Join us in December as we countdown the TOP 20 Headiest Sessions of 2017!
#20 – River Whyless
Kept trying to get these Asheville natives in the Van, it didn’t happen, now it has, and looky here, they made the list. That means it was good.
#19 – Drac & The Swamp Rats
The haters said a band that dresses like monsters was a foolish booking. The haters said it wouldn’t be rad. IF YOU AIN’T GOT HATERS YOU AIN’T POPPIN! Keep suckin’ Drac!
#18 – Sunny War
Saw her on the Instagrams, was like “dayum.” Had her record with us, still like “dayum!”
#17 – No Parents
In-N-Out bathroom song, nuff said.
#16 – Langhorne Slim
Monterey Pop was a nice place. This dude sings nice songs. Sixteen is a nice number.
#15 – Good Graeff
Every year we need some wild card picks that y’all ain’t gonna know but should know… This is that.
#14 – Kolars
Phases made it one year for crushing a Justin Bieber cover. Kolars is making it this year for doing the same with a Neutral Milk Hotel classic. Also, tap dancing…
#13 – Jamtown
Cisco Adler still thinks that he can beat our co-founder at basketball, that is a mistake. His new band Jamtown is not a mistake, it’s good.
#12 – Tank & The Bangas
You get on the list if you make The Van twerk.
#11 – The Regrettes
Annual “we all wish we were this cool in high school” slot.
#10 – La Femme
Best intro to a session ever… EVER!
#9 – Galactic
Funking loved it.
#8 – Valerie June
She drank whiskey to “warm up her throat,” it seems that technique worked.
#7 – Larkin Poe
Sometimes the sequel is better.
#6 – The Marcus King Band
Dude rips. Talk amongst yourselves.
#5 – Robert Randolph & The Family Band
If you were the official band of the New York Knicks and you jammed in The Van, you would always make the top five too.
#4 – Susto
How did they fall from #2 in 2016 to #4 in 2017? Not of their own doing, blame numbers one through three.
#3 – Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band
Why would I have to explain this pick to you?
#2 – Chris Robinson Brotherhood
See explanation from #3 (Phil Lesh), also, really good side-of-the-road story teller.
#1 – Charles Bradley
There might be the expectation of an emotional paragraph to describe the experience, albeit very brief, that Charles Bradley’s a cappella performance provided us and its effect on our thoughts and ambitions going into the new year… there won’t be. We got tingles. Then he was gone. So savor what he left. Now hit play and have a heady fuckin’ new year.