38 Comments

I will be predictably Moss and say tops had to be Sturgill at Bridgestone for me. Though, to be fair, this entire year was a huge blur! Looking forward to a more clear-headed 2025 of shows, though can't say the same for the political environment..... - MM

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Favorite show was Hurray for the Riff Raff at the Amsterdam in St. Paul. Love, love, love the album and appreciated an even deeper intensity in how they played their songs live.

Other favorite: Thumpasaurus. Definitely not country (unless you count Struttin') but I love that they combine fun, danceable music with positive, but not annoying, themes and their musicianship is off the charts.

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sounds like a blast!!

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My favorite show was actually one I reluctantly went to: Donovan Woods. All of his songs are so sad, but I was totally blown away by how good the show was. He was incredibly funny and talkative with his band and the crowd. Gotta cut the sadness with some humor, I guess.

This year was the first for a big Lollapalooza-style music festival in the Twin Cities. The first day included some of my favs Morgan Wade and Alanis Morrissette.

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we also saw alanis this year and it was packed/a good vibe

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I have a visceral reaction every time I see her and just cry. Something about a mom rocking up on stage. Just so empowering.

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My favorite show had to be Sarah Shook & the Disarmers for Honky Tonkin' in Queens, just rockin' for close to two hours with very few breaks.

Second would have to be Noeline Hoffman opening for Shane Smith & The Saints at Webster Hall. Only played four songs but I loved every second. One of my favorite voices in music today.

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ah so fun! and cool to hear noeline is good live, i am intrigued to see her!

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Just her and her guitar and I was just sitting there in awe.

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sarah shook was just as good as expected live and i was shocked by how much i liked shane smith and the saints live

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dan reeder tribute and concert was probably a top 2024 concert for me

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I didn't know Dan Reeder until recently somehow and I'm obsessed now

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Didn’t make it to too many concerts this year but there were definitely some highlights and an absolute bucket list show. This shouldn’t be too shocking but Maren Morris is absolutely fantastic live, what a voice. I caught the RSVP tour and the new bops predictably bopped live. I’ve also now gotten to see 3 out of the 4 (primary, I guess) Highwomen. fingers crossed I get to see em together someday.

as for the bucket-list: Early this year I got to see Mavis Staples live. a balm for the soul. She sounded great, had great energy and is hilarious. again, this shouldn’t be very surprising but, highly recommend if you’re able to see her.

Thinking about going to see Kelsea Ballerini in feb next year and hoping to catch some smaller shows but a lot of those artists don’t make it to South Florida as often unfortunately

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all awesome!! mavis is for sure bucket list, and kelsea is great

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mavis staples live is life affirming

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Waxahatchee at Tannahill's in the Stockyards. The band had fun; they clearly love those songs as much as the audience did. Katie Crutchfield had us her thrall. She sat on the edge of the stage at the quiet beginning of "Crimes of the Heart" and we in the audience were silent, allowing her to cast her spell. Earlier, she stood still at stage left, center and right so we could pull out our phones and get good shots -- allowing us to then put our phones away. The band was tight and she was in a playful mood while, as I said, being in control of the audience and her voice. One of my favorite shows ever, from a performer who has released three stunning albums in a row.

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ohhh I saw Waxa in Tulsa - so good, thanks for reminding me of that! - MM

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Seeing The Vandoliers and Jason Boland & The Stragglers at Gruene Hall was an absolute blast and they both tore it up.

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gruene >

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Also can’t forget Drive By Truckers on their SRO Revisited Tour but that felt less like a concert and more like a group cathartic experience

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My fave was Shinyribs at Hillbilly Haiku House Concerts. AKA my living room. 💥🌟

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!!!! well that sounds amazing

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Sierra Hull played three shows in my backyard in June. I don't think it gets much more amazing than that.

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Dean Johnson was sweet and special and Matthew Logan Vasquez has one of the best "on stage vibes" in the business.

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whoa!!!

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So far I've been to 31 shows this year (if I didn't miss/forget any), and I didn't even make it to Americanafest. So it's hard to choose! A few standouts are: Brandi Carlile at Red Rocks (with Katie Pruitt as an incredible opener); Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway at the Ryman; Sierra Ferrell at Analog; Keith Urban + Brandy Clark + Ashley Monroe + Chase McGill at the Bluebird. But there were so many great ones, and the year isn't over yet! Going to see Molly Tuttle + Ketch Secor at Analog tonight (so if anyone here will be there, let me know)!

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I would love to have seen all of those shows, especially that Bluebird lineup. But the Nashville show I would most love to have seen was where Shelby Lynne sang “I Am Shelby Lynne” all the way through with Allison Moorer and Ashley Monroe as her backup singers. Also Shelby Lynne at the Ryman. I did get to see her years ago in Houston. I’m a big fan.

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Brandi Carlile live was one of my favorite shows ever

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Oh, I forgot. Not really a concert, but Hillary Lindsey did a Q&A thing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and she sang a few songs. That one was special to me, because she's my favorite mainstream songwriter, and she rarely performs in public.

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whoa! what a bluebird lineup

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Yeah, it was cool! Most of my favorite Bluebird moments have come from people I hadn't even heard of before the show, but sometimes it's fun to see big names in a small room.

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Unfortunately, I didn’t see any live music this year. I live in Miami and almost all the live music is Latin or giant arena shows. Americana and alt country artists almost never come to South Florida. Kacey Musgraves was just in Ft. Lauderdale, but the tickets were very expensive. It was much easier—and cheaper—to see live music when I lived in Houston a decade ago. Which is all to say that I guess I’m pas the live music stage of my life, but you’re right—there’s nothing like it! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

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crossing my fingers for some cool stuff to come your way! and thank you for reading as always! - nw

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First show I saw in 2024 was slightly outside my wheelhouse but easily the best: My first time seeing Meshell Ndegeocello and my first time at the Blue Note. All-time mesmerizing set.

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so great!!!

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I saw her in London on a Friday night a couple of weeks ago; second time for me but first time this century. It was a struggle at first as a sizeable number of the crowd seemed to prefer carrying on braying conversations on any topic other than how great the music was, while the staff of the many bars in the venue insisted on emptying dustbins full of empty beer bottles into metal chutes during her set (I'm exagerrating, though not by much). But she and her magnificent band managed the extraordinary feat of overpowering the noise with their quiet, meticulous yet effortlessly relaxed performance. It was the best gig I saw that week, which sounds like faint praise until I add that, due to extraordinary good luck avoiding schedule clashes - and the consideration they all accidentally showed by putting the tickets on sale at completely different points during the preceding nine months - on the Monday (not a gig, exactly, but still a rare opportunity to witness incredible artists live on stage) I'd been to a screening of The Piano Lesson followed by a live Q/A with four of its creative team (director Malcom Washington, stars Danielle Deadwyler and John-David Washington, and producer Denzel Washington) then on the Wed and Thu I had seats in the choir stalls at the Albert Hall, which offered an unusual but utterly captivating viewpoint for what I fear will be the last chances I'll get to see Bob Dylan live. The following week wasn't bad either: life-affirmingly wonderful shows in Brighton, Wolverhampton and London by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, more than ably supported by a solo S G Goodman, who I'd never seen before, and adored; Ezra Collective's trumpet player Ife Ogunjobi and his incredible band at the 100 Club; and the world premiere of a new piece by Cassie Kinoshi performed by her outstanding band seed. and the London Symphony Orchestra. If anyone manages to work out how to bottle months, put me down for a few cases of the November '24 vintage, please.

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Jason Isbell at the Palace in St. Paul was unmatched and I’ve concluded I will continue to see him every time he comes to town.

Seeing Noeline Hoffman and Briscoe open for Shane Smith was also an A+ decision, both were fantastic live. I first saw Briscoe open for Ruston Kelly and was an immediate fan - they’re so fun.

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Jason Isbell & 400 Unit at Stockton Globe in NE England last week - absolutely sensational show with great support from SG Goodman. Opening with Hope The High Road was an unexpected treat and the twin guitar solos in King Of Oklahoma were worth the £🎫 alone but just so tight as a band and such a well constructed set list. Biggest wow was that this was in a newly reopened 1930s Art Deco theatre where last gigs were 50 years ago - great acoustics and perhaps this is what is bring the bigger acts in to an unfashionable small town, if so, keep em coming.

February 2025 has me going to see Sturgill in Manchester, again at an old and restored venue - if the US reviews are anything to go by then we’re in for one helluva show🤞- seen him several times before in smaller venues and he’s never disappointed and great to see his UK audience growing.

My one to watch out for would be Hannah White who is up for several UK AMA awards inc best artist & album (Sweet Revolution) Have seen her a few times now in venues of <30 to >3000 and she has pulled in increasingly big support slots (for Ricky Ross, Paul Carrack, Jools Holland & The Hothouse Flowers) as well as her solo shows - give her a listen. Her husband Keiron Marshall plays a mean guitar too.

All in all 2024 has been a great year - I could add Springsteen to my list, and was so tempted to keep one of the Edinburgh Taylor Swift tickets I scored for my daughter for myself but did the right fatherly thing and set her off with 3 friends on their solo gigging careers

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