This blog was launched on January 15th 2012 with a review of the Ruth Moody gig in Warwick. It then became a tradition to anoint a favourite gig for each calendar year. This has duly been revealed each December since that opening year and one was even extracted from the curtailed shortlist of 2020.
The wait for live music in 2021 ended on May 26th and through a minefield of restrictions including a vast dearth of overseas touring artists, the end of year tally amounted to a credible 31 shows in addition to 7 days spent in those sacred festival fields. This proved a reasonable return in comparison to normal years on a pro rata basis with the main difference being the reduced options of venues to visit and artists to see.
However life is all about grabbing what is on offer and there is no doubt the ten events selected as the personal elite of 2021 would have featured highly in any of the previous years. I am quite fortunate to curate a gig journey where any disappointing events are few and far between. Maybe the general level of shows in terms of industry and commercial standing tend to steer away from egos and you rarely ever see an artist going through the motions. Therefore in this most difficult of years, full credit goes to each and every artist seen in 2021.You are all stars.
As the gig journey is a hugely personal one, this list is purely unique and subject only to inner debate. What it may do is spark thought and contemplation elsewhere for others to do the same. Sharing has no other value than a therapeutic one, but no harm is done and it does capture a framework of what made 2021 special. Of course links are available to shed further light on these treasured nights.
1. Thea Gilmore @ Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham
2. Courtney Marie Andrews @ Gorilla, Manchester
3. Sara Petite @ Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
4. Frazey Ford @ Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
5 Katherine Priddy @ Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
6. Jenny Sturgeon @ Thimblemill Library, Smethwick
7. Blue Rose Code @ Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
8. Hannah Aldridge @ St.George's Hall, Bewdley
9. Diana Jones @ Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
10. Hannah White @ Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
So Thea Gilmore's stunning presentation mixing the old stuff with her new Afterlight persona joins an illustrious list of nine previous recipients of this accolade. Shows by Terri Clark, My Darling Clementine, The Mavericks, Old Crow Medicine Show, Brandi Carlile, Chuck Prophet, American Aquarium, Lucinda Williams and Luke Jackson all had the common thread of being in a different venue and this year's continues the trend.
2021 at least rose from the ashes of 2020 with its head held high. Let's see what 2022 brings.