Much like last year, here’s my year in review — travel- and concert-wise anyway:

Places I’ve Been

The rules are that I actually slept in the city for a minimum of one night and that it must be outside the Twin Cities area (no crashing at a friend’s house and counting it).

• Stillwater, OK
• Phoenix, AZ
• Urbandale (Des Moines), IA
• Brookings, SD†
• Denver, CO
• La Porte, IN
• Detroit, MI†
• Toronto, Canada
• Cleveland, OH
• Chicago, IL
• Madison, WI
• Kansas City, MO

I’m mildly surprised that I nearly doubled last year’s list with 12 cities in 2007, as compared to 7 cities in 2006.

† Multiple, non-consecutive nights.

Things I’ve Seen

No stipulations here, just a list of all the shows and concerts I’ve seen this year.

• Sweet Colleens
• Varttina
• Honeydogs
• Lewis Black
• Klezmatics
• Bx3
• Carbon Leaf
• G. Love & Special Sauce
• Erin McKeown
• James Cotton
• Ditty Bops
• California Guitar Trio
• Amiina
• Roger Clyne (in Phoenix, AZ for the “No More Beautiful World” CD release party)
• Keb Mo
• Ceu
• Seven Steps To Havana
• Bill Cosby
• Konono No. 1
• Air
• Los Straitjackets
• English Beat
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Minneapolis, MN w/ Shurman)†
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Urbandale, IA w/ Shurman)†
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Brookings, SD w/ Shurman)†
• Elvis Costello (finally I got to see him live!)
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Ft. Collins, CO w/ Shurman)†
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Colorado Springs, CO w/ Shurman)†
• Lisa Gerrard
• Carrie Rodriguez
• Chris Thile
• Buckwheat Zydeco
• Squirrel Nut Zippers
• Hookers and Blow
• Puppini Sisters
• Crowded House
• Mina Agossi
• Lenka Dusilova
• James Cotton
• They Might Be Giants
• Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
• Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (Not only two nights in a row, but two shows each night! Yes, I love them that much!)
• Nick Lowe
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Toronto, Canada w/ Jason Boots)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Detroit, MI w/ Alternate Routes)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Cleveland, OH w/ Alternate Routes)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Chicago, IL w/ Alternate Routes)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Madison, WI w/ Alternate Routes)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Brookings, SD)‡
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (in Minneapolis, MN)‡
• Jose Gonzales
• Henry Rollins (another person I’ve wanted to see for years — and a personal hero of mine live!)
• Zap Mama
• Nickel Creek (“Farewell for Now” tour)
• Erin McKeown
• Sia
• Robyn Hitchcock (another hero of mine)
• Kansas City Symphony
• Stellanovas
• Aimee Mann (Christmas show, which was quite lovely)
• 2007 CP Rail Holiday Train
• Robert Randolph
• Wookiefoot (New Year’s Eve)

That’s 63 events (one every 5.79 days), only 1 of which was not an actual concert. I can’t remember all of the opening acts, but among those 62 shows, there are likely more than 100 bands. Allowing 4 hours per show (30 minutes pre-show, 60 minute opening act, 30 minute stage turn, 90 minute main act, 30 minutes post-show), I spend about 2.88% of my time at concerts — Hmmm, maybe a pie chart is in order here.

† Rock-N-Roll Road Trip #2 (Spring) ‡ Rock-N-Roll Road Trip #3 (Fall)