1. Taking Back Sunday reunion tour – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ. June 22, 2010
Without a doubt, the most memorable concert of 2010. After a tumultuous past, John Nolan and Shaun Cooper forgave and forgot, re-joining the band and completing the lineup that recorded their debut album. When the two returning members walked onstage that night, the crowd’s deafening screams were almost too much to handle. Die-hard fans, a show that sold out in minutes, reunited friends--it doesn’t get much better.
2. Bob Dylan – George Washington University, Washington, D.C. November 13, 2010
A birthday present for my father that ended up being an unforgettable experience for me. Dylan may have not acknowledged the crowd, or even that he was performing, but a crowd of thousands, and singing “Like A Rolling Stone” along with “America's poet laureate of rock ‘n roll” (the introduction played as he walked onstage awarded him this honor), made this a concert to remember.
3. Something Corporate reunion tour – 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. August 10, 2010
Something Corporate kick-started my love for emo, pop-punk, and pop rock music. They pulled me into this part of the music scene, and I hope to stay here forever. SoCo holds the honors of first song I learned on piano and only bumper sticker to stay on my car since 2004. Seeing Andrew McMahon, a cancer survivor, perform the songs that got me through my emotionally-fueled high school years in my favorite D.C. venue was unreal.
4. Jenny Owen Youngs – Rock n Roll Hotel, Washington, D.C. November 16, 2010
I was caught off guard on my way to a songwriters' night--a sign announcing Youngs went on at 9pm forced me to sneak out of my prior engagement early. Youngs' comedic interactions with the small crowd seamlessly transitioned into deeply emotional songs. She strummed the electric guitar and, despite claims of illness, sang beautifully while drummer Elliot Jacobson accompanied her. It might not seem like a lot, but it made me fall in love with her music all over again.
5. Third Eye Blind – The Norva, Norfolk, VA. March 28, 2010
I went to this show with my friend Eric, a devoted Third Eye Blind fan, and we may have been the only fans under the age of 30. We didn’t feel out of place in the older crowd, however, since we were all there for the same thing--to relive some of the best songs from the nineties, and to hear Stephan Jenkins talk openly about his sex life. Third Eye Blind played a solid mix of old favorites (“Motorcycle Drive By” floored me) and newer releases. Needless to say, Eric and I sang the whole way home.
6. My Favorite Highway farewell show – Jammin Java, Vienna, VA. December 20, 2010
I couldn’t decide if I was excited for or dreading this concert. The end of My Favorite Highway, a talented band that deserved much more than their short-lived career, signaled the end of my teenage years. Seeing lead singer David Cook ask the audience to sing his lyrics, because he couldn’t handle singing them for the last time, sent me right over the edge. It was an emotional, tear-inducing performance that left me asking why it was over so soon and who would provide the soundtrack to all my future hopeful and heartbreaking moments.
7. Tegan and Sara – The National, Richmond, VA. February 18, 2010
My first time seeing this duo, and what a show. It’s always nice to discover your favorite artists have great personalities, and the Quin sisters bantered with each other and the crowd the whole night. I wasn’t a fan of their newer songs, but seeing them performed live completely changed my mind.
8. Jimmy Eat World – The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA. October 11, 2010
It had been years since I’d seen Jimmy Eat World, but their 2010 tour merited a visit to Philadelphia. Great venue, packed house, and a good balance of older and newer fans. Their powerful performance spanned their entire discography, and since my twenty-third birthday was rapidly approaching, I loved hearing “23” live for the first time.
9. Man Overboard – The Fire, Philadelphia, PA. October 10, 2010
My first time seeing this pop-punk band, and definitely not my last. Hard to imagine a band breathing life into the formulaic pop punk scene, but Man Overboard found a way. The venue was small and the crowd even smaller, but Man Overboard commanded the stage with overlapping vocals and catchy pop punk riffs. Here’s hoping these hometown heroes break out of Philadelphia.
10. Backstreet Boys – Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA. June 9, 2010
Included despite the risk of undermining any journalistic or musical integrity. Let me say this--you have not lived until you scream-sing the words to “I Want It That Way” along with your best friend and thousands of other fans, all wishing to recapture the adolescent excitement of seeing a boy band.