Bradley’s Almanac

[Nac Faves] My Favorites of 2002

Posted on January 16, 2003 at 7:58 am | No Comments

Here’s To You, Two-Thousand and Two…

Another year down, which means it’s time for a bunch of useless little lists. Just taking a little stock, if you will. Like last year, I’m not even going to try and put this stuff in order, and in a couple of cases, I couldn’t stick to just 10 things. I’m flexible like that. These lists are more for my own future reference than anything else, so don’t go thinkin’ my opinion matters or anything. That’d just be silly.

And awaaaay we go…

Favorite Films …

LOTR : The Two Towers

Bowling for Columbine

XX / XY (technically out this spring, saw a preview)

Secretary

Lovely & Amazing

Adaptation

Spirited Away

The Ring

Igby Goes Down

24 Hour Party People

13 Conversations About One Thing

Honorable Mention: Spider-Man (for not screwing it up too badly), One Hour Photo (incredible visuals), Far From Heaven (ditto), The Good Girl (Mike White & Jake Gyllenhaal rule), Signs (nearly made the list), Road to Perdition (RIP Conrad Hall), Minority Report (nice try), and Equilibrium (almost).

There are a bunch of movies I wanted to see but didn’t… Auto-Focus, About Schmidt, Narc, Catch Me If You Can, Gangs of New York, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, the Hours, 25th Hour, Y Tu Mama Tambien, and Solaris. Blame most of it on the year-end Oscar rush of potentially good stuff. I don’t have enough free time, or extra dollars, to see all that. Maybe some o’ those will end up on next year’s list.

By the way… Maggie Gyllenhaal knocks my socks off.

Favorite Discs …

Interpol – “Turn On The Bright Lights” (mp3)

Jason Loewenstein – “At Sixes and Sevens” (mp3)

Silkworm – “Italian Platinum” (mp3)

Audio Learning Center – “Friendships Often Fade Away” (mp3)

Pedro the Lion – “Control” (mp3)

Hot Snakes – “Suicide Invoice” (mp3)

Low – “Trust” (mp3 excerpt)

20 Years of Dischord” Box Set

Cinerama – “Torino” (mp3 excerpt)

Mary Timony – “The Golden Dove” (mp3)

Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (stream)

Interpol snuck in under the wire and is blowing my mind. Sucker came out in August, and I should have been listening to it all along. Now that’s the good stuff.

Best Boston-Area Live Shows …

Mission of Burma at the Paradise, January 19th

Death Cab for Cutie at the Middle East, March 16th

Ted Leo at the Middle East, April 11th

Fugazi at the MassArt gym, April 20th

Poster Children at the MassArt gym, April 29th

Kristin Hersh at 608, May 2nd

Pedro the Lion at the Middle East, May 4th

Audio Learning Center at the Middle East, May 21st

Mary Timony & Friends at 608, June 6th

Tender Trap at 608, June 18th

Silkworm at TTs, July 12th

American Analog Set at TT the Bears, August 3rd

Darren Hanlon at the Kendall Cafe, September 1st

Jason Loewenstein at the Middle East, October 4th

Low at the Coolidge Corner Theater, October 8th

Elvis Costello at the Orpheum, October 21st

Television …

the Adult Swim cartoon block (Sealab 2021, Space Ghost, & Brak)

Insomniac with Dave Attell

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (treading water, though)

The Amazing Race

The Sopranos (barely)

Samurai Jack

X-Men Evolution

Justice League

Invader Zim (please, come back!)

Angel

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Late Night with Conan O’Brien

Andy Richter Controls the Universe

Wow, that’s more cartoon-heavy than I expected. 33 years old, folks. Thirty. Three.

I’ve got to give props to the Sci-Fi mini-series “Taken“, just for giving a 20-hour, multi-generational story a try. Each episode was so hit-or-miss, though, that it’s hard to give the whole thing a thumbs-up. That Blair Witch girl still annoys the hell outta me, and Matt Frewer gets even freakier as he gets older. When the show was good, though, it was damn good.

Favorite Comics …

… in print …

Lone Wolf & Cub reprints (finished at last)

Y the Last Man (the tough new kid)

Powers (always strong)

Queen and Country (Rucka rocks)

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. II (Moore Goodness)

Daredevil (go Bendis)

Hellblazer (return to form)

Transmetropolitan (will be missed)

Global Frequency (mini action movies)

The Ultimates (a perfect popcorn comic)

… and online …

Get Your War On

James Kochalka’s American Elf

Foxtrot

PVP Online

Penny Arcade

Nowhere Girl

Video Games …

Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

GTA: Vice City (PS2)

Spider-Man: The Movie (PS2)

LOTR: The Two Towers (PS2)

Warcraft 3 (PC)

Unreal Tournament 2003 (PC)

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (PC)

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (PC)

Age of Mythology (PC)

The Personal Best …

Being part of Kate & Jim’s wedding

Seeing Amie finish her first few road races

Our weekend in Provincetown

Watching Matt and Mary get married (and the night in Portsmouth)

The last Also-Rans show in Brooklyn

Felice’s Birthday Dinner in Manhattan

Boston Harbour by boat, with dinner at Mama Marias

Playing ball in Fenway Park

Holding the Resignation EP in my hand

NY weekend: Visiting friends, graduating family, Times Square, & carriage rides

Finally feeling like I belong and believe in my job(certification city!)

The Also-Rans‘ Week of Rock: Pipeline, Metronome, & the Middle East

The Pats win the Superbowl

Discovering Brooklyn Lager

The Personal Blahs …

from the major losses …

Losing our kitty, Jan, to cancer

Stereolab’s Mary Hansen is gone

The death of Ted Demme

Joe Strummer dies way too early

the Also-Rans become the Has-Beens

… to the minor disappointments …

Unwound calls it quits

No new Planetary

Firefly gets screwed

… and the building frustration …

George W. marches us slowly to War

Let’s hope that last one changes course, and ends up on the ‘good’ list next year. None of the other stuff really matters in comparison.

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Friday, March 8th
    Mclusky
    The Martha's Vineyard Ferries
    Minibeast
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, March 8th
    The Beaches
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, March 9th
    Ovlov
    Big Mess
    Pile
    @ Yellow Mailbox, Somerville

    Saturday, March 9th
    Aaron & the Lord
    Tugboat Annie
    Vic Firecracker
    @ Sonia

    Saturday, March 9th
    Buffalo Tom
    @ the Cut, Gloucester

    Saturday, March 9th
    Advance Base (Owen Ashworth, fka
    Casiotone for the Painfully Alone)
    Young Moon
    Emily Reo
    @ O'Brien's

    Sunday, March 10th
    Laura Jane Grace
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, March 12th
    KMFDM
    Morlocks
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, March 13th
    Cherry Glazerr
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, March 15th
    "The Dogmatics... a Dogumentary"
    film screening followed by a
    live performance by the band
    @ the Regent Theatre

    Friday, March 15th
    Chelsea Wolfe
    Divide and Dissolve
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, March 15th
    FORT NIGHTS - Night One
    A Celebration of Gary Smith
    & the Music of Fort Apache
    with Buffalo Tom, Tanya Donelly,
    Fuzzy, & very special guests tba
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, March 16th
    FORT NIGHTS - Night Two
    A Celebration of Gary Smith
    & the Music of Fort Apache
    with Billy Bragg, Kristin Hersh,
    Tanya Donelly & Bill Janovitz, Arc Iris, Juliana Hatfield, & more
    @ the Somerville Theatre

    Sunday, March 17th
    Sleater-Kinney
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, March 17th
    Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
    Singer Mali
    Rong
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, March 18th
    Ministry
    Gary Numan
    Front Line Assembly
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, March 21st
    Otoboke Beaver
    Drinking Boys & Girls Choir
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, March 21st
    Laetitia Sadier
    (of Stereolab)
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, March 22nd
    Consumer
    Tysk Tysk Task
    Vivid Bloom
    Little Fuss
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, March 22nd
    Fog Lake
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Saturday, March 23rd
    Stars Like Ours
    Andrea Gillis
    @ the Lizard Lounge

    Monday, March 25th
    Unwound (!)
    Cherubs
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, March 25th
    Andy Shauf (solo)
    @ First Church Cambridge

    Wednesday, March 27th
    Thalia Zedek
    @ the Square Root

    Thursday, March 28th
    Thus Love
    Native Sun
    Robber Robber
    @ O'Brien's

    Thursday, March 28th
    Arlo Parks
    Chloe George
    @ the Royale

    Friday, March 29th
    Grouplove
    Bully
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, March 29th
    The Rolling Stones
    @ Gillette

    Saturday, March 30th
    Ex-Hyena (release show!)
    The Shallows
    CMB (Casey Desmond/Jimmy Rossi Jr.)
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, March 30th
    Guster
    Fruit Bats
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, March 30th
    The Cavedogs
    @ the Burren Back Room

    Monday, April 1st
    Adam Ant
    The English Beat
    @ the Wilbur

    Friday, April 5th
    Joe Pernice (solo)
    @ a Boston living room

    Friday, April 5th
    Richard Thompson
    @ the Cut, Gloucester

    Saturday, April 6th
    Choo Choo La Rouge
    Lupo Citta
    The Bret Tobias Set
    Jay Walsh
    @ the Midway Cafe

    Saturday, April 6th
    Land Of Talk
    @ Rockwood Music Hall

    Saturday, April 6th
    Destroyer (solo)
    Lightning Dust
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, April 6th
    Choo Choo La Rouge
    Lupo Citta
    The Bret Tobias Set
    Jay Walsh (of the Douglas Fir)
    @ the Midway Cafe

    Saturday, April 6th
    Colin Hay (Men at Work)
    @ the Wilbur

    Tuesday, April 8th
    Swami & the Bed of Nails
    (John Reis of Hot Snakes/RFTC/etc)
    The Freqs
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Thursday, April 11th
    Trash Sun
    @ O'Brien's

    Thursday, April 11th
    Hotline TNT
    Cicada
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Saturday, April 13th
    DARK SPRING BOSTON FEST
    with Korine, House of Harm,
    Widow Rings, Allie Frost,
    Hemlock for Socrates,
    Midnight Psychic, the
    Spearmint Sea, and more
    @ the Middle East

    Sunday, April 14th
    Woods
    Avey Tare
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, April 15th
    Matthew Sweet
    @ the Wilbur

    Wednesday, April 17th
    Metz
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Wednesday, April 17th
    Real Estate
    Marina Allen
    @ the Royale

    Friday, April 19th
    Quattracenta
    Thalia Zedek Band
    Rip Room
    @ the Midway Cafe

    Friday, April 19th
    Drop Nineteens
    Greg Mendez
    @ the Paradise

    Wednesday, April 24th
    Teen Suicide
    awakebutstillinbed
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, April 26th
    Waxahatchee
    Good Morning
    @ the Orpheum

    Friday & Saturday
    April 26th & 27th
    The Town & the City Festival
    @ various venues in Lowell, MA

    Saturday, April 27th
    Kal Marks
    Grocer
    Bedroom Eyes
    Main Era
    @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, April 27th
    Belle and Sebastian
    The Weather Station
    @ the Orpheum

    Sunday, April 28th
    Yot Club
    Boyscott
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Tuesday, April 30th
    Teenage Fanclub
    @ the Paradise

    Wednesday, May 1st
    Ty Segall
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, May 2nd
    Outer World
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, May 2nd
    The Decemberists
    Ratboys
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, May 3rd
    Ra Ra Riot
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, May 4th
    Slothrust
    Weakened Friends
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, May 4th
    The Lights Out
    Gretchen Shae & The Middle 8
    Brian K & The Parkway
    @ Faces Brewing

    Sunday, May 5th
    Sheer Mag
    Pile
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Sunday, May 5th
    CSS
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, May 6th
    Cloud Nothings
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, May 7th
    Bad Religion
    Social Distortion
    (playing "Mommy's Little Monster")
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, May 8th
    Todd Rundgren
    @ the Wilbur

    Wednesday, May 8th
    Chastity Belt
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, May 9th
    Cheekface
    Yungatita
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, May 10th
    Hot Water Music
    30 Year Anniversary Tour
    with Quicksand
    & Off With Their Heads
    @ the Royale

    Friday, May 10th
    Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
    @ the Cut, Gloucester

    Saturday, May 11th
    Bradley's Almanac (that's me) presents...
    SAVAK
    SAMUEL s.c.
    HEY I'M OUTSIDE
    PLAZA
    8pm @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, May 11th
    Ride
    @ Big Night Live

    Saturday, May 11th
    Hallelujah the Hills
    Colleen Green
    Mallcops
    @ Deep Cuts

    Sunday, May 12th
    Sunny Day Real Estate
    @ Big Night Live

    Monday & Tuesday
    May 13th & May 14th
    Mannequin Pussy
    Soul Glo
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, May 14th
    Swans
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, May 16th
    Helmet
    Cro-Mags
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Friday, May 17th
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    May 16th, 17th, & 18th
    Jukebox the Ghost
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, May 17th
    Buck Meek (of Big Thief)
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, May 18th
    The Messthetics
    James Brandon Lewis
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Monday, May 20th
    Echo & the Bunnymen
    @ the House of Blues

    Tuesday, May 21st
    Another Michael
    Tenci
    @ the Rockwell

    Tuesday, May 28th
    Shannon & the Clams
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, May 28th
    Brookline Booksmith presents...
    Kathleen Hanna
    "Rebel Girl" book tour
    @ the Wilbur

    Wednesday, May 29th
    The Alarm
    Jay Aston's Gene Love Jezebel
    Belouis Some
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Wednesday, May 29th
    Madness
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Thursday, May 30th
    Camera Obscura
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, May 30th
    Nation Of Language
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, June 4th
    Melt-Banana
    The Flying Luttenbachers
    babyaby_explores
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, June 4th
    Joe Jackson
    @ the Wilbur

    Wednesday, June 5th
    Andy Summers (The Police)
    @ Cary Hall, Lexington

    Thursday, June 6th
    Reverend Horton Heat
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, June 7th
    Joe Pera
    @ the Wilbur

    Monday, June 10th
    Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) @ Brighton Music Hall

    Monday, June 10th
    Bleachers
    Samia
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Thursday, June 13th
    Jon Langford & the Bright Shiners
    @ the Cut, Gloucester

    Thursday, June 13th
    Aaron West & the Roaring Twenties
    Future Teens
    Maura Weaver
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, June 16th
    Pixies
    Modest Mouse
    Cat Power
    @ Xfinity Center

    Wednesday, June 19th
    Future Islands
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, June 21st
    The Church
    The Afghan Whigs
    Ed Harcourt
    @ the Royale

    Friday, June 21st
    Blushing
    Airiel
    Bodywash
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, June 22nd
    Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
    playing "Shake The Sheets"
    with guests
    Ekko Astral
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, June 22nd
    Guided By Voices
    The Moles
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, June 25th
    Jon Anderson (of Yes)
    playing “Yes Epics, Classics, and More”
    @ the Shubert Theatre

    Tuesday, June 25th
    Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
    Courtney Marie Andrews
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, June 28th
    Janet Jackson
    Nelly
    @ TD Garden

    Sunday, June 30th
    Les Savy Fav
    @ Somerville Armory