So this is the New Year

Happy 2009, Summit listeners.

I'm not huge on making resolutions, but there are a couple of things I want to do this year. One of those things is to see more live music.

Before I moved to Akron, I was probably saw at least one show a week. It was fairly easy to do because everything was centrally located and there was always someone coming through town or good local shows to see. But here in Akron I've found that everything is a little more spread out.

Not that there isn't great live music in the area, it just takes longer to get there sometimes (especially if you have to drive up to Cleveland) and when you've got to be at work in the morning you don't necessarily feel like driving all over Ohio until 2 a.m. I also get completely lost every time I get off of Market Street, so needless to say my live music ventures have been a bit limited these past few months.

I've seen a couple of great shows since I moved here (notably Ryan Adams, David Byrne, and the Devo show with Chrissie Hynde and the Black Keys) but I'm determined to get out more in 09. Luckily there's a ton of good stuff coming up so there's lots to choose from. I'm looking forward to going to the Grog Shop and Beachland Ballroom for the first time this month. Also hoping to get up to the Agora for one of two upcoming Black Keys shows, although I've been told that I will most likely be car-jacked in that neighborhood.

In addition to making plans for live music in the new year, I've been thinking about all the great stuff I saw in 08. Here are some of my favorite shows of the year:

Animal Collective at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago - 7/26/08

I went into this thinking that I would hate Animal Collective. I was under the impression that were a really weird experimental band and I wasn't interested. But the friends I was with were fans and wanted to get up close for the show, which is easier said than done when you're at a festival.

I grudgingly went with them into the massive crowd, and after a mushroom deal happened basically on top of us, I got a little claustrophobic and went to the back to watch the show. Maybe it was all the 312 wheat beer I drank (a lot), but I couldn't believe how great this band was. It takes a lot to engage and impress a big festival crowd but Animal Collective pulled it off.

The Hold Steady at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City - 5/2/08

I still have no idea how I got into this show. My friend and I didn't have film festival passes or tickets, and our guest list spot somehow fell through but the door guy let us in anyway (so much for the theory that all New Yorkers are cold, hardened city dwellers). We managed to get into a private balcony area with an open bar, which again made no sense considering we weren't even attending the festival.

But hey, can't say no to an open bar, right? I'd seen the Hold Steady before so I knew it was going to be a great show and it was awesome to see it from the balcony. Their fans are crazy -- there was actually some crowd surfing going on. I definitely recommend seeing this band live if you get the chance. Even if there's no open bar.

My Morning Jacket at the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee - 6/13/08

If you've ever been to Bonnaroo, you know that the post-headliner shows on Friday and Saturday night are the ones to stay up late for. My Morning Jacket took the stage at midnight and played for four hours, with a crazy setlist that included covers of Erykah Badu, James Brown and even Kool and the Gang.

In another "I'm not sure how I got in here" moment, we plowed our way into a VIP area in the middle of the crowd that had been sectioned off by some label people. It's rare to able to see anything at festival shows like this one, so when I got to look out over the crowd it was really incredible. It was pouring rain, glow sticks and beach balls were flying everywhere. Not just the best show I saw this year -- one of the best live shows I've seen period.

If 2009 brings a live show half as good as this one, I'll be happy.