A bit of an opposite to John's "the song you weren't ready for" is the band / album that hit you exactly where you were at that time of your life. Way back in the before times, my friend stopped by randomly and said, "Hey. Whatever you're doing? Stop. You're listening to this now." He then put on Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips. That album, from start to end - an absolute piece of art. I'm still a bit gobsmacked by it. I'd heard of the flaming lips, and knew the ol' "She don't use jelly" song, but this was something entirely different. For that hour or whatever I was completely transfixed. I'd also add Portishead's "Dummy" to this list - although the time and circumstances were quite different to this one... As an aside, several years later, I was waiting in the OKC airport for a flight to Denver, when a guy with curly longish hair, sunglasses, and a feather boa walks by me and sits down in the same seating area. I whisper to my partner - "Hey! I think that's Wayne Coyne!" Not only was it really Wayne Coyne, but he sat in the row directly in front of us. We ended up on a turbo-prop airplane, flying through a snow storm in the winter. When we landed, there was no jet-bridge, and it was late at night. They let us deplane on the tarmac and had to walk to the terminal in the snow. Halfway to the terminal, Wayne stopped to turn back and take a picture of the plane, with snow blowing all around us in the wind - an iconic image. I didn't stop Wayne to tell him how amazing Yoshimi was, or how important it was to me (I deeply respect the personal space of public people when they are not "on") but I've since made it a point to tell artists I meet at concerts or whatever how much I love their work, or how important it is to me. Every time I've done so, it's been really rewarding. But that's another topic for conversation...

Let’s not overthink this… what’s on your turntable or streamer of choice or whatever today? I try to only spin black artists in Feb. in honour of Black History Month, so I’ve kicked things off with this incredible find from Vinyl Me, Please.

First concert - The Box (at The Forum in Toronto) Last concert - Sam Fender Best Concert - three way tie - Pink Floyd Division Bell, and New Order/P.I.L./The Sugarcubes, and Vampire Weekend Worst concert- Red Hot Chili Peppers at Lollapalooza Loudest concert - Frontline Assembly Best sounding - Robert Cray Band Seen the most - Tool Most surprising - Metric Most unusual - Skinny Puppy Craziest - Korn Next Concert - The Last Dinner Party Wish I had seen - INXS Copy and Paste-Let’s see yours

Title says it all. What song (currently - no wrong answer, repeat answers allowed) feels like hope to you? For me, right now, it's this track called "Hold On" by French 79. This came out in.. 2020 I think? maybe 2019, but regardless, it was there for 2020. The whole album was there, but this song in particular. There was more than just COVID going on for for me, which I could go into, but not tonight. Point being, this song was there for me. I just now pulled up the video for the first time so I could post it here, and holy shit but this even hits harder. I was totally a skater as a kid, and even rode goofy foot. Nostalgia and hope wrapped into one. Perfect. Post your track too if you can - I wanna hear it all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgBBCzi7Kpc

My favorite music list isn't ready yet, though, I'm honing in (I utilize the ENTIRE year so I don't post that kinda stuff right after Thanksgiving like most). BUT - I can tell you my favorite concerts. SEEMED like I saw a lot this year, but part of that was just working shows & I don't really "count" it unless I saw a full set / most of a set / at least 30 minutes-ish. Saw 56 "shows" / artists this year. My top ten (chronological order): - The Ocean Blue at Crocodile 050225 (playing first album) - Stereo MC's at Madame Lou's 051225 - what a treat to FINALLY see them - They Might Be Giants at Neptune x3! 0613, 14, 15 - will count as one & forever one of my VERY fav live bands - Janelle Monae at Bumbershoot 083025 - WOW - Supergrass at Hollywood Palladium 090525 (playing I Should Coco) - sound as excellent as ever, DECADES later - Oasis at Rose Bowl 090625 - a no brainer because this was an all-time fav concert experience - James at The Showbox 100425 - STILL SO very wonderful, as always - NEVER disappoints - Elbow at The Showbox 101225 - the talent just oozes from these guys & it was wonderful to see them again in my fav venue from up close - Grant-Lee Phillips at Fremont Abbey 111125 - one of my fav HUMANS, let alone artists - absolutely adore him - David Byrne at Paramount 111325 - like nothing else ever - every moment just wonderful