Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by Mickey

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Best of 2018, best of the year, Black Cat, David Byrne, DC9, Franz Ferdinand, Lincoln Theatre, Merriweather Post Pavilion, MGM National Harbor, Mundy, New Order, Nicole Atkins, OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Pat Benatar, Simple Minds, The Anthem, The Birchmere, The Damned, The Kills, Thomas Dolby, Wolf Trap.

“You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?” David Byrne ponders being my No. 1 concert in 2018. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Editor’s Note: This year, we asked our bloggers to name their Top 10 shows of 2018 or choose their Top 10 photos of the year. We will run them over the course of mid-December as our Best of the Year posts.

Hi, I’m Mickey, editor of Parklife DC. I’m an MTV-bred New Wave and Post-Punk kid at heart, and it will come as no surprise to you that my Top 10 concerts of 2018 mostly burst right off your television screens in 1985.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by Mark E.

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Anna & Elizabeth, Best of 2018, best of the year, Buddy Guy, City Winery, Colter Wall, First Aid Kit, Jason Isbell, Jim Lauderdale, Joachim Cooder, Lincoln Theatre, Patterson Hood, Pearl Street Warehouse, Richard Thompson, Ry Cooder, The Anthem, The Birchmere, The Decemberists, Wolf Trap.

Patterson Hood performs at Pearl Street Warehouse on Dec. 7, 2018, in one of the best shows of the year. (Photo by Paivi Salonen)

Mark Engleson, a man who truly loves live Americana, folk, and country, chose his Top 10 concerts of 2018 for Parklife DC.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by Kyle

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Kyle Gustafson in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Best of 2018, best of the year, Broken Social Scene, Christine and the Queens, David Byrne, DC9, Gruff Rhys, Janelle Monae, Lincoln Theatre, Lykke Li, Miguel, New Order, NIN, Nine Inch Nails, Noel Gallagher, Rams Head Live, The Anthem.

Gruff Rhys performs at DC9 on Oct. 11, 2018, in one of the best shows of the year. (Photos by Kyle Gustafson)

Kyle Gustafson provided us his Top 10 concerts of the year — most of which he shot personally! Check out Kyle’s Top 10 shows.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Photos of 2018 by Jason

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Jason Nicholson "Le Mouton Flâneur" in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Belly, Best of 2018, best of the year, Black Cat, Daniel Ash, Dave Vanian, Gail Greenwood, Gary Numan, johnny marr, Lisa Stansfield, Peter Hook, Peter Hook and The Light, Poptone, Psychedelic Furs, Richard Butler, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Roger Daltrey, The Birchmere, The Charlatans, The Charlatans UK, The Damned, The Fillmore Silver Spring, The Who, U Street Music Hall, Union Transfer, Wolf Trap.

Johnny Marr slings his guitar at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Oct. 17, 2018. Jason Nicholson chose a picture from this show (but not this one) as one of his Top 10 of 2018. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)

While sitting back in my chair and listening to a vinyl record is a favorite pastime of mine, there is nothing like going out and experiencing a performance live. For me as a concert photographer, the challenge is trying to capture the image of an artist you have spent a lifetime getting to know or at least your representation of what they mean to you. Here’s my Top 10 favorite photos of 2018 I had the pleasure of shooting for Parklife DC this year with a little commentary. Hope you enjoy seeing them again and best wishes for a great 2019!

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by Brenda

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Brenda Reyes in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, All Things Go Fall Classic, Best of 2018, best of the year, Blood Orange, Kali Uchis, Lincoln Theatre, Maggie Rogers, Matt and Kim, Mt. Joy, Mura Masa, Post Animal, Tash Sultana, The Aces, The Anthem, U Street Music Hall, Union Stage, Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Ruban Nielson from Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs at 9:30 Club on April 27, 2018. (All photos by Brenda Reyes)

The year 2018 brought me great experiences. As my first year of photoblogging comes to an end, I had the great pleasure of attending some amazing shows in DC. I want to give a huge thanks to Parklife DC for entrusting me and giving me that opportunity. I will forever be eternally grateful! Here are my Top 10 concerts of 2018.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Photos of 2018 by Mark C.

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Mark Caicedo in Live Review and tagged Best of 2018, best of the year, Black Cat, Capital Fringe, DC9, Dead Horses, Gypsy Sally's, Loi Loi, Mikaela Davis, Near Northeast, Pearl Street Warehouse, River Whyless, Samantha Fish, Sarah Borges, Sarah Shook, Sarah Shook and The Disarmers, Soccer Mommy, Songbyrd Music House, The Birchmere, Union Stage, Wussy.

Sarah Shook fronts The Disarmers at Pearl Street Warehouse on Sept. 12, 2018. Mark Caicedo chose a picture from this show (but not this one) as one of his Top 10 of 2018. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

Women have long been major influences in music history, going back to the jazz greats like Nina Simone Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald; through country legends Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly; pop icons like Bette Midler, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper; and the rock and blues greats Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Deborah Harry and Chrissie Hynde.

Today, while female musicians like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Pink, and Adele continue to break boundaries, local and regional bands feature women whose talent, drive and influence is just as powerful as the superstars.

My Top 10 concert photos of the year salute 2018 as the Year of Women.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by Shantel

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Shantel M Breen in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Baltimore Soundstage, Best of 2018, best of the year, GWAR, marco benevento, Old 97's, Rams Head Live, Shame, shantel m breen, The 8X10, The Anthem, The Front Bottoms, The Joy Formidable, The Regrettes, Tremonti, Wolf Alice, Young the Giant.

Marco Benevento shakes up The 8×10 on June 14, 2018. (Photo by Shantel M. Breen)

This year has been a music filled year for me. I have managed to make it to over 80 shows in 2018 and some of these shows I had the pleasure of reviewing for Parklife DC. As I wrap up my concert calendar for this year, I started reflecting on my most memorable shows for 2018. I focused on shows that I felt were excited to photograph or the performance left an impression on me. In most cases, the shows in my Top 10 were the first time seeing the band perform and consequently, winning me over as a new fan. Listed in chronological order, my Top 10 will take you through 2018 and hopefully remind you of some great musical memories as well!

Best of the Year: Top 10 Photos of 2018 by Chris

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Chris R. Smyth in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Best of 2018, best of the year, Capital One Arena, Godsmack, Greta Van Fleet, In This Moment, Jiffy Lube Live, Myles Kennedy, Out of the Darkness Community Walk, Pink, Shinedown, Slash, The Struts, Tony Bennett, UMBC Event Center, Wolf Trap.

Greta Van Fleet performs at 9:30 Club on July 20, 2018. Chris Smyth chose another photo from this show as one of his 10 Best of the Year. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

When I was asked to write a piece about my 10 favorite photos from the past year, initially I was very excited to do it. It seemed like an enjoyable way to recap what has been an exciting year of concert coverage. I joined Parklife DC in March, but as of this writing, I have been fortunate to have covered 21 shows, and I produced a total of 28 reviews. This has been far more fun than I ever could have imagined.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2018 by David

Posted on December 13, 2018 by David LaMason in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Best of 2018, best of the year, Courtney Barnett, DC9, Fleet Foxes, Glen Hansard, Guided by Voices, Japandroids, Jen Cloher, Lincoln Theatre, Loma, LP, Mitski, Ottobar, Peter Bjorn and John, Phoebe Bridgers, Rock and Roll Hotel, superchunk, Sylvan Esso, The Anthem, The Tallest Man on Earth.

LP performs at the 9:30 Club, one of the best concerts of the year, on March 5, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)

As we are nearing 2018’s finale, I have to say that this past year brought with it some of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. From the big production shows in large theaters to completely packed club shows, there was an intensity to most of the performances this past year that I’ll remember for years to come! Here are my 10 best shows of the year.

Around Town: 2018 Thrushie Awards @ Parklife DC, Thru 9/30/18

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town, Live Review and tagged awards program, best band, best concert, best festival, Best of 2018, best record, Thrushie Awards, wood thrush.

A wood thrush! (Photo by Trish Gussler)

Parklife DC this year will honor the best in DC concerts with our inaugural awards program, named for our new mascot, DC’s own state bird — the Wood Thrush. Our “Thrushie” Awards will salute bands and venues in line with our mission to review live music concerts.