'Tis the season for the obligatory Top 10 lists, in which critics make an unwise attempt to comb through a full year's worth of events to come up with their favorite art shows/films/plays/dance performances of the year. The music critics have it hardest, with every night in this town bringing a triple-digit selection of concerts. And, that's assuming they stay in NYC, and only stick to one particular genre.

So, you can imagine my challenge, having seen well over 200 shows this year, most of them memorable. Here, then, is a somewhat arbitrary list (in chronological order) of the best twenty shows I saw this past year. All took place in NYC, unless indicated. (Click on the hyperlink to read the original post.)

1) Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, 3/7/07

2) Leon Fleisher, People's Symphony Concert, 3/10/07

3) Audrey Chen, Issue Project Room, 3/15/07

4) Karlheinz Stockhausen: World Premiere of  “Cosmic Pulses”, Auditorium Della Musica, Rome, 5/7/07

5) Konstantin Lifschitz, Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, Books I and II, Town Hall, 5/28/07

6) Emerson String Quartet, Complete Beethoven Quartets, Carnegie Hall, 6/2007

7) Bang on a Can Marathon, World Financial Center Wintergarden, 6/2-6/3/07

8) Philip Miller: REwind Cantata, Celebrate Brooklyn, 7/6/07

9) Farm Aid, Randall's Island, 9/9/07

10) Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, TX, 9/14/07

11) Margaret Garner, City Opera, 9/29/07

12) Nico Muhly and Sigur Ros, Wordless Music Series, 10/5/07

13) Blonde Redhead/LCD Soundsystem/Arcade Fire, Randall's Island, 10/6/07

17) Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin, TX, 11/3-11/4/07

18) Berlin Philharmonic: The Rite of Spring Project, United Palace Theater, 11/18/07

19) John Scott: Messiaen's La Nativite du Seigneur, St. Thomas Chruch, 12/20/07

As for No. 20, I'm going to have to go with Sander Kleinenberg's gig last night at Pacha: the NYC outpost of the Ibiza nightclub, and the only big-name club left in town. No chortling: when it's done by a skilled producer/DJ such as Kleinenberg, house music is just as legitimate as any other, basically using the same architecture as classical: crescendos, signature changes, polyrhythmic structures, etc. And, Pacha's sound is by far the best I've ever heard: the state-of-the-art system was designed in Germany, and the sound is loud, clear and deep anywhere you stand. I can only dream of hearing sound that good at an indie rock show.

All in all, a banner year for live music in New York, with the promise of more to come in 2008. Hope to see more of you out there.