Some shows I've seen lately:

Girlyman - Always a good time. They do smaller venues, have *great* rapport with the crowd, and do fascinatingly interesting encores (they also have a version of Hey Rose that melds Genie in a Bottle to bizarre and wonderful effect). They'll take a request or two every show, and they make up charming little songs onstage while tuning, hee. Highly recommend; I've seen them 7 or 8 times, and they never disappoint.

World/Inferno Friendship Society - It helps to know the venue. I've seen them twice now; the first time they absolutely blew me away with their frenetic cabaret punk. The second, the show was in the basement of a church, and you really couldn't hear the excellent musicianship for the crap acoustics.

Dar Williams - What a sweetheart. She will try to make the crowd dance, which is difficult to her particular brand of folk music, but she has great rapport with the audience, loves what she does, and sounds wonderful on stage. A good time.

New Model Army - I love this band, and they mix up their playlists between tours (and even a little between shows); they're not a slave to their hits, and they have some really interesting songs, and the playing is excellent. They don't interact with the crowd much, though, and don't even think about trying to request a song; they won't listen (particularly if it's "Justin! Justin! Play 125, Justin!").

VNV Nation - Go expecting to dance. A great time, the one time I saw them, and the singer was (unintentionally) incredibly entertaining in his continual injunctions to the crowd full of goth/industrial types to "feel the moment! Be a *part* of this!"

Dan Bern - Oh, what to say. He's fascinating, but do not go if you do not want to see a Dan Bern Show that may or may not involve music. I've heard that he tours with a band now, and they've hauled him in a little? But my sister once went to a show that was entirely him watching the baseball game at the bar, and rushing through a song every commercial break. Also, if people try to request the best-known songs (or sing along), he'll make them sing, or stop playing, or make up a song about idiot audience members. Funny, but could be frustrating.

Depeche Mode - The last time I went to a big stadium show. Meh.

Okay, I've seen my share of crap shows — really bad sound, really bad band, good band having an off night, bored band that doesn't care if you know it, etc.

But the worst part of the concert experience is the crowd. I actually got into a tussle at a Richard Thompson solo acoustic show. Guy and his "dudes" wouldn't shut up after being politely asked multiple times and security did nothing. It ended up with some shoving and security finally told the group to go a different part of the hall. Later one of them had a go with me in the bathroom.

I had to pull a guy off my 10-year-old son at a punk show when he tried to crowd to the front of the stage. Fortunately, security was on the situation and escorted the gent from the hall none to gently. No one likes seeing a little kid pushed around.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that if you want to talk about your kids, your girlfriend/boyfriend, or the evils of the Bush administration, then get a bottle of wine, buy the band's CD and listen at home.

It's gotten to a point where I'm really reluctant to go to a show and my wife is sick of me getting in a tussle with someone.

Oh, and if you want to explore your partners oral cavity with your tongue, get a room.

This isn't just me bitching, all my concert-going friends notice the same trend. People who want to say they were there, but who don't want to listen and don't care if you get to listen either.

In answer to the question above, yes, the White Stripes are quite entertaining live. Jack gives everything. Meg is one of the most interesting drummers to watch. The downside is stupid crowd members as they have grown in popularity.

Two of my favorites haven't been mentioned yet:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs who are simply amazing live.

The Hiveslive up to one major music publication's billing as "the best live show."

There is so much great music being made today. So many great bands are playing small venues. I am an old guy but I think the music scene has never been better. It just takes a little work to find it instead of being force-fed by your local radio DJ.

Check out last.fm (my last.fm page links from my sig below) to discover what others are listening to and the shows they are seeing.

Acts I saw in small venues, was blown away, and now seeing them in a larger venue just can't compare: Radiohead, Interpol, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, Postal Service, the Shins.

Acts who rock, no matter what size the venue: David Bowie, Pixies.

Acts who play small-to-medium venues, and who are just amazing live: Agree w/ the posters who listed Les Savy Fav and the Wrens. Also, Iron & Wine, Rosie Thomas, Neko Case.

Acts to skip: Most electronic music, it just doesn't measure up in a live setting. Yeah Yeah Yeahs were unimpressive. Muse = meh.

Please find a music critic who actually enjoys and understands music. This is getting embarassing.

Central Park? On a hot night the Summer Stage venue is hellish and the sound is always terrible. I love Sloan but I wasn’t about to mess with that slab of hot concrete they have you standing on (and Siren Festival, much as I always love the line-up, is worse).

One of the best shows I’ve seen in NYC was Rhett Miller playing (the sadly closed) Fez: it was basement club with chairs and table service that sat about 150 – very civilized. I sat on the stage and Rhett was great. One of the worst shows I saw, just a few years later, was Rhett Miller playing Webster Hall (it doubles as a bridge and tunnel rave/club after rock shows). The smoke machine made me sick and Rhett sounded like hell in that big space. As a huge fan of his I’ve seen him (and the Old 97s) play all over so I know he’s still great – but he sounds best in a smaller, more intimate venue and I’d rather bide my time and see that show. I’ve had similar experiences with lots of other bands. You think Wico sounds great in a large venue? You should have heard them back in the day when they were playing to half filled bars. Magic. That sort of feeling has spoiled me for big venues. Plus tickets for big acts are too expensive and too big a production.

Hanging out at Mercury Lounge, Union Hall and Bowery Ballroom here in NYC I do see a lot of very green, iffy bands. But I also occasionally get a ‘Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,’ a ‘Say Hi to Your Mom,’ or a ‘Voxtrot’ that makes it all worth while. And the best thing I’ve heard this year – ‘Ghostland Observatory’ out of Austin was a blast if you want to get up and dance.