18. Amanda Palmer
The Magical X-Factor Devotion. Amanda Palmer famously sourced over $1million on Kickstarter to fund her third solo album, Theatre Is Evil. This suggests a phenomenal level of devotion from her fans, and the love shared between her and the audience is palpable every time she plays live. If you ever wanted to witness a live show with more in common with a religious experience than a mere gig, go and see Amanda Palmer. Yet even if you don't share the enthusiasm of her fans, it's hard not to be taken in by her natural charm, the ingenious wordplay of her lyrics, her carefully chosen covers and the sheer intensity of her performances.
17. Caribou
The Magical X-Factor Hypnotism. Caribou's sound tends to change from album to album, but their most recent 2010's Swim will perhaps be regarded by future generations as that which best defines their ethos. It's an energising collection of electrified underwater psychedelic jams that still gets better with every listen. Live, nobody would have begrudged Caribou from taking a couple of laptops on tour and nodding appreciatively at their audience between successive pushes of the "play" button. Instead, they filled the stage with two drummers, a live flautist and a dazzling array of analogue electronics. In doing so, they made Swim sound even better. The dedication to creating a genuinely
live sound would in itself have identified Caribou as one of the greatest live acts of the 21st century. Yet their live shows - with their pounding rhythms, pulsating strobes and swirling kaleidoscope visuals always succeed in transforming entire rooms into a surging mass of entranced revellers. Caribou are therefore exemplary both in theory and in practice.