2012: The Next Frontier

January 2012: An Uplifting Show

January 25, 2012

Coming into the year 2012, the performers knew that, given the high sense of momentum heading into the year (thanks to two outstanding pep rallies in late December), that 2012 could be as good as 2011. But would it be possible that it could be better than 2011? In 2011, it felt the ceiling had been reached as far as what concerts could do. And the result was one of the most fulfilling concert years in history. It was really that good. Not much was revealed or leaked about the music for January 2012 heading into the year, but it was really easy to make a determination about it on debut night on January 4^th. Andy was going to rely on classiciscm, even more so than 2011. And Gary was going to live on alternative surf rock and punk. These were the names of the game early and often in January, and these two themes never really stopped. And that lead to a very consistent and defined concert month to start the year. Oh, and the other intangible was that the humor level was once again very high (it was like that in 2011 as well), and the fun factor was enormous (even more than 2011). The basement appearance and positions of the performers also stayed static throughout the month, which also contributed to this very consistent month.

2012 started off heaps better than 2011 did. 2011 started in a frozen ice world, and the concerts were a little on the damp side until late February. It just took a long time to get things going. But January 2012 quickly expounded that memory. It well excelled it. The performers also seemed younger and fuller of energy this month. It almost seemed like they got a second wind, and just basically did what they knew what to do best. At the beginning of 2011, the performers seemed aged, and seemed slow out of the gate. In 2012, they were electric and lively from the start, and it never stopped or hit a snag. But also, they were just as much focused and determined in their concert plans and the music they played. They were very prideful in what they wanted to do this month, and it showed. The lighting came back also and created a more energetic climate, instead of the darkened and bland appearance of the basement in January 2011. There were aspects of January 2011 that were timeless and special in their own rights, it wasn’t all bad, but there was a darkness to it that didn’t make it fully appealing. January 2012 was a much better product. It was more uplifting, it was more accomplished.

Overall, January 2012 will go down as one of the best January’s to ever start a concert year. It was almost as good as January 2010, and was about on par as January 2008. As a matter of fact, at times it felt almost just like January 2008, even some of the music was identical to it. But at the end of the day, January 2012 was January 2012, and had plenty of newities and creativity to it, and new life, that really made it a special way to begin what will absolutely be a very interesting 8^th concert year.