2023 was a pretty good year of gigging for me as we emerged from a few quieter COVID years. I notched up over 60 gigs for the year across 2 continents and 3 cities. The best gigs ticked off a few bucket list artists (John Scofield, The Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter and Bright Eyes) and venues (including The Blue Note and The Bitter End in New York and City Winery in Boston) as well as old favourites who showed they still had what it takes (3 consecutive nights of Billy Bragg, plus Pavement, Jackson Browne and Tommy Emmanuel) .

So here’s my favourite 52 shows – one for every week of the year!

John Scofield Trio – The Blue Note NYC

The Smithereens feat. Marshall Crenshaw – City Winery Boston

Pavement (support Floodlights) – Enmore Theatre/Anita’s Thirroul

Jackson Browne – According to Stadium

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (support Allison Russell) – Enmore Theatre

Billy Bragg – One Step Forward Two Steps Back Tour (3 nights)

Ed Kuepper and Jim White – City Recital Hall

Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter – City Winery Boston

Bright Eyes – Enmore Theatre

Fontaines DC – NSW Roundhouse

Cat Power Sings Dylan – Sydney Opera House

Weyes Blood – Sydney Opera House

Bonnie Raitt (support Mavis Staples)

The Black Crowes – Enmore Theatre

Marlon Williams – Enmore Theatre

The Cowboy Junkies – Enmore Theatre

Lucinda Williams – Enmore Theatre

Marcus King – Enmore Theatre

Buddy Guy (support Christone Kingfish Ingram)

Eric Gales – City Winery Boston

Tommy Emmanuel- Sydney Opera House

Lloyd Cole – City Recital Hall

Jimmy Webb – City Recital Hall

The Teskey Brothers (support Emma Donovan) – Aware Super Theatre

Arlo Parks – Sydney Opera House

Alvvays – NSW Roundhouse

The Necks – Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Brodsky Quartet – Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Cecile McLorin Salvant – City Recital Hall, Sydney

Hoodoo Gurus (support Spy v Spy) – The Barracks Manly

Ed Kuepper – City Recital Hall

Floodlights – Carriageworks, Redfern

Tim Finn – Sydney Opera House

Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real – The Bowery NYC

Beck (support Robert Forster)

Sarah Lee Guthrie & the Mammals – City Winery Boston

Amanda Brown (support The SnarskiLindyCircusBand) – City Recital Hall

Don Walker – The Factory

Emma Donovan – City Recital Hall

Camp Cope – Sydney Opera House

Thundercat – Sydney Opera House

Ed Kuepper & Jim White – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Foo Fighters (support The Chats) – Accor Stadium, Sydney

Ben Kweller – Racket, NYC

The Cars Show feat. Greg Hawkes and Eddie Japan – City Winery Boston

Ray Beadle & Redd Volkearts – Live at Studio 301, Sydney

Those Pretty Wrongs – The Great Club, Marrickville

Sister Hazel – City Winery Boston

Chris Shifflet – The Great Club, Marrickville

The Soul Movers (support The On & Ons) – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Harry Styles (support Wet Leg) – Accor Stadium, Sydney

Sting – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney