The return of our very popular interview with bloggers! Check out Brad’s Boston concert recommendations on Songkick.

Boston blogger: Bradley’s Almanac
Brad’s one of the original music bloggers, and we’re really honored to have him pick shows for us for May and June. He puts on his own concerts in Boston, featuring indie faves like Film School. Plus he does ticket giveaways and posts awesome live recordings. What more could you ask for from your local blogger?

1. Name, age, and occupation: Brad Searles, age twenty-eighteen, dad, blogger, drummer, computer software tester.

1. How long have you lived in Boston? Next month will make it a decade since I moved here from my hometown of Burlington, Vermont.

1. Favorite Boston venue and why? I like several different ones for different reasons (and for different bands), but I’ll pick two for faves: TT the Bears in Cambridge and Great Scott in Allston. I frequent them most often. Both have friendly staff, generally good sound, and are small enough to really connect with the bands. Great Scott has the location (just a few blocks from my house), but TTs has the pool tables. Too close to call.

1. How long have you been blogging? In general, about 8 years. About music specifically, maybe 5 years.

1. How did you choose the name of your blog? In the mid-90s, some friends in a band called the Madelines wrote a song called “Bradley’s Almanac” that supposedly used some things I said for lyrics. Lucky for me, it turned out to be a personal fave, and a ready-made theme song for the ‘Nac years in advance.
2. First concert? That my parents took me to: The Charlie Daniels Band at the Champlain Valley Fair in, um, 1981? (Hey, I grew up in Vermont).
   That I asked my parents take me to: Foreigner and Loverboy, Saratoga, NY in 1984.

1. Most recent concert? Film School, the Douglas Fir, and the Broken River Prophet at TT the Bears on April 28th (a show I was very proud to present).

1. Most memorable concert? Why? Off the top of my head, Ride and Slowdive at Rockcandy in Seattle, 1992. Perfect pairing: both bands at their peak, a great venue and sound, and in the company of good friends. Bonus points: kicking around a soccer ball with the Ride boys in the parking lot. Runner Up: Arcwelder, Six Finger Satellite, and Jesus Lizard in Burlington, VT, also in 1992. Three amazing bands who pummeled me in their own special ways. So much pure power on stage. Mind = blown.

1. Most disappointing? Why? Probably Explosions in the Sky at the Middle East Downstairs last year. An obnoxious, crammed-in crowd, bad sound, and high expectations from previous EitS shows caused me to bail after just a few songs. Unthinkably, I was much happier being at home.

1. Dream line-up? An 8-band bill, the Saturday schedule for my impossible dream festival: Elliott Smith, Bedhead, Silkworm, the Housemartins, Unwound, Pond, Ride, and Joy Division.

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