Richard Greelis of Bloomington:
1 Peter Frampton, Red Rocks. Due to a medical condition, he is retiring soon but he was still amazing, not missing a beat.
2 Rosanne Cash, Minnesota Zoo. She was on her game. Impervious to the summer heat, she sang a beautiful eclectic mix.
3 Guess Who and Foghat, Buck Hill. It wasn't the gray hairs in the crowd, young replacements in the bands or even the music that will make this memorable; it was the friend with me who has since died.
Jon Bream of the Star Tribune:
1 Taylor Swift, NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Ahead of 2020's stadium tour, the chatty megastar played four tunes solo, explaining what sparked them.
2 "Brave" by Sara Bareilles, Xcel Energy Center. This anthem oozed extra emotion in front of some Twin Cities nurses who made the 2013 viral video of the song.
3 Aaron Neville, the Dakota. Accompanied by pianist Michael Goods, he proved to be a remarkable song stylist in a variety of genres.
