Sydney Taylor’s Top 5 Concerts of 2021
Sydney Taylor here! I’m pretty sure I can speak for most of us music fans when I say that the 18 months from Spring 2020 to Summer of 2021 without ANY live music…
Sydney Taylor here! I’m pretty sure I can speak for most of us music fans when I say that the 18 months from Spring 2020 to Summer of 2021 without ANY live music (other than the occasional live stream - which let's be honest - was not the same) were pure torture... and that is a MIGHTY understatement.
There is truly something about a live show. The energy in a room full of people all there to enjoy music and have a unique shared experience is unexplainable. It is in this environment where I am most alive. You can't replicate it or find it anywhere else. Enter in July of 2021, where I was able to attend my first live show since February of 2020. It was hard not to get misty eyed staring at a crowd of people, united once again after some of the hardest months that we've ever had to face.
If there was one thing the pandemic has continued to teach all of us, is the act of gratitude and taking less for granted. In March of 2020, I realized I would never take the experience of a live show, no matter how big or small, for granted ever again. Here are the Top 5 shows that I attended in 2021 that ushered live music back in with a bang.
Feel free to let me know YOUR favorite shows of 2021 by shooting me an email at sydney.taylor@bbgi.com or reach out on Twitter (@STaylorOfficial) and Instagram (@sydneyannataylor)!
5. The Dead Daisies at The Landis Theater on 9/18/21
Photo by Sydney TaylorIf you’re unfamiliar with The Dead Daisies, I recommend that you rectify this immediately. The Australian-American band, now featuring the legendary Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Black Country Communion), Doug Aldrich (Dio, Whitesnake), Tommy Clufetos (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath) and David Lowy, checks all of the right boxes for what a classic turned modern hard rock band should look and sound like. I had the chance to see them perform at The Landis Theatre in Vineland, NJ where contemporary rock band The Black Moods and heavy metal comedian Don Jamieson opened. If you’re looking for a fun, high energy rock show featuring rock royalty, be sure to catch The Dead Daisies on their next stop in PA.
4. Accept at The Chance Theater on 12/4/21
Photo by Sydney TaylorIf you’re a heavy metal fan, specifically dating back to the 1980s, then you of course remember Accept. I traveled back to my old stomping grounds (Poughkeepsie, NY) to catch Accept at The Chance Theater - one of their only U.S. dates of the entire year. In quite simple terms, this show truly reminded me of the camaraderie, friendship, and devotion of hard rock and heavy metal fans. It was an hour and a half of pure unadulterated heavy metal and lit my rock ‘n’ roll soul on fire.
3. The Struts at The Mann Skyline Stage on 9/10/21
Photo by Johnny Louis/Getty ImagesLong before joining the WMMR family, I was an avid listener and passionate fan of The Struts. I’ve had the opportunity to see them live many times over the years and they’ve never disappointed; this time around was no different. The Struts have single handedly invigorated the glam rock scene and continue to do so with every live show and record release. The size of their ever-growing fanbase and the passion of their audience at every show, including their performance at The Mann Skyline Stage back in September, further proves this. The Struts are just getting started.
2. Alice Cooper at Ovation Hall on 9/17/21
Photo by Gary Miller/Getty ImagesIf you know me, you know there is no artist more perfect in my eyes than legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper. I’ve seen The Coop a whopping 20+ times over the last decade and 18 months without a Coop show, like I prefaced in the introduction to this list, was TORTURE. When the first date booked on his 2021 tour was at Ovation Hall in Atlantic City, NJ – I jumped for joy. An Alice Cooper show meant that everything was alright in the world (well... mostly). There’s a reason Alice Cooper is still selling out venues 50+ years after his entrance onto the scene. He never throws in the towel and gives 110% throughout the over 180 shows he plays per year. Do yourself a favor and catch The Coop the next time he’s in town!
1. Guns N' Roses at Hershey Park Stadium on 7/31/21
Photo by Gary Miller/Getty ImagesGuns N’ Roses at Hershey Park Stadium will go down in my personal history books as my first live show after the world’s 18 month live music dry spell. I’ve been listening to Guns N’ Roses since I was a child, soaking up the music that my parents played around the house like a sponge, but this was my first time seeing the band live. This was their first show of the tour, and also featured the very first live performance of a now MMRBQ alumni: Mammoth WVH. I went into this show with low expectations, but I can wholly say that Guns N’ Roses blew me AWAY. My dad always says, “You can tell a show was great when afterwards you can’t stop listening to the band.” This was exactly what happened to me post GNR. ‘Appetite For Destruction’ didn’t leave my turntable for WEEKS and I now often cite Guns N’ Roses as one of my favorite bands. This is why this show is without a doubt my #1 pick for 2021; the fact that it was the return to what makes me my happiest was a bonus.
