And There's No End in Sight - The Best of 2010

This, my friends, does in no way do justice to Arcade Fire's performance in Glasgow last night. Seriously, there are no words. Just saying "awesome" won't cut it at all. It was far and away the best gig I've ever been to in my life. I've seen Pearl Jam, Metallica, Biffy Clyro, Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine, and Arcade Fire were better than them all. Yes, even Bruce. They just put so much into the show, making every single song even better than it is on the albums, and by God, the songs are tremendous on the album! That video's the best quality I could find, but that's from Madison Square Garden a couple of months ago, and I know for a fact they sound awesome there, but they were so much better to hear them actually live.

This comparison might seem a bit weird, but I think it makes sense. Well, to me, at least. Seeing Arcade Fire live was like seeing Toy Story 3 for the first time. It was something I'd waited such a long time to see. Also, it was one of those things where the hype surrounding the event didn't even come close to how amazing the thing actually was. There have been so many bands and films fallen by the wayside, due to not living up to the hype, examples being the vast majority of bands championed by the NME, who rarely fail to disappoint me.

Most of all, what brings me to the comparison of Arcade Fire's live performance with that first viewing of Toy Story 3 is that after I saw Toy Story, it brought a tear to my eye, knowing that the trilogy had ended on the best way possible, and that if Disney have any sense whatsoever, they'll leave it the hell alone, and never make another. Toy Story 3 was among the best films of the year (I'll get to that later,) and one of the best of all time. Arcade Fire brought a tear to my eye, not because I'll never see them again, because I most definitely will, but I can categorically state that I will never see a better band live for the rest of my life. It was such a good feeling, but terrible at the same time for that very reason. Of course, I'll still enjoy seeing many, many more bands live, but not one will ever stand up to Arcade Fire.

Now that I've informed you all of the life-changing experience that is Arcade Fire live, I'll move on to the obligatory Best Stuff That Came Out This Year List, my Best of 2010. It's got games, films, CDs and gigs I've been to, but you can guess the winner of the last one...

GAMES

Honourable Mentions:

Angry Birds (Android)
NBA 2K11 (PS3)

5. Scott Pilgrim vs the World - The Game (PS3)
One of the best movie tie-in games I've played of all time, and definitely the best downloadable game, by a mile. With Anamanaguchi's amazing chip-tune soundtrack (which is nearly as good as the film's,) four different playable characters, delightful 8-bit-esque graphics. The lack of online multiplayer means it's not higher up the list, but an update allowing you to play as Knives Chau might rectify that problem (I haven't got it yet).

4. Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3)
The eagerly awaited follow-up in the series had high expectations after the record-breaking success of Modern Warfare 2, but manages to surpass them with a story that actually makes sense compared to MW2's, and fantastic multiplayer. Throwing a tomahawk straight at someone's face never gets old.

3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)
It shows there's still life in the PSP, and that big blockbuster-style games aren't only for the PS3. It'll keep me busy until MGS: Rising eventually gets released. Expect it in the list for next year!

2. FIFA 11 (PS3)
Of course, these games are rarely seen as little more than a squad update that you're paying forty quid for, but the improvements brought to this year's edition are noticable and greatly improve the gameplay of what is now the clear leader of the football game pack. Pro Evo has a lot of catching up to do.

1. Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
Grand Theft Auto with horses? No. Better than that. You get bored of GTA after the third playthrough, there's only so many times a six-star wanted level car chase is fun. With Red Dead, there's so many side missions and minigames to play, you're kept occupied for ages. Online is great too. Getting Paul to find me on the map to have a race, only to shoot his horse as I ride away was worth buying the game alone.

Now that you've seen my favourite games, here, my friends, are my films of the year!

FILMS

Honourable Mentions:

The A-Team (Joe Carnahan)
Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaughn)
How to Train Your Dragon (Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois)

5. The Social Network (David Fincher)
Andrew Garfield's performance in this film is bound to be at the very least Oscar-nominated. But you knew that already.

4. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)
Don't watch foreign films? Start. This French prison/crime story is gripping from start to finish, and puts you in the odd position of sympathising with a guy who murders someone in prison. If Scarface was set in prison, it'd be like A Prophet. But A Prophet would still be better.

3. Inception (Christopher Nolan)
This is why Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the vest actors in Hollywood at the minute. Christopher Nolan more than made up for the disappointment of The Dark Knight with this film, his first entirely original work since his first feature in 1998.

2. Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich)
I've mentioned why Toy Story was such a good film, and so I don't cry, I won't mention it again!

1. Scott Pilgrim vs the World (Edgar Wright)
There's a reason I've seen this film three times, you know. Michael Cera almost shakes off his awkward character traits completely, the soundtrack, well, I'll get mentioned in a minute, and you'll never look at vegans in the same way again. It's out on Blu-Ray on the 27th. Get buying. What else are you going to do with your Christmas cash? Save it?

ALBUMS/SOUNDTRACKS

Honourable Mentions:

Deftones - Diamond Eyes (Best Track - Rocket Skates)
Vampire Weekend - Contra (Best Track - Cousins)
Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown (Best Track - Pyro)

5. Anamanaguchi - Scott Pilgrim vs the World - The Game Soundtrack
I would never have chosen to listen to this kind of music. Hacking Super Nintendos and Game Boys would seem a lot of hassle, but it works here, and fits in perfectly with the game, bringing me back to the good old days of playing Streets of Rage. Good times.

Key Track - The Dark One

4. Various Artists - Scott Pilgrim vs the World - The Soundtrack
Edgar Wright and Nigel Godrich compiled one hell of a CD for this film, with a great mix of old and new, with quite a fitting focus on Canadian bands, like Broken Social Scene, Metric and Plumtree.

Key Track - The Bluetones - Sleazy Bed Track

3. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
James Murphy's last album under the LCD Soundsystem song is a great farewell, and I still credit him with bringing my love for Daft Punk and Justice back, after being away for such a long time.

Best Tracks - Dance Yrself Clean or All I Want

2. The Black Keys - Brothers
Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach finally hit it big with Brothers, an album that completely deserves the amount of praise it's been given. It's more of the same from The Black Keys, but in the best possible way.

Best Track - Tighten Up

1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
No contest, nothing comes close. The best band of the 2000's carry on that mantle into the next decade with their third masterpiece, bringing their A-game once again and knocking it out of the park on every track.

Best Tracks - Ready to Start, or Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

GIGS


Honourable mentions:

Joshua Radin - ABC, Glasgow 15/10/2010
The Gaslight Anthem - Hyde Park, London 24/6/2010
Manic Street Preachers - Corn Exchange, Edinburgh 2/10/2010

Yet to attend: Biffy Clyro - Concert in the Gardens, Edinburgh 31/12/2010


5. Devendra Banhart and the Grogs - SECC, Glasgow 12/12/2010
By far, the best support band I've ever seen. Think if the Strokes were a folk band, and you're not far off from Banhart's sound. Well worth a listen. Very strong live as well, which impressed me, given that I'd only heard the guy's name before, and never listened to a thing he'd recorded. Fit in rather well as support for Arcade Fire.

4. Biffy Clyro - Concert Hall, Perth 29/4/2010
Awesome. I'm glad I managed to see them in a smaller venue before they started playing in places like the SECC. Some might complain they're headlining Sonisphere next year, but it's deserved. Looking forward to Hogmanay.

3. Rage Against the Machine - Finsbury Park, London 6/12/2010
It helps that the gig was free, but the atmosphere in the park was fantastic as Rage got the crowd going by taking the piss out of the X Factor. Fantastic live band, great show, even though I could barely move for the first few songs of the set, and was at one point elbowed square in the face. Their cover of The Clash's White Riot was a nice surprise, as well.

2. Pearl Jam - Hyde Park, London 24/6/2010
I'd waited 4 years for this, and it was totally worth it. Best birthday present ever. With a combination of their hits, with a few less frequently played tracks, and even a brand new song or two, Pearl Jam fucking rocked.

1. Arcade Fire - SECC, Glasgow 12/12/2010
Arcade Fire are the world's best live band for a reason. The setlist was perfect, with a good mix of old and new, but what does it really matter, since every song's as close to perfect as you'll ever get! For only having a seating ticket, the atmosphere in the place was far beyond what I'd expected, with near enough everyone in the seating area standing up. After the gig had finished, hearing hundreds singing Wake Up outside was all kinds of awesome...

I've missed writing, it's been too long. I should get back into the swing of things. At least uni's over for 2 months, I can't say I don't have the time!

Darren out, saying if I was scared, I would...