- Animal Collective. Two years ago I would have had no idea this band’s live show would be in my list of things to do. I was completely familiar with their entire discography, and I still thought they were just rich kids using fancy equipment to confuse their audience with conflicting noise and Brian-Wilson-on-acid-with-murderers-like vocals. I hated it, so much that when they released Feels, it was the most blissful realization I have ever had. When I saw them perform songs from Strawberry Jam, I literally had orgasms. Their show is visceral, and seemingly improv. No bootleg sounds the same, and they can rearrange 9 minute songs into 30 minute soundtracks, and 3 second sound clips into 9 minute masterpieces.

- Battles. One of the best new bands to come out in the last few years. Kate made me miss their show in Austin for a trip to Walmart. I wouldn’t be caught dead missing this show twice in one year.

- Dan Deacon. I’ve seen him twice now. I’ve posted blogs, and bulletins, and blared “Crystal Cat” so loudly over Kate’s speakers I became impressed by the capabilities of stock speakers. You will not, and I would be so confident as to put money on it, I repeat for sentence structure correction, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED BY DAN DEACON’S SET. He doesn’t use the stage. He brings his equipment into the masses. Even at music festivals. You surround him. You dance with him while he creates music. He’s a beautiful, overweight, balding man with thick glasses and sweat stains. He’s a mad man, and the most innovative creator to use the vocoder — ever.

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