Top Five Music Concerts of 2007

I was a little under the weather this weekend so I had a chance to lay back, listen to some music, and recall the year 2007 in music. I didn't really attend any music concerts outside of the state, so this ends up being the best of area concerts I suppose. Probably various things go into making a concert memorable for me, so these are just the ones that stick out. I could be overlooking some since I went to quite a few.

Honorable Mentions:

- All of the free Border's and Ann Arbor's 107.1 shows at Border's in downtown Ann Arbor (as well as the free Ann Arbor Summer Festival and Art Fair shows). Thanks you guys for doing these!
- Eons and The Hard Lessons at the Blind Pig in August. Very good performances.
- The Bravery at the Magic Stick in Detroit in May. Just plain fun.
- Patty Griffin at the Michigan Theater in April. Much better sound crew than the previous time I saw her there.
- Johnny Headband at the Blowout in Hamtramck in March. Great show albeit abbreviated because of Blowout scheduling. Any material from their album Happiness Is Underrated is genious (sorry guys, not sure about the new jam songs during concerts later in the year).
- Chris Thile at The Ark in June. My only complaint was that the concert sounded exactly like the CD versions of everything, their live sound is pretty much as it was recorded.
- LCV benefit concert at The Ark in November. It was a nice mix of artists and a good cause as well as amazing that a politician spoke for less than 5 minutes and amazing to realize I only saw Daisy May live once in 2007 (to be adjusted in 2008).


#5 Greg Brown at The Ark in September. It's Greg Brown, duh.
#4 Johnny Headband & Electric Six at the Blind Pig in January. Fairly classic shows for the both of them really. Lots of energy in the building that night. E6 had to step it up that night so Johnny Headband wouldn't steal the show with a wonderful warm up act.
#3 Dave Boutette & Great Lakes Myth Society at Jack Spack's Summer Barn Concert in Dexter. Dave's collage finale of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Hey Ya!, and I believe a Beattles song is quite impressive. All the dogs congregating on stage at one point. Definitely the best and longest set I saw from GLMS all year!
#2 Down The Line at The Ark in September. You can listen to a bunch of their music on their website. But you have to see this band live. Trust me. Really this is tied for first. (Note: they are at the friday portion of the Ann Arbor Folk Festival and then back in town in late March.)
#1 Tony Furtado at The Ark in February. His joke that he is not related to Nelly Furtado doesn't say it all, but it probably says quite a bit.

For whatever reason The Ark cleaned up in 2007 for memorable concerts. Wasn't necessarily the case the year before. Of course the intimate setting, non-smoking, and great sound should make other venues (hint, hint, Blind Pig) take note.

Stay tuned for Best Album of 2007 post sometime this week.