3. Red Wire, Black Wire :: Brooklyn Bowl

Delish fried chicken (by Blue Ribbon), easy-on-the-throat margaritas and pretty swingin' venue space in W'burg. Oh and there's bowling too. Went with my boys Leo and Daniel last night (turns out it was Daniel's bday...or close enough to it that this ended up being his impromptu par-tay) and actually left before Yes Giantess popped up on stage (crazy, I know) but really dug one of the opening bands, Red Wire, Black Wire. Fun. Danceable. Will definitely drop by this spot again. Oh, and thanks for the free tequila Aaron, miss ya heeps.

1. Hot Chip :: Highline Ballroom (and the current lineup...)

I went on a bit of a concert-buying binge and have secured tixs to the following shows...thoughts on these bands and/or their opening acts?

Firstly, I'm gonna have to count the Hot Chip/Free Energy show I went to two weeks ago as #1 on the list because (1) I saw it with two of my fav guyz (Leo and Bri, way to help kickstart this), (2) in my current fav venue (The Highline Ballroom) and (3) 'twas a FREE "secret" myspace show...perfectly good reasoning, right? Yah? Glad we're agreed.

February 26: Yes Giantess (with native Brooklyn-based Red Wire Black Wire and DJ Concerned) // Brooklyn Bowl (new venue for me...kinda more into the opening group than Yes Giantess actually)

March 5: Neon Indian (with Special Guest - TBA) // Webster Hall (booooo to the venue...but I can't complain about the $1 cover with RSVP)

March 22: Fruit Bats (with Portland's Blue Giant and Chicago's The Singleman Affair) // Bowery Ballroom (WAHOOO, my 2nd fav venue...thuuuus far)

April 2: Temper Trap (with The Kissaway Trail of Denmark)// Webster Hall (gawwwwd...hate when a band you luv plays a sucky venue and then after you get tixs they announce a new show at Music Hall of W'burg)

April 30: La Strada CD release party (with Cuff the Duke) // Knitting Factory (pretty jazzed to see Toronto-based Cuff the Duke)

June 15: John Butler Trio (with State Radio)...can someone say "hottie hippies"! Perfect outdoor show// Central Park Summerstage

June 29: Passion Pit (and Tokyo Police Club)// Prospect Park Bandshell

.: FINALE SHOW :. Passion Pit :: Prospect Park

Just bought tixs to PP's late June show (could be the last show of this challenge)...in Prospect Park with Tokyo Police. Pretty bummed I couldn't make their first big venue show in the city last month (Terminal 5) after a friend had an extra ticket and I was still fighting off some crazy flu (this has got to be the most drawn out and bitter cold winter of NYC's existence). In any case, I'd much rather see them under the warmth of a summery day in the park than in my second least favorite venue (second only to Webster of course) any day of the week.

129 days 'til Passion Pit's June 29th show!

Another great concert idea would be any one of their DJ sets since they're such whizzes with a turn table and a danceable pop song.

The Challenge

I'd like to still consider myself young. But sadly this can go hand-in-hand with being broke. I'm now four months away from my 30th and while I'd like to say I could afford some extravagant travel to Italy or Brazil for this next milestone birthday, I am and always will be, a lover of music. And to this end I make this simple challenge...

See 30 great shows in 30 different NYC venues before my 30th.

Join me in discovering what this starving-artist-haven of a city will offer...