Friday, December 31, 2010

the year in concerts 2010...

It's been a lovely year. A tough year. An amazing year. A transitionary year. In 2010, my work as a grad student has moved suddenly from go-to-class/write-a-paper to read-100+books/take-an-oral-exam/write-a-dissertation. It's overwhelming and that stress has taken a bit of a toll this year. You see, I've been going to class for over 20 years now -- I've gotten really good at it. This whole "have a career in academia" thing is the next step and it's a bit of a leap. I'm up for it, though.

Luckily, this year I've had concerts. Dozens of them. I have seen more live music this year than any previous year or my life COMBINED. It has been an incredible privilege and mostly due to my association with Muzzle of Bees for with some help from the freelance gig I have writing for American Songwriter. Here's the list. I've put asterisks next to my favorites. Incredible.

2010 concerts

Bela Fleck - 2/14
Retribution Gospel Choir - 2/18
Joe Pug - 2/25
St. Vincent* - 3/30
Atoms For Peace (Thom Yorke)* - 4/10
Antlers/Phantogram 4/17
Delta Spirit/Nathaniel Rateliff/Ra Ra Riot (Daytrotter Barnstormer III) - 4/30
Santah - 5/6
Dawes/Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - 6/8

Bonnaroo - 6/10-6/13
Sarah Jarosz
Dodos
Blitzen Trapper
The xx
Dr. Dog
Punch Brothers* (twice)
Jill Andrews
Hot Rize
She and Him
The National
Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
Dawes* (twice)
The Black Keys
The Avett Brothers*
Brandi Carlile
Dave Rawlings Machine*
Mumford & Sons*
John Prine
Stevie Wonder*
Calexico
Medeski Martin & Wood
Regina Spektor
John Fogerty
Kris Kristofferson
They Might Be Giants

Hum -7/10
Frontier Ruckus/Cary Ann Hearst - 7/15

Pitchfork Fest - 7/16-7/18
Sharon Van Etten
Tallest Man on Earth*
Broken Social Scene
Titus Andronicus
Bear in Heaven
Best Coast
Local Natives
St. Vincent
Pavement
Soundgarden - 8/5

Lollapalooza - 8/6-8/8
Mavis Staples
Drive-By Truckers
The New Pornographers
Dirty Projectors*
Jamie Lidell*
The Strokes
Rogue Wave
Stars
Warpaint
Dawes*
Grizzly Bear
Deer Tick
Spoon
The Band of Heathens
Mumford & Sons
Erykah Badu
The National
Arcade Fire

The National/Antlers* - 8/7
Trampled By Turtles - 8/26

Pygmalion Fest 9/22-9/25
Janelle Monae
Built to Spill
Duke of Uke
Those Darlins
Colour Revolt
Unwed Sailor
OWEN
+/-
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Roky Erickson w/ Okkervil River
The Viper and his Famous Orchestra*
Cap'n Jazz
Caribou

Jill Andrews - 12/10*