I think Phoenix might have made the biggest leap in 2009 of any band I follow. Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective made some big strides last year too, but I don’t know that even they could pack a huge theater in Lexington, Kentucky at over $30 per ticket. But really, it’s hard to think of a band more deserving of the leap of success that Phoenix has seen. The last record was top notch and they’ve escalated their live show as well.

Nothing is worse than seeing an expensive band who don’t put forth any added effort. If your fans are paying double the price they used to, that should be reflected in the quality of the show. And I’ve gotta say, Phoenix can check that off with a big mark. They played a long set, were wildly energetic and had a great light show. If you’ve got those three things, you really can’t go wrong. And while my only prior experience seeing Phoenix was catching them at Monolith, it was great to see them get a full set to allow them a little breathing room. They did a few back-and-forth guitar solos, a bit of chatting and stretched out the intro to a couple of their songs.