The City is my Church: A.B.'s 2011 Music Blog

Top Tracks of 2011--
(consolidated list as shown on the daily fb feed)


1. Bon Iver - Halocene
2. M83 - Midnight City
3. College ft. Electric Youth - A Real Hero
4. The Antlers - I Don't Want Love
5. The Head and the Heart - Down in the Valley
6. Phantogram - Don't Move
7. Devotchka - All the Sand in All the Sea
8. GROUPLOVE - Colours
9. The Naked and Famous - Punching in a Dream
10. AWOLNATION - Sail 
11. Bon Iver - Calgary
12. The Head and the Heart - Lost in my Mind
13. Sea Wolf - Song for the Magpie
14. The Dodos - Black Knight
15. Typhoon - Honest Truth
16. Phantogram - Turning into Stone
17. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness
18. Fun ft. Janelle Monae - We are Young
19. Florence and the Machine - Shake it Out
20. We Were Promised Jetpacks - Medicine
21. Hurricane Bells - Possibilities
22. Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
23. Papercranes - Synapses
24. M83 - Steve McQueen
25. The Airborne Toxic Event - Half of Something Else
26. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Niggas in Paris
27. Funeral Party - Finale
28. Neon Indian - Polish Girl
29. Explosions in the Sky - Last Known Surroundings
30. Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle
31. Rachel Yamagata - Even if I Don't
32. The Cults - Go Outside
33. The Joy Formidable - Whirring
34. The Naked and Famous - Girls Like You
35. Cold Cave - Great Pan is Dead
36. Sarah Jaffe - Clementine
37. Beirut - Sante Fe
38. Broken Records - A Darkness Rises Up
39. Opus Orange - Crystal Clear
40. Cut Copy - Need You Now

Top 40 Playlist --

Spotify:
http://open.spotify.com/user/12440324/playlist/2pNYCKZn2otDUCUstdt7HX

Grooveshark Embedded:

*Note: Sea Wolf - Song for the Magpie and Hurricane Bells - Possibilities were not available on Grooveshark but I found apt replacements for this playlist. The Hurricane Bells track in particular was my #2 song of 2009 even. The spotify playlists have all tracks accounted for properly.

Songs likely to be higher when I unfairly judge myself looking back at this next year:
15. Typhoon - Honest Truth 
18. Fun ft. Janelle Monae - We are Young 
34. The Naked and Famous - Girls Like You
And likely half a dozen or so Honorable Mention tracks I'm sure.


Last 5 Cut:

Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know
Ryan Adams - Lucky Now
The Airborne Toxic Event - Graveyard Near the House
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical

Honorable Mention Playlist --
(after the first 5 these are in no particular order)

Spotify:
http://open.spotify.com/user/12440324/playlist/1e1hXxe8VXo4i5AtzN3Khf

Grooveshark Embedded:

Song Stats:
Bands/Artists Featured Multiple Times - 10

The Rare 3 Mentions --
Bon Iver - #1 and #11 plus an Honorable Mention
M83 - #2 and #24 plus an Honorable Mention
The Naked and Famous - #9 and #34 plus an Honorable Mention

Top 5 New Band/Artist discoveries (for me) in 2011
1) The Head and the Heart
2) The Naked and Famous
3) Typhoon
4) Givers
5) Foster the People





Top 15 Albums of 2011
1) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2) Drive Soundtrack - Various Artists, Score by Cliff Martinez
3) M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
4) The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You
5) The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
6) Phantogram - Nightlife
7)  Super 8 - Score by Michael Giacchino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZgw-eaz1_0&feature=player_embedded 
8) The Airborne Toxic Event - All at Once
9) The Antlers - Burst Apart
10) GROUPLOVE - Never Trust a Happy Song
11) Explosions in the Sky
12) Moneyball - Score by Mychael Danna w/ contributions from 'This Will Destroy You'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJu0bNJKA6c&feature=player_embedded#!
13) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical
14) Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
15) Givers - In Light

Oscar Preview & Predictions Blog

So I won't be using this space to pick the winners, that will be reserved for a time further down the road when I have seen more of these films (I'm on a watching frenzy currently trying to catch-up). Instead this will be is a space to highlight what I believe will be nominated and then what I think *should* be nominated. All of which in no particular order.


Documentary and Foreign subjects are my current focus so more to come with those soon as well.


Simple enough. Lets begin:


Best Picture --
(Please note: The voting is different this year for Best Picture so there could be as few as 5 and as many as 10 nominees. I'll be picking ten just in case)

Who I think will be nominated:
The Artist
The Help
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
Hugo


Who I think SHOULD be nominated:
Drive
Hugo
Win/Win
Midnight in Paris
50/50
Take Shelter
Moneyball
A Separation
Warrior
The Descendants


Best Director --

Will be nominated:

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Tate Taylor, The Help
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

SHOULD be nominated:
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Takashi Miike, 13 Assassins
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive




Best Actor --

Will be nominated:
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Leonardo diCaprio, J.Edgar


SHOULD be nominated:
Michael Fassbender, Shame
George Clooney, The Descendants
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Thomas Horn - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50


Best Actress --

Will be nominated:
Viola Davis, The Help
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

SHOULD be nominated:
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
Leila Hatami - A Separation

Best Supporting Actor --

Will be nominated:
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method

SHOULD be nominated:
Albert Brooks, Drive
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Ben Kingsley, Hugo
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


Best Supporting Actress --




Will be nominated:
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs


SHOULD be nominated:
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Elle Fanning - Super 8
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Chloe Moretz - Hugo


Best Original Screenplay --

Will be nominated:
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumulo, Bridesmaids
Will Reiser, 50/50
Mike Mills, Beginners


SHOULD be nominated:
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Tom McCarthy and Joe Tibani, Win Win
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Ben Ripley, Source Code
Will Reiser, 50/50


Best Cinematography -- 

Will be nominated:
Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist
Emmanuel Lubezki , The Tree of Life
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Janusz Kaminski, War Horse


SHOULD be nominated
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Manuel Alberto Claro and Lars Von Trier, Melancholia
Newton Thomas Sigel, Drive
Sean Bobbitt, Shame


Note: I have yet to see "Warhorse" but I hear this will easily make my list but this is not an easy 5 to crack here so that remains to be seen.

Twenty-Eleven Music: Who Let the Filth Out

A Compilation of the Best of the Worst Music 2011 has to offer. ..


A guest post from the legendary Mr Matthew Hevey aka 'Doofin'. And a mighty fine one at that I might add. Here's to hoping this is not the last such post from Matt, because this... is glorious.




20) Willow Smith – 21st Century 

Apparently, level 25 in Scientology involves forcing your daughter to record an impotent version of a Rihanna/Kesha mashup.  Thankfully, it looks like Willow has already gotten her own Wild, Wild West out of the way.


19) Patrick Stump – This City

Look, I was all for being a Fall Out Boy apologist when it seemed like they were the only band around. Somewhere I grew tired, much like Stump’s ongoing crusade to prove he is the white Michael Jackson. If only that was true, so he could have been drugged by a money hungry physician and spared us from this garbage.

18) Chris Brown – Look At Me Now  

I really struggled putting this song here, as it’s a ridiculously good beat, not to mention Busta and Lil Wayne’s turns are more than enough to make it a good song on its own. Unfortunately someone let Chris Brown in the studio, where he somehow channeled his inner John Lennon to come up with some lyrics like:  
…she accidentally slip and fall on my dick
Oops I said on my dick
I ain’t really mean to say on my dick
But since we talking about my dick
All of your haters say hi to it…


I’d make a domestic abuse joke, but Brown’s grasp of rhyme scheme seems to be the lower hanging fruit.




17) Design the Skyline – Surrounded by Silence

You know those kids who drive their parents to nervous breakdowns by haphazardly banging pots and pans and throwing temper tantrums for no reason? Well, a group of them grew up and formed a band, got anime haircuts and reaffirmed your suspicions that there is no God.




16) Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song

What is there to say? Bruno Mars doesn’t feel like doing anything. You know, like being original or writing a halfway decent song.  Truthfully, who can blame him, what with so much pompadour styling and so little time?




15) Big Sean – Dance (A$$)  

In 2009, Jay Sean brought us the seminal hit “Down”, where he repeated the titular word 72 times in a span of under 4 minutes. Not to be outdone, Big Sean has decided to bring us what appears to be the most unimaginative Mad Lib ever created, with the word A$$ being repeated 76 times. Noun? “Wobbledy-wobble”, Big Sean says.  Adjective? “Hammer time.”  Verb? “Go stupid.” Oh, you did that and then some, (insert adjective) Sean.




14) Big Sean – My Last   

You know what’s worse than Drake? Sounding like a confused ripoff of Drake. All monotony aside, this song lives on two ends of a spectrum. In one hand, Chris Brown and Overcompensating Sean are letting us know they are going to head into the night like they’ve never done it before. But just before that, they were going to do the same thing like it was their last.  Thankfully, the confusion is cleared by obvious stroke Big Sean is having, causing the endless amount of stuttering. God willing, this song will be, be, be his, be his last.




13) Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci

I’m trying hard to figure out how I am supposed to respect three white girls from Oakland who dress like a hipster crashed headfirst into a secondhand Disney store. Oh, and then they make aural vomit. I’m pretty sure I’d rather listen to a pack of rabies-infested raccoons eat my firstborn then listen to this golf range vacuum cart.


Because they suck balls, you see.




12) Lady – Yankin

For years the world has been clamoring for a daring female rap artist to tell us how fantastic her vagina is. Right on cue, Lady showed up. And with a classy name like that, we were sure to learn all the subtle nuances of and genteel ways to please a woman’s hoo ha. Or, maybe she could be a psycho whore who equates her flesh covered bear trap to a group of weightlifters playing tug of war, and the rope is attached to your penis. 






11) Chris Brown – Wet The Bed

This is your third appearance, Chris. 2011 was obviously not a good year for you, highlighted by your grotesque explanation of moistening your lover’s lady bits. Where Ginuwine tried to be cute with metaphors, you cut no corners and took what should have stayed a locker room conversation and applied a D’Angelo beat to it, proving once and for all that you think as much of songwriting as you do Rihanna’s face.






10) Lil B – I Got Aids

Remember when Tupac wrote Brenda’s Got A  Baby and you thought, “What a good exposition into the life of a single woman in the hood and how hard life can be overall?” Well, Lil B wants to take all of that, throw it out the window and make AIDS sound more uncomfortable that it could ever actually feel. There’s a good message in here, unfortunately it’s wrapped in lyrics whose T-Cell counts are diminishing with every second.




9) Lady Gaga – Judas  

Nothing more than a cacophony of afferent intonations bombastically reverberating in sonic resonance culminating in an insipid and inutile denouement with no formulated missive. See, Gaga, I can be pretentious with saying anything too! In the future, stick to sounding like Madonna rather than acting like her, as this is nothing more than a pop version of a Disturbed song combined with your narcissistic need to say your own name in songs. How many piece of silver did it take for you to sell your soul, by the way?




8) Kim Kardashian – Jam (Turn It Up)

Turn me up turn me up turn me turn me turn me up yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. That’s how the song starts. They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam They Playing my jam turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up. That’s how the chorus goes. As many times as Ray J came on her face, you’d think she would have at least gotten a hint of talent out of it.




7) Toby Keith – Red Solo Cup  

Fresh out of ways to milk money from the masses who have no more to worry about other than Mexicans stealing all the dirt from their tires and Muslims existing altogether, Toby Keith turned to something that spends most of its existence as empty as his head is. The only thing worse than Toby Keith continuing to make music is…well, you’re about to see.




6) Trace Adkins – Brown Chicken Brown Cow

Reference to farm: Check. Reference to character with two first names: Check. Reference to beer: Check. Muppets having sex in a barn:. Chec…wait, what the living hell? More disturbing than Adkins thinking this was a good idea for a song (and video) is the fact that the two people in this song can’t get their kicks anywhere except in a barn. I’m afraid to see if the third verse includes the animals in the action. Aww, who the hell am I kidding, it’s country. Of COURSE it does. 




5) Jason Aldean – Dirt Road Anthem

He’s hitting easy street on mud tires. He’s chilling on a dirt road. Laid back swerving, with an ice cold beer sitting in the console. But wait, kids, this song isn’t only about driving drunk. It’s also a lesson in everything that’s wrong with white people rapping. Yeah, Aldean *tries* his hand at flowing on the mic. He’s about as effective as Rick Perry in a debate, only with much less charm. 


4) Brian McFadden – Just the Way You Are (Drunk At the Bar)

You know what’s better than a banjo laced song about DUIs and lack of infrastructure in the south? A banjo laced song about lusting after a drunk chick and date raping her in your car. This is what would have happened if  those bastards that sang Cotton Eyed Joe had gotten  a hold of your drink while you’re not looking. But fear not, wary drinkers, even if your rum and coke is secure, he’s already gotten rapey with your ears in this god awful mess of a song. 






3) Hot Chelle Rae – Tonight Tonight  

There was a scene in the Land of the Lost (don’t judge me you anonymous prick) where Will Ferrell was shit out by a T-Rex, and he has a hard time coming to terms with it. Which I’m pretty sure is an allegory for this travesty. I could go off on the holocaust of haircuts in this band alone, but I’ll hold back. It’s easy to see that their lyrics reflect how this collection of music professionals’ kids feel about music. You realize how bad this is, right? “La la la. Whatever.” But you’re not even a real band! “La la la. It doesn’t matter.” You realize you’ll never be respected because people know how talentless you are, right? “But watch how good we’ll fake it.”


Fuck you, Hot Chelle Rae. Fuck you indeed.




2) Rebecca Black – Friday  

Look. You’ve heard this song 7,000 times. You and your frands have laughed at her. So there’s not too much to say here. She over enunciates her i’s, she’s indecisive about a god damned car seat, and they autotuned her autotune just to make this shit tolerable. She has a pedophilic black friend and a 1st grade grasp on days of the week. The only way in history that  $5,000 was spent worse was Nicole Simpson’s security setup.




1) Heart2Heart – Facebook Official   

Listen to it. Seriously, listen to the whole, miserable thing. If there is any bit of this that you find enjoyable, walk into traffic because you are a horrible person. For the rest of us, wipe the blood from your ears and focus. You know who to blame for that? Lance. M-Fing. Bass. While Justin Timberlake is becoming a silver screen darling, Lance Bass is finding ways to shit through stereo. He deserves a lifetime of punishment, to be delivered in the form of heterosexual sex for a millennia. Brian McFadden style, of course.

Top 10 Mancrushes of 2011

in no particular order...



Donald Glover



The reason for me to be excited on Thursday Nights. Community is hands down the funniest show on TV (seriously, it's not up for debate) and despite a wonderful cast from start to finish no one makes me laugh more than "Troy". Throw in his new rap album as "Childish Gambino" and seeing him do stand-up and rap at Fun, Fun, Fun Fest and my crush reached new heights in 2011.


Ricky Gervais 



This is a newcomer to the list, and honestly it was a long time coming. The original Office and his podcasts alone should have given him his spot years before but he reached new heights with me after hosting the Golden Globes and the subsequent outspoken defense of Atheist everywhere. His closing line for the 2011 Globes, in front of millions says it all "... and thanks to God... for making me an atheist."



Neil deGrasse Tyson
              

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Neil deGrasse Tyson
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

Science has needed someone like this for decades and now, *finally* they have their face for the masses. A charismatic genius that "gets it". Neil is as cool as they come and in an industry that no one ever thought was "cool" to begin with but now that all changes.



Jordan Hulls



The best shooting PG in the nation that was born in Indiana, was the Indiana Mr. Basketball as a HS senior and is one of the toughest SOB's on the floor every single time out is a resume enough. But to then lead my resurgent Indiana Hoosier squad to a now 11-0 record and our first top 25 ranking in nearly 4 years? Now, a lot of people might think I'd pick freshman Phenom Cody Zeller here but the team starts and ends with Mr. Jordy Hulls.



Dennis Kucinich



One more list and this man makes the Hall of Fame (see below). As the congressman for Ohio this is THE politician who really understands what the American people want and isn't afraid to say it. His help to get the Ohio Workers Bill voted down (http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0211/Kucinich_to_rally_in_solidarity_with_Ohio_public_workers.html) is yet another notch on a very impressive belt of accomplishments.



Andrew Garfield



I noticed him first on the criminally underrated Red Riding Trilogy. Then there was Never Let Me Go and his breakthrough performance in The Social Network. But for me it all came together after this one interview above. This one time where I realized that he too is just a nerd appealing to other nerds and how can I not get behind a calling like that?



Ryan Gosling



Yeah, yeah.. I know that anyone listing Ryan Gosling on a crushlist is about as shocking as Lindsay Lohan posing in playboy, it was all bound to happen. But Ryan took what was already a very stellar resume (Half Nelson, Lars & the Real Girl, Blue Valentine) and then added THE film of 2011 - Drive. The fanaticism and fact that he stared in the equally shitty as drive is amazing 'The Notebook' knocks him down some notches but in reality those aren't fair to him. Dude is just awesome. And I want to be friends. Yeah. 


Stephen Colbert
     

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Bill O'Reilly Proves God's Existence - Neil deGrasse Tyson
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Another on the verge of a HOF spot. Colbert has taken his bit to new levels and continues to make tongue in cheek humor that is still informative.  And to illustrate this all while coming full circle to the post a few spots above I present to you this clip.


Win Butler

Take the band with the greatest album of the decade, add in one of the best albums of last year (which even surprisingly won them a 2011 Grammy) and then allow me to see them live in what was perhaps one of the 3 greatest shows of my entire lifetime? That's a good stretch for Win and his band Arcade Fire. Throw in some amazing humanitarian efforts and the fact that I was even sent a hand signed post card from the band simply for donating to their charity and well... you have the recipe for a man crush.



Rachel Maddow



















Well, you see... Ahem.


Bonus Pick:
Christopher Hitchens



This is a bit of an honorary pick since, unfortunately, Mr Hitchens left us on 12/15. Author of the hilarious yet informative "God is not Great" and along with one of my favorite Authors Chuck Klosterman helped with a series of Vanity Fair articles that are both controversial and invigorating. You will be missed sir. RIP.


Hall of Fame
P.T. Anderson
Sean Astin
Reggie Miller
Peyton Manning
Rivers Cuomo
Jason Schwartzman


Creepy Specific Crushes



Ron Swanson smiling
Jared Leto AS Jordan Catalanto only
Bernie Sanders in a suit on the Senate Floor
Jake Gyllenhaal ranting in Donnie Darko

Top 10, err... 15 Concerts I Attended in 2011

In the first of my Best Of 2011 lists...

To follow there will be Best Of's in Film, Albums, Songs, TV and a few random surprises. But we shall start here. And keep in mind too these aren't necessarily the best bands, just the best shows. Although that of course plays a HUGE influence.

And in what is becoming a tradition with my music lists here is a Spotify Playlist specially created with only bands I saw in 2011. 

Spotify '11 Concerts Playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/12440324/playlist/7o4TyTc4J1gyn4qRyOFFH8

15) Justin Townes Earle

Grant/Millennium Park - Chicago

Choice Moment: Doing a heartbreaking yet fun rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Racing in the Street"

Show Clip: There were only two total clips online so this will have to do.

14) Pete Yorn with Ben Kweller (On my 31st Birthday btw)

Canopy Club - Champaign, Il

Choice Moment: Ben Kweller's piano solo cover of the Beach Boys "God Only Knows". That and me catching a drumstick of course.

Show Clip: I actually have some video of this but its not handy. This will have to do instead (he played this acoustic in this show as well). I effing love it when he breaks the verse down too.

13) The Dodos

in a small church - Champaign - Pygmalion Music Festival

Choice Moment: The atmosphere is what made this so special. Just watching these guys play 8 and 9 minute+ version of their work in this small intimate setting with a stained glass window behind them was perfection. I liked this band before this show, I loved them after.

Show Clip: Sadly no actual clip can be found. But this wonderfully building piece below perfectly exemplifies what this band is like live.

12) Bob Schneider and Filter

Bat Fest 2011 - Austin, TX

Choice Moment: This was my first concert in Austin so it had a special meaning regardless. But seeing the Adam West rocking out to some 'Honey Pot' and then an impromptu cover by Bob and his band of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" are moments I won't soon forget.

Show Clip: Just a friend... with a lil' improv in that Bob Schneider way. This whole performance and show just reeks of Austin.

11) Alpha Rev with Quiet Company, Joe Pug and Ed Rolland of Collective Soul
La Zona Rosa - Austin
Choice Moment: Ed Roland on stage singing "World I Know" and "Shine" with Alpha Rev. Something I never thought I'd hear again live in my lifetime. Throw in Quiet Company's cover of "El Scorcho" and we had one hell of a successful show.

Show Clip: This is actually my own video that I uploaded to my facebook. I think my quote to my friend right before they played this was "If they play 'The World I Know' I may lose it".

10) Iron & Wine with The Head and the Heart
Vogue Theater - Indianapolis
Choice Moment: Both bands on stage for a stirring collaborative version of "Boy with a Coin". This also was the first I had ever heard of The head and the Heart who are now one of my favorite new bands of 2011.

Show Clip: Sadly no actual clip could be found. But they did perform a very striking version of this song below in the same manner, which of course was effing moving.

9) Death Cab for Cutie
Austin Music Hall - Austin
Choice Moment: Closing the show with a 10 minute version of Transatlantacism, my all-time favorite Death Cab track. That alone was worth the price of admission and was the first time I had ever heard it Live.

Show Clip: I was up stairs in a VIP area with a pretty sweet view. The crowd singing along to a stripped down version of "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" also was pretty sweet:

 


8) M83, Lykke Li, Ra Ra Riot, Spoon, Joy Formiddable, Childish Gambino, Cold Cave
Fun, Fun, Fun Fest - Austin
Choice Moment: Honestly it might have been Donald Glover's standup but aside from that the M83 and LykKe Li shows were two that exceeded my expectations.

Show Clip: I dig this a lot because you can see how well they utilized the stage. it was a long day so I was sitting for part of this but it was a wonderful way to wind down the fest.

 

7) Braid, Deerhoof, Japandroids, Asobi Seksu, Strfkr 
PolyVinyl 15th Anniversary Show - Pygmalion Music Fest - Champaign
Choice Moment: Pretty much the second Braid got on stage. I felt like I was 15 again. 

Show Clip: I was all over the place for this show but for Braid was pretty close the first half, and for good reason
 

6) Godspeed You! Black Emperor 
Metro - Chicago
Choice Moment: Uhh, seeing Godspeed live. Seriously, this was something I had waited years for. The use of lights and stage accents really helped as well. 

Show Clip: I was actually way in the back for this one, but it didn't matter. You can enjoy them from anywhere. This is 15 minutes that you need to invest right here

5) Foster the People, MGMT, The Shins, Big Boi, Phantogram, Erykah Badu, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Phish 
Outside Lands Fest - San Francisco 
Choice Moment: Foster the People covering well... let me just link this below. If you don't know why this was so awesome you don't know me too well. 

All in all this was an amazing festival from top to bottom. And with 65 degree weather in SF the week after I just accepted a new job and moved across the country it was a fitting way to end my weekend



4) Bon Iver
Chicago Theater - Chicago
Choice Moment: Completely stripped down Acoustic version of "Skinny Love" with the crowd singing along.

Show Clip: about ten rows from the front, on the left side. Every single song was so damn powerful, this is how the show opened. Just like on the new album.

3) The National with Local Natives
Austin Music Hall - Austin
Choice Moment: Encore set by The National that included lead singer Matt Berninger walking through the entire crowd belting the repeated lyrics at the end of Terrible Love. Followed by a 100% unplugged (literally, not even a mic) and singing in unison with the crowd for the finale.

Show Clip: The true closing number, completely unplugged. Brilliant

 


2) Weezer
Memories Tour -Pinkerton Album - Chicago
Choice Moment: For those not familiar this wasn't just a 'Weezer' concert, this was them playing Pinkerton, in it's entirety, from start top finish. So hearing tracks like Butterfly and Across the Sea was beyond special since these are songs that Rivers usually refuses to play in other shows because of how personal and emotionally tragic they are. 

Show Clip: Was right in front, dead center for this with Vicki and friends belting out every lyric in unison. When the crowd goes nuts here is a "memory" indeed

 

















1) Arcade Fire with The National
UIC Pavilion - Chicago
Choice Moment: The entire show really. This may have been the greatest concert of my lifetime even. Arcade Fire played an over 2 hour set that I will likely never forget.


Show Clip: I was a bit closer than this, just towards the right of the stage. The energy of the crowd was and is palpable. This may have been the greatest show of the last decade for me, not just 2011. Effing perfection.

Honorable Mention: Passion Pit (Assembly Hall - Champaign) Appleseed Cast (Champaign), Saves the Day with Bayside (Austin), Cut Copy with Washed Out (Champaign, Pygmalion Music Fest), Bear Hands (Champaign, Pygmalion Music Fest), Margot & the Nuclear So &So's (Vogue Theater, Indianapolis), Girl Talk (Canopy Club - Champaign)