The New York Times: The Best Concerts of 2012!

A concert is always more than just a rendering of songs. It’s a musical revamp, a real-time test, a spectacle, a pop-up community, perhaps a dance party or an incipient riot — and, even in the YouTube era, an ephemeral, site-specific experience. Here the pop and jazz critics of The New York Times recall some of their favorite live events of 2012, in order of importance.

JAY-Z

2NE1 Aug. 17, and BIGBANG Nov. 8, both at Prudential Center, Newark. This was the year K-pop arrived — not in the form of “Gangnam Style,” which was everywhere and yet completely evanescent — but in these arena shows, which were full of thousands of young, paying fans eager to see the girls of 2NE1 and the boys of BigBang, groups with zero American hits between them, but rabid American followings all the same.  

DISCLOSURE Glasslands Gallery

ODD FUTURE Hammerstein Ballroom 

DMX S.O.B.’s

MIGUEL Bowery Ballroom 

2 CHAINZ, S.O.B.’s

ERIC CHURCH Hammerstein Ballroom 

NICKI MINAJ Chicago Theater 

DRAKE PNC Bank Arts Center

Source: NYTimes