Life On The Road

105.7 The Point Presents Pointfest @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater STL - Sunday, May 12th, 2013!

2013-02-11T22:04:00.000-06:00

POINTFEST - presented by your Mid-America Chevy Dealers - Sunday, May 12th at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater!

Featuring ALICE IN CHAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE, PAPA ROACH, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, VOLBEAT, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, SICK PUPPIES, HALESTORM, P.O.D., and many more!

Pointfest tickets start at just $29 - or save even more with the 4-pack Lawn special while supplies last...featuring 4 lawn tickets for just $99!

Pointclub Presale happens online this Friday 10am-10pm - Public onsale starts this Saturday, February 16th at 10am and KANE will be broadcasting live from the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Box Office.

Get your Pointfest tickets at the Box Office and avoid the service fee! Plus, the first 105 people that purchase their Pointfest tix this Saturday at the Box Office will score a FREE POINT T-SHIRT. Avoid the service fee and get your Pointfest tickets this Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Box Office!

The Killers - Live @ UIC Pavilion - Chicago - 12/21/12

2012-12-24T10:38:00.000-06:00

It was a Killerspocalypse! On Friday, December 21st, 2012 when the Mayan Calendar ran out and the end of the world was supposedly near, I was in Chicago to see my favorite band, The Killers, put on the greatest, most energetic performance I have ever seen from them, and probably ever will! That includes when I was front row at Madison Square Garden in 2009. You know you are in for a treat when Brandon Flowers says to the crowd, "We're gonna play this show like it's our last ever"! And from there I experienced the best concert of my life. The very first song of the night and perhaps the band's biggest hit ever, "Mr. Brightside", was played with the house lights up. I thought that was a pretty cool touch, and it got the party started. From there the band covered hits from every album spanning their entire career, and it seemed like I was getting a setlist that I made myself. It was a special night that I will never forget, and I was glad I captured some of it below so I can relive a few of those moments whenever I want. Had the world really ended, I would of went out a happy man.

Setlist:

Mr. Brightside

The Way It Was

Smile Like You Mean It

Spaceman

Heart of a Girl

(partial)

Bling (Confession of a King)

Miss Atomic Bomb

Human

Somebody Told Me

Here With Me

For Reasons Unknown

From Here On Out

A Dustland Fairytale

Baby, I'm Yours

(Barbara Lewis cover) (partial)

Read My Mind

Runaways

When You Were Young

Encore:

The Rising Tide

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine

All These Things That I've Done

"Mr. Brightside" - Live @ UIC Pavilion - Chicago - 12/21/12

"Miss Atomic Bomb" - Live @ UIC Pavilion - Chicago - 12/21/12

"Read My Mind" - Live @ UIC Pavilion - Chicago - 12/21/12

"All These Things That I've Done" - Live @ UIC Pavilion - Chicago - 12/21/12

A Year In Review - Concert Creep's Best Saint Louis Concerts Of 2012

2012-12-18T09:55:00.000-06:00

It was a heck of a year for Saint Louis and live music! The city and particularly the many great venues continue to put themselves on the music map for great places to play for an artist on tour. I myself enjoyed roughly 50 shows this year in our fine city. Looking back, I thought I would share some of my favorites. I gave you my Best Albums of 2012 last week. Here are some of my Best Concerts in Saint Louis in 2012! *Click on the highlighted links for a review or video from the show. What were some of your favorites?

Top 10 Large Venue STL Shows Of 2012
On The Bubble: M83, Alabama Shakes, MUTEMATH, Young The Giant, Portugal The Man
10. Silversun Pickups w/ Grouplove - Peabody Opera House
9. Phantogram - Loufest Music Festival
8. Halloween Night w/ Dropkick Murphys - The Pageant
7. El Monstero - Verizon Wireless Amp
6. Jane's Addiction - The Pageant
5. Dave Matthews Band - Verizon Wireless Amp
4. The Black Keys w/ Arctic Monkeys - Chaifetz Arena
3. Slayer & Slipknot @ Mayhem Fest - Verizon Wireless Amp
2. Radiohead - Scottrade Center
1. The Tour: KISS & Motley Crue - Verizon Wireless Amp

After months of swirling rumors about the iconic legends of Rock n Roll possibly teaming up for a concert tour, it was finally confirmed back in March that KISS & Motley Crue would indeed join forces for "The Tour" 2012. Luckily for music fans in the Show Me State, that tour included a stop in Saint Louis at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater this past August. Having never seen either band live, I knew I could not miss this opportunity. This would be the biggest and baddest rock event ever to cross paths in my time. And it did not disappoint! I went to The Tour mainly for Motley Crue and to relive my youth. I left a big fan of KISS. The production of the event was top notch filled with entertaining theatrics and pyrotechnics. And both bands put on a rock show worthy of their name. It was a night of rock I will soon not forget and topped my list for the best concert I saw in Saint Louis in 2012.

Top 10 Small Venue STL Shows Of 2012
On The Bubble: A Silent Film, Atlas Genius, Evans|Blue
10. SXSW 2012 Tour - Ben Howard, The Staves, Nathaniel Rateliff, & Bears Den - Old Rock House
9. The Walkmen - Plush
8. Civil Twilight - The Firebird
7. AWOLNATION - Pop's
6. The Gaslight Anthem - The Firebird
5. The Whigs - The Firebird
4. Band of Skulls - Old Rock House
3. Sleigh Bells - The Blue Note
2. The Wombats w/ Morning Parade & The Royal Concept - Pop's
1. Japandroids - The Firebird

Top 5 Electronic/DJ STL Shows Of 2012
5. Avicii - The Pageant
4. Porter Robinson - The Pageant
3. Steve Aoki - The Pageant
2. Girl Talk - Loufest Music Festival
1. Bassnectar - Chaifetz Arena

Top 5 STL Shows I Hated Missing
On The Bubble: Tenacious D, Phish, The Avett Brothers
5. The Civil Wars - The Pageant
4. Slash w/ Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators - The Pageant
3. Van Halen - Scottrade Center
2. Paul McCartney - Scottrade Center
1. My Morning Jacket w/ Band Of Horses - Peabody Opera House

Top Music Festivals I Attended
3. Loufest Music Festival
2. Lollapalooza
1. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (Review)

Top Live Acts I Saw In 2012
3. Major Lazer - Bonnaroo
2. Coldplay - United Center, Chicago
1. Jack White - Lollapalooza
1a. The Killers - UIC Pavilion

Well that's it, a summary of my music map in 2012. It was a fun year! I hope everyone has a happy and blessed Christmas and New Year! Be safe out there. And here's looking forward to 2013! Cheers!

Comments? Agree/Disagree? I'd love to hear it! Hit me up on my Facebook Music Blog Fanpage HERE. I'm always looking for new artists to check out local or otherwise. Help me out!

A Year In Review - Concert Creep's "50" Best Albums Of 2012

2012-12-11T09:35:00.000-06:00

It is that time of year again, a chance to look back at everything that made this past year special in 2012. This year for me it was the trips I made to Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza Music Festivals, and the multiple great local concerts I attended. It is also that time of year where the “year-end” lists start popping up all over the place. For me, the ones that I am most interested in are the year-end music lists put out by the top music websites I like to frequent on the Internet. Over the past few weeks I have looked over plenty of lists for “Best Albums of 2012”, and like most people I am sure, found myself disagreeing quite often. However, instead of complain about it and comment on how wrong someone’s list was, I decided to create my own. That is the beautiful thing about music. It appeals to and effects everyone in a different way. And who am I to tell you whether your particular tastes in music are right or wrong? No critic in the world today is right or wrong, everyone is entitled to an opinion. This is one reason why I do not write about artists I do not like in my blog or on insideSTL.com. I understand that while I may not like a particular artist or their music, there are plenty of people out there who do. These artists put their hard work, time, money, and entire lives into their passion to try and make a living doing what they love to please music fans everywhere, so why would I criticize them just because I may not like the product of their efforts? It is much easier to simply not listen and to not talk about it. In contrast, focus on what I do like and appreciate. So with that said, here are my top 50 albums (EP's included) for 2012. I can guarantee you that you will disagree with this list. Remember, this list is a reflection of only one person’s particular taste in music this year…myself. You also have to remember my taste in music mostly favors the Indie Rock genre. If you do not like it, I encourage you to try making a list for yourself. It is not as easy as you would think…

On The Bubble: King Tuff - King Tuff, White Rabbits - Milk Famous, Matt & Kim - Lightning, Animal Kingdom - The Looking Away

50. The Darkness - Hot Cakes

49. The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania

48. Morning Parade - Morning Parade

47. Greenday - ¡UNO!

46. Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky

45. Atlas Genius - Through the Glass EP

44. Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory

43. Reptar - Body Faucet

42. Miike Snow - Happy to You

41. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

40. FUN. - Some Nights

39. Metric - Synthetica

38. Evans|Blue - Graveyard Of Empires

37. The Royal Concept - The Royal Concept EP

36. Walk The Moon - Walk The Moon

35. Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit

34. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

33. Purity Ring - Shrines

32. Beach House - Bloom

31. The Shins - Port Of Morrow

30. Tame Impala - Lonerism

29. Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

28. Chappo - Moonwater

27. The Hives - Lex Hives

26. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball

25. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

24. The Vaccines - Come Of Age

23. Band Of Horses - Mirage Rock

22. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

21. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

20. The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten

19. Civil Twilight - Holy Weather

18. The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap

17. The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter

16. Sleigh Bells - Reign Of Terror

15. The Walkmen - Heaven

14. The Whigs - Enjoy The Company

13. Passion Pit - Gossamer

12. Band Of Skulls - Sweet Sour

11. Of Monsters And Men - My Head is an Animal

10. Dave Matthews Band - Away from the World

9. A Silent Film - Sand & Snow

8. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

7. Silversun Pickups - Neck Of The Woods

6. Bloc Party - Four

5. Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon

4. The Killers - Battle Born

3. Mumford & Sons - Babel

2. Japandroids - Celebration Rock

1. Jack White - Blunderbuss

Last year I found it pretty difficult to pick my favorite album of the year. This year, it was an easy choice for me. Jack White is a musical genius. In his first ever solo effort, I think he hit a home run. And there was one thing that topped it off for me. Seeing this album performed live at his headlining gig to close down Lollapalooza 2012. The man comes out backed by an all male band, then half way through the show, does a complete 180° and finishes his set with an all ladies crew. Some may not understand life inside the quirky weird world of Jack White, but one thing is certain, artistically Mr. White constantly pushes the creative envelope, giving music fans a unique experience in every form of listening pleasure. If you have not seen Jack White perform live or given this album a proper listen, I suggest you get on it. You will not be disappointed. 2012 was another great year for music, and I'd like to thank Jack White for playing a big role in that. It's good to have you back on the stage again!

Music video for Jack White's "Freedom at 21" directed by Hype Williams.

From Jack White 's debut Album 'Blunderbuss'.

Available NOW on iTunes http://smarturl.it/jwiiiblunderbuss and Amazon http://smarturl.it/BlunderbussCD.

Get the "Freedom at 21" single at http://smarturl.it/freedomat21.

Comments? Agree/Disagree? I'd love to hear it! Hit me up on my Facebook Music Blog Fanpage HERE. I'm also always looking for new music to look up myself. Help me out!

12.12.12 - The Concert For Sandy Relief To Benefit The Robin Hood Relief Fund - #121212CONCERT

2012-11-27T13:20:00.000-06:00

12.12.12 Mark your calenders!

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, The Madison Square Garden Company and The Weinstein Company —the same group that produced and sponsored the historic 9/11 benefit “The Concert for New York City”— have come together once again to present "12.12.12" the Concert For Sandy Relief.

This special one night only live music event will help provide assistance to the millions of people throughout the tri-state area who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. "12.12.12" the Concert For Sandy Relief will occur on December 12, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Tickets will go on sale Monday, December 3 at 12:00 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster phones, outlets and www.ticketmaster.com, www.thegarden.com, and www.radiocity.com. Tickets will be available at a variety of price levels. Ticketmaster has generously agreed to waive its ticket service charges. Starting at 9 a.m. (ET) on December 3rd, Chase credit or debit card members will have first access to a limited number of tickets for purchase before they go on sale to the general public.

As the tri-state region begins to recover from Sandy's stunning and acute devastation along the coastal areas of Long Island, Queens, Staten Island, Connecticut and New Jersey, there remains an enormous task of rebuilding both the infrastructure and thousands of shattered lives. “12.12.12” presents an important opportunity for the community and nation to come together to provide significant support to these communities as they confront staggering short- and long-term issues.

The net proceeds from the concert will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund which is providing money, material and know-how to local organizations that are serving families and individuals in the regions hardest hit by the storm.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW TO THE ROBIN HOOD RELIEF FUND

SPREAD THE WORD: #121212CONCERT

FOR UPDATES AND INFORMATION: RESPOND TO THE FACEBOOK INVITE

UPDATE: (12/7/12)

The Rolling Stones have signed on to perform at next week’s Hurricane Sandy benefit, 121212: The Concert For Sandy Relief. They join the dream like lineup that includes Bruce Springsteenand the E Street Band, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, The Who, Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder, Billy Joel, Kаnyе Wеst, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, and this week’s earlier additions of Chris Martin and Eric Clapton! This once in a lifetime event goes down next Wednesday and can be streamed on numerous outlets or watched on multiple TV networks. For a full list check out the link below...

(http://www.121212concert.org/watch#section-3)

105.7 The Point Presents December HoHo Shows 2012!

2012-10-15T18:45:00.000-05:00

Tis the season for another line-up of Point HoHo Shows!

The 2012 HOHO Shows have been announced...and you can enter to win tickets to all 5 shows before they even go on-sale HERE.

Tickets to all 5 HOHO Shows go on-sale this Friday, so check out the lineup below because you will not want to miss out!

105.7 The Point Presents...

HOHO SHOWS 2012 -> THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM with Greek Fire 12/4Pop's Concert Venue // Bush 12/6 @ Pop's // Chevelle with 10 YEARS 12/7 @ Pop's // Fun. with The Joy Formidable 12/11 Peabody Opera House // Silversun Pickups with GROUPLOVE 12/12 @ Peabody Opera House -- All 5 Shows on-sale Friday - See ticket prices and more info here -> www.1057thepoint.com/HoHo

GASLIGHT ANTHEM - HoHo Show #1
With GREEK FIRE

December 4th @ Pop's
ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH AT 10AM

$25 ADV / $25 DOS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

BUSH - HoHo Show #2

December 6th @ Pop's
ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH AT 10AM

$28 ADV / $30 DOS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

CHEVELLE - HoHo Show #3
With 10 YEARS

December 7th @ Pop's
ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH AT 10AM

$30 ADV / $30 DOS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

FUN. - HoHo Show #4
With THE JOY FORMIDABLE

December 11th @ The Peabody Opera House
ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH AT 11AM

$25, $32.50 ADV / $25, $32.50 DOS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

SILVERSUN PICKUPS - HoHo Show #5
With GROUPLOVE

December 12th @ The Peabody Opera House
ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH AT 11AM

$35 ADV / $35 DOS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

2012 Austin City Limits (ACL) Official Webcast Schedule - October 12-14th, 2012!

2012-10-12T12:39:00.000-05:00

The 2012 Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) kicks off today! Tune into the Official Live Webcast of the 2012 Austin City Limits Music Festival happening this weekend October 12-14, 2012!

(http://www.youtube.com/aclfestival)

Official Webcast Link

http://www.aclfestival.com/

REVIEW: Alabama Shakes @ The Pageant - Saint Louis, MO. - 10/09/12

2012-10-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

It did not take long to change out any equipment or mess with the usual large stage production that comes with a show at The Pageant before Southern rockers the Alabama Shakes took the stage on Tuesday night for their first real national headline tour to hit Saint Louis. There was no light show, there were no props, there was no special backdrop, and there were no gimmicks. This show and this night was about one thing, the music. And that is what it has always been about for this band during their rise from critically acclaimed buzz band to budding stars over the last year. The journey of the Alabama Shakes is clearly evidenced by their stop at the Old Rock House in December of 2011 to current day where they played to a sold-out capacity crowd at Delmar's renowned live music venue. For my full review of the entire show head on over to insideSTL.com music section and you can check it out HERE. And you can see all of my photos I shot of the show over on my Facebook music blog fan page HERE. With no barricade at this Alabama Shakes show, I had to fight the fans and post up in one spot amongst the sold-out capacity crowd. So I chose to highlight the star of the show, Brittany Howard. If you can't get enough of this rising soul queen, this album is for you. 25 photos, all Ms. Howard.

Setlist:

Concert Creep's iPod Top 10 List - September 2012

2012-10-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

Every month I will reveal a top 10 list of what songs are currently getting heavy rotation on my iPod for one reason or another. Here is the list for September 2012.

On The Bubble: The Lumineers - "Ho Hey", Band of Horses - "Electric Music"
10. Metric - "Breathing Underwater"

9. Dave Matthews Band - "Drunken Soldier", "Belly Belly Nice"

8. Imagine Dragons - "On Top Of The World"

7. The Joy Formidable - "This Ladder Is Ours"

6. Two Door Cinema Club - "Wake Up", "Pryamid"

5. The Royal Concept - "Goldrushed"

4. The Whigs - "Staying Alive"

3. The Wombats - "Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)"

2. The Killers - "Miss Atomic Bomb", "Flesh and Bone"

1. Mumford & Sons - 'Babel' (album)

I don't usually list an entire album on my monthly top 10 list, but when an album is this good, it is hard to choose between any songs. I knew I would be hooked on this album ever since I heard first single, "I Will Wait". 'Babel' has been on repeat pretty much every day since its release on September 25th. And it seems like the entire world is on board too. In a recent article in SPIN, the magazine publication states...

"Mumford & Sons' sincerely unadventurous second LP Babel had the biggest debut sales week of the year, according to Billboard. Moving more than 600,000 copies, the British folk-rockers handily beat out 2012 releases by Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Pink.

In fact, the Mumfords just about doubled the unit-shifting performance of some of pop's biggest stars. Justin Bieber's Believe, with opening-week sales of 374,000, falls to second place. Madonna is next with first-week sales of 359,000 for MDNA, followed by Pink's The Truth About Love at 280,000.

Babel is also the first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for both Mumford & Sons and their label, Glassnote Records. But it's also the biggest sales week for a rock album since AC/DC's Black Ice sold 784,000 in its debut week, good for a No. 1 slot on the November 8, 2008 chart.

Of course, there's no defeating Adele. The singer's 21 still had the biggest overall sales week of 2012, despite coming out last year.

But Babel set plenty of other marks. It was the biggest sales week ever for Sony's independent-label distribution arm RED Distribution, topping the 394,000 units moved by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's The Art of War way back in 1997.

Mumford's music may have old-timey elements, but their sales came via modern technology.Babel had the second-most digital album sales in a week ever, with 420,000 downloads sold. That's behind Lady Gaga's Born This Way, which sold 662,000 downloads in its opening week back in 2011, helped by an Amazon 99-cent deal."

After breaking through with their beautiful harmonies and unique sound of debut Grammy nominated 2009 album 'Sigh No More', there is a reason you do not mess with a formula for success on a second LP. 'Babel' has the same ingredients to take Mumford & Sons back to the top. If you liked the band's debut, I would suggest boosting those album sales even more by adding sophomore effort 'Babel' to your listening collection.

Coldplay Announce 'Live 2012' Mylo Xyloto Tour Film Will Be Released In November!

2012-09-25T10:27:00.000-05:00

On November 20th, 2012, Coldplay will release 'Live 2012' in the United States, the band’s first concert film / live album for nine years! It documents the Mylo Xyloto world tour, which has been seen by more than three million people since it began in June 2011.

Live 2012 will be released on DVD/CD, CD/DVD, Blu-ray & digitally. You can pre-order it now from the Coldplay Music Store, with an exclusive hand-numbered lithograph poster.

Said Chris: “The Mylo Xyloto tour has been the most fun we've ever had as a band. It's felt very uplifting right from the start; partly because we are proud of the music, the LED wristbands, the pyrotechnics, the lasers and all of that stuff, but mainly because of the amazing audiences that we've been playing for. Over the years, our crowd has become more and more a part of the concert itself. They're loud, diverse, full of soul, and make the songs sound much better than we can on our own. We wanted to try to bottle the incredible feeling that they give us, and hence our concert film.”

In the US, premium network EPIX will premiere the tour film as an EPIX Original Concert Event in the U.S. on November 17, on TV, online at EpixHD.com, and on EPIX apps on hundreds of devices including Xbox consoles, iPads, iPhones, Roku players, and more.

The film was directed by Paul Dugdale, previously responsible for Adele’s Live at the Royal Albert Hall and The Prodigy’s Worlds On Fire concert films. Live 2012 includes footage from Coldplay’s shows at Paris’s Stade de France, Montreal’s Bell Centre and last year’s triumphant Pyramid Stage headline performance at Glastonbury Festival.

Live 2012 director Paul Dugdale said: “We wanted to make a film that was as intimate as it was epic, punctuating Coldplay's colour-drenched performance with candid portraits of the band. The set is curated from several concerts around the globe, using the 75,000-capacity Stade de France as the backbone. Myself and JA Digital wanted to approach this film in the same way Coldplay approach their stage show: it’s essentially a film about people, and we wanted to highlight how the band have blurred the barrier between stage and audience to create a tour that reaches out to everyone from the front row of the stadium to those right at the back. It's a 90 minute kaleidoscope of emotions. My main objective as a filmmaker was to make the viewers' eyes widen and their hearts beat faster.”

'LIVE 2012' Tracklisting

* Full list of international release dates

November 14: Japan

November 16: Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Norway, Ireland

November 19: UK, Rest of World

November 20: US, Canada, Italy, Spain

November 21: Sweden

Pre-order --> HERE

Coldplay 'Live 2012' Trailer

Coldplay - "Mylo Xyloto" / "Hurts Like Heaven" - Live @ United Center - Chicago - 08/08/12
(video shot by: @concertcreep)

Sir Paul McCartney 'On The Run Tour' Coming To Saint Louis In 2012!

2012-09-07T12:56:00.000-05:00

Sir Paul McCartney is coming to Saint Louis! Having kicked off over a year ago with the legendary July 15-16, 2011 doubleheader at New York City's Yankee Stadium that had 90,000 fans singing along non-stop over the course of two near three-hour performances, and more recently gifted Mexico with a historic free May 10 show drawing 250,000 to Mexico City's central plaza, The Zocalo, Paul McCartney's record-breaking 'On The Run Tour' will round out 2012 by returning to North America for four shows: November 11 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis MO, November 14 at Minute Maid Park in Houston TX, November 25 at BC Place in Vancouver BC, and November 28 at Rexall Place in Edmonton AB.

Paul's November 11 show at the Scottrade Center will be his first St. Louis concert in ten years, his last appearance in the city having been on the 2002 Back In The U.S. Tour, and having previously played St. Louis' Busch Stadium twice: once on 1993's New World Tour and in 1966 with The Beatles.

Paul McCartney's On The Run Tour has played over 30 dates spanning North and South America, the UK and Europe and the United Arab Emirates. The November 2012 dates are Paul's first in the U.S. and Canada since the summer 2011 run that generated some of the most enthusiastic responses of Paul's peerless career from audiences and critics alike, including:

"Mr. McCartney is not saying goodbye but touring stadiums and playing marathon concerts. Friday’s set ran two-and-a-half hours, with Mr. McCartney constantly onstage, and it had 35 songs, not counting a few additional excerpts... His concerts now are a gentle reminder of his survival and vitality... He perseveres, and entertains, by directly reconnecting to his songs across the decades and still having fun."--THE NEW YORK TIMES

"In recent years, McCartney has opted for sporadic runs of shows rather than full-on, consecutive-date world tours. In turn, he seems to relish the stage all the more when he does play live... 'I told you we were going to have a good time,' he said during the encore. It was an offhand comment – but it’s still astonishing to see how much McCartney still cares."--ROLLING STONE

"Thunder and lightning raked across the sky over Comerica Park Sunday night, but it was no match for the fireworks Paul McCartney mustered onstage... his well-honed showmanship and impeccable music filled hearts and minds in the sold-out ballpark... For three hours, we were all fab again"--THE DETROIT NEWS

"Paul McCartney could not just let it be Sunday in the first of two concerts at Wrigley Field. He played for nearly three hours, wringing new rivers of passion from songs he’s played hundreds of times."--THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"McCartney, a legitimate legend cruised through three hours at Great American Ball Park. His energetic manner that suggested he could have done three more... an inspiring performance... a three-hour triumph."--THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

For further information and updates, check back at www.paulmccartney.com, twitter.com/paulmccartney, and facebook.com/PaulMcCartney.


	DATE: November 11, 2012

	TIMES: 8:00 p.m. (Doors TBD)

	TICKETS: Tickets are $250, $165, $87, $57 and $27 and go on sale Friday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. Purchase tickets at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers or online atticketmaster.com. A per ticket facility fee will be added to the price of all tickets. Additional Ticketmaster fees may apply. Disabled seating, call 314-622-5420

American Express UNSTAGED Concert Series Presents: 'The Killers' Live From NYC!

2012-09-05T12:39:00.000-05:00

The Killers will be performing songs off their upcoming album 'Battle Born' (due out 09/18) at Paradise Theater in the Bronx, New York on Tuesday, September 18th, on a very special night, the same day as their album hits stores and playlists everywhere. The global event coincides with the debut of The Killers’ highly anticipated album, 'Battle Born' (Island Def Jam), set for release on September 18th in the U.S. Pre-sale tickets for American Express Cardmembers to the performance sold out in a matter of hours. The Killers are the latest band to become a part of the third year of the acclaimed live stream series “American Express UNSTAGED,” in partnership with VEVO and YouTube. Directed this time by Werner Herzog, the show will be livestreamed at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT at www.youtube.com/TheKillersVEVO, and on mobile devices via VEVO and YouTube apps for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android.

American Express, in conjunction with VEVO and YouTube, has tracked more than 70 million total views for its award-winning livestream music series since 2010. Award-winning director Werner Herzog (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Encounters at the End of the World, Fitzcarraldo, and Aguirre, The Wrath of God), known for pushing cinematic boundaries, was brought together with The Killers by American Express to capture the performance with a visually stunning home viewing experience. "We're so honored to work with Werner Herzog," said Killers front man Brandon Flowers. "He's made some legendary films and we can't believe we got him to do this."

Brought to life by American Express, in partnership with online music leaders VEVO and YouTube, the creative and dynamic pairing of The Killers with Werner Herzog will be the 11th installment of “American Express Unstaged,” building on previous duos such as Kenny Chesney and Jonathan Demme, Usher and Hamish Hamilton, Jack White and Gary Oldman, and many more. The Killers’ “American Express Unstaged” performance. For more information about American Express and music, you can visit http://www.americanexpress.com/entertainment.

Check out the trailer below...

American Express Presents...

A LIVE + Digital Concert Experience

The Killers #AmexUnstaged

Tune into http://www.youtube.com/TheKillersVEVO on 9/18 at 7pm ET/4pm PT as the band performs live in NYC, directed by the acclaimed Werner Herzog. Their new album, "Battle Born," drops on iTunes® same day.

UNSTAGED is a live + digital concert experience from American Express, in partnership with YouTube and VEVO.

(http://idj.to/S6dvwN)

Concert Creep's iPod Top 10 List - August 2012

2012-09-04T12:09:00.000-05:00

Every month I will reveal a top 10 list of what songs are currently getting heavy rotation on my iPod for one reason or another. Here is the list for August 2012.

On The Bubble: No Doubt - "Push and Shove"
10. Green Day - "Kill The DJ"

9. Deadmau5 (feat. Gerard Way) - "Professional Griefers"

8. A Silent Film - "Reaching The Potential"

7. Passion Pit - "Carried Away"

6. Frightened Rabbit - "State Hospital"

5. Muse - "Madness"

4. The Darkness - "Every Inch Of You"

3. Mumford & Sons - "I Will Wait"

2. The Joy Formidable - "Wolf's Law"

1. Bloc Party - "Kettling", "We Are Not Good People"

Bloc Party came back this year after a lengthy hiatus and August 2012 saw the release of the band's fourth studio album 'Four'. It's great to have Bloc Party back. And I think they are back in a big way. I love the different directions this album goes and it has barely left my ear buds since its release. All of the grungier harder rock songs on the album like "Kettling", "We Are Not Good People", and "Coliseum" are ear-thumping goodness and my favorites on the album. Check it out...

'Band Of Skulls' Coming To Saint Louis & The Old Rock House!

2012-09-04T11:12:00.001-05:00

When Southampton’s 'Band Of Skulls' played a sold-out gig at London’s Forum in October 2010, it was a performance befitting a band honed by two years of constant touring, their sun-kissed melodies sweeter than ever, their riffs heavier and dirtier.. “In our minds, our first album [2009's debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey] was quite an intimate little record,” says singer/guitarist Russell Marsden from behind his trademark bug-eye shades, “But it turned into this huge rock thing in venues across the world.”

The Forum gig marked the end of one chapter in this young band’s life. Late in 2010, faced with the prospect of beginning work on their as-yet untitled second album, they stole away to a remote studio in rural Norfolk with nothing but each other, their instruments and some strong red wine for company. “It seemed like a good way of decompressing everything that had happened to us, all the adventures we’d had, but it was like a big, dramatic therapy session,” says Marsden. “It was desolate, lonely and bitterly cold. We were on our own in a room playing the same four chords at each other.” After weeks of isolation, heavy snow started falling. “We all had a massive panic attack about getting snowed in and so we bolted,” says Marsden. “It was like a prison break.”

With the attention afforded to them from audiences in far away places, the UK eventually caught up too. “You can do something so close up to the eyeball of England that you can be overlooked at first,” says Marsden. “It’s only when you go away and do something of note elsewhere that you’re given a hearing.” And that’s exactly what happened – they’re soon to headline Camden’s Roundhouse, where they’re set to unleash their fresh arsenal of songs. “That’s how we see it,” says Marsden. “Songs are your weapons. You might walk into somewhere and it’s got a barbed wire-fronted stage, so you hit the crowd with your heavy rock stuff. Sometimes the vibe is quite delicate, so you play the quiet stuff. We can do both. We’re the Swiss Army Knife of bands.”

Mike Judy & Old Rock House Presents...

Band Of Skulls

Monday, October 15 • Doors 7pm • Show 8pm • $16 Advance • $18 Day of Show • All Ages

Tickets On-Sale Tues. 9/4 @ 12pm (Metrotix)

Evans|Blue: Album Review, Interview, & Show Preview!

2012-08-13T11:04:00.000-05:00

(Left to Right: Joe Pitter - Bass; Dan Chandler - Vocals; V - Lead Guitar; Parker Lauzon - Guitar)

You run a certain level of risk when naming the lead single to your fourth album, "This Time It's Different". Whether a metaphor in reference to the album, the direction the band is going, or no correlation at all, fans of Alternative Rock band Evans|Blue are expecting just that. Something different. Something special. And indeed things are different this time around in the wake of the release of the band's latest effort, Graveyard Of Empires and subsequent tour which comes to Pop's Nightclub & Concert Venue on Friday, August 17th.

Evans Blue’s fourth album with long-time producer Trevor Kustiak, Graveyard Of Empires, was released April 17th on Sounds+Sights. With a full self-titled third album now under lead singer Dan Chandler's belt, the band was destined for further success on their fourth LP. However, the group had to overcome new challenges on this record when they parted ways early on in the process with drummer Howard "H-Bomb" Davis in November 2011. Yet, with big challenges comes bigger reward, and the band has united together stronger than ever to produce their best album to date in my opinion with their latest effort, Graveyard Of Empires.

I recently had a chance to catch up with St. Louis hometown front man Dan Chandler to chat about their current Graveyard Of Empires tour, the album, the band, and their upcoming headline show at Pop's. Head on over to insideSTL.com to check out the full article and show preview HERE!

Friday, August 17th @ 7:00pm

w/ State Your Cause, Arythma & Between The Rivers

$10.57 advance, $11 day of show, $2 minor surcharge

Tickets on sale 6/15 @10am through TicketMaster or

service charge free at Pop's Box Office 24/7.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/evansblue
Myspace: www.myspace.com/evansblue
Twitter: www.twitter.com/evansbluemusic
Official: www.evansblue.com
Youtube: http://youtu.be/UvJnjtaXA-M

Concert Creep's iPod Top 10 List - July 2012

2012-07-30T20:19:00.000-05:00

Every month I will reveal a top 10 list of what songs are currently getting heavy rotation on my iPod for one reason or another. Here is the list for July 2012.

On The Bubble: Purity Ring - "Lofticries"
10. Green Day - "Oh Love"

9. Chappo - "Come Home"

8. Ball Park Music - "It’s Nice To Be Alive"

7. Band Of Horses - "Knock Knock"

6. No Doubt - "Settle Down"

5. Morning Parade - "Headlights"

4. Bloc Party - "Octopus"

3. The Royal Concept - "Gimme Twice"

2. Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone"

1. The Killers - "Runaways"

The Killers returned this month with "Runaways", the first single off their upcoming fourth studio album Battle Born due out September 18th. The Killers have been my favorite band since 2005 so it is no surprise that I have had their latest effort on repeat all month. After a two year hiatus to break from touring and work on solo projects, there is one thing that is certain. It's good to have The Killers back! I am extremely pumped for this album and to see what different directions it goes. Brandon Flowers has said, “It's a great starting point, but there are more styles as well…We've never hid our influences, and we've always been loud and proud. This album is going down a few different roads, and you really get a taste of what we like as a band and what we think our strengths are." You can be sure I'll be seeing a few shows on this next tour!

2012 Austin City Limits Music Festival Schedule By Day Released!

2012-07-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

The 2012 Austin City Limits Music Festival schedule by day has been released! Check it out below. The event takes place the weekend of October 12th - 14th at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.

http://www.aclfestival.com/

FARMS Rock! A Benefit Concert For EarthDance Featuring Local Bands, Local Beer From 4 Hands Brewing Co., Raffles, and More!

2012-07-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

EarthDance FARMS presents FARMS Rock, at the Old Rock House on Saturday, August 11th and featuring Bible Belt Sinners, Black Bears, Scarlet Tanager, Peach, Fight For Midnight, and Barn Animals.

18+ Tickets are $10 and support EarthDance in it's mission to grow food AND grow farmers in the St. Louis area.

Event Info:
(https://www.facebook.com/events/148755985256943/)

Sponsored by KDHX 88.1 FM, it is benefitting EarthDance, which is a non-profit organic teaching farm in Ferguson. They run a part-time organic farming apprenticeship program from March-Nov to teach area residents how to farm organically and sustainably.

Also featuring 4 Hands Brewing Co. beers!

Event Related Links:
(www.earthdancefarms.org)

http://oldrockhouse.com/concertcalendar/

'BASSNECTAR' Bringing Fall Tour 2012 - Bass Center VII To Saint Louis!

2012-07-24T22:39:00.000-05:00

Fellow Bassheads!!! Bassnectar has announced his Fall Tour 2012 which includes a stop in Saint Louis! From the far East Coast to the wild West Coast, from down south in Texas all the way north through Canada, they're bringing a touring roadshow like never before! Hide yer kids, hide yer wife; they'll be stampeding through the cities listed below with no brain left unmelted, dropping the upcoming 'Freestyle Mixtape', showcasing tons of new material, gallons of classic material, and as many re-invented versions & new combinations of your favorite sounds as they can squeeze together! Join Lorin for another ride on the bass roller coaster:

He'll be bringing Gramatik and Gladkill along for musical support! Ghostland Observatory will be joining the party for San Francisco, Germany's own Zedd in Minneapolis, & he has more guests to be announced very soon including Dave Nada & Griz on select dates!

On October 6th, he'll hit St Louis with Bass Center VII!!!

10.06.2012 – BASS CENTER VII – ST LOUIS, MO

The Bassnectar crew will be bringing the Fall Tour 2012 to St Louis, MO at the Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, October 6th! Prepare yourselves for the seventh chapter in our nationwide tradition of blow-out Bass Center events! There's a stacked bill of special guests including ZEDS DEAD, as well as the usual shenanigans and mayhem of their regional gatherings, this time 10,000 people deep in a euphoric sea of sensory stimulation...

(http://www.bassnectar.net/2012/07/2012-10-06-bass-center-vii-st-louis-mo/)

STL TICKETS--> (http://bassnectar.inticketing.com/events/240698)

Fan club presale has new begun! This is your chance to get first crack at a limited number of tickets for a lower price. Discounted tickets will go fast, but have no fear. Public on sale will be on Friday and Saturday July 27/28 depending on the venue. At that time tickets will be available through venue websites and box office. Click on any city/date below for tickets and event-specific info:

Bassnectar Fall Tour 2012:

09/27/12 - Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, NC
09/28/12 - CounterPoint Fest - Fairburn, GA
09/29/12 - Sugarcane Village - Baton Rouge, LA
10/03/12 - Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Indoors - Columbus, OH
10/04/12 - U.S. Cellular Coliseum - Bloomington, IL
10/05/12 - Burcham Park - Lawrence, KS
10/06/12 - Bass Center VII - Saint Louis, MO
10/08/12 - Jackson Convention Complex - Jackson, MS
10/10/12 - Riverfest Amphitheatre - Little Rock, AR
10/11/12 - Tulsa Convention Center - Tulsa, OK
10/12/12 - Secret TBA
10/13/12 - Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX
10/17/12 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
10/18/12 - The Palladium - Los Angeles, CA
10/19/12 - Secret TBA
10/20/12 - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - San Francisco, CA
10/24/12 - Summit Pavilion at Grand Sierra Resort - Reno, NV
10/25/12 - Revolution Center - Boise, ID
10/26/12 - Rose Quarter - Portland, OR
10/27/12 - TBA - Vancouver, BC
10/31/12 - Big Four Building at Stampede Park - Calgary, AB
11/02/12 - Concert Hall at The Venue - Fargo, ND
11/03/12 - Target Center - Minneapolis, MN
11/05/12 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
11/07/12 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
11/08/12 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
11/09/12 - Secret TBA
11/14/12 - Secret TBA
11/15/12 - Mullins Center - Amherst, MA
11/16/12 - Wellmont Theater - Montclair, NJ
11/17/12 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
11/18/12 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY

10.06.2012 – BASS CENTER VII – ST LOUIS, MO

Bassnectar Vava Voom Spring Tour Recap

'DAYGLOW' Life In Color - "World's Largest Paint Party" - 2012 The E.N.D. Tour Coming To Saint Louis!

2012-07-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

http://dayglowtour.com/end.html

Saturday, September 29, 2012

GCS Ballpark
2301 Grizzlie Bear Blvd.
Sauget, IL 62206

http://gatewaygrizzlies.com/ballpark/information/

TICKETS: http://tinyurl.com/END-St-Louis-MO

"World's Largest Paint Party"™

ALL NEW 2012 THE E.N.D. TOUR

(Electronic.Never.Dies)

LIFE IN COLOR (DAYGLOW)

Various ancient cultures throughout history have predicted 2012 as the end of civilization. While this may mark the end of an era, Dayglow believes as the year draws to a close, the world is only gearing up for a new day. 2012 The E.N.D (Electronic Never Dies) is more than just a mere slogan, this is a movement. This is our time. To every beginning there is an end, and a chance for a Rebirth. Because, in The E.N.D we are not our jobs, our failures or our fears, we are every note of every song that made us close our eyes, reach for the sky and know we were home.

With The E.N.D. Tour, organizers guarantee they will have unprecedented production and never-before-seen live performances. They are taking a unified stance & upholding their beliefs, that love, expression, music, creativity & most of all paint will be the only forces that will survive into the next generation of Life in Color. Electronic Never Dies, so embrace it like it's your last opportunity to celebrate. #LIFEINCOLOR

Last tour sold out over 70 cities! It was Dayglow's most successful tour including International markets in Europe and South America. This tour they are back, with more cities and the largest production and show yet!

Be part of the new music culture, be part of Dayglow!

Visit Dayglow Online:

• Website: http://www.dayglowtour.com/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dayglowevent
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dayglowtour
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/dayglowtour

Footage From Last STL DayGlow Event:

Watch 'Lollapalooza' LIVE Webcast From Grant's Park, Chicago - August 3rd - 5th!

2012-07-24T13:15:00.000-05:00

Not able to join thousands of music fans from around the world at this year's Lollapalooza? Don't want to miss the live music moments as they unfold across Grant Park next weekend? You don't have to! Tune into the Official Lolla 2012 Webcast LIVE on YouTube August 3rd - 5th!

Watch select performances from your favorite bands on two channels all weekend long! Sets from Jack White, AVICII, The Black Keys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Shins, Florence + the Machine and many more! Check out the full schedule below...

Friday, August 3rd

1:30 PM

Yellow Ostrich

2:15 PM

The Black Angels

2:15 PM

Dr. Dog

3:30 PM

Blind Pilot

4:00 PM

Metric

5:15 PM

The Head & The Heart

6:00 PM

Band of Skulls

6:15 PM

The Shins

7:30 PM

Dawes

8:30 PM

The Black Keys

Saturday, August 4th

1:30 PM

Los Jaivas

2:15 PM

Alabama Shakes

2:15 PM

GIVERS

3:00 PM

Neon Indian

4:15 PM

Delta Spirit

4:40 PM

The Temper Trap

5:00 PM

FUN.

5:15 PM

tUnE-yArDs

6:00 PM

The Weeknd

6:15 PM

Washed Out

8:00 PM

Red Hot Chili Peppers

8:45 PM

Frank Ocean

9:45 PM

Avicii

Sunday, August 5th

1:30 PM

Oberhofer

1:30 PM

Bombay Bicycle Club

2:15 PM

Trampled By Turtles

2:30 PM

White Rabbits

3:00 PM

The Walkmen

3:15 PM

Gary Clark Jr.

4:15 PM

J. Cole

5:00 PM

Toro Y Moi

5:15 PM

The Gaslight Anthem

6:00 PM

At The Drive-In

6:00 PM

Of Monsters & Men

7:15 PM

Florence + the Machine

7:15 PM

The Big Pink

8:15 PM

Miike Snow

8:30 PM

Jack White

9:15 PM

Childish Gambino

http://www.youtube.com/lollapalooza

'Grouplove' Announces US Fall Headline Tour Including A Stop In Saint Louis!

2012-07-23T10:07:00.000-05:00

ANNOUNCING PART 1 of FALL US TOUR!!

Grouplove announced today that they will be embarking on another US headline tour this fall that includes a stop in Saint Louis at The Pageant on Monday, October 8th! Pre-sale for these dates will start at 12pm local time TOMORROW! Stay tuned for additional dates to be announced in the near future. See you out there!

Pre-sale tickets can be bought tomorrow July 24th, HERE --> (http://grouplove.artistarena.com/)

Grouplove w/ Alt-J

The Pageant STL

Monday, October 8th, 2012

General Admission $18adv/$20dos | Balcony [closed]

Doors 7:00 pm / Show 8:00 pm

All Ages :: $2 Minor Surcharge at Doorhttp://www.thepageant.com/shows/event/294/

Concert Creep's iPod Top 10 List - June 2012

2012-07-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

Every month I will reveal a top 10 list of what songs are currently getting heavy rotation on my iPod for one reason or another. Here is the list for June 2012.

On The Bubble: The Darkness - "Every Inch Of You", "Everybody Have A Good Time"
10. The Walkmen - "Heaven"

9. King Tuff - "Bad Thing"

8. The Hives - "1000 Answers"

7. Big Gigantic - "The Uprising"

6. Greek Fire - "If This Is the End (the Sound of Belief)"

5. Smashing Pumpkins - "Quasar", "The Chimera"

4. Metric - "Youth Without Youth"

3. The Gaslight Anthem - "45"

2. Passion Pit - "Take A Walk"

1. Japandroids - "Fire's Highway"

If you have not given the 'Japandroids' sophomore album Celebration Rock a spin yet then you are missing out. The Canadian rock duo consisting of Brian King (guitar/vocals) and David Prowse (drums/vocals), produce a giant sound you would think was coming from a four or five-man band. The album is like a Red Bull and vodka chased with a Five-Hour Energy shot. Front to back, it's a roller-coaster ride of some of the best energetic rock I have heard so far in 2012. If you like a garage friendly head-banging sound of scorching guitar riffs and foot-stomping drums, this album is for you. I can't wait to see this band live!

'Life On The Road' Music Blog Celebrates One-Year Anniversary!

2012-06-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

One year ago today I started this blog to share some of my favorite music with a few of my friends. Since then, I have become a music columnist at insideSTL.com, met many of my favorite artists/bands, and have even taken up concert photography in order to capture the true beauty of live music! And, 51, 995 unique visitors from 100+ different countries later (not including my FB page), it has truly turned into a fun hobby that has been shared by more people than I ever imagined. Thanks for reading and checking out all my posts. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have, and maybe even learned a few things! Hopefully life in the next year still grants me the time and dedication to share what I love most. Because I have always felt and lived out one of my favorite quotes, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life". Take care and thanks again, and if you haven't already, become a fan or follow me at all my links below! I'll see ya next time out on the road!

Current Average Stats:

www.theconcertcreep.com

250 views a day

7,000 a month

51, 995 all-time visitors

www.facebook.com/concertcreep

198 fans

550 people reached per week

Countless trollers :)

Here are just some of the countries who have enjoyed 'Life On The Road' with "The Concert Creep"...

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Bolivia

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

China

Colombia

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Faroe Islands

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Malaysia

Malta

Mexico

Myanmar [Burma]

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Pakistan

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Romania

Russia

Serbia and Montenegro

Singapore

Slovakia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

Thailand

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Venezuela

http://www.theconcertcreep.com
http://www.facebook.com/concertcreep
http://twitter.com/concertcreep
http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMusic/tabid/77/Default.aspx

2012 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Recap, Highlights, & Top Performances!!! June 7-10th (Manchester, Tenn)

2012-06-19T19:34:00.002-05:00

If you are like me, your body and mind have finally recovered enough to start reflecting back on another year of surviving one of the largest and best music festivals the US has to offer, the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival held annually in Manchester, Tennessee. This was my third consecutive year going to the festival with my two buddies Chris (aka CJH² or Cockjack Houndhammer) and Mitch (aka Robbie Roo III) and this year might have been the best thus far. Disregard the nicknames, those were earned in side stories at Bonnaroo and are funny to no one else but us three weirdos. It may sound harsh to say we survived another year, but that is exactly what it is. Survival. It takes a special breed of person to brave the marathon four-day weekend in the dead heat of June every year on the 800-acre farm. It's a place where heaven and hell seem to cross paths quite often. But, for the 80,000+ festival freaks who make the trip every year, Bonnaroo offers up some of the best music across all genres that the industry has to offer. And even a few surprises! 2012 was no different. And luckily for us, the weather this time around mostly cooperated to let us enjoy the most important thing to the fullest. The music. Here's a recap on some of it...

My Roo Schedule:

Thursday, June 7th

The Lonely Forest 5:30 - 6:30 (This Tent)

The Lonely Forest (TLF) is a band I have been following for awhile. I saw them open for 'We Were Promised Jetpacks' at the Old Rock House a few years ago and liked their sound. Back then they were touring an earlier album, We Sing The Body Electric. Since then they have released their latest album Arrows. It is crazy how far this band has come into their own. This was my fourth time seeing them and each time is better and better. The more experience they get, the better their live show is. This was a great way to open the festival and the crowd seemed to think so as well. If you are unfamiliar with TLF, start with "We Sing In Time" and "Turn Off This Song and Go Outside" off their latest LP.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. 7:15 - 8:00

I was looking forward to seeing the fellas from Jr. Jr. for awhile. I had never seen them live, but I have always had their debut album, It's A Corporate World, in regular rotation. They are a fun group as witnessed by their on stage neon checkered jackets. I enjoyed the set they delivered which was full of electric energy and sounds you can truly only get with a live performance. We even caught some of their set the next day on the Sonic Stage.

The Lonely Forest 8:00 - 8:30 (Ford Escape Tent)

One of the best surprises of the weekend came early when we were sitting on some benches having a delicious beverage waiting for another show when I heard TLF playing in a small tent nearby after their main set. Houndhammer thought it was probably someone covering them. I thought no way. So after an investigation, we caught a surprise pop-up show. This was a much more intimate show in a smaller tent and we got to hear some new stuff on the next record. The new stuff is awesome! I again thought to myself it is crazy how far this band has come since I first saw them. They generated quite a buzz at Bonnaroo from over-hearing people talk. I also read a couple tweets saying I don't know who The Lonely Forest is, but they are a great band. Also, for the first time, with the new stuff they played, I noticed the main guitar from Tony Ruland was taking a lot of the lead and standing out with some pretty sweet riffs that were Albert Hammond Jr (The Strokes) esque. The vocals in the video below from John Van Deusen are hard to hear because I was so close and it was fairly loud but it is still good none the less. The end of the song is money...

YelaWolf 8:30 - 9:15

After hearing YelaWolf's set at Bonnaroo, this is one of those times I kicked myself. I had skipped his show at Plush in Saint Louis a few days prior and now I regret it. I actually hadn't even planned on catching his show at the festival, but after over-hearing one of the nastiest remix mash-ups of the Beastie Boys I have ever heard, along with the massive crowd packed around the This Tent going nuts, we ran over to join in. You would have thought the Hall of Fame legends of rap were up on stage themselves if you didn't know any better. It was a great tribute. One which was a repeat theme throughout the festival weekend. Most hip-hop/rap shows I leave disappointed from because they do not translate live on stage (more on that later) but, YelaWolf had me quite impressed. I would definitely go see him again.

White Denim 9:15 - 9:45

White Denim is a band I have heard some buzz about in the past and I wanted to catch their show at The Firebird when they came through Saint Louis in April but I had to miss it. So I wanted to catch some of their show at Bonnaroo. I am glad I did. For me, their psychedelic rock lived up to the hype. My fellow comrades enjoyed them as well.

Phantogram 10:15 - 11:15

I don't know if it was because the beer was flowing like Niagara Falls at this point, or if this band is just that good, but Phantogram put on one of my favorite shows of the entire weekend. There is always a Thursday night show every year that blows my mind. This year it was Phantogram. Some people may not enjoy the type of music and sound that the Indie pop duo brings, but for those who do like myself, you will love it! Their mix of rock and electronic is perfect and flows seamlessly with the sexy vocals of lead lady Sarah Barthel, creating a super chill experience. Favorite songs for me are "When I'm Small" and "Mouthful of Diamonds". I was already pumped for this show because it would be a preview for this summer's LouFest Music Festival in Saint Louis. Well those promoters can reassured that they booked one hell of an act. I am predicting now that they will steal the show come August in Forest Park. If you do not have tickets yet, no need to keep waiting, this band alone is worth the price of admission.

Alabama Shakes 11:30 - 12:00am

If you are a reader of my blog then the Alabama Shakes are no strangers to you. This was probably the most talked about Thursday night show prior to the festival and for good reason. The Shakes have burst onto the music scene over the past year like no other with their unique sound and look, built on diversity and good vibes. Lead singer Brittany Howard can wail and will make you want to get up and start groovin! It was no different at Bonnaroo. The over-flowing crowd sang and danced along to every song. Then, later excitedly joined in with the lead singer on a parade through Centeroo festival grounds for a night to remember.

Big Gigantic 12:00 - 12:45am

Big Gigantic is an electronic act I didn't know much about going in, but came out a fan. It is pretty much a given that any late night show at Bonnaroo is going to be a fun party so I was not surprised by the performance. Unlike most electronic acts of today who rely mostly on technology, Big Gigantic combines the real elements of drums and a saxophone to their music that makes for an excellent sound of livetronica instrumentation. I actually looked up their stuff when I got home and really like their latest album, Nocturnal, which is streaming on their website. Give the songs "It's Goin Down" and "The Uprising" a listen.

Friday, June 8th

(Probably my favorite day of the festival and CJH²'s birthday.)

Electric Guest 12:15 - 12:30

Electric Guest was a band I had not listened to a whole lot except for their song, "This Head I Hold" that I really like from their debut album Mondo, which was actually produced by famed producer Danger Mouse. It is a catchy song with killer vocals, and one I knew they would probably be saving for the last song of their set. So I just checked out a few songs, and then made my way over to see The Kooks, who I am a pretty big fan of, on the second biggest Which Stage. From what I heard of Electric Guest, I would like to see them again one day. It's tough to play to a crowd who is still waking up from night one's hangover, but they did a good job.

The Kooks 12:30 - 1:15

The Kooks are a band I have been waiting to see live again ever since their show at The Pageant with The Whigs back in 2008. That show was incredible and I have eagerly anticipated their return across the pond close enough to where I could catch a show. They were a perfect band to open the day because they have a pretty good catalog of songs and sing-a-longs that can finally get you motivated to get your day going. I was happy they played every song I wanted to hear including even, "Seaside". The new stuff sounded good as well including "Junk Of The Heart (Happy)" which I have had on heavy rotation since it came out.

Ben Howard 1:45 - 2:45

I have been following Ben Howard since August of last year after I first heard his song, "The Wolves", that appeared in a YouTube video I saw showcasing biking legend, Danny MacAskill. I actually had a chance to catch him live for the first time a few months ago at the Old Rock House on the Communion 2012 SXSW Austin To Boston Tour. After that show (review HERE) I became an even bigger fan of the English singer/songwriter. I was excited to see him again in a larger festival setting. His performance was excellent once again. He has a unique voice that just soothes your soul down to the very core. My buddies who I had talked into catching his set became fans as well. Check him out, such a talented artist.

Two Door Cinema Club 3:15 - 4:30

Two Door Cinema Club (TDCC) were in my top five bands I was most excited to see at Bonnaroo. The Northern Ireland trio are one of my favorite indie rock bands out. Their album Tourist History I have listened to constantly over the last two years. I just love their sound. Full of energy, upbeat guitars, catchy vocals, and will make you dance your ass off! They have never toured the US close enough for me to catch a show so I was pumped for their set. So was the crowd which was one of the biggest of the entire day for tent acts. The band's next album is finished and due out this year so I was excited about hearing some of that as well, which included, "Wake Up", "This Is Moon", "Handshake", and "Sleep Alone". One thing is certain, there is more good stuff on the way from Two Door Cinema Club in the near future! And yes, I did dance my ass off for this show, which ended up being one of my top highlights of the festival.

Fitz & The Tantrums 5:00 - 6:30

Fitz & The Tantrums are a cool band. Their debut album Pickin' Up the Pieces is a fun album and that translates on stage. I missed their show last year at the Taste Of Saint Louis celebration so I was happy to see them on the lineup. It was a tough choice choosing between Fitz and the Avett Brothers, but I was happy I did not miss their performance. The band's chemistry on stage is great and I was impressed with vocalist Noelle Scaggs' voice and energy. Single "Moneygrabber" was obviously the ending highlight of the set, but the fun thing about the finale was when front man Michael Fitzpatrick made everyone in the audience kneel down on the ground before the ending chorus while promising to call out the stragglers, then made the crowd rise up into an explosion jumping frenzy to end the song. Good times.

Ludacris (missed) - We sacrificed missing Luda, who was originally on my planned schedule, to head back to camp and get in a shower and change of clothes. At some point each day, you have to give your body a break and re-energize in order to last all night for the late shows. While I would have liked to seen his set, you have to choose your battles wisely while at Bonnaroo. Our nightly shower ($7) seemed to work well to keep us going each day and was a regular part of our routine throughout the festival. Money well spent.

Foster The People 8:45 - 9:30

Foster The People (FTP) is a band that caught fire and was launched into the music mainstream even too fast for Bonnaroo promoters. Usually a band that plays on one of the larger stages (What or Which) has worked its way up through the festival. Starting out in a tent for instance the first few times they play the farm. However, this was the first time Foster The People has played Bonnaroo, and they were given the second largest (Which) stage on a coveted Friday night time slot before headliners Radiohead. And for good reason I guess, their current appeal is undeniable. Not to mention they are perfect for a festival setting. Catchy songs with a good mixture of rock and electronic that you can dance your socks off to. I like FTP, which I saw for the first time live, and I liked their set as well, featuring almost all of Grammy nominated album, Torches. Lead man Mark Foster is super-talented and orchestrated the fun. We took off before the end, so I missed breakthrough quadruple-platinum single "Pumped Up Kicks", but since I have heard it a million times and watched the extended remix version streamed at Coachella, I was content with leaving early and getting a decent spot for Radiohead that wasn't a mile away from the main stage.

Radiohead 10:00 - 11:30

So much for that idea. Even with getting there a little early, the sold-out crowd had filled most of the field of the main What stage in excited anticipation for Friday night headliners, Radiohead. I probably should have known it wouldn't be that easy to get a good spot. People were already lined up to get in the pit when festival gates opened that morning and veteran Bonnaroovians have been lobbying for the band's return ever since their epic 2006 performance. However, we still managed to weasel our way through to about the middle of the massive field of sitting/laying/standing scattered bodies of people. Which ended up being good enough to hear the band clearly and see their giant rotating video screens and visuals. Prior to the set, in a pretty cool moment, myself, Robbie Roo III, and other festival-goers all around us joined in to sing Happy Birthday to Mr. Houndhammer, who was totally surprised by the gesture. That's the fun thing about Bonnaroo, everyone is a friend, even strangers, and act like they have known you for years. Radiohead's set, which mostly featured more recent offerings from In Rainbows and King Of Limbs, was superb. But, it didn't touch 2006 from what I have heard and seen, but they probably never will again. Either way, there was no way I was missing other great acts all day in order to get a good spot for one band. I don't think it is ever a good idea to sacrifice the festival experience for one band. Especially since I had already seen Radiohead on this tour in Saint Louis in March, which actually ended up featuring a similar set. Lastly, one exciting thing that did come out of the set was when Thom Yorke hinted at a possible collaboration with Jack White, thanking White for something we'll all see very soon and dedicating "Supercollider" to him in the first encore.

Major Lazer 12:00 - 1:30am

Major Lazer, which features DJ/Producer Diplo was one of the biggest surprises of the festival for us. We had no idea what to expect really going in. It ended up being one of the most fun late night sets ever! One ridiculous party! Which can best be only summed up in these three crazy videos that I shot from inside the madness...

Flying Lotus 2:00 - 2:30am

Flying Lotus is someone I wish I would have seen more of at Bonnaroo, but I wanted to make sure I saw a good amount of Umphrey's McGee before my body shut down for the night, who were starting pretty much at the same time. So I checked out a half hour of FlyLo's set before Umphrey's and really liked it. He is an act that combines hip/hop and electronic. I hope to see him live again one day. Although I doubt the setting and atmosphere will match up.

Umphrey’s McGee 2:30 - 4:00am

I missed Umphrey's McGee in 2010 the first year I went to Bonnaroo. I also missed them on New Year's Eve in Saint Louis this past year. I wasn't going to miss them again. Especially after reading a tweet that there would be a HUGE surprise during their set. That surprise ended up coming in three parts. One, Dominic from Big Gigantic as a guest appearance and jamming on saxophone with Umphrey's for a few songs. Two, Umphrey's would take a half hour break while Big Gigantic played a surprise DJ set. And, three, Umphrey's would come back and announce that they were going to jam until 7am when the sun came up! Unfortunately, I only made it through one part of that surprise. What a show though! I'm sure those who lasted and crossed the finish line will be talking about this set for a long time to come. A story for the legends. Especially this "Bulls On Parade" cover...

Saturday, June 9th

Pelican 12:15 - 1:15

Saturday this year started the same way it started last year for me. With hard rock and metal in the middle of mosh pits! Mitchell suggested Pelican, and after last year's recommendations of Kylesa and The Sword, and the fun I had rockin out at those shows, there was no way I wasn't following along. Another good recommendation from Robbie Roo. Pelican brought it hard and started off Saturday with a good raging.

Bad Brains 1:45 - 2:45

Bad Brains was more of the same as Pelican. An awesome metal show with a Rastafarian flavor. And the raging may have even been kicked up another notch. We didn't even need to move tents. The performance took place on the same battleground. These fellas are legends of hardcore punk and brought the energy level in the crowd to the max. I liked the odd antics and get up of lead singer H.R., who donned an all white suit and hat with a bleach blond wig. The band was all business while putting on a hell of a performance, and made up for the minimal amount of the metal/hardcore rock genre on the lineup. I spent some time in the crazy mosh pit and worked up a good sweat throwing bows and head banging with the youngsters. A cold beer never tasted so good after this show.

The Temper Trap 3:00 - 3:45

The Temper Trap is a band that was a late artist addition to the lineup that I was most excited about. They were one of my favorite shows the first year I went to Bonnaroo in 2010. I have been following them ever since, and still listen to breakthrough debut album, Conditions, regularly. Their challenge this time was playing the main stage during the day when the giant field was not full. It is hard for a band to fill all that space, but they did a good job. I didn't like this show as much as their previous Bonnaroo performance from a few years ago, but happy I got to hear selections from their new album live. I think "Rabbit Hole" is still my favorite so far.

Flogging Molly 3:45 - 4:30

I have seen Flogging Molly in a festival setting before (Kanrocksas) so I knew what to expect. These Celtic rockers always put on a fun show. They do well at interacting with the crowd and everyone in the pit seems to form a brotherhood throughout the show. The mosh pit is always a good time, however, I sat this one out because I had gotten my fix earlier in the day at Pelican and Bad Brains. There was a huge crowd at this show under the That Tent which spilled out in every direction. It is hard to say whether they were all there for Flogging Molly or if they were getting there early for a spot for Maynard (Tool) and Puscifer. Probably a little bit of both, like us. Either way, Flogging Molly didn't disappoint, even to the casual fan.

Puscifer 5:00 - 6:15

In case you don't know, Puscifer is the side project of Tool front man, Maynard James Keenan. This is a show that Robbie Roo was most excited about. While I am a Maynard and Tool fan as well (not diehard), Puscifer just did not fully do it for me. I enjoyed it don't get me wrong, but I just kept waiting for most of the songs to go harder, even though I knew they would not. The bass lines and guitars seemed to toy with me the entire time. Another let down was that the stage set up did not have enough time to be completed even after a long delay. Not sure if it was technical difficulties or poor preparation, but half of the monitors were out. Not sure much could have been seen anyways with the sun still glaring down during their early evening set. But, bottom line, it was still a quality show and Maynard seemed in good spirits, rocking out in full airlines pilot gear with the rest of the band. There is never a shortage of talent when he is around.

The Roots 7:30 - 9:00

For The Roots, who were on the main stage before Saturday headliners RHCP, I heard half of their set back at camp during our nightly break. The sound system at the main stage is so big that it projects out to most of the camping areas in line with it. This was an added bonus of camping near the What stage. I was looking forward to their performance because of their last minute show cancellation due to bad weather that I was suppose to see at last year's Loufest in Saint Louis. The Roots set the tone for the evening shows with a dirty mix of funk and soul. They started things off with a tribute to the Beastie Boys' Adam 'MCA' Yauch and a cool cover of "Paul Revere". They then blazed through some hits and dropped a few more sing-along covers like, Guns N' Roses', "Sweet Child O' Mine". The whole band was on point and ?uestlove was a beast on the drums as usual.

Dispatch 9:00 - 9:45

CJ brought us to the indie/grass roots show of Dispatch. I think it would have been a lot more crowded than it already was if the show would not have been smack dab in the middle of the Chili Peppers and The Roots, considering the comeback this band is making with an upcoming album and tour in 2012 after a decade long hiatus. I have to admit I am not familiar with Dispatch's catalog, but they were pretty good. And the hippies loved it!

Red Hot Chili Peppers 10:00 - 11:30

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were probably the headliner I was most looking forward to seeing at the festival. I even skipped the show in Saint Louis in May in order to have my first experience with this tour at Bonnaroo. While I enjoyed the performance, it would have probably been better had it not been on such a large scale. With that many people there, it becomes a distraction from the music. We ended up not fighting the crowd for long and walked around and listened from a distance after the first half of the set. I am going to try and get closer at Lollapalooza. Flea was the highlight. He is an animal. Still jumping around, headbanging, and pounding the bass like it was the 1990's.

Alice Cooper 12:00 - 12:30am

I cannot believe how awesome Alice Cooper and his band were. I had low expectations considering the man is pushing 65 years old. But, still wanted to catch some of his show considering he is one of the legends and pioneers of dark heavy metal and shock rock. Shocked I was for sure. Such an entertaining performer! And his backup band was amazing! The show started with a full theatrical performance of "Black Widow" atop a raised mechanical platform, where Cooper was dressed head to toe in black leather as a giant spider complete with attached marionette type stringed legs. From there he blazed through a set of every hit imaginable including some rarities. I took off before the end, but watch below as Alice Cooper and his band perform his unique cover version of Lady Gaga's, "Born This Way". We're not worthy!

Superjam ft. ?uestlove & D'Angelo 12:30 - 1:00am

There were so many predictions for this show I would not have been surprised to see a Jimi Hendrix hologram walk out on stage. Decent guesses of Trey Anastasio, Atoms for Peace (Thom Yorke & Flea), or Jack White even had me excited with anticipation. I was ready for anything though. At last, the crowd found out who the big surprise guest would be jamming during this year's Superjam when ?uestlove said, "I've been waiting 12 years to say this... Ladies and Gentleman, D'Angelo!" That's right, after twelve years in hiding, R&B artist D'Angelo came out into the spotlight and jammed with an all-star lineup of guests who covered songs from Hendrix, The Beatles, Funkadelic, Zeppelin, and more! While this was an extremely cool once in a lifetime mind-blowing experience for R&B soul fans, my higher expectations let me down a little and we headed out early for a spot at Skrillex.

Skrillex 1:30 - 3:30am

After figuring out there would be no appearance of Flea, Thom Yorke, or Jack White, we skipped most of Superjam to get a spot for Skrillex and what would be the most insane party I have ever witnessed. A massive sea of probably 40,000 raving lunatics ready to lose all reality and go nuts for one of EDM's hottest artists. I am actually a fan of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and "dubstep", and have even been to quite a few "rave" parties in my younger years. But, I have never seen anything like this. It was nuts! The electric atmosphere was almost indescribable. Skrill's performance was just as crazy as the crowd. He orchestrated a thunderous raw and filthy set from a freaking spaceship that raised up above the crowd halfway through his set. My favorite thing about the set was his mixture of hip hop and reggae he introduced into his mixes. Explosions, smoke, confetti, and glowsticks filled the air all night long. I had a great time at this party. I think it may have even been shut down earlier than planned because it was so out of control. Whether you like his music or not, you can't deny the following he brings. A reason promoters placed him on the largest stage (Which) ever for any electronic artist at Bonnaroo. Next year they may have to open the main stage for a party of this magnitude. Here are some videos I shot that don't even come close to portraying the scene from inside the devil's den...

Sunday, June 10th

Delta Spirit 12:30 - 1:15

The last day started with a performance from Delta Spirit on the Which stage where I started on Friday with The Kooks. It's hard to wake the crowd on the last day of the marathon festival, but I think Delta Spirit did a fine job. I have really gotten into their latest self-titled album since it was released, and it displayed well on the large stage. The band's instrumentation was excellent and they seemed comfortable in the festival setting. Standouts for me were "Empty House" and "California".

GROUPLOVE 2:00 - 3:00

If you do not know who GROUPLOVE is by now, take notice. They could easily be the next Arcade Fire. This was the second time I have seen them live and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time, even with an almost identical set list. Their energy and enthusiasm is unmatched. From the get go, the energy was fueled from lead man Christian Zucconi and vocalist/keyboardist Hannah Hooper. Hooper conducted the fun with her kangaroo-esque dance skills and hardcore rocker like head banging. It was hard to not keep your eye on the only female in the group. Her spunk alone had the entire crowd jumping up and down throughout the set. The group seemed totally happy to be there and even commented on the over-whelming love they received from the Bonnaroo crowd. Well-deserved. A great band with a bright future ahead.

Mac Miller 3:00 - 3:15

Mac Miller for me was terrible. And I was actually looking forward to his set. I could only last 15 minutes. I took refuge with The Beach Boys that is how bad it was. He's a douche on stage and its the typical live rapper deal with a backup hype man screaming and repeating stuff. I actually liked his songs I have heard long before this year's festival, but on stage those songs don't translate. His voice is terrible out of studio and the whole appeal I think was that he was a young white rapper who many thought could be the next Eminem. Clearly now he has hit a growth spurt (deeper voice from age or American Spirit cigarettes, looks older, facial hair, etc) and that appeal is gone. He also did the deal where he stopped mid lyric to let the audience rap words. If I wanted to hear myself rap I would stay home. I don't know, maybe it wasn't that bad and I just wasn't in the mood for it, but for me it wasn't good at all. May have been better late night after a few beers. I don't know why I waste my time with hip hop shows. Most are pretty bad. Only one I have ever seen that was entertaining live was Jay Z in 2010. Eminem was solid as well in 2011.

The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks) 3:30 - 4:15

I took Mac Miller's advice that he gave to the audience at the beginning of his show and checked out The Beach Boys instead. I had my doubts about them considering their age and the previous performance I saw on The Grammy's in Feb. But, they were actually quite entertaining. It was crazy how many songs and lyrics I actually knew even though I wouldn't consider myself a big fan. I guess I can thank my dad for that. This was the perfect show to sit back and relax in my chair and soak up the sights and sounds of the last day. Not to mention, it is not often you get to experience a legendary band celebrating their 50th Anniversary! Way to hold it down fellas!

Ben Folds Five 4:30 - 5:00

After The Beach Boys, I caught about a half hour of Ben Folds Five. Ben Folds is a cool cat and his fingers can work some magic on the piano. They had a large crowd at their show (Which stage) and he told everyone they were happy to be back at the festival. Their music puts you in a cheerful mood. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch more of them again on their upcoming US tour (Sept-Oct), the first in 12 years!

The Joy Formidable 5:00 - 6:15

The Joy Formidable (TJF) was incredible. I had actually planned on skipping my favorite Wales rockers because I wanted to see most of Bon Iver and I had already seen them live three times before in Saint Louis. But, I got out voted and I'm glad I did. They put on a show! People kept coming up to the tent and packing in. Everyone was like who the hell are these guys. They kept toying with the crowd egging them on to go nuts. For "Whirring", me and CJH² got in close. They absolutely lost their minds! Matt kept launching drum sticks at Rhydian. Rhydian then was smashing his guitar on Matt's symbols. At the end Ritzy threw her guitar like a javelin through a stand up bass drum. Then they threw and destroyed everything on stage including the entire drum kit. It was a 9 minute version of chaos and the crowd loved it! I cant imagine if that was my first time seeing them. Even me and CJ, who have seen it all before were high-fiving with excitement. Great show from TJF once again! After this show, Robbie Roo cashed out and called it a festival. Myself and Houndhammer pushed on.

Bon Iver 6:15 - 6:30

Bon Iver I had actually planned to see all of. But, like I said above, ended up catching the whole The Joy Formidable show instead. What I did see I was impressed with. His voice and instrumentation had no problem filling the main What stage field. I also got to hear my favorite song "Holocene" so I was happy about that. I will definitely go see him again when they come to town. His music is much more suited for an indoor intimate setting anyways I think.

The Civil Wars 6:30 - 6:45

Sunday scheduling sucked! I had to chose between The Civil Wars, Young The Giant, The Shins, and Fun., who were all scheduled at the same time. Since I had already seen YTG live, my plan was to catch a little of The Civil Wars, and then watch Fun.'s whole show. Looking back, I wish I would have stayed for the whole show from the Grammy winning duo and skipped Fun. They were absolutely amazing! Those two were born to make beautiful music and nothing else. Well, and babies too I guess considering Joy Williams was so pregnant she could of had her baby on stage right there in the Tennessee heat. What a trooper! And what an angel of a voice! John Paul White is beyond incredible as well with his vocal and acoustic ability. I will not miss this pair ever again. This perhaps may have been my only regret of the festival.

Fun. 6:45 - 8:00

Fun. was good. And they did live up to their name I guess. But, they were not great as I had hoped. I don't know if it was because I was still thinking about going back to The Civil Wars or what. I kept sitting there waiting for the same thing everyone else probably was ("We Are Young", "Some Nights"), even though I know most of the songs off their latest album. But, ultimately I was too tired at this point to care or move again. The ending did indeed live up to the hype. It was cool to sing their two monster hits with literally tens of thousands of the diverse Bonnaroo crowd that crossed every demographic at this show. I will definitely give them another shot when my body and mind haven't gone through 4 straight days of festival abuse and sleep deprivation.

Phish 8:00 - 11:30

Houndhammer and I finally cashed out during Phish which was good considering it was the last show of the entire festival. Took a nap in our chairs in the middle of the main stage field for an hour and a half of the 4 hour set. Woke up in time for an appearance of Kenny Rogers doing "The Gambler" with Phish. The light rain was welcomed and Phish was the perfect band to close down the festival. I have never seen them live before and I am not in tune with their massive cult-like following, but I can see why they have such a fan base. They jammed like no other! I almost worked up enough energy again to dance with the rest of the crowd. I don't know why I haven't given them a shot before, but either way I came out a fan. I think I will catch their show in Saint Louis now in August. Great stuff! And just like that, another year at Bonnaroo came and went. The festival closed down with a spectacular fireworks show over the main stage sky. And then it was time to start looking forward to next year!

Concert Creep's Bonnaroo 2012 Top 10 Performances

On The Bubble: The Civil Wars, Bad Brains, YelaWolf, Ben Howard, Fitz & The Tantrums, GROUPLOVE, Foster The People

10. The Lonely Forest

9. Umphrey's McGee

8. The Joy Formidable

7. Radiohead

6. Alice Cooper

5. Phish

4. Two Door Cinema Club

3. Skrillex

2. Phantogram

1. Major Lazer

Comments? What were your favorite shows? I'd love to hear about them! Especially if you went to any of the shows I missed. Drop me a line over on my Facebook Music Blog Fan Page HERE.