Вторник 11 Дек 2007, 16:55

It's been a busy year for gig going but here are the best bits I remember:

All of Pink Floyd under the same roof, though not quite on the same stage, at the Barbican's Syd Barrett tribute concert. Some wonderful performances at same from The Bees, Robyn Hitchcock and Captain Sensible among others.

Jarvis curating Meltdown at the South Bank - his interview with a hyper-active Don Letts, Iggy Pop stagediving into the front row at the Festival Hall (quite a distance) and the improbably brilliant Vintage Disney night. I'll never look at Pete Doherty the same way now I've seen him do Chim Chim Cheree from Mary Poppins.

Amy Winehouse, sober(ish), sassy and soulful at the Astoria. In a year of cancellations and tantrums, lucky to catch her on a good night.

Ornette Coleman at the South Bank - immense dignity and poise and still able to blow minds. Nice to see his young son Denardo Coleman on drums too (Denardo is 52).

Fyfe of The Guillemots reading out a marriage proposal on somebody else's behalf at Somerset House. Somebody will either be very happy or insanely angry every time they hear Made Up Lovesong no.43 for the rest of their lives.

Duffy supporting The Magic Numbers - a star in the making and if Amy doesn't get her act together, all her fans will migrate over to Rockferry.

Arcade Fire still amazing at Brixton Academy even though Win had a bad head cold.

Nick Lowe (at the South Bank again, they'll start charging me rent) - an overlooked but marvellous album and a stage manner that reminded me of Ronnie Scott - just very slightly bemused by the fact that people pay him for enjoying himself.

Bonnie Prince Billy at, er Ok, it's the South Bank again. Dire warnings beforehand about what an erratic performer he is and then we're met by Mr Geniality, ably assisted by the brilliant Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables.

The Human League playing Dare in it's entirety, with some great 1980s themed back projections. Whoever thought the sight of Roy Jenkins could make you nostalgic.

Steely Dan (not Steeleye Span as my partner consistently calls them), letting the band and the backing singers do all the hard work but still oozing cool even down all these years.

And and so on to 2008………