2010 was a critical turning point in my life. I’m sure a lot of people say that about their years, I haven’t in quite a few. Because for the past four I’ve sort of just been content “Watching the Wheels” as John Lennon would say. I’ve been on the blue-collar scene since June 2007, a 40 hour a week working man, doing very little else. 2011 sees me staying on that scene, but it’s also like I’m Andy Dufresne secretly tunneling out, giving me an option out the back way. The reason for that is because I’m heading back to school in a couple weeks trying to get that illusive undergrad degree that’s now been a near decade in the making. We’ll see how this goes, I’ve had several olive branches reaching out to me to keep me above the flood.
2010 also saw my most fruitful year in concerts. Never did I think in 2010, I would go to two massive music festivals in Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Lollapalooza was incredible as I’ve chronicled before, but I still have to give the edge to Bonnaroo because it was just another type of beast all together. A modern-day Woodstock where you’re really left to your own devices while camping. Plus I thought it was really great traveling as far as Tennessee to go to Bonnaroo. Really considering going back next year considering its the 10th anniversary of the event. In total, here was Matt Ireland’s Roadkill concert tour ’10:
Muse: March 12th @ the United Center in Chicago, IL
Fruit Bats: March 26th @ The Mill in Iowa City, IA
Black Keys: April 8th @ the IMU Ballroom on University of Iowa Campus in Iowa City, IA
Deer Tick: April 10th @ The Mill in Iowa City, IA
Local Natives: May 18th @ The Mill in Iowa City, IA
The Tallest Man on Earth: May 21st @ The Mill in Iowa City, IA
Bonnaroo Music Festival: June 10th-13th @ Manchester, TN
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: July 17th @ the United Center in Chicago, IL
Lollapalooza Music Festival: August 6th-8th @ Grant Park in Chicago, IL
Blitzen Trapper: August 10th @ Gabe’s Oasis in Iowa City, IA
Band of Horses: October 1st @ the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, IA
Iron & Wine: October 12th @ the IMU Ballroom on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, IA
Bob Dylan: October 24th @ the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls, IA
The Hold Steady: November 17th @ the Blue Moose Tap in Iowa City, IA
Free Energy: December 9th @ the Blue Moose Tap in Iowa City, IA
Oh yeah, and there’s that Girl From the North Country Fair, Ms. Maggie Mills that I got entangled with. 6+ months, couldn’t be happier. Thanks Margaret.
Thought the fire might have went out in 2009, but I knew the light was never dyin’.
With a twinkle in my eye and a Zissou finger pointing towards 2011, I see hope.
Smoke ‘um if you got ‘um.
Drink your glasses to the bottom.
And toast me on another year.
Another year of hope.
Another year of holding on.
For you drinkers by day who are bastards by dawn.
-William Elliott Whitmore
Matt Ireland's Blog 