Movin' on...

three runners-up...

Allen Toussaint - Bluesfest July 5th. Got drunk, had a great time watching an old new orleans musician play a fun show on a sidestage. Good times. Highlights: Fortune teller.

The next two, it pains me to leave them out of the top five, but it was just that good of a year.

Neil Young, The Wilcos and Everest - Ottawa, Decemeber 2nd

Wilco bores me, but they played something off the woody guthrie album, so that's something. Now Neil...Neil took first place last year for the Massey Hall show, which was one of the more incredible shows I've ever seen, and this year was great too, but it was in a hockey arena, which Massey Hall isn't. Anyway, great setlist: a bunch of "hits" I'd never seen him do before, and a few new ones, topped off by a beatles cover. Yeah. That'll do me. Highlights: Hey hey, my my, cortez the killer, cowgirl in the sand, rockin in the free world, a day in the life

Ray Davies & Shelby Lynne- Bluesfest July 11th

I've only recently started getting into the kinks, so when I saw Ray was coming to bluesfest and doing an acoustic show, I didn't know what to expect. So Shelby Lynne is on before him, and she's easy on the eyes and...what's this? JJ Jackson (ex of "and his band") is her guitarist! Ha! I spent a fair amount of time heckling him during the show, which was all in good fun. Then I get front and centre for Ray, who comes out with another guitarist and proceeds to knock out a bunch of Kinks Klassix. Nice. Then he sings "dead end street", which had me floating for a week. Then some new songs (shrugs), and back to the Kinks. But then...he brings on Shelby Lynne's band (including JJ!) for the last two songs...rockin' versions of "you really got me" and "all day and all of the night." Yes! Ray: "for one night, we were the kinks." Awesome. No waterloo sunset though, which was the only downer. Highlights: dead-end street, you really got me, all day and all of the night, sunny afternoon, set me free

Which leaves the top 5. There will be Beatles content.

Hey, another list! (Oh boy oh boy oh boy...)

Well, there's two weeks left in the year and I don't expect to go to any more shows this year (checks dylan and oasis tour schedules...well, oasis at MSG tomorrow would be pretty sweet, but...) so I guess that means it's time to do the top 5 shows o'the year, innit?

First, a few contenders that didn't quite make it.

oasis/Ryan Adams & the Carindals/some other guy - Ottawa, September 4th

What? oasis in "not top 5 shocker"? Well, kind of but not quite. The show was great, but it was still ottawa, and they ran out of beer after Ryan Adams' set (draw your own conclusions) and Ryan Adams wasn't that great, and....it was still great, but...I dunno. Highlights: I am the walrus, to be where there's life, wonderwall, supersonic, slide away etc. etc.

Brian Wilson - Bluesfest July 9th

We were giddy as schoolgirls naming off all the songs we wanted him to sing, and then we got right up close to the stage...and then he sang pretty much everything you'd want Brian Wilson to sing. Great show. Highlights: the power failure during I get around, Help me rhonda, Sloop John B and Barbara Ann

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Montreal March 2nd

On the list if only for Jungleland, which was 10 of the most thrilled minutes I've ever spent at a concert. More enjoyable than the Ottawa 2007 show, and less enjoyable than what was to follow. Highlights: Jungleland, because the night, the river

The Subways - New York City, July 26th

I was supposed to get into the NYC at around 6:30 and head over to my friend's place and crash, but on a whim I decided to check the listings to see who was in town that night, and lo and behold the subways were playing the blender theatre. Score! Head straight downtown (uptown? I can never get that straight), walk in right as they're finishing their first song, which leads right into "oh yeah!", which happens to be my favourite subways song. Nice one. Great show, great venue, great luck. Highlights: Oh yeah! Alright, Rock'n roll queen

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Giants Stadium New Jersey July 29th

2nd night on the trot, wasn't as good as the first night. Too many songs I don't love in the main set (drive all night? ewwww....) but the encore...oh man, the encore. FINALLY Bruce sings Thunder road for me, and follows it up with a rousing Detroit Medley, Born to run, Glory Days and a wacky version of Twist & shout for the 2nd encore. Great show. Highlights: Held up without a gun, it's hard to be a saint in the city, thunder road, detroit medley

The Tragically Hip - Kingston Ontario February 23rd

Saw them do their warm-up show (earlier in the week in a theatre in Brockville, of all places) for the big homecoming/arena opening gig in Kingston, and I wasn't overly impressed. Too greatest hitsy, and too many songs I'd seen them do before. But then, K-town. Our seats were behind the stage, for starters, which made for some wacky visuals (hey, look at akroyd's bald spot! hey, look how many extra mic stands Gord has!) but once they were on stage, it was great. Plus, Akroyd on harmonica for locked in the trunk of a car, and my first time seeing pigeon camera and 50 mission cap. Yay! Highlights: 38 years old, pigeon camera, locked in the trunk of a car

Radiohead - Montreal August 6th

I wish I could remember more of this, but maaaaaaaaan was I ever drunk. I do remember the fireworks off to the side being pretty cool and being thrilled they played my two favourite radiohead songs. Which I suppose makes more sense than them playing my two favourite rolling stones songs. Highlights: You and whose army, karma police, like spinning plates, lucky


Later: the 2 runners up and then the top 5 shows of the year. Yippee!