It's terribly difficult to condense a whole year of spectacular concerts into 20 photos, but here we are: OC Weekly's best concert photos of the year. If you missed these shows, relive the moment through our slideshows.
1. Aerosmith
Aerosmith was a spectacle at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, July 29. Check out our slideshow–and Steven Tyler's shoes–here!
]
Maybe he does this with everyone, but Adam Lambert smooching onstage at his July 27 OC Fair show looks…wet. Check out the slideshow here.
3. Green Day
Green Day performed at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on August 31; they were full-on entertainment for hours. Check out the slideshow here.
4.Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Ariel Pink's show at the Detroit Bar on August 7 was one of the weirdest shows he'd ever seen, said reviewer Andrew Youssef. Check out the photos here.
5. Atoms for Peace
Thom Yorke's Atoms for Peace made a nuclear wave on the third day of Coachella this year. Check out our other photos of the three-day festival here.
6. Justin Bieber
Oh, baby. This tween heartthrob put on a light and sound show made for his fans. It was pretty impressive for a 16-year-old. Check out the rest of the slideshow here.
7. Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever singer Chhom Nimol looks more like she's praying than singing at this photo of their Detroit Bar show on May 29. Check out the other photos here.
8. Interpol
Daniel Kessler integrating the mood at their Oct. 19 concert at Fox Theater Pomona.
[
9. Kiss
At Epicenter 2010, Kiss proved they can still catch air and rock N roll all night on Sept. 25, the first day. Not bad for a band that's been around since the 1970s. Check out other photos here.
10. Mastodon
Photos usually don't give justice to Mastodon's intensity live, but Chad Sengstock's photo is a good approximation of their May 7 show at Fox Theater Pomona. Check out the slideshow here.
11. Blonde Redhead
Andrew Youssef captures the beautiful fragility of this New York band in this photo. Check out the rest of the photos from their Nov. 16 show at the Glass House here.
At this year's Weenie Roast held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on June 5, Stone Temple Pilots proved they were back in a big way. Check out the other photos here.
13. Muse
Muse's Sept. 23 show at the Honda Center was amazing–and had a light show to match. Check out the other photos here.
14. Paramore
Paramore's hair-raising show was perfect for their headlining gig at the Honda Center on Sept. 19. Check out other photos here.
15. Something Corporate
The Something Corporate reunion at the Grove on August 27 was joyous; enough to make singer Andrew McMahon jump off his piano. Check out the review here.
[
16. Lady Gaga
On Aug. 11, Staples Center filled with Little Monsters from all over Southern California to see Lady Gaga play a burning piano. Check out more photos here.
17. The Vandals
To raise money for their lawsuit against the Daily Variety, the Vandals played a Glass House show on Sept. 10–and not once did they lose their sense of humor, as evidenced by this photo. Check out the rest here.
18. Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish performed at the Grove of Anaheim on September 17, proving ska's not dead. Check out the slideshow here.
19. Andrew WK at the Warped Tour
This year's Warped Tour stopped at the Home Depot Center in Carson on June 25, 2010. The line-up featured everyone from Andrew WK, Agent Orange and Alkaline Trio to Dropkick Murphys, Every Time I Die and Manic Hispanic. Check out the slideshow here.
20. Phoenix
Phoenix headlined KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas alternative night this year, and frontman Thomas Mars did the requisite foray into the crowd, with photographer Andrew Youssef capturing the moment. Check out more photos here.
