Looking to 2012: Top Live Music Shows of 2011

Elephant Revival performs at the DCA. Photo by Dan Eggert.

As the county gears up for another season, the staff at the Pulse found itself looking back upon the striking shows of 2011. Here are a few of our top picks for everyone out there thinking about booking acts for the season ahead.

• Jeff Tweedy at the Door Community Auditorium – The auditorium’s risk paid off with one of their best shows and youngest crowds in the venue’s 20 years. Tweedy played for two-plus hours as if his sojourn to the tiny village by the park was the most important show of his summer.

• JT & the Clouds at Nelsen’s Hall and Camp David – The annual trek north from the Chicago band never disappoints. Their two nights at Nelsen’s Hall brought many folks across Death’s Door for a rather large island crowd, while their Camp David show put the chairs to bed as the dance party took over.

• Jana Nyberg at Gordon Lodge – If jazz scares you, this group put your fears to bed. The pop-tinged jazz featured great originals with unexpected covers of Eliot Smith, as well as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. And, who can beat the setting?

• Elephant Revival at Door Community Auditorium – Who? No, this show wasn’t booked as a main attraction; in fact, they were the opening act for Mason Jennings, but the unknown show-starters mesmerized the audience and had people leaving their seats wishing they had been the main event. The indie-folk quintet from Colorado was an early season highlight tough to top.