Hey, earlier than ever!
10. Van Halen at Wachovia Center on October 3rd.
Eddie and Dave still have it. Probably won’t see this tour again (unless I won tix, ’cause its pricey), but they delivered a great set of classic rock, and the Philly audience went crazy for it.
9. Mika at the 9:30 Club on June 12th.
This guy is a showman, and his voice is amazing. He has a bright future if people find that out.
8. Bon Jovi/Smashing Pumpkins/Roger Waters/The Police at Giants Stadium for Live Earth on July 7th
Ok, maybe not the best performances from all of them, but back to back, starting with Bon Jovi’s home field advantage, it was a cumulative effect. And surpasses the previous winner, Saturday night at Woodstock ’94 with Nine Inch Nails/Metallica/Aerosmith.
7. Buddy Guy/Robert Randolph at Constitution Hall for Experience Hendrix on October 16th.
The show was not great as a whole, but their performances were amazing.
6. Eddie From Ohio (Robbie, Mike & Eddie acoustic) on Carnival’s Inspiration for Edhead Cruise V on November 3rd.
Sitting on the back deck of a cruise ship, watching members of one of your favorite bands do an improv set of their own tunes and covers? Amazing.
5. Porcupine Tree at the State Theater on October 12th.
4. Blackfield at Rams Head Tavern on March 15th.
I saw Steven Wilson play with his bands three times this year (also a show in May at Rams Head Live). He’s such a talented singer and guitarists, and both bands were stellar.
3. The Police at Hersheypark Stadium July 20th.
I have to admit, the VIP portion helped it in the rankings, but the show itself could not have been better. I was worried about complaints that the songs had been “Stingified”, but they were great, especially Stewart Copeland’s new arrangements.
2. Rush at Bell Centre on September 15th.
Having a crowd that’s very enthusiastic is infectious, and I’ve never seen a crowd as crazy for Rush as this show in Montreal. If only I could afford to see them there all the time.
1. Paul Simon & Friends at the Warner Theatre for the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on May 23rd.
This show was accused of being slow because of interruptions due to filming for TV. There were lulls, but the performances were so outstanding, I was afraid to leave my seat for three hours for fear I might miss one.