BEST OF 2017: Steve Nover’s Top 50 Concerts of the Year

By Steve Nover
Photograph by Andrzej Pilarczyk

A major reason I’m still in the 518 after coming here to SUNY Albany is the great music scene. Although the local scene needs many more venues for all the bands that want to find an audience, the venues for national acts are great for a population this size.

Here’s to another great year in music…

50. Marcia Ball @ the Upper Room, Albany, February 16
49. Aimee Mann @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, April 25
48. Soul Asylum / Cracker @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, July 19
47. Freddie McGregor @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, June 28
46. Loudon Wainwright III / Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, October 28
45. Renaissance @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, October 29
44. Bruce Cockburn @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, November 5
43. Cowboy Junkies @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, November 4
42. Average White Band / Victory Soul Orchestra @ Alive at 5, Jennings Landing, Albany, June 15
4i. Branford Marsalis Quartet / Kurt Elling @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, April 27
40. Shawn Colvin / Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, November 10
39. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, October 13
38. Ana Popovic / Super 400 @ Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, May 23
37. Regina Carter @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, February 11
36. RetroFutura with Howard Jones, the English Beat, Modern English, Paul Young, Men Without Hats, Katrina @ Times Union Center, Albany, August 13
35. Los Straitjackets @ The Hangar on the Hudson, Troy, August 22

34. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, June 14
33. Rhiannon Giddens @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, August 6
32. SFJazz Collective @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, March 31
31. Pat Metheny @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, January 18
30. Brand X @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, October 12
29. Garland Jeffreys @ The Linda, Albany, May 6
28. David Rawlings @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, December 2
27. The Funky Meters / Wurliday @ Corning Preserve, Albany, July 13
26. Charles Bradley & His Extraoadinaires @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, July 26
25. David Bromberg / Jerry Douglas @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, October 27
24. Los Lobos @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, January 29
23. Alabama Shakes @ Palace Theatre, Albany, August 1
22. The Last Waltz 40 Tour with Warren Haynes, Michael McDonald, Don Was, Garth Hudson, Jamey Johnson, John Medeski, Cyril & Ivan Neville @ Palace Theatre, Albany, February 2
21. Chicano Batman / The Sea, The Sea @ the Hollow Bar & Kitchen, Albany, July 31
20. Bob Dylan / Mavis Staples @ Palace Theatre, Albany, November 17
19. Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Somi, Michael Benedict & Boptitude, the Piggly Wigglies, the Jecco Trio @ Jennings Landing, Albany, September 9
18. PearlPalooza with Rubblebucket, K. Flay, Arkells, Colony House, Kimono Dragons, Front Business @ North Pearl Street, Albany, September 16
17. Adrian Belew Power Trio @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, May 12
16. Chick Corea Elektric Band / Bela Fleck & the Flecktones @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, August 5
15. Spoon / White Reaper @ Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, December 5
14. Gillian Welch @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, July 2
13. Wailing Souls @ Club Helsinki, Hudson, July 3
12. Black Uhuru @ Club Helsinki, Hudson, October 6
11. Ziggy Marley @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, July 20
10. The Wailers @ Cohoes Music hall, Cohoes, October 17
9. Amadou & Mariam / Jojo Abot @ Music Haven, Central Park, Schenectady, July 16
8. Richard Thompson @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany, December 1
7. The Fab Faux @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, April 29
6. John McLaughlin / Jimmy Herring @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, November 2
5. Rod Stewart / Cyndi Lauper @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, July 22
4. Bryan Ferry / Judith Owen @ Proctors, Schenectady, March 30
3. Roger Waters @ Times Union Center, Albany, September 23
2. King Crimson @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany, November 8 & 9
1. New Order @ Radio City Music Hall, New York City, April 13

MORE BEST OF 2017 LISTS
RICHARD BRODY’S Top 22 Concerts
MICHAEL ECK’S Top 10 Concerts
RUDY LU’S Top 12 Favorite Concerts
FRED RUDOFSKY’S Favorite 50 Albums
ED CONWAY’S Bakers’ Dozen Best Concerts
J HUNTER’S Best Jazz2K Releases (Part Deux)
DON WILCOCK’S Top 8 Blues Albums (And Year-End Rant)
WES SENECA’S Best Third Member of a Duo, Fourth Member of a Trio, Fifth Member of a Quartet…
STANLEY A. JOHNSON’S Top 12 (Or So) Live Music Performances
J HUNTER’S Best Jazz2K Releases (Part I)