Top 10 Live Shows of 2022

Consequence Staff

December 15, 2022 at 10:45 AM·16 min read

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The post Top 10 Live Shows of 2022 appeared first on Consequence.

Our 2022 Annual Report continues with our list of the Top 10 Live Shows of the Year. As the year winds down, stay tuned for more awards, lists, and articles about the best music, film, and TV of 2022. You can find it all in one place here.

It’s been a rocky few years for the live music industry. There was that whole “gap” year, the tentative return in 2021, and then the full on explosion that occurred over the last 12 months. Concerts came back with a vengeance, with our favorite artists, acclaimed newcomers, and formerly retired icons all returning to the stage.

But the resurgence has been something of a double-edged sword. After the extended pause, the long-fissuring cracks in the way touring functions as a money-making enterprise became starkly apparent. From ticketing fiascos to the pressures placed on musicians, the dark side of the concert industry was laid bare, revealing a business model in desperate need of reform.

Of course, it’s far from the only element of music finances that is overdue for a change. Yet despite all the obstacles, hundreds of performers put themselves out there night after night for their fans. Whether it was rare one-off shows or massive global treks or venue-seizing residencies, artists delivered time and again for audiences big and small.

Which only goes to show that this is an art form worth cherishing — and thus worth fighting for. If Joni Mitchell can come back from an aneurysm to sit with a group of all-star guests and sing her hits, we can create healthy concert environments. If Zack de la Rocha can tear his Achilles tendon and still play a month of gigs with Rage Against the Machine, we can fix touring payment structures.

How we do all that isn’t exactly clear, and it’s certainly going to take some work by people with much bigger paychecks than we get. But if the glut of incredible concert experiences in 2022 is any indication, it’s work that’s more than worth doing. Here are 10 live shows from the year that made that more clear than ever.

— Ben Kaye
Editorial Director

Ed. note: Check out a photo gallery featuring more images form the shows at the bottom of this page.

BTS: “Yet to Come in Busan”

BTS, photo courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC

Days before BTS would announce their decision to enlist and complete South Korea’s compulsory period of military service, the seven members of the biggest pop act in the world delivered a massive concert in Busan. The concert was part of the city’s bid to host the 2023 World Expo, but more importantly for the group, it was an opportunity for them to spend time onstage together on their own terms, and they seized the moment.

From the thrilling debut performance of “Run BTS” to the emotional closing run of “Epilogue: Young Forever,” “For Youth,” “Spring Day,” and “Yet to Come,” the septet gave it their all with their visible emotion, powerful vocals, and their trademark choreography. BTS’s rap line — RM, Suga, and j-hope — delivered a fiery version of “Cypher Pt.3: Killer,” a moment that stands out from the concert attended by 50,000 people and watched by a staggering 49 million viewers around the globe. While they claimed this as the last time they’d perform the song, the sentiment of “I don’t care/ You can’t control my shit” feels like a pointed and lasting decision. — Mary Siroky

Elton John: “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium

elton john final dodgers stadium los angeles tour show concert review recap goodbye yellow brick road farewell la

Elton John, photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images

At Elton John’s last-ever North American concert, the legendary artist proved just what a talent he was, while also saying goodbye to an audience that has followed him for decades. The vibe in Dodger Stadium confirmed that this was no ordinary night, from the many cameras circulating to capture all the action for Disney+, to the the celebrity-packed audience (including JoJo Siwa in a wild recreation of a Rocketman ensemble).

But also, Sir Elton himself seemed quite moved by the experience, while still delivering flawless renditions of classics like “Benny and the Jets” and “I’m Still Standing.” And the night’s surprise guests — Brandi Carlile, Dua Lipa, and Kiki Dee, the latter of whom originally performed “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with John in the 1970s — only added to the sense that what we were witnessing was something special.

At one point in the night, John took a moment to shout out people in the crowd who were holding up signs saying how many times they’d seen him in concert — many people were in the double digits or higher. There’s no question, however, that this night will shine brightest in their memories. It’s when things are ending, sometimes, that we appreciate them most. — Liz Shannon Miller

Foo Fighters: Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert at London’s Wembley Stadium

Leave it to Foo Fighters to turn one of the darkest moments in modern music into a celebration of all things rock. Just six months after the tragic loss of drummer Taylor Hawkins, the surviving band members gathered with an unsurpassable list of all-star guests for a tribute concert at London’s Wembley Stadium. A Los Angeles show would follow a few weeks later, but the sheer power of that first six-hour event on September 3rd solidified it as one of the greatest concerts of all time.

The list of highlights is too long to fully recount here: Paul McCartney joining Foos for “Helter Skelter” and “Oh! Darling”; Dave Grohl playing “2112 Part 1: Overture” and “YYZ” with RUSH’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson; Them Crooked Vultures reuniting; Grohl, John Freese, Wolfgang Van Halen, and The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins doing Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” and “On Fire”; young gun Nandi Bushell killing it on “Learn to Fly.” That barely scratches the surface of what Grohl called “a gigantic fucking night for a gigantic fucking person.”

But it was more than just unbelievable collaborations, of course. Grohl’s emotional performance of “Times Like These” to open Foo Fighters’ headlining set is going to be one of the most indelible moments of the band’s career. Demonstrating that the music will go on, Grohl’s daughter, Violet, delivered star-making renditions of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” and Jeff Buckley’s “Last Goodbye” and Grace”; later, Hawkins’ 16-year-old-son, Shane, sat behind the kit for a devastating, purifying rendition of “My Hero.”

Moments like these were tearful — just ask Stewart Copeland and Trent Reznor — but it wasn’t from pure sadness. Seeing Foo Fighters soldier on with such incredible presence, hearing everyone gathered (even the crowd) give their all to the performances, and watching the next generation of rockers prove they’re worthy of carrying on Hawkins’ legacy… there’s just no truer definition of cathartic. — Ben Kaye

Harry Styles: Madison Square Garden Residency

harry styles live shows of the year 2022

Harry Styles, photo by Lloyd Wakefield

For 15 historic nights, Harry Styles turned Madison Square Garden into Harry’s House. Our 2022 Artist of the Year may have just perfected the mini-residency this year, with his “Love On Tour” schedule filling arenas in major markets for weeks at a time — and selling each night out completely. After two gigs in Toronto, Styles moved into New York City’s most iconic venue for 15 nights, earning himself a banner hung in the MSG rafters. The success of this string of NYC shows encapsulated everything there is to love about a Harry Styles concert.

The joy and inclusivity of the environment felt like the primary motivator for getting into MSG night after night, and the stellar set list from Styles ensured that each evening of the residency was the hottest ticket in town. Between playful banter, conga lines, incredible openers, and the occasional assistance for an audience member coming out to the crowd, “Love On Tour” more than lived up to its name. — M.S.

Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon: Un-retiring at Newport Folk Festival

joni mitchell paul simon newport folk festival watermark top live shows of the year 2022

Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, photos by Ben Kaye

In an era of mega-festivals that cater more to the do-it-for-the-Gram crowd, Newport Folk persists as a haven for true music lovers. And while there’s been no shortage of legends gracing the festival grounds over the years — Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, and Brian Wilson are just a few names that come to mind — Fort Adams played host to two celebrations of music icons on back-to-back nights in 2022. On Saturday night, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats led a star-studded tribute to Paul Simon, which concluded with none other than Simon himself coming out of retirement to play “Graceland,” “American Tune,” “The Boxer,” and “Sound of Silence.”

Brandi Carlile was the master of ceremonies for Sunday night’s headlining slot, dashing through a few of her originals before departing the stage and teasing that she’d return for something special. When she did come back, Carlile delivered a speech honoring Joni Mitchell, who had largely been out of the public eye since she suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015. But as festival-goers soon found out, this was no simple Mitchell tribute; instead, Joni joined Carlile on stage, along with Marcus Mumford, Blake Mills, Lucius, Wynonna Judd, Taylor Goldsmith, and more for an emotional, inspired “Joni Jam.” Across a 13-song set, Mitchell and her collaborators performed renditions of some of the artist’s greatest songs, including “A Case of You” and “Just Like This Train,” leaving nary a dry eye among the thousands of attendees singing along.

Both sets functioned not only as testaments to unparalleled musical legacies, but also to the power of congregating with other people for once-in-a-lifetime performances. — Spencer Dukoff

Kendrick Lamar: Glastonbury

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Kendrick Lamar, photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage

The return of Kendrick Lamar dominated a good portion of 2022. His “The Big Steppers Tour” proved to be one of the most notable runs of the year, sparking stories of uplifted nine-year-old fans and crying security guards. But perhaps the biggest of big moments came outside the tour, during his headlining spot at this year’s Glastonbury. Donning his custom crown of thorns, K-Dot split the set into two main acts: one focused on good kid, m.A.A.d city and one highlighting To Pimp a Butterfly and DAMN., each bookended by cuts from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.

Upon finishing the show, Lamar led a chant in protest of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. “They judge you, they judge Christ!,” he led the crowd in unison, “Godspeed for women’s rights!” Regardless of how you ultimately felt about his 2022 output, when Kendrick Lamar makes a statement, it’s hard not to listen. — Jonah Krueger

Lady Gaga: “Chromatica Ball”

Lady Gaga’s The Chromatica Ball Tour, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica Ball” stadium tour was the pop event of the summer, hard stop. Fans (who had patiently weathered multiple postponements of the tour) dusted off the outfits they’d prepared upon Gaga’s Chromatica album dropping in May 2020, and traveled by bus, car, train, and plane to make it to church on time.

Famously, the “Chromatica Ball” was initially scheduled to happen in 2020, then was moved to 2021. After one last reschedule, it finally, actually, really kicked off in July 2022. A month later at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the air was charged with anticipation and excitement as NYC-area Little Monsters got their first chance to see Gaga on stage (with a few exceptions) since the “Joanne World Tour” hit Queens’ Citi Field in August 2017. Almost exactly five years to the date, despite everything that had changed in the world, it was clear that Lady Gaga could still be relied on to inspire dancing, catharsis, and raw joy.

Apart from her catalog of massive hits (I’m sorry, but beginning your setlist with “Bad Romance,” because you have 10 other equally massive hits that you can and will perform later, is an incredible flex), Gaga is a star who possesses the special power of uniting a stadium and effortlessly wrapping them around her leather glove-covered pinky finger.

What sets her aside from other stadium headliners is that Gaga is the best. She’s the greatest dancer, has the strongest voice, and plays multiple instruments. When she does all three simultaneously she never, ever stumbles. (For further evidence, watch the below clip.) Hopefully it’s not another five years before she tours again, but Gaga, who is probably not from this planet, truly can do what she likes and we’re all just lucky that she chose this timeline to be alive in. — Gab Ginsberg

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@ladygaga’s #ChromaticaBall had us like, “The Power that that has, the intelligence that that has, the clearance that that has, the access that that has, the influence that that has, the profile that that has, the international implications that that has.” 💗 #LadyGaga #Chromatica #LiveMusic #Concerts
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Paramore: Comeback Tour

Paramore, photo by Kris Lori

We’ve already spoken at length about the glory that is a Paramore show in 2022, but it’s worth noting time and time again. Aside from maybe, say, their future tourmate Taylor Swift, no artist of our generation has been able to adapt their sound across three decades so successfully.

Even before the pandemic, Paramore had taken a bit of time off from touring; by the time they re-emerged in 2022, they’d been away for about four years. But the hiatus served them well. It gave them time to put together some new music (which topped our Songs of the Year list) and come to terms with reviving old favorites like the previously “canceled” “Misery Business.” On the first leg of their reunion tour this year, they sounded vivacious and revived, proving they’re one of the most – if not the most – enduring and adaptable pop-punk bands to emerge in the 2000s. — Abby Jones

Phoebe Bridgers and MUNA: New York “Reunion Tour”

phoebe bridgers and muna top live shows of the year 2022

Phoebe Bridgers and MUNA, photo by Ben Kaye

If you needed to unleash a little pent-up rage or experience profound catharsis in the great outdoors, there was no better place than Phoebe Bridgers’ “Reunion Tour.” While crowds showed up in droves to her rip through cuts off Punisher and Stranger in the Alps, they were also there to see members of the Phoebe Bridgers Extended Universe like Lucy Dacus and MUNA. For a trio of New York dates, including a pair a shows in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and a one-off at Queen’s Forest Hills Stadium, MUNA commanded an energy from the audience that far surpassed their opener status. Of course, everyone went bonkers each time Bridgers came out to sing her “Silk Chiffon” verse with the band, but Consequence’s 2022 Band of the Year achieved sing-along status for many of their other tracks, demonstrating their newfound level of acclaim just a few days before releasing their third studio album.

As for Bridgers, she was flanked by colorful projections and awash in evocative light, leveling up the production values while being supported by a band of collaborators who have never sounded tighter. For those trying to pigeonhole the artist as some hushed singer-songwriter type, attend one of her concerts; you’ll see the energy, both on stage and in the crowd, that makes a Phoebe Bridgers concert so dynamic and soul-stirring. But beneath all of the production and bombast, there’s a superstar in the making, with the range to perform a delicate cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Stolen Car” earlier in the week in Asbury Park, New Jersey, only to then anchor a furious, primal-screaming, distortion-drenched freakout without “I Know the End” — with help from surprise guest Dacus at Forest Hills, no less.

There are few working musicians who can attain the reverence from an audience like the kind afforded by Bridgers’ fans whenever she plays the opening chord to a song or tells a joke on stage. As a live act in 2022, Bridgers was a force — and the concerts were even better because she brought her friends along for the ride. — S.D.

Rage Against the Machine: “Public Service Announcement Tour”

Rage Against the Machine, photo by Johnny Perilla

It was a great day back in late 2019 when Rage Against the Machine’s long awaited reunion tour was finally confirmed; ahead of a major, contentious election and a looming global catastrophe, it seemed like the visceral live energy of Rage Against the Machine was never more fit for the moment.

Of course, their return was ultimately delayed — and not just once or twice. After several postponements and cancellations, Rage Against the Machine finally began their historic reunion tour in Wisconsin in early July. But just two days later, Zack de la Rocha badly injured his leg on stage, forcing the frontman to remain seated for the duration of the tour.

Still, the band carried on through the end of their scheduled North American shows, but ended up calling off the rest of their dates due to de la Rocha’s torn achilles. Luckily, the dates they did pull off were truly spectacular — although de la Rocha was seated throughout, gigs like their Festival d’été de Québec headlining set or their five-night stand at Madison Square Garden were deeply memorable experiences, the band’s passionate and explosive songs punching harder than ever.

We’ll have to wait a bit longer for their (second?) return, but when they do come back, it’ll be another thrilling reminder of their legacy. When the four band members find themselves in a frenzy, locked into each and every note, still shredding after 30 years… it’s unparalleled. — Paolo Ragusa

Top Live Shows of 2022 Photo Gallery: