Best live rock music venues
M.I.A. at First Avenue last fall. Photo by Jerry Holt. 1. First Avenue
"What's special about First Ave is the culture, the closeness, the location in the city and the history." --ecg129
Last year: 1.
"The perfect venue for a one-on-one confrontation with your favorite band." --westfaliarock
Last year: 4.
"The prices may be on the high end, but you're never losing any quality." --arisenprodigy
Last year: 2.
4. Varsity Theater "The whole look and feel going in brings you into a world of elegance." --arisenprodigy
Last year: 3.
First Avenue's side room offers the same great experience on a smaller scale.
Last year: 5.
"Good beer selection, good acoustics, and that St. Paul history and charm are all there in spades." --brainiac
Last year: 10.
"A low-key place that always has great music." --CityGal
Last year: 6.
"Worst sound in town; cheap drinks and a fun atmosphere partly make up for it." --MattMartigan
Last year: 9.
"A haven for the Minneapolis hippie scene, and I love it!" --che676
Last year: 7.
"They can fit a lot of people in there without losing the intimacy." --aaangie
Last year: 8.
Best concert you've ever seen
- Prince
- Bob Dylan
- Heiruspecs
- The Hold Steady
- Queens of the Stone Age
- Radiohead
- R.E.M.
- Tool
- U2
- White Stripes
Comeback tours we really didn't need
- New Kids on the Block
- Backstreet Boys
- Poison
- George Michael
- Cher
- Motley Crue
- Rush
- Van Halen
- Barbra Streisand
- Smashing Pumpkins
Atmosphere. Photo by Dan Monick. Must-see local bands
- Atmosphere
- Tapes 'N Tapes
- Mason Jennings
- The Alarmists
- Brother Ali
- Mark Mallman
- Doomtree
- Heiruspecs
- Cloud Cult
- Romantica
Songs we never need to hear again
- "Who Let the Dogs Out?"
"My Heart Will Go On" - "Macarena"
"MMMBop"
"Your Body is a Wonderland"
"You're Beautiful"
"Cotton Eye Joe"
"Follow Me"
"Sweet Child O' Mine"
Favorite musical artists of childhood
- Michael Jackson
- Prince
- Janet Jackson
- New Kids on the Block
- Madonna
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Paula Abdul
- Debbie Gibson
- Tiffany
- Bon Jovi
Treehouse Records. Photo by Ali Haupt. Favorite record stores
- Electric Fetus
- Cheapo
- Treehouse
- Amazon.com
- Fifth Element
- Roadrunner
- Hymie's
- iTunes
- Half.com
- The library
Best places to buy concert tickets
- NOT Ticketmaster
- Electric Fetus
- Craigslist
- At the door
- First Avenue
- Treehouse Records
- Shinders (when it was open)
- StubHub
- Ticketmaster
- Back in 1984
Scott Stapp, formerly of Creed. Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images. I can't effing stand this band
- Creed
- Nickelback
- Anyone from "American Idol"
- Limp Bizkit
- Rush
- Insane Clown Posse
- Linkin Park
- Smash Mouth
- Blink 182
- Lifehouse
Song of the summer
- "Shut Up and Let Me Go," the Ting Tings
- "I Kissed a Girl," Katy Perry
- "American Boy," Estelle
- "Psychotic Girl," Black Keys
- "You Cheated Me," Martha Wainright
- "I'm Yours," Jason Mraz
- "Constructive Summer," the Hold Steady
- "Lollipop," Lil Wayne
- "Lost," Coldplay
- "Chasing Pavements," Adele