January 17 - Lee Fields & the Expressions, JC Brooks & Uptown Sound @ Lincoln Hall
January 22 - Pet Lions, Post Honeymoon, White Mystery @ Metro
February 17 - Phantogram, Junk Culture @ Schubas
April 1 - Miles Kurosky, Pancho-san @ Schubas
April 2 - High On Fire, Priestess, Black Cobra @ Lincoln Hall
April 3 - Beach House, Bachelorette @ Pabst Theater
April 4 - Miike Snow, Delorean @ Metro
April 8 - The xx, jj @ Lincoln Hall
April 9 - The Soft Pack, Male Bonding @ Empty Bottle
April 17 - Disappears, Nervous Curtains @ Empty Bottle
April 19 - David Vandervelde, Ghostfinger @ Empty Bottle
April 22 - Passion Pit, Smith Westerns @ Congress
May 21 - JC Brooks & Uptown Sound, Blah Blah Blah, Hollows @ Metro
May 24 - Besnard Lakes, The Ponys @ Millennium Park
May 26 - LCD Soundsystem, Holy Ghost @ Metro
May 31 - Hum, Volcano @ Millennium Park
June 3 - Antibalas, The Very Best @ Millennium Park
June 5 - Night Marchers @ Do Division
June 6 - The Ponys, El Ten Eleven @ Do Division
June 7 - Hollows @ Millennium Park
June 9 - Stars @ Lincoln Hall
June 12 - Futureheads, The Like, Static Jacks @ Lincoln Hall
June 20 - Superchunk @ Taste of Randolph
June 26 - White Mystery, The Yolks @ Taste of Chicago
July 5 - The Thermals, Disappears @ Millennium Park
July 17 - LCD Soundsystem, Panda Bear, Bear In Heaven, Wolf Parade, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Smith Westerns, Raekwon, Kurt Vile, Delorean, Sonny & the Sunsets, Real Estate, Free Energy @ Pitchfork
July 18 - Pavement, Big Boi, Major Lazer, St. Vincent, Surfer Blood, Beach House, Girls, Best Coast, Cass McCombs @ Pitchfork
July 27 - Gaslight Anthem, Chamberlain, Tim Barry @ House of Blues
July 30 - Tift Merritt, Dawn Landes @ Lincoln Hall
July 31 - Mission of Burma @ Wicker Park Fest
August 1 - Baroness, Torche @ Wicker Park Fest
August 5 - The Big Pink, White Car, Night Gallery @ Lincoln Hall
August 6 - Lady Gaga, 2 Many DJs, The Strokes, Tiga, Jimmy Cliff, Chromeo, Jamie Lidell, Black Keys, Dirty Projectors, Devo, New Pornographers, Drive-By Truckers, The Big Pink, Raphael Saadiq, The Walkmen, Los Amigos Invisibles @ Lollapalooza
August 6 - Wild Beasts @ Empty Bottle
August 7 - Green Day, Phoenix, Cut Copy, Spoon, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Social Distortion, Metric, Deer Tick, Grizzly Bear, The xx, Dan Black, Stars, Dragonette @ Lollapalooza
August 7 - The National, The Antlers @ House of Blues
August 8 - Arcade Fire, The National, Temper Trap, Frightened Rabbit, X Japan, Hockey, Mumford & Sons, Freelance Whales @ Lollapalooza
August 13 - Boris, Russian Circles @ Metro
August 17 - My Morning Jacket @ Charter One Pavilion
September 3 - Chemical Brothers, Pretty Lights, Paul Van Dyk @ North Coast
September 5 - Crowded House, Lawrence Arabia @ House of Blues
September 9 - Miami Horror, Midnight Conspiracy, Codebreaker @ Double Door
September 20 - Crocodiles, Heavy Times @ Empty Bottle
September 26 - Van Dyke Parks, Clare and the Reasons @ Schubas
September 28 - Strange Boys, Gentleman Jesse & His Men, Natural Child @ Empty Bottle
September 30 - The Acorn, Basia Bulat @ Schubas
October 2 - Moon Duo, Umberto, Heater @ Empty Bottle
October 3 - Field Music, Canasta @ Beat Kitchen
October 5 - Teenage Fanclub, Radar Brothers @ Lincoln Hall
October 7 - Dungen @ Lincoln Hall
October 9 - Jamie Lidell, Zeus @ Bottom Lounge
October 10 - Nick Lowe, Geraint Watkins @ Old Town School of Folk Music
October 11 - Belle & Sebastian, Smith Westerns @ Chicago Theatre
October 19 - Henry Clay People, The Dig @ Empty Bottle
October 21 - My Morning Jacket, Elvis Perkins in Dearland @ Terminal 5
October 22 - My Morning Jacket, Holly Miranda @ Terminal 5
October 23 - Jamie Lidell, Big Freedia, Titus Andronicus, Wild Nothing @ Public Assembly
October 23 - Ex Humans, Flight, Gentleman Jesse & His Men, Barreracudas, Dead Gaze @ Cakeshop
October 26 - Gary Numan, Recoil @ Metro
October 27 - Mayer Hawthorne & the County, Gordon Voidwell @ Subterranean
October 30 - Chromeo, Kid Sister, Theophilus London @ Congress
October 31 - Kurt Vile, The Soft Pack, Purling Hiss @ Empty Bottle
November 9 - The Joy Formidable, The Dig @ Schubas
November 12 - Aloe Blacc @ Schubas
November 13 - Robyn, Maluca, Natalia Kills @ Metro
November 13 - My Gold Mask, Unicycle Loves You, Blane Fonda @ Schubas
November 15 - Small Black, Class Actress, Shapers @ Empty Bottle
November 17 - Delorean, Lemonade, Light Pollution @ Lincoln Hall
November 23 - Downtown Struts, Non-Believers, Biters, Van Buren Boys @ Subterranean
December 3 - 1900s, Tyler Jon Tyler, Tristen @ Empty Bottle
December 10 - Badly Drawn Boy, Justin Jones @ Lincoln Hall

Upcoming, maybe:

December 30 - The Hold Steady

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Cold War Kids, Phoenix (Rites of Spring Music Festival) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC

Have tickets for:
6/10 - 6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/26 - Pavement - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

Possible Upcoming:
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/4 - Tift Merritt, Megafaun - Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
7/1 - Lightning Bolt - The Milestone, Charlotte, NC
9/9 - 9/11 - Hopscotch Music Fest - Raleigh, NC

3/14 - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists / Title Tracks - High Noon Saloon (Madison, WI)
4/13 - David Sedaris (not music, I know) - Overture Hall (Madison, WI)
4/15 - AC/DC - Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
5/18 - Mastodon / Baroness / Between the Buried & Me - Orpheum (Madison, WI)

Upcoming:
6/26 - The Melvins / Totimoshi - High Noon Saloon (Madison, WI)

Possibly:
6/25 - 7/3 - Summerfest (Tom Petty / ZZ Top / Public Enemy / The Hold Steady / Joan Jett / The Roots / Rush / Modest Mouse) - Milwaukee, WI
7/29 - The Dead Weather - Milwaukee, WI
8/4 - The National - Milwaukee, WI

8/13:
I'm taking Cary for his birthday to...
Black-Eyed Peas — Allstate Arena (Rosemont, IL)

today:
here we go magic / new pornographers

I'm REALLY looking forward to h.w.g.m.. hope they're gonna awesome as the album is.

EDIT: FUCKING amazing. both bands were absolutely awesome. 6€ for the night. pornos were minus neko, but the other girl sang her parts perfectly.
maybe show of the year.

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Cold War Kids, Phoenix (Rites of Spring Music Festival) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC

Have tickets for:
6/10 - 6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/26 - Pavement - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

Possible Upcoming:
6/4 - Tift Merritt, Megafaun - Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
7/1 - Lightning Bolt - The Milestone, Charlotte, NC
9/9 - 9/11 - Hopscotch Music Fest - Raleigh, NC

Sage Francis last night. He's friends with my cousin, so I got to take a few friends in with me. He killed, probably one of the best hip hop shows I've been to, especially with Free Moral Agents backing him up. Also picked up Li(f)e and I'm loving it.

Ghostfinger (no "s")

http://www.facebook.com/pages/GHOSTFINGER/18712842243

Wife really wants to go see Pavement at the Charter One Pavillion here in Chicago.
And wants to take the kids to see Old Crow Medicine Show at Grant Park.
Hopefully, we'll be able to do it.

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Cold War Kids, Phoenix (Rites of Spring Music Festival) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/10-6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest (Sunday) - Union Park, Chicago, IL

Have tickets for:
9/26 - Pavement - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/4 - The National, Owen Pallett - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, NC

Possible Upcoming:
9/14 - Elf Power - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
9/29 - Wavves - The Milestone, Charlotte, NC
10/1 - Dead Confederate - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/2 - The Books - Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/2 - Ratatat - Amos' Southend, Charlotte, NC
10/11 - Built to Spill - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/26 - Futurebirds - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/27 - Frightened Rabbit - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/29 - Moogfest (Devo, MGMT, Big Boi, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, more) - Asheville, NC
11/2 - The Intelligence - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC

Possibly:
Best Coast -- 7/17 at Empty Bottle, Chicago

6/20
Unwelcome Guests, the Zatopeks, Be My Doppelganger, Able Danger @ The Hoyt House

Able Danger was local buffalo punk with a trumpet.

Be My Doppleganger is midwest punk. they keep getting better. energetic punk for hopping and bopping.

Zatopeks are British pop/punk. They only come over here once in a blue moon, so I figured I'd drive to Buffalo to see them, even though I'll also be seeing them at Insub. Glad I did. Very fun, funny, crazy poppy punk. They guys are just awesome live. you'd think thrashing and dancing and drinking and goofing off in some punk basement would lead to a stupid, sloppy set, but they just nail it every song.

Unwelcome Guests are a Buffalo punk band that sound like Uncle Tupelo and R.E.M. Their album is still holding strong at my #1 spot this year. Glad to have seen them, and super happy that they didn't disappoint. All the little guitar lines were played, and the singer really can carry those tunes. The bassist has got major chops too.

That Unwelcome Guests record is really good, as was their single, The Painter last year. Wish they'd get to St. Louis as I'd like to check them out.

Saw a great show Friday night. Batusis. If they come to your town, please go if you at all like trashy punk/glam down and dirty rock and roll. It's Sylvain Silvain from the Dolls and Cheetah Chrome from the Dead Boys with a rhythm section stolen from the Blackhearts. They have an EP with four solid ripping originals and they fill out the set with Dolls tunes, Dead Boys tunes and a couple covers. And, they still put on a kick ass show and Sylvain Sylvain at least that night was in fine form hanging out with the crowd boozing it up before and after. I was really disappointed at the small turnout for the show, but once the band kicked in didn't give a shit as they just really tore it up.

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Cold War Kids, Phoenix (Rites of Spring Music Festival) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/10-6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest (Sunday) - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/14 - Elf Power - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC

Have tickets for:
9/26 - Pavement - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/4 - The National, Owen Pallett - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, NC
10/29 - Moogfest (Devo, MGMT, Big Boi, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, more) - Asheville, NC

Possible Upcoming:
9/29 - Wavves - The Milestone, Charlotte, NC
10/1 - Dead Confederate - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/2 - The Books - Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/2 - Ratatat - Amos' Southend, Charlotte, NC
10/11 - Built to Spill - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/26 - Futurebirds - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/27 - Frightened Rabbit - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
11/2 - The Intelligence - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC

Won tickets to:
John Mellencamp: 11/17 at the Chicago Theater

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Cold War Kids, Phoenix (Rites of Spring Music Festival) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/10-6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest (Sunday) - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/14 - Elf Power - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
9/26 - Pavement, Times New Viking - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/4 - The National, Owen Pallett - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, NC

Have tickets for:
10/29 - Moogfest (Devo, MGMT, Big Boi, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, more) - Asheville, NC

Possible Upcoming:
10/26 - Futurebirds - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/27 - Frightened Rabbit - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/28 - These United States - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
11/2 - The Intelligence - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
11/11 - Deakin - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
12/3 - Bonnie Prince Billy - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC

Jason & the Scorchers can still bring it. They have some local connections so maybe they were a bit more excited than usual, but they played last night and the show was scheduled to start at 9, no opener listed. I got there about 9:15 figuring someone would be out on stage or getting close. Jason & the boys were just walking out and they took the stage and went at it for about 3 hours. It was the last gig of the tour so if ya missed 'em too late, but them boys can still rip through a shit ton of the rock n rollenist countrified noise y'all ever heard.

Broken Social Scene killed it last night at the Wiltern. They seem like they are taking a long hiatus from here, so I'm glad I got to see that show. Almost a 2.5 hour set!!!!!!! Amazing.

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Rites of Spring Music Festival (Cold War Kids, Phoenix) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/10-6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest - Sunday (Best Coast, Beach House, Local Natives, St. Vincent, Major Lazer, Big Boi, Pavement) - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/14 - Elf Power - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
9/26 - Pavement, Times New Viking - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/4 - The National, Owen Pallett - Progress Energy Center, Raleigh, NC
10/26 - Futurebirds, The Catch Fire - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/27 - Frightened Rabbit, Plants and Animals - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/29 - Moogfest (MGMT, Big Boi, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, Dan Deacon) - Asheville, NC

Possible Upcoming:
11/2 - The Intelligence - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
11/11 - Deakin - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
12/3 - Bonnie Prince Billy - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC

Gonna go see Sleigh Bells tonight. Really curious how they translate what they do on the record to a live show.

And now I'm in love with Alexis Krauss.

Short set, which makes sense since they've only released one short album. But, they played the whole thing, with a short break due to some technical difficulties with the sound, probably due to the fact they were cranked way up and blowing up the system at the small, packed bar they played. Just the dude with his guitar, a giant wall of Marshalls and Alexis, all the beats and the rest are piped in. But, they totally brought the goods live as far as I was concerned. Crowd was totally into it, so I don't think I am alone in saying that. They are a bit harder and heavier live than I anticipated. I more or less expected Alexis to have a bit more idie preciousness about her, but instead she pretty much kicked ass. And the ringing guitars all around were fantastic. They took their foot off the accelerator for Rill Rill, which was great, but the rest of the show was amped up somewhere around11, maybe 12. If you like the album and don't mind a short set, totally worth checking out.

Nashville a few months back was sold-out and me, the oldster at 31, couldn't figure out where to buy advance tickets because there were being sold via MySpace.

1/16 - The Annuals, Lonnie Walker - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
2/17 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
2/25 - Drive-By Truckers - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
3/25 - The xx, jj - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/27 - Julian Casablancas - The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
4/6 - Vampire Weekend - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
4/15 - Roman Candle, The Ravenna Colt - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/23 - Rites of Spring Music Festival (Cold War Kids, Phoenix) - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
4/30 - My Morning Jacket - Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary, NC
5/1 - Beach House, Washed Out - Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
6/2 - Free Energy, Miniature Tigers - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
6/10-6/13 - Bonnaroo 2010 - Manchester, TN
7/18 - Pitchfork Music Fest - Sunday (Best Coast, Beach House, Local Natives, St. Vincent, Major Lazer, Big Boi, Pavement) - Union Park, Chicago, IL
9/14 - Elf Power - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
9/26 - Pavement, Times New Viking - Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/4 - The National, Owen Pallett - Progress Energy Center, Raleigh, NC
10/26 - Futurebirds, The Catch Fire - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
10/27 - Frightened Rabbit, Plants and Animals - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
10/29 - Moogfest (MGMT, Big Boi, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, Dan Deacon) - Asheville, NC
11/11 - Deakin - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC

Possible Upcoming:
12/3 - Bonnie Prince Billy - Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC