Last year, I made a list of the worst shows I saw all year. This time around I had a much more difficult time thinking of terrible shows that I’ve seen in the past year. There were a bunch of blah shows, but nothing really stuck out to me as painful like 120 Days or Gang Gang Dance last year. I guess that’s because I didn’t torture myself by trying to make it to every show at ACL or by putting myself through another CMJ festival. So I’ve decided to write up a list of my favorite shows in 2007.

• Fujiya and Miyagi – at ACL Studios. Pretty much everything KEXP does is gold and this was no exception.
• Beirut – at ACL Studios. Definitely the best show I saw at SXSW 2007. They are fucking great live. Plus they give band nerds everywhere hope that they too may someday become indie rock heros.
• Monotonix – what’s not to love? Grunge rock from Isreal.
• Girl Talk – it was totally worth it to stay at Elysium all night just to catch his set. Awesomecross.
• Bjork – Bjork at ACLFest. Yeah.
• Arcade Fire – at ACLFest. Rock anthem rock.
• Cornelius – I didn’t write about it previously, but I saw Cornelius at Webster Hall and they are awesome. If you ever get the chance you could see them. Who cares if most of their lyrics are in Japanese?

Other cool things that happened last year.

• Weddings – it seems like everyone got married this year and as much as I hate weddings, I had a fantastic time celebrating them all.
• 30th birthdays – I had a fantastic time at my birthday party and Demanda’s was in Vegas which is always a winner.
• The comedy – performing at Caroline’s was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I’m so glad I did though.
• Lake Tahoe – I want to go back (when I can snowboard, of course).

Then there were things that started out awesome, but eventually turned into the worst thing ever. I really can’t wait to start playing soccer again.

1. I fell down some stairs.
2. Don’t worry, I won.
3. It’s kind of like Fight Club.
4. I was just minding my own business when…
5. I’m an idiot.

Draw your own conclusions.

Writer’s strike? Who gives a fuck, American Gladiators is back on!

After the injury I watched a ton of American Gladiators on ESPN Classic and wondered why a show like that ever went off the air. Cheesy pro-wrestling theatrics? Check. Injury lawsuit waiting to happen? Check. What else do you need?

And now it’s back! If they could get rid of all the talking, the show would be awesome or as Wil Weaton suggested, take a drink every time Hulk Hogan says “brother”. The events themselves aren’t terrible, though I’m still trying to figure out how the Eliminator is so fucking difficult now. Is climbing a cargo net really that difficult?

There is one nice thing about all the talking though, you get to hear people say the most ridiculous things possible. In the first episode, my favorite line was from one of the female contestants before the Eliminator. She said “I’m all prayed up.” I guess it really strikes me as funny because she honestly meant it and the only other time I’ve heard “prayed up” is when people ask me if I want to go to church with them. “No thanks, I’m all prayed up.” Tonight’s episode had another gem from a female contestant before the rings event, “My momma is here and she told me to make her get wet.” Yeah. Right. Not creepy. It’s already in the DVR list.

Where is Bay Ridge? It’s an hour subway ride into Brooklyn, and if that doesn’t mean anything to you all I can say is “far from me”. It also happens to be where I spent NYE, hanging out with CC and Sarah.

We had a nice dinner and a million drinks at the Pearl Room before hitting a couple random bars for the afterhours business. All in all, it was a good time for all. It’s odd going out to the other burroughs. When I’m out there it feels just like being out at my favorite bars in Texas. A lot of locals, so many that they don’t even know each other. It’s a comfortable feeling, being surrounded by a group of people that feel at home. I don’t feel like I get that often in Manhattan. It was a nice feeing for NYE.

The train to and from was brutal. At 5:30 in the morning, it’s more like an hour and a half. Which means I made it home just in time for dawn.

Yeah, it was a long day, but I had a good time. And now I’m doing what everyone does on New Years Day. A whole lot of nothing. I was awake to catch dusk though.

Happy New Year and all that business.