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The Musical Box -- Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI (17 January)

Not a "concert" necessarily so much as a "historical reenactment," seeing TMB perform is always interesting. Having developed over 15+ years a worldwide reputation as *the* premier Genesis tribute band, they had just recently made the questionable switch from doing Peter Gabriel-era songs (Foxtrot, Lamb, and Selling England tours) to doing early Phil Collins-era material (in this case, the Trick of the Tail tour, which still encompassed a lot of earlier songs). The person that the band had hired to play the "Collins" role had not worked out, and so Denis Gagne, who had spent years playing "Gabriel" to near-perfection, was forced to step up to the plate. All things considered, the band did a great job (the drunk being thrown out during "Entangled" was a surreal highlight of the Milwaukee live experience if mildly unrelated), and I expect their rendition of the Trick tour will only continue to improve over time, though it is doubtful it can ever match their eerily spot-on Gabriel-era performances.

Fleetwood Mac -- TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA (11 March)

This concert was what one would probably expect seeing the post-Peter Green Fleetwood Mac in action. No major surprises (and an unfortunate lack of Christine McVie), but outstanding performances from the remaining members of the band, particularly the legendary duo of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham. Some of their solo work also was performed during the show, as well as a gorgeous "Landslide," which I was very happy to hear. Great show, even if we were a bit bummed to have learned that we missed Daryl Hall and John Oates in Boston that same night.

The Brew -- Unity Centre for the Performing Arts, Unity, ME (27 March)

This was my first time seeing The Brew, who are an excellent, if somewhat unknown, quartet from Amesbury, Massachusetts, whose biggest claim to fame is probably opening for Bruce Hornsby on tour. I didn't know any of their songs at the time, but I was very much impressed by their musicianship and energy.

moe. with the Nate Wilson Group -- House of Blues, Boston, MA (3 April)

The NY-based jam band moe. had been on my list of bands to see for years, so when I finally got the opportunity to see them I was very glad to go. They put on an excellent show, though it had a bit more recent material than my tastes would have liked, whereas, much like fellow jam legends Phish, I prefer their older material to their more recent output. An energetic "Down Boy" from fairly recent album The Conch made me reconsider their newer songs somewhat, however. Openers Nate Wilson Group, an offshoot of Assembly of Dust, were very good as well, though I was completely unfamiliar with their work.

Ben Folds -- Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME (28 April)

Ben Folds is one of those artists that I admittedly probably would never have gone out of my way to see (that song "Brick" from his band Ben Folds Five was played ad nauseum during my high school years), but both the price and location were right, and his performance definitely made me a fan. My friend and I got upgraded from our original seats due to obstructed view and so we ended up third row center, which was outstanding. Folds played an eclectic and interesting set with some songs that I knew, some I didn't, and perhaps a bit too much gratuitous swearing (maybe crossing the chasm between pure personality and intentional shock value), but I was quite impressed with both his skill and his ability to entertain a crowd. I'm glad I put aside my skepticism and went to see him live.

Daryl Stuermer and Martin Levac -- Summerfest, Milwaukee, WI (27 June)

One of Milwaukee's actual best (forget what it says on that 30-rack of distilled urine you saw at that party the other night), Daryl Stuermer has worked with such luminaries as Jean-Luc Ponty and prog/pop giants Genesis, the latter as their touring guitarist since Steve Hackett's departure in the late 1970s. Everyone loves a hometown show, of course, and plenty of people turned out for Stuermer's annual Summerfest performance on the Lake Michigan waterfront. After a short set of tracks from various solo albums of his, as well as an excellent instrumental version of the 1986 Genesis track "Land of Confusion," we were treated to an outstanding array of Genesis covers featuring Montreal native Martin Levac, formerly of a variety of Genesis/Collins tributes including the aforementioned TMB. Not only is Levac a fantastic drummer, but he sounds and looks far more like the iconic conception of Phil Collins than perhaps Mr. Collins himself does today, so this was an awesome performance to witness. The two of them are currently involved, along with Stuermer's band, in the "Genesis Rewired" project (not to be confused with Nick d'Virgilio's excellent "Rewiring Genesis" tribute to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway , both of which I would encourage fans of the music of Genesis to check out.

Assembly of Dust -- Port City Music Hall, Portland, ME (25 September)

After a pretty impressive set of bluegrass tunes from the String Cheese/Leftover Salmon-offshoot Emmitt Nershi Band, AOD took the stage to a packed house and played an excellent set (which occasionally included performances involving Emmitt Nershi members). At the end of the show, lead singer Reid Genauer returned to play some pretty intense solo acoustic music, which only ended when the venue turned the lights up as it was well part curfew by that time. Only having one of AOD's CDs, I wasn't exceptionally familiar with the songs that were performed, but I thought they were excellent and I'd likely see them again if given the chance. Port City is kind of a cool venue, a fair amount of space and a decent selection of beverages at fairly reasonable prices, which is always a plus.

The Brew -- Unity Centre for the Performing Arts, Unity, ME (30 October)

My second Brew show, and the first of their two-night Halloween run in Unity, the latter night of which I unfortunately had to miss due to work. Being a lot more familiar with their music by this time, I was a lot more into the show...arrived during soundcheck and heard great covers of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (which was performed during night #2), and Styx's "Mr. Roboto," which was performed during the first set later that night. Many excellent tracks were played, including ten-minute-ish versions of "Black Train" and "Eyes of the Giant," plus a couple more covers including a awesome encore consisting of the classic Boston song "Foreplay/Longtime." It was a shame that I had to miss night #2, but The Brew were spot-on again and I have no doubt that a third show is in the future for me.

That's it for now...but I have Phish scheduled for the end of November...and we'll see if anything else materializes!

1. How did you get into 29? The Mars Volta
I got a promo copy of Bedlam in Goliath from my work. At first the music was a little too sporadic for me. Then my TMV friends gave me De-Loused and since I've been hooked. Once the new album came out and I heard Cotopaxi is when I think I became a big fan. I have all the albums now.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Fates Warning
It had to have been something off of Spectre Within or Awaken the Guardian my friend showed me, and I honestly wasn't blown away. At least not until I heard some of the newer songs played live on Portnoy's latest DVD. I'm much more into the Alder era FW.

3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? Mastodon
The first few lines in Crack The Skye (track) are amazing..
"Blessed visionary, cut me with your sun,
The rivers ran in blood, spark fueled to fire
Deep within the endless void
Searching for a sign
The vessel forged inside me
Watches over like the death of the moon"

4. What is your favorite album by 49? Devin Townsend
Ziltoid! I remember my friend showing me this album before it was released. I couldn't take it seriously with the cover. I thought this Devin Townsend guy was a little over the top. Well he is! And now that's the reason I like him so much. He writes in a manner of "not giving a fuck" and I love that now that I "get it".

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? The Dear Hunter
Act's I, II, and III which is pretty much all you can find. I'm not sure if there are other small singles or anything available, so as far as I know I have everything!

6. What is your favorite song by 50? Genesis
I'm a big fan of The Knife and Return of The Giant Hogweed. I can't really decide which I like more.

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? Obscura
Not that I could say. All I have by them is cosmogenesis and it's pretty much in your face tech-death the whole way through. Fucking amazing album though.

8. What is your favorite album by 15? Bloodbath
Easily Nightmares Made Flesh. Cancer of the Soul, Soul Evisceration, and of course.. EATEN. SO GOOD

9. What is your favorite song by 5? Katatonia
July. If I could combine that string of songs half way through The Great Cold Distance (Rusted, Increase, July, In The White) I would say that, but hands down July is my favorite track.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? Between the Buried and Me
A few songs! Firstly Shevanel Cut A Flip because of the double break down, Secondly Backwards Marathon because of the final IT'S RAAAAAAAAIIIII!!! The hoedown in Ants Of The Sky as well! haha

11. What is your favorite album by 40? Necrophagist
Epitaph solely because of Seven and Diminished to B.

12. What is your favorite song by 10? Meshuggah
Pineal Gland Optics. Closely followed by Dancers to a Discordant System.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? The Tangent
Many of the memories I have of The Tangent involve the track Sun In My Eyes. Anyone who knows this song understands why.

14. What is your favorite song by 38? Yes
Heart of the Sunrise for sure.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? Anekdoten
YES THERE IS! And for a reason that may seem silly to others. On there first album they have a song called Wheel and they land on a suspended 4 chord that doesn't resolve down to the cliche major 3rd. They just hold the 4 for 2 measures and then move to a new part! Makes me so happy cause I get tired of hearing the same cliche lines over and over.

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? dredg
Sadly none yet. The first chance I had was election night and the second chance I had I was away visiting family

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? BeardFish
I actually can't remember. I'm assuming it was As the Sun Sets, because I don't think there were any previews that I found. I just heard many good things about them that I found their, at the time, latest album Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two.

18. What is your favorite album by 11? Camel
The Snow Goose. The whole album flows so well, like the story it's based off of.

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? Dream Theater
It has to be Mike Portnoy. He opened me up to a whole other realm of music with Liquid Tension Experiment and Dream Theater. Being a drummer myself he just came to be one of my biggest inspirations as an artist.

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? Coheed and Cambria
Yes at Lollapalooza 2009. Also got to do the meet and greet with them. Lots of fun

21. What is a good memory involving 27? Helloween
Oh Helloween, I love those guys. Always reminds me of Nick and John Walsh as they both took part in getting me into them. The concert John and I went to was just an awesome time.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? Pain of Salvation
Hmm this is a thinker. I love Rope Ends and Fandango. Also Nightmist. Chainsling is sick too. I'm not too sure if there is a definite best, but if I had to choose it would be Rope Ends.

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? Type O Negative
Love You To Death, and damn was I instantly hooked.

24. What is your favorite album by 18? Spock's Beard
V for sure. At the End of the Day and Thoughts Part 2 are easily my two favorite songs by them.

25. What is your favorite song by 21? Gojira
Esoteric Surgery definitely.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? Pagan's Mind
I just realized Dredg and Pagan's Mind are tied at 25 but I saw dredg first. So PM gets this question. It was The Celestine Prophecy. Totally not what I was expecting. Really cool stuff

27. What is your favorite album by 3? Opeth
It was always Blackwater Park, but I'm so in love with Watershed still that I think that it's my most favorite now.

28. What is you favorite song by 2? Porcupine Tree
The Sound Of Muzak. Easy.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? Oceansize
It was Commemorative T-Shirt. I got the Frames album and a group of us had a listening party to this new band.

30. What is your favorite song by 8? The Flower Kings
Monkey Business probably. I love Silent Inferno too, along with Chicken Farmer Song, Last Minute On Earth, and Adam and Eve.

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? Symphony X
Twice. So good the first time I saw them a second.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? Rodrigo y Gabriela
Pretty much all of them. I really enjoy the Orion cover.

33. What is your favorite album by 12? Muse
I think Origin Of Symmetry is the most consistent even though Absolution has some of my favorite songs.

34. What is the worst song by 45? Powerglove
Hmm lets see. I'm not a fan of there Power Rangers cover as there are versions I've heard that were much better

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? Dark Tranquillity
Another one that I'm not sure of. Probably something off of Character.

36. What is your favorite album by 48? Andromeda
The Immunity Zome! It's the only one I have, but damn I love it.

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? Miles Davis
None goddamnit.

38. What is your favorite song by 36? OSI
That would be Go off of Free.

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? Into Eternity
One I remember! Splintered Visions

40. What is your favorite album by 7? King Crimson
This is tough. It's a 3-way tie between Red, Larks' and Discipline.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Are You Ready Eddy? cause it's silly.

42. What is your favorite album by 41? Ayreon
Probably 01011001 because Jonas is amazing on it along with Gildenlow and Hansi.

43. What is your favorite song by 24? Frost*
Definitely Black Light Machine. SO GOOD.

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? Frederik Thordendal
The reaction my friend had to the drum solo.... anyone who knows understands and probably had the same reaction. I know I did.

45. What is your favorite song by 35? Protest the Hero
Bloodmeat and Spoils are my top 2. Probably Bloodmeat first though.

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? Rush
Faithless because the lyrics are totally how I feel.

47. What is your favorite album by 4? Lamb of God
Sacrament by a long shot.

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? 3
It has to be Joey Eppard. So Good.

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? Dethklok
The Coffee Jingle of course! If you don't count the theme song.

50. How many albums do you own by 20? Iron Maiden
Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Seventh Son, and A Matter Of Life And Death. I also own the flight 666 dvd/cd combo.

The Calling - Camino Palmero
Average one. Gems of this album are Unstoppable and Wherever You Will Go.
The rest is not as memorable but is nice to listen to.


Nirvana - Nevermind
Enjoyable album with famous Smells Like Teen Spirit. But there are other very good tracks on it like In Bloom. Worth listening to.


Hanoi Rocks - Oriental Beat
Maybe slightly better than their previous one but it's still weak. Nothing interesting or catchy. I didn't like it.


Short Cross - Arising
Thanks to Mr. Wojciech Mann I discovered this guys and I'm very glad I did. They recorded a solid piece of rock. Unfortunately it's their only album. It's a shame they didn't gained any attention.


Dead by Sunrise - Out Of Ashes
I was waiting for a long time for this one. I like it though I've expected it to be better. Still, it's very good and songs like Fire, Crawl Back In and Let Down are amazing. Chester's vocal has always been my favorite.


Electric Light Orchestra - ELO 2
I was surprised. From what I remembered I didn't like their first one too much but I really enjoyed ELO 2. Especially anti-war song Kuiama. I must listen to their previous album one more time cause I think I missed something then.

Listened before:
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues in Aspic
Limp Bizkit - New Old Songs
Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion II
Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
The Kinks - Preservation Act 1
Aerosmith - Aerosmith
Warrant - Cherry Pie
Whitesnake - Saints & Sinners
Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom
Good Charlotte - Good Charlotte
Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3
Loverboy - Get Lucky
ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
Styx - The Serpent Is Rising
Styx - Styx II
Taproot - Gift
Alice in Chains - Facelift
Van Halen - Fair Warning
T. Rex - Tanx
Blue Öyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation
Derek and the Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
Green Day - 39/Smooth
Hanoi Rocks - Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks
Jethro Tull - A Passion Play
Thin Lizzy - Vagabonds Of The Western World
Disturbed - The Sickness
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual
U2 - October
Genesis - Selling England By The Pound

AC/DC
Acid Drinkers
Alastor
Anaal Nathrakh
Astharoth
Atomkraft
Atrocity
Atheist
Benediction
Biohazard
Brujeria
Brutal Truth
Bulldozer
Cannibal Corpse
Coroner
Cynic
Dark Funeral
Death
Dismember
Dragon
Entombed
Eric Sardinas
Exumer
Faith No More
Flapjack
Fish
Genesis
Gorefest
Grave
Hammer
Hate Eternal
Head Like a Hole
Helloween
Immortal
Kat
King Diamond
Kreator
Living Death
Marduk
Massacre
Megadeth
Mercyful Fate
Metallica
Misery Index
Mithras
Morbid Angel
Myslovitz
Napalm Death
Nasty Savage
Nine Inch Nails
Novembers Doom
Oddział Zamknięty
Open Fire
Opeth
Orphaned Land
Overkill
Pain
Paradise Lost
Pestilence
Protector
Queensrÿche
Rage
Risk
Rotting Christ
Running Wild
Rush
Sadus
Samael
Satyricon
Scorn
Slayer
Sepultura
Sodom
Steve Vai
Stos
Suffocation
System of a Down
Testament
Tiamat
TSA
Turbo
Turisas
Ulver
Unleashed
Vader
Wolf Spider

First, what has been opened from the unopened stack:
Calexico and Iron & Wine's collaborative In the Reins EP
Sigur Rós' Hvarf/Heim
Aimee Mann's @#%&*! Smilers
The Black Keys' Rubber Factory
Idea

Still to open from earlier I have:
The B-52's' Wild Planet
Belle and Sebastian's The Boy With The Arab Strap
Electric Light Orchestra's On the Third Day
Nine Inch Nails' Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D
Supertramp's Crime of the Century
Willie Nelson's Shotgun Willie
Ted Nugent's Free-For-All
Steely Dan's Everything Must Go
Modest Mouse's The Moon & Antarctica
Jackson Browne's Running On Empty in a rather cheap remaindered deluxe edition (to replace an already-sold barebones release)
And the John Coltrane set The Impulse! Albums Volume 1 which includes Coltrane, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Live at The Village Vanguard, Africa/Brass and Ballads.

And adding, unopened:

Weather Report's Weather Report, Black Market and Heavy Weather
Yes' The Yes Album
The Band's Rock Of Ages
The Black Keys' Chulahoma EP
Lindsey Buckingham's Go Insane
The Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man and Sweetheart of the Rodeo (though I've been told to get the boxset instead...)
The Decemberists' The Crane Wife
Devo's Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys
Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick
Roxy Music's Avalon
Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years
Ennio Morricone's score for The Mission


And, for the rest of June:

Goblin's Perché Si Uccidono (recorded as Il Reale Impero Britanico)
Andrew Bird's Noble Beast and Useless Creatures
Coheed and Cambria's Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV | Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow on vinyl


And July:
David Bowie's Earthling
The Doobie Brothers' The Captain & Me
Lindsey Buckingham's Out of the Cradle
Suffocation's latest, Blood Oath
Paul Simon's Paul Simon
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Dio's Holy Diver
Fast Times at Ridgmont High's soundtrack

August:
Jethro Tull's Aqualung
Jeff Beck's Truth and Blow By Blow
Blue Öyster Cult's Spectres and Agents of Fortune
fun.'s Aim & Ignite
The Dave Brubeck Quartet's Time Out (in ultra fancy deluxe form)
Elvis Costello's Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
Iron & Wine's Around the Well compilation
Boston's Boston and Don't Look Back

September:
Mark Knopfler's Get Lucky
The Allman Brothers Band's Eat a Peach (deluxe)
Cream's Disraeli Gears (deluxe)
Brother Ali's Us
They Might Be Giants' latest kids' album Here Comes Science
Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet
Billy Joel's 52nd Street and An Innocent Man
Alice in Chains' Black Gives Way To Blue
Pearl Jam's Backspacer on vinyl
and The Beatles' stereo remastered box set, meaning:
Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles for Sale, Help!,* Rubber Soul,* Revolver,* Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,* Magical Mystery Tour,* The White Album,* Yellow Submarine,* Abbey Road,* Let It Be* and The Past Masters*
*=replacing old version

October:
Mission of Burma's The Sound of the Speed of Light
Dead Man's Bones' Dead Man's Bones
The Mountain Goats' Life of the World to Come
Minus the Bear's Planet of Ice
The Avett Brothers' I And Love And You
BrakesBrakesBrakes' Touchdown
Pearl Jam's Backspacer
and on vinyl:

We Were Promised Jetpacks' These Four Walls
The Twilight Sad's Forget The Night Ahead
Todd Rundgren's Hermit of Mink Hollow
Genesis' Trespass
The Boomtown Rats' Mondo Bongo

My Small But Growing Collection:

Alestorm:
Captain Morgan's Revenge

Deep Purple
Burn

Electric Wizard
Come My Fanatics...
Dopethrone

Finntroll
Nattfödd
Trollhammaren

Genesis
We Can't Dance

Gong
Angel's Egg

Iron Maiden
A Matter of Life and Death
Number of the Beast

Mastodon
Blood Mountain

Megadeth
Endgame
Back To The Start - Greatest Hits

Metallica:
Kill 'em All
Master of Puppets
...And Justice for All
The Black Album
Reload
Death Magnetic

Mike Oldfield
Tubular Bells III
Tattoo

Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Strawbs
Burning for You - Signed by David Cousins

The Sword
Age of Winters
Gods Of The Earth

Voivod
Infini
Dimension Hatröss

Compilations:

This is Thrash Boxset
The Best Air Guitar Album in the World... Ever!
The Best Air Guitar Album in the World... Ever! II
The Best Air Guitar Album in the World... Ever! III
The Best Heavy Metal Album in the World... Ever!

Pure Reason Revolution – “Nimbos & Tambos”
Genesis – “Down and Out”
Blotted Science – “Brain Fingerprinting”
Marillion – “Real Tears For Sale”
Redemption – “Black And White World”
Gentle Giant– “Aspirations”
Ruby Bullet – “Leave it Behind”
Liquid Tension Experiment – “914”
The Pineapple Thief – “Snowdrops”
Dark Tranquillity – “The Mind's Eye”
Trey Gunn – “Spirit of Flight”
Daylight Dies – “And A Slow Surrender”
Magnum – “You'll never sleep”