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Happy 2012 Music Fans,

Now that the mayhem of the holiday season has come to a grinding halt I have time to pause and take stock of 2011. With visions of Elvis Costello and The Pixies (among many others) dancing in my head I hereby offer up Aimsel’s 2011 Happy List of bands and artists who either released new music or made me otherwise smile in 2011 through a live performance of by just plain listening to them.

 My apologies to the 546,789,538 that I’m surely forgetting.

I write this list with one pure goal: as a reminder of what an incredible music scene we’ve got here in Maine. From local acts to nationally touring acts, more and more they’re making and performing music here. Hoorah for that.

Rachael Yamagata

Mallett Brothers

Jacob Augustine

Eric Bettencourt

Hi Tiger

Dilly Dilly

Jason Spooner

Kenya Hall Band

Sara Cox

Fishtank Ensemble

Antje Duvekot

Audrey Ryan

Mitch Alden

Ladylamb the Beekeeper

Ramblin’ Red

Paranoid Social Club

Mary Fahl

Tedeschi Trucks

Monique Barrett

Brown Bird

Tommy Bazarian

The Wailin Jennys

Carol Noonan

ANNA

Ben Hammond

Sorcha

Jolie Holland

Andi Fawcett

Will Gattis

Crooked Still

Joan Osborne

Neil Pearlman

Fogcutters Big Band

Okbari

The Lucid

Po’ Girl

Jeff Beam

Rickie Lee Jones

Darien Brahms

Chris Isaak

Hi Tiger

By Blood Alone

Indigo Girls

This Way

Mindy Smith

Mystic Folk Opera

The Sweetback Sisters

Standard Issue

Kate Schrock

Dave Gutter

Paula Cole

Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade

Samuel James

Clubber Lang

Melissa Ferrick

The Outfits

Grant Street Orchestra

Ellen Tipper

Heather Maloney

Hoboe

Welterweight

Jose Ayerve

Dar Williams

The Restless Shades

Matt Shipman

Rob Cimitile

Pete Kilpatrick

Over a Cardboard Sea

Hattie Simon

Amy Allen

Flight of Fancy

Connor Garvey

About the Author

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Aimsel Ponti has been obsessed with - and inspired by- music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town library when she was six years old. She's a huge fan of the local music scene and interviews an act every week for "Making Noise" which runs in the Press Herald GO section. You'll also find her out and about absorbing live music like a sponge and roaming around local record shops and flea markets.

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