So here’s how my 2014 panned out, musically and personally. Feel free to let me know if you think I might’ve missed something life-altering!
FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF 2014
1. The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream
2. Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams
3. Hozier – Hozier
4. The New Basement Tapes – Lost On The River
5. Royal Blood – Royal Blood
6. Lydia Loveless – Something Else
7. The Delines – Colfax
8. The Preatures – Blue Planet Eyes
9. U2 – Songs Of Innocence
10. Caitlin Harnett – The River Runs North
11. Elbow – The Takeoff & Landing Of Everything
12. Megan Washington – There There
13. Jack Carty – Esk
14. Conor Oberst – Upside Down Mountain
15. Justin Townes Earle – Single Mothers
16. Hey Rosetta! – Second Sight
17. J.Roddy Walston & The Business – Essential Tremors
18. Taylor Swift – 1984
19. Little May – Little May
20. Broods – Evergreen
FAVOURITE LIVE GIGS OF 2014
1. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band – Feb 26th, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
2. Pearl Jam – Jan 19, Big Day Out Gold Coast
3. Eddie Vedder – Feb 23, QPAC
4. Eddie Vedder – Feb 25, QPAC
5. Eddie Vedder – Feb 22, QPAC
6. The War On Drugs – Dec 10, The Zoo
7. Jason Isbell – April 21, Blues Fest
8. Arctic Monkeys – May 7, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
9. Neil Finn – March 7, QPAC
10. Elbow – Oct 30, The Tivoli
11. Paramore – Jan 9, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
12. The Preatures – Nov 28, The HiFi
13. Bob Dylan – Aug 25, The Tivoli
14. Megan Washington – Aug 30, The Zoo
15. Allen Stone – April 16, The Zoo
16. Biffy Clyro – Sept 4, The Tivoli
17. Lady GaGa – August 26, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
18. Courtney Barnett – July 26, Splendour In The Grass
19. Missy Higgins – Sept 27, Convention Centre
20. Justin Townes Earle – Oct 22, The Tivoli
FAVOURITE TRACKS OF 2014
1. The War On Drugs – Red Eyes
2. Hozier – Take Me To Church
3. James Bay – Hold Back The River
4. The War On Drugs – Eyes To The Wind
5. Ryan Adams – Gimme Something Good
6. Coldplay – Magic
7. Lydia Loveless – Really Wanna See You
8. The New Basement Tapes (Marcus Mumford) – Kansas City
9. U2 – Every Breaking Wave
10. Missy Higgins – Shark Fin Blues
11. The Delines – Colfax Avenue
12. Justin Townes Earle – White Gardenias
13. Hozier – Jackie & Wilson
14. Jack Carty – And The Ass Saw The Angel
15. Winterbourne – Cold
16. Caitlin Harnett – Oh I Have Suffered
17. James Bay – Let It Go
18. Taylor Swift – Blank Space
19. The Cairos – Obsession
20. Broods – Bridges
And here’s a Spotify list of those tracks, so wrap your ears around ’em!
In 2015, I CAN’T WAIT….
1. To travel to Alaska in Feb/Mar for a Winter Adventure with my beautiful wife…
2. To see Brisbane continue to evolve into a world-class city with more amazing venues, restaurants, cafes, festivals, etc.
3. To see Conor Oberst, (hopefully) Ryan Adams, Shovels & Rope, The Eagles, Rise Against, Taylor Swift, and many other world-class artists perform in Brissy.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014
Musically: The Eddie Vedder / Pearl Jam tour.
Personally: My wife Lauren finishing her PHD in Genetics Research of Melanoma. MASSIVE achievement.
Sports-wise: The Rabbitohs winning the NRL. Being at the stadium with my Dad to witness the historic victory was enormous.
LOWPOINT OF 2014
The passing of Phil Hughes, and the passing of a close family friend.
COOLEST ARTISTS OF 2014
Megan Washington. Watch her TedX Talk, and you’ll understand…
The Preatures. Flying the Oz flag REALLY high overseas.
Courtney Barnett. As per The Preatures.
Ryan Adams. Class year, from his live work to his records to the way he carried himself. Genius.
Taylor Swift. Everything she did this year was rad. Never seems to take life too seriously.
The War On Drugs. A gracious frontman, the best album of the year, and some worldclass songs with serious longevity.
OVERHYPED ARTIST OF 2014
1D.
DICKHEAD OF THE YEAR
Tony Abbott. Shirtfronting the Russian leader? Really Mate?
5 NEW ARTISTS TO WATCH FOR IN 2015
1. James Bay (UK)
2. Winterbourne (Aus)
3. Caitlin Harnett (Aus)
4. Brawlers (UK)
5. Asaf Avidan (Israel)
TuneUp 