#1: Streetlight Manifesto

So you were born and that was a good day. Some day you'll die and that is a shame. But somewhere in the between was the life in which we all dream, and nothing and no one can ever take that away.

At number one to little surprise is Streetlight Manifesto. They have already been mentioned on this with their connections with BOTAR and Catch 22.

Wiki Says: Streetlight Manifesto is an American ska band from East Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky.

They released their first album, Everything Goes Numb, which was distributed by Victory Records, on August 26, 2003. The band headlined and sold out their first concert at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey on December 9, 2003. Several of Streetlight Manifesto's members were well known in the New Jersey third wave ska community for their roles in past ska punk bands from that area, primarily Kalnoky's Catch 22 and fellow New Jersey band One Cool Guy. As of October 4, 2009, the lineup consists of Mike Brown on alto and baritone sax, Jim Conti on alto and tenor sax, songwriter Tomas Kalnoky on guitar and lead vocals, bass guitarist Peter McCullough, trumpet player Matt Stewart, trombone player Nadav Nirenberg, and Chris Thatcher on drums.

Discovery: Everything Goes Numb (2003) -Favorite album all time #3

Somewhere In the Between (2007) -Favorite album all time #4

99 Songs of Revolution Volume 1 (2010) -#23

Other Releases: Keasbey Nights as performed by Streetlight Manifesto (2006) -#7

Ska is Dead (2007)

Favorite Songs: 30. Birds Flying Away -Mason Jennings cover

29. This One Goes Out Too...*

28. Day In, Day Out*

27. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard -Paul Simon cover

26. Sick and Sad*

25. They Provide the Paint for the Picture-Perfect Masterpiece That You Will Paint On the Inside of Your Eyelids -BOTAR cover

24. 1234, 1234*

23. A Moment of Silence

22. The Saddest Song

21. Puck Rock Girl -Dead Milkmen cover

20. On & On & On*

19. A Moment of Violence

18. That'll Be The Day

17. We Are the Few

16. What A Wicked Gang Are We

15. The Receiving End Of It All

14. If and When We Rise

13. Somewhere In the Between

12. Watch It Crash - Favorite song all time #97

11. One Foot On the Gas, One Foot In the Grave -Favorite song all time #94

10. The Blonde Lead the Blind -#80

9. Failing, Flailing -#77

8. Point/Counterpoint -#44

7. Keasbey Nights* -#36

6. Everything Went Numb -#32

5. Down, Down, Down to Mephisto's Cafe -#25

4. We Will Fall Together -#20

3. A Better Place, A Better Time -#13

2. The Big Sleep -#9

1. Dear Sergio* -#4

*song originally by Catch 22 on the original Keasbey Nights

Years Active: 2002-Present

Seen Live: 9 Times

May 2005-East Rutherford, NJ

December 2006-Sayerville, NJ

July 2007-Sayerville, NJ

November 2007-Sayerville, NJ

November 2007-Towson, MD

April 2008-Towson, MD

January 2009-Washington, DC

July 2009-Oceanport, NJ

June 2010-Towson, MD

Streetlight became my favorite band in December of 2008 when I became fed of with the direction that Big D was going. But they didn't get this spot by default, they earned it. At that point, I already loved every time I saw Streetlight live and they had put out 3 albums that I couldn't stop listening to. Since then they've only assured their spot as they continue to impress me both live and with what they're putting out recorded. They've had a ton of turnover in members, and suffered many set backs (like getting robbed twice in a year and hating their record label), but despite all this they are still going very strong. It is interesting that in their four records, Streetlight have 49 songs...only 22 of which are original tracks. But if their cover of "Just" by Radiohead can get Romo into them I think they're doing something right.

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