ALD 2022 Favourite Gigs of the Year vol. 1

edited by Miyuki Wang

As the end of the best year of our lives aka 2022 is approaching its end, we, as A Lucid Dream asked our unreal followers about their favourite gigs of the year. Fortunately enough, we have got a great deal of responses and we have made a few compilation articles from the gig reviews that we received.

This first article of the project includes several popular acts among ALD followers such as Sam Fender, Fontaines D.C. and Inhaler alongside others such as black midi, Dua Lipa, The Causeways, Mitski, Devon, Slowthai, Fred Again.., Blossoms and Disarstar. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this article - it has actually been so much fun going through all the reviews and seeing everyone's highlights of the year and we hope you too will enjoy reading them.

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SAM FENDER at SSE Arena Wembley, London (UK) - 1 Apr.

It's so hard to even begin to pick between gigs this year! But I think it's only right to choose my Sam Fender gig back on the 1st April this year, on the Seventeen Going Under tour. My first gig back after covid & he is for my most favourite singer/band cause I love them too - & I'd been dying to see him since before covid. It probably one of the most memorable and emotional nights of my life, when you know every lyric to every song. Being two people away from barrier and experiencing a mutual love for him along with 10,000 other people - truly special for me. Whilst hearing my favourite tunes from the Georgie lad, making me cry and also scream 🖤 I'll never forget this night along with some amazing other nights too such as Fontaines D.C. just last month, who were inexplicably out of this world!! Thank god for music

(Carlotta Breaks)

INHALER at Manchester Academy, Manchester (UK) - 15 Oct.

My most memorable & favourite gig I went to in 2022 was seeing Inhaler. It was my 2nd gig of the year and everything from the atmosphere, to the crowd and the passion of Inhaler, it was absolutely incredible and unforgettable! So much so that I have planned to see them multiple times next year due to how much I adored my experience!

(Dylan Truscott)

BLACK MIDI at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (UK) - 26 Nov.

The Brudenell really is a special place. It has the warmth of a real community and it's such a welcoming venue that any can feel like they're part of the community as soon as they step through the door.

So to see one of the best current bands there, twice in one day, really is something special. black midi are just incredible live and they certainly didn't hold up with this performance. Playing an album launch gig for their 3rd album Hellfire, each set consisted of around 6 songs from the album, then 3 fan favourites. The second performance ended with a song which is usually around 3 minutes long, being extended to about 11 minutes. The crowd were bouncing around the place and it was such an amazing atmosphere. I really hope they play there soon again and I can't wait to see them again.

(Tom Phillips)

DUA LIPA at Mediolanam Forum, Milan (Italy) - 25 May

2022 has probably been the best year of my life (to date!!). It was all about rebirth.

I attended seven gigs and one festival, which might not be a lot but they all represented a sort of reintroduction to the live music scene to me, as I only went to a couple of shows in 2021. However, if I had to choose one concert to rate it as my favourite of the whole year, I would easily pick Dua Lipa in Milan on May 25th. Maybe it is worth giving a little context. I held onto my tickets for three whole years and I went through two "I'm so sorry, but I have to postpone my whole tour due to the pandemic" kind of announcements, I was simply beyond ecstatic to finally see Dua on stage. Moreover, I was on my Erasmus in the south of Spain, so flying back to my country also meant going back home for a little while. Unfortunately, I tested positive for COVID eight or nine days before the gig, I was feeling devastated since I had been waiting for this moment for so long and I just wanted to see my family again too! Thankfully, I recovered the day before my flight, even though the journey itself was a challenge as well (my flight was delayed four hours lol).

Anyway, the show was outstanding. It was the first time I got into an arena since 2019, Dua was serving looks, choreos and amazing vocals. She sang all the bops in her collection, but the moment I was so impatiently waiting for finally arrived. "Milan! Are you ready to go to the moon?" she screamed into the microphone and then proceeded to start off 'Levitating,' while flying over the audience wearing her iconic and stunning Mugler bodysuit. Dua's performance was so good that I had to buy a ticket for her show in my hometown, Bologna, a couple of days later.

THE CAUSEWAYS at E.B.G.B.S, Liverpool (UK) & OTALA at The Washington, Sheffield (UK)

There's been a lot of fun little and big gigs I've been to this year like Inhaler at the Belasco in LA was ridiculous but so were The Kairos at Jimmys in Liverpool. The real highlight of this year has to go to two though. One being The Causeways at E.B.G.B.S in Liverpool and the other being Otala at the Washington in Sheffield. The Causeways are just proper feel good music and really upbeat but laid back still which you could really tell when they played the new EP. Otala just had this insane energy and were so fun and entertaining on stage even with multiple broken guitar strings. I adored the impromptu jam that followed the strings breaking too. You just can't help but love them. I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing a lot more of both of them in the new year <3

(Molly Keep)

MITSKI at O2 Academy Brixton, London (UK) - 29 Apr.

My favourite gig by far was Mitski's show in London at the O2 Academy on the 29th April! I had goosebumps the entire time. her way of performing is unique, almost as if she's telling a story, from her lyrics to her dances! Not to mention the opening act, SASAMI really complimented Mitski's style, it was a great combination!! I'd definitely do it all again ◡̈

(Naomi Lawal)

FONTAINES D.C. at The Regent Theater, Los Angeles (USA) - 19 May

Picking my favorite gig out of the year was tough because each show was special in their own little way. There was one gig though that felt like the stars aligned especially just for me. On May 19th, Fontaines D.C. had one last stop on their first North American headline tour. It was the last show in the City of Angels and it landed on my birthday. Even though I went to this show alone, I immediately made friends with three sweet girls in line. It was already off to a special start when we had the pleasure of meeting Curley before the show. He wished me a Happy Birthday, hoped I would enjoy the show, and spoke to him about his acoustic video of 'Roy's Tune' for Rolling Stone France.

The show:

My new friends passed out roses to the front row and Grian picked them off one by one. Carlos, my favorite guitar player on this planet, played directly in front of me during 'Hurricane Laughter.' During 'Big Shot,' I pointed at Carlos and said, "YOUR SONG!" He did a little dance with his guitar and nodded to me. It is my favorite track off of Skinty Fia and having that moment meant everything to me. The album was only out for almost a month but I fell even more enamored with it when I heard it live. From new to older songs, the band put on an electric performance that made me want to see them every single night for the rest of the week. The show felt like one big celebration for the band and for myself, of course. It was the best birthday ever with the Best Band in The World!

(Heart Eyes Alice)

DEVON at Factory, Manchester (UK) - 17 Sep.

On the 17th of September 2022, me and my friend Katie went to Factory in Manchester to go and see Devon. I personally had never listened to him before and was going for moral support for Katie. There wasn't that many people at the gig, I'd say around 15-20, so it was quite cosy and intimate. The waiting-around music was Disney-themed, because the tour was called What The FOD (Forest of Dean), and the stage was covered in vines. There was also a smoke machine too that made it proper feel like a forest and woodlandy and also like a Disney movie. The support we missed because we were a bit late (oopsies), so Devon came on pretty fast. He owned that stage! Even though I didn't know the songs I was dancing the whole time! The crowd were lovely, and the music was brilliant!

Straight after the last song, Devon came down and greeted us all and then did merch signing and pictures. We managed to talk and get a photo with him! It was so lovely. The next day, we even travelled to Sheffield to go and see him again (this time I knew some lyrics haha). It has to be one of the loveliest concerts of 2022.

(Charlotte Orrell)

SLOWTHAI at O2 Guildhall Southampton (UK) - 29 May

Best gig this year? Has to be Slowthai on the HELL IS HOME tour in March. Saw him at Southampton Guildhall with my mate from uni. Deb Never was the support and performed 'Push' with him, banging set list with bangers that deliver, people there were chill af, at least until the mosh pits started and it was madness. Was sweating like mad by the end of the gig.

(Oliver Greenwood)

FRED AGAIN.. at 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin (Ireland) - 22 Nov.

The most memorable gig I got to attend this year was Fred Again.. at the 3olympia Theatre in Dublin on the 22nd of November. It was the hardest experience of trying to get tickets ever for me so it really made being there so much more special. There was this really lovely energy in the room, every single person around me was so nice and there were lots of shared moments of excitement with complete strangers. Fred played some of my favourites from each of his three albums all titled Actual Life 1, 2 and 3. You could just tell by watching him that he was putting his everything into this show. A personal favourite moment was when he came off the stage to pass a pint of Guinness through the crowd to one of the sound guys at the back of the venue. What made seeing Fred Again so memorable for me was getting to go to the after party where he played another set in a pub called Doyle's just down the road from the Olympia. He played some unreleased songs from behind the bar in this pub and poured pints of Guinness for fans in the crowd. It was definitely the most unique gig I've experienced and it'll definitely be one of my favourites for a long long time.

(Katie Dobbyn)

BLOSSOMS at Mountford Hall, Liverpool (UK) - 27 Nov.

In 2022, my favourite gig I went to was definitely Blossoms at Mountford Hall, Liverpool. I can't really pinpoint exactly what it was about it that made it so special, but the atmosphere, the crowd, the sweatiness, the music - it just felt like a proper gig. An excellent band partnered with an excellent crowd. They opened with 'At Most A Kiss' and it really got everyone moving and they continued segueing from one song to another all throughout the night - which gave the gig a really neat and structured vibe. Tom Ogden gave an amazing solo acoustic performance, playing the heartwarming 'My Favourite Room,' as well as snippets of recognisable songs such as 'Last Christmas' (by Wham!) and 'Half the World Away' (by Oasis). The rest of the band then came out for the encore to perform two of the band's biggest hits: 'There's A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)' and 'Charlemagne' to close the show. It left you wanting more and that's what I love about this band - they catch your attention and keep you focused with their "Stranger Things-esque" synth sound, slick and smooth basslines, unique guitar riffs and incredible vocals. The band really make millennials feel like they're living in the '80s.

(Alfie Hopkins)

DISARSTAR at Conne Island in Leipzig (Germany) - 17 Nov.

From the moment Disarstar entered the stage of the Conne Island in Leipzig/Germany the air felt electric.

Me and my friends got the tickets for his Rolex für Alle Tour more than two years ago. Because of the pandemic, health reasons and the unpredictability of the universe Disarstar has never got a chance to perform in Leipzig all this time. We have waited so long for this concert it almost felt surreal that it finally happened.

Strong beats, emotional, political lyrics and a real connection with the audience. Against all rap stereotypes he managed to show honest vulnerability and still pulled off a strong performance full of power. For about ninety minutes Disarstar gave us everything: stage diving, a sea of lighters warming up the already massively heated full house and a moshpit-all inclusive-demolition-atmosphere. It was an amazing experience and encountering the energy of so many like-minded people left me with an optimistic feeling for the future.

(Nika Fabich)

FONTAINES D.C. at Iveagh Gardens in Dublin (Ireland) - 3 Jul.

To name my top show this year would be an impossible task, since there were so many amazing artists I got to see – Wolf Alice, Gorillaz, Tame Impala, Pixies and Inhaler would be just naming a few. However, one of my absolute favourites had to be Fontaines D.C. on the 3rd of July in the Iveagh Gardens. I met up with some of my good friends (and made new ones) just an hour and a half in the queue beforehand, managing to get to the barrier and see the whole show with the best view feasible. This was also my introduction to their opener, Wunderhorse, whose music I have fallen in love with this year.

With 'In ár gCríothe go deo' being the first song to be played, the show was bound to be special. It was a perfect set-up to bring out my emotions straight away. I felt overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. Usually, I am one to describe my experiences in the most descriptive way I can, but in that moment I was left speechless, just like I am still reminiscing in the memory of it. Throughout the night, they played songs from their most recent album, Skinty Fia (2022), such as 'Big Shot,' 'Roman Holiday' and the unforgettable 'Nabokov.' They did also play some old favourites of mine from A Hero's Death (2020) like 'Televised Mind' and 'You Said,' along with songs from Dogrel (2019) such as 'Hurricane Laughter' and 'Too Real.' The entire show was dreamlike and the sounds created by the band that day are ones I will treasure forever. It was also incredible to get the opportunity to photograph them and Wunderhorse in Vicar Street just months later, truly closing off the year in the greatest way possible.

(Abbi Patton)