The Black Angels, “Phosphene Dream”
The National, “High Violet”
The Black Keys, “Brothers”
Titus Andronicus, “The Monitor”
Junip, “Fields”
Jonsi, “Go”
Thee Oh Sees, “Warm Slime”
Frightened Rabbit, “The Winter of Mixed Drinks”
Sleigh Bells, “Treats”
J. Roddy Watson and the Business, “J. Roddy Watson and the Business”
Dum Dum Girls, “I Will Be”
V.V. Brown, “Travelling Like the Light”
Wolf Parade, “Expo 86”
Cee-Lo Green, “The Lady Killer”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Before Today”
Clinic, “Bubblegum”
My Chemical Romance, “Danger Days”
Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
The ACB’s, “Stona Rosa”
Soft Reeds, “Soft Reeds Are Bastards”
Sara Swenson, “All Things Big and Small”
Hearts of Darkness, “Hearts of Darkness”
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
Mikal Shapiro, “For Good”
John Velghe, “John Velghe”
Kristie Stremel & the 159ers, “The Color of Stars”
Kirsten Paludan, “All In”
Barclay Martin Ensemble, “Pools That Swell With the Rain”
Mark Lowrey, “Live at Jardine’s”
“The Oil Boiler” soundtrack
Cowboy Indian Bear, “Each Other All the Time”
Making Movies, “In Deo Speramus”
MBird, “Over the Bones”
Oriole Post, “Silver City”
Margo May, “Summer of”
Monta at Odds, “Fuoco Infernale”
Hidden Pictures, “Choosing Sides”
Vi Tran, "Goodbye, Summer"
The Belles, "Time Flies When You're Losing Your Mind"
Pedaljets at the RecordBar
Latenight Callers at Crosstown Station
Grisly Hand at Crosstown Station
Bleach Bloodz with Howard Iceberg at Mercy Seat alley
Making Movies at the RecordBar
Dead Voices at Czar Bar
Atlantic Fadeout at Crosstown Station
Hammerlord at the RecordBar
Soft Reeds at the Riot Room
Barclay Martin Ensemble at Folly Theater
American Catastrophe at Midwest Music Co.
Three Water Moccasins at Czar Bar
String & Return at Crosstown Station
Sons of Great Dane at the RecordBar
Skybox at the Riot Room
Roger Waters “The Wall Live” at the Sprint Center
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at the Midland
The Budos Band at the RecordBar
Pearl Jam at the Sprint Center
Flatlanders at Knuckleheads
AC/DC at the Sprint Center
Gregg Allman at the VooDoo Lounge
Levon Helm at Crossroads KC
The Sword at the RecordBar
Jeff Beck at Starlight
The National at the Uptown
Raul Malo at Knuckleheads
Pixies at the Uptown
Mark Knopfler at the Midland
Steve Martin at the Midland
The Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings show at the Midland was a highlight for many.
Bill Brownlee
Star contributing reviewer and blogger (Plastic Sax, There Stands the Glass)
Bobby Watson, “Gates BBQ Suite”
Sleigh Bells, “Treats”
Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green, “Apex”
The Deftones, “Diamond Eyes”
Rick Ross, “Teflon Don”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Tracey Thorn, “Love and Its Opposite”
Merle Haggard, “I Am What I Am”
Esperanza Spalding, “Chamber Music Society”
Alaturka, “Tamam Abi”
Robert Folsom
Star contributing reviewer
Mingus Big Band, “Live at Jazz Standard”
Antonio Sanchez, “Live in New York at Jazz Standard”
Scott Colley, “Empire”
Grupo Fantasma, “El Existential”
Bobby Watson, “Gates BBQ Suite”
Hot Club of Detroit, “It’s About That Time”
Fabrizio Sotti, “Inner Dance”
Geri Allen and Timeline, “Live”
Dollison and Marsh, “Vertical Voices: The Music of Maria Schneider”
Randy Weston and His African Rhythms Sextet, “The Storyteller: Live at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Jeneé Osterheldt
Star columnist
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Sade, “Soldier of Love”
Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah, Pt. 2”
The Black Keys, “Brothers”
Drake, “Thank Me Later”
John Legend and the Roots, “Wake Up!”
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, “I Learned the Hard Way”
The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday”
Steve Wilson
Music writer/commentator and Star contributing reviewer
The Black Angels, “Phosphene Dream”
Mystery Jets, “Serotonin”
Manic Street Preachers, “Postcards From a Young Man”
Jesse Malin, “Love It to Life”
Bleach Bloodz, “Pure Rock N Roll/Live and Raw/Devil Magick”
Diamond Rings, “Special Affections”
Wounded Lion, “Wounded Lion”
Deerhunter, “Halcyon Digest”
Roky Erickson, “True Love Cast Out All Evil”
Aloe Blacc, “Good Things”
Chuck Haddix
Host of “Fish Fry” on KCUR (89.3 FM)
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, “I Learned the Hard Way”
Buddy Guy, “Living Proof”
Maria Muldaur and Her Garden of Joy, “Good Time Music for Hard Times”
Eli “Paperboy” Reed, “Come and Get It”
Derek Trucks, “Roadsongs”
Janiva Magness, “The Devil Is an Angel, Too”
Syl Johnson, “Complete Mythology”
Mark Lowrey, “Live at Jardine’s”
Asleep at the Wheel, “It’s a Good Day”
Tom Feldman & the Get-Rites, “Tribute”
Robert Moore
Host of “Sonic Spectrum” on KRBZ (the Buzz)
Clinic, “Bubblegum”
The National, “High Violet”
Love Is All, “Two Thousand and Ten Injuries”
The Fall, “Your Future Our Clutter”
Frightened Rabbit, “The Winter of Mixed Drinks”
Junip, “Fields”
The Black Angels, “Phosphene Dream”
Blonde Redhead, “Penny Sparkle”
The Sword, “Warp Riders”
Gil Scott-Heron, “I’m New Here”
Kliph Scurlock
Flaming Lips
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Before Today”
Tame Impala, “InnerSpeaker”
Euros Child, “Face Dripping”
Major Games, “ep1”
Richard James, “We Went Riding”
MGMT, “Congratulations”
Perfume Genius, “Learning”
Dungen, “Skit Allt”
Marnie Stern, “Marnie Stearn”
Tonya da Gattora vs. Gruff Rhys, “The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness”
Ben Grimes
Soft Reeds (band)
Hawkwind
Fela Kuti, “Afrodisiac”
Nancy Adams, “Love”
Atlas Sound, “Bedroom Databank, Vol. 1”
Girls, “Broken Dreams Club”
Love Is All, “Two Thousand and Ten Injuries”
The Sea & Cake
“The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi”
“Bronson” soundtrack
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
David Cantwell
Music author/writer
Girl Talk, “All Day”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Cee Lo Green, “The Lady Killer”
Kings Go Forth, “The Outsiders Are Back”
Bruce Springsteen, “The Promise”
Corinne Bailey Rae, “The Sea”
Big Boi, “Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty”
Cee Lo Green, “Stray Bullets”
The New Pornographers, “Together”
Mavis Staples, “You Are Not Alone”
Jeff Fortier
Mammoth (promoter)
Yeasayer, “Madder Red”
Thom Yorke at the Aragon Ballroom (Chicago)
Empire of the Sun, “Walking on a Dream” remixes
Jeff Beck at Starlight
David Gray at the Uptown
Ray Davies at Liberty Hall
Bad Brains at Roseland (Chicago)
MGMT at the Uptown
Mark Farina at Lucky Strike
Pavement at the Uptown (favorite show)
The Sword at the RecordBar
Les Izmore
Rapper/singer, Hearts of Darkness
Leonard Dstroy & Kutty Slitz, “Lenny Slitz Project”
The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at the Midland
Opening for Lupe Fiasco at the Midland with D/Will members of Hearts of Darkness
Soft Reeds, “This Affair” (song)
The ACB’s, “Be Professional” (song)
Janelle Monae, “Tightrope” (song)
Big Boi, “Shutterbug” (song)
Dead Prez featuring Divine , “Malcolm, Garvey, Huey” (song)
Miles Bonny
DJ
Miles Bonny “INcense and Wine”
Reggie B, “The Traveler”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Reggie B & Miles Bonny, “Doin’ Our Thing”
Kid Cudi, “Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager”
Nathan Reusch
Owner, the Record Machine Records
The Walkmen, “Lisbon”
Twin Sister, “Color Your Life”
Sufjan Stevens, “Age of Adz/All Delighted Peoples”
Guards, “Guards”
Delorean, “Subiza”
Baths, “Cerulean”
Small Black, “New Chain”
Wild Nothing, “Gemini”
No Age, “Everything in Between”
Deerhunter, “Halycon Digest”
Richard Gintowt
Singer/songwriter, Hidden Pictures
Marching Band, “Pop Cycle”
The Silver Seas, “Chateau Revenge!”
The ACB’s, “Stona Rosa”
Nada Surf, “If I Had a Hi-Fi”
Miniature Tigers, “Fortress”
Darwin Deez, “Darwin Deez”
Belle & Sebastian, “Belle & Sebastian Write About Love”
Teenage Fanclub, “Shadows”
Of Montreal, “False Priest”
Vexatious Prince cover band justifies its existence with best record since “Satanic Panic in the Attic”
Via Audio, “Animalore”
Tanna Guthrie
KUDL host
Raul Malo at Knuckleheads
Train/Butch Walker, the Uptown
James Taylor and Carole King, the Sprint Center
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, the Midland
Rick Springfield, the Midland
Scissor Sisters, “Night Work”
Bleu, “Four”
J. Roddy Watson & the Business, “J. Roddy Watson & the Business”
Jet, “Shaka Rock”
Michael Buble, “Hollywood” (song)
Listening to Allen Stone sing at the Conspiracy Room
Jon Hart
Host, program director for KTBG (the Bridge)
John Prine, “In Person & On Stage”
Jonsi, “Go”
Robert Plant, “Band of Joy”
Michael Franti & Spearhead, “Sound of Sunshine”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Tallest Man on Earth, “The Wild Hunt”
Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
Broken Bells, “Broken Bells”
Vampire Weekend, “Contra”
Josh Ritter, “So Runs the World Away”
Laura Lorson
Host, producer for KPR
The Octopus Project, “Hexadecagon”
Thee Oh Sees, “Warm Slime”
Four Tet, “There Is Love in You”
The Fresh & Onlys, “Play It Strange”
Royal Baths, “Litanies”
Sea of Bees, “Songs for the Ravens”
Sleigh Bells, “Treats”
Jónsi, “Go”
Deerhunter, “Halcyon Digest”
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Before Today”
Keenan Nichols
The Architects
Nick Curran & the Lowlifes, “Reform School Girl” (album)
Valient Thorr, “Double Crossed” (song and music video)
“Joby the Dog/Joby the Dog Autotune” (YouTube vdeo)
Scion Garage Fest (favorite show)
Flogging Molly, the Architects and Frank Turner at the Aragon Ballroom, Chicago (favorite Architects show)
Shannon Schlappi
Locker Partner/Rockdex
The Living Sisters, “Love to Live”
Dessa, “A Badly Broken Code”
Twin Shadow, “Forget”
Norah Jones, “Featuring Norah Jones”
Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday”
Ra Ra Riot, “The Orchard”
Sleigh Bells, “Treats”
Phantogram, “Eyelid Movies”
Lazerbeak, “Legend Recognize”
Danny Alexander
Music commentator
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Kristie Stremel & the 159ers, “The Color of Stars”
Kemo the Blaxican, “Upside of Struggle”
Chuck D & the Slamjamz Relief Project, “Kombit Pou Haiti”
Shakira, “Sale El Sol”
Jimmy LaFave at Knuckleheads (favorite Kansas City debut)
Hacienda at the Bottleneck (favorite show seen virtually alone)
John Velghe and Abigail Henderson, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (favorite cover)
Bruce Springsteen, “Breakaway” (favorite single that took 32 years to finish)
Howard Iceberg & the Titanics (favorite never-ending recording project)
Billy Smith
Roman Numerals, Thee Water Moccasins
Besnard Lakes, “Are the Roaring Night”
El Guincho, “Pop Negro”
Our Broken Garden, “Golden Sea”
Autolux, “Transit Transit”
Gonjasufi, “A Sufi and a Killer”
Clinic, “Bubblegum”
Buke & Gass, “Riposte”
Deerhunter, “Halycon Digest”
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
Sub Swara, “Triggers”
Chris Haghirian
Gonzo music fan (Concert Chris)
The National, “High Violet”
Jonsi, “Go”
Laura Marling, “I Speak Because I Can”
The Tallest Man on Earth, “The Wild Hunt”
Sleigh Bells, “Treats”
Titus Andronicus, “The Monitor”
Yeasayer, “Odd Blood”
Mimicking Birds, “Mimicking Birds”
Glasser, “Ring”
Sufjan Stevens, “The Age of Adz”
Gregg Todt
KQRC (the Rock) and Federation of Horsepower
The Latenight Callers, “The Latenight Callers” (favorite local release)
The Jim Jones Revue, “Burning Your House Down”
Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper at the Independence Events Center (favorite show, rock)
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at the Midland (favorite show, booty-shaking).
Barry Lee
Host of “Signal to Noise” (KKFI)
Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
Danger Mouse/Sparklehorse, “Dark Night of the Soul”
Besnard Lakes, “Are the Roaring Night”
Carolina Chocolate Drops, “Genuine Negro Jig”
Sandy Denny, “Sandy Denny” (box set)
Phosphoresecent, “Here’s to Taking It Easy”
Blitzen Trapper, “Destroyer of the World”
Peter Case, “Wig!”
Tim Ellis
Singer/songwriter, Skybox
LCD Soundsystem, “This Is Happening”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Flying Lotus, “Cosmogramma”
Deerhunter, “Halcyon Digest”
Cee Lo Green, “(Expletive) You”
Janelle Monae, “Tightrope”
Yeasayer, “ONE”
The Morning Benders, “Excuses”
Robyn, “Cry When You Get Older”
Mark Shoffner
Sound engineer
Peter Gabriel, “Boy in the Bubble”
Roger Waters, “The Wall Live” at the Sprint Center
The Wires at Czar Bar (local performance)
Mark Lowrey vs. Hip-Hop at Czar Bar (collaboration)
Gurf Morlix (songwriter)
It’s True (band)
Troy Van Horn
Federation of Horsepower
Mugstar, “Sun, Broken”
Emeralds, “Does It Look Like I’m Here?”
Kemialliset Ystävät, “Ulakkopalo”
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, “The Brutalists Bricks”
Sunburned Hand of the Man, “A”
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, “I Learned the Hard Way”
Quest for Fire, “Lights From Paradise”
Basia Bulat, “Heart of My Own”
Shipping News, “One Less Heartless to Fear”
Grinderman, “Grinderman 2”
Patrick Deveny
Co-owner of JayKco guitar straps
Meeting James Burton at South by Southwest and giving him a guitar strap
Talking withCatherine Popper, bass player for Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, about recording “Cold Roses” with Ryan Adams
J.D. Simo blazing on Telecasters with the Don Kelley Band at Robert’s World in Nashville, Tenn., all wearing a bunch of our straps
Meeting Alejandro Escovedo
Seeing the Knitters at the Blue Note in Columbia
Talking to a guitar teacher in Columbus, Ohio, who was David Allen Coe’s touring guitarist for 15 years
Jamming with guests (and hooking up employees with straps) at the Joshua Tree Inn
WatchingVince Gill play old country swing songs at a Nashville guitar show
Mark Davis
Soundman
Anathema, “We’re Here Because We’re Here”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Autokux, “Transit, Transit”
Killing Joke, “Absolute Dissent”
Holy (Expletive), “Latin”
Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah, Pt. 2”
Engineers, “In Praise of More”
Here We Go Magic, “Pigeons”
Flying Lotus, “Cosmogramma”
Warpaint, “The Fool”
Chris Tolle
Songwriter/singer, the Belles
“Off!” (box set)
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
The Figgs, “The Man Who Fought Himself”
It’s True, “It’s True”
The Caves, “The Ballad of Jiminy Cricket” (song)
Paul McCartney at the Sprint Center
Mike Webber
Music aficionado (and esteemed record store alum)
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, “Between My Head and the Sky”
The Black Keys, “Brothers”
Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
Mavis Staples, “You Are Not Alone”
Josh Ritter, “So Runs the World Away”
The National, “High Violet”
Broken Bells, “Broken Bells”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
The Slummers, “Love of the Amateur”
Sharon Van Etten, “Epic”
Vampire Weekend, “Contra”
Mark Manning
Host of “Wednesday MidDay Medley” KKFI (90.1 FM)
Hearts of Darkness, “Hearts of Darkness”
Soft Reeds, “Soft Reeds Are Bastards”
Sara Swenson, “All Things Big and Small”
The Grisly Hand, “Safe House”
Kristie Stremel & the 159ers, “The Color of Stars”
Cowboy Indian Bear, “Each Other All the Time”
Barclay Martin Ensemble, “Pools That Swell With the Rain”
Howard Iceberg & the Titanics — many releases
Margo May, “Summer Of”
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
Ray Velasquez
DJ
The Black Dog, “Music for Real Airports”
Goldmund, “Famous Places”
JPLS, “The Depths”
Panthu du Prince, “Black Noise”
LCD Soundsystem, “This Is Happening”
Paul Wellar, “Wake Up the Nation”
Brian Eno, “Small Craft on a Milk Sea”
Caribou, “Swim”
Four Tet, “There Is Love in You”
!!!, “Strange Weather, Isn’t It?”
John Velghe
Singer/songwriter
Superchunk, “Majesty Shedding”
Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys, “Street Songs of Love”
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, “I Learned the Hard Way”
The Decemberists, “Down by the Water”
The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Janelle Monae, “Tightrope”
Alejandro Escovedo, “Fort Worth Blue”
Superchunk, “Digging for Something”
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, “Without a Heart”
John Boudette at DBA in New Orleans (live show)
Shopping for records with Alejandro Escovedo
Joel Francis
Contributing reviewer
Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Bobby Watson, “Gates BBQ Suite”
The Black Keys, “Brothers”
Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Cee Lo Green, “The Lady Killer”
Big Boi, “Sir Lucious Lefty, Son of Chico Dusty”
Oriole Post, “Silver City”
Brad Melhau, “Highway Rider”
Derek Donovan
Kansas City Star/Ink
Liz Phair, “Funstyle”
Paramount Styles, “Heaven’s Alright”
Trentemoeller, “Into the Great Wide Yonder”
LCD Soundsystem, “This Is Happening”
Wes Cunningham, “Basement Demos”
Major Lazer/La Roux, “Laserproof”
Janelle Monae, “The Arch-Android”
Massive Attack, “Heligoland”
Cowboy Indian Bear, “Each Other All the Time”
Iamamiwhoami, “Bounty”
Mike Myers
String and Return and Biarchy
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Before Today”
Neil Young, “Le Noise”
Blonde Redhead, “Penny Sparkle”
Wild Nothing, “Evertide”
Beach House, “Teen Dream”
Small Black, “New Chain”
Crystal Castles, “Doe Deer”
Deerhunter, “Helicopter”
Beach House at the Granada
Kid Koala at VooDoo Lounge
Jason Ulanet
DJ/radio host/music aficionado
The National, “England”
Arcade Fire, “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Wolf Parade, “Cave-O-Sapien”
Liars, “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant”
MGMT, “Congratulations”
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, “Mourning in America”
Gorillaz, “Rhinestone Eyes”
Shearwater, “Landscape at Speed”
Beach House, “Zebra”
The Black Keys, “Tighten Up”
Michael Byars
KCUR and host of the Mailbox
The Black Angels, “Phosphene Dream”
Freelance Whales, “Weathervanes”
Jonsi, “Go”
The Budos Band, “III”
Cowboy Indian Bear, “Each Other All the Time”
The Fall, “Your Future Our Clutter”
Bettye Lavette, “Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook”
Barclay Martin Ensemble, “Pools That Swell With the Rain”
Alejandro Escovedo, “Street Songs of Love”
Junip, “Fields”
Abigail Henderson
Atlantic Fadeout
Two Cow Garage at Riot Room
The Grisly Hand and Black Diamond Heavies at Firehouse
The Dead Voices at Czar Bar
Cherokee Rock Rifle at the Riot Room
Sons of Great Dane at the Riot Room
Wade Ogle at the RecordBar
Adam Lee of the Dead Horse Sound Company singing “Misery to Ruin” solo at Davey’s Uptown
Pieta Brown and Mark Knopfler at the Midland
James Trotter
DJ and collector of rare music
Opening of Gigi’s Jazz Inn, 3226 Troost Ave., featuring live jazz from local old-timers — always great
My opening set for the Budos Band at the RecordBar
The new “Blowfly” documentary
Finding a 2005 Soul/Jazz (London) release of Brazilian post-punk As Mercenarias’ “The Beginning of the End of the World”
“Freedom, Rhythm & Sound: Revolutionary Jazz Original Cover Art, 1965-83,” another Soul/Jazz release, in the form of a book
Finding an in-demand Barabra King 45 rpm on the Alwa label and three never-played, mint copies of the fabled local release by Kansas City soul legends the Derbys, featuring Lee Vester-Hayes
Steve Tulipana
Owner, RecordBar and member of Roman Numerals, Thee Water Moccasins
RECORDBAR SHOWS (chronological order)
Lesly & the Lyes
Kid Congo Powers & the Pink Monkey Birds
Miike Snow/ Delorean
Zero Boys
The Budos Band
Alejandro Escovedo
Shonen Knife
Field Music
Republic Tigers
The Sword
ALBUMS
The Fall, “Your Future Our Clutter”
Besnard Lakes, “Are the Roaring Night”
Gil Scott-Heron, “I’m New Here”
Grinderman, “Grinderman 2”
The Black Keys, “Brothers”
The National, “High Violet”
Swans, “My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope”
Echo and the Bunnymen, “The Fountain”
Shearwater
The Caves, “Five Songs With the Caves”
Most of what's on these lists is way off my radar, but here's my old guy, totally unhip 'best of' list (mix of shows/albums)...
Alejandro Escovedo - Streets Songs AND Record Bar show
Levon Helm @ Crossroads
Jason & Scorchers @ Knucklehead's
Jeff Beck @ Starlight
Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
Black Keys - Brothers
Chuck Prophet @ Davey's
Drive By Truckers @ Crossroads
Uriah Heep @ Ameristar AND Subdudes @ Knuckleheads (SAME epic night!)
Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone
Avett Brothers @ Missouri Theatre in Columbia
Eminem w/ Rihanna - Love The Way You lie
Posted by: pellboy | December 23, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Great lists.........
My Top Ten Albums of 2010:
DEAN AND BRITTA - "13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests" (Easily my favorite CD of 2010. Simply genius, the DVD for this is also wonderful).
SUN KIL MOON - "Admiral Fell Promises"
JASON AND THE SCORCHERS - "Halcyon Times" (The Scorchers' Knuckleheads show this past year was just incredible).
SUPERCHUNK - "Majesty Shredding"
POSIES - "Blood Candy"
TEENAGE FANCLUB - "Shadows" (The Posies AND Teenage Fanclub release albums in the same year! Be still my Power Pop-beating heart!)
OLD 97'S - "The Grand Theatre: Volume One"
LLOYD COLE - "Broken Record" (One of those criminally underrated artists. His 1984 debut with The Commotions, "Rattlesnakes," remains one of my favorite albums of the 80's)
NADA SURF - "If I Had A Hi-Fi"
JP CHRISSIE & THE FAIRGROUND BOYS - "Fidelity!" (After The Pretenders' strong last record, "Break Up The Concrete" and the live CD from that tour, "Live In London," comes yet another surprise from Chrissie Hynde, and I feel this lively new record was one of the most overlooked of 2010. She is truly making the best music since her early days).
Three other CDs get an honorable mention for being no-frills, sheer Rock & Roll fun. The Hoodoo Gurus, that great Aussie band from the 80's who never really went away (Ditto, The Church), released "Purity Of Essence" in 2010, and man, is it good! Nick Curran & The Lowlifes released possibly the finest Roots Rock record of 2010 with "Reform School Girl" and tore it up at Knuckleheads a couple of times this past year. Finally, local band, Ricky Dean Sinatra, surprised me with "Galaxy Of Love." It reminds me of the fun records The Morells used to release way back when. Just three CDs that restore my faith in Rock & Roll.....
Speaking of which, I am looking forward in 2011 to another great Rock & Roll institution, The Fleshtones, who have been around since the Mid/Late-70's, and are one of the finest live bands on the planet, as they are not only releasing their umpteenth album, "The Fleshtones Present the Brooklyn Sound Solution with Lenny Kaye," but are also slated to be at Knuckleheads (!) on Sunday, March 13th. They haven't been to these parts in eons, and judging by recent Youtube clips, including a clip from a St.Louis gig last month, this will surely be an incredible show! Can't wait.
Posted by: Geordan | December 23, 2010 at 11:25 AM
My top albums for 2010:
Alejandro Escovedo-Street Songs Of Love
Drive By Truckers-The Big To-Do
Bruce Springsteen-The Promise
Justin Townes Earle-Harlem River Blues
Buddy Guy-Living Proof
Carrie Rodriguez-Love and Circumstances
Gaslight Anthem-American Slang
Tom Petty-Mojo
Paul Thorn-Pimps and Preachers
Los Lobos-Tin Can Trust
Ray Wylie Hubbard-A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment
John Mellencamp-No Better Than This
Peter Wolf-Midnight Souvenirs
Eric Tessmer Band-Green Diamond
Most awe inspiring live show of 2010: Roger Waters 'The Wall Live'
Most overall enjoyable show: Paul Thorn, Knuckleheads
Best rebound from a terrible performance: Drive by Truckers, who's opening set for Tom Petty fell flat but hugely redeemed themselves at the Crossroads
Best looking visual and audio combination: Ana Popovic, Knuckleheads
Best performance in the rain: Santana at Starlight, 4th of July
Best opening act: Roger Daltrey, opened for Clapton
Best blues guitarist debut: Joanne Shaw Taylor, Knuckleheads
Best large group performance: Experience Hendrix, The Uptown
Best one man with a drummer show: Ray Wylie Hubbard, Knuckleheads
Best show that deserved a much bigger audience: Chuck Prophet at Daveys
Best final show of the tour performance: Alejandro Escovedo, Knuckleheads
I really enjoy reading fellow posters best of lists, gives me lots of leads on bands I need to check out!
Posted by: onthemark | December 23, 2010 at 01:07 PM
A really enjoyable read!
me:
Best local show:
Hammerween @ The Beaumont Club. The best metal acts the KC area has to offer. Too much fun!
Best "Big" shows:
Vektor @ Czar bar. Best up-and-coming band of the past 20 years.
Destroyer 666 @ Riot Room. Not a performance, but a ritual! Intense.
Mastodon w/ BTBAM, Baroness, Valient Thorr @ Liberty Hall. Perfect.
Others: Boris, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer & Megadeth, Coalesce, Envy, Black Cobra. Too many good shows this year.
Album of the year: Burzum - "Belus". A perfect return to form.
I'll be putting up a full list of my favorite albums on my blog (click my name!) soon!
:D Happy holidays KC! Hope to see you at the Replay Lounge on New Year's Eve for Hammerlord, Troglodyte and Wrath and Ruin! It'll be an amazing show for only 3 bux!
Posted by: mankvill | December 23, 2010 at 05:14 PM
1) PAUL McCARTNEY
2) TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
3) ROB ZOMBIE / ALICE COOPER
4) AC/DC
5) ROGER WATERS
6) URIAH HEEP
7) JEFF BECK
8) SLAYER / MEGADETH / TESTAMENT
9) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
10) BLUE OYSTER CULT
Posted by: Bubba | December 23, 2010 at 05:50 PM
Holy lord! I didn't know there was a "Blowfly" documentary! I can't wait!
Posted by: John Ferguson | December 23, 2010 at 06:25 PM
Chuck Prophet was great!
Posted by: Green | December 23, 2010 at 11:41 PM
OK. I'm just an effin idiot. Chuck Prophet has been on my "to do" list 4 ever. Why do you keep on reminding me that another year has past and i still haven't seen him? Count me a loser! McCartney, Sharon Jones, David Gray, and Bleech Bloodz were my only shared moments. Merry Christmas Bubba!! and everyone else.
Posted by: I luv this town! | December 24, 2010 at 01:56 AM
Roger Waters and McCartney at Sprint Center were fantastic, but I think my favorite show of the year goes to Chuck Prophet's show at Davey's... What a great night of music. He was in such a good mood talking to him before the show. Still remarkable to me why he isn't more popular.
Posted by: joe | December 24, 2010 at 08:00 AM
Rush at the Minnesota state fair on 08/27 was great. I'm looking forward to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on 12/29 for 7:30 show at Sprint Center.
Posted by: Kurt | December 24, 2010 at 08:33 AM
Some of my fav shows ...
Alice in Chains
Dylan
Waters
Black Joe Lewis
Sharon Jones
Flaming Lips
Pixies
Budos Band
Local H
Pearl Jam
Tool
Sir Paul
Heartless Bastards
Miike Snow
Moe
Wolf Mother
Drive by truckers
Black Keys
Buffalo Killers
Posted by: Green | December 24, 2010 at 11:37 AM
The Paul McCartney show at the Sprint Center made my year. Tom Petty and The Drive-By Truckers at the same venue, by contrast, was a big let down. I also thought Jason & The Scorchers rocked at Knuckleheads, and also at my favorite club in town, I finally saw Carrie Rodriguez live and got to meet her afterward.
It has nothing to do with music, but getting to see my favorite stand-up comic, Todd Barry, twice this year (He opened for Louis CK at the Midland, and just played The Czar Bar a couple of weeks ago), as he had never played KC in his longstanding career, was also pretty cool.
Posted by: Kilby | December 24, 2010 at 02:31 PM
I completely forgot to list another CD that I love love loved this year and it is local. Monta's Fuoco Infernale. Probably about 10 others I forgot that will come to me as the year winds down.
Posted by: tulipana | December 24, 2010 at 03:00 PM
Merry Christmas to all
esp Mr Tim Finn and the unsinkable, battle tested, Bill Brownlee. You guys kick ass.
Thanks again for providing so many music reviews for years and years now on the best (and one of the last remaining) "wild west" music board on the internet. Gotta love the realativley uncensored honesty here.... come one come all, tell us what you really think..... what a pisser.....
Special props to BB for his knarly assignments from the mud at rockfest to the _______ of Satch, BB you do it all, it is very impressive..... and of course Mr Finn's word smithing coninues to be the best in the world, fkn-A.
I hope you get everything you desire for Christmas this year.
MERRYFKNCHRISTMAS!!!!
Posted by: xxxx XXXX | December 24, 2010 at 03:11 PM
PS
I hope everyone has had a chance to see the amazing performance last night on Jimmy Fallon, James Earl Jones and Aaron Neville gave a special performance of a classic holiday favorite, "Twas the Night Before Christmas".
Here is one place it can be seen, for now. I am not associated with this website, so if you have a better spot for viewing this clip, feel free to delete this link and post another, but imuho it is an instant classic, in the league of Bing and Bowie's LDB.
cheer ya'll
http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2010/12/james-earl-jones-aaron-neville-twas.html
Posted by: XXXX xxxx | December 24, 2010 at 03:20 PM
oh, and one last thing.
I will add just one thing to the "best of list" here (no need for me to recite, again, my fav RnR blah blah, I said it already, maybe too many times ;)...anyway..
Best poster on this Blog-
Bubba,
Buubba rarely has a bad word for anything/anybody. He has a great perspective on a lot, and I usually agree with most of what he posts.
Merry Christmas Bubba, UdaMan, I hope you get all you desire for Christmas. I never met a Bubba who was not a great guy.
Posted by: Merry Christmas | December 24, 2010 at 03:32 PM
better link to an instant holiday classic by two of the greatest voices ever.
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2010/12/james-earl-jones-aaron-neville-read-the-night-before-christmas/
Posted by: Lancelot Link | December 25, 2010 at 01:39 PM
Dave Douglas at the Blue Note. A true national treasure. He rarely travels east of NYC and yet he did just that in October. One of my favorite shows of all time. I want to see him come back to our city.
Posted by: Mike Snell | December 26, 2010 at 10:15 PM
How is it that the NY Times has 3 country albums in the top 10 & I see one or two on this whole collection of lists?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/arts/music/19caramanica.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=caramanica&st=cse
1. Rick Ross – Teflon Don
2. Taylor Swift – Speak Now
3. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
4. Drake – Thank Me Later
5. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
6. Gary Allan – Get Off On the Pain
7. DJ Drama & Fabolous – There Is No Competition 2: The Funeral Service
8. Justin Bieber – My World 2.0
9. R. Kelly – Love Letter
10. Jerrod Niemann – Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury
Rick Ross and Kanye West is on plenty of the lists...maybe you need a little more diversity on the list makers...
Jerrod Niemann's album is very fun and he is even from Kansas.
Posted by: Clint | December 28, 2010 at 09:25 AM
Clint sez, "How is it that the NY Times has 3 country albums in the top 10 & I see one or two on this whole collection of lists?"
Well Mr Clint it goes like this...
This blog asked for OUR best and favorites for 2010. Why should OUR best and favorites align with the New York Times? What do they know that we don't? Honestly, I don't care what they say. Are we back on the bestsellers bandwagon?
Several of my favorite releases are not on ANYONE else's list AND are far from making the NYT top ten.
Here are 9 albums in no particular order:
Ray Davies - See My Friends (import)
Bad Viens - debut album
Fight Like Apes - The Body of Christ and The Legs Of Tina Turner
Get Him To The Greek - soundtrack
Mumford & Sons - Sign No More
Kansas City Symphony - Britten's Orchestra
INXS - Original Sin (import)
Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Posted by: Is this diversified enough? | December 28, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Sorry, I was talking about the radio hosts and people in the main story. (But you are right, your list is all over the map, very good)
I will add what my top Country albums of the year are in no particualr order since no one else has...
Jerrod Niemann Jerrod and the hung jury
Dierks Bentley Up on The Ridge
Miranda Lambert Revolution
Jamey Johnson Guitar Song (My favorite of 2010)
Ryan Bingham Junky Star
Josh Thompson Way Out Here
Jason Aldean My Kinda Party
Posted by: Clint | December 28, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Records:
Bob Dylan - The Original Mono Recordings box (it's like hearing them for the first time)
Orange Juice - ...Coals to Newcastle box
LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Dean & Britta - 13 Most Beautiful
The Walkmen - Lisbon
Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle
Bryan Ferry - Olympia
Caribou - Swim
Steve Reich - Double Sextet/2x5
The Black Keys - Brothers
Shows:
Wolfmother @ Beaumont
Chuck Prophet @ Davey's
Pavement @ The Uptown
The National @ The Uptown
The Gories @ The Jackpot in Lawrence
Posted by: Rick | December 29, 2010 at 01:07 PM
Albums:
Come Around Sundown-KOL
Brothers-the Black Keys
Song:
Sweepstakes-Gorillaz feat. Mos Def
Shows:
the Black Eyed Peas at Sprint Center
Rush at Starlight (my son's first show)
Tool at Sprint Center (on my B-day)
ACL festival in Austin:
Friday-the Black Keys, Spoon and the Strokes
Saturday-the Gaslight Anthem, Manchester Orchestra, Broken Bells, LCD Soundsystem, Muse (nobody puts on a bigger show right now) After show party at MOMO's with Lance Herbstrong mashing it up
Sunday-the Flaming Lips and the Eagles
Posted by: H | December 29, 2010 at 08:43 PM
Some great lists there, good to see Besnard Lakes on some of them.
Most overlooked would be Wintersleep's "New Inheritors".
Posted by: Mark Adams | December 30, 2010 at 09:37 AM
I'm glad that I've found this backtorockville.typepad.com website. I don't have much to add to the conversation, but I'm right here with you. This post said exactly what I have been thinking. Good to see you posting.
Posted by: Royal | April 10, 2011 at 02:42 PM