Best of 2010 List

Blue Scholars played their first Seattle show in a while, selling out the Showbox at the Market with a back-to-back double feature.  They were fresh off their new EP Oof, which contained my favorite track, “HI-808,” a tribute to Hawaii.  It was my first time seeing Blue Scholars, and although they lived up to the hype, it was local emcee Macklemore who’s passionate opening performance who stole the show.  Later on in the year, I saw both Macklemore and Blue Scholars yet again at Capitol Hill Block Party.

2.  Passion Pit @ Sasquatch, photographed for SSG Music

Passion Pit played Sasquatch! Music Festival for the second year in a row, going from a smaller stage to the main stage in a year.  These energetic indie pop rockers know how to put on an energetic show, and Sasquatch! was no exception.

3.  Gorillaz @ Key Arena, photographed for Guerrilla Candy

Gorillaz embarked on their first-ever world tour, and with the entourage they brought with them, it was no wonder they don’t tour often.  All that was missing from their all-star live entourage was Snoop Dogg, who instead made a video appearance as the group played tunes mostly off their new Plastic Beach album.  Colorful, loud, and full of surprises as famous faces popped on-stage, this was easily one of the most exciting Seattle shows of the year.

4.  The Decemberists @ MusicFest NW

Portland natives The Decemberists made their homecoming show on the mainstage in the middle of downtown Portland for the city’s annual MusicFest Northwest, and their hometown was happy to have them home.  Lead singer Colin Meloy lead his band through a dozen crowd favorites off their older material, and debuted new tracks from their upcoming January 2011 release, The King is Dead.  Charming, heartwarming, and fun, this was a great way to kick off my first MusicFest Northwest experience.

5.  Janelle Monáe and Of Montreal @ the Paramount

Many are referring to Janelle Monáe as the next James Brown, and the petite singer with a strong set of pipes proved it as she opened for Of Montreal in Seattle this fall.  Following Monáe’s entrancing performance was the wacky, colorfully unpredictable Of Montreal, whose live shows never cease to leave a few jaws dropped.

6. The Head and the Heart with The Weepies @ City Arts Fest

Local sweethearts The Head and the Heart have had an exciting year, going from playing impromptu gigs at No Depression Festival, to opening for Vampire Weekend and Dave Matthews, to getting a record deal with Sub Pop in December.  In the middle of their rising fame, The Head and the Heart opened for The Weepies at The Croc before a packed crowd during the inaugural City Arts Festival in October.  Most times they’ve opened for someone, the crowd has left before the headliner came on, but in this case, many were here to see Scottish sweethearts The Weepies play Seattle for the first time in quite some time (or…maybe ever).  Neither band disappointed.

7.  Shabazz Palaces @ MusicFest NW, photographed for SSG Music

Also new to the Sub Pop label this year are hip-hop duo Shabazz Palaces, who played a rare, intimate performance at a restaurant in Portland for MusicFest Northwest.  The audience was essentially within eye level of the duo, and many sang along with each song.

8.  The Black Keys @ Deck the Hall Ball, photographed for BackBeat Seattle

The Black Keys played second to the last at KNDD’s annual Deck the Hall Ball, but judging from audience reaction, they really should have been the headlining, closing act of the six-hour holiday music festival.  Months before Deck the Hall Ball, The Black Keys packed The Paramount, and again at WaMu Theater, they had the crowd rocking and rolling along to many of their hit songs, as well as new material off their newest album Brothers.  These guys never ever disappoint with their live shows, and it was a great way to end my 2010 concert experience.

Concerts photographed in 2010

1.  Phoenix @ Showbox SoDo – Jan 23, 2010
2. Prefuse 73, Gas Lamp Killer, Voices Voices @ Neumos – Jan 30, 2010
3.  Wilco, Califone @ Paramount – Feb 10, 2010
4.  Head Like an Espresso Truck @ Neumos – Feb 12, 2010
5.  Ladies Night (Sap’N, Lisa Dank, Canary Sing) @ Neumos – Feb 9, 2010
6.  Sasquatch 2010 Lineup Party (Fresh Espresso, Deerhunter, Surfer Blood) @ The Croc – Feb 15, 2010
7. Alkaline Trio, Cursive @ Neumos – Feb 20, 2010
8.  David Garrett @ The Moore – Feb 24, 2010
9.  The Maldives, Or, the Whale @ Tractor Tavern – Mar 10, 2010
10.  Jamie Cullum @ The Moore – Mar 21, 2010
11. Delhi 2 Dublin @ Nectar Lounge – Mar 28, 2010
12.  Owl City @ The Paramount – Apr 1, 2010
13. Citizen Cope @ Showbox Market – Apr 2, 2010
14. Murder By Death @ Tractor Tavern – Apr 5, 2010
15.  RJD2, Busdriver @ Neumos – Apr 11, 2010
16.  Beach House @ Neumos – Apr 12, 2010
17.  DeLorean @ The Vera – Apr 15, 2010
18.  Tyler Hilton @ El Corazon – Apr 26, 2010
19.  Clem Snide @ Tractor Tavern – May 19, 2010
20.  Hard Rock Cafe Seattle (The Thermals, Ra Ra Riot) – May 20, 2010
21.  Broken Bells, The Morning Benders @ Showbox Market – May 25, 2010
22.  Sasquatch! Music Festival @ The Gorge – May 29-31, 2010

[festival]
23.  Yukon Blonde @ El Corazon – June 4, 2010
24.  Imogen Heap @ The Paramount – June 14, 2010
25.  Connor Desai @ ToST – June 11, 2010
26.  Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale @ Neumos – June 19, 2010
27.  Stars @ The Triple Door – June 17, 2010
28.  Lou Barlow, Sarah Jaffe @ Tractor Tavern – June 21, 2010
29.  Carissa’s Wierd, Aveo @ Showbox Market – July 9, 2010
30.  The Round 62 @ Woodland Park Zoo – July 18, 2010
31.  Capitol Hill Block Party – July 23-25, 2010 [festival]
32.  Wolf Parade, The Moools @ Showbox Market – July 26, 2010
33.  Henry Clay People, Against Me!, Silversun Pickups – July 31, 2010
34.  Matisyahu @ The Moore – Aug 7, 2010
35.  Chromeo @ Showbox Market – Aug 12, 2010
36.  Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Marymoor Park – Aug 13, 2010
37.  Vans Warped Tour @ The Gorge – Aug 14, 2010 [festival]
38.  No Depression Festival @ Marymoor Park – Aug 21, 2010 [festival]
39.  Fistful of Mercy @ Easy Street Records – Aug 26, 2010
40  Rufus Wainwright @ The Paramount – Aug 25, 2010
41.  Beach House, Dum Dum Girls @ Marymoor Park – Aug 29, 2010
42.  Bumbershoot @ Seattle Center – Sep 4, 2010 [festival]
43.  The Walkmen, The Helio Sequence @ Showbox Market – Sep 8, 2010
44.  MusicFest Northwest in Portland, Oregon – Sep 11, 2010 [festival]
45.  Vampire Weekend, The Head and the Heart @ The Paramount – Sep 22, 2010
46.  Local Natives, The Union Line, The Love Language @ Showbox Market – Sep 24, 2010
47.  Arcade Fire, Calexico @ Key Arena – Sep 29, 2010
48.  Dirty Projectors, Dominique Young Unique @ Showbox Market – Sep 30, 2010
49.  Land of Talk, Besnard Lakes @ The Croc – Oct 4, 2010
50.  Frightened Rabbit, Bad Veins @ Showbox Market – Oct 7, 2010
51.  Reverb Fest in Ballard – Oct 9, 2010 [festival]
52.  Klaxons, Bad Veins – Oct 5, 2010
53.  M.I.A., Rye Rye @ Showbox Market – Oct 17, 2010
54.  Anberlin, Crash Kings, Civil Twilight @ Showbox SoDo – Oct 14, 2010
55. Deadmau5, Die Antwoord @ The Paramount – Oct 13, 2010
56. Gogol Bordello, Forró in the Dark @ Showbox SoDo – Oct 20, 2010 [festival]
57.  The Weepies, The Head and the Heart, Lucy Schwartz @ The Croc – Oct 21, 2010
58.  Big Boi, Fatal Lucciauno, Neema @ Showbox SoDo – Oct 23, 2010
59. The Vaselines @ Neumos – Oct 22, 2010
60.  Mumford & Sons, Mt. Desolation @ The Paramount – Oct 24, 2010
61.  Of Montreal, Janelle Monáe @ The Paramount – Oct 27, 2010
62.  Gorillaz, N*E*R*D @ Key Arena – Nov 2, 2010
63.  The Heavy @ Showbox Market – Nov 3, 2010
64.  Wild Flag @ The Northern in Olympia – Nov 10, 2010
65.  The Lonely Forest @ Neumos – Nov 11, 2010
66.  A Perfect Circle @ Showbox Market – Nov 12, 2010
67.  Wild Flag @ High Dive – Nov 12, 2010
68.  Miley Cyrus @ Microsoft Store, Bellevue – Nov 20, 2010
69.  Robyn @ Neumos – Nov 21, 2010
70.  Gwar, The Casualties – Nov 28, 2010
71.  Deck the Hall Ball @ WaMu Theater – Dec 8, 2010