MORST'S PICKS: Top 5 countdown of top 5 countdowns!

Morst’s Top 5 countdown of top 5 countdowns!

It’s a meta-countdown.

Number 5 – Top 5 CONCERTS of 2011 with 8 honorable mentions cause it’s
just not fair.

Feb 21, 2011 – Ike Reilly & Nightwatchman with Wayne Kramer & some
union-friendly guys from Beantown. Early gig was a noon rally in the
COLD at the state capitol, then the late gig was indoors at the
downtown Monona Terrace convention center. Wisconsin has been through
some intense political upheaval, and this was right at the start of
it.

March 13, 2011 – Middle Brother with Dawes & Deer Tick at The Majestic
Theatre in Madison. The young fellers in Dawes do not fail to put on a
sparkling good show, and Middle Brother was a rare and welcome treat,
perhaps not to be rekindled!?

September 24, 2011 – The Bottle Rockets open up acoustic and then back
up Marshall Crenshaw at the High Noon Saloon.

October 27, 2011 – Project Object plays the music of Frank Zappa at
Miramar Theatre, Milwaukee. Everyone is high on Herman Cain jokes. The
Hue opens with a solid set of instrumental prog. Original Zappa band
members Ike Willis & Ray White on lead vocals and guitar, backed by a
band capable of playing some of the most difficult music written for a
rock band.

November 6, 2011 – Ray Davies at Barrymore Theatre. Almost all Kinks
songs. The 88, a band from LA, backed Ray and opened up for him. I
don’t like audience singalongs, but Ray does, and the Barrymore crowd
really nailed it, I must say. Ray is great. This was not the Kinks but
I wish it was.

Honorable mentions (MORE Than 5!!):

Feb 15, 2011 Deerhoof at the High Noon Saloon. I am glad I recorded
it, maybe someday I’ll figure out what happened. I did enjoy it. I did
not recognize any of the music.

March 30, 2011 – Bottle Rockets & James McMurtry at High Noon Saloon
in Madison. Heck of a year when something like this ain’t top 5!

August 20, 2011 – Farmfest450, tried to see Tire Fire but they were
rained out by a doozy of a lightning storm. Miles Nielsen ended up
being the headliner as he finished before the storm!

August 24, 2011 Spacerock Invasion 2011 tour with Huw Lloyd-Langton,
Brainticket, & Nektar in Milwaukee. Abby Travis on bass for
Brainticket, duetted with Roye during Nektar’s set.

Sept 15-17 Campout 7 THE HICKMEN PLAYED and yet somehow this is not in
my top 5??? W^T^F? Cop Night from Cracker? CVB as Hippies!? The Indoor
Stage!?
Sept 18 FiStock V at STUDIO – lack of a street number didn’t stop it
from being the best Fi-Stock yet!

November 5, 2011 – Dawes in Milwaukee played a great sounding hot
show, and a couple got engaged on the stage dere. Also Blitzen Trapper
& Belle Brigade, but Dawes is the deal for me.

November 23, 2011 – Backyard Tire Fire’s final show before Hiatus in
St. Charles IL. Good show, a little long on covers, and I don’t think
they’ll stay away for too long, so I’m not sweating their “indefinite
hiatus” or overrating it based on that reason.

November 27, 2011 – Ugly Radio Rebellion at Club Garibaldi in
Milwaukee – More Zappa Music with Ike Willis and another hot band.
Looser this time but even more intimate in the friendly confines.

PLUS LINKS:

Ike Reilly & Tom Morello – on the archive, but not the “LMA” section: http://www.archive.org/details/MadisonRally2011-02-21A

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=crampout