The Showbiz Kids: Top Ten of 2011 (Part 2- Mike's list)

10. Discovering a new band right under the wire of 2011 called Alabama Shakes.  Still don't know much about them yet but their self titled EP was a fantastic discovery yesterday morning.  Just go to their website and download the EP now.

9. Bob Mould's book See A Little light . Several several years ago his band Sugar and the album Copper Blue wore out my CD player.  Then I went backwards to discover his Black Sheets of Rain and of course Husker Du.  Interesting life journey in his book.

8. Widespread Panic at the Tennessee Theatre...was my first experience of the Panic live and all the special visuals and smells that comes with it were a great experience.

7. Meeting Colin Hay on his solo tour and previously of Men at Work.  It was a special intimate setting at our local Knoxville record store Disc Exchange and he played old hits like "Overkill" and beautiful new ones off of Gathering Mercury.

6. My niece learning to play the trumpet.  She has really taken an interest in the instrument and learning to play it.  She allowed me to open her musical world up to the trumpet sounds of Miles Davis and other jazz albums.  So who knows...maybe we'll sit around one day talking about the influence of Lee Morgan and his album Sidewinder.

5. Crowded House Live in Denver   is special because its a recording that was released for Record Store Day of the same tour that my wife and I saw them at the Ryman in 2010.  I don't think sonically I have heard a better concert ever.  The band sounded great and the welcoming arms of the Ryman only enhanced the evening to be one of the best.

4. The Pixies at The Tennessee Theatre only out ranks Crowded House because it felt like a once in a lifetime to see them with all original members.  Plus they rocked...I cant remember the last time I 'head-banged' at the good ole' TN Theatre.

3. Wico Live at the Ryman was a blast.  They had released The Whole Love and I had missed them on the Sky Blue Sky tour so I was hell bent to see them no matter what.  They were all I had anticipated and an added surprises was getting to see Nick Lowe open up and play with Wilco as well as Nels playing Duane Allman's guitar on "Impossible Germany."






2. House of Cash by John Carter Cash is an excellent collection of photographs and memorabilia from Johnny Cash and the entire family.  It is essentially a scrapbook with some unique features such as handwritten notes,family recipes and Johnny's artwork.  Many times its actual pieces that you can pull out of the book as if it was the original document.

1. Circuital by My Morning Jacket The combination of the opening two tracks and seeing them live on the computer for their release party this year puts them at the top for me.  Its essentially about the music and these guys unique sound makes me a full time fan.