Scene and Heard

The best concert festival of 2010

2010 was an exceptional year for live shows. It may have been due to the loss of album revenues to ITunes and digital trading or the weak economy that drove many of musical legends to tour the country this year. Or maybe it was age and the strong younger acts that scared many Hall of Fame Acts to cash in while they can.

Whatever the reason, it was an incredible year for the Midwest and especially the Louisville area.  With two major Festivals, (Forecastle and HullabaLou) and the opening of The Yum Center music lovers pockets were stretched to the limits by big name acts and legends.

In my 35 plus years of attending concerts, my first was Three Dog Night in 1973, there has never been as many great shows in Louisville and surrounding cities in one year.

I pulled only three photos from each band I was lucky enough to shoot this year and ended up with 565 shots in my folder.

I had a wonderful time this year and got the honor of covering many of my all time favorite bands. I still have a wish list but really narrowed it down in 2010.

So here is my favorite 2010 music, Festivals and performances. Please understand my personal choices don’t include Rap, Country, or Pop music. You can go to Spin, Rolling Stone, or Paste for a broader list of top CD’s. NPR has a nice report on the concert industry for 2010. go to  How The Disastrous 2010 Concert Season Could Work In Your Favor

I welcome your comments and thoughts on this years music scene.

Best New music of 2010

1. Black Keys – Brothers
2. Arcade fire – The Suburbs
3. Joe Bonamassa- Live at the Albert Hall
4. Robert Plant- Band of Joy
5. Grinderman – Grinderman 2
6. Avett Brothers- And I Love You
7. Neil Young- Le Noise
8. Derek Trucks – Roadsongs
9. Band Of Horses- Infinity Arms
10. Santana – Guitar Heaven
11. Deerhunter- Haylcyon Digest
12. Eric Clapton- Clapton
13. Black Country Communion
14. John Mellencamp- No Better than This
15. Spoon -Transferences
16. Brad- Best friends?
17. Mgmt- Congratulations
18. Buddy Guy- Living Proof
19. The National- High Violet
20. The Dead Weather-Sea of Cowards
21. Peter Wolf-Midnight Souvenirs
22. Dr Dog – Shame Shame

2010 Best Shows ( I attended)

1. Crossroads Guitar festival- Chicago, Il (buy the DVD)
2. Wanee Festival- Suwanee, Florida
3. My Morning Jacket = Yum Center, Louisville, KY
4. Experience Hendrix 2010- Cinn. OH
5. Santana / Stevie Winwood- Riverbend, OH
6. Bonnaroo- Manchester, TN
7. Louisville is for Lovers with Jim James- Louisville, KY
8. Ear X – travaganza featuring Jim James
9. Forecastle- Louisville, Ky
10. Neil Young- Louisville Palace
11. Crosby, Stills and Nash- Louisville Palace
12. Avett Brothers- HullabaLou
13. Buddy Guy/ Jonny Lang- Horseshoe Casino IN
14. Band of Horses/ Brad – Brown Theater, Louisville, Ky
15. HullabaLOU- Churchill Downs
16. Kiss – Indiana State Fair
17. Aerosmith/ Sammy Hagar – Riverbend, OH
18. Stone Temple Pilots-  Louisville Palace
19. Moody Blues- Horseshoe Casino In
20. Rodrigo Y Gabriela- Brown Theater, Louisville, KY

2010  Best Performances ( I saw)

1. Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood- “Voodoo Chile” – Crossroads
2. Joe Bonamassa and Robert Randolph – “Going Down”- Crossroads
3. Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang and Ronnie Woods- Miss You”- Crossroads
4. My Morning Jacket – Yum Center _ The Whole Show”
5. The Allman Brothers -Wanee Festival
6. Black Keys – Bonnaroo
7. Santana- “Oye Como Va”
8. Jeff Beck – Bonnaroo
9. Black Crowes – HullabaLOU
10. John Fogerty- Bonnaroo
11. “She and Him”- Forecastle
12. Cake- Forecastle
13. Flaming Lips – “ Dark Side of the Moon” – Bonnaroo
14. Hot Tuna Electric- “Wanee Festival”
15. Neil Young- “ After the Goldrush”- Louisville Palace
16. Brad Whitford and Jonny Lang- “All Along The Watchtower” Experience Hendrix
17. Sammy Hagar- “Bad Motor Scooter”- Riverbend, OH
18. Jonny Lang – “Quitter Never Wins” Horseshoe Casino
19. KISS- “Strutter”
20. Devo -Forecastle
21. Widespread Panic- Wanee Festival
22. Grace Potter – Forecastle
23. Darryl Hall – Bonnaroo
24. Spoon Forecastle
25. The Doobie Brothers – HullabaLou

Musicians I got to photograph in 2010 for the first time.

1. Jeff Beck (twice)
2. Jonny Winter (twice)
3. Kiss
4. Aerosmith
5. Santana
6. ZZ Top
7. Steve Winwood
8. Ronnie Wood
9. Taylor Swift
10. Neil Young (solo)
11. Devo
12. Smashing Pumpkins
13. The Eagles
14. John Fogerty
15. Sammy Hagar
16. The Moody Blues
17. Jimmy Vaughn
18. Chicago
19. Kansas
20. Snoop Dog
21. Steve Via
22. Bon Jovi
23. Train
24. Lynyrd Skynyrd
25. Stone Temple Pilots
26. Band of Horses
27. Zac Brown Band
28. Steppenwolf
29. Phoenix
30. Miranda Lambert