With 2023 behind us, I find myself reminiscing on all the amazing shows I have been fortunate enough to witness this year. That’s 83 concerts of 2023 that brought me unthinkable amounts of joy, sore throats, lost voices, and an absurd amount of neck pain from all the headbanging. Maybe an injury or two (what can I say, when the mosh calls I answer). This concert addiction had me attend shows across the country and in all time zones. But it allowed me to bear witness to a vast array of artists defying genre.
Despite finding it nearly impossible to narrow this list down to ten, Here are my top ten concerts of 2023!
10. Gojira at The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond (Hammond, IN) – August 25, 2023
Starting this list is the Mega-Monsters Tour that found its way to the famed casino venue just outside of Chicago. Headlining the night, Gojira powered through a heavy-hitting set accompanied by pyrotechnical goodness. Every member of the group is hyper-talented, so it’s an understatement to say that they are extremely tight. It’s a miracle they sound just as amazing live as they do on their records.
9. Spiritbox at House of Blues (Chicago, IL) – May 9, 2023
During their sold-out debut headlining tour, Spiritbox blessed Chicago with two nights at House of Blues. While both nights were magical, night two had tons more energy and a much wilder crowd. Singer Courtney LePlante’s vocals and magnificent stage presence left me in awe. The band masterfully paced the show, starting strong and heavy and then ending beautifully slow and epic. Spiritbox can only get bigger from here, and whenever they decide to come back to Chicago I will be there.
8. Café Tacvba at Summerstage at Central Park (NYC, New York) – July 24, 2023
The greatest artists to come out of Mexico graced the beautiful outdoor stage deep in the heart of Central Park in New York City for an unforgettable night. Over thirty years into their career, Café Tacvba is still able to put on a spectacular show, showcasing their ability to defy genre and engage their audience like no other. Their career-spanning setlist allowed every member of the band to show off. One of the many highlights of this show was their wacky choreography during “Déjate Caer.” Yes, I flew out to New York just to see Café Tacvba, and yes as one of the best concerts of 2023. It was 100% worth it.
7. Gogol Bordello at Concord Music Hall (Chicago, IL) – July 27, 2023
A night of feverish punk energy and intense Ukrainian pride, Gogol Bordello brought down the house this summer in Chicago. The group, wielding every instrument imaginable, gave an extremely energetic performance for over two hours. And the crowd refused to give up by keeping the mosh alive the entire time. What made this show remarkable was the comradery. Everyone was there to have a great time. Drinks were spilled, bodies slammed, and songs at full volume. There is no party like a Gogol Bordello show and this one was especially memorable. (Check out my full review of this set, here)
6. Mastodon at The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond (Hammond, IN) – August 25, 2023
Once again, we return to Hammond. Only this time it was for a somehow fiercer, flame-filled, monster-sponsored show. Yes, I’m talking about the epic Mastodon performance as part of the Mega-Monsters Tour. I know two or three Mastodon songs, so going into this show I had very little expectations. But I was blown away by the sheer magnitude of the band’s music! And this is before we get into how colossal their pyrotechnics were! The show reached its mega status with the fire cannons in the grand yet intimate indoor venue. Mastodon delivered a whopping metal spectacle, filled with killer riffs and a giant monster that joined them on stage halfway through the show. This turned out to be one of the most surprising concerts of 2023. Despite still not being familiar with their music I’ll never forget the euphoria I felt watching them perform.
5. System of a Down at Sick New World (Las Vegas, NV) – May 13, 2023
The metal community reigned down upon Las Vegas hard this past May. And with all its fury and might! The inaugural Sick New World featured the mammoth headliners System of a Down, who notoriously rarely play shows. For almost two hours leading up to midnight, System delivered a massive 31-song setlist with their biggest hits to the deepest of cuts. Despite the heat of the Vegas sun, this show was one for the books. For a band who seem to not get along behind the scenes, they performed as if they were having the time of their lives. System of a Down was a massive draw for the festival, and they did not disappoint. Amazingly, I can now brag that I have seen them twice!
4. Korn at Sick New World (Las Vegas, NV) – May 13, 2023
Okay, so I know I just went on about System of a Down at Sick New World, but the best part of the night happened immediately before them. On the second main stage, nu-metal pioneers Korn obliterated the festival. Not seeing Korn shirts everywhere you went in Las Vegas that weekend was impossible. Fans swarmed the grounds in a feverish stampede, going feral for every song. As a longtime Korn fan, it was extremely rewarding to see singer Jonathan Davis don the classic purple jumpsuit for their song “A.D.I.D.A.S.”
Even though the show had to be cut early due to the high winds, Korn still managed to perform a powerful set and unleash what little energy remained from the crazy festivalgoers. One of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced in live music was screaming “Are you ready?” at the beginning of “Blind.” It’s amazing to see love for nu-metal alive and powerful. Not just for concerts of 2023, but beyond!
3. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at The Salt Shed (Chicago, IL) – June 13, 2023
On their 2023 US Residency tour, Australian psyche-rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard sold out three nights at Chicago’s brand new venue The Salt Shed. The band braved gloomy weather on the outdoor stage for three nights, with shows lasting almost two hours. On the night of June 13, the opening riff to one of their latest singles “Gila Monster” rang through the open air of the fairgrounds in the pouring rain. From that moment onward, King Gizzard brutalized the crowd.
King Giz crowds can be rowdy and unruly, and this was most evident on night three of the Chicago shows, which opened with four of the band’s metal tracks. In the pouring rain, the band gave their best performance of the three nights, combining their metal tracks with their softer jams, ultimately closing out with their spectacularly long song “The Dripping Tap.” The band said early on in the show, “This is gonna be one for the ages, guys.” That was an understatement. Oh, and the entire show is available on Bandcamp!
2. Death Grips at Riot Fest (Chicago, IL) – September 16, 2023
To say that I saw Death Grips at Riot Fest would not be a fair statement. A more accurate statement would be that I survived Death Grips at Riot Fest. From the first note of their opening track “System Blower,” the people in attendance reached down to their most primitive instincts and raged with the utmost savagery. Everyone was unhinged, and those who lived to tell the tale from the Death Grips mosh pit were troopers. Being in the eye of the storm for most of the show, I wonder how I made it out alive (I was lucky to escape only with a brutally damaged foot and a nasty bruise on my hip). The brutality of the pit only made the experience of witnessing Death Grips live so much more special.
Death Grips make intense, profound music, and it demands a lot of the crowd. Drummer Zach Hill was as impressive as I had hoped he’d be, and it was sick to see guitar parts performed by Andy Morin. Not only was this among the most intense concerts of 2023, it was one of the most intense shows I’ve ever been to! And the memory of surviving it while being completely unhinged to songs I’ve been rocking out to since high school will be one I will cherish forever.
1. LCD Soundsystem at Re:SET Concert Series (Chicago, IL) – June 25, 2023
Sitting on a barricade in the pouring rain, I patiently waited for one of the groups I had been dying to see for years. Words cannot express the frenzied exhilaration I felt throughout the entire show and the utter joy and peace I felt afterward. But I have to try.
LCD Soundsystem has the gift of being engaging. For a group that makes pretty long songs, they have mastered the ability to make every second of a seven-minute-long track exciting and fresh. It’s groovy and fun. They have also been blessed with the gift of sounding even better live as if the gems they release could possibly be improved upon. After a powerful rainstorm that threatened the concert, LCD Soundsystem took the stage in Chicago’s Riis Park for night three of the Re:SET Concert Series. Magical were the songs performed that night. The blinding lights and ecstatic beats were a pleasure to behold, made even better by the still iconic voice of singer James Murphy. Every aspect of their performance was tight and top-notch. The band made being so talented look so effortless. The highlight of the show was the raucous performance of “Losing My Edge.”
Nothing could have prepared me for how insane that song could be live.
After years of waiting, I finally had my moment with LCD Soundsystem live. The screams I let out for “Movement” to the tears I shed during “All My Friends” speak for themselves. The group had not played Chicago since 2017, so I had just accepted the fact that I would never see them live. I’m unsure if I will ever see them live again, considering how rarely they play live. All I can say after reflecting on this show is that I am extremely fortunate to have experienced LCD Soundsystem live for the first time in the best way possible. Easily, among the best concerts of 2023!
If you enjoyed my look back at the best concerts of 2023, click here to check out some of the other shows I’ve covered throughout the years!