In my first full calendar year as a City Paper employee, I saw more live music than any other 365 days in my life. It’s very hard to whittle down the best of the best, but here’s my attempt.

1. Patty Griffin and Scott Miller, Aug. 18, Charleston Music Hall

Scott made a fan out of everyone in the house opening up, singing about his hatred for babies and love of whiskey. Then Patty made us all gasp immediately when she opened her mouth — she is the definition of an angel. Bryn Davies jumped the Peter Rowan ship last year to play upright bass for Griffin, and added an incredible low end. It was the last show of their tour, and they had fun with it. Miller made several appearances during Griffin’s show to play harmonica, flirt with Bryn, and mop the floor.

2. Galactic, Chazzfest, Sep. 22

Talk about bringing the heat. With Boots Riley (of The Coup) and Gift of Gab (of Blackalicious) in tow, Galactic proved this year that hip-hop and funk can be one-in-the-same. When the sun went down at Chazzfest, it got dirty, dirty, dirty. “Get that monkey off your back!!”

3. Widespread Panic, Nov. 3, North Charleston Coliseum

Panic proved on their two night Charleston run that they are indeed Widespread “muthaf*#kin” once again. The first night was no bad apple, but set two on Saturday absolutely raged, and made me feel 18 again. Disco > Holden Oversoul, Conrad, Rebirtha > Impossible > Proving Ground > Werewolves of London > Proving Ground > Red Hot Mama

If you’re in the know, then that’s ‘nuf said. Sh*t was hot.

4. Allison Krauss and Tony Rice (w/ Jerry Douglas and Dan Tyminski), May 22, North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Between Griffin, Shannon Whitworth, and this show, Charleston was bestowed in 2007 with three of the most undeniably beautiful songstresses playing today. This tour was comprised mostly of Tony Rice material, and Tyminski filled the role of singing for the finest voice in bluegrass expertly. “Church Street Blues” gave me goosebumps. And then Allison came back on stage. Just magical…

5. Morimoto, Cumberland’s, April 19

Train three guys in jazz, at a program led by Quentin Baxter. Send them to Sweden for a month to do nothing but jam and get comfortable with each other. Then tell them to play hard — really hard. Dave Linaburg, Gerald Gregory, and Nick Jenkins play with about half the really good bands in Charleston, but their collaboration takes it to another level. This is the show that convinced me I should start wearing ear plugs to Cumberland’s. They ROCKED. So much that Jenkins blew a hole in his bass drum — with the pedal.

6. The Avett Brothers, Oct. 28, Music Farm

The new Farm’s first night open. The most original roots music band playing today. My head was back, singing in the air, all night. They kept it tight and played a show for the books. And the bathrooms, oh the bathrooms…

7. DJ Logic, Oct. 27, Skinful Halloween party on Johns Island

This show ended about twelve hours before the Avetts started. Brian King outdid himself. And considering that four days before the party was supposed to go down on James Island it got canceled, the three tents of music, zipcord, and ridiculous ambiance of the whole thing was a miracle (and testament) in itself. Logic came on late and led the craziest dance party I’ve ever boogied through in Charleston.

8. Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Joe Ely, Jan. 26, North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Guy Clark may be the best living songwriter. Lyle may be second. Hiatt and Ely ain’t too shabby. These four went down the line telling jokes, stories, and playing songs. It was like Christmas, waiting to see who would play what next, and every song was a joy to unwrap. I was in awe, in the presence of greatness.

9. Daniel Davis, May 26, Reggae Block Party at the Customs House

Daniel Davis is an 18-year-old violin phenom who graduated from the School of the Arts (high school) right around the time of this concert. Although he’s now played for 30,000 at the Oprah/Obama rally in Columbia, this was one of his biggest shows to date, and he did it right. Thousands of people stopped talking between the opening band and Pato Banton to drop their jaws and ask “WTF?” That took about thirty seconds, and the next fifteen minutes were pure gettin’ down to the coolest hip-hop fiddle hybrid we’d ever heard. He’ll be big.

10. Everyone Orchestra, Feb. 20, Pour House

I was skeptic about this show, but went out because Jeff Sipe and Steve Kimock were there. Led by a conductor, an “orchestra” of musicians played when they were told to, followed directions written on a dry erase board, and built up in unison when the spirit fingers started shaking wildly. The audience was in on it too, yelling, jumping, or making ‘wooo’ noises whenever directed. A pretty cool way to spend Fat Tuesday. Oh yeah, and Kimock is God.

More than Honorable Mentions

Keb’Mo, Mar. 6, Charleston Music Hall - Really, really, damn good blues

The Waybacks, June 20, Footlight Theater - Cheers to Suncoast Promotions for bringing the tightest newgrass band in the country to one of the coolest venues in town.

New Riders of the Purple Sage, June 23, Windjammer - The original acid-country band proved this night that they can still take the music, and the audience, to crazy-wild places

Dangermuffin, Nov. 15, Pour House - Charleston’s best alt-country band is tighter than ever with a new slew of originals, that already sound like old standards by the number of folks singing along at this CD release show. Pay attention in 2008.

Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, Dec. 19, Pour House - The Asheville-based, South African-bred soul singer puts her whole self into her show, dropping to her knees several times during the concert to really get into the emotion of it all. Awesome.

Radio Free Charleston’s Shakedown at the Local Dive, Dec. 9, Pour House - Okay, I put this concert on to promote my radio show, the Local Dive, but it was an undeniably incredible day. Kelly Cheats, Po’Ridge, Decorated Dirt, Haley Shaw, Justin Burke, Elise Testone, and the aforementioned Dangermuffin and Daniel Davis all put on great performances, and we celebrated the reopening of the Pour House’s deck, and delicious organic grub from the Daily Dose. The late night jam on the deck was one to remember.

Shows out of town that rocked my face off

 The Benevento/Russo Duo, 4 a.m. at STS9’s Re:Generation may be the most intense music I’ve ever witnessed. And it’s a duo.

STS9 weren’t too bad themselves at Langerado, but they really brought it during four nights at the Tabernacle in Atlanta over New Year’s Eve. During “Baraka” on Dec. 30, I experienced the coolest crowd/band/lights/music/personal interaction I’ve ever felt at a show. And I’ve got a long history of that kind of thing…

MOFRO at Langerado - Hearing “Florida” and “Lochloosa” in the Everglades make J.J.Grey’s tears seem that much more genuine when he croons it out. It was the most passionate performance I’ve heard him give.

Flaming Lips, April 17, House of Blues in Myrtle Beach - Holy Cow. Go see the Flaming Lips. There’s a lot going on. Like laser pointers and mirrors.

Sol Driven Train at spring LEAF in Black Mountain - My favorite band in Charleston, and they’re making believers up in the mountains too.

Doc Watson at fall LEAF - 84 and still the best flatpicker in the world.

Toubab Krewe late night at Asheville Music Jamboree in June - the Mali/mountain hybrid band is only getting bigger. They brought it hard for those still on their feet.

HEY! I saw a lot, but I missed a lot too. Add some comments on your favs or tell me I’m flat wrong. But I stand by it.