek - 09

Keller Williams INCIDENT - vegoose 06

Phil and Phriends 08 (Treys first electic show back)

Easy Star All stars - Dubside of the Moon and OK Computer dub covers all good 06

Particle - Henry Fonda Theatre, Hollywood, 06

Widespread Panic beacon theatre - 03

your faithful intern Alex

For the record, I beat Kayceman to using "Last Year" as the opener for my year end mix!!!

Dennis, Aaron, allow me to thank you for the chance to contribute to Jambase this year. The example that each of you set is an admirable one. This is a place for heads and ramblers of all sorts, not just those who yearn for the oscillating kiss of hula on their bare chests.

Now, down to business. I am, in a shallow way, offended by your obvious slight in not including me in your contributer list. This despite the two single best festival reviews written on this sight, or anywhere, in the Devil's year of two-thousand and niner. How soon you forget the strange, fantasmagorial scenes that emanated from both Big Sur (Gramble on Big Sur - Feb. 09) and Cane Creek, Utah (Hazed and Deluged: Desert Rocks, May, 2009). Great Lord of Backbeat I do hope that your banning me from this hallowed list is due to the quantity of posts, and not the quality.

Weak men have been known to shoulder tackle Redwoods after reading the Gramble piece, and the US Navy has been studying the effects of prolonged exposure to torrential downpour after being tipped of to my Desert Rocks report by a wayfaring sailor.

But I will not let this mean slight get me down. No, it was too good a year to end on a brown note. Despite the February canning from my job herding piggies at the Fat Farm in Pebble Beach, notwithstanding the sudden loss of every conceivable way for a creative to soak in a bit of green juice, and excluding the bank-fuckered loss of house and home, I will remember 2009 as a poignant time. A time of great adventure, real music made in dire times, and friends gained in strange climes. And I will someday think back on this hateful shining as a mere speck of gnat intestine on the windshield of my life...

And if you thought that I was going to post my top five anything here anyways, then think again freako. You'll have to ponder the unknowable in perpitude, dude.

Corby Andeson

Jambase Contributer of the Year, 2009 (self-appointed)

corbyanderson.wordpress.com

PS - I am glad to see so many votes for the Mother Hips. They have settled into a position in the music world that can only be described as "stately". If you have not, check out Pacific Dust, their new record. (FOR SHAME Dennis Cook! I know that you have to consider all records, and you see billions in a single days work, but how could you, mate? Pacific Dust is easily the record of the year, if not the decade.)

My albums of 2009 (whenever they were released, these are just the ones I listened to most or discovered)

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone

New Pornographers: Twin Cinema

Zero 7: Yeah Ghost

Yonder Mountain String Band: The Show (give this one another chance wussies! It grows on you! :)

STS9: Peaceblaster New Orleans remixes

Random Rab: Arose

Fave shows of 09:

Railroad Earth: 12/27/09 San Francisco Fillmore

Blue Turtle Seduction: Valentines Day Ball, Nevada City CA

Cornmeal, Travelin McCourys, Lee Boys: High Sierra Late Nite

Umphreys McGee: Halloween Mash up set, Las Tortugas Fest

Random Rab: Morning Set, Bobolink Fest in the Sierras, CA May

Best new bluegrass band: Montana Slim

Favorite guitar player of the Year: Sean Lehe of Izabella

Favorite Festivals: High Sierra and Las Tortugas and Burning Man if you count that as a fest ;)

Band I used to hate but now love: Mother Hips

Band I used to love but now, meh: Dumpstaphunk

twin cinema is old.

2009 was a great year for live music. With Phish's triumphant return added to the already plethora of great jam music. My top 5 shows on '09 in no particular order...

1. Phish NYE run, Miami

2. Phish Bonnaroo

3. Moe. Bonnaroo

4. Umphrey's Mcgee (tie between their late February shows in Atl and Allgood Festival in July)

5. Widespread Panic/Allman Bro's Charlotte NC (2 night run)

were any of you staying at the holiday in in ATL for NYE JB folks? any of you? probably not this is just a shot in the dark....

very little jam love among the staff