Yep, even if we live the most proper lives imaginable, those bad-boy songs resonate with us. Am I telling a secret here? That all guys know deep down that temptation, chaos, despair and ruin are always lurking around the corner. I will ’fess up that I seem to be drawn - how to delicately put this? - to guy music, alt-country division. My original comments (lightly edited) are sometimes followed by italicized afterthoughts and music links. They are in roughly descending order of my liking. So here are my favorite shows in Madison from 2006 to 2015 at the end, I add the Milwaukee and Chicago shows. A critic I’m not: These year-end perambulations are a fan’s notes. For 10 years I’ve written a year-end summary of my favorite shows for Isthmus, a Madison weekly. Brought to tears by Beethoven’s 9th and Gorecki’s 3rd.

Glimpsing the abyss with the fearless Jon Dee Graham. In jaw-dropping awe of masters like Yo-Yo Ma and Leonard Cohen.

Lost in the shared sway of the cosmic boogie. I love being caught up in the moment of live music. Yeah, I got a music jones. About 500 concerts and shows’ worth over 10 years. It is dedicated to the memory of Clark Anderson, slide guitarist, union organizer and friend.

This story first appeared on the Isthmus website.

Stoughton opera house county