10. Ani DiFranco at The Winnipeg Folk Festival – Winnipeg, Canada
This concert came at the perfect time. My senior year, aka my big folk era. This whole festival was amazing. The campsite was basically just an after party packed with fire twirlers, drum circles and a piano gazebo like thing. Ani DiFranco was the last act of the night and she was perfect. I usually don’t like it when artists talk too much between songs, usually because they have nothing to say, but DiFranco was witty and sharp with her humor and stories. Everyone was feeling the love.
9. Cardinal Sin at 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN.
I was introduced to these guys by my friends at Suburban Home Records. This was the night of the Cardinal Sin/Small Towns Burn a Little Slower split release show. I had never heard Cardinal Sin before this show, but it was the perfect introduction. They sound like a mix of Alkaline Trio and even more radness. It also didn’t hurt that the guitar player wears those shirts you can get in the gas station with pictures of panthers and tigers and wolves…oh my. I’m so glad I got to see them before they broke up.
8. Avenged Sevenfold at The Ogden – Denver, CO.
I don’t care what people say, Avenged Sevenfold is awesome! Synyster Gates is one of the most talented guitar players I’ve seen live. This show was in a theater with a capacity of about 850, but they had a performance that could have carried a venue with a capacity of 2000. It was huge and it overpowered the sold out show.
7. Gogol Bordello at The Gothic – Englewood, CO.
This show was sold out well before I even thought about buying a ticket. Luckily I was able to find someone with an extra ticket the night of the show. This bohemian punk band has so much energy I got worn out just watching it. Everything you’ve heard about a Gogol Bordello show is true. They had dancers, washboard players, accordion players and more. It was basically a big party and Gogol Bordello was the host. I had to leave early because my friend got drunk and fell down the stairs, but I saw enough to know that if they ever come to MN, I’ll be there.
6. Rise Against at The Myth – Maplewood, MN.
I just recently got interested in Rise Against. I don’t know why I never paid much attention to them before because every album I’ve heard is solid the whole way through. This show at the Myth was nothing less than rockin. I'm not the biggest fan of the venue. Is it a theater or a nightclub? Either way, Rise Against was able to make this huge show feel pretty intimate. The best part, for me, was the acoustic set. I’ve heard that they don’t always play “Swing Life Away” so I was excited to hear it that night. It was a perfect mix of hits, fist-pumping rock and sweet acoustic songs.
5. Against Me! at The Fillmore – Denver, CO.
Before this concert I had heard of AM! but never actually listened to them. I mainly went to the show to see Cursive, but as soon as the show was over I went to the merch booth and bought AM!’s “Reinventing Axl Rose”. This 4 piece band had so much power over the crowd, it was easy to rock along even though I didn’t know any of the words. When they played “Turn Those Clapping Hands into Angry Balled Fists” I had to stop and write down part of the lyrics so I could remember to get that record as soon as I got home. I can’t wait to see them again, now that I know more about them.
4. Oasis at Red Rocks – Denver, CO.
First off, any concert at Red Rocks is going to be an amazing experience. The fact that it was Oasis just made it that more memorable. We all know how much those Gallagher brothers hate eachother so it was awesome to see them together on stage. Anyone watching could see the tension between the two brothers. When Noel would sing a song, Liam would walk off the stage. It seemed a little bratty, but I have to admit it was kinda cool to see that feud first hand. The show also reminded how many Oasis songs have made an appearance in the soundtrack of my life. Red Rocks and Oasis was the perfect combination.
3. Say Anything at The Marquee – Denver, CO.
At the time of this concert, Say Anything’s “Is a Real Boy…” was on the top of my albums to sing along too, so I was stoked to see that they were playing at the Marquee. The Marquee has a capacity of 500 people, so I knew it was going to be an intimate show. The one downfall was that it was a sold out, all ages show, so I was surrounded by 14-16 year olds and their parents. Once Say Anything started playing, I didn’t notice the crowd at all. Everyone was singing along, but not to the point where I couldn’t hear the band. Anytime you can see a band this close up and personal is an exciting time.
2. The Early November at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – Denver, CO.
For the past 7 years The Early November has been one of my favorite bands. I’ve been lucky enough to see them at the Garden Ascot room in the Quest, at the Ogden in Denver and this last show at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom. This show was a shocker for me, because a week before TEN had announced that they were breaking up indefinitely, and I didn’t know that until the night of the show. I was bummed, but also stoked to be able to see their last show in Denver. I was also lucky enough to know the guitar tech who scored me a chance to sit on stage behind the amps. Any concert where you’re that close to the band is going to be a memorable one. It was a good way to say goodbye to The Early November.
1. Limbeck at the Hard Rock Café – Denver, CO.
AH! This concert was awesome! It was an after party for some benefit, so most of the people there had no idea who Limbeck was, and didn’t really care. Before the show Justin and I had met this bum, Larry D, outside and Justin, being a little tipsy, invited him to come inside and introduce the band. Larry D came inside and got on stage and just started rambling for about 10 minutes about how every word is a song, and random rapping. It was hilarious. Finally he introduced the band, but instead of saying Limbeck he said Limbow. There were about 20 of us that had come specifically for Limbeck, and we were all cracking up. That alone made it a show that I would never forget. Limbeck then went on to play for almost 2 hours, so there were plenty of songs, plenty of drinks and plenty of good times had by all.
