blog.autumnshades.com

I realize that it’s a little late to be looking back on the last decade, since we’re already about 25% done with 2010. But I’ve got a little time to kill, so I thought it might be fun to look back on the nearly 500 concerts that I saw from 2000 to 2009.

Let’s start with some statistics, shall we?
Total # of concerts attended: 498
Total # of (unique) bands seen: 906

First concert of the decade: November Project and Nancy Falkow at the New Market Cabaret, Philadelphia, PA (15 January 2000).
Last concert of the decade: Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles and Eilen Jewell at Jammin’ Java, Vienna, VA (12 November 2009).

Most active concert-going year: 2005, with 90 concerts
Least active concert-going year: 2000, with 16 concerts
Most active concert-going day of the week: Saturday, with 120 concerts
Least active concert-going day of the week: Monday, with 27 concerts

Most popular day to see a concert: 22 June - Emmylou Harris (2008), Michelle Malone (2004), the American Analog Set (2003), the Dismemberment Plan (2002), La Zona Rosa Songwriter’s Circle (2001).

States where I saw the most shows: DC (245), Virginia (147), Texas (35)
Other states where I saw shows, listed alphabetically: California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

Venues where I saw the most shows: the Black Cat (62 mainstage, 27 backstage), the 9:30 club (62), Jammin’ Java (30)
(seriously?! Didn’t realize I’d been to so many shows at Jammin’ Java.)

Band I saw the most during this decade: Low (16 times)
Best live Low experience: Going on tour with them for a week in 2001.
Weirdest live Low experience: Seeing them open for Wilco at Merriweather Post Pavilion (11 June 2007) and instigating a Nels Cline jam on “Do You Know How To Waltz?”
Best guest appearance during a Low show: Gerry Beckley from America joining Low at the Black Cat, 12 October 2002.
Smallest audience at a Low show: myself, Scott “Starfire” Lunt, and Hollis watching the band film a Yahoo! in-studio performance in Dallas, 25 January 2001.
Best Low opening act: It’s a tie between former Swan Michael Gira at the Bowery Ballroom (19 October 2001) and Death Vessel at the Black Cat (4 February 2006).

Other favorite bands I saw multiple times this decade: the American Analog Set (7), Sonic Youth (5), Rye Coalition (5), Mastodon (4), Mogwai (4).

Bands I never thought I’d see once this decade: Mission of Burma (and yet, I saw them 4 times!), the Jesus Lizard, Slint, Gang of Four, Unrest, Eggs, Laibach, Os Mutantes.

Bands/artists I saw this decade that I will never see again: Jack Rose, Vic Chesnutt, Peter Paul & Mary, the Sun City Girls.

Best pre-inauguration show: the Big Shoulders Inauguration Ball (19 January 2009) with Jon Langford & Sally Timms, Eleventh Dream Day, the Waco Brothers, Andrew Bird, Tortoise, Ken Vandermark with John Herndon & Jeff Parker (performing songs of Sun Ra), Freakwater, and more.
Best post-inauguration show: Noise Against Fascism (20 January 2005) with To Live and Shave in L.A., Chris Corsano/Paul Flaherty, Mirror/Dash (Kim Gordon & Thurston Moore), Double Leopards, Magik Markers, and more.

Best Valentine’s Day show: Black Dice, Orthrelm, Dorkestra, and Nautical Almanac at the Ottobar, 2004.
Best birthday show: the Antiques at the Velvet Lounge.
Best St Patrick’s Day shows: SXSW 2001: Mogwai, Sally Timms, Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel, the New Pornographers, Jim and Jennie and the Pinetops, Flare.

Three memorable concert experiences:
• Built to Spill, Windsor for the Derby, and Explosions in the Sky at the Union Ballroom, Austin, TX (20 April 2001): Obviously, this was a great lineup, but this show was most memorable just for being in the company of good friends on the night before I got laid off from my dot-com job.
• Einstuerzende Neubauten at the 9:30 club (23 April 2004): There aren’t many artists who could take too long to get out on stage, come out and immediately insult the (extremely restless) audience, and still win everyone over within seconds of starting to play.
• Sigur Rós at the 9:30 club (25 September 2001): This was my first show at the 9:30 club, and it was also two weeks after September 11th. Sigur Rós’s music was just the perfect antidote for the mood in the city (and country) at the time.

Favorite house shows:
• Pretty much everything at 611 Florida, but especially Sir Richard Bishop in 2005 and the annual Free Folk Phantasmagory (including Sharron Kraus in 2004, Fursaxa and Samara Lubelski in 2005).
• Yellow Swans at Tarantula Hill, Baltimore, 31 May 2004.
• the Finnish folk tour (Lau Nau, Islaja, Kuupuu) on Frankfort Ave., Philadelphia, 3 September 2005.

You wanna see the full list of bands I saw this decade? It’s embedded behind the cut….
(the number in parenthesis refers to the number of times I saw the group this decade.)

27
(the Sounds of) Kaleidoscope
+/- (2)
16 Bitch Pileup
3 Doors Down
302 Acid
5 O’Clock Somewhere
50 Foot Wave
8 Bold Souls
81 South
A Cappella Showcase Chorus
A Place to Bury Strangers
ABC’s
Accelera Deck
Acorn
Ada
Aesop Rock & Mr. Lif
Aimee Mann (2)
Akon
Akron/Family
Alan Jackson
Alan Licht
Alan Sparhawk
the Album Leaf (2)
Alison Krauss and Union Station
All Scars
Almost Recess (5)
Amber Asylum
the American Analog Set (7)
American Idols Live! (Season 3 Finalists)
Amy Correia (2)
Amy Miles
An Albatross
Anberlin
And Me
Andrew Bird (2)
Andy Griggs
Ane Brun
Angela McClusky
Angels of Light (2)
Angus Brainpan
Ani DiFranco
Animal Collective (3)
Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel
Anne McCue (2)
the Antiques (5)
Anti-Social Music + Gena Rowlands Band (performing songs from the Nitrate Hymnal)
Antlers
Arab on Radar (2)
Arcade Fire
Architecture in Helsinki
Ari Hest
Art Brut
Arthur & Yu
Arthur Doyle Electro-Acoustic Ensemble
Aslyn
A-Trak
Audrey Chen
Author Thomas Frank
Backstreet Boys
Badly Drawn Boy
Ball in the House
Band of Horses
Baptist Generals
Bardo Pond (2)
Battles
Bayside
Be Your Own Pet
Beach House
Bee and Flower
Beeping Sleauty
Beirut
Believers
Belle & Sebastian
Ben Folds
Ben Lee
Beth Hart
Beth Orton
Bettye LaVette
Beu Sisters
Big Business
Big Huge
Bill Callahan
Billy Bragg
Black Acid
Black Dice
Black Eyes
Black Lips
Blackjacks
Blast of Valour
Blitzen Trapper
Blondie
Bloodlines
Blue Jupiter (2)
Bo Bice
Bob Guiney
Bob Malone
Bobs (2)
Bodies of Water
Bonde Do Role
Bonfire Madigan
Bowerbirds
Boyracer
Brad Paisley
Brand Loyal
Brandi Shearer
Brian Vander Ark
Bright Eyes
Brightblack Morning Light
Brindley Brothers
Broken Strings
Brooks & Dunn
Brother JT
Brown Wing Overdrive
Bryan Greenberg
Built to Spill (3)
Burning Star Core
Buzzardstain (Nate Young/Twig Harper)
Cadence Weapon (2)
Cage
Calexico
Califone (2)
Calla
Camera Obscura
Canyon
Capital Blend
Capitol City Dusters
Capri
Cardigans
Caribbean
Carlos Giffoni + Dylan Nyoukis duo
Carrie Rodriguez
Carsie Blanton
Cartoon Johnny (6)
Cary Brothers
Cass McCombs
Cassettes
Castanets
Casual Dots
Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
Catherine Irwin
Caution Curves (6)
Cecilia
Certainly Sir
Channels
Charlotte Martin (2)
Charming
Chessie
Chic Nerve (2)
Chicago Underground Duo
Chin Up Chin Up
Choose Your Own Adventure
Chopteeth
Chris Brokaw
Chris Corsano/Paul Flaherty
Christopher Willits
Chromatics (3)
Chuck Bettis/Carly Ptak
Clay Aiken
Click Five
Clipse
CocoRosie
Colbie Caillat
Colin Meloy (2)
Comas (2)
Consonant (2)
Converge
Cool Kids
Cowboy Junkies
Craig Taborn’s Junk Magic
Craig Wedren (2)
Cranes
Crooked Fingers
CSS
Cut Copy
Cutthroats.09
Cymbals Eat Guitars
D.O.V.E.
Da Vinci’s Notebook
Dabrye
Dame Fate
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado & Gathered in Song
Dan Deacon
Dan Kaufman
Dan Linfield
Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
Daniel Higgs
Danielson
Dar Williams
Davenport
David “Honeyboy” Edwards
David Cross
David Kitt
David Poe
David Serby
Dawn Landes
dcVocals (3)
De La Soul
Dead 60s
Dead Low Tide
Dean & Britta
Death By Sexy
Death Vessel (2)
Deerhoof
Deerhunter
Del Rey
Destroyer
Detachment Kit
Dethklok
Devendra Banhart (3)
Devicks
the Devil, Probably
DeVotchKa
Dianogah
Digi-Lytes / the Mikrobes
Dinosaur JR.
Diplo
the Dirtbombs
the Dirty Three
Disappears
Dismemberment Plan
DJ Spooky
DJ/Rupture
Dog Waggers
Dominik Eulberg
Don Caballero
Donny Hue & the Colors
Doom
Dorkestra
Double Leopards (4)
Double Shot!
Dr. Dog
Drones
Duncan Sheik
the Dutchess and The Duke
Dwight Yoakam
Dykehouse
Earth
Easy Action
Eclipse (2)
Edwin McCain
Eggs
Eilen Jewell
Einstuerzende Neubauten
El Guapo
Eleventh Dream Day
Eliza Gilkyson (2)
Ellen Cherry Band
elmoTHUMM (2)
Elvis Costello & the Imposters
Elvis Perkins
Emiliana Torrini
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton
Emmylou Harris (2)
Enemymine (2)
Entrance
Erin McKeown (2)
Esthero
Eszter Balint
Euphonism (3)
Everybodyfields
Excepter (2)
Explosions in the Sky (2)
Facemat
Feathermerchants
Feist
Fiction Family
the Field (2)
the Fiery Furnaces
Final Fantasy (2)
Finn Brothers
the Flaming Lips
Flare (3)
Fleet Foxes
Flo Anito
Flosstradamus
Flowers in the Attic
Fontaine Toups
Foreigner
Forgotten Works
Frames
Frank Fairfield
Freakwater
Fred Armisen
Fred Lonberg-Holm’s Lightbox Orchestra
Free Blood
French Toast (2)
Frightened Rabbit
Frog Eyes
From Monument to Masses
From Quagmire
Fucked Up
Fujiya & Miyagi
Funk Ark
Fursaxa
Future Bible Heroes
Future of the Left
Futureheads
Galusha Grow
Gang Gang Dance (2)
Gang of Four
Garbage
Gavin DeGraw
Gena Rowlands Band (4)
Gert-Jans Prins
Ghislain Poirier
Ghostcar
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Ginger Leigh
Ginger MacKenzie
Gingersol
Girl Talk
Glen Tilbrook
Glenn Kotche
Glo-Worm
Gnarls Barkley
Godisheus
Goldbug
Golden Arm Trio
Good Charlotte
Graham Colton
Grand Ole Party
Green Milk From The Planet Orange
Greg Davis / Keith Fullerton Whitman / Bird Show (Ben Vida)
Greg Howard
Greg Laswell
Grey Eye Glances
Grizzly Bear (2)
Growing
Guided by Voices (2)
Gwen Stefani
GZA/Genius (performing Liquid Swords)
Hair Police
Haley Bonar
Half Handed Cloud
Hammock
Handsome Family
Handsome Furs
Hank Williams III
Hanson
Hayden
Heart
Heartbreak
Hem (2)
her space holiday
Hex Machine
High on Fire
HIM
His Name Is Alive
the Hiss
the Hives
HO-AG
the Hold Up
Holly Williams
Holy F*ck
Hot Machines
Howard Stelzer
Hrvatski
Huon
the Hurricane Lamps
Hyatari
I Heart Lung
Icy Demons
Ida (3)
if thousands
InChant (Ohio State University at Marion)
Iron & Wine (2)
Islaja
Islands
Jack Rose (3)
James Mathus and his Knock-Down Society
James McMurtry
James Yorkton
Jamie Cullum
Jamie Lidell
Jane Monheit
Japandroids
Jarboe
Jason Collett
Jason Mraz
Jazzkammer
Jeff Parker / Nels Cline Quartet
Jennifer O’Connor
Jenny Owen Youngs (3)
Jenny Toomey (2)
Jens Lekman
the Jesus Lizard
Jewel
Jill Sobule
Jim and Jennie and the Pinetops
Jim White
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein
Joan As Police Woman
Joanna Newsom
Joe Henry
John Guilt
John Hiatt
John Legend
John Vanderslice
John Wilkes Booze
John Zorn et al.
Jon Langford & Sally Timms
Jonatha Brooke
Jonathan Meiburg
Jonzetta
Josh Kelley
Josh Ritter
Joss Stone
Journey
Jucifer (3)
Judd and Maggie
Judson Claiborne
Julian Coryell
Julie Roberts
June Star
Junior Boys (2)
Justin Jones (2)
K. (2)
Karl Blau
Kasey Chambers
Kate Voegele (2)
Kate Walsh
Kathleen Edwards
Katie Melua
Katy Rose
Kelly Clarkson
Ken Vandermark w/ John Herndon & Jeff Parker
Ken Vandermark’s Powerhouse Sound
Kenny White
Keri Noble
Kevin Kinney (2)
Killer Whales
Kim Gordon and the Sweet Ride (Ikue Mori, DJ Olive, Jim O’Rourke)
Kimberley Locke
Kinison
Kismet (11)
Klaxons
Kohoutek (2)
Konono No. 1
Kronos Quartet
Kuupuu
Kyle Riabko
Lady Gaga
Laibach
Landspeeder (2)
Lanky
Lau Nau
Laundry Room Squelchers (2)
Laura Burhenn
Laura Cantrell
Laura Gibson
Laura Veirs (2)
Leah Peah & Head Molt
Lee Ranaldo + Roger Miller + William Hooker Trio
Leona Naess
Les Savy Fav (2)
Lesley Roy
Leslie and the Badgers
Liars (2)
Lift to Experience
Lindstrom
Lisa Loeb
Little Howlin Holf
Liz Durrett
Liz Phair (2)
Lois
Lonesome Organist and the Organ
Loney, Dear
Long Live Death
Lorelai
Lori McKenna
Lotus
Lou Ford
Lovelife
Low (16)
Low Millions
Lucinda Williams
Lucky Day
Luminaries (2)
Luna (2)
Lyle Lovett
Lymbyc System
M.Doughty
M83
Macitajs on Acid
Mae Shi
Magic Magicians
Magik Markers (3)
Maginot Line
Magnet
the Magnetic Fields (2)
Magnolia Electric Co.
Magpies
Mahogany
Major Stars
Makana
Malarkies (2)
Man Man
Marc Cohn
Maria Mena
Marina Belica & Friends
Marissa Nadler
Mark Eitzel (2)
Mark Knopfler
Mark Robinson (2)
Mark Z. Danielewski
Marlo Eggplant & Brian Mucus
Maroon 5
Martina McBride
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Fahl
Mary Gauthier
Mary Lou Lord
Mascott
Massimo
Mastodon (4)
Matmos
Matt & Kim
Matt Nathanson (2)
Matt Pond PA
Matthew Dear
Max Demand
Mayan Bounty
Measles Mumps Rubella
the Meat Puppets (2)
Meg & Dia
Meiko
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Ferrick
Melt-Banana
the Melvins
Memorize the Sky
Menomena
Meredith Bragg
Meredith Bragg & the Terminals
Metalux
Metric
Metropolitan (10)
Mew
Michael Bublé
Michael Columbia (2)
Michael Gira
Michael Hurley
Michael Nace
Michael Penn
Michael Tolcher (3)
Michelle Branch
Michelle Malone
Midwest Product
Mighty Flashlight
Mike Doughty (2)
Mike Watt
Mike Watt and the Secondmen
Mikroknytes (2)
Milemarker (2)
Mindy Smith
Minus Story
Mirror/Dash (Kim Gordon/Thurston Moore)
the Misfits
Miss Derringer
Mission of Burma (4)
Mogwai (4)
Monotract (2)
Monsoon
moth wranglers
Mother Orchid
Motori
Mount Vicious
Mountain Goats (4)
Mouse on Mars (2)
Mouthus
Nancy Falkow
Natalie MacMaster
the National (3)
Nautical Almanac (3)
Neil Halstead (3)
Nein Volt
Neko Case (3)
Nerissa and Katryna Nields
New Cars
New Pornographers (4)
New Year (2)
Nickel Creek (2)
Nico Vega
Nina Nastasia
Nmperign-Due Process collaboration
Nomo
November Project (2)
the Nuclears
the Occasion
October Project (2)
Of Montreal
Okkervil River
Oktbrwrld
Old Crow Medicine Show
Old Haunts
Orthrelm
Os Mutantes
Ostinato
Ostonato
the Out Hud
the Out_Circuit (3)
Ovo
Oxes (2)
Oxford Collapse (2)
Ozric Tentacles
Pacific Ocean
Pages
Paid in Puke
Paik
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Paper Rockets
Paramore
Pat McGee Band
Paul Metzger
Paul Michel
Paul Newman
Pedro the Lion (2)
Pekko Keppi
Pelican
Pepe Deluxe
Perfect Souvenir (3)
Perishers
Pernice Brothers
Pete Yorn
Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet
Peter, Paul, & Mary
Pharoahe Monch
Phaser
Philip Glass
Pines of Nowhere
Pink Spiders
Pipas
the Pipettes
Pita
Pitch Stagger Sway
Pixies
PJ Harvey / John Parish
Plants and Animals
Playin’ Possum
the Plums (7)
Pocket Rockets
Poe
Ponys
Ponytail (2)
Pop Parker
Port O’Brien
Port Vale
Portions Toll (7)
the Post
the Presets
the Professor and Maryann
Professor Murder
the Promise Breakers
Punch Brothers
Pup Tent
Q and Not U
Quasi
Qui
Rachael Sage (3)
Rachael Yamagata
Radio 4
Randy Travis
Rascal Flatts
Ratatat
Raúl Midón
the Raveonettes
Rebecca Gates
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red No. 5 (2)
the Reflex
Regina Spektor
Replicator
the Reputation
Retribution Gospel Choir (2)
Revival
Rich Price
Richard Thompson
Rilo Kiley
Rob Mayer
Rob Thomas
the Rockateens
Rope
the Rosebuds
Rosemary Krust
Rubber-O-Cement
Rufus Wainwright
Rush
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Ryan Cabrera
Rye Coalition (5)
Sabir Mateen
Sally Timms
Sam Jayne (2)
Sam Phillips
Samantha Crain
Samantha Crain & the Midnight Shivers
Samara Lubelski
San Agustin
Sara Evans
Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles
Sarah Dashew
Sarah Harmer (2)
Sarah McLachlan
sc.al with Ben Owen
Scene Creamers
Scout
Scout Niblett
the Sea & Cake (2)
Sea Ray
Seam
Sean McArdle
Seely
Shame Girl
Shannon Wright
Sharon Cheslow
Sharron Kraus
Shawn Colvin
Shearwater
Shellac
Shinedown
the Shins
Shipping News
Shivaree
Sian Alice Group
Sid Hillman
Sightings (3)
Sigur Rós
Silver Jews
Silver Scooter
Sir Richard Bishop
the Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers
Six Organs of Admittance
Skaters (2)
Skyline (2)
Sleater-Kinney
Slint (performing Spiderland)
the Slip
Smog (2)
Smoke + Smoke
Smoosh
Snowday
Songs: Ohia
Sonic Youth (4)
Sonic Youth (performing Daydream Nation)
Sonna
Sonos
Sons & Daughters
Sonya Kitchell
Soulsavers
South Lakes HS Men’s A Cappella
South Lakes HS Women’s A Cappella
South Lakes Singers
Spank Rock
Speedwell (2)
Spiritualized
Spoon (3)
Sprites (2)
Stamen and Pistils (2)
the Standard
Stars
Stars of the Lid (2)
Stars on Strings
Static Flow
Staticflow
Stephanie Rooker
Stephen Malkmus (2)
Stevie Nicks
Steward
the Stills
Storsveit Nix Noltes
the Submarines
Sufjan Stevens
Sun City Girls
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunset Rubdown
Sunwards
SuperContra vs. Ibid
Surprise, Arizona!
Tall Firs
Tantric
Tapes ‘n Tapes
Tara Jane O’Neil
Tarantula A.D.
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Swift
Ted Kane
Ted Leo
Ted Leo / Pharmacists (2)
Tereu Tereu
Text of Light group (Alan Licht + Lee Ranaldo + Christian Marclay + William Hooker)
Text of Light group (Alan Licht + Lee Ranaldo + DJ Olive)
Thalia Zedek (2)
Thao Nguyen
Theresa Andersson (2)
Thermals
Thurston Moore + Chris Corsano + Jim O’Rourke + Paul Flaherty Dream Aktion Unit
Thurston Moore + Wally Shoup + Paul Flaherty + Chris Corsano
Tift Merritt
Tik War
Tilly and the Wall
Tim Barnes + Margarida Garcia
Tim Barnes + Sean Meehan + David Daniell + Jeph Jerman
Tim Brantley
Timothy, Revelator
TJ Madrigals
TJ Sr Quintet (aka “Sons of Pitches”)
TJManchoir
To Live and Shave in L.A. (2)
Tobias Froberg
Toby Lightman (4)
Todd Barry
Tom Brosseau
Tom Freund
Tone (2)
Tone Rangers (5)
Tonic & Gin (5)
Tono-Bungay
Tori Amos
Tortoise (3)
Tortured Soul
Toya Alexis
Track Star
Tracy + the Plastics
Trailer Bride
Train (2)
Trance & the Arcade
Trans Am
Trembling Blue Stars
Trish Murphy
True Love Always
Turn Pale
TW Walsh
Twelve Girls Band
the Twilight Sad
Twin Earth
Tyondai Braxton
UEA
Ui
Ultra Milkmaids
Uncle Kracker
Uncle Woody Sullender
Unforgettable
the Unicorns
Uninhabitable Mansions
Unrest
Unto Ashes
US Maple
Uzeda
V.
Vanessa Carlton (2)
Velocity Girl
Venus d minor
the Very Best
Vetiver
Vic Chesnutt
Vienna Falls Chorus
Villa Rosie
Vincent Black Shadow
Violet Says 5
Virgil Shaw
Virginia Coalition
Vivian Girls
Vocal Line
Vocal Line (female)
Vocal Line (male)
vocaldente (2)
the Von Bondies
Vox Populi
Voxtrot (2)
Waco Brothers
the Walkmen (3)
Warren Brothers
Wavves
Weather Underground
the Wedding Present
Weird War
Wendy LeBeau & Her Beaus
We’re About Nine
Whelp
White Magic
Why? (2)
Wilco (2)
Will Oldham
Will Scheff
William & Mary Passing Notes
William Parker Quartet
Willie Nelson
Windsor for the Derby
Winter Blanket
Wolf Eyes
Women
Wooden Birds
Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice
Would-Be-Goods
the Wrens
Wussy Bunny
Yazoo
Yeasayer (2)
Yellow Swans
Yo La Tengo (3)
Yoko Ono