All told, 2008 was a pretty good year for me, following on the two most self/destructive and awful years of my life. I got a new job that I love; retooled the blog and moved it to CAP and then to FDL (woo); did a couple of things that improved my mental health; started a band and made a record; reconnected with some old friends and made some cherished new ones; went to Netroots Nation and the Democratic convention and Afghanistan; etc. But my 2008 was nowhere near as good as the Gaslight Anthem’s.

In February, this excellent band played the Black Cat’s tiny backroom to a public-school-elementary-school-class worth of people, six of whom, myself included, went bonkers. By the summer they released a fantastic record, The 59 Sound, that merged Bruce Springsteen and Cost of Living-era Clash. I had Amazon deliver a copy to Eric Alterman at his vacation house. Later that summer, they went on major tours and appeared in Kerrang and Alternative Press. And tonight, they’re going to be on Conan O’Brien. And to think, I knew Benny when he was booking You And I shows at the Manville Elks Lodge and then on the production crew of the fucking Daily Targum. Goddamn is that band great.

Check out this profile of Gaslight from earlier this year by a high-school age journalist: