2016 Year in Review Staff Picks- Neil Van

Everyday we will be posting a year end survey submitted by team members, they appear unedited with contributors told to interpret questions how ever they see fit. -Dakota, Music Editor

How long have you been with Live in Limbo and what do you do for the site?

Three years. Photographer.

What were your three favourite albums of 2016?

Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

There’s always a bit of elated anticipation of a new Radiohead album, or will they ever release another album, but they did and it was arguably one of the best of this year. Radiohead have always been a band that wasn’t afraid to reinvent themselves, but this time around they made an album stripped of all layers, less grandiose, more grounded, more human. Perhaps, largely revolving around Thom Yorke’s recent life changes, the divorce of his life long partner who recently passed away this year. After first listening to it months ago, it’s more orchestrated, structured and cinematic in it’s arrangements. This is most likely attributed to the genius that is Johnny Greenwood. Greenwood, over the years, has been involved in the film industry, scoring films, working with the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed the video to Daydreaming. The combination of Yorke’s musical sensibility and Greenwood’s orchestra background has come full circle making it a much richer human experience and one of the most cohesive album to their discography.

Savages – Adore Life

Aurora – All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend

What was the most underrated album of 2016?

Not sure if these are underrated but my other notables for this year:

Daughter – Not to Disappear     Abi Reimold – Wriggling

Angel Olsen – My Woman         Brian Fallon – Painkillers

The Julie Ruin – Hit Reset           David Bowie – Blackstar

Bon Iver – 22 A Million               Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree

Leonard Cohen – You Want it Darker     Anderson Pak – Malibu

Christine and the Queens – Chaleur Humaine

What was your favourite Canadian album of 2016?

Hannah Georgas – For Evenlyn

What were your three favourite songs of 2016?

Radiohead – Daydreaming

Savages – Adore Life

Daughter – Doing the right thing

How many concerts and/or festivals did you go to in 2016?

97 shows, 10 festivals (including smaller ones)

What were your three favourite concerts of the year?

Radiohead – Osheaga Festival

LCD Soundsystem – Panorama Festival

Savages – Danforth Music Hall

What was your favourite festival you attended of the year?

Panorama, NYC

What festival had the best lineup (regardless if you attended or not)?

Lollapalooza 25^th anniversary.

What/who was the biggest musical disappointment (live or album) for you?

Bloc Party – Hymns

In your opinion, what was the biggest music story?

The big name musicians we’ve lost to 2016.

What band did you see live for the first time that really impressed you?

Aurora and LCD Sound System

What was your favourite new musical discovery of 2016?

Aurora

Who were you disappointed to miss seeing live this year?

Still waiting to see The Strokes

Who should we be looking out for in 2017?

Lorde, Future Islands, Royal Blood, and St. Vincent.

Who’s going to be headlining (or at least playing) all the 2017 festivals?

More Radiohead slated already.

What was your favourite review or photo set you did for LiL this year?

Panorama Festival

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Is there anything else you want to say about 2016 or predict about 2017?

It was a very, very sad year for some great musicians (RIP), but lots of great music also came out 2016.

2017: Still waiting for a Daft Punk decade long anniversary live tour or even one concert this year! (Sadly, not slated for Coachella this year on their 10 yr anniversary, perhaps a guest appearance, fingers crossed).

And the still rumored new LCD Soundsystem album.