So long 2011! - a year end review

2011 is officially over ...in SouthSide's mind.

So, she would like to say "thanks for the fun memories!"

Well, blogspot readers, another successful On The Town year is history. During 2011, she met, reviewed and/or interviewed over 110 touring bands/artists nationally and internationally ...locally - too numerous to count but SouthSide did top last year's record by logging in 185 shows/events and more. Certainly a feat that may not happen again ...but who knows. Plus, she celebrated five magical years as her nom de plume, got tangled within some celebrity gossip (if you have heard one about her - it's probably not accurately true), made a few people in Hollywood cry, and survived snowmageddon as well as moved one step closer to finishing her top secret project - a full-length novel about the rise and fall of a fictional rock band. Yep, it has been one heck of year for this local scene queen/party gal/reviewer et al.

First SouthSide would like to take a moment of silence to remember those that left the music scene this year: Window Licker Records, Lophophora, Echoson, Buried By The Ocean, Gabba Gabba Hey, Waste (now known as Dashing Assassins), Digital Mindy (though in hiatus but now known as V Is For Villains), The Branded, Bumpus (now known as Dance Floor Plans), Danger Is My Middle Name, Chainwax, Girl Activity, Backyard Tire Fire (in hiatus), Lucid Ground, 72 Hrs, and Material Issue (performing their last show on New Year's Eve) ...and many more that this reviewer might have missed to name. These names may have left the scene but they won't be forgotten...

SouthSide did do some traveling this year and saw the world. Well, not exactly. The world came to Chicago and she was there for most of the touring shows that hit town during 2011 ...some from both sides of the US coast and others from various points of the world. She has either reviewed and/or interviewed the following lists...

Internationally:
Inbal Paz (Isreal); The Clean Boys (Denmark); Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit (Scotland); For A Minor Reflection (Iceland); Chateau Marmont (France); The Parlotones - twice (South Africa); Drawn From Bees, Strange Karma, Grayson (Australia); Diafanes, Eric Matern (Brazil); Dave Rave, Kid Koala, Front Line Assembly, Parallels (Canada); Acrassicauda (Iraq); Depeche Mode, Capelle (UK); Zoe (Mexico); and Lehnen (Austria)

Nationally:
Jesse Payne, Satan's Youth Ministers (AL); Blood On The Dance Floor (AZ); Jesselee Santos/Millennium Dance Complex, Tony Lucca, Gaelic Storm, Tower of Power, Gemini Syndrome, Rival Sons, Dismantled, Nikka Costa, Clandestine, Spineshank, honeyhoney, New Year's Day, adema, Burial At Sea, Kid Ink (CA); Oakhurst (CO); Seth Adam (CT); Honor By August (DC); Traverser, Pocket of Lollipops, Atom Smash (FL); Dick Delicious & The Tasty Testicles, Nashville Pussy (GA); Mike Milligan, We Are Hex, Kevin Crafton (IN); Darlingside, Mark Erelli, Lori McKenna (MA); Emilio Basa, Carrie Westbay, Raybirds, Mike Freer, Celldweller (MI); The Poor Nobodys, The Big Strong Men, Swallows, Phantom Tails (MN); Jameson and the Sordid Seeds (MT); Papadosio, Jonathan Scales (NC); Joshua James (NE); My Chemical Romance, Kosha Dillz (NJ); Riley Etheridge, Xylos, Apache Stone, Lake Street Dive - twice, Lady Gaga, Aaron Zimmer, C.J. Ramone, The World Famous Pontani Sisters, Angelspit, Donna the Buffalo, Designer Drugs, Hanzel Und Gretyl, DJ Maseo of De La Soul (NY); Mr. Gnome (OH); Ben Rector (OK); The Prids (OR); 28 North, Ryat, Mistallica (PA); Skytown Riot, Sound & Shape, The Great Barrier Reefs, Victor Wooten, Los Straitjackets (TN); White Ghost Shivers, The Von Ehrics, The Warm Guns (TX); Jared Finck (WA); Desert Noises (UT); Ian Olvera & The Sleepwalkers, Black Saints, Venus In Furs, The Fatty Acids, Esh The Singer (WI)

SouthSide hopes to see them rockin' a Chicago stage again in 2012.

Lastly but not least, SouthSide would like to say "thank you" to a LONG list of people, venues, and things that helped contribute to her exciting year. First and foremost to the biggest fans, her two daughters for putting up with Mom's late night antics, listening to her "horror" stories and busy schedule. Then to that special man in SouthSide's life ...without his ever-loving patience and well, she'll spare you the details about that but he's still getting used to the idea that his fiancee is a "celebrity". And now the following (in NO particular order, so don't get jealous, folks, if SouthSide doesn't mention you by name)... THANK YOU to Lidia (of Last Rites/The Abbey Pub), Tom (of Tag Publicity), Dennis (of Chicago Music Guide), Lori (of Double Double), August (of NoVo Arts Inc) as well as many other publicists/management agencies for keeping this reviewer's calendar constantly full with shows and review/interview opportunities during 2011 ...thanks to exposing her to some great new music too. She's looking forward to working with you again in 2012 ...to Dave Cook, Brian Bender, Matt (that loveable door guy/bartender), Jesse, Sol, Joey, Dimitri, Kayla and the other colorful cast of Elbo Room - just a reminder you have more than three months to scheme on how to get SouthSide "drunk" on her birthday (i.e. April 21) ...to Reggie's (both Rock Club and Music Joint), Cubby Bear, Beat Kitchen, Metro, Uncommon Ground, Elbo Room, Double Door, SubT, Debonair Social Club, House of Blues, LaSalle Power Company, Hard Rock Cafe, Angels & Kings, SPACE (in Evanston), Ultra Lounge, Empty Bottle, Lincoln Hall, Schuba's, Hideout, The Abbey Pub, Martyrs', Old Town School of Folk Music, Quenchers, The Mutiny, Bottom Lounge, Cobra Lounge, Congress Theatre, Evil Olive, Darkroom, Goose Island, and many, many more that SouthSide forgot to mention for another long rockin' year of live music performances - will be visiting you again soon in 2012 ...to super cool guy Mayor Rahm Emanuel for checking out the local music scene around town - it's nice to see a Chicago mayor taking interest in what makes this city so great for live music ...to Staples and Target for keeping this busy reviewer well-equipped with notepads and pens all year long ...to all my local bands/artists friends, SouthSide wishes she could personally name each and every of you but she might forget someone in the process but THANK YOU for another year of rockin' music and shows ...to your fans - THANKS for supporting your favorite band(s) all year long ...to Project Exploration for another year of making science seem so much fun besides it being educational ...and to my blogspot readers near and far, seen and unseen - thanks for reading this blog. She hopes you enjoyed the adventures as much as she did (wait until the "tell-all" book comes out ...does she have some stories to tell!).

In closing, SouthSide has to give an extra special "thank you" to her guardian angel for keeping this reviewer safe and sound ...traveling around town alone can be dangerous especially when coming home late (sometimes 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning) on public transportation.

*sighs*

SouthSide hopes she didn't forget anyone...

Goodbye, 2011 ...hello 2012 ...hoping it's another rockin' year around town reviewing and supporting the local scene ...and she wishes everyone a safe and bright new year!

Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide