What are my favorite 13 songs from the first half of 2013?

Jim James performing at Milwaukee's Pabst Theater on April 19, 2013

Spoiler alert: "A New Life" by Jim James is going to be my 2013 Song of the Year. It's a winner by knockout. Last year I was waffling all December not confident where I would land and 2011 saw "Midnight City" by M83 make an incredible down the stretch run in my mind. But this song had a one-two punch of circumstance that is distancing itself so incredibly ahead of the pack (again, this is just the internal music monologue of my mind).

First was the song's magnificent debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon...

Second, as the case with nearly every Song of the Year since I formally began awarding the informal title, I saw the song performed live (picture above).

There was an outside chance, in a year with new albums by some of my favorite due (Phoenix, Foals, Daft Punk, Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire) later in the year that it could change - but I feel comfortable calling it now.

I continue to build my Spotify playlist of my favorite songs, but I singled out 13 of them for my Top 13 of 2013's first half:

Top 13 of 2013's First Half

A few quick notes on these 13 tracks:

• Starred tracks indicate songs I've heard live (note: I have tickets for Phoenix later in the year, when I'll most likely hear "Entertainment")
• Pet Lions is an example of when I casually research the question, "who's opening tonight" and discover something much more
• If you liked Amy Winehouse, I can't recommend Jessie Ware highly enough: especially her Live Spotify Sessions if you have access to it
• Kacey Musgraves is not a typo - a bonafide country song has cracked this list for the first time ever
• Harlem Shake deserves to be on this list mainly because of Matt and Kim's fantastic effort

The back half of 2013 looks very promising as some all time favorites (including the #1 act I need to check off my Bucket List) performing live in Chicago. With how back loaded this year might become, I felt it was proper to write a first half recap. Thanks for reading.

Can you dance like nobody* is watching? (*ALL OF YOUTUBE)

Pardon me while I embed three of my favorite videos of people dancing. I just want to have all this wonderfulness in one place for when I need to smile, and dream, and believe, and hope, and know that there is level of self confidence in this world that will always match the stiffing unrelenting pressures of the society around us.

Which Postapalooza Show Should You See?

A hastily made Google Spreadsheet that helped me plan

It's Concert Lovers Christmas in early June!

My favorite concert news day of the year is not when the Lollapalooza lineup is announced, but rather when its Aftershows are revealed. Here are my recommendations, what I would see if I was ten years younger, and how I will act when they go on sale this Friday at 10 AM.

Wednesday July 31
My recommendation: Smith Westerns at Lincoln Hall
If I was ten years younger: Imagine Dragons at Metro
My target: [nothing]
Although SW@LH is tempting, Postapalooza now lasts five nights - best for me to not blast too hard out of the gate.

Thursday August 1
My recommendation: Hot Chip at The Vic
If I was ten years younger: Lana Del Rey at House of Blues
My target: [waiting and hoping]
Before the announcements I had Hot Chip very high on my list of acts I hoped to see on the Postapalooza Calendar. However I find it odd that there is no Metro show listed for this night (additionally, The Riv is completely empty of shows during the week). Last year I filled up my calendar too quick and missed out on seeing a later announced Franz Ferdinand show. This is mistake I will not repeat this year.  Sadly, Hot Chip will most likely sell out and I might have trouble getting tickets.

Friday August 2
My recommendation: Foals at Park West
If I was ten years younger: SBTRKT (with Disclosure) at The Mid
My target: Foals (with extremely large honorable mentions to Local Natives at House of Blues and Jessie Ware at Lincoln Hall)
There is no question in my opinion that this night is the best night of Postapalooza - there are three shows this night that are better than anything on any other night. However, I'm going to again learn from a past mistake and take the known entity of Foals as my pick. There is a 100% likelihood of having an awesome time seeing my fourth favorite band in a small venue. Not to mention, this decision all but pushes me down to St. Louis to see Local Natives at Lou Fest in September.

Saturday August 3
My recommendation: Band of Horses at Metro
If I was ten years younger: Kendrick Lamar (with Baauer) at Aragon
My target: [nothing]
Sadly, I have a bachelor party to attend this evening.  It would take a top ten favorite act to pull me from my friend's celebration. It's too bad, because this particular Groom-To-Be would probably want to see Two Door Cinema Club at House of Blues if he wasn't otherwise obligated.

Sunday August 4
The only act worth detailing on this night is Alt-J at Lincoln Hall. Last year I saw these kids (man, they looked so damn young) haul out their own gear after opening for Chairlift at the Empty Bottle for a Sunday Night 2012 Postapalooza show. In the year since they've played three sold out shows (Bottle, Metro, Metro) and are now at the too-small-for-their-current-level-of-fame Lincoln Hall. In my estimation, it will be the hardest ticket of all to get - especially with LH's will call only ticket policy.

Shockingly, I'm only planning to buy tickets to one show when they go on sale this Friday at 10 AM. I'm hoping to buy more, but I felt like I committed myself too early last year in this process closing off better opportunities that were later presented. And who knows, maybe I'll actually go to the actual Lollapalooza this year (slim chance).

That was Arrested Development?

Steve Holt?

The following are my initial thoughts after watching Arrested Development season 4 over the first 48 hours once all 15 epsisodes became available on NetFlix:

Beggars can't be choosers, right?

It became clear early into my binge that Mitch Hurwitz was correct in advising against marathon viewing. To that extent, I really wish he would have been able to instruct NetFlix to meter out the episodes - because there was zero chance I wasn't going to mainline AD. I also want to note that I expect the episodes to flourish with repeat viewings (I will no doubt watch all 15 episodes at least two more times) as I was so happy to have new content to behold I was sacrificing the foreground to see the background - knowing that I was choosing confusion for the promise of a later payoff.

As for the episodes, and it's overall quality, I had a rougher opinion until I read an excellent review from The A.V. Club that expertly noted the shortfalls but held it up against a new, not the same, standard. For various reasons (NetFlix budgets / actor schedules), the format of the show is different. The show remains groundbreaking with it's innovative method of storytelling, albeit for new reasons which differ from its prior seasons. The show refused to rest on it's laurels, and dared to venture out to make something larger. There was zero chance this storytelling format could have been attempted on a weekly aired network schedule.

Here lies my largest disappointment with the new episodes. The strength of the past method of storytelling utilized the show's best asset (the diverse talents of its awesome cast) to jump from 'A story' to 'B story' to let jokes snap or linger with precision. The new, still adventurous, method of storytelling is to portray each puzzle piece in great detail and hide the overall mosaic. The single character focus at the near total expense of any 'B story' and editing style sacrificed the timing I adored. Personally, in my amateur opinion, the change wasn't for the better. To further detriment to the show's pacing - each episode's increased length exaggerated the issue.

The storytelling also failed to gel the cast in the few instances in which they shared the same space. There are three major gateposts  that nearly all characters pass through: The police station immediately after the end of season 3 (which works well), a contrived premise of a hotel hosting three completely different events, and a Cinco de Cuatro festival that bookends the new episodes, but fails to give the overall season any meaning.  In fact, the major arc of the season was the incarceration of Lucile Bluth, in which the entire family is missing from the trial and the character that would most be impacted by it (Buster) is missing for the majority of the season. My misgivings aside - I actually have grown to appreciate how the final scene ended. It makes sense to me now (although did incite some rage instantly upon credit roll).


I also had issues with how the cast was treated/written. Characters like G.O.B. & Tobias felt as strong as ever, with showcasing episodes allowing them to flourish. The biggest happy surprise was the growth of George Michael Bluth and Maeby Funke. However, I felt George Sr. and his polar twin Oscar were neutered both literally and spiritually. Others have noted that Michael Bluth was alwasys, like the rest of his family, a bad person only to appear better in relation.  Without the ensemble, or the direction they provide, Micheal's character sunk to depths I felt too low (Bad parenting is not a new motif for AD, but they never took it to the shower or bedroom). Fringe characters came back with perfect notes (for example: Carl Weathers and Bob Loblaw), whereas others felt way too integral to the story (Lucile 2 might have had triple the screen time of Buster). Oh - and there was incredibly way too much Ron Howard: I understand there was a lot of lost time in need of his exposition voice over work, but that doesn't forgive the appearances.

On the bright side, Isla Fisher was awesome (and Maria Bamford to a lesser, but also stellar, degree).  Quick Sidebar: Hollywood needs to make a Anna Kendrick / Isla Fisher franchise with many installments. The rest of the stunt casting grew distracting. Why did we need to have different actors play George and Lucile in flashbacks? I would prefer to see Walters and Tambor in Wigs instead of one Wiig (although with an incredible impression).

Please know that I'm eager to watch these episodes again, and to appreciate them for what they are (instead of what I hoped). My favorite episode was the seventh G.O.B. focused "Colony Collapse" that was most definitely aided by the inclusion of Ann Veal (in recent years, thanks to Parenthood, I've become a big Mae Whitman fan). I'm confident the first six episodes - expect for maybe the George Sr. spotlights - will appear less jagged now that I understand the whole puzzle.

One thing is undeniably certain for me: I'm very happy we have new AD episodes. These past months, as many of us chose to watch our favorite episodes again, prompted an increase in Bluth Quoting (never a bad thing).

The Banana Stand is no more, but now we have Fake Block.

When did I fall in love with Jimmy Butler?

Jimmy Butler

Wesley Matthews

(in a very odd Today's Quiz first - I'm reposting what I wrote on my Fantasy NBA League's message board)

I fell in love with Jimmy Butler on February 17, 2009.

As many in this league know, nothing makes me cheer louder than the basketball team from Marquette University. It is where I went to school and where I had the pleasure of seeing nearly every Dwyane Wade home game of his career. I've been making the hour plus drive to Milwaukee multiple times every year for the past ten plus years.

On February 17, 2009 I saw a lazy win over Seton Hall. The (then ranked #10) team was led in scoring by Wesley Matthews with 24 points, but the takeaway memory for me was seeing Jimmy Butler slam down an ally-oop tossed from half court. I had only seen Butler play once before, he spent his freshman year at a Junior College and was reguluated to the deep bench behind an upperclassman heavy roster. That night he became my favorite player on my favorite team. A spot he never relinquished until his final game for Marquette.


I didn't think Wesley Matthews would make an NBA roster the following season in 2010, and although I loved the hustle I saw that 2009 night from Butler - I would've called you clinically insane if you told me Jimmy Butler would find his way into the Chicago Bulls starting lineup in under four years. When Matthews started flourishing early into his rookie season in Utah, I was able to pick him up in our Fantasy League because nobody was watching his box scores closer.  Again, even though I was over thrilled with Butler being drafted from my hometown favorite in 2011 - I didn't think I'd be repeating the same gesture.

And then we have tonight... The first time I was able to play Jimmy Butler in my starting fantasy lineup, where he shot an impressive 7-10 from the floor to yield a career high 19 points (and 6 rebounds).  I didn't get to see this game, for I was again in Milwaukee watching my beloved college hoops squad.  And even though the game featured a player scoring a career high 30 points, it was another player that made me smile.

Steve Taylor Jr.

Someday I hope to have Steve Taylor Jr. on my fantasy team. You'll never hear this anyplace else in your life, but you're hearing it here first. This freshman from Chicago's Simeon High School (he wears #25 for MU, which I owe my knowledge of its significance to the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary "Benji") is the next NBA player that Marquette will produce.

Today was a good day to be a fan of basketball.

P.S.
Yes, I ordered my Jimmy Butler Shrtsey online already, and I just couldn't wait until I received it to write this post!

How much TV can one watch in a year?

The lead singer of ExitMusic is also an actress from Boardwalk Empire

This is long overdue, but thank you for reading my 2012 TV review post. Instead of limiting my list to an arbitrary number (like I did last year),  I decided to list every Series Recording set into my DVR (or binge watched via OnDemand or HBO GO) and rank accordingly. Yes folks, I watched every episode of the below shows in 2012. If a show you love is not on the list one of two rules applies (I don't like it / thus don't watch it or I hear great things / can't figure out what to cut to make room for it). Apologies to 30 Rock and New Girl fans: I will get around to watching those shows sometime... promise.

Honorable mention to The Daily Show, a show I don't watch every day but watched enough web clips to know it had a top notch year amidst a Presidential Election and the world crumbling all around. Dishonorable mention to The Last Resort, a show that I was so ready to have in my top ten only to quit watching after two episodes.

32. Big Brother (XXX)
One thing I will not apologize for is the lack of CBS shows on this list. Friends that have heard my TV Snob comment of "I don't watch anything on CBS" don't know my secret shame that I watched this sad mess of a "competition." I maintain that I "don't watch anything on CBS" because I don't so much "watch" this show as "suffer" from it.


31. Veep (HBO)
I'm quitting this show. It's a one and done for me. Sorry Elaine, just not feeling it. Kudos on another success and we're all very happy that Tony Hale has steady work.

30. The Killing (AMC)
I'm - trying very, very hard - to quit this show. The entire first season pissed me off to no end, but I endured through it only to be royally screwed by it's first season finale. To the extend that I recorded the entire second season and let it sit unwatched until I asked someone who had seen it if it would have a resolution at the end.

29. The Newsroom (HBO)
#1 Hate Watch Show of 2012. Every female character is a fancy good looking shell that is unable to hide the incompetence fumbling onto the screen. The 20/20 hindsight creates a condescending and sanctimonious worldview. I will continue to watch...

28. The Office (NBC)
I married this show a long time ago. For better or worse, right? And now she has terminal cancer. I'm not going to divorce her when I know she will die soon, right? Too harsh?

27. Enlightened (HBO)
Not a show I watch regularly, but enjoy it somewhat in the large OnDemand / HBO GO chunks that I consume it. Any show that has many scenes among cubicles is difficult for me to ignore.

26. Dexter (Showtime)
Somewhat like my views on The Office, I'm unable to quit this show that once was great. It's not as low as the others because the season started off surprisingly well, only to disappoint in the end.  So instead of a cancer-riddled-wife like The Office, it's that hot coworker who is really high maintenance but you smile through gritted teeth at it.

25. Sons of Anarchy (FX)
"Sons of Lower Class Sopranos" gets into the Top 25. I have many, many problems with the plot techniques of this show - but I can not deny it's entertainment value. It has been consistently inconsistent enough to not allow any viewer that still watches to be upset at the product.

24. Workaholics (Comedy Central)
A friend had to strongly recommend this show to me, because the commercials for it certainly won't make anybody want to watch. Easily the most BRO-HEAVY show on the list, but once again: it's really tough for me not to like a show that makes cubicles fertile comic ground.


23. The Eric Andre Show (Adult Swim)
I will never recommend this show to anybody, because I don't want to endure the blowback from upset viewers. As with most every show on Adult Swim, it's layers of inside jokes upon non sequitur references. AND ANTI-COMEDY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!

22. NTSF:SD:SUV:: (Adult Swim)
I love Paul Sheer. That is all.

21. Children's Hospital (Adult Swim)
This is the Adult Swim program that is most viewer friendly. Still oddball enough to leave the majority of America in silence, but has pretty and recognizable faces going through the motions. Ironic motions that are in itself jokes at the tropes that CBS lovers expect and love sincerely.

20. Check It Out with Steve Brule (Adult Swim)
John C. Reilly, ya dingus!

19. Modern Family (ABC)
The show will continue to get hurt by the constant leaning on "Jay is Old and Cam is Gay!" jokes. However, give credit where credit is due: Luke has evolved and become the most interesting character. Let's just hope he doesn't become a cliche like the rest.

18. The League (FX)
I love this show, don't let the somewhat bad ranking on this list make you think different. If anything it was hurt by the incredibly stellar second season.  Just give us all more Rafi, please.

17. The Soup (E!)
A must-watch for a TV junkie. A one stop shopping place for all the filth of TV that you can't waste time with but want to accrue a working pop cultural knowledge.

16. Conan (TBS)
I don't know how to rank Conan. But it's a show I record every day and usually watch 4 at a time when waking up from a weekend night that went too long. I fast forward through every monologue (so it doesn't take as long as you might think).

15. Shameless (Showtime)
Emmy Rossum is fantastic in this show, and it's a shame she will never be able to win an award in the era of Carrie Mattheson. (Shades of Cranston over Hamm)

14. Game of Thrones (HBO)
Reading the books should not be a prerequisite for enjoying a television program. I'm sure all this "set up" will pay off, but it was a step back for me.  The "Blackwater" episode was amazing, and that hour alone earned it's top 15 rank.

13. Mad Men (AMC)
Simply said: I don't enjoy this show as madly as others. Last year it didn't deserve to be on my list, but this year had Pete Campbell at his best/worst.

12. Enjoy It (HBO Digital)
This is a documentary series following stand up comic Brody Stevens. It's only 8 episodes - each lasting about ten minutes. You will be able to watch it in one sleepless night and be thankful you did. Positive energy - YES!


11. Happy Endings (ABC)
Possibly my best TV decision of 2012: picking this show up for this 3rd season cold. Someday I'll go back to watch the first two seasons. No other show has a higher joke per minute ratio.

10. Parks and Recreation (NBC)
No way my favorite comedy of 2011 is my tenth favorite show of 2012? But I just can't place it ahead of shows I enjoyed more... If anything is to blame, it's the worst "Tammy" episode in the series run and an expected let down after the Paul Rudd Political Rival arc.

9. Parenthood (NBC)
Continues to be the best medicine for us in Friday Night Lights withdraw. I respectfully yield the rest of this space to the good folks at Grantland.


8. The Walking Dead (AMC)
The show is bad ass, and it kicks ass. And it's not going anywhere folks (I'm not worried about it's troubles finding a consistent show runner because the source material can keep it on the right tracks). It would be in the top five if not for pacing issues at the Farm.

7. Justified (FX)
Worth repeating: Justified is the best show that people don't realize is a best show. The Timothy Olyphant / Walton Goggins counterpunch are worthy bronze medal winners for Best TV duo. (Carrie/Saul and Walter/Jesse round out the podium)

6. Girls (HBO)
In one sentence: Never before have young women been chronicled for the destructive selfish vessels they may be capable of at the intersection of vantity, desperation and opportunity.

5. Homeland (Showtime)
The first half of the second season is up amongst the all time greats. I was even preparing myself to have it upset the reigning champion for the top spot.  But there were SERIOUS missteps that I can not spoil here, but am more than happy to discuss with any other fan of the show.

4. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)
The show went incredibly meta this year by folding its craziness onto itself, repeating arcs from new perspectives creating beautiful rewards for its longtime fans. Everyone outside the gang has lock solid continuity, but the gang's growth is eternally stunted. The juxtaposition of the evolving world around the bar and the vacuum inside created my biggest laughs of the year.

3. Louie (FX)
Louis C.K. is a Television auteur who refuses to be confined by the standards set by all shows before it. The end result is more of a new integrity than a vision: a philosophy over perspective.

2. Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
During the time when Homeland was faltering,  Boardwalk Empire flourished. The first half of the season lulled me into an unhappy malaise only to congeal in ways I never imagined - somehow making all past weaknesses appear as strengths.

1. Breaking Bad (AMC)
First and foremost, LOOK AT THIS INSTAGRAM:

Bryan Cranston likes me everybody! Bryan Cranston likes this thing I did.

50% of a Breaking Bad season is still better than 100% of anything else. Am I biased? Damn right I am. But this is my list, not yours... Speaking of which, please share with me your list.

And the winners of my 2012 music awards are?

2012 Concert Photo of the Year

Welcome to my (now annual) year end music review post. If you have the patience to read all of it, you will see:
- My ten awards with winners and runners up
- Embedded Spotify Playlist of my Top 50 Songs
- More explanation of how I chose my award winners
- Photos of note I posted to Instagram from the shows I attended
(FYI: My 2011 Music Award Post)

1. The “Perpetual Repeat” Song of the Year: "Passages" by Exitmusic
Runner up: "Swimming Pools (Drank)" by Kendrick Lamar

2. The “Share with All Friends” Album of the Year: Myth by Beach House
Runner up: Adventures In Your Own Backyard by Patrick Watson

3. The “If Every One Could Be Like This” Concert of the Year: My Morning Jacket at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park
Runner up: Explosions in the Sky at Chicago Theatre

4. The “Phoenix” Becoming Too Big To Not Easily See Again: Walk The Moon
Runner up: Alt-J

5. The “Franz Ferdinand” Must Now See Every Time They’re In Town: M83
Runner up: Geographer

6. The “Bon Iver” Regret of the Year: M83's DJ Set at Spybar Lollapalooza Afterparty
Runner up: Mute Math at Summerfest

7. The “Medulla” Most Disappointing Album: Shields by Grizzly Bear
Runner up: Four by Bloc Party

8. The “Should I Quit You” Most Disappointing Concert: Bloc Party
Runner up: Pretty much my entire Lollapalooza afterparty strategy & execution

9. The “Shadenfradue” Guilty Pleasure Track of the Year: "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
Runner up: REPEAT THAT TRACK CARLY RAE!

10. The "Buy an iPod stereo for the car" Best Decision I made in 2012: Returning to Milwaukee's Summerfest after too many years away.
Runner up: My overall determination to see acts like Explosions in the Sky and Patrick Watson knowing 100% of the way I would be giving the other ticket to a friend for free.

This reply from Aleksa Palladino on Twitter helped her cause

 1. The first full calendar year under a Premium Spotify subscription created an embarrassment of riches for me. It also made it very difficult for any song to maintain that perpetual repeat status past winners have acquired. Past year winners were also able to separate from the pack after seeing a live performance of the song, but with other candidates from Beach House and Patrick Watson getting in front of me this year, something special was needed. Which is probably why the tweet from Exitmusic helped it edge out a very strong field. Not to mention, seeing them at Subterranean with less than 25 other fans, in perhaps the cheapest show of the year, was a perfect storm.  Not to mention, I love Boardwalk Empire and have equal feelings towards Aleksa Palladino.

2. My first listen of Myth created the standard all albums of 2012 were to be judged in my mind. My appreciation has yet to waver in repeat spins and was able to hold off a significant charge from Patrick Watson. Maybe if I had seen Patrick  Watson twice in 2012 (as I was able to see Beach House) he could've prevailed. It's also an upset because of the Canadian nature to Patrick Watson - usually music from Canada has the inside track.

3. Every time I see My Morning Jacket in concert they reinforce why I always mention them when asked to list my favorite bands. Add in a gorgeous night and the first time I saw a show at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park created an unfair fight - even in a year in which I saw Radiohead. My favorite band not named Broken Social Scene (Radiohead) wasn't even able to get the Runner-up mention because the audible quality and nonstop set by Explosions In The Sky that exceeded my lofty expectations that have been generating since first hearing their sound on Friday Night Lights. Rounding out my top five shows of the year is the Exitmusic night mentioned earlier and the top-to-bottom awesomeness of seeing The Chain Gang of 1974 / Geographer / Miniature Tigers at Schubas. The Scubas show was early in the year, and it cemented the value of Spotify in my budget. It was the first time I was able to fully familiarize myself with the full discography of an entire bill in the weeks between ticket purchase and event.

4. Walk the Moon has a song playing in a commercial or a technological device. That's the 21st Century path for success. In the last show of 2011 I saw them open for Fitz & the Tantrums - in an exhibition that won the entire crowd. I barely got into their return to Chicago when Lincoln Hall sold out and already have a show in early 2013 that sold out before I realized they were coming back.

5. I will see M83 as long as my age allows. And by that I really mean: as long as I can deal with people younger than me.

6. Here's the problem - I was so entrenched in M83 fandom, I jumped at the "DJ Set" opportunity. It's just not the same: lesson learned. The entire postapolooza season was a mess with me. Choosing Bombay Bicycle Club over Trampled By Turtles, missing Band of Horses, knowingly turning my back on Frank Ocean... And why did they have to announce Franz Ferdinand at the Aragon after the other shows went on sale?!

7. Maybe I will eat my words again with Grizzly Bear. Shields is appearing on many Best Album lists, but I don't dig the majority of it. It's nowhere near Veckatimest (but what is?). My first impression of them was sour, and it's highly likely I will listen again to "Shields" and 'get it.'

8. I really loved Bloc Party back in the days of Silent Alarm and Weekend In The City. Their shows were great. The news of their breakup was met with sadness. I was so happy they were back together and touring I bought the tickets before I head the first note of Four (which was still better than Intimacy). I shouldn't have changed my last experience with them.

9. People have asked if my love of "Call Me, Maybe" is tongue-in-cheek or sincere. It's both. I think it's a good pop song at it's core, but I can't deny the miles of material I have had with the song structure. It has become my Musical Mad Lib of choice - willing to adapt it to any situation. Gangnam Style happened, but that's clearly a gimmick dance with a wonky music video that lacks the sincerity and heart of Carly Rae Jepsen.

10. My philanthropic gestures of taking friends to shows won't stop for 2013. Here's what I'm looking at for next year: Early 2013 Concert Radar

Special Music Mention of 2012:
Music + November = The cliche ROCKTOBER

Newlyweds Dayva & Neil

My cousins Joe & Tom

There's a branch of my family tree that is incredibly gifted with music ability. It was on display in full grandeur this past October at my cousin Neil's wedding. Not to sell my other cousins short, who peppered the entire weekend with their sounds, but I will never again see a groom sing songs, strum strings, beat snares, tickle keys and hold an entire reception congregation (including his wife) in the palm of his hand. The showstopper was the Newlywed Duet.

Finally, here is the Instagrammed review of my Year in Live Music:

Liza Day (Hideout in January)

Machine Gun Mojo (Hideout in January)

Islands (Lincoln Hall in March)

Fiona Apple (Lincoln Hall in March)

Chain Gang of 1974 (Schubas in March)

Geographer (Schubas in March)

Miniature Tigers (Schubas in March)

M83 (Riviera in May)

Hospitality (Empty Bottle in May)

Here We Go Magic (Empty Bottle in May)

Caribou (Tinley Park in June)

Radiohead (Tinley Park in June)

Walk The Moon (Lincoln Hall in June)

Explosions in the Sky (Chicago Theatre in June)

The Walkmen (Summerfest in June)

Mute Math (Summerfest in June)

Real Estate (Union Park in July)

AraabMUZIK (Union Park in July)

Beach House (Union Park in July)

Hey Rosetta! (Bottom Lounge in August)

Bombay Bicycle Club (Bottom Lounge in August)

Alt-J (Empty Bottle in August)

Chairlift (Empty Bottle in August)

Band of Horses (Millennium Park in August)

My Morning Jacket (Millennium Park in August)

Bloc Party (Riviera in September)

Grizzly Bear (Riviera in September)

Exitmusic (Subterranean in October)

Geographer (Lincoln Hall in October)

Freelance Whales (Lincoln Hall in October)

Beach House (Riviera in October)

Holy Ghost! (Aragon in November)

Patrick Watson (Lincoln Hall in December)