The year in music 2024: Concerts edition
Here were the best shows I saw and a breakdown of my live music year
I love everything about concerts: Getting the tickets, listening to music in preparation, the venues, the people I go with and — especially — the performance.
For the 2024 calendar year, I set a personal record with 30 shows at 23 venues featuring 46 different acts. Ranking them is kind of weird and arbitrary, but also fun and a good chance to look back at the most memorable shows and also the stats, sights and sounds.
This is one of two pieces I did on music in 2024 — the other is a ranking of the new music I heard.
(There’s also an explanation of the new Substack name and logo at the bottom if you were wondering about it).
Here’s a look at the top 10 shows I saw this year, then a chronological look back at my year in concerts, plus some of my top images at shows this year.
TOP 10
JJ Grey & Mofro (Cedric Burnside opener), Castle Theater, Bloomington — A high-energy show with plenty of storytelling from Grey and songs that are made for the live setting.
Marrakesh Express and The Steepwater Band (Billy Ozzello and Chris Grove), Avenue 912, Griffith, Ind. — A three-hour onslaught of great music, with musicians from all three acts joining the others, culminating with a “grand jam” at the end.
Marcus King (JJ Wilde), The Pageant, St. Louis — The Pageant was packed corner-to-corner for King, who successfully brought Mood Swings to the stage. A full band supporting an elite guitarist and singer like King is a must-see show.
Blackberry Smoke (Duane Betts), The Pageant, St. Louis — Charlie Starr and the boys on the rail in what was basically a BBS/Allman Betts double feature with Devon Allman also in the house.
The Rolling Stones (Lainey Wilson), Soldier Field, Chicago — Lainey Wilson didn’t fit as the opener, but the Stones’ presence somehow warmed a cold summer night. It’s truly awesome how great they still sound.
The Record Company (Kiely Connell), Castle Theater, Bloomington — An energetic show with a crowd pulled in by the band’s passion and volume.
The Black Crowes (The Effigies), The Factory, Chesterfield — The second Crowes show I saw this year had more energy, a better setlist, and the band seemed to be having more fun.
The Steepwater Band, The Music Box, Aurora — The best-sounding show I was at this year. Hot crowd in a small venue with a great band.
Bag Men (Imperial Boxmen), Space, Evanston — Two of the best doing it in Steve Gorman on drums and Luther Dickinson on guitar put on an intense show with a cool opener.
Sturgill Simpson, Fox Theater, St. Louis — Three hours of a kickass band having the time of their lives playing some great songs. Hard to beat that.
YEAR IN CONCERTS
JANUARY
12 — Charlie Starr with Benji Shanks (Melanie McLaren opener), Castle Theater, Bloomington — with Shawn
19 — Marrakesh Express and The Steepwater Band (Billy Ozzello and Chris Grove), Avenue 912, Griffith, Ind. — with Mom
27 — Illegal Smiles (Ernie Hendrickson), Destihl Brewery, Normal — with Nick and Conrad
FEBRUARY
22 — Blackberry Smoke (Austin Meade), Murat Theater, Indianapolis — alone
24 — The Steepwater Band, The Venue, Aurora — with Shawn
MARCH
23 — Marrakesh Express, Decatur Civic Center — with Mom
30 — Think Floyd USA, Castle Theater, Bloomington — with Matt
APRIL
12 — Blackberry Smoke (Duane Betts), The Pageant, St. Louis — alone
19 — The Black Crowes (Glyder), The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago — with Mike, Shawn and the State of Amorica gang
21 — JJ Grey & Mofro (Cedric Burnside), Castle Theater, Bloomington — alone
MAY
29 — Marcus King (JJ Wilde), The Pageant, St. Louis — with Liz
31 — The Steepwater Band, Destihl Brewery, Normal — with Delaney and Sam
JUNE
2 — Allman Betts Band (JD Simo), Festival Park Riverfront Stage, Peoria — alone
8 — Legacy of Giving Festival (Harlem Hayfield, Catfish Seminar, Pinch of Grace and more), downtown Springfield — alone, but met up with Adam and Leslie
13 — Bag Men (Imperial Boxmen), Space, Evanston — with Shawn, Angela, Jeff and Joe
30 — The Rolling Stones (Lainey Wilson), Soldier Field, Chicago — with Mike
JULY
7 — Blackberry Smoke (Stackin’ Eights), Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater, Decatur — alone
AUGUST
1 — Charley Crockett (Nat Myers), The Factory, Chesterfield, Mo. — alone
4 — Tedeschi Trucks Band (Margo Price), Fox Theater, St. Louis — with Shawn, Brittnie and Bill
10 — John Fogerty (George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Hearty Har), Family Arena, St. Charles — with Mom, Pam and Mike
11 — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Ashley McBryde), Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield — alone
17 — The Band of Heathens (Edward David Anderson), Danenberger Family Winery, New Berlin) — with Matt
SEPTEMBER
8 — Outlaw Music Festival (Southern Avenue, John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson), Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, Maryland Heights — with Mom
15 — The Steepwater Band, Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, Chicago — with Liz and Sully
18 — The Record Company (Kiely Connell), The Castle Theater, Bloomington — with Shawn
OCTOBER
15 — Sturgill Simpson, Fox Theater, St. Louis — alone
26 — The Black Crowes (The Effigies), The Factory, Chesterfield — with Mike, Bryce, Brittnie and Matt, and Bill
NOVEMBER
9 — The Steepwater Band, The Music Box, Rockford — alone
26 — Joe Bonamassa, UIS Performing Arts Center, Springfield — with Matt and John
DECEMBER
14 — Allman Betts Family Revival, The Factory, Chesterfield — with Mom
Concert stats
Shows: 30
Venues: 23
Acts: 46
Most-visited venues — Castle Theater (4), The Factory (3), Fox Theater (2), The Pageant (2), Destihl Brewery (2)
Cities visited — St. Louis area (9), Bloomington-Normal (6), Chicago area (5), Springfield area (4), Decatur (2), Peoria, Rockford, Indianapolis, Griffith, Ind.
Most-seen bands — The Steepwater Band (5), Blackberry Smoke/Charlie Starr (4), Allman Betts/Duane Betts (3), The Black Crowes (2)
Companions — Alone (9), Shawn (6), Mom (5), Matt (3), Mike (3)
MEMORABLE PHOTOS
I’m not much of a photographer, but between my friends and I, we got some decent shots. Here are some of the best of the year from shows I was at — photos by me unless otherwise noted.
Concert moments
Concert people
You may have noticed …
There’s been a name change and new logo — a rebranding!
To celebrate a year, and because when I started this I worried a lot more about the posts than the Substack itself, I rebranded with a new name, web address and logo (don’t worry, you don’t have to do anything if you’re already a subscriber and all the old posts are still there).
I knew going in I was writing this for me, but it was important that I was getting interaction — that these posts were being enjoyed and stimulating thought.
I have had thoughts about scrapping it a few times. But two things have kept me coming back:
I love writing this.
Every piece I’ve written has resulted in at least one (usually more) interaction where someone either told me they enjoyed what I wrote, found it interesting, agreed with it or disagreed with.
At some point I told myself once I quit getting interactions, I would quit writing. My year-end pieces are my 33rd and 34th posts and it hasn’t quit happening.
Why Illinois Drifter?
I was born in Iowa (right on the Illinois border in Keokuk, Iowa), but have lived in Illinois all my life — from Quincy to Fowler to Mendon to Peoria to Macomb to Jacksonville to Galesburg to Decatur.
Plus, I love to travel. I drove a lot during my days as a sportswriter on the high school beat and I saw a lot of this state — I know it well. I’m willing to do a little driving to see a great show — especially in the Decatur triangle, which also includes Missouri and Indiana.
What have you missed?
You can find everything at illinoisdrifter.substack.com.
There are a lot of concert reviews, some personal stories, book reviews, new music reviews and much more.
Check it out, and if you’re not already a subscriber, go ahead and enter your email address below. It’s free!
The year in music 2024: New music edition
With the caveat that ranking music is dumb, but also that I’m the first dummy to click on any kind of music rankings every time, here’s how I heard 2024.
Concerts 2023: A review
One of the priorities I made with my re-discovery of music was to see more live shows.
Concerts 2023: The Outtakes
Almost every time I come home from the store, I have some story to tell my wife about an odd encounter or annoyance. She claims these things never happen to her.