My Top 5 Shows!

Since my season this year was exactly half the length of the Wolf Trap season I had 2 years ago, i decided to do a Top 5 this year instead of a Top 10. I tried to make the list diverse but in the end, I'm a rock n' roll guy to the core and I enjoy a good band the best. That being said, i don't think there was a really bad show this whole summer and I think the diversity of shows is what makes Wolf Trap unique. Jiffy Lube Live and Merriweather might be bigger but they also fall prey to the same rock bands every year. Wolf Trap prides itself on all forms of the performing arts and it's a spectacle to be here, even for as long as I did. So here it is!

#5: Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy - No one played harder than these guys and their pure blues performance, even at their advanced ages, shows the true power of rock. Buddy Guy has influenced nearly every guitarist in the past 50 years and still delivers heart-wrenching performances that evoke an earlier time of pure blues. Jeff Beck is hard rock all the way and his covers are so unique that he may have well have written them as new songs. Together, they represented the evolution of popular music in the best way and helped maintain that link to the golden age of rock n' roll.

#4: Carlos Vives - Definitely the biggest party of the year, I don't think we had any other performer this year that was so beloved and adored by the audience. He also reminded me of my own heritage and why I should always be proud of my hispanic ethnicity. The Latin American community came together for wonderful music and dance and I couldn't help but dance a little too. It's what Carlos would have wanted, after all.

#3: Phillip Phillips, Matt Nathanson, and A Great Big World - Pop music has recently reached a new pinnacle as of late and these three artists have peaked along with it. Each of them brought something new to the table and together they created a wonderful collection of some of my favorite pop songs. I don't think any of them played a song I didn't like and they all seemed genuinely happy to be there. It seems pop singers seem to come and go every year but my hope is that years from now, these guys will still be singing to me and the rest of the world.

#2: The Band Perry - When these three siblings first played together, sparks must've been flying. With a connection only created with family, they created a rock tinged brand of country and have seen a huge growth in their popularity. being on the stage really gave me an appreciation of how hard they and other artists work on stage and the Band Perry really put it all on the line. Kimberly, Neil, and Reid are still very early in their careers and here's to many more great songs that bring out all sorts of emotions, as country music should do.

#1: Paul Simon - The only show that sold out while I was there deserves congratulations in and of itself. I knew Paul Simon was great and I knew this was going to be a great show, but his performance showed a man who knew he was singing his last song. Many outlets have said that Paul Simon is going to retire soon and I can't believe that I might be one of the last people to have seen him live. He gave an incredible performance, filled with the ups and downs of his career and acknowledgment of the wonders of Simon and Garfunkel. He will go down as one of America's greatest songwriters of all time and when he sang "Sound of Silence" for what was one of his last times, everyone in that audience recognized the greatness, the humility, and brilliance that is Paul Simon. Luckily, so did I.

Honorable Mentions

Sufjan Stevens - Sufjan definitely had the craziest performance of the summer and while I didn't enjoy every part, his stripped down encore showed the incredible songwriting ability and showmanship of brilliant mind. In the end, I realized that through all the sounds, dancers, and costumes, he was still asking for the simplest of requests; peace and harmony.

Tony Bennett - A man who sang to me, my father, and my grandfather all in one lifetime showed no signs that age can batter every man. At 90 years old, he composed a remarkable show that any fan of music would appreciate. It was pouring rain but very few people left the lawn that day; everyone knew how gracious they should be that Tony still wants to give the people something he has offered for 65 years, his voice.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me - Through all the political drama, NPR stands alone as a sign that the news can be informative and funny at the same time. The quizzes and limericks were funny and all, but Peter Sagal and his crew picked a dandy of man to interview in NASA Administrator Charlie Boldon. When he said that people will be on Mars by 2020, one can only hope NPR goes with them.

DC