Bradley’s Almanac

[Nac Faves] My Favorite Music of 2020

No, that is not a typo. It really is supposed to say ‘2020’ up there and not ‘2021’. It’s my laughably late, overlong list of long-players I loved last year. I’d say “embarrassingly” late, but I’m way past caring about timeliness, just that it gets done before the current calendar ends. Besides, “laughably” has that […]

[Nac Faves] My Favorite Music of… last year? Yes, of 2019.

Hey, it’s my laughably late faves list. Even in unexceptional times, no one needs another one of these, especially one this tardy. But my coping mechanisms include distracting myself with tedious, relatively meaningless projects… like this one. I shared last year’s list in… July? Absolutely shameful. I told myself then that I’d never be that […]

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Thursday, May 8th
    Melvins
    Napalm Death
    Titan to Tachyons
    Dark Sky Burial
    @ the Paradise
    Thursday, May 8th
    Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    @ the Crystal Ballroom
    Friday, May 9th
    DEVO
    "50 Years of De-Evolution...Continued!" @ MGM Music Hall
    Saturday, May 10th
    The Hilken Mancini Band
    (long-awaited LP release party!)
    with The Cujo (feat. Jen Trynin) &
    Mary Lou Lord with Annabelle Lord-Patey
    @ Sonia
    Saturday, May 10th
    Lady Pills
    @ Deep Cuts
    Saturday, May 10th
    William Tyler
    @ Warehouse XI
    Saturday, May 10th
    Advance Base
    Kristin Daelyn
    Puppy Problems
    @ the Cantab Lounge
    Saturday, May 10th
    Mallrat
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Sunday, May 11th
    Worriers
    Mint Green
    @ Deep Cuts
    Sunday, May 11th
    The Queers
    @ the Middle East
    Sunday, May 11th
    Baroness
    @ the Sinclair
    Monday, May 12th
    Kendrick Lamar
    SZA
    @ Gillette Stadium
    Tuesday, May 13th
    Mamalarky
    Kennedy Mann
    @ The Rockwell
    Tuesday, May 13th
    Tequila Sirens
    Cameron Keiber
    Obliterati
    @ O'Brien's
    Wednesday, May 14th
    Ministry
    My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
    Die Krupps
    @ Roadrunner
    Thursday, May 15th
    Pet Symmetry
    Pony
    Jimmy Montague
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Friday, May 16th
    The Chelsea Curve
    (7-inch release show!)
    with Diaglogate & Yess Nanny
    @ Faces in Malden
    Friday, May 16th
    The FUs
    Silver Screams
    Deprogrammer Cult
    The Angry-LAs
    @ Koto, Salem
    Saturday, May 17th
    Chris Brokaw (LP release!)
    Beth Kaplan
    Kathy Snax
    @ Streetcar in JP
    Saturday, May 17th
    Califone (full band)
    Dead Gowns
    @ the Rockwell
    Saturday, May 17th
    Sunflower Bean
    @ Deep Cuts
    Saturday, May 17th
    Superheaven
    Glare
    Spy
    Prize Horse
    @ the Royale
    Saturday, May 17th
    Amyl & the Sniffers
    Sheer Mag
    @ Roadrunner
    Saturday & Sunday
    May 17th & 18th
    Amy Poehler & Tina Fey
    @ the Wang
    Sunday, May 18th
    Plight
    Bedroom Eyes
    The Dreamtoday
    Louder Joy (members of
    Taxpayer & Mean Creek)
    @ O'Brien's
    Monday, May 19th
    Joan Shelley
    @ Club Passim
    Monday, May 19th
    Model/Actriz
    AFK
    @ Deep Cuts
    Monday, May 20th
    Bimbo
    Slo-Anne
    Thought Partner
    @ Deep Cuts
    Tuesday & Wednesday
    May 20th & 21st
    Hamilton Leithauser
    (of the Walkmen)
    & Johanna Samuels
    @ the Sinclair
    Thursday, May 22nd
    Slide Away Presents:
    Swirlies
    Mark Robinson
    Her New Knife
    Beach-O (film)
    @ the Paradise
    Thursday, May 22nd
    Peter Bjorn and John
    "Writers Block" album tour
    @ the Sinclair
    Thursday, May 22nd
    Alison Bechdel
    (graphic novelist)
    presents "Spent"
    @ the Brattle
    Saturday, May 24th
    The Wedding Present
    "Bizarro" 35th Anniversary Tour
    with The Tubs
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
    May 23rd, 24th, & 25th
    Boston Calling Music Festival
    @ the Harvard Athletic Complex
    Saturday, May 24th
    Gibby Haynes & the
    Paul Green Rock Academy
    perform the music of
    The Butthole Surfers
    @ the Middle East Down
    Sunday, May 25th
    Volume
    @ the Middle East Up
    Wednesday, May 28th
    Scott Thompson
    (of Kids in the Hall)
    is Buddy Cole
    @ City Winery Boston
    Wednesday, May 28th
    Barry Manilow
    "the last Boston concert"
    @ the Garden
    Thursday, May 29th
    Annie Dirusso
    Squirrel Flower
    @ the Paradise
    Friday, May 30th
    Thalia Zedek Band
    record release show!
    with Vivid Bloom
    & Harsh Foxing
    @ O'Brien's
    Friday, May 30th
    Florist
    Allegra Krieger
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Friday, May 30th
    Orbit
    Eldridge Rodriguez
    Harris
    @ the Crystal Ballroom
    Friday, May 30th
    Teddy Swims
    @ Suffolk Downs
    Friday, May 30th
    OK GO
    @ the Royale
    Friday, May 30th
    Tennis
    Billie Marten
    @ Roadrunner
    Friday, May 30th
    Bloc Party
    (performing "Silent Alarm" & more)
    with Blonde Redhead
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Saturday, May 31st
    Jet
    Band of Skulls
    @ Roadrunner
    Sunday, June 1st
    Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
    @ Roadrunner
    Tuesday, June 3rd
    Halsey
    Alvvays
    @ Xfinity Center
    Tuesday, June 3rd
    EARFULL Series
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Nicole Graev Lipson
    & Jennifer Haigh
    and musicians
    Ava Valianti
    & Naseem Khuri
    @ Branch Line
    Wednesday, June 4th
    Young Widows
    Rid of Me
    Kal Marks
    @ Crystal Ballroom
    Thursday, June 5th
    Screeching Weasel
    @ the Regent Theatre
    Thursday, June 5th
    Dean Wareham
    Escape-Ism
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, June 6th
    Aimee Mann
    Jonathan Coulton
    @ the Wilbur
    Friday, June 6th
    Jack's Mannequin
    @ Roadrunner
    Friday, June 6th
    Sleigh Bells
    @ the Paradise
    Friday, June 6th
    The Ocean Blue
    playing their self-titled LP
    and their "Cerulean" LP
    @ the Somerville Armory
    Saturday, June 7th
    Dutch Interior
    @ Warehouse XI
    Saturday, June 7th
    Lily Seabird
    Hemlock
    @ the Lilypad
    Saturday, June 7th
    Toby Tantrum
    Sun Urchins
    Yoni Gordon
    Lunch Mother
    @ the Loft, Somerville
    Monday, June 9th
    Head North
    Good June
    Trash Sun
    Fun City Fan Club
    @ Warehouse XI
    Monday, June 9th
    Billy Corgan and
    the Machines of God
    @ the Paradise
    Tuesday, June 10th
    EARFULL Series
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Ben Shattuck
    & Tova Mirvis
    and musicians
    Chris Harford
    & TAS Band Trio
    @ Branch Line
    Tuesday, June 10th
    Heart Attack Man
    The Dirty Nil
    Carpool
    Dear Seattle
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Tuesday & Wednesday
    June 10th & 11th
    Queens of the Stone Age
    The Kills
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday
    June 10th, 12th, & 13th
    Paul Simon
    @ the Wang
    Tuesday & Wednesday
    June 10th & 11th
    Queens of the Stone Age
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Wednesday, June 11th
    Turnover
    "Peripheral Vision" tour
    with Balance & Composure
    & Citizen
    @ the House of Blues
    Thursday, June 12th
    Clutch
    @ Lynn Auditorium
    Saturday, June 14th
    Shawn Colvin
    Rodney Crowell
    @ the Somerville Armory
    Sunday, June 15th
    Simple Minds
    Soft Cell
    Modern English
    @ Xfinity Center
    Sunday, June 15th
    Karate
    @ The Sinclair
    Tuesday, June 17th
    EARFULL Series
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Michael Farris Smith
    & Ernest Thompson
    and musicians
    Michael Farris Smith
    & Samantha Farrell
    @ Branch Line
    Friday, July 18th
    Whirr
    Nothing
    @ the Royale
    Thursday, June 19th
    Tanya Donelly & friends
    with Danielle Miraglia
    @ the Burren Back Room
    Thursday, June 19th
    Blondshell
    Daffo
    @ the Sinclair
    Thursday, June 19th
    This Will Destroy You
    Jesse Beaman
    @ Sonia
    Saturday, June 21st
    BRADLEY'S ALMANAC
    (that's me) presents...
    SAVAK
    Lupo Citta
    The Whimbrels
    Andy Cohen (of Silkworm)
    @ O'Brien's
    Saturday, Jun 21st
    Hallelujah the Hills
    DECK release show
    with Bongwish and
    Choo Choo La Rouge
    @ Deep Cuts
    Sunday, Jun 22nd
    Todd Rundgren
    @ Cary Memorial Hall, Lexington
    Tuesday, June 24th
    EARFULL Series
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Jessica Berger Gross
    & Jessica Shattuck
    and musicians
    Tenzin Chopak
    & The Starlings
    @ Branch Line
    Saturday, June 21st
    Outloud Music Festival
    with Kim Petras, Trixie Mattel (DJ set),
    Flo Milli, Rebecca Black, G Flip,
    Frankie Grande, Oompa, Hannah Rad,
    Big Body Kweeng, MATH3CA
    @ Suffolk Downs
    Wednesday, June 25th
    Deerhoof
    @ the Crystal Ballroom
    Wednesday, June 25th
    BABYMETAL
    Black Veil Brides
    Bloodywood
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Thursday, June 26th
    Faster Pussycat
    The Supersuckers
    The Rumours
    The Lonely Ones
    @ Koto in Lowell
    Thursday, June 26th
    Benmont Tench
    @ City Winery Boston
    Thursday, June 26th
    Counting Crows
    The Gaslight Anthem
    @MGM Music Hall
    Friday, June 27th
    Khruangbin
    John Carroll Kirby
    @ Suffolk Downs
    Saturday, June 28th
    Friendship
    2nd Grade
    @ Deep Cuts
    Saturday, June 28th
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
    @ Roadrunner
    Saturday, June 28th
    Tree
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Sunday, June 29th
    Preoccupations
    @ the Middle East
    Tuesday, July 1st
    Julie Doiron
    Caged Animals
    @ the Middle East
    Sunday, July 6th
    Greg Norton & Büddies
    Celebrate 40 Years of Hüsker Dü
    @ Faces Brewing
    Monday, July 7th
    OMD
    @ House of Blues
    Tuesday, July 8th
    Lifeguard
    @ Deep Cuts
    Thursday, July 10th
    Wavves
    Beach Goons
    chokecherry
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, July 11th
    Winona Fighter
    @ Crystal Ballroom
    Friday, July 11th
    Cap'n Jazz
    Coffin Prick
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, July 11th
    Wu-Tang Clan (final tour)
    with Run the Jewels
    @ the Garden
    Tuesday, July 15th
    Weird Al Yankovic
    @ the Wang
    Tuesday, July 15th
    Daryl Hall
    Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze)
    @ Lowell Memorial Auditorium
    Wednesday, July 16th
    Shakey Graves
    Hovvdy
    @ the House of Blues Boston
    Wednesday, July 16th
    Tripping Daisy
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Wednesday, July 16th
    Mekons
    Johnny Dowd
    @ City Winery
    Thursday, July 17th
    Cyndi Lauper's
    Farewell Tour
    with Jake Wesley Rogers
    @ Xfinity Center
    Thursday & Friday
    July 17th & 18th
    The Lumineers
    Young the Giant (on the 17th)
    St. Vincent (on the 18th)
    Hippo Campus
    @ Fenway Park
    Friday, July 18th
    Samantha Crain
    @ Warehouse XI
    Friday, July 18th
    Dinosaur Jr.
    Snail Mail
    Easy Action
    @ Roadrunner
    Friday & Saturday
    July 18th & 19th
    PIXIES
    performing "Bossanova"
    & "Trompe Le Monde" (18th)
    with Momma opening
    and a set of classics (19th)
    with Kurt Vile & the Violators
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Saturday, July 19th
    Michael McColgan
    & the Bomb Squad
    with Badterms and
    Nick & the Adversaries
    @ the Middle East
    Saturday, July 19th
    Bad Moves (farewell tour)
    Theo Grizol (of Nana Grizol)
    @ Deep Cuts
    Saturday, July 19th &
    Friday, September 5th
    Men I Trust
    @ Roadrunner
    Sunday, July 20th
    Thus Love
    Lahnah
    @ O'Brien's
    Monday, July 21st
    Ghost
    @ TD Garden
    Wednesday, July 23rd
    Ben Folds & a Piano
    @ Shalin Liu, Rockport
    Thursday, July 24th
    Kesha
    Rose Gray
    @ the Xfinity Center
    Saturday, July 26th
    Toto
    Christopher Cross
    Men At Work
    @ Leader Bank Pavilion
    Saturday, July 26th
    Rod Stewart
    Cheap Trick
    @ the Xfinity Center
    Tuesday, July 29th
    Goo Goo Dolls
    Dashboard Confessional
    @ the Pavilion
    Wednesday, July 30th
    TV on the Radio
    @ Roadrunner
    Wednesday, July 30th
    The "Happy Together" Tour
    featuring The Turtles,
    Jay & the Americans,
    Little Anthony, Mark Lindsay
    (of Paul Revere & the Raiders),
    The Vogues, & the Cowsills
    @ Lynn Auditorium
    Wednesday, July 30th
    The Offspring
    Jimmy Eat World
    New Found Glory
    @ Xfinity Center
    Thursday, July 31st
    New Bob Turks
    The Drowns
    Static Friction
    @ Sonia
    Friday, August 1st
    LOST 80's LIVE
    with A Flock of Seagulls,
    Big Country, General Public,
    The Vapors, Belouis Some,
    The Icicle Works, China Crisis,
    Josie Cotton, Polecats,
    and more
    @ the Wang

    Friday, August 1st The Church @ the Somerville Theatre
    Saturday, August 2nd
    Pantera
    Amon Amarth
    @ Great Woods
    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    August 7th, 8th, & 9th
    Somergloom V festival
    in Somerville
    Friday, August 8th
    Stevie Nicks
    @ TD Garden
    Tuesday, August 12th
    John Moreland
    Jared Hart
    @ the Sinclair
    Wednesday, August 13th
    Clipping.
    @ The Sinclair
    Wednesday, August 13th
    Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
    @ The Center for Arts, Natick
    Friday, August 15th
    The Doobie Brothers
    The Coral Reefer Band
    @ Xfinity Center
    Saturday, August 16th
    The Black Keys
    Gary Clark Jr.
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Saturday, August 16th
    Architects
    Erra
    Holy Water
    @ House of Blues
    Saturday, August 16th
    Toad the Wet Sprocket
    KT Tunstall
    Six Pence None the Richer
    @ the Chevalier Theatre
    Wednesday, August 20th
    The Joe Perry Project
    @ the Wang Theatre
    Saturday, August 23rd
    Tugboat Annie
    Vic Firecracker
    Forevers
    @ the Burren Back Room
    Tuesday & Wednesday
    August 26th & 27th
    James Taylor
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Thursday, August 28th
    Hotline TNT
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, August 29th
    Nine Inch Nails
    @ the Garden
    Saturday, August 30th
    Coheed & Cambria
    Taking Back Sunday
    Foxing
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Saturday, Sept. 6th
    The 13th Annual JP Music Festival!
    @ Pinebank Field in JP
    Saturday, Sept. 6th
    Slow Crush
    Faetooth
    @ the Sinclair
    Saturday & Sunday
    September 6th & 7th
    "Seisiún: a two-day Irish
    music & cultural gathering"
    6th: Dropkick Murphys,
    the Hold Steady, Stiff Little Fingers,
    The Scratch, The Rumjacks,
    Holy Locuts, & more
    7th: The Pogues, The Waterboys,
    Cardinals, Just Mustard,
    Lisa O'Neill, Mairead,
    John Francis Flynn, & more
    @ the Stage at Suffolk Downs
    Sunday, September 7th
    The Outlaw Music Festival
    10th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Xfinity Center
    Sunday, September 7th
    Rilo Kiley
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Sunday, September 7th
    My Chemical Romance
    Idles
    @ Fenway Park
    Tuesday, September 9th
    James plays "Laid"
    @ the Paradise
    Tuesday, September 9th
    Mac DeMarco
    @ Roadrunner
    Thursday, Sept. 11th
    Sparks
    @ Berklee Performance Center
    Thursday, September 11th
    Bruce Dickinson
    (Iron Maiden)
    @ the House of Blues
    Friday, September 12th
    Superchunk
    @ the Crystal Ballroom
    Friday, September 12th
    The Brian's Jonestown Massacre
    @ the Sinclair
    Friday, September 12th
    Ethel Cain
    9million
    @ Roadrunner
    Friday, September 12th
    Supergrass
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Friday, September 12th
    Saturday, September 13th
    Black Moth Super Rainbow
    Ricky Eat Acid
    @ the Sinclair
    Saturday, September 13th
    Pulp
    @ Suffolk Downs
    Sunday, Sept 14th
    Alabama Shakes
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Sunday, September 14th
    Wet Leg
    Mary In The Junkyard
    @ Roadrunner
    Monday, September 15th
    PUP
    Jeff Rosenstock
    Ekko Astral
    @ Roadrunner
    Monday, September 15th
    Steve Winwood
    @ The Cabot
    Wednesday, September 17th
    Alison Krauss & Union Station
    Willie Watson
    @ the Pavilion
    Thursday, September 18th
    Garbage
    Starcrawler
    @ Roadrunner
    Friday, September 19th
    Soccer Mommy
    Dummy
    @ House of Blues
    Friday, September 19th
    George Thorogood
    & the Destroyers
    @ Lynn Auditorium
    Sunday, September 21st
    Sebadoh
    @ the Middle East Downstairs
    Sunday, September 21st
    Shonen Knife
    @ Sonia
    Monday, September 22nd
    Elvis Costello & the Imposters
    "Radio Soul!" tour
    with Charlie Sexton
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Tuesday, September 23rd
    The Minus 5
    The Baseball Project
    @ the Crystal Ballroom
    Tuesday, September 23rd
    Viagra Boys
    @ Roadrunner
    Thursday through Sunday
    Sept. 25th, 26th, 27th, & 28th
    John Mulaney
    "Mister Whatever" tour
    @ the Wang Theatre
    Friday, September 26th
    Stereolab
    The Memorials
    @ the Royale
    Saturday, September 27th
    Car Seat Headrest
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Thursday, October 2nd
    Amy Millan (Stars/BSS)
    @ the Middle East
    Thursday, October 2nd
    Elbow
    @ Roadrunner
    Saturday & Sunday
    October 4th & 5th
    An Inconceivable Evening
    with Cary Elwes
    & a screening of
    The Princess Bride
    @ the Wilbur
    Monday, October 6th
    Swans
    @ the Paradise
    Wednesday, October 8th
    Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
    'Howl' 20th Anniversary Tour
    with Humanist
    @ House of Blues
    Wednesday, October 8th
    The Murder Capital
    @ Sonia
    Friday, October 10th
    Destroyer
    @ the Paradise
    Saturday, October 11th
    Kneecap
    @ the House of Blues
    Sunday, October 12th
    The Miki Berenyi Trio
    (that's Miki from Lush)
    Gina Birch
    The Unreasonables
    @ the Sinclair
    Monday, October 13th
    My Morning Jacket
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Tuesday, October 14th
    Grandaddy
    celebrating the 25th anniversary
    of "The Sophtware Slump"
    with Greg Freeman
    @ the Royale
    Tuesday, October 21st
    Big Thief
    @ MGM Music Hall
    Tuesday, October 21st
    Everclear
    Local H
    Sponge
    @ Big Night Live
    Thursday, October 23rd
    Neko Case
    Des Demonas
    @ The Wilbur
    Thursday, October 23rd
    Belly
    "King" 30th Anniversary Tour!
    @ the Paradise
    Saturday, October 25th
    Rufus Wainwright
    @ City Winery
    Saturday, October 25th
    Minus The Bear
    @ the House of Blues
    Monday, October 27th
    Autechre
    Mark Broom
    @ Brighton Music Hall
    Wednesday, October 29th
    Herbie Hancock
    @ the Wang Theatre
    Wednesday, October 29th
    The Beta Band
    @ the Royale
    Friday & Saturday
    November 7th & 8th
    Steve Martin & Martin Short
    three shows @ the Wang
    Saturday, November 8th
    The Mars Volta
    @ House of Blues
    Thursday, November 13th
    Janeane Garofalo
    @ the Somerville Armory
    Saturday, November 22nd
    Couch
    @ Roadrunner
    Monday, November 24th
    Patti Smith
    Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Orpheum