Howdy all! Hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas! We just wanted to revisit ten general things that happened this year that stand out in our minds. It’s been a good year, here’s hoping 2011 will be even better!
R.E.M. Turns 30
Wowzers! What a month! Between the amazing R.E.M. 30 concert at the Melting Point, all the good friends coming from all over into Athens, and the mind-blowing experience of spinning 5 hours of R.E.M. rarities and b-sides on WUOG, we barely had time to breathe! Next up, 25 years of Widespread Panic in 2011!
ATHFEST
It was hot, wasn’t it? But boy was it fun! We romped and rocked through the many days and nights of music, got drenched at the Modern Skirts and sweated with Reptar. This year promises to be even better!
The Return of POPFEST
Man oh man oh man! Did we miss you, Popfest! Mission of Burma, Apples in Stereo, and on and on and on. Glad to have you back!
David Barbe Takes Over
Bruce Burch and Co. left for Kennesaw to start a Music Business program there but decided to leave local music hero David Barbe in charge. Since then, things seem to be going swimmingly for both programs. YAY!
Graduation
I graduated from UGA in May and our awesome intern Sofia graduated in December. Woot! Even better than spending a ton on an education? The way your degree comes mailed in a dumb little tube. *facepalm*
New Addictions
Our most popular recurring feature this year on AMJ? New Addictions. We’ll have a ton more during 2011, I assure you, but we’re always up for recommendations! If you’ve heard an awesome band that you think deserves some props, let us know!
Closings and Openings
Bye-bye Tasty World Uptown, hello Hendershot’s! Goodbye to Deaf Judges, Leading Edge, Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings, and so many more.
Awesome New Albums
We rocked out to The Humms, mourned the Ga Theatre with Venice is Sinking, got befuddled by the changes of direction that Dead Confederate and the Modern Skirts took, wondered what’s going on with of Montreal, drooled over Twin Tigers and Nana Grizol, wept at the awesomeness that is Bambara, Gift Horse, and Elf Power…. just too much goodness to handle!
Awkward Situations, We had them!
Oh, like getting stuck in an elevator. Or nearly dying in Columbus… that was fun. Or living out of a suitcase for six months. Yeah. All part of life’s rich pageant, right? (See what I did there?)
YOU! You’re Awesome!
Far and away, our best times have revolved around y’all, the readers. You’ve read post after post, helped us answer some debatable issues, entered our contests, joined our facebook and twitter pages, and so so so much more. We love you! Thanks!
And that’s just 10 things. What happened this year for you?
athensmusicjunkie.com 
Ten things form 2010 – hmm…
1. Significant life change when my dad was diagnosed with grade 4 brain cancer (this two weeks after being diagnosed with carcinoid cancer in his stomach)
2. I met Mike Mills
3. I met Jordan Stepp
4. R.E.M. 30 Concert at the Melting Point with my wife
5. I made many new memories with my wife, my dad, my son, and my daughter throughout the year
6. I met half of the NY Jets coaching staff including GM Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan
7. I met 3/4 of Jars Of Clay
8. I secured the cooperation of Bigfoot (the monster truck) driver Darron Schnell in developing a fifth grade physics unit in which we staged experiments pitting a 1/10 scale radio control monster truck vs. Bigfoot 11…and I sat in Bigfoot 11!
9. A drawing that I did of the R.E.M. steeple in Athens was hung in the office of Kevin O'Neal
10. My wife proved just how wonderful and gracious she is in the midst of me proving how much of a bum I can be.