Disclaimer: This is a list of the Top 25 albums of the last decade from Rolling Stone magazine.  I know the RS writers are often bias to certain artists, but there are a lot of great writers (who pay a lot of respect to the true artists in RnR history)

Albums of the Decade
1 | Radiohead: Kid A
Jason says… It’s appropriate that Radiohead start and end this list as they are the most important band of the last 10 years.  I saw them in Vancouver on the Kid A 2001 tour and it was a phenomenal show (to match this great album, even though OK COmputer is still my favourite of their albums).
2 | The Strokes: Is This It
Jason says… Great debut record and an awesome show at the Vancouver Orpheum in 2001.  They helped bring back rock n’ roll at a time when it was desperately needed. 

3 | Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Jason says…
I’m anxious to catch Wilco in Ottawa in February, and when I say them on the tour for YHF in Seattle I wasn’t a big fan at teh time.  Since then, I’ve been listening to this album and this band ever since! 

4 | Jay-Z: The Blueprint
Jason says… Have to admit, don’t have this album, but his recent show in Kelowna was excellent, and I’ve always had respect for what he does. 

5 | The White Stripes: Elephant
Jason says… High on my list of favourite bands in the ’00s and high on my list of artists I can’t wait to see in concert! 

6 | Arcade Fire: Funeral
Jason says… High on my list of favourite bands in the ’00s and high on my list of artists I can’t wait to see in concert! 

7 | Eminem: The Marshal Mathers LP
Jason says… Don’t listen to music, but I understand all the respect he gets. 
8 | Bob Dylan: Modern Times
Jason says… Artist of the decade (and the last decade, and the one before that….)  Great album

9 | M.I.A.: Kala
Jason says…  I love “Paper Planes” and

10 | Kanye West: The College Dropout
11 | Bob Dylan: Love and Theft
Jason says…  see above.

12 | LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
13 | U2: All That You Can’t Leave Behind
Jason says…  The best of their albums this decade and the best of the tours.  The Vancouver show rocked!

14 | Jay-Z: The Black Album
Jason says…  see above.

15 | Bruce Springsteen: The Rising
Jason says…  so bummed I’ve missed his tour again this time around.  I should have flowed to NJ to see the recent show where they performed “Born To Run” album.

16 | OutKast: Stankonia
17 | Beck: Sea Change
18 | MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Jason says…  One of the best albums of the last few years.  Hoping to catch them on the music festival circuit in 2010

19 | Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
20 | The White Stripes: White Blood Cells
Jason says…  see above.

21 | Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head
Jason says…  They played a great set at the Pemberton festival in ’08 and they continue to put our strong albums, but Rush of Blood to the Head is the best.

22 | Green Day: American Idiot
Jason says…  Wow, they’re a big stadium rock band now, and their Vancouver show in July proved that.  They have a lot of hits, and are evolving as a band too!

23 | D’Angelo: Voodoo
24 | Bruce Springsteen: Magic
Jason says…  #15

25 | Radiohead: Amnesiac
Jason says…  see #1


other bands that released great albums this decade that didn’t make the Top 25 according to Rolling Stone, but I think they should have made the cut.
Warren Zevon – Life’ll Kill Ya, My Ride’s Here, and The Wind
Tom Waits – Alice, Real Gone, Orphans

Pearl Jam – Binaural, Riot Act, Pearl Jam, Backspacer

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – Pig Lib

Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey..

Lou Reed – Ecstasy

The Postal Service
Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism
Beth Orton – Comfort of Strangers
Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Josh Ritter – The Animal Years
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Truthfully Truthfully
Joel Plaskett – Three
Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People
David Bowie – Reality
Joe Strummer & the Mecalaros – Streetcore
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Wintersleep – Untitled
Soundtrack – Garden State
Soundtrack -Lost in Translation

Another year of great shows around Kelowna, and Prospera Place started to bring some big acts to town again.

I started this in 2007, and continued last year.  Looking at some of my favourite concert moments, both out-of-town and right here in Kelowna.

1. Joel Plaskett & Friends – The Habitat, May 13th, 2009
2. Neil Young / Everest – Prospera Place, April 22nd, 2009
3. Dan Mangan – The Habitat, Oct. 3rd, 2009
4. The Weakerthans / Constantines / Oh Susanna – Kelowna Community Theatre, April 27th, 2009
5. Stone Temple Pilots / Crash Kings – Prospera Place, Nov. 9th, 2009
6. The Arkells / The Novaks – The Habitat, Nov. 17th, 2009
7. Jay-Z / N.E.R.D – Prospera Place, Oct. 14th, 2009
8. John Mayall – Kelowna Community Theatre, Nov. 12th, 2009
9. Jack Semple – Minstrel Cafe, June 18th, 2009
10. Carpenter – Kelowna Club, July 31st, 2009

I’ll be posting a listing of my favourite Kelowna shows in 2009, but here’s my list of concerts in 2009.

1. Leonard Cohen, GM Place, Vancouver, BC, April 20th

2. Pearl Jam / Ben Harper & the Relentless 7, Key Arena, Seattle, WA., Sept. 21
3. David Byrne, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Feb. 20th

4. Neil Young / Everest, Mile One, St. John’s, NL, April 6th and April 22nd in Kelowna
5. The Dead / The Allman Brothers / The Doobie Brothers, The Gorge, George, Washington, May 16th
6. Nine Inch Nails, Sasquatch Festival, The Gorge, George, Washington, May 23-25th, 2009

7. Joel Plaskett & Friends, The Habitat, Kelowna, BC, May 13th

8. Arctic Monkeys, Showbox, Seattle, WA., Sept. 20th
9. KISS / Buckcherry, GM Place, Vancouver, BC, Nov. 14th
10. Green Day, GM Place, Vancouver, BC, July 4th

honourable mentions:
Gogol Bordello, Sasquatch Festival, The Gorge, George, Washington, May 23-25th, 2009
Street Sweeper Social Club, Sasquatch Festival, The Gorge, George, Washington, May 23-25th, 2009
Jay-Z / N.E.R.D, Prospera Place, Kelowna, BC, Oct. 14th
Stone Temple Pilots / Crash Kings, Prospera Place, Kelowna, BC, Nov. 9th

Anyone remember Knobby’s Lounge?

We’re putting a new spin on the old tradition! We’re inviting all of you who used to hit up Knobby’s on Boxing Day for a special (and seasonal) Open Mic at Habitat. Of course, all of you who have never even heard of Knobby’s are welcome to join in on the festivities as well!

Doors at 7pm – Come in early for dinner (if you can handle it after all the Holiday feasting)
Admission by donation
Please bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank

Anyone remember Knobby’s Lounge?

We’re putting a new spin on the old tradition! We’re inviting all of you who used to hit up Knobby’s on Boxing Day for a special (and seasonal) Open Mic at Habitat. Of course, all of you who have never even heard of Knobby’s are welcome to join in on the festivities as well!

Doors at 7pm – Come in early for dinner (if you can handle it after all the Holiday feasting)
Admission by donation
Please bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank

w/special guests
$8 (+ $1.50 tx & sc) – Buy your tickets for this event here
$10 at the door
Doors at 7pm for dinner, Show at 9pm

The Zolas‘ debut album ‘Tic Toc Tic’ mixes infectious indie-pop songs with hairpin turns, schizoid piano throwdowns, and a sort of cabaret strut. This prog-pop treasure chest is equal parts catchy and cryptic; it’s like Justin Timberlake meets The Beatles, or maybe Coldplay meets The Clash.

There’s something happening on the west coast. Whether it’s in the air, the water, or the drugs, a pool of talent has formed around the notion that you can have your pop and eat it too, with brainy, prog-influenced weird-beards like Bend Sinister and arcane psycho-confectioners Mother Mother demonstrating that musical complexity can still be hummable. Commercial, even.

Coming soon will be my 3rd annual Best Concerts of the Year list.  I started this in 2007, and continued last year.  Looking at some of my favourite concert moments, both out-of-town and right here in Kelowna.

Stay tuned for the 2009 list coming soon.  I welcome comments, as well as other people’s lists of their fav Kelowna shows in 2009!

Pollstar posted their list of the top touring artists of the last decade.  The Dave Matthews Band has sold 11 million concert tickets in the last 10 years.  Wow.  They’ve also toured every summer in the last 10 years.

100.5 The PEAK and Music BC Announce The PEAK Performance Project Top 3 The Jury Has Finished Tabulating The Votes In All Aspects of The PEAK Performance Project And The Following Three Artists Will Share $275,000 In Cash For Career Development. All Three Artists Will Perform On January 22nd @ The Commodore Where First, Second and Third Place Will Then Be Announced. First Place Receives $150,000; Second Place Receives $75,000; and Third Place Receives $50,000.

BEND SINISTER (Vancouver, BC)
www.bendsinisterband.com
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=444

THE LEFT (Langley, BC)
www.theleft.ca
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=428

WE ARE THE CITY (Kelowna, BC)
www.wearethecity.ca
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=419
The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $5.29 million program open to all musicians in British Columbia. The project was created by 100.5 The PEAK and Music BC to enhance the music industry in BC and assist emerging artists.
This year the nineteen finalists from BC received an intensive, one week training program in the music business, including instruction on live performance, songwriting, marketing and promotion. The artists benefited from mentorships from some of the music industry’s top professionals and performers and all of these artists performed live in Vancouver on the PEAK Performance Stage during The PEAK Performance Concert Series.
Download all 17 “In A Minute Songs” written, performed, and recorded by The PEAK Performance Project Artists during The PEAK Performance Project Boot Camp here – www.peakperformanceproject.com/?p=1127#
More Information about The PEAK Performance Project at
www.peakperformanceproject.com | www.thepeak.fm | www.musicbc.org

100.5 The PEAK and Music BC Announce The PEAK Performance Project Top 3 The Jury Has Finished Tabulating The Votes In All Aspects of The PEAK Performance Project And The Following Three Artists Will Share $275,000 In Cash For Career Development. All Three Artists Will Perform On January 22nd @ The Commodore Where First, Second and Third Place Will Then Be Announced. First Place Receives $150,000; Second Place Receives $75,000; and Third Place Receives $50,000.

BEND SINISTER (Vancouver, BC)
www.bendsinisterband.com
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=444

THE LEFT (Langley, BC)
www.theleft.ca
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=428

WE ARE THE CITY (Kelowna, BC)
www.wearethecity.ca
Bio: www.peakperformanceproject.com/?page_id=419
The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $5.29 million program open to all musicians in British Columbia. The project was created by 100.5 The PEAK and Music BC to enhance the music industry in BC and assist emerging artists.
This year the nineteen finalists from BC received an intensive, one week training program in the music business, including instruction on live performance, songwriting, marketing and promotion. The artists benefited from mentorships from some of the music industry’s top professionals and performers and all of these artists performed live in Vancouver on the PEAK Performance Stage during The PEAK Performance Concert Series.
Download all 17 “In A Minute Songs” written, performed, and recorded by The PEAK Performance Project Artists during The PEAK Performance Project Boot Camp here – www.peakperformanceproject.com/?p=1127#
More Information about The PEAK Performance Project at
www.peakperformanceproject.com | www.thepeak.fm | www.musicbc.org