The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2025

December 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Best of 2025 - Geese, Clipse, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, Primus, The Prodigy, My Morning Jacket

Well, here we are again with another year in the books. Music, for one, certainly had its ups and downs throughout 2025. There was Kendrick Lamar’s iconic Super Bowl halftime show, the long-awaited return of Britpop legends Oasis and of course the death of Ozzy Osbourne two weeks after performing for the final time that sent shockwaves across the world. Along with those moments, we witnessed quite a few of our own. Whether it was taking in the closest thing to a Rage Against the Machine show you can see these days, The Prodigy tearing down the house for their first North American headline date since 2017, an evening with Primus that was chock full of surprises, My Morning Jacket’s epic return to Red Rocks, one of the summer’s best co-headline tours with The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse both sharing the stage and Lord Huron’s ascent to newly minted arena act, there was plenty to celebrate and remember over the last 12 months.

But with another year down and 2026 right around the corner, it’s time for us to reveal our annual “Best of” lists as we have done since this blog started more than a decade ago (see our 2024 picks here). As we always say, we will be the first to confess we didn’t attend every show or spin every album that was issued in 2025, but reflecting on the year that was remains just as fun and challenging as when we first started doing this yearly exercise.

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2025.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2025:

Geese - Getting Killed

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Nine Inch Nails at Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA – September 18th-19th
When these Hall of Famers announced their “Peel It Back Tour” almost a year ago, we had a pretty good feeling that new music would be on the way. What we didn’t know is that it would for the new “Tron” movie that arrived in the fall. And while permanent members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross showcased only the soundtrack’s lone single on this run, it was the production featuring a two-stage setup and reimagining of older songs — particularly on the “B Stage” with Boys Noize as Nine Inch Noize — in addition to the unexpected return of former touring drummer Josh Freese that had me thinking about these final two shows of the tour for weeks. That’s what live music can do when an unforgettable performance sticks with you, which was even more remarkable considering Reznor entered his seventh decade just earlier this year.

2. My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – August 15th-16th
3. Queens of the Stone Age at Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA – November 8th
4. Jack White at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – May 12th-13th
5. Primus at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – August 6th

Honorable Mention: The Prodigy at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – April 13th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Geese – Getting Killed
Let me just say first and foremost that this was not my favorite year for albums. That said, there were several that stuck out and the fourth full length from these NYC indie rockers stood squarely at the top. From the sonic chaos that greets us during “Trinidad” and the groovy, Sly Stoned-flavored “100 Horses” (which is apropos given his death in June) to lead single “Taxes” that’s one of its best and the frenetic finale “Long Island City Here I Come”, the variety of sounds being explored on Getting Killed is almost unparalleled. Geese shouldn’t be considered new kids on the block at this point, but there’s a legitimate reason why they were one of the year’s hottest bands and I am still kicking myself for missing their sold-out show at The Fonda Theatre in late October (resale tickets were going for as much as $800 and that was while the Dodgers were in the World Series no less). Well, fingers crossed for my first one in 2026.

2. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
3. The Mars Volta – Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio
4. Lord Huron – The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1
5. Ty Segall – Possession

Honorable Mention: Lady Gaga – Mayhem

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Nine Inch Nails – “As Alive as You Need Me to Be”
I have no problem admitting that I am a sucker for any new NIN music. As one of my favorite bands all time, the industrial rockers had not released a proper album in more than a decade and we’re not sure if the “Tron: Ares” soundtrack technically counts in our book either. But we love it when Reznor leans into the electronic side of the project, and “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” with additional production from Boys Noize scratches that itch for us. While numbers don’t always tell the full story, the fact that it was our top played song on Spotify does mean something when you look back on all of the music we got to consume in 2025. Better yet, Trent and Atticus still making music of this caliber speaks volumes to their craft and talent as true professionals.

2. Clipse – “Chains & Whips” feat. Kendrick Lamar
3. My Morning Jacket – “Beginning from the Ending”
4. DARKSIDE – “One Last Nothing”
5. Lord Huron – “Bag of Bones”

Favorite Soundtrack of 2025: Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares

Deftones - private music

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Home Front at Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA – November 21st
Having caught Home Front last year in SF at Bottom of the Hill I know going into this concert that Home Front was going to absolutely crush it, but man oh man did they completely outdo themselves. Opening act False Flowers warmed up the crowd in spectacular fashion, and The Government did an excellent job as main support. The overly packed room was VERY ready to receive what Home Front was about to give them, and the band destroyed the place inside and out. Sonically crisp and very tight, the band has built a reputation of being a superb live act and it fully lived up to that at this show, playing much of the material from their new album Watch It Die along with material from their previous efforts and a Cock Sparrer cover to end the set.

2. Pile at Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA – September 10th
3. Pixies with Blonde Redhead, Spoon at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – August 28th
4. Deep Sea Diver with Byland at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – April 8th
5. Dance Hall Crashers at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – June 7th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Deftones – private music
For a band that has produced as much quality output as Deftones has over the years, it’s nice to see them outdo themselves like they did on this album. I wouldn’t qualify it as a “return to form” since it has much of the sonic familiarity throughout the rest of their catalog, but the songs themselves are just really strong and stick to your bones more than most of their other recent material. They sound like a unit that came into recording this with confidence and intention. The material also feels like it would translate well live, and based on how footage of their concerts this year looked, I stand correct. This is the album that I kept coming back to over and over again in 2025, which didn’t surprise me given my love for these guys.

2. Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky
3. Home Front – Watch It Die
4. Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart
5. Viagra Boys – Viagr Aboys

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Viagra Boys – “Man Made of Meat”
This is such a perfect way to open Viagra Boys’ new album. Right off the bat you get that level of sass and weirdness that we have come accustomed to from the Swedish post-punk band. From the perfectly timed belch in the opening verse to the breakdown where frontman Sebastian Murphy brings up the idea of subscribing “to your mom’s Only Fans,” the song is a buffet of ridiculousness. The chorus is catchy as all get out, and the song as a whole is that perfect mix of accessible and clever. What a fun way for them to get things started.

2. Deftones – “Locked Club”
3. Preoccupations – “Ill at Ease”
4. Home Front – “Light Sleeper”
5. Momma – “New Friend”

Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out

Rochelle Shipman // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Kendrick Lamar and SZA at SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, CA – May 24th
It’s hard to imagine anything other than a killer Kendrick show after the run he’s had this past year, but the Grand National Tour went above and beyond and around again. It was one set with songs from both artists’ catalogs being seamlessly interwoven before they came back onstage to perform a few of their hits together. Kendrick was riding his deserved high, while SZA was angelic (literally suspended above the crowd wearing wings) and somehow made it feel like we were watching two Beyoncés. The power and craft on that stage was something so special to witness.

2. Little Simz at Fox Theatre Oakland – Oakland, CA – November 17th
3. Clipse at The Novo – Los Angeles, CA – August 23rd
4. Bright Eyes at The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA – February 7th
5. Doechii at Gallagher Square (Petco Park) – San Diego, CA – November 5th

Honorable Mention: NxWorries at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – October 19th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
After a false start with Def Jam that resulted in a seven-figure buyout, Clipse finally found a home at Roc Nation for their newest album in 15 years over the summer — and now it’s hard to imagine it happening any other way. The brothers Thornton reunited to educate the kids on what a proper album rollout used to entail, the whole time sharing their experiences and emotions surrounding their parents’ deaths to a degree most men would never dream of doing. The beats and bars hit so hard all the way through they even make some of Pharrell’s cringeworthy moments sound catchy. There’s no question Mom and Dad are proud of them after laying down this masterpiece.

2. Little Simz – Lotus
3. Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
4. Landlady – Make Up / Lost Time
5. Panda Bear – Sinister Grift

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Little Simz – “Thief”
Opening her sixth studio album with an intro track that’s as intense as it is eloquent, the London rapper continues to prove she’s not the one to fuck with. Marking the first of a few songs on Lotus that artfully skewers her former musical counterpart Inflo of Sault, “Thief” leaves Simz’s broken heart totally bare against a compelling musical backdrop. It’s never fun to watch close friends have a falling out, but we would be damned if Little Simz didn’t make it sound so good.

2. Clipse – “The Birds Don’t Sing”
3. AJ Tracey feat. Jorja Smith – “Crush”
4. Casey Dienel (fka White Hinterland) – “Your Girl’s Upstairs”
5. Doechii – “Nosebleeds”

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo 2

Michael Silver // Orange County

Top 5 Shows of 2025
1. Jack White at The Grove of Anaheim – Anaheim, CA – January 25th
The millennial guitar GOAT went on a generational run in 2025. A master of gorilla marketing and last-minute ticket announcements, White commenced his “No Name” tour with an intimate OC performance. The Internet gods were kind to me as I scored front-row access to see the Detroit native blitzed through a 21-song set spanning White Stripes cult favorites (“The Hardest Button to Button”) to The Raconteurs’ gems (“Broken Boy Soldier”) all while mixing in new joints (“Old Scratch Blues” followed by “That’s How I’m Feeling”). Between playing music halls and theaters as well as NFL stadiums with Eminem in front of a national TV audience on Thanksgiving, the virtuoso and ambassador for all things vinyl was officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The White Stripes this year and has carved out his own lane in rock history.

2. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist at The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA – October 27th
3. The Eagles at Sphere – Las Vegas, NV – October 10th
4. Wu-Tang Clan at Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA – June 22nd
5. The Used at House of Blues Anaheim – Anaheim, CA – October 11th

Top 5 Albums of 2025
1. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo 2
Following up on 2020’s Grammy-nominated collaboration, the Indiana rapper and California producer created a soulful, translucent vibe of hip-hop bravado. The opening guitar licks on “1995” showcase a new era of creativity by The Alchemist, while Gibbs provides a hypnotic and downright maniacal flow. “Mar-a-Lago” and “Lemon Pepper Steppers” define these sophisticated raps, with the emcee in total control painting a visual storyboard.

2. Deftones – private music
3. Turnstile – Never Enough
4. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
5. Joey Bada$$ – Lonely at the Top

Top 5 Songs of 2025
1. Turnstile – “Birds”
Has there ever been a more fitting rock anthem to take over the airwaves? Soaring in at 2:27 long, the Baltimore collective blasted into our collective conscience. With high-profile fans like Billie Eilish, Elton John and Hayley Williams singing their praise, it wasn’t long before mainstream radio added them into their rotations. To wrap up a wild press campaign, lead singer Brendan Yates performed the first-ever stage dive at NPR’s Tiny Desk series with “Birds” as his soundtrack.

2. Deftones – “Milk of the Madonna”
3. Diplo – “Flashlight” feat. Project Pat & Juicy J
4. GELO – “Tweaker”
5. Sublime – “Ensenada”

Favorite Soundtrack of 2025: Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares

Showbams

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The Mars Volta reaffirm at Pasadena Civic Auditorium that they aren’t resting on their laurels these days & we love them just as much for it

December 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment

The Mars VoltaBy Josh Herwitt //

The Mars Volta with Kianí Medina, FELIZ Y DADA //
Pasadena Civic Auditorium – Pasadena, CA
November 26th, 2025 //

I will never forget where I was the first time I heard The Mars Volta.

The calendar read June 2003 and I had just completed my freshman year of college thousands of miles away from home. And as my hobbies transitioned from skateboarding to drumming in high school, I had become obsessed with everything that sounded like progressive rock during my formative years. Rush, Pink Floyd and Tool were prog-rock bands I studied closely with great admiration and still do now, with each inspiring me to fall deeper in love with my instrument thanks largely to their authenticity, creativity and virtuosity as musicians.

It was there in the parking lot of our local outdoor mall that my childhood friend from elementary school put on De-Loused in the Comatorium in his car, and within minutes I found myself transfixed. The music was angsty and raw, and even though I have never been a big fan of punk rock, the tone of lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s voice and vivid, yet surreal imagery that his English and Spanish lyrics painted in a Salvador Dalí sort of way — channeling the agony of losing a bandmate and friend as we would later learn — amid a chaotic frenzy of guitars, keyboards, drums and Latin percussion enticed us right away.

At this point I was not familiar with At the Drive-In or Sparta, so when people find out that TMV are one of my favorite bands all time and quickly suggest that I should listen to the latter, it’s hard to not chuckle inside my head at the suggestion. From our perspective, the difference between them has always been rather stark considering Volta were unlike anything else I had come across in my life. That was, after all, what ultimately compelled me to go out and purchase my own copy of De-Loused the next day.

To state that Bixler-Zavala has a knack for telling stories would be underselling his unique talent to paint pictures and entire scenes through his words, but what made Volta so intriguing throughout those early years and to this day is the unpredictability of it all. Beyond merely Omar Rodríguez-López’s genius and prolificity as a songwriter and guitarist, much of that started to manifest at their concerts with extended renditions of “Drunkship of Lanterns” as well as “Cicatriz ESP” most notably that stretched past the 20-minute mark and fostered a kind of experimentation I had not been exposed to before.

That is, until I drove nearly six hours on a weeknight to catch my first TMV show, which felt like one long jam. And in some ways it really was as I lost myself in the music, with a “Drunkship” opener lasting more than a half hour and marking my official introduction to their live experience. Standing in that hot, sweaty and crowded room, I could see how powerful live music can be. Not just from Bixler-Zavala’s prolonged screams, Rodríguez-López’s ethereal riffs and former drummer Jon Theodore’s thunderous chops that gave off serious vibes of Led Zeppelin, but the chemistry, musicianship and spontaneity of a legendary band all coming together onstage in front of me.

The concept album has long been a format prog-rock bands have taken a liking to, and TMV have not been shy about using it to their benefit beginning with their first two full lengths. While they didn’t totally stick to that script by the time Amputechture arrived in 2006, Rodríguez-López (guitar, direction, backing vocals synthesizers, keyboards) and Bixler-Zavala (lead vocals) have maintained following that strategy since secretly reuniting in 2019 and straying away from the usual prog-rock conventions we had become accustomed to. In fact, the result on 2022’s self-titled was like nothing we had previously heard from the group, with the intention of making a pop-influenced album — to the duo’s standards at least — defying any prior tendencies it had employed when writing and recording. Plus, it shouldn’t be surprising to hear Bixler-Zavala define pop music in an emotional interview with Zane Lowe as “anything that takes the air out of a room and makes you feel like you’re in the trailer of your own movie.” Because for as cinematic as Volta sound, it’s not uncommon for images to form in my own head upon listening to their music. “It always goes back to cinema with this band,” he adds. “I want my music to sound the way movies look.”

The Mars Volta

For that reason alone, no one should be shocked to learn that TMV’s ninth and latest studio effort Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio, which translates to Filthy Lucre; The Eyes of the Void in English, checks the box as another concept album. Its rollout, however, was unlike anything the outfit had done in the past. Officially dropping in April after being leaked online two months earlier, it wasn’t until Volta debuted the unannounced album in its entirety while opening for Deftones on their 2025 North American headlining tour that we knew for certain there would be new music from them. After a tumultuous breakup that left Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López no longer on speaking terms and an ensuing five-year hiatus, our expectations have been tempered and our hearts filled with the utmost gratitude for anything they are willing to offer us — and the transitions on Lucro Sucio make it easy to get immersed in the magic all happening at once as if an auditory spell has been cast on you.

Yet, what makes TMV so special and had me shedding tears during Lowe’s interview a few years ago with Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala is the brotherhood that they share dating back to their days in El Paso, Texas, before ATDI broke ground as pioneers of the post-hardcore movement. The friendship and partnership they have built was well-documented in the 2023 film titled “Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird” featuring Rodríguez-López’s home-video footage and addressing how Bixler-Zavala almost broke that bond after two decades with his self-help venture into Scientology, eventually leading to allegations actor and now-convicted rapist Danny Masterson had sexually assaulted his wife. It was then and there that Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala went their separate ways to work on their own projects, as Rodríguez-López teamed up with Le Butcherettes lead singer/guitarist Teri Gender Bender to form Bosnian Rainbows and Bixler-Zavala focused on launching his solo career. But after 12 months the two were talking to each other again and subsequently working together in a new supergroup they called Antemasque, leaving open the prospect for a Volta reunion down the road.

With a lot of pain in their lives has come not only an immense amount of healing for TMV, but also a renewed sense of autonomy to explore creatively and honestly without any pressure from the outside. The material on Lucro Sucio and 25-date tour surrounding it has demonstrated such quite clearly given that the septet consisting of Rodríguez-López, Bixler-Zavala, Eva Gardner (bass, double bass), Marcel Rodríguez-López (percussion, synthesizers, keyboards), Leo Genovese (keyboards, piano, saxophone), Linda-Philomène Tsoungui (drums) and Gender Bender (backing vocals) as a touring member did not showcase anything except the 18-track LP. Of course, that’s not to say these performances lacked the improvisation that we crave whenever this band takes the stage.

At the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Thanksgiving Eve, that aforementioned feeling of being totally consumed by the music — this time with more jazz and electronic flourishes — returned as Volta veered off the beaten path on several occasions. I was well aware that we wouldn’t be hearing the older tunes, but knowing the run time on Lucro Sucio is less than one hour, it seemed very likely these songs would not be strictly played note for note (that was what we were hoping for at least). And despite letting the album grow on me over a number of listens this year, it couldn’t prepare those of us in the building for the myriad of twists and turns the Grammy winners would uncork over the course of 90 minutes.

When we truly give artists the space to create, it can open the doors to new ideas and allow humans the opportunity to unlock another dimension of curiosity. There’s no question Bixler-Zavala recognizes how instrumental Rodriguez-Lopez has been for his artistic and personal growth as a lifelong friend: “I can’t stress how valuable my friendship is with Omar because he can write something that I can go, ‘That’s exactly the vehicle I need right now to express what it is I see happening around me,'” he explains near the end of Nicolas Jack Davies’ two-hour documentary. The soft-spoken Rodríguez-López, meanwhile, had a simple, yet poignant explanation for their sonic connection: “The music has always healed us.”

It has always been the glue that has kept them together through so many ups and downs filled with both love and loss, making them an inseparable force and one of the finest singer-songwriter combinations in rock ‘n’ roll history. No, we didn’t get to witness an epic “Cassandra Gemini” off 2005’s Frances the Mute that remains at the top of TMV’s catalog, but the journey they took us on this evening nevertheless was spiritual and transcendent.

We understand that Volta aren’t and won’t be for everyone. For us, they will be remembered as one of the most inspiring acts to ever do it and the fact that they are releasing any music in 2025 is a blessing after everything they have endured over their careers. Whether it’s a small miracle or simply kismet, we think Bixler-Zavala might have put it best in “Omar and Cedric” when he said, “I’m glad that God put us in the same place at the same time.” When you hear that and reflect on how easily none of it could have happened, you realize how lucky we are to have had them at all.

Setlist:
Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio
Fin
Reina tormenta
Enlazan las tinieblas
Mictlán
The Iron Rose
Cue the Sun
Alba del orate
Voice in My Knives
Poseedora de mi sombra
Celaje
Vociferó
Mito de los trece cielos
Un disparo al vacío
Detrás de la puerta dorada
Maullidos
Morgana
Cue the Sun (Reprise)
Lucro sucio

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After taking a year off, Desert Daze makes a BIG return in 2024 with Jack White, Cigarettes After Sex, Alex G, The Mars Volta & more

July 23, 2024 by 2 Comments

Desert Daze - 2024 lineup

Desert Daze //
Moreno Beach – Lake Perris, CA‎
October 10th-13th, 2024 //

In an ever-changing world that feels like it’s always moving at 120 mph, spending time away to reflect and recharge can serve as some much-needed respite.

That’s the course Desert Daze chose when the boutique music festival revealed it would be taking 2023 off after a 10th anniversary that saw King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala and Beach House, the latter of which replaced Iggy Pop only a week prior due to unprecedented visa delays with his band, hold down headlining duties as the calendar turned from September to October.

But organizers also didn’t keep fans wondering when an official return to the 1,800-acre Lake Perris State Recreation Area, which has been home to the three-day event presented by Moon Block and Knitting Factory Entertainment since 2018, would happen. There was never a doubt, based on what Desert Daze told us, that it would be back in 2024 — and it’s back this fall in a very BIG way.

The lineup for the fest’s 11th edition might not skew as heavily in the direction of psych-rock as previous iterations, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t boast some considerable star power with Jack White leading the way. Detroit’s modern-day Renaissance man and rock hero dropped a surprise new album last week on vinyl that quickly found its way onto the interwebs, and his first appearance at Daze while occupying the top spot no less marks an important moment — and potential pivot point to bring more mainstream acts to Moreno Beach — in its history.

Also highlighting this year’s stacked bill are Cigarettes After Sex, Alex G, The Mars Volta, Thundercat, Fleet Foxes, 100 gecs, Sleep, Liz Phair, De La Soul, Marc Rebillet, Molchat Doma, The Kills, Floating Points, Power Trip, Beach Fossils, DIIV, Unwound, Shintaro Sakamoto, Danny Brown, Mount Kimbie, and Say She She, but Desert Daze has also leaned into the notion of having some bands perform their seminal albums in full for a live audience. That will once again be the case with Death from Above 1979 and Temples celebrating major milestones for each of their debut albums — 2004’s critically acclaimed You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine‘s and 2014’s Sun Structures, respectively — when they rock the stage in a few months.

Desert Daze tickets will be available to purchase here during the fest’s presale with three-day GA at a starting price of $299 and VIP going for $699 before the general public on-sale begins this Friday, July 26th at 10 a.m. PT. With an artist roster this strong, we won’t be surprised if passes sell out quickly so don’t snooze on what’s sure to be another memorable weekend in the desert!

Desert Daze 2024 - daily lineups

UPDATE (August 20th): Well, look it at what we have here … daily lineups! That’s right — you can start planning ahead with less than three months to go. This year’s Desert Daze sees Alex G and Thundercat billed as co-headliners Friday before Jack White rocks out on Saturday and Cigarettes After Sex closes things out Sunday. Single-day tickets have also become available now, so grab them for $99-119 (GA), $199-249 (VIP) and $549-699 (VIP Plus) here while you can!

Desert Daze 2024 - canceled statement

UPDATE (August 30th): Oh no!!! It comes with a heavy heart for us to also share that Desert Daze 2024 has unfortunately been canceled due to rising production costs and “the current volatile festival market.” All ticket holders will be refunded and contacted via their point of purchase. It’s a sad day for the festival’s organizers and the entire Daze community, but we hope that one day we will see another iteration of the event. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for future updates from co-founder Phil Pirrone.

“Desert Daze is more than a festival or business venture to us,” he said in a statement. “The community that we’ve cultivated together means so much to us and is the reason we will work to find a way to keep this beautiful thing going for many years to come.

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The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2022

December 30, 2022 by 1 Comment

Best of 2022

After seeing what the live music industry endured the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 was certainly a step in the right direction. For many artists and bands, this year marked the first since 2019 that they had the opportunity to step onstage — and that was a victory in and of itself.

While we aren’t completely out of the woods yet considering the coronavirus is still very much a part of our lives, there’s no signs of us returning to those dark and dire days of 2020. The shows simply must go on, and we are all better for it whether you’re a musician or just a fan.

Now as we turn to 2023 with cautious optimism, it’s time for us to share our annual “Best of” lists as we have done since this blog first began (see our 2021 picks here). We’ll be quick to admit we didn’t catch every show or hear all of the albums released in the past 12 months, but looking back on the year that was can not only be fun but also challenging with so much great music to consider.

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2022.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2022:

Tool - Viejas Arena


Tool at Viejas Arena // Photo by Josh Herwitt

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – August 26th-27th
2022 will go down as easily one of my favorite years for live music. So many of the artists and bands I love toured after being forced to sit on the sidelines for at least two years, and as I look back on all of the shows I was fortunate enough to witness, it would be a shame to not mention the ones that aren’t already included here, whether it was Eddie Vedder, Baroness, Royal Blood, Interpol and The Shins at Just Like Heaven, Jack White (two nights), The Kills, Puscifer on my big day, Fleet Foxes, Big Gigantic Telefon Tel Aviv, Moderat, Khruangbin and Arctic Monkeys — plus Lorde — at the debut of Primavera Sound LA, The Mars Volta, Bonobo, Foals, Modest Mouse performing The Lonesome Crowded West from start to finish to celebrate the LP’s 25th anniversary or The Smile closing out their North America tour. But this year’s No. 1 spot once again goes to My Morning Jacket, which have become my top live band over the last decade among some very stiff competition (see the rest of the bands listed below to get a better idea). With back-to-back dates in SoCal at the Santa Barbara Bowl and Hollywood Forever (read our review here) serving as a preview for what would come the following week, the Louisville-bred rockers left no stone unturned in their return to Red Rocks. If there was ever an act to catch — not once but twice — at the legendary amphitheater after visiting it more than a dozen times in my life so far, this was the one for me and MMJ proved it over two sold-out gigs with no repeats as always.

2. The War on Drugs at Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA – February 26th
3. Pearl Jam at The Forum – Inglewood, CA – May 6th
4. Tool at Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA – January 19th
5. Nine Inch Nails at Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA – September 13th

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention
It wasn’t until last year during a surprise performance for the concert video “Live at Worthy Farm” when we first learned of the latest side project from Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. But after putting out six singles off their debut LP that came out back in May, it was clear the three-piece wasn’t messing around. Across all 13 tracks on A Light for Attracting Attention, it’s safe to say there isn’t one worth skipping, reaffirming why Yorke remains one of the best songwriters out there in the last 30 years. And with him and Greenwood switching off between guitar, bass and synthesizer among a bevy of other instrumentation including vocoder, piano and harp, their talents are as palpable as they have ever been before. After all, hearing Yorke croon “Don’t mess with me” toward the beginning of “The Smoke” is an edict — literal or not — many would have a tough time disputing at this point.

2. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
3. Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
4. My Morning Jacket – MMJ Live Vol. 2: Chicago 2021
5. Bonobo – Fragments

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. The Mars Volta – “Graveyard Love”
For fans of The Mars Volta, it has been a long wait since Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala hit the studio to record new material. Even with the project’s two constant members on good terms these days, it took more than a decade before anything would enter our earholes. But despite many of the prog-rock tendencies it demonstrated on earlier albums dating all the way back to 2003’s seminal De-Loused in the Comatorium, the duo’s seventh studio effort delves unexpectedly into new sonic territory. With a pop aesthetic running through it that surprisingly sees no song surpass the five-minute mark, The Mars Volta will undoubtedly be looked at as a departure from the days of “Cygnus…Vismund Cygnus” and “Cassandra Gemini” when Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala were captivating At the Drive-In fans as well as new listeners. Nevertheless, its second single “Graveyard Love” stands tall as some of their best work to date and reminds us that these guys haven’t lost what made them so uniquely special.

2. The Smile – “Thin Thing”
3. Jack White – “Eosophobia”
4. Interpol – “Toni”
5. Moderat – “EASY PREY”

Pilot to Gunner - Hail Hallucinator

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. Yard Act at Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA – April 21st
Funny story about this show … I had been hearing a lot of buzz about Yard Act, and I had only listened to one song played a few times on KEXP, which I really dug. I had been on the Rickshaw Stop’s email list, and the venue ran a contest for free tickets. I happened to win so I took a chance and opted to see Yard Act’s show that same week. Wanting to familiarize myself with their material more, I immediately dove head first into their album and was totally hooked, so I felt really good about this turn of events. I hadn’t been to a gig at Rickshaw Stop in many years and was eager to visit again, so it felt great to be back in a packed room again for an intimate evening of punk rock. The opening act Buzzed Light Beer fell a bit flat in my humble opinion, but once Yard Act took the stage, the room started buzzing with life. Lead singer James Smith’s command of the crowd is very nonchalant, but he also knows he has you hanging on every word. The set was fun and well-executed, and the UK quartet was clearly on its “A” game after a lengthy run of shows and in between weekend performances at Coachella. Much to the chagrin of those in attendance, Smith kept referring to the audience as “San Diego” (LOL), though he did tell us that he had some mushrooms the night before, so … you know. To round things out, Smith offered to do a magic trick during the last song of Yard Act’s set before their encore and coaxed fans to hand over any loose bills they had, which he pocketed and took backstage. As it turns out, he actually gifted the money to the bar staff, which I felt was a nice touch and very much on-brand.

2. THE FEST 20 – Gainesville, FL – October 28th–30th
3. Coheed & Cambria at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – August 14th
4. Bauhaus at The Masonic – San Francisco, CA – May 22nd
5. The Velvet Teen at Arlene Francis Center – Santa Rosa, CA – June 17th

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. Pilot to Gunner – Hail Hallucinator
Brooklyn indie rockers Pilot to Gunner hadn’t put out an album for a decade, and to be honest, I hadn’t really paid much attention to them prior to Hail Hallucinator. The name was always out there and I had friends who were really into them, but I never got around to checking out their music for one reason or another. And not unlike many other bands that came before them (i.e. Seaweed, Far, The Murder City Devils), I am bummed that I was so late to the party. They are absolutely fantastic, and this record was easily my most listened-to during 2022. From start to finish, the 10-track LP hit all the marks for me in terms of stellar songwriting, original-sounding guitar work that still feels familiar and vocals carrying the torch of the early 2000’s indie/emo revival sound ala Hey Mercedes and Jimmy Eat World all while not completely aping either group. “Drop the Sun”, “We’re Blasting to Masses”, “Total Rager” and “Escape Season” are among its best tracks, but I simply love all of them from beginning to end.

2. Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls
3. Yard Act – The Overload
4. Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems
5. High Vis – Blending

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. 3rd Secret – “I Choose Me”
The supergroup 3rd Secret surprised the music world when their debut self-titled LP arrived in mid-April. Comprised of members from Nirvana, Soundgarden, Hater and Giants in the Trees, the album is a tour de force brought to you by grunge and alt-rock royalty. Its lead single “I Choose Me” turns things up and right out of the gate you can’t help but feel a little washed over with nostalgia from guitarist Kim Thayil’s signature riffage in addition to the thundering cadence courtesy of bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Matt Cameron. What makes the song — and the album — stand out to me, however, is the work of co-vocalists Jillian Raye and Jennifer Johnson. The pair deliver gorgeous singing atop the otherwise gritty instrumentation, harkening back to what made so many 90’s albums awesome with a beautiful balance of dark and light. I kept coming back to this song a lot throughout the year, and it made me really reflect on just how incredible the music that came out of the Pacific Northwest was when I was growing up. To hear this collection of musicians conjuring up those aural ghosts through a contemporary filter was not only refreshing, but also something that I was really looking for in 2022.

2. Yard Act – “The Overload”
3. Thee Sacred Souls – “Can I Call You Rose?”
4. Cave In – “New Reality”
5. High Vis – “0151”

Animal Collective - Greek Theatre


Animal Collective at Greek Theatre // Photo by Rochelle Shipman

Rochelle Shipman // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. PUP at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – April 21st
Two years and one full length after this show was originally supposed to occur, LA finally got to see PUP perform on their “Thank Fucking God” tour. Worth the wait would be a major understatement here as the Canadian punks transported us back to pre-pandemic times like nothing had ever happened — we were touching, we were screaming, we were moshing again! The night had such an innocent air to it. Despite the delay, 2019’s Morbid Stuff felt fresher than ever (and it still does).

2. Yaya Bey at Cafe Erzulie – Brooklyn, NY – June 16th
3. Animal Collective at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – May 20th
4. Vince Staples at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – August 23rd
5. Bright Eyes at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – June 23rd

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. Lando Chill – if im being honest
The multi-hyphenate who’s based out of LA quietly dropped this mixtape early in the year, and it stood strong in my top spot from the start. With a sharp wit and silky delivery, Chill tears through pages of his diary without cutting a single corner. Thank God for vulnerability.

2. Smino – Luv 4 Rent
3. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
4. Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star
5. Open Mike Eagle – Component System with the Auto Reverse

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
An earworm for the ages! This impossibly catchy tune took over TikTok and catapulted Mr. Lacy into the spotlight that he was born to occupy, whether he was ready for it or not. The cherry on top of his banner year was the singer-songwriter’s old iPhone (aka his instrument) landing on display in the Smithsonian.

2. Lando Chill – “guess”
3. Leggy – “Lipstick on the Mic”
4. Pusha T – “Brambleton”
5. Channel Tres – “Acid in My Blood”

Showbams

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