1. Wavves – Bowery Ballroom – August 2nd – Yeah, the they were drunk, tripped up by tech glitches, smartasses/ BUT. none of it got in the way of an intense, smart, melodic punk set , none of their peers came close to match.
2. Julian Casablancas – Irving Plaza – March 24th – Always fun to see a rock star, relax and party with his fans.
3. Rufus Wainwright – Carnegie Hall – December 6th – Part eulogy, part statement. Point taken.
4. The Hold Steady – Bowery Ballroom – April 17th – Changed a fence sitter into a fan.
5. Shit Horse – Mercury Lounge – July 17th – You weren’t there? then you don’t know.
6. The Drums – Hammerstein Ballroom – Revelatory in its cool hot gayness
7. Usher – Madison Square Garden – December 14th – Arena, er, rock.
8. Ramona – Burberry’s – September 10th – High melodic new wave plus sex appeal.
9. Wreckless Eric And Amy Rigby – Electric Ballroom – Battered old things teach the youngsters a trick or two.
10. Titus Andronicus – Webster Hall – September 25th – A perfect set to end a perfect year.