Tell a friend about In Spite Magazine; we are word of mouth. Photo courtesy of ©dickslaughter.com

To celebrate the new year, we thought it would be fun to ask the talented family of writers and contributors at In Spite Magazine to rank their 10 favorite performances from the past year. We encouraged them to include a photo of their number one pick and, if they had written a related article, to share a link.

Of course, the real fun came in seeing how our group of malcontents found ways to subvert the guidelines. Two turned in lists with eleven entries, several added “I saw them here and here” to squeeze in extra gigs, and plenty submitted “here are ten… plus fifteen or so photos!” lists. But the crown goes to Paul Holstein, who sent us twenty entries with links and graciously offered to expand it to fifty. Honestly, we should all aspire to be more like Paul in the coming year and catch as many shows as he does.

Kim Moenich

1. DEVO – Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, NV, USA
2. Iggy Pop – No Values Fest, Pomona, CA, USA
3. Madness – Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, NV, USA
4. The Selecter – No Values Fest, Pomona, CA, USA, and Supernova Ska Festival, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
5. NOFX Final Tour – Brockton, MA, USA, and San Pedro, CA, USA
6. Into Another/Orange 9MM – Rooftop Terminal 5, New York City, NY, USA
7. Dresden Dolls/Gogol Bordello – Roadrunner, Boston, MA, USA
8. All the NYC HXC bands at PRB (Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, Madball) – Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, NV, USA
9. Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick's Day Shows – House of Blues and MGM Fenway, Boston, MA, USA
10. Jesus Lizard – No Values Fest, Pomona, CA, USA, and Best Friend's Forever Fest, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Rully Shabara of Senyawa, - Photo courtesy of Robert Barrett

One Man Underground

1. Senyawa – Supersonic Festival, Birmingham, UK
2. Trupa Trupa – Third Man Records, London, UK
3. Ceephax Acid Crew – Hot Box, Chelmsford, UK
4. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, UK
5. Eric Andre – O2 Empire, Shepherd’s Bush, UK
6. Keeley Forsyth – ICA, London, UK
7. Bikini Kill – Milkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. Lonnie Holley – Camden Arts Centre, London, UK
9. Deaf Devils – Rebellion Festivals, Blackpool, UK
10. Jon Spencer – Oslo, London, UK
11. Bohren & Der Club Of Gore – Union Chapel, London, UK

David “Dread” Hinds of Steel Pulse - Photo *courtesy of Will Saavedra*

Goody James

1. Steel Pulse – Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA, USA
2. Sun Ra Arkestra – The Lodge Room, Highland Park, CA, USA
3. Blood Brothers – The Belasco, Los Angeles, CA, USA
4. DILLA JAZZ feat. DJ Battlecat, Bilal, J. Rocc, Daru Jones, The Pocket Queen + More – The Ford, Los Angeles, CA, USA
5. Rolex – Stuft Pizza, San Clemente, CA, USA
6. Herbie Hancock Head Hunters 50th – Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA, USA
7. Träumer – The Jet, San Bernardino, CA, USA
8. Kid In The Pit – Hot Rods & Beer, Holtville, CA, USA
9. Eddie 9V – The Mint, Los Angeles, CA, USA
10. Ceremony – No Values, Pomona, CA, USA

Phil Thorns

1. The Skinner Brothers – The Bodega, Nottingham, UK
2. The Stranglers – Apollo, Manchester, UK
3. Sham 69 – Rebellion, Blackpool, UK
4. The Buzzcocks – Devils Arse, Castleton, UK
5. Bob Vylan – The Leadmill, Sheffield, UK
6. Electric Eel Shock – The Spa, Scarborough Punk Festival, UK
7. Richard Hawley – Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Chesterfield, UK
8. Soft Play – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield, UK
9. Chic/Nile Rodgers – The Piece Hall, Halifax, UK
10. Wonk Unit – Salty Dog, Northwich, UK

Niyaz Pirani

1. Clowncore – Coachella 2024, Indio, California, USA
2. Odesza, The Last Goodbye Finale – BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, California, USA
3. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (Marathon Set) – Kia Forum, Inglewood, California, USA
4. Slipknot (25th Anniversary Tour) – Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California, USA
5. Deftones – Coachella 2024, Indio, California, USA
6. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (Acoustic Set) – Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, California, USA
7. Cage the Elephant – Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, San Diego, California, USA
8. Turnstile – No Values Festival, Pomona, California, USA
9. LCD Soundsystem – Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, California, USA
10. Mildlife – El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA

YS Kim

1. 8 Kalacas – Alex’s Bar, Long Beach, CA, USA
2. The Runts Final Show – The Lodge Room, Los Angeles, CA, USA
3. Kreator – Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA, USA
4. The Adicts – No Values , Pomona, CA,USA
5. Boris – The Belasco, Los Angeles, CA, USA
6. Otoboke Beaver – The Belasco, Los Angeles, CA, USA
7. Front 242 – The Mayan, Los Angeles, CA, USA
8. Kraftwerk: Man Machine – Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA, USA
9. Melt Banana – The El Rey, Los Angeles, CA, USA
10. El Vez – The Lodge Room, Los Angeles, CA,USA

dick slaughter

1. Iggy Pop – No Values Festival, Pomona, CA, USA. The Igg is always the best.
2. Penny Rimbaud and Ingrid Laubrock – Performing Arthur Rimbaud in Verdun, Artists Space, New York, NY, USA.
3. Steve Ignorant – Crass Set, No Values Festival, Pomona, CA, USA.
4. Subhumans – Backstage Bar, Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
5. The Meffs – Rebellion Festival, Blackpool, UK.
6. The Mummies – Mosswood Meltdown, Oakland, CA, USA.
7. Knuckleheads Band – Punk In Drublic Festival, San Pedro, CA, USA.
8. N8 No Face – The Padded Room, Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
9. Bikini Kill – Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore, MD, USA.
10. B-52’s – Mosswood Meltdown, Oakland, CA, USA.

11. Dre Thomson - Rage Fest, Baltimore, MD, USA

Lee Ving of fear — Lee Ving of Fear, - Photo courtesy of Paul Rotzler

Paul Rotzler

1. Lower Class Brats – Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA
2. Gwar – Marquee Theater, Tempe, AZ, USA
3. Subhumans – Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, NV, USA
4. Fear – Nile Theater, Mesa, AZ, USA
5. TV Tragedy – Rebel Lounge, Phoenix, AZ, USA
6. Devo – Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas, NV, USA
7. The Circle Jerks – Marquee Theater, Tempe, AZ, USA
8. Agnostic Front – Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA
9. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – Marquee Theater, Tempe, AZ, USA
10. KC and the Sunshine Band – Phoenix, AZ, USA

Paul Holstein

Paul turned in 20. Paul is hardcore.

1. NOFX Final Tour – All 3 nights at Douglass Park, Riot Fest, Chicago, IL, USA, & The Fillmore, Detroit, MI, USA (including “The Decline” with Ceschi from Codefendants). They did not, do not, and never will suck live.
2. Rich Kids on LSD – The Sand Dollar, Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA. Reunion show with Tony Foresta on vocals (Iron Reagan/Municipal Waste).
3. The Dead Kennedys – Central Florida Fairgrounds, Punk In The Park, Orlando, FL, USA. Featuring original members East Bay Ray and Klaus Fluoride.
4. Laura Jane Grace & Catbite – Douglass Park, Riot Fest, Chicago, IL, USA (Operation Ivy set).
5. F.Y.P. – Downtown Container Park, Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
6. Suicide Machines/Negative Approach – Small’s Bar, Hamtramck, MI, USA. Back-to-back nights during Small’s 20th Anniversary weekend with both bands swapping headlining spots.
7. The Dayglo Abortions – The Backstage, Windsor, ON, Canada.
8. Against The Grain with Tesco Vee – The Magic Stick, Blackout BBQ Festival, Detroit, MI, USA (playing songs by The Meatmen, opening for Fear and D.O.A.).
9. Zeke – Citrus Grand Pool Deck, Punk Rock Bowling Pool Party, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
10. Sloppy Seconds – The Sanctuary, Hamtramck, MI, USA. Supporting The Queers.
11. Off With Their Heads – Small’s Bar, Hamtramck, MI, USA. Halloween show dressed as "The Minfits" (The Misfits/minions from Despicable Me) playing a surprise Misfits set.
12. Strange Magic – Edgemen Printing, Clinton Township, MI, USA. Final show before reforming as Bad Beat.
13. Conservative Military Image - The Sanctuary, Hamtramck, MI, USA.
14. The Casualties – Central Florida Fairgrounds, Punk In The Park, Orlando, FL, USA.
15. Guttermouth – The Sanctuary, Hamtramck, MI, USA.
16. The Drowns – The Sanctuary, Hamtramck, MI, USA.
17. Subhumans - Backstage Bar & Billiards, Punk Rock Bowling Club Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
18. Teenage Bottlerocket – Central Florida Fairgrounds, Punk in the Park, Orlando, FL, USA.
19. The Dwarves – Central Florida Fairgrounds, Punk In the Park, Orlando, FL, USA.
20. The Exploited – Douglass Park, Riot Fest, Chicago, IL, USA. With an autograph and photo session with Wattie afterwards.

There are a few performers and festivals that appeared on multiple lists, making them worth considering when deciding how to spend your concert dollars in 2025. Festivals like Rebellion, Punk Rock Bowling, Punk In The Park, and Mosswood Meltdown consistently deliver great value with stellar lineups year after year.

Subhumans appeared on three lists and will be touring the US in 2025, making them a must-see. Iggy Pop claimed the number 1 and 2 spots on different lists and has upcoming dates across the UK, EU, and Japan.