As my good friends in Dr. Dog would say, “Where’d All the Time Go?”

Like most concert junkies out there, it’s easy to look back on 2010 and think about the concerts that I should have gone to but didn’t, for whatever reason popped up that kept me on the couch with my blankie and watching “Friends” reruns. Tight budget? Hangover? General lameness? They all showed up at one point or another.

But New Year’s is always a time for reflection on the year past, for looking ahead at what’s to come, and making stupid “go to the gym more” promises that will fizzle out in a cloud of whiskey and Häagen-Dazs by mid-January.

With that in mind, let’s take a look back at some of the best concerts of 2010 in Sacramento. Needless to say, I can only speak intelligently (?) to the ones that I actually attended. Henceforth, I’ll employ a little help from the archives of Sac Press’ Lindol French, the only guy I know who is more juiced on live music in this town than I am.

I’ve taken the liberty of ranking the shows from ten all the way up to number one, because everyone loves a good top ten list, right?

We’ll also check out a few names that are slated to come to town in the early goings of 2011. Happy New Year, Sactown!

10. Neil Young Tribute Show – While it’s nearly impossible to tag local bands for this list, given the frequency with which they play, this show easily deserves top-ten billing for its collaborative tour de force of Sactown talent. Although a rogue out-of-towner closed it out, the locals’ takes on Neil Young’s catalog were bone rattling, with highlights coming from Reggie Ginn (“Like a Hurricane”), Saucer (“Down By the River,” “Rockin’ in the Free World”) and David Houston (“Southern Man”). It was a tale of two halves, with some majorly random Young tunes filling up the early goings, and his classics like “Old Man” and “Harvest Moon” bringing home a juggernaut of a tribute show. (Harlow’s, mid-November).

9. Trombone Shorty – I missed this gig, but had the pleasure of seeing him about a month prior in Petaluma, and it can be safely said that Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is one of the most enigmatic performers out there, melding jazz, funk, soul and rock into a hip-blasting package. Let’s hope he follows up on his recent Sacto appearances, now that he appears to be on the cusp of a huge breakout – performing on NFL Network with Dave Matthews Band will do that. (Harlow’s, mid-September).

8. Matisyahu – It’s amazing that we’ve come to a point where people will complain about something that’s free, but many attendees of the Jewish Heritage Festival were noticeably restless when featured performer Matisyahu (a bit of a notorious diva) dragged his feet in arriving at the steps of Capitol Mall for his promised afternoon performance. A performer that normally charges around $50 a head, and we’re upset because he didn’t start his free show on time? Hmmmm. Nagging aside, a graying Matisyahu and accompanying guitarist DP Holmes (of Dub Trio) put on a spiritually transcendent show for a packed crowd in the springtime sun. This was a treat of rare proportions in Sacramento – and we’re not just talking about seeing a major music star answer his cell phone mid-performance. Classic! (Capitol Mall, early May)

7. Band of Horses – It’s hard to reconcile yourself with the fact that Band of Horses just will not turn loose on their tunes and jam them out; all their songs are played pretty much totally by the book in concert. With that said, their crooning pop rock and Americana energy makes their concerts a familiar delight, performed with razor-sharp precision. Good luck seeing them at any venue smaller than Arco Arena any time soon. (UC Davis Freeborn Hall, late May)

6. The Silent Comedy – At this point it’s fair to say that this band of San Diego juke joint ruffians has found a second home in Sactown, with a brand of rowdy Prohibition indie rock that has made gigs at the Shady Lady a thematically natural fit. They slaughtered “Helpless” at the aforementioned Neil Young tribute, and biggest ups from a busy year from the 619 to the 916 go to their Sunday night hoedown at Old I’s over Labor Day weekend. After tearing down the walls, they shook some hands, kissed some babies, packed up the van, and scampered immediately out to catch last call at the Shady…just as it should be. Everybody at the bar say “amen!” (Old Ironsides, early September)

5. G. Love & Special Sauce – Although hampered by a mid-week midnight curfew, the one-of-a-kind hip hop and blues fusion of Garrett Dutton and the Sauce was in its usual fine form at his first Sacramento stop in four years. Mark Boyce was a sniper with his soul charged keyboard work, and Timo Shanko has melded in nicely with group in replacing the departed Jimi “Jazz” Prescott, but it is Dutton’s casually cool bluesman attitude and funk-charged emcee energy that made this performance sizzle. Just another day at the office for this veteran performer. (Harlow’s, mid-February)

4. Soulive – Lindol French had you covered on this one – for my money, any Soulive show in the era beyond their failed attempt at including a vocalist is a winner. The brothers Evans and guitar diety Eric Krasno are impossible to not discuss in the conversation of most talented jazz acts on the planet. (Harlow’s, mid-December)

3. Truth & Salvage Co. – Call this the “lifetime achievement” award for the year, as these cats from North Carolina swung through town three times this year, twice as an opener, and finally as a headliner, aided by digital persuading by two Sac Press writers who were delusional enough to think that they actually had something to do with it. From the opening notes of “Hail Hail,” they grabbed a small but enthusiastic early-Saturday rainy evening crowd by the throat and did not let go. “Smitty” and the gang also spent plenty of time out hobnobbing with the crowd, signaling that their budding fling with Sacramento might turn into a full-on tryst in 2011. (Harlow’s, early December)

2. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – This one somehow flew under the radar, but you will seldom see Harlow’s so packed with a crowd that was not quite “metal,” but hard rock enough to counter the usual crop of trend-trolling revelers. This trio’s energy when playing live is lamentably underrated, as they pumped song after song of throwback hard rock energy (Johnny Cash meets Johnny Ramone) into a foreboding tower of speakers and amps, playing for well over two hours worth of blood-in-the-mud rock and roll. You haven’t really had your ass kicked by a concert if you’re not sweating bullets when you leave with ears humming. Wowza! (Harlow’s, mid-February)

1. The Avett Brothers – Ultimately, this was a no-brainer. There is something special about Seth and Scott Avett; they’re the kind of band that will keep you constantly invigorated with their show even if you’ve never heard a single song before. The songwriting is honest, the passion cascading over the walls of any hall they choose to play. Seeing them play live in a sit-down venue is a bit like going into the Sistine Chapel and not looking up; getting on your feet and letting it loose to their rock-heavy bluegrass wiles is just part of the gig. But when one person decided to open the floodgates towards the end of the show as they played “Laundry Room,” everything was right in the world again. Very few bands with their relatively short history will sell out the Crest – this show made believers out of the new initiates and resonated heavily for weeks afterwards. They came for salvation, they came for family, they came for all that’s good, that’s how they walk away. (Crest Theatre, late April)

There you have it, this was your best of 2010. Will one of these shows below make the 2011 list? Who knows? Expect to see more on most if not all of the following acts in upcoming Sactown Rundowns. Cheers!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

30 Seconds to Mars with Middle Class Rut – Jan. 16, UC Davis Freeborn Hall
Ra Ra Riot – Jan. 22, Harlow’s
Dawes – Feb. 1, UC Davis Odd Fellows Lodge
Social Distortion with Lucero – Feb. 1, UC Davis Freeborn Hall
Clutch – Feb. 1, Harlow’s
John Scofield – Feb. 11, Mondavi Center
Sugar & Gold – Feb. 12, Blue Lamp
Hot Buttered Rum – Feb. 18, Marilyn’s on K
Cobra Skulls – Feb. 18, Luigi’s Fungarden
ALO – Feb. 19, Harlow’s
The Stone Foxes – Feb. 23, Powerhouse Pub
The Concretes – March 3, Blue Lamp
Joe Buck Yourself – March 4, Blue Lamp
Kaki King – March 6, Harlow’s