Here we go again, through the past darkly with a look back at four years of Mays and starting with one of the loveliest singers rock nyc ever ever covered. This is another case where I could’ve sworn she would’ve broken through but it is such a crap shoot. She had the songs, the looks, the smarts but four years later…
May 2010
Lana Mir at Arlene’s Grocery, 5th. – Perfect if quiet set with Lana hidden behind the keyboards – B+
Taylor Swift at Prudential Center, 13th – Her worst set ever, a by the numbers drag – C+
May 2011
Marshall Crenshaw at City Winery,- 1st – Playing is first album, how could he go wrong? He could be a sourpuss for two hours – B
Peter Asher at Feinsteins – 6th -1960s to 1970s retrospective of the first order. Where else can you hear a man recollect being called downstairs so Paul and John can play “She Loves You” for him. For the first time ever before an audience – A
Paul Simon at Bowery Ballroom, 10th – Surprisingly dreary set – B
Maynard And the Musties at The General Assembly – 12th – Excellent alt country guy at the late lamented Muse And Music Series – B+
Elvis Costello at the Beacon Theater – 23rd – The Spin the Wheel tour – A
Modern Hut in Marissa Paternoster’s basement, 28th – Joe has gone from indifferent to surly in his live shows. But he was stillf riendly here – A
May 2012
Bruce Springsteen at MSG – 2nd – Big disappointment with way too much of the current album – A-
Red Hot Chili Peppers at Prudential -5th – By the numbers but the numbers weren’t bad – B+
Scissor Sister At Bowery Ballroom – Way over the top in the best way imaginable – A
Florence + The Machine at Radio City Music Hall – 8th – Big, big, big disappointment – B
Beach Boys at Beacon Theater – 9th – I gave it an A- at the time but I felt pressured into it. A bore and a drag – B
Regina Spektor at United Palace – 15th – The album has loosened over the time but the set never failed to grip – A
Justin Townes Earle at Webster Hall – 17th – Pushing his greatest album, he phoned it in – B
Loudon Wainwright at Town Hall – 18th – Pushing an excellent album, he delivered a furiously witty set – A
Paul Weller at Best Buy – 19th – Guess what? He performed “In The City” – A
May 2013
Not finished of course but… Johnny Marr, Renee Fleming, Peter Tork, Cheri Dahl, Killers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Alkaline Trio, Amanda Palmer, DFA Records, Jack Phillips, Laura Marling, and Aaron Neville