Another year (end post)
some favorite musical moments of 2024
Happy New Year, readers! To wrap up 2024, I thought I’d join the masses in making yet another year-end list. It’s been a blast writing about music this year, and I am so grateful to you all for reading, sharing, and supporting this new project of mine as I develop it and make it a useful resource for anyone interested in music in this great city of ours.
The list below is concert-focused, with a few odds and ends. (If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of albums released this year, the folks at The Quietus publish a great list of smaller releases I promise you mostly won’t have heard of.) Mostly a brain dump of things I liked from 2024.
Here’s to another year of seeing shows together.
The one performance, video, and artist you cannot ignore this year:
If you don’t click on anything else in this newsletter, I’m OK with that. Just know that 2024 is the year of Doechii, and if you have not given her Tiny Desk performance a try yet, this is your sign to do so now. She had the best album of the year and after years of making music is finally getting the spotlight she deserves.
Now for the concert list…
Concerts attended: 141
No. of venues: 68
Venue most attended: Mercury Lounge (9 times)
Band I saw the most: (5 times)
Top 3 concert genres: Classical (24), Country (17), and Hip-Hop (16)
1. Cory Henry
Cory Henry didn’t have to open up his hometown church - conveniently located 3 blocks down the road from me - to the public to celebrate the release of his new Gospel album. But he did, and I am changed for it. It was my first time in a Baptist church and a Gospel show and I see how this music can make people believe in a higher power. The community, energy, instrumental and vocal chops were top notch. This one will stick with me for life.
2. Zach Bryan
There’s something special about a stadium filled with dudes who are all belting their hearts out to every lyric like you might experience at a Taylor Swift concert. Maggie Rogers an awesome surprise guest. And then fucking Bruce Springsteen came on. What a night.
3. Samora Pinderhughes
Samora Pinderhughes is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of today. Deeply involved in the world of activism and collaborating with some of the finest Jazz musicians around, his Winter JazzFest set was a festival highlight. Music that healed, with an incredible choir to back his golden voiced singing from the piano.
4. Andra Day
Talk about a SINGER! Andra Day brought it all to kick off the 2024 SummerStage season. Impeccable vocal technique with an incredible Gospel band (organ, drums, bass, keys, and backup singers) to boot. (Pardon the blurry video, I was not looking at my phone screen while being so close to greatness)
5. Kaitlin Butts
My favorite country singer just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Touring her latest album Roadrunner! (based on the musical Oklahoma) she brought her Red Dirt country sound to Brooklyn and it was a HOOT! (Yes, people are talking over her. No, that doesn’t make her a bad artist)
6. Bleachers
Never seen so many white people of all generations dance so freely, comfortable with their bodies. That's the happiness and energy that Bleachers bring to their shows. Jack Antonoff is an incredible front man and this is so much more interesting to me than his work with some of our favorite pop stars of today.
7. Tyler, the Creator
I see the vision. Performing his new album Chromokopia for free, alone, on a shipping crate on the Brooklyn waterfront with NYC skyline behind him, the 45 minute stripped down pop up performance highlighted just how brilliant Tyler, the Creator is and why he’s one of one.
8. Corinne Bailey Rae
If you didn’t know, the “Put your Records On” singer is a total visionary rock star. Her departure album Black Rainbows absolutely shreds, and it was a treat to see my favorite album of 2023 performed live.
9. Flo
Fresh from a performance at Governor’s Ball, 5 months before their debut album dropped and well before they went on tour with Kehlani, British girl group Flo brought the house down with their harmonies and choreography. ‘90s girl groups are back, baby!
10. Indigo Girls
Two brilliant musicians in concert and conversation with the equally brilliant journalist Ann Powers. A powerful night of storytelling with three great writers.
