Cleveland 02/18/2015

[michelej1]

By Chuck Yarborough, The Plain Dealer on December 21, 2015 at 8:00 AM,


http://www.cleveland.com/entertainme...stones_to.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Concerts are like desserts: They're all good, it's just that some are better than others.

This year, I've probably been to 50 or more shows. Some, I went to because I had to – it's my job. Some, I went to because I wanted to – I am, first and foremost, a music fan. And I found my share of delicious crème brulee, musically speaking.

Given that there are multiple concerts just about every night of the year in Cleveland, Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Cleveland Heights and so on, there's no way I could attend all of them. So maybe I missed a gem, and you didn't. If that's the case, I'd love to hear from you.

But for me, here, in order, are the best 15 concerts I saw in Northeast Ohio in 2015, and a word or two about why:

1. Garth Brooks, Oct. 9, Quicken Loans Arena. This wasn't just the best concert of 2015; this was one of the best concerts I've seen in 10 years. Brooks has every bit of energy and charisma today that he had two decades ago, when he last played The Q.

2. Rolling Stones, May 31, Ohio Stadium. Apparently, old guys rule. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood haven't lost a step since headlining that Mayflower cruise back in 1620.

3. Green Day, April 16, House of Blues. It was supposed to be a way for new inductees Green Day to say thanks to fans for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career. Instead, it became a vehicle to showcase just why Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt have HAD a Hall of Fame career.

4. Sam Smith, July 27, CSU Wolstein Center. I confess I had issues with the similarities between his Grammy-winning "Stay With Me'' and Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down.'' But after hearing 16 soulful songs by one of the purest voices in music, I figured it'd be wise if I DID back down.

5. Fleetwood Mac, Feb. 18, The Q. An amazing thing happens when the whole team is on the field. This was Christine McVie's return to the fold, and it was magnificent. I'm not sure how, but her presence even bolstered Stevie Nicks' vocals.