Gigs of the Year

This will be the penultimate post of the year. The last one will include a handful of records that I particularly enjoyed this year but have not previously featured (though which ones, as of now I couldn't tell you). But to warm up for that, here are my top three gigs of the year.

Choosing them was even tougher than usual this year. Honourable mentions go to the likes of John Murry, James McMurtry, Girl Ray, the Spacebomb Revue, the Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo and - less credibly - the great Gilbert O'Sullivan.

But after much consideration, the top three are: Garland Jeffreys at Nell's Jazz and Blues, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou at 229, and Margo Price at Islington Assembly Hall.

Here is a track and photo from each, finished off by a seasonal video from Gilbert and a friend.

"I'm Alive" - Garland Jeffreys

"Finlin Ho" - Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou

"How The Mighty Have Fallen" - Margo Price