Rob’s Top 10 Providence Shows of 2016

The Providence music scene evolved a whole lot in 2016 and experienced immense growth. A couple new venues opened and a few spots started having original live music with both local and touring acts making their presence felt. There also were plenty of new faces making waves while established artists continually progressed and honed their craft. In a year filled with bleakness, the future for the music coming out of Providence looks very bright.

Live music has become a staple of the city’s culture and it’s becoming fully embraced by people looking for a fun night out. A lot of heavy hitters are getting more involved while the many wonderful venues in Providence are thriving. There are nights where there is so much going on that people wish they could have an out-of-body experience to catch everything. While I wasn’t able to go to every show, there are a bunch that stuck out in my mind. Here are my Top 10 shows that I saw in Providence this year.

10.) Cosmonauts @ Dusk, 10/14

The people behind The Providence Garage Fest put on something a little different than last year’s bash at AS220 this past October. Instead of having a full-blown festival, they had a stacked bill headlined by the Los Angeles psych-rock act Cosmonauts. Joined by local shredders Gymshorts, Atlantic Thrills and Eric & The Nothing along with Boston fuzz masters Future Spa, there was a constant flow of musical brilliance that never let up. After the show ended, Soul Power hosted by the best DJ in Providence, Ty Jesso, kept the good vibes going until the wee hours of the morning. This was definitely a highlight of the year with so much talent in one place.

9.) Lovesick EP Release Show @ AS220, 3/19

Providence emo punks Lovesick definitely made their mark in 2016 and their apex came at the release show for their self titled EP back in March. The energy was abundant with a bill featuring garage punk up-and-comers Food Court, Attleboro, Massachusetts, surf punk pizza junkies Neutrinos and rhythmic post-punk act Way Out. AS220’s performance space was packed to the gills and at a few instances the show went beyond capacity. The excitement was contagious and the music was brilliant. It was a show where people got to see the future of Providence’s music scene first hand.

8.) The Mountain Goats @ Columbus Theatre, 4/3

When people look back on the shows that happened in Providence in 2016, there’s a chance some of them might overlook the night The Mountain Goats played to a sold-out crowd on the main stage of the Columbus Theatre back in April, and what a shame because this night was so much fun. Instrumental folk artist William Tyler brought a jazzy array of tunes to open things up and when The Mountain Goats came up, people went insane. There were folks dancing up in front and jumping for joy in the aisles while everyone was singing along. The atmosphere was joyful and incredible to witness.

7.) The Heavy @ Alex and Ani City Center, 6/3

This evening back in June was a special one for Providence. The second edition of PVDFest was kicking off with thousands of people roaming through the city along with the annual Summer Concert Series officially getting underway. As a guy who’s always down to see an artistically diverse lineup, British soul rock rabble-rousers The Heavy headlining a free show with indie-pop act Ra Ra Riot and local synth loop multi-instrumentalists VulGarrity hit the spot. It was a packed crowd at the Alex and Ani City Center right in the heart of downtown, and everyone was grooving. People were amped from start to finish while the sounds coming from the stage took over the senses.

6.) Cymbals Eat Guitars @ The Parlour, 9/17

The feeling you get when one of your favorite bands is playing your neighborhood bar can’t be properly described, no matter how hard you try. When Staten Island indie rock act Cymbals Eat Guitars played The Parlour back in September, something special happened. It also was fantastic that Philadelphia shoegaze act Field Mouse and local emo punks Darklands rounded out the bill. To see one of the best bands in independent music play in such an intimate place was wonderful. That night at The Parlour will truly be one I’ll never forget.

5.) Slim Cessna’s Auto Club @ The Met, 11/29

During the end of November, there was a bit of a homecoming for Slim Cessna. The former Cranston resident brought his Auto Club to The Met and it was a wild experience. Starting things off was The Huntress and Holder Of Hands lead by ex-Brown Bird member MorganEve Swain and New York City Americana act O’Death. When Slim and the gang took the stage, the energy raised numerous levels. The band was dancing and moving around while the crowd fed off it. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club has a knack for bringing a unique live performance that’ll leave you in awe, and they did just that on a brisk Tuesday night.

4.) Julie Rhodes Bound To Meet The Devil Album Release Show @ Columbus Theatre, 3/5

Out of all the acts in New England, no one made a bigger impact in 2016 than Boston blues artist Julie Rhodes. If there had to be a coronation for her success, it had to be at the release show for her debut album Bound To Meet The Devil at the upstairs stage of the Columbus Theatre in March. Smith & Weeden and The Silks were stellar, but when Rhodes and her band started playing, they commanded everyone’s attention. She brought her talents with authority and her band did as well. The show finished with everyone giving a standing ovation and rightfully so.

3.) Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage @ Providence Performing Arts Center, 2/14

This show was purely astounding. In celebration of Star Trek’s 50^th Anniversary, an orchestra lead by Justin Freer transformed the Providence Performing Arts Center into a totally different world. Performing music from each incarnation of the Star Trek franchise to go with visual scenes, the experience was inexplicable. I was wowed by everything I saw and was left stunned when it ended. It was a one-of-a-kind concert that had the audience captivated.

2.) Shellac @ The Met, 10/21

Once in a while, a legendary band will come to one of the clubs in the Providence area and play one of the best shows the city has seen in years. That’s what happened when Chicago noise rock pioneers Shellac came through The Met and blew the roof off the place. Minibeast, lead by Mission Of Burma drummer Peter Prescott, kicked things off in emphatic fashion while Shannon Wright brought a boatload of intensity. Seeing Shellac perform was extraordinary; the vigor and energy they conveyed was unrivaled. It was definitely a night that had my jaw dropping.

1.) Thee Oh Sees @ Aurora 11/15

So how do you top an amazingly noisy and vibrant show? You do just that while adding doses of insanity. That’s what happened when the San Francisco garage punk phenoms Thee Oh Sees brought the ruckus to Aurora in November. They headlined a bill that consisted of Aussie punks Straight Arrows, El Paso, Texas, psychedelic act Holy Wave and local punks Gymshorts. There was nonstop moshing and crowdsurfing while unbridled amplification came from the stage. It was total rock ‘n’ roll bedlam and that’s why I think it’s the best show that happened in Providence in 2016.