Whether you rang in the New Year with silly hats and streamers, a glass of bubbly and a midnight kiss, or TV reruns and a bowl of popcorn, 2008 is now upon us. But should we forget last year’s highlights? We think not, and so we thought we’d revisit some of the best moments in the arts from 2007. The lists that follow represent the top five picks from staff writers and regular contributors, covering every category of the arts, from album releases to art exhibitions, and everything in between. Take this moment to reflect on the many high points of the past year, and then set your sights on the horizon-next week’s issue of The Independent is the Winter Arts Preview, introducing a new season of arts for a brand new year.
Aly Comingore, Associate Arts Editor (Pop & Rock)
Best Film: The Darjeeling Limited
Best Album: Neon Bible, Arcade Fire
Best Concert: Tegan and Sara, Lobero Theatre
Best Art Show: Made in Santa Barbara: Contemporary Photographs, SBMA
Best New Showspace: The Woodshed
Brett Leigh Dicks, Contributing Writer
Best Musical Release: After the Flood, Natalie D-Napoleon
Best Film: Once
Best Concert: Glen Phillips & Friends at Sings Like Hell, Lobero Theatre
Best Photographic Exhibit at a Museum: Made in Santa Barbara: Contemporary Photographs, SBMA
Best Photographic Exhibit at a Retail Space: Matt Straka: Notable Rejects, Samy’s Camera
Charles Donelan, Arts Editor
Best Visiting Conductor: David Robertson with the Academy Festival Orchestra, Lobero Theatre
Best Visiting Solo Artist: Pianist Ingrid Fliter, Lobero Theatre
Best Jazz Vocal Concert: Dianne Reeves, Lobero Theatre
Best Music Festival: Ojai Music Festival
Best Nonfiction Book: The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, Alex Ross
Michelle Drown, Managing Editor
Best Paperback: Thunderstruck, Erik Larson
Best Music Single: “The Story,” Brandi Carlisle
Best Live Music: Issa (formerly known as Jane Siberry), SOhO
Best Family Show: Snoopy on Ice, Arlington Theatre
Best Film: Lars and the Real Girl
Maureen Foley, Contributing Writer
Best Performance Art Event: The Peace Salon, Erin O’Brien, Anapamu and State sts.
Best Dance Performance: Ballet Flamenco Javier Bar³n, Lobero Theatre
Best Art Education Event: Teacher’s Open House at SBMA
Best Art Exhibition: Caminos, 855 at the Arts Center, Carpinteria
Best Poetry Reading: Sojourner Kincaid Rolle and Melinda Palacio at Black, White and Re(a)d, Carpinteria Community Arts Center
Palmer Gibbs, Copy Chief
Best Album: The Con, Tegan and Sara
Best Concert: Rise Against, Majestic Ventura Theater
Best DVD Release: My So-Called Life
Best Lecture/Reading: David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell, Arlington Theatre
Best Photo Exhibit: Ansel Adams Over Time: Recent Photographic Acquisitions, SBMA
Heather Jeno, Contributing Writer
Best Art Exhibition: Jane Callister, CAF
Best Lecture: Dr. Paul Farmer, Arlington Theatre
Best Performance: Crooked Road: Mountain Music of Virginia, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Best New Art Gallery: Gallery Ocho
Best Art Event: Forum Lounge, CAF
Matt Kettmann, Senior Editor
Best interview: Forest Whitaker, SBIFF
Best Concert for the Ages: Stevie Wonder, Santa Barbara Bowl
Best Nonfiction Guide: Chumash Ethnobotany, Jan Timbrook
Best Concert Finale: Solutions for Dreamers’ confetti drop
Best New Art Party: 1st Thursdays
Best Bluegrass Surprise: Crooked Road: Mountain Music of Virginia, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Sam Kornell, Contributing Writer
Best Album: In Rainbows, Radiohead
Best Book: Travels with Herodotus, Ryszard Kapuscinski
Best Hope for the Future: Pickle Family Circus will return to Santa Barbara
Best Artistic Institution: Storyteller extraordinaire Michael Katz
Musical Event I Most Wish I Could Have Attended: Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Colin Marshall, Contributing Writer
Best Novel: Matrimony, Joshua Henkin
Best Nonfiction Book: The Stuff of Thought, Steven Pinker
Best Lecture: Ira Glass, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Best Album: This Way, Acoustic Alchemy
Best Film: Eastern Promises
Ellen O’Connell, Contributing Writer
Best Album: Colour It In, Maccabees
Best Lecture: Orhan Pamuk, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Best Book: What Is the What, Dave Eggers
Best Art Exhibit: Rufino Tamayo, SBMA
Best Concert: Pink Martini, Arlington Theatre
D.J. Palladino, Contributing Writer
Best CD: In Rainbows, Radiohead
Best film: Ratatouille
Best novel: Against the Day, Thomas Pynchon
Best concert: Wilco, Santa Barbara Bowl
Best reunited band: flapping, Flapping at Household Ink’s 20th anniversary party, SOhO
Elizabeth Schwyzer, Associate Arts Editor (Visual Art, Dance, Books & Lectures)
Best Mime Event: Festival of Fools, a tribute to Marcel Marceau
Best Dance Performance: Stephen Petronio Company, UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Best Lecture: Garrison Keillor, Arlington Theatre
Best Live Art Event: I Am the Medium, UCSB
Best Community Arts Venue: Arts Alive!
Beth Taylor-Schott, Contributing Writer
Best Solo Art Show: Julia Pinkham, Artamo
Best Poetry Reading: Ojai Poetry Festival
Best First Book of Poetry: Red Studio, Mary Cornish
Best Museum Outreach Program: SBMA
Best Marching Band Fix: Battle of the Bands, SBHS
Rachel Weight, Listings Editor
Best Film: Superbad
Best CD: Kala, M.I.A.
Best Art Event: Nights, SBMA
Best Community Celebration: Summer Solstice
Best Book: I Am America (And So Can You!), Stephen Colbert