Out of over 200 live acts I was fortunate to catch this past year, here are 10 of my favorites:

2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Brian Eno's landmark tribute to the NASA moon landings, Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks.

The Hi-Dive is anything but expansive. But when Other Lives played on December 14^th, on the last night of their eight month tour, the progressive folk band brought cinematic space and light to the stage with a shimmering performance.  The crowd at the sold out show was clearly enamored with these five, who between them played enough instruments for a small orchestra, and sounded like one, too.

In the build up to their five-night run at The Boulder Theater, Yonder Mountain String Band announced that a guest musician would be sitting in with them each evening.

French–born guitar virtuoso Stephane Wrembel - whose original theme song for Woody Allen’s smash hit Midnight in Paris is currently topping charts - today announces the 2012 Django A Go-Go Festival celebrating the life and music of fellow Frenchman and jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt. The wildly popular event has been an annual New York City tradition since 2005, and this year goes on the road into neighboring markets including Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Albany, D.C.

Pan Am: Music From and Inspired By the Original Series, a collection of music from and inspired by the ABC television drama, slated for January 17, 2012 CD release from Verve Music Group, is a non-stop flight back to the early ’60s.

Following the release of their new self-titled full-length album out now on No Sleep Records, and their year-end shows with Thursday and Screaming Females, Albany, NY's indie-punk hybrid Aficionado have announced a string of US tour dates supporting Electric Six. Taking place this March and April, the dates will also follow the band's return from Europe where they're currently touring the continent with friends End Of A Year Self Defense Family.With ten songs produced and recorded with AJ Mogis (Bright Eyes, M.

For the fans of the Grateful Dead most saw the time they spent as shows as an escape from reality, a dojo where the realms of the ordinary and the everyday vanished. The counterculture that surrounded that band was not only based on the years of memories captured in the hearts of millions, but like church, a Deadhead could truly have a mind-left-body experience and be closer to their spiritual selves.