The Pogues in D.C. on St. Patrick’s Day – “But if synchronized stage moves and intelligibility are your bags, stick to the Backstreet Boys and Kenny Chesney CDs, respectively. If it’s passion and songwriting genius you want, stand by the Pogues. MacGowan provided chills going hard — spewing profanities in ‘Poor Paddy (on the Railroad),’ a song about an Irishman ‘s life of labor – and soft, as he warbled ‘Pair of Brown Eyes’ and ‘Rainy Night in Soho.’ – Washington Post / Post Rock

Snow Patrol in Belfast – “With the group’s love of Belfast it was no surprise that Lightbody penned the hit single ‘Take Back The City’ in homage to the place they grew up in. The song was also greeted with loud cheers from the concert-goers, as were favourites ‘Chocolate,’ ‘How to be Dead,’ ‘Crack the Shutters,’ ‘Open Your Eyes’ and another favourite, ‘Chasing Cars,’ which had everybody on their feet. – Belfast Telegraph

Eagles in Fargo – “Dressed in matching dark suits and ties, the four members took the stage at 8:15 looking like stand-ins for ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (singer guitarist Glenn Frey is a ringer for Michael Madsen”s Mr. Blonde). But the dialogue was light and funny and the four-part harmonies on the opener, ‘How Long,’ showed that for these hit men, their voices were the weapons.” – Grand Forks Herald

Serena Ryder in Ottawa – “Guitars wailed, drums crashed and the bass galloped along while Ryder stretched the rock treatment to encompass a few more songs from the recent disc. A lesser singer might have been breathless, but Ryder’s powerful pipes carried the swell of emotion through ‘All For You,’ ‘Stumbling Over You’ and, my favourite, ‘Blown Like the Wind at Night.’” – Ottawa Citizen

The Von Bondies in Los Angeles – “Throughout the set filled with songs plucked from the band’s entire career, including the hit ‘C’Mon C’Mon’ (2004), Stollsteimer’s vocals switched back and forth fluidly from full on yowl to tightly reigned sweet, warm melody. Bassist Leann Bank and guitarist Christy Hunt’s backing vocals effectively filled out the catchy songs while Blum’s fierce, solid and steady drums drove each song forward like a race car engine at peak velocity.” – LA.com

The Pretenders in San Francisco – “Taking the stage a little after 10 p.m., Hynde picked up her guitar and got right down to business, calling out “One, two, three, let’s go!” and charging full-throttle into the new album’s great “Boots of Chinese Plastic.” She then dropped her guitar for one of the few times during the night, and worked the crowd like a carnival barker on another new song, the sexy sendup ‘Don’t Cut Your Hair.’” – Contra Costa Times

The Decemberists at SXSW – “Meloy, whose muttonchops have grown more prominent for this promotional cycle, is literally a revivalist’s revivalist. He borrows from 1960s folk rock and such later song crafters as Robyn Hitchcock and Kate Bush, who themselves used antiquated sources partly to overcome the limitations of ‘baby, I love you’ in pop.” – Los Angeles Times / Pop & Hiss
 

Britney Spears in Toronto – “It was a tricked-out, 90-minute splash that opened with real circus performers – jugglers, contortionists, a dwarf – and featured multimedia gimmicks, about two dozen dancers and themed sequences (Bollywood, martial arts, magic show, etc.)” – Toronto Star

Josh Turner in Houston – “There may be bigger stars than Josh Turner at this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. But few – if any – possess his unmistakable, deeper-than-the-holler voice. It made his Saturday set a unique treat.” – Houston Chronicle

Doc Watson in Alexandria, Virginia – “Featuring a pair of hour-long sets, the show was as relaxed as a back-porch pickin’ party, punctuated with family anecdotes and laced with songs associated with Jimmie Rodgers, Flatt and Scruggs, Eddy Arnold, George Gershwin and, oddly enough, The Moody Blues.” – The Washington Post / Post Rock

Barry Manilow in Everett, Washington – “Say what you want about Manilow, but there are few male vocalists possessing of pipes so limber and pitch-perfect. Also an ultra-skilled pianist and composer, Manilow’s got a point when he says there’s never been anyone like him – equal parts Liberace and Bennett, he’s as multi-dimensional as they come. And to see Manilow in concert is to be reminded – surprised, even – at the sheer number of hits the guy has charted over the past 35 years. – Seattle Weekly / Reverb

Morrissey in NYC – “There’s some distance here between artist and artifice. Whether it’s ironic or self-protective or just good business is difficult to tell, and that was part of what made Monday’s show, which was in many ways rote, also very good.” – The New York Times