No matter how much you want to attribute egotism to the idea, it's a hell of a thing to perform in front of a crowd. Depending on how much of you you let show, something very special can happen. Thinking back on my year of attending live shows, one immediately comes to mind that illustrates this point.

Sad Mr. Robert Another Coward of Love (aka Sean Alexander) performed at The New Frontier in September and, though his set was a mere five songs and the rest of the bill was made up of more than capable bands (Humble Cub, Check Please, Tallest Tree), Alexander fairly well stole the show. One man at a piano, a bucket of ice water by his side (for dunking his head into) and a series of strained, awkward songs. His set culminated in several painful yelps. Boy, it was a sight to see.

In no particular order, I'd like to share some of my favorite memories from other shows I saw in 2010.

JAPANTHER: Aug. 20, Peabody Waldorf Gallery

It turns out that no band quite as loud as opener Muhummadali had performed at the Peabody Waldorf before. When the salon below the gallery complained that their walls were shaking, it was decided to take the show out onto the sidewalk. There, a smallish crowd stood in the 5 o'clock sun and watched as Japanther took the, er, stage. The two-piece band rocked up until the very moment the cops arrived to bust up the fun.

PEOPLE UNDER THE SUN: June 11, The New Frontier Lounge

After moving to Portland, James Jenkins - formerly of Mama Loves Daddy and Umber Sleeping - made his triumphant return to Tacoma with his new band, People Under the Sun. Where Mama Loves Daddy embraced '60s psych and '70s punk, People Under the Sun didn't even use guitars. Armed only with a couple of keyboards, a drum machine and a flutist(!), Jenkins' new project (somewhat shockingly) reveled in the sort of music you might hear at an '80s roller rink. This seismic tonal shift, if nothing else, makes this a memorable show for me.

BLOWFLY, GIRL TROUBLE: March 27, The New Frontier Lounge

This easily wins as the most bizarre show I've seen all year. Blowfly, the legendary singer of dirty comedy songs, was an odd choice to pair up with local favorites Girl Trouble. But the pairing worked, as the two bands way of embracing the ridiculous and interacting with the audience complemented each other well.

CHAIN AND THE GANG: July 3, The New Frontier Lounge

Now this is a goddamn performance. Ian Svenonius' most recent project, Chain and the Gang, is a kind of gospel/garage/soul amalgamation that might sound absurd on paper, but completely works in a live setting. Svenonius struts and high kicks across the stage with a James Brown-esque sense of showmanship. Seeing Chain and the Gang makes you realize how often you watch a guy just standing there playing guitar.

PWRFL POWER: June 11, The Squawk Box

A man and his guitar, sitting in a folding chair. A virtuoso, keeping his head down and doing his job. Those moments when he rises to his feet as the music takes control. You had to be there.

WILD FLAG: Nov. 10, Northern

What a joy it was to see the first-ever show from the all-girl, indie rock supergroup that is Wild Flag - to be so close to Carrie Brownstein that I thought she'd whack me with the neck of her guitar. They sounded like Wild Flag had been around forever. I anxiously await the band's debut album, expected in early 2011.

STRENGTH: Oct. 8, The New Frontier Lounge

I missed Strength the first time around; I wouldn't let that happen again. I sucked down a couple whiskey sours and jumped on that dance floor. The next day (and for a few days after), I felt like I had been hit by a car. In actuality, I just had a hell of a time dancing like nobody was watching.

LINK: Concert Alert