Concert Awards!

I've been thinking about this for a while. These lists are guaranteed to be updated and changed and totally messed around, but as of right now, here's how my concert experiences rank. I'd like to hear how yours rank too!TOP 5 CONCERTS!These are tough, and take a lot of thought, but I'm pretty set in this list so far. It hurts me a little bit that my favorite band did not make this list, despite having seen them twice. Little hint, Mr. Scott Anderson, don't get plastered next time.5. Nine Inch Nails/Queens of the Stone Age (Madison Square Garden)NIN put on an incredible performance. Simply off the wall. I would not have expected Reznor to be so kinetic. And Queens were a dancing good time too.4. Live (Starland)It's incredibly difficult to beat 3 encores and the pure happy lively energy of Ed Kowalczyk.3. Elbow (Terminal 5)However, it does help that Guy Garvey introduced the opener, motioned to the crowd, high-fived them at the end...also, we motioned a disco ball, sang back to Guy (see awesome moments) which gave him shivers...and his sheer force is unmistakable.2. Travis (Roseland Ballroom)However, Demetri Martin gracing the stage, throwing water bottles to the audience, banter, and playing like men possessed, the Number 2 spot belongs to Travis.1. Live/Breaking Benjamin (Hershey Park)The sheer magnitude of this lineup was incredible. Live. Collective Soul. Breaking Benjamin. Three Days Grace. And Seether (who we didn't bother to see). All put on amazing performances. And I was pretty relieved that BB ended their Phobia run 5 songs in.BOTTOM 5 CONCERTS!This is an unfortunate state of affairs, but there are guaranteed to be some concerts that just don't cut it. Not necessarily against the band, but sometimes it just don't work.5. Bloc Party, United PalaceReally, the venue was the big problem. And no other concerts were really as bad as the last 4.4. Editors, Terminal 5Again, a shame. All three bands were incredible. But getting to the venue, trying and failing to see, getting yelled at by security...meh.3. Muse, The Electric FactoryIt's a shame that Muse got latched to this list. However, the fact remains that they played a puny set with no encore and there was a giant guy trying to mosh with EVERYONE. Completely ruined the feel.2. Incubus, PNC Arts CenterThere was just a mix of things that caused this to be an Epic Fail. Despite getting there at 8 for what said 6:30 doors (or so we thought), we got there in time for the first song of Incubus. The fans were lame, the bathroom situation was gross and involved sex in the stalls, and Incubus (with one exception) played pretty much the way they do on CD. And since we basically had to watch them on screen due to being so far away, we might as well have stayed home. Blah.1. Naked Underneath, Stone PonyThese guys were completely unimpressive all around. And for the Stone Pony, I wasn't even thrilled by the venue. What a shame.6 COOLEST CONCERT MOMENTS!Some little things take the cake. I almost don't know how to rank these. I had to add a 6th.6. Dueling Accordions (They Might Be Giants, Irving Plaza)What a way to solo on "Istanbul"!5. Ben Burnley's Amy Lee Impression (Evanescence, Jones Beach)Although they were only an opener at the time, Breaking Benjamin's lead man proved his lead man status by doing a spot-on imitation of Evanescence chanteuse Amy Lee, saying afterwords "Amy Lee is going to kick my ass."4. Dismantling Dino (Dredg, Astor Palace)Not only does he play drums and piano at the SAME TIME, Dredg drummer Dino continued playing at the end of his set, while the techs were dismantling his kit. One drum goes, he keeps on playing. So on and so forth. 3.Killing Us Softly (Elbow, Terminal 5)Leaving alone that it was the most honest encore setup ever ("We're going to do the thing where we pretend it's our last song, leave the stage, then come back"), Elbow's Guy Garvey got an audience to sing "Killing Me Softly" between the main set and the encore.2. We're Not Paralyzed And We Don't Need No Education! (Finger Eleven, Starland)We all expected Finger Eleven to end their main set with Paralyzer (and a bunch of teen girls got pissed that they didn't). They ended the set with "Easy Life". When they came back, they claimed "one more song" and I was thinking "LAME"...So they kick into Paralyzer (big surprise, eh?) IN THE MIDDLE of Paralyzer, they pull out a medley of "Take Me Out" (Franz Ferdinand), "Trampled Underfoot" (Led Zeppelin), AND "Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2" (Pink Floyd), before returning gracefully back. Holy shit. Now, this would easily be Number 1, except...1. Demetri Martin Strips Onstage! (Travis, Roseland Ballroom)For THEIR encore, Travis decide they are going to redo a song. Completely unheard of. And who should hit the stage but...Demetri Martin. With his shirts ready to do a LIVE version of the "Selfish Jean" music video! DAAAAAMN!5 MOST AWESOME OPENERS!5. The Silver State (Elbow)4. Ambulette (Dredg)3. Finger Eleven (Hinder)2. Breaking Benjamin (Evanescence)1. Three Days Grace (Live)5 LAMEST OPENERS!5. Whoever opened for Tori the second time.4. Rhett Muller (Tori Amos, Radio City)3. Death From Above 1979 (NIN, MSG)2. Cut Copy (Franz Ferdinand, MSG)1. Airbourne (Finger Eleven, Starland)I take back what I said, Scott Anderson. If I had these guys on my bill, I would drink myself stupid too. Hair metal trash.