Witnessing as Candy Bars returned from a long break and performed with cool and compelling force at the Homemade Music Showcase; chowing down on barbecue and being charmed by folk-pop ensemble Grecian Urns at Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café; getting my face rocked off by Poetry n’ Lotion during their staging of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid at the Brokenmold Xmas Party … All of these experiences and more have added rich color to my 2010 live and local music memories. But I’m only one of plenty who support, sustain and reap the benefits of the Bay area music scene. So I sent out a missive to an assortment of locals, from musicians to promoters to CL’s own group of music-loving writers, and asked: What was your favorite local show/performance/music-related event/local music experience of 2010 and why? Read the wealth of responses I received below.
>>The fiddle-off at New World Brewery between Whiskey Gentry and Have Gun Will Travel [Feb. 4], where the winner was ultimately a harmonica. [Photo from show at right by Nicole Kibert.] – T. Hampton Dorhman, CL contributor and head of Hampton Arts Management
>>Best "Holy shit! We really do have a local scene" moment: AntiWarpt Fest … As a 37-year-old native, I've been in and around the Bay area music scene for quite a while and I've been to a whole lot of local musical festivals and block parties. Be it planet alignment, whiskey intake, amazing music coming from any direction, or some combination of the three, I've never walked away from a night feeling so proud of what's happening here in this area. –Bryan Childs aka Autopsy IV, ninebullets.net.
>>Roger "Pretty Voices" Peterson put together an all-star band for the “Monsters of Rock” tribute [9/18 at the Local 662] and asked a bunch of singers from local groups (including me) to belt out their favorite AC/DC tune. Car Bomb Dave, Evil Don, The Semis' Billy Summer, Tailgunner Travis, Billy Scam and many more killed it for friends and strangers in a celebration of community and good old three-chord rock 'n' roll. It was quite possibly the most no-pressure fun I’ve had at a gig all year, and definitely a marvelous expression of scene solidarity. Plus, I finally got to caterwaul "Whole Lotta Rosie" – it's a lot easier when you're not playing guitar. –CL Music Team writer and local musician Scott Harrell
>>An August set by Sleepy Vikings at the Shuffleboard Courts in St. Petersburg – This place needs to have more shows! Great sound, experience, seating, vibe, BYOB … shuffleboards! –No Clubs Mistress Anna Serena
>>Sons of Hippies was one of those bands I always wanted to see but never made a priority to do so. I now know the wait was worth it. I was hosting the New World Brewery stage for WMNF's Tropical Heatwave and keeping the crowd at bay while vocalist/guitarist Katherine Kelly set up her myriad pedals and effects machines. Kelly's voice is heavy with Floricana grit and attitude, her guitar playing heavy and commanding. Add Jonas Conales’ backup vocals and full attack on the drums to the mix, and I was in full-blown body-rocking ecstasy. Think the Breeders and B52s with hotter tempers, better sound effects and a little blues and grunge texture. –Arielle Stevenson, CL contributor and host of WMNF’s Artful Dodgings Mondays.
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2010.