My Year in Lists: 2011 Concerts

This was my most concert-going year ever. 22 shows in total, plus one three-day music festival. Total number of bands/artists enjoyed = undetermined. It was a good year. December really took the cake with Feist/Bon Iver/Tori Amos/Basement Revue w Feist/Sloan (w Feist). I like Feist.

Best New (to me) Live Experience = Bon Iver

Best New (to me) Local Band = Ohbijou

Trifecta #1 = Sloan (once in the spring, once at Hillside, once in December)

Trifecta #2 = Feist (all in December!)

Trifecta #3 = Kevin Drew (BSS at Downsview, Hillside, and the Basement Revue)

Trifecta #4 = Torquil Campbell of Stars/Memphis (2 Stars shows, plus Memphis at Hillside)

Best Bar Show = Kathleen Edwards @ The Dakota Tavern

Best Random Storytelling = Hawksley Workman

Goddess = Tori Amos

Most Adorable = Dan Mangan (once at Hillside, and once at the QE Theatre)

Best way to get into a show = Scavenger hunt to see Stars at the Edward Day Gallery

Best Nostalgia = Seeing Weezer and The Hip @ Downsview. It's been ages since I've seen the Hip and I listened to lots of Weezer as an angsty shoe-gazing teenager.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to surpass this year in terms of shows, but 2012 is looking robust so far. I've got tickets to see my beloved Los Campesinos! on January 21st, and tickets to see my emolicious Jack's Mannequin on January 31st.

Here's the complete 2011 list for posterity.

• Dec. 21st - Sloan, Rural Alberta Advantage, Ohbijou, Bonjay @ The Great Hall
• Dec. 20nd - Jason Collett presents The Basement Revue @ The Dakota Tavern
• Dec 8th - Tori Amos @ Massey Hall
• Dec. 7th - Bon Iver @ Massey Hall
• Dec 1st - Feist @ Massey Hall
• Nov 4th - Matthew Good @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• Oct 28th - Dan Mangan @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• Oct. 7th - Ohbijou @ Soundscapes
• Sept. 9th - Jason Collett with Zeus @ Yonge-Dundas Square
• Aug 28th - Kathleen Edwards @ The Dakota Tavern
• July 22nd to 24th - Hillside Music Festival
• July 16th - Sarah Harmer/Serena Ryder @ Olympic Island
• July 1st - Tragically Hip, Weezer, BSS, Hey Rosetta!, Buck 65 @ Downsview Park
• June 22nd - Sloan @ The Mod Club
• June 18th - Stars @ The Edward Day Gallery
• June 17th - Stars @ Yonge-Dundas Square
• June 16th - Evening Hymns/Forest City Lovers @ The Music Gallery (NXNE)
• June 10th - Joel Plaksett Emergency @ Metro Square
• April 29th - Hawksley Workman @ The River Run Centre in Guelph
• April 28th - Old Man Luedecke @ The Dakota Tavern
• April 26th - Christine Fellows @ The Music Gallery
• Feb 24th - Hey Rosetta! @ Lee's Palace
• Feb 4th - Jim Bryson & The Weakerthans @ Lee's Palace