What shows were the hottest you saw all year? Too many to choose from, right? The struggle is real at – the staff had to sort through the hundreds of shows we collectively saw this year and decide which one of them all was the best show of the year. The result – a wide range of the best shows in 2014 that cover every genre and every corner of the state. Here they are, in chronological order.
Best Upstate Show
Top vote-getters include:
moe. at Saranac Brewery, Utica, June 20-21
Phish at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, July 5
Breaking Benjamin acoustic at Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, October 16Honorable Mentions
Trombone Shorty at The Egg, Albany, January 12
Neutral Milk Hotel, State Theater, Ithaca, January 13
Lettuce, The Tralf, Buffalo, February 21
Deafheaven/Intronaut, Lost Horizon Syracuse, March 2
Avenged Sevenfold, Syracuse On Center, May 15
John Legend at Proctors Theater, May 16
Willie Nelson and Family, CMAC, Canadaigua, June 21
Paul McCartney, The Times Union Center, Albany, July 5
Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars, Putnam Den, September residency
Electron at Catskill Chill, September 7
Harvest Fest, Bard College, September 27
Judas Priest, Rochester Main Street Armory, October 2
Start Making Sense, The Hollow Bar, October 10
Twiddle with Papadosio, The Haunt, Ithaca, October 14
Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Troy Music Hall, October 24
Aqueous CD release show, Buffalo Iron Works, October 25
Ray LaMontagne. The Palace Theatre, Albany, November 9
String Cheese Incident, The State Theater, Ithaca, November 10
Dierks Bentley Riser Tour, The Aud in Utica, November 16
Electron, The Westcott Theater, November 29
Best Overall Show
We have a tie!
UMBowl V at The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, May 3
Phish, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, October 31
The Pixies, Fidlar, Orpheum Theater, Boston, January 18
The Disco Biscuits, City Bisco, Philadelphia, February 20
Lettuce, The Tralf in Buffalo, February 21
Southern Soul Assembly Tour, Carnegie Hall, Lewisburg, WV, April 11
New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, April 18
Shpongle Live at Red Rocks, May 10
Avenged Sevenfold, Syracuse On Center, May 15
Rock On The Range, Columbus, OH, May 16-18
George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour in Arlington Texas, June 7
Earth Wind & Fire, Xerox Rochester International Jazzfest, June 27
Paul McCartney, The Times Union Center, Albany, July 5
Phish, Randall’s Island, July 12
St. Vincent at Pitchfork Music Festival, July 19
Jack White, Chicago Theater, July 23
Rodrigo y Gabriela, Gathering of the Vibes, August 2
Allman Brothers Band, Peach Music Festival, August 16
Arcade Fire, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, August 23
Five Finger Death Punch, Volbeat, Hell Yeah & Nothing More at The Times Union Center, September 27
Twiddle with Papadosio, The Haunt, Ithaca, October 14
Breaking Benjamin acoustic at Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, October 16
Robin Trower at The Egg, October 21
Phil Lesh with Eric Krasno and the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, The Capitol Theater, November 8
Stevie Wonder, Air Canada Centre, Toronto November 25
Stay tuned tomorrow for the final installment of the Best of Upstate 2014 – Best Collaborations!