My Year-End Lists (or something like that)...

Well, it’s funny. I thought I’d go without doing a real “year-end list” as part of the blog. I’m working on writing up what I remembered most about the year and what it really meant to me, but I just figured that I would incorporate my lists into that. I changed my mind, I guess…

I think I’m going to go with Top 3, just because I’d like to go through a couple different categories. If you’ve got a Top 3 List that you’d like to share, post it in the comments.

Top 3 Concerts/Shows

This Top 3 is based on the idea that anyone on my list for Best Concert would had to have been one that I was literally floored by. Top prize goes to the Kraftwerk show that left me beyond mesmerized. I sat in my chair rockin’ back and forth to the music (nobody was standing) and I had one very large, s***-eating grin on my face the entire time. Awesome…

Top 3 Albums

Phish – Island Tour
Kraftwerk – Minimum Maximum
The Secret Machines – Now Here is Nowhere

I’m sure that I’m even trying to whittle down my favorite albums of 2005 to three. It’s nearly impossible, so oh my gosh if I screw it up and offend someone. But, I will say this…there was some real amazing music put out this year. I’m so glad that I started paying more attention to it actually.

I know there’s a lot more to look forward to in 2006, of which we really have no idea what to expect. Hell, I’m set with The Secret Machines and Umphrey’s McGee releasing new albums, and that’s just the start…

Top 3 Albums that I’ve Discovered In the Past Month Or So

These are my new favorite bands right now, and I’m looking forward to some serious 2006 action from all of these bands.

As an aside, being from Chicago as I am, I’m fully embarrassed to say that I’m just now starting to like Wilco. It’s amazing what a live album can do for my opinion of an artist or musician (see Santana Live at the Fillmore ’68). I really believe that the power of a musician is usually in their ability to perform live. If you think about it, whether or not they’re in front of an audience, the musician learned it and performs it live everytime they perform it. Think about that.

Top 3 Cool-Looking Music Festivals From the Sideline

During 2005, I went to moe.’s annual Summercamp festival and the first annual Big Summer Classic festival, both of which were really great. However, Vegoose just overly trumped most anything that went on during 2005 (well, maybe except Live 8). Their webcast alone was a solid highlight to a very innovative festival, and it clearly went off without a hitch during it’s inaugural year. I’ve got my money on Vegoose 2006 as something to be forewarned about–this will be the festival of the year.

Up for possible tour of the year (based on sheer size alone), Big Summer Classic should definitely be back in 2006. I only saw one night of the Big Summer Classic tour, but every other night on the tour was so exciting to watch. The setlist change-ups, the guest spots–nearly everything about that tour was spot-on. I’m excited to see how the 2006 Big Summer Classic lineup will look. It’ll really be worth checking out as long as they continue to do what they did last year…

That’s all for now. I’ve got some more ideas and I want to make sure I can produce a worthwhile Top 3 that has some meaning. Email me if you have a suggested Top 3 or if you have one you’d like up here…