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The Best Albums Of 2024
The Best Shows Of 2024
(excluding the Big Ears festival)
RIP Phil
STS9 | Radius | 18-19 October
Opeth | Eagles Ballroom | 11 October
KINGz
Phish | Deer Creek | 2024
Okay I'll Say It: They're Destroying America Again
Phish | Alpine Valley | 2024
Is anybody alive in here? Nobody but us in here?
Summerfest '24 Wrap-up
Dave Matthews Band | Alpine Valley '24
The two-night stand that lasted eight days
They Might Be Giants | Barrymore Theatre | 6/23
Milwaukee Metal Fest 2024
Big Ears 2024
Daniel Romano's Outfit | Cactus Club | 2/7
Apollo Vermouth | Jazz Gallery Center For The Arts | 1/13
also Nurse Julie, Alternative Birthing Center, and...THE NAIMA
The Best Albums of 2023
The Best Shows of 2023
Liz Phair | Chicago Theatre | 11/18
GUYVILLE TOUR
The plan was: Nation Of Language.
Asheville always has more in store than I expect.
Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade | Salt Shed | 10/18
Phish | United Center
Riot Fest 2023
(Saturday only)
On Ween, Melvins, and Aging...Gracefully?
Metallica | SoFi Stadium | 8/25
Phish @ MSG, weekend 1
I heart NY.
Pitchfork Festival 2023: Friday only
If anyone wants to write about the other two nights I'd be glad to host your ramblings!
Summerfest 2023 Wrap-up
In which I tell you how very wrong I was about things in the post before this one
Summerfest thoughts
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | Salt Shed | 6/11 & 6/12
Milwaukee Metal Fest
Do we count 2007? So this year would be MMF XX? Anyone?
Ministry | Eagles Ballroom | 5/7
Ladies and gentlemen, the Eagles Ballroom Club Stage.
MFF2023
Xiu Xiu | Cactus Club | 4/26
Big Ears 2023
Wilco | The Riviera | 3/26
(also Yo La Tengo | Turner Hall | 3/25)
STS9 | Riviera Theatre | 3/17
Phil Lesh & Friends | Salt Shed | 3/12
Unwound | Thalia Hall | 3/7
PAKT | Reggies Bananna's Shack | 3/1
Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew | Vic Theatre | 2/25
It's The Return Of The Son Of The 1980-81 Remain In Light Tour featuring two guys who were on that tour!
Ani DiFranco | Pabst Theater | 1/25
I was a slacker last year about reviewing shows I went to. That ends now.
The Best Albums of 2022, part 2
also the Bungle Report
The Best Albums Of 2022, part 1
It got too long again.
The Best Shows I Saw In 2022
(besides Big Ears)
The Smile at the Riverside
no they didn't TECHNICALLY play any Radiohead songs
Sacred Rose Festival
Phish, Alpine Valley, 2022
an emotional thrombosis in my coronary sac
Weird Al at the Chicago Symphony Center
Summerfest '22 Wrap-Up
The newspaper reviews were insufficient.
Deer Creek '22
Lawn Presented By Allegiant Dot Com
Primus at The Sylvee, 4/23/2022
Big Ears Was Alright If You Like Saxophones
Every writer gets to use that joke once in their life, right?
2021 In Loose Ends
2021 In Recorded Music
2021 In Live Music
Mavis and Haley at Thalia
(Any hypothetical Star Trek reference is purely unintentional.)
Phish, Dick's
(second attempt)
Phish, Deer Creek 3
Phish Take Bold Anti-Mask Stance
Phish, Deer Creek 2
Phish, Deer Creek 1
Tiny Music... Deluxe Reissue
Makaya McCraven @ Thalia Hall
Being Out Amongst People Again: A Review
Form In Motion by Autarkh
review by Swatty
Swatty's Top Ten Albums Of 2020
The Top Ten Concerts Of 2020
There will be no honorable mentions this year.
Mr. Bungle plays The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny at the Warfield, 2/13/2020
This actually happened and I was there somehow.
Swatty's Top Fifteen Albums Of 2019
Does this piece bolster or destroy You-Phoria's credibility? You decide.
Numbers
I guess a couple people might be interested.
2019 In Metal
\m/
2019 In Jazz/Experimental
Ya, these should be two separate pieces. Maybe next year.
2019 In Electronic
Brrrzap
2019 In Rock
Stick around for all the Deep Purple references you can stand.
2019 In Pop
aka U2's most underrated album
2019 In R&B
It's the jellyfish of musical genres.
2019 In Rap
I seriously gotta start uploading some new images, this is ridiculous.
2019 In Folk/ish
2019 In Alt (In The German Sense)
(Get it?)
2019 In Alternative
2019 In Live Music
No, I still haven't come up with a good strategy for these images that accompany each piece.
MFF2019
What? I thought this was a music blog.
Farm Aid 2019
Willie, Neil, Johnny Cougar, Dave & Tim, Bonnie, Mother Nature, etc.
PhishDicksIX
They did not play "Shaggy Dog" as "Prairie Dog" nor indeed hardly any of their "dog" songs. Dicks.
Alpine Overload
At last, something we can all agree on.
MPP
I lied. Saturday wasn't the worst Phish show I've ever seen.
Hippie Shit
I imagine others have already blogged all of these thoughts. But just in case.
What I Remember About April 8th, 1994
Pitchfork's Midwinter Festival Was Stupid And Amazing
For The Following Reasons
The Albums That Made Me Feel Like Writing About Them Of 2018
Boy this one got really long.
My Favorite Show Of 2018
Of 2018, The Second-Best Concert
Number Three
Number Three-And-A-Half
Whoops!
Number Four
Number Five
Sixth-Best
Seventh-Best
Eighth-Best Show
The Ninth-Best Show Of 2018
The Tenth-Best Show Of 2018
Best Shows Of 2018 (Honorable Mentions)
I'm back!
Cal's Most-Listened-To Albums Of All Time*
The Best Albums Of 2017
The Best Live Music I Saw In 2017
Tom Petty, RIP
The Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time
Phish's Baker's Dozen, Ranked
Bono Does America Again
Chris Cornell, RIP
Milwaukee Psych Fest 2017
Instructions For Listening To Jon Mueller's dHrAaNwDn
Some Words Inspired By Last Night's Patti Smith Concert
Swatty's Top 15 Albums Of 2016
Top Ten Black Metal Albums
From the undisputed expert on such things.
The Best Albums Of 2016
2016 In Live Music
Levitation: Chicago
2015: Rap
2015: Miscellaneous Uncategorizable Musicks
2015: Metal
2015: Electronics
2015: Rock
2015: Singer/Songwriter
2015: Pop
David Bowie, RIP
2015: Local Music
2015: Live Music
WEILAND
Magnaball
Phish: Alpine Valley 2015
Phish: Blossom, 8/7/2015
Post-Fare Thee Well Thoughts
U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Chicago
Milwaukee Psych Fest 3
2015 So Far
The Prematurely Air-Conditioned Arts Collective Presents John Zorn's Cobra
The Best Music Of 2014
Thoughts About This Dead 50th Anniversary Thing
The Best Shows I Saw In 2014
Secret Chiefs 3: Cactus Club, 10/8/2014
SONGS OF INNOCENCE (and other tangentially related topics)
King Crimson: The Vic, 9/26/2014
Phish: Midwest Run 2014
Dave Matthews Band: Summerfest, 7/2/2014
Swans: Lincoln Hall, 6/25/2014
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Milwaukee Theatre, 6/20/2014
I don't know what to call this one.
Calliope: ORBIS
Mogwai: The Vic, 5/16/2014
John Zorn's Bladerunner: Reggie's, 5/3/2014
Milwaukee Psych Fest 2014
The You-Phoria Guide To Festivals: 2014
Animals In Human Attire: OURMEGADAWN
St. Vincent: Turner Hall, 4/4/14
Papadosio: Turner Hall, 4/3/14
Beck=Modern Guilty Pleasure
#EMT2014
Umphrey's McGee: Riviera, 2/22
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band: Cactus Club, 2/21
The Rutabega et al.: Cactus Club 2/19
Bungle Thoughts
The Best Albums Of 2013
The Best Shows Of 2013
2013 End-Of-Year Album Review Dump
Sparks: Lincoln Hall, 11/7/13
AV Club Milwaukee, RIP
A Requiem For LULU
Lou Reed, RIP
Love is Strange
#MFF2013
Caroline Smith: HALF ABOUT BEING A WOMAN
Caroline Smith HALF ABOUT
Anathema: Reggie's Rock Club, 9/21/2013
R.I.P., J-Tar
2013 Mid-Year Album Roundup: Miscellaneous
#phishdicks
2013 Mid-Year Album Roundup: Rock
#phishfork
2013 Mid-Year Album Roundup: Metal
2013 Mid-Year Album Roundup: Electronic/Ambient
2013 Mid-Year Album Roundup: Pop
Violent Femmes: Summerfest, 6/26/13
Black Sabbath: 13
Four Days And Seven Nights In Illinois
Death Blues: Cactus Club, 5/4/2013
Ultimate Pipedream McCartney Setlist
Psychic Ills, Föllakzoid, Outside: Quarters, 3/10/13
Where my brain goes when I get impatient for Phish tourdates
Umphrey's McGee: Orpheum, 2/16/13
R.I.P., CWM
The Best Shows I Saw In 2012
Swatty's Top 15 Albums of 2012
The Best Music Of 2012
Tame Impala: LONERISM
Death Blues (No Time Like The Present)
The "Difficult" Followup to "The Pop Breakthrough"
Police Teeth: POLICE TEETH
Fanfare Ciocarlia: City Winery (Chicago), 9/25/12
Nervous Curtains: FAKE INFINITY
Katatonia: Bottom Lounge, 9/17/12
Do 414 Anniversary Party
Phish: Chaifetz Arena, 8/28/12
Lotus Plaza: SPOOKY ACTION AT A DISTANCE
Anathema: WEATHER SYSTEMS
Suckers: CANDY SALAD
Lower Dens: NOOTROPICS
Hollows: VULTURE
Bear In Heaven: I LOVE YOU, IT'S COOL
Royal Baths: BETTER LUCK NEXT LIFE
Summerfest Day 8
Phish: Alpine Valley, 6/30/12
Phish: Alpine Valley, 7/1/12
Bear In Heaven I LOVE YOU ITS COOL
Remembering MCA And A Friday Night In MKE
Juniper Tar: Turner Hall Ballroom, 4/27/12
"The First Waltz" Residency, Night 4
MKE Day at Club Garibaldi
"The First Waltz" Residency, Nights 2 & 3
School Of Seven Bells: GHOSTORY
"The First Waltz" Residency, Night 1
Fiona Apple: Lincoln Hall, 3/18/12
The You-Phoria Guide To Festivals: 2012
Hot Tuna: Pabst Theater, 3/11/12
Altos: Record Release Party, Stonefly Brewing Company, 3/10/12
Atlas Sound: Lincoln Hall, 3/3/12
The Promise Ring: Turner Hall Ballroom, 2/24/12
Dave Grohl And Computers
The Best Albums Of 2011
My Favorite Shows Of 2011
Wilco: Riverside Theater, 12/9/11
Anthrax/Testament: The Rave, 11/19
Seizure Chicken Fall Festival (Night One)
Mastodon: THE HUNTER
Wilco: THE WHOLE LOVE
Loyal Divide: BODICE RIPPER
Colourmusic: MY___ IS PINK
Primus: Orpheum Theatre, 10/13/11
Dick Dale: High Noon Saloon, 10/10/11
Yawn OPEN SEASON
Why Im Sick Of Radiohead
Katatonia: Peabody's, 9/25/11
Secret Chiefs 3: Empty Bottle, 9/17/11
One More Pearl Jam Thing
PJ20
Phish: UIC Pavilion, 8/17/11
Phish: UIC Pavilion, 8/16/11
Phish: UIC Pavilion, 8/15/11
Paul McCartney: Wrigley Field, 7/31/11
Across Tundras: SAGE
Fen: EPOCH
Primordial: REDEMPTION AT THE PURITAN'S HAND
Blut Aus Nord: 777 SECT(S)
U2 played at Soldier Field a couple nights ago.
Phish: Riverbend Music Center, 6-5-11
Phish: Blossom Music Center, 6-4-11
Phish: DTE Energy Music Theatre, 6-3-11
Scattered Trees: SYMPATHY
The Indelicates: DAVID KORESH SUPERSTAR
the wall for the first time
The Danglers, Alpha Transit, The Hue: Mad Planet, 5-7-11
Panda Bear: TOMBOY
My Ten Favorite WMSE Programs
Arcade Fire: UIC Pavilion, 4-24-11
Young Widows: IN AND OUT OF YOUTH AND LIGHTNESS
The Records Of Record Store Day
The Luyas: TOO BEAUTIFUL TO WORK
AV Club, Et Cetera
The Beets: STAY HOME
MINKS: BY THE HEDGE
Dinosaur Bones: MY DIVIDER
Decibully: Farewell Show, Cactus Club, 4-2-11
Pearl Jam Owes Wisconsin a Festival at Alpine Valley
King's Horses: Album Release @ Cactus Club
Delicate Steve: WONDER VISIONS
Yuck: YUCK
The Dirtbombs: PARTY STORE
Elusive Parallelograms: CD Release @ Cactus Club, 3-5-11
The You-Phoria Guide To Festivals, 2011
Umphrey's McGee: Barrymore Theatre, 3-3-11
Trey Anastasio Band: Riviera Theatre, 2-27-11
Smith Westerns: DYE IT BLONDE
Braids: NATIVE SPEAKER
THE KING OF LIMBS
Fat Fauxmance EP Release Party
Twilight Singers: DYNAMITE STEPS
2011: Year Of The Cactus?
Top Ten Non-Phish Shows Of 2010
Best Music Of 2010 Rest Of The World
The Best Music Of 2010: Non-MKE Edition
Milwaukee's Best 2010
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: BEAT THE DEVIL'S TATTOO
Matthew Dear: BLACK CITY
Male Bonding: NOTHING HURTS
Grandchildren: COLD WARRIORS
Rosetta: A DETERMINISM OF MORALITY
The Gay Blades: SAVAGES
Buckethead: CAPTAIN EO'S VOYAGE
Menomena: MINES
Women: PUBLIC STRAIN
Girl Talk: ALL DAY
Javelin: NO MAS
Jukebox The Ghost: EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN
Darlings: WARMA
Dead Leaf Echo: TRUTH
Lucien Dubuis & Trio Marc Ribot: ULTIME COSMOS
Dead Confederate: SUGAR
Phish: North Charleston Coliseum, 10-16-10
Phish: North Charleston Coliseum, 10-15-10
Across Tundras: OLD WORLD WANDERER
The Gaslight Anthem: AMERICAN SLANG
Primus: Congress Theatre, 10.02.10
2010 albums with only one really good song
Roger Waters: THE WALL, United Center 9.23.10
Pavement: Pabst Theater, 9-14-10
I promise, I'm not going into hiding.
Pitchfork Music Festival 2010
Summerfest 2010 Roundup
CWM and SysTor
The You-Phoria Guide to Summerfest 2010
Favorite Moments of Wakarusa 2010
Phish: Blossom Music Center, 6.12.10
Phish Toyota Park
Phish: Toyota Park, 6.11.10
Holy Fuck: Mad Planet, 6.2.10
Charlotte Gainsbourg: IRM
Brew City infiltrates SPIN
Them Crooked Vultures: Aragon Ballroom, 5.18.10
Dire week for metal
Shining: BLACKJAZZ
Hurricane Bells/Deep Dark Woods/Mark Waldoch: Cactus Club, 5.15.10
Yeasayer: ODD BLOOD
The Ocean: HELIOCENTRIC
Liars: SISTERWORLD
Public Image Ltd.: Pabst Theater, 4.30.10
"You Get The Butter From The Duck" (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, 4.23.10)
Yeasayer: Majestic Theatre, 4.28.10
UMBowl 2010
Hammered at The Monkey Bar, 4.17.10
Monotonix: Bay View American Legion Hall, 4.20.10
Acrassicauda feature story @ JamBase
Almost seven years ago...
Atoms For Peace: Aragon Ballroom, 04.10.10
Daylight: Saved
Jaill/Strange Boys/Sugar Stems @ Cactus Club, 04.01.10
Quotes of the Week
The Big Pink/A Place To Bury Strangers @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Stoned Tepid Pile of Shit
Wilco: Overture Center, 2.20.10
Leftovers: 2009
2000-2009: The Decade In Music
Steez: CREEPFUNK CRUSADE
Trey @ The Pabst Theater, 2.18.10
Trey at the Riviera, 2.19.10
Why does this strike me so funny?
The Best Shows I Saw In 2009
The Best Records Of 2009
MARBIN
"Midwestern Folk Rock Revival IV" @ Cactus Club, 11-28-09
While Dinosaur Jr. Played At Turner Hall Last Thursday, I Wrote This.
Phish reviews from Cincy, etc.
Wilco review @ JamBase
Umphrey's McGee, The Hue reviews @ JamBase
Porcupine Tree: THE INCIDENT
IT MIGHT GET LOUD
Buckethead: Barrymore Theatre, 9-17-09
Bruuuuuuuuuce review @ JamBase
BLK JKS feature story @ JamBase
U2 360 At Soldier Field
Phish: JOY
Clutch review @ JamBase
Irish Fest: Always A Blast, But...
Lollapalooza review @ JamBase
Phish: Toyota Park review @ JamBase
Sonic Youth review @ JamBase
Phish: Red Rocks, 8-2-09
The You-Phoria Guide to Selling Your Used CDs
2009 In Music, So Far
A Perspective
The Celebrated Workingman: Cactus Club, 4th Of July
July 1st: A Review
Michael
Phish: Alpine Valley, 6-21-09
Phish: Deer Creek, 6-19-09
Phish: Alpine Valley, 6-20-09
Operation: Adaptation and Animal Collective
Mogwai: Turner Hall Ballroom, 5-9-09
The You-Phoria Guide to Reunions
Fucked Up: The Borg Ward, 4-7-09
Don't Let The Ticketbastards Grind You Down
The Oddity Faire: A Completely Insufficient Review
Call Me Lightning: Frank's Power Plant, 3-13-09
Billy Corgan: Bitch
No Line On The Horizon
Phish: Hampton, Sets Three through Six
Phish: Hampton, Set Two
Phish: The First Set
The You-Phoria Guide to the 2009 Concert Season
Jail's album release party at Y-Not III (spoiler: I didn't stay for the headliner...sorry)
What's The New Mary Jane?
youphoric's spinning mix
Lux Interior: 1946-2009
The Best Shows Of 2008
Milwaukee's Best 2008
The Best Music Of 2008
My Morning Jacket: Chicago Theatre, 12-28-08
Collections Of Colonies Of Bees: Cactus Club, 12-19-08
THE ONION'S 5 lbs of Christmas featuring Decibully, 12-13-08
Akimbo: JERSEY SHORES
CHINESE DEMOCRACY: all you need to know, by the Kibitzer
Is This Good News?
ATOMIC RECORDS...R.I.P.??!?!!
"Smoked Out" Vital Source Party @ Cactus Club
Elusive Parallelograms: Cactus Club, 10-18-08
THE AN ALBATROSS FAMILY ALBUM
Activities Fest: Linneman's Riverwest Inn, 9-19 & 20
Levi Stubbs, R.I.P.
Xavier Rudd: The Rave, 9-22-08
Yes, but will he kill and clean the tofu himself?
Nebula: High Noon Saloon, 9-1-08
"Yes" soldiers on
Ifihadahifi CD Release Party: Cactus Club, 9-6-08
MSE Fest: Decibully, The Championship, The Celebrated Workingman
Rothbury, I hardly knew ye
So You Think You Can Dance
Few People Will Be Interested In Seeing This Film
Girl Talk: FEED THE ANIMALS
Portishead: THIRD
The Drunkest Man In Illinois presents: "Watershit Down"
Tapes 'n Tapes: The Metro, 4-11-08
Operation: Adaptation
Wife Beating 101
UPDATED Rothbury Festival Map
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Russian Circles: It's A Midwest Thing
Rothbury Festival Map
The You-Phoria Guide to Showering at Bonnaroo
Bonnawhat? Rothbury Takes Seed
Bonnaroo 2008 Lineup
fieldsofme gets her 15 milliseconds of fame
Youphoric 2007 Roundup
Matthew's Best Of 2007
The Best Music Of 2007
The Best Of 2006 by Brian Eckerman
PJ @ Roo in 2008?
Black Angels Quickie @ The Rave 10/24/2007
Dave Matthews Band: Alpine Valley Music Theater, 8-26-07
Pics and Vids from Lollapalooza
Mute Math on Letterman
Porcupine Tree: The Rave, 6-2-07
Pitchfork Music Festival: July 13-15, 2007
Dude, you're gettin' a W.A.N.D.!
Time after time those fanatical minds try to rule all the world
Andrew Bird: Pitman Theatre, Milwaukee, 4-21-07
Mute Math: The Rave Bar, 4-3-07
Secret Chiefs 3: The Doubtle Door, Chicago, 3-10-07
Meta and the Cornerstones: March 31 & April 11, 2007
The Best Shows Of 2006
Erin McKeown: Mad Planet, 2-27-07
Grizzly Bear: Subterranean, 2-9-07
Swatty's Top 15 of 2006
The Appleseed Cast: Mad Planet, Milwaukee, 1-24-07
The Best Music of 2006
Primus: Eagles Crematorium 11-18-06
Umphrey's McGee: Barrymore, 11-3-06
Bonnaroo 2006
Lorem ipsum dolor sit
This is just a test
150%
125%
100%