Top 10 Shows of All Time: 7-10

7. Beck: Brandeis University, MA, 1996. An incredible showman, celebrates kooky nerddom, a born entertainer. And that white boy can dance.

8. Seal: The Orpheum, Boston, MA, 1994. Some of the most divinely romantic, soulful crooning ever. Still can't tell which was sexier -- his silk pajamas or his silk voice. I know, I know, you can stop retching now. What can I say, chicks dig him.

9. Neil Finn: 9:30 Club, DC, 2002. I don't own a single one of his albums and only went on a lark, cuz the ticket was free. Man, am I glad I did. His connection with the audience was so personal. He actually hoisted a girl up on stage and had her sing an entire song for him. It was obvious that it was a dream come true for her, the audience sang at the top of their lungs with her, and I swear there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The venue's intimacy probably had a lot to do with that, which is the main reason it's my favorite place to see live music.

10. Linkin Park: Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA, 2004. These guys rock. I may be a bit old to be such a huge fan, but their songwriting actually speaks to me. It's that whole tortured, angst-ridden thing, I guess. Chester's voice sounded great on both the screams and the sensitive sung moments, Mike Shinoda proved he can actually rap, and the band demonstrated an ability to connect with a crowd that was way beyond their years. I mean they're like 12 years old, right? Amazingly mature performers. And fighting my way to the front of the pit was well worth it.