My Favorite Concerts of the Last Ten Years

It was hard to narrow it down to a decent number. I decided that these are the fourteen essentials. I plan to see a show this weekend, so unless it knocks my socks off, this is the final list.

Ark Attack/One Eyed Doll, Dragon*Con, 2009

• Ark Attack: making music with lightning. And One-Eyed Doll with the crazy fully-in-character act complete with the mostly mute “Number Three.”

David Bazan, Grimey’s, 2009

• A small, intimate show. He was very candid with the audience.

Garth Brooks, Roy Acuff Theater, 2001

• This was the first event I had been to after 9/11 that didn’t feature a big American Flag center stage. It was also a welcome change of pace to hear someone talking peacenik. Garth Brooks playing guitar on the left. Anthony Zerbe reading passages from a memoir on the right. The highlights was his playing “Belleau Wood” one of my favorite songs.

The Coup, Bonnaroo, 2008

• Only the main two members were present as the rest of the band was at church. Boots came out and performed the first song a cappella. For the rest of the set, their manager and booking agent came out and played instruments. Boots Riley then did a country version of ShoYoAss”. It was epic.

The Dillinger Escape Plan, Bonnaroo, 2009

• I always try to push my way to the front of the crowd. In this case, I found myself in the middle of a spontaneous mosh pit.

The Flaming Lips, Bonnaroo, 2007

• I walked out of a Flight of the Conchords show and stumbled on this insane sight. Giant puppets moving through the crowd, confetti, lasers, giant glowing balls rolling across the crowd, crowd surfing, a giant video screen. Also, pot.

Ben Folds, Uptown Mix, 2002

• Ben Folds is also in the running for the artist I’ve seen the most. This outdoor concert remains my favorite of his. My future roommate hitched a ride home with us. We managed to get everyone in the car despite the fact that I had six girls in it. I used to have a harem. What happened?

Green Day, Gaylord Theater, 2005

• I very rarely go to stadium shows, but for this one, I had pushed my way so far up, it was like a small space – but with a huge crowd surrounding us. Crowd surfing, mosh pits, audience participation. And non-stop Bush-bashing greeted with wild cheers from the enthusiastic crowd. Something I was very happy to hear at the time. Still am, really.

How I Became the Bomb, USN, 2006

• Not really a concert. A different, more awesome event. But they were performing, and they were incredibly nice to me.

Jeffrey Lewis, Grimey’s, 2008

• There was less than ten people at this one. He and I made eye contact during a song. Afterwards, he mentioned how awkward it is to make eye contact with the audience. It was awkward on my end, too.

Conor Oberst, The Ryman, 2008

• Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes is in the running for the artist I’ve seen in concert the most. Twice at the Ryman, once at Bonnaroo, and once at Grimey’s. But his most recent appearance at the Ryman is my favorite. I had a great seat. He seemed to be in a good mood (and sober), and he joked about how someone had mistaken him for a Christian music fan.

Pearl Jam, Bonnaroo, 2008

• While I was waiting for the show to start, this guy named Benjamin started talking to me. Benjamin was a little off, but he was fun to talk to. While we’re talking, Benjamin shouts to someone he knows making his way through the crowd. This guy was dressed in a full Santa Claus suit. In ninety-something degree weather. The guy in the Santa suit pushes his way past without acknowledging Benjamin. When the guy dressed as Santa in ninety degree weather pretends he doesn’t know you, something is wrong. The show was good, too.

Radiohead, Bonnaroo, 2006

• According to one Radiohead superfan, this show was the longest that Radiohead ever performed. It had been a long day and my back was hurting, but it was worth it.

Jason White, 3^rd and Lindsley, 2001

• Another artist contending for the most seen by myself. This was the first show of his I attended. He added an extra verse to “At the Alibi”.

And the rest that I was seriously considering.

• Abney Park
• The Avett Brothers
• Against Me!
• Beck
• Bright Eyes
• My friend Don
• The Killers
• M.C. Homocide
• Nickel Creek
• Nine Inch Nails
• The Queers
• Sigur Ros
• Spoon
• Tool
• The White Stripes