The DCist music staff had a busy year in 2010. In between interviewing dozens of local and touring acts and keeping everyone abreast of events like benefits and record fairs, our writers and photographers covered 97 concerts. 97! So, in addition to reliving some of our favorite moments via the great work of our photographers (see above), we’d like to recognize the performers who came into our venues and made our jaws hit the floor. These were the events that made our feet sore, our ears ring and our hearts swell with the sort of pride and joy that we had been there. These are our top twenty D.C. area shows of 2010.

20) John Davis @ The Writer’s Center:

Through their part in the Story/Stereo series, Chad Clark and Matthew Byars have brought many local heroes (such as Will Eastman and Devin Ocampo) to this Bethesda literary nook to rock out amongst poets and short story writers. All have been impressive, but John Davis’ retrospective — in which he took us, VH1 Storytellers-style, through his songwriting processes and band breakups in an understated manner that was all the more compelling. Add in the closest thing we’ll probably ever see to a Q and not U reunion as Chris Richards joined Davis for a performance of “No Damage Nocturne” that brought me to tears. To repeat: I have never considered myself a diehard Q and not U fan and I was in tears.