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Rachel Yamagata at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park, N.J., March 13

Ray Lamontagne at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, N.J., March 31

Colin Hay at the Canal Room, New York, N.Y., April 16.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, N.J. - February 22, 2009

There are three things that you always get at a concert: music (good or bad), lots of energetic people and pot. O.k., I'm going to vent a little just because it's my blog and I can. Two of these things I thoroughly enjoy, however, the latter I have no avocation for. Don't get me wrong, I could care less if someone likes to enjoy this type of activity and I have nothing against it, but did you ask me if I wanted to inhale your second-hand waste? No. I had no choice in the matter. Yes, we were sitting in the balcony and I should know better, but I think I should be able make the decision for myself. Next time you feel like getting high at a concert (or anywhere for that matter), why don't you turn around and politely ask your fellow neighbors if they mind? Because god forbid you go outside and do your business somewhere else and come back!

Adams started off the show with "Still I See Montsers" like a psychedelic monster. You could feel the tone and vibe of the upcoming two-hour show. With what seemed like technical difficulties, the boys continued to excite the crowd with songs like "Fix It", a cowboy "I'm Ready to Go" and an 8-minute cover of "Wonderwall", which captured even the highest crowd. "Come Pick Me Up" can even get to you up in the rafters, but a distracted Adams seemed to be uneasy.

After an hour of performing, a 15-minute intermission gave the band and Adams time to unwind. A more relaxed Adams took the stage and "Goodnight Rose" shook the theatre and the crowd. You could feel the emotion with "Oh My God, Whatever, etc.", his signature sound with cowboy lyrics. The next hour Adams opens up to what he's really capable of. I think performances are like relationships - a two way street - where one energy feeds off of the other. If you have a void in either one, you don't get a good performance. I truly believe that I experienced an entirely different show than the crowd standing downstairs.

Wish List -top 5

If you could see anyone perform, who would it be? I've been known to say that I try to live my life as if money were not an obstacle. The only difference? If I won the lottery, I would just do more of it. What am I doing with my bi-weekly paychecks? Besides paying the monotonous bills, I try to attend as many performances as I can, splurge a little on my only child, take some graduate classes, travel as much as money and time allow, ski, eat some great food with friends and purchase a plethora of books that I really don't have time to read.

O.K., so my top-five performance wish list for this year:

1. Joshua James
2. Bruce Springsteen (hey, I'm a Jersey Girl through and through)
3. Regina Spektor
4. Wilco
5. Kings of Leon

What are yours?

Joshua Radin and Dar Williams New York, Webster Hall, January 23, 2009

From the streets of the Village, Joshua Radin has come a long way from his original passion of screenwriting. I was fortunate enough to have stumbled upon his music - intertwined with pensive lyrics and a melancholy tone - a new genre he calls, "whisper rock". This was my second time seeing him in New York. As he walked to the microphone, Joshua seemed happy, stating, "I just moved back to New York about four days ago..."

The crowd at Webster Hall was diverse in both gender and age - something unusual for his shows. A warm "Winter", the first song Joshua wrote, filled the room with a peaceful quietness that overcame the crowd. "What if You" ponders, and has you harshly relating, falling into his music, as if you were falling in love with someone for the first time. The show presented a surprise guest appearance of Ingrid Michaelson singing "Sky", where anyone who has been in a relationship has probably had "the dream". The whole show was not about breaking up or losing your love, but "Vegetable Car" is fun, hopeful and upbeat although his original formula works best.

Dar Williams followed, with some upbeat tunes and a soft personality. The crowd seemed to shift, but her voice kept you there for more. Her stories, songs and personality revealed a cool, hip woman who was blessed with a tranquil voice. I've never heard Dar before, and did not know any of her songs, but my favorite, "The Babysitter" was cute and witty. A perfect ending to the show.