Shows of the Year

First, a programming note: there will be no mix today. Sometime before the end of the year I'll have a mega year-end mix or two to share, so be on the look-out for that. Should be some good old fashioned NYE Nedstalgia coming out of the old cranky generator as well this weekend, then get ready for the Freaks Ball VIII blitz (did I mention 2/9/2008, Brooklyn, all OTW readers cordially invited/urged/etc.).

Anyhoo...

Saw my 70th show of the year last night (The Word, reviewed here in case you missed it) in 47 different rooms, spending about $1000 give-or-take for the pleasure. Amazingly, I think I reviewed, in one way or another, almost all of them. The question is: did you read them all??

My MVP's of the year: Jenny Scheinman & St. Vincent who I both saw like 4 or 5 times each and was knocked out pretty much every time. Give it up for the lovely ladies of good music.
Runners up: Midlake, Apollo Sunshine, Marco Benevento.

Subtracting a few that don't quite fit in as such, here's how I'd rate 'em, with links to the reviews for your reading pleasure (in lieu of any comments) (shows in Manhattan unless otherwise noted). I think I saw less than 5 shows I'd say were "bad" for one reason or another. So these are all just degrees of "sick!" I'm getting decent at picking them in my old age.

1. 14-16 September Austin City Limits Festival @ Zilker Park Austin, TX
2. 27 January Apollo Sunshine, Chris Harford & The Band of Changes, The Dansettes @ Southpaw Brooklyn, NY
3. 30 August Bustle In Your Hedgerow @ Temptress Cruise Ship
4. 9 February Midlake, St. Vincent, The Czars @ Bowery Ballroom
5. 29 March Do Make Say Think, Berg Sans Nipple, Elliott Brood @ Bowery Ballroom
   
6. 7 December Bar Kokhba @ Abrons Arts Center
7. 22 July Widespread Panic @ Bethel Woods, Bethel, NY
8. 30 November Andrew Bird, Glenn Kotche @ Beacon Theater
9. 19 October Sex Mob @ The Stone
10. 7 December Wayne Krantz @ 55 Bar
11. 30 September Iron & Wine, Arthur & Yu @ Town Hall
12. 26 June Wilco @ Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY
13. 19 October Marco Benevento @ Joe's Pub
14. 28 April Rose Hill Drive @ Mercury Lounge
    
15. 7 June Emergency Party @ Piano's
16. 5 May Shanir Blumenkranz Ensemble, Masada String Trio @ Abrons Arts Center
17. 16 May !!!, Holy Fuck @ Bowery Ballroom
18. 7 June The Sea and Cake , Loney, Dear @ Webster Hall
19. 18 July St. Vincent, Scout Niblett @ Bowery Ballroom
20. 14 May Jenny Scheinman @ Barbes, Brooklyn, NY
21. 4-5 August Newport Folk Festival @ Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI
22. 27 December The Word @ Terminal 5
    
23. 12 June Akron/Family @ Bowery Ballroom
24. 9 March Benevento/Mathis/Dillon @ Tap Bar
25. 15 February The Arcade Fire @ Judson Memorial Church
26. 1 April Widespread Panic @ Palace Theater, Albany, NY
27. 23 January The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard
28. 9 March Masada, Cecil Taylor AHA 3 Trio @ Rose Theater
29. 7 December Frisell/Carter/Motian @ Blue Note
30. 20 July Widespread Panic @ Radio City Music Hall
31. 24 May Apollo Sunshine @ Half Moon Cruise Ship
32. 16 October Circuitbreaker @ Zebulon, Brooklyn, NY
33. 29 June Todd Sickafoose's Blood Orange @ 55 Bar
34. 16 October Jenny Scheinman @ barbes, Brooklyn, NY
35. 18 July Marc Ribot @ World Financial Center
36. 5 January Fiery Furnaces, Emergency Party @ Northsix, Brooklyn, NY
37. 10 April Phil Lesh & Friends @ SOB's
38. 9 March Anders Osborne @ Lion's Den
39. 30 June The Bad Plus @ Highline Ballroom
40. 19 January Rotary Downs, Amandla@ Tap Bar
41. 13 February Jenny Scheinman @ barbes, Brooklyn, NY
42. 28 October The Go! Team, Effi Briest, Heartsrevolution @ Studio B, Brooklyn, NY
43. 11 August Galactic, Jon Cleary, Soul Rebels @ Summerstage
44. 19 October Band of Horses, The Maccabees @ Blender Theater
45. 4 July The New Pornographers, Midlake, Battery Park
46. 19 April Benevento/Russo Duo @ Knitting Factory
47. 28 February Doug Wamble @ Tonic
48. 5 February Cat Power, Tan Or Boil @ Hiro Ballroom
49. 23 June Eric Lindell @ Heckscher Park, Huntington, NY
50. 29 June Emergency Party, Sounds of Greg D @ Luna Lounge, Brooklyn, NY
51. 24 January Cold War Kids, Illinois @ Mercury Lounge
    
52. 29 June Sam Champion @ South Street Seaport
53. 18 April Ratatat @ Webster Hall
54. 1 March Old Knit 20th Birthday @ Town Hall
55. 28 February Apollo Sunshine, Vampire Weekend @ The Annex
56. 28 April Previte/Benevento @ Swing Space
57. 19 April St. Vincent, John Vanderslice @ Mercury Lounge
58. 4 May Hopewell, La Laque @ Luna Lounge, Brooklyn, NY
59. 9 November Children of the Unicorn, Young Woods @ Blender Theater
60. 18 April Bill Frisell Sextet @ Village Vanguard
61. 10 November Menomena @ Webster Hall
62. 21 June Ollabelle @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, NY
63. 9 November Care Bears on Fire @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY
64. 19 January Big Sam's Funky Nation @ Lion's Den