Best of Music 2015 Staff Picks – Katrina Wong Shue

How long have you been with Live in Limbo and what do you do for the site? 5 Years!.. Seriously, where did the time go?!  Currently the Social Media & Content Editor at LiL

What were your three favourite albums of 2015?

1. Ghost – Meliora
   Ghost has been a breath of fresh air since I started listening to them, and Meliora did not disappoint. This album took my favourite things from the band’s debut album Opus Eponymous and put them together with my favourite things from their sophomore album Infestissumam. It had a creepy vibe, which made me feel as if I was tossed into an old horror movie and the album as a whole was very catchy. It was by far my favourite release this year. 
2. Marianas Trench – Astoria
   I started off not really sure how to feel about this album, but over the past few months it has really grown on me and has become one of my most played. It’s a really upbeat and catchy album that you can’t help but just sing along to.
3. blessthefall – To Those Left Behind
   I felt that this album was very experimental for BTF, and I loved every second of it. It was refreshing to listen to. 

What was the most underrated album of 2015?

Anti-Flag – American Spring
This album is full of catchy hooks and frenetic energy; it brought me back to when I first started listening to punk music. Also, ‘Brandenburg Gate’ kept getting stuck in my head for days at a time. 

What were your three favourite songs of 2015?

1. Bebe Rexha – “I’m Gonna Show You Crazy”
2. Neck Deep – “Can’t Kick Up The Roots”
3. Hedley – “Hello”

How many concerts and/or festivals did you go to in 2015?

30 + 

What were your three favourite concerts of the year?

1. Ghost @ Sound Academy, October 1st
   Ghost rituals are the complete package. Not only are you treated to some great live music, but the shows in itself was a unique experience. It really is like attending a church ceremony with a dramatic backdrop that had a stained glass print, burning incense and having the “Sisters of Sin” (two fans picked for each date) distribute communion wafers to the front row. I’ve been attempting to see Ghost for years now, and this was the year it finally happened. It was even better than how the internet described it!
2. Walk The Moon @ Danforth Music Hall, April 8th
   It was great to see Walk The Moon sell out the Danforth and experience them in full force (the time before that, they played at Lee’s). Their performance and production for the ‘Talking Is Hard’ Tour was awesome. It was like one big energetic dance party.
3. Frnkiero and the Cellabration @ Hard Luck, February 25th
   Frank Iero has done so many interesting side projects outside of My Chemical Romance, but has never done a headliner in Toronto. It was wonderful to see him finally bring one of those projects here and play in a tiny venue. He really shines as a frontman and he really knows how to put on one hell of a set. 

What was your favourite festival of the year?
Warped Tour! This year I stumbled upon Bebe Rexha’s catchy set and also found out that Family Force 5 is still making music.

Who was your favourite festival headliner?

PVRIS at Warped Tour. They started out on one of the smaller stages at the beginning of the tour, but only a couple weeks in they were bumped up to the Main Stage due to the amount of people showing up for their sets. You’ve gotta admit, it’s pretty impressive to see something like that happen.

Which artist or band won 2015?
I feel like Walk The Moon definitely takes this one. Everywhere I turned I heard ‘Shut Up + Dance’, whether it be in commercials, at work (they were in the playlist for a good portion of the year) or on the radio. They did a ton of TV musical performance, had a virtually sold out tour, played festivals and had their song featured on Dancing With The Stars. It was wonderful to see them take 2015 by storm and finally get the recognition that they deserve.

What/who was the biggest musical disappointment for you?
Hilary Duff’s new album was the biggest musical disappointment for me this year.. If I remember correctly, it might have even been included in my 2014 survey answers of things I was most excited for. I tried really hard to like ‘Breathe In. Breathe Out.’, but it just didn’t seem to stick with me. 

In your opinion, what was the biggest music story?
Avenged Sevenfold revealing that they secretly parted ways with their drummer, Arin IIejay, and after some time had already began writing new music with Brooks Wackerman as their new drummer.

What was your favourite new musical discovery of 2015?
Bebe Rexha – I randomly stumbled upon her set at Warped Tour in Buffalo and was instantly hooked. Caught her again during the Toronto date, and then shortly after she came back to open for Nick Jonas at the Phoenix.. Needless to say, I kind of became obsessed. She is also the mastermind behind Eminem’s hit ‘The Monster’ featuring Rihanna, and performed the original version of the song during her Warped set.

Who should we be looking out for in 2016?

The Rocket Summer! It feels like he fell off the face of the planet over the last couple of years, so to find out he’s been locked away getting ready to release a new album is pretty exciting. It’s always refreshing to see how he reinvents himself with each album.

Who do you hope goes on tour next year?
Simple Plan! They are long over due for a Canadian tour and they finally announced that their new album will be out early next year after what felt like a whole year of teasing it.

Who’s going to be headlining (or at least playing) all the 2016 festivals?
Ghost! * see below * 

Is there anything else you want to say about 2015 or predict about 2016?
I feel like 2016 will be the year of Ghost. Since the release of Meliora, the band has been popping up everywhere. From performing on The Late Night with Stephen Colbert, to winning quite a few awards for an album that has only been out for a few months, I have to say Papa Emeritus III and the Nameless Ghouls are closing out 2015 pretty well. To top it off, the extensive touring they have announced so far features them playing (and occasionally headlining) quite a bit of European festivals and were recently nominated for a Grammy this time around.