Top Eleven Shows of 2010 - Chicago/ILL

Honorable Mention: DJ Buck @RisqueCafe on Clark - 1st Thursday show in OCT

Highlight: OK Go's "When the Morning Comes"

11) Broken Bells @The Vic - 12/5

Highlight: "The High Road"

10) The Black Keys @AragonBallroom - 12/30

Highlight: "Ten Cent Pistol"

9) Passion Pit - 2nd show @TheCongressTheatre - 4/22

Highlights: "Sleepy Head" "Little Secrets"

8) The Whalers + Cloud Cult @GreenMusicFest in Noble Square - 6/26-27

Highlights:

The Whalers: "Kinky Reggae Party" (Dedicated to CLS aka "Uncle Huey")

Cloud Cult: "Running with The Wolves" "When Water Turns to Life"

7) My Morning Jacket @Charter One Pavilion @Northerly Island - 8/17

Highlight: "Evil Urges"

6) Brett Dennen @HOB - 11/28/09 (Close Enough to 2010) 

Highlight: "Ain't Gonna Lose You"

5) Andrew Bird - Gezelligheid Show II @Fourth Presbyterian Church - 12/16

Highlight: "Lazy Projector" 

4) Arcade Fire, Soundgarden, MGMT, Jimmy Cliff, The National, and yes even Gaga  LIVE@Lolla in Grant Park - 8/6-8

Highlights: 

Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II: Mountains Beyond Mountains" 

Soundgaarten - "Blow up the outside World" 

MGMT "Electric Feel" "Kids" 

Jimmy Cliff "The Harder They Come"

The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" 

Lady Gaga - I don't know the titles to any of her songs but the dude in the speedo sporting Bud Light curlers was a sight to be seen!

3) Roger Waters - THE WALL @The United Center (aka "Madhouse on Madison") - Mon/Fri (Although, I hear Tue/Thurs were stellar, as well) - 9/20-24 (no show on 9/22)

Highlight: "The Thin Ice"

2) Sublime with Rome + Matisyahu + Dirty Heads - 7/13

Highlight:

Sublime with Rome "Santeria"

Matisyahu "One Day"

Dirty Heads "Lay Me Down" "Stand Tall"

And the winner is...

1) Andrew Bird - Gezelligheid Show III @Fourth Presbyterian Church - 12/17/2010

Highlight: "Headsoak"

Run Brian Run

And now for a piece of poetry...

There was a day 

Ten years gone

I lost my friend

My friend lost his brother

Mother lost her boy

Father lost his son

Imagine that day

Your last waking hour

As you take your last

We clutch, We gasp

Not one among us is ready

For what reality is about to rain down upon us

Just one more silence

And you're gone and you've passed

What's to do with what's left of you?

The pain is real

The tears are real

The loss is real

So we all steal a piece of what you were

We take it and praise it

I'm talking about the fun, the smile, the hope and the dream...

So RUN BRIAN RUN, just as fast as you can

they said: quit, stop, drop.

You Said: What are you talking about?  Run, Run, Run.  I won't stop until I'm done!

- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (Copyright B.P.F. 2011) - 

"better than perfect"

When I see sunsets such as this captured in Kohler, Wisconsin, I'm taken back to a magical summer day on the lakefront shores of Saint Joseph, Michigan when a family friend with the initials KGB (middle name: "Genuine") coined the phrase that has inspired this entry.

As my friend Kyle and I were taking in the last flashes of the sun's brilliance after a day of recreation amongst family and friends, with the sun on the verge of piercing the horizon over an eerily still Lake Michigan, Kyle said, "It's perfect."

I turned to Kyle and smiled as if to say, "Exactly!" but no words were necessary.  At this precise moment, KGB, a man whose wisdom and intellect are only exceeded by his character, abruptly intervened, shaking his head: "No Kyle, it's BETTER than perfect!"

Kyle and I stood and stared at each other frozen in disbelief.  I suppose we were both mystified over the concept of exceeding "perfection."  Was this even possible?

Now I, myself, am a firm believer that while striving for perfection is a noble quest, achieving perfection is simply unattainable (at least in this life form) and therefore a fruitless pursuit.  Unless of course, you're referring to a purely objective statistical matter, such as the percentage score on a multiple choice examination.  Standardized test scoring aside, I now know that the concept of "better than perfect" is fully attainable at any given moment in time.  How you ask?

Because I have seen it with my own two eyes and lived it with the entire essence of my being.

So I leave you with the "better than perfect" sunset that two friends may well never forget...

What is the Meaning of Life?

From Socrates to Superman, many a man has pondered this age old question.

A few short years ago, I stumbled upon some music that a close, personal friend of mine had written that I had the pleasure of recording, albeit in a rather archaic format.  Nonetheless, the passion inherent in Mark's music penetrated deep within the wavelengths of my mind.

I felt compelled to contact my friend to inform him that I had been deeply moved by his music.  Not long after I reached out to Mark, I received a very brief response that resonated so strong, that it is forever etched in my brain.  The response you ask?  Plain and simple.

"Life is about being inspired & inspiring others." - M.P.

It is my hope that you are able to be inspired each and every day.

And when inspiration alludes you, I hope you may find it within yourself to pass along a piece of inspiration to your neighbor...

World Leader Concept

So as I was watching Sir Paul and his band wrap up their set on SNL last night with the late, great John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance," the wheels in my head started to turn slowly circulate.  Aside from being movably shaken by the beauty of the performance, my mind started to wonder, 'What if the world had just one single leader?'

You may notice how I selected the word leader and NOT politician.

Seriously, what if the world democratically voted on electing a single human being to set the vision for Mother Earth and Her residents?

Now I realize the utter insanity of this concept to many of you in the audience (which was zero at last count).

But just allow your mind to contemplate the possibility for a minute or two...

Please allow me to add some more sustenance to the initial framework of the "World Leader Concept"

1) This individual would NOT have the authority or power to dictate action.

2) This individual would merely set the vision for the planet and Her people in an effort to bring us as a people closer together in the spirit of "One"

3) Each independent, nation would have 1 vote.  It would be up to each nation to freely decide on how they would internally select their chosen candidate.

I know who I would vote for.

The question is: do you?

Welcome to BRIAN BODACIOUS

This blog was inspired by the man, the myth, the legend: SIR JAMES PAUL MCCARTNEY

For those of you that were lucky enough to tune into Saturday Night Live (SNL) tonight, you may have witnessed the greatness of the aforementioned Paul McCartney performing with his touring band.  Paul and his band broke SNL's traditional 2 song limitation by inserting an unprecedented 3rd and final song as the credits rolled.

For those of you with curious ears, here is the highly unofficial setlist:

Song A: Band on the Run

Song B: A Day in the Life

Song C: Get Back / Give Peace a Chance

For those of you that were not fortunate enough to witness the beauty of Paul and his band, I highly recommend scouring YouTube footage in the days that follow...

So why Brian Bodacious?  Why now?  Doesn't the world have more important things to worry about?

To these questions, I respond:

Why not?  If not now, then when?  Yes, which is precisely my rational for creating this blogspot.

Now for the fine print.

DISCLAIMER:

The information expressed in this and every future blog is and shall remain the intellectual property of Brian Bodacious, unless otherwise noted.  We encourage you to share the information expressed in this blog openly and freely.  We just ask that you credit Brian Bodacious in much the same way that you would want to be credited if your personal information and/or view points were being shared publicly.  That's it.  Oh yes, and please feel free to share your personal thoughts, feelings and reactions as you see fit at any point along the journey.  You are now free to sit back, relax and OPEN YOUR MIND to the world view of BRIAN BODACIOUS.