amazing live videos of The Cure, Devo, Songs: Ohia & more to watch while every show is cancelled
UPDATE: Devo announced their only headlining shows of the year, in NYC and LA.
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PREVIOUSLY:
Basically no shows are happening due to the coronavirus outbreak (though some artists are doing livestreams instead), but if you’re already jonesing to see a show, or just need a brief distraction from the insanity of the world right now, thankfully there’s YouTube which has an amazing array of live footage from throughout the history of pop music, from clips from concert films, TV performances and other pro-shot footage, to tons of fan-shot video from shows. If you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve been picking some of our favorites. Here are five more:
The Cure - Show (1992)
Isolation has made me want to listen to a lot of music with a somber tone, so, naturally, I've been listening to plenty of The Cure. For whatever reason, I've been kind of on a Wish kick lately, so for today's live videos, I figured I'd go with The Cure's 1993 live album/film Show, which was shot on the Wish tour. The whole film isn't on YouTube but this playlist has most of it, and Show is always worth revisiting. It's basically a greatest hits, and Robert Smith and the rest of the band looked and sounded fantastic on this tour. There's no shortage of great live Cure footage, but you can never go wrong with Show. [Andrew Sacher]
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Devo on Chorus, 1978
By the time of their 1978 debut album, Devo had it all figured out: the jerky art-punk sound, the Nuclear Family sci-fi look, the alienated lyrical bend. It all really came together in their manic, choreographed live show that was truly like no other at the time. And where else better to experience than on French TV where when they ask "Are we not men?" the entire audience, in an audible French accent, shout back "WE ARE DEVO!" Watch them burn though "Satisfaction," "Uncontrollable Urge," "Mongoloid," "Come Back Jonee" and more. C'est fantastique! [Bill Pearis]
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Songs: Ohia @ Cox18 in Milan - 9/29/2000
Like I said, I've been listening to somber music. Here's one from the dearly-missed Jason Molina and his band Songs:Ohia that was filmed in Italy right in between the releases of the band's two 2000 albums, The Lioness and Ghost Tropic. It's a very cool video, visually and sonically, and it's really out of this world how emotionally devastating Jason's voice sounded. [Andrew Sacher]
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David Byrne & St. Vincent @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN - 10/2/2012
Before David Byrne and St. Vincent launched their most recent separate choreographed live shows -- St. Vincent's supporting 2017's MASSEDUCTION, and David Byrne's supporting 2018's American Utopia, an acclaimed live show which has since gone to Broadway -- they joined forces for the tour supporting their 2012 collaborative album Love This Giant. Another choreographed stage show, it was a thrilling opportunity to see David and Annie together on stage, reinventing their originals as well as playing Love This Giant songs together. It also serves as a great prequel to some of American Utopia's imagery and direction. [Amanda Hatfield]
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Arab Strap @ Primavera Sound NOS 2017
It's Aidan Moffat's 50th birthday today so wish him a happy one by watching his band Arab Strap play Primavera Sound NOS in 2017, part of their 20th anniversary reformation tour. Adrian and Malcolm Middleton, and the rest of the band are in fine form here, their biolous sound all the more apropos in the era of Brexit and Trump. [Bill Pearis]
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For more of our favorite live videos, head here.