Mike Boehm’s Concert Picks

1. Peter Himmelman (Coach House, San Juan Capistrano). This most serious-minded of rock songwriters did justice to his deeply probing, loftily aspiring songs, but it was his flashing wit and gift for comic improvisation that made this such a surprising, thoroughly entertaining show.

2. Lou Reed (Greek Theatre, Los Angeles). Playing on the night L.A. began to burn, Reed performed his “Magic & Loss” album in full, offering a needed spark of sanity, eloquence and philosophic beauty in his contemplation of such ultimate questions as “What’s Good?”

3. George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars (Coach House). In a recession year, this show offered value that was hard to beat: nearly four hours of masterful, unflaggingly buoyant funk music from one of funk’s greatest practitioners.

4. Rosalie Sorrels (Anaheim Cultural Arts Center). This veteran folk singer was like a wise, warm and funny neighbor, come over to chat in your parlor about your deepest concerns. But even the best of neighbors probably can’t match Sorrels’ gift as a storyteller, or her sweet but weathered voice of sung experience.

5. Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians / Alex Chilton (Coach House). A varied night out with two alternative-rock heroes: Hitchcock headlining with his curious flights of very-British fancy; Chilton opening with the earthy pleasures of relaxed, barroom R & B.

6. Neil Young (Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa). No electric arcs and molten guitar welds these time; just a man, a chair, an acoustic guitar, a harmonica and a pipe organ. Tossing in some obscure treats to go with strong new songs, Young reaffirmed his position as rock’s most committed and convincing performer, whatever the setting.

7. U2 (Los Angeles Sports Arena). Spoofing its own reputation for dour rectitude with “Zoo TV” wasn’t all that intriguing a concept, but it sure beat dour rectitude. Elaborate video trappings made for a terrific, unorthodox arena light show to go with the lean, powerful rock that is U2’s forte. Too bad they had to get greedy and take it outdoors in a badly compromised stadium version.

8. Lindsey Buckingham (Coach House). In his first-ever show as a solo act, and his first show anywhere since Fleetwood Mac’s ’82 tour, Buckingham and his new band came up with a splendid, confident, beautifully sung and played set that made you wonder why he’s been hiding himself so long.

9. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes (Coach House). This soulful, sweat-drenched show had an extra dimension as Johnny Lyon, bound for new digs in Connecticut, bade a fond farewell to local friends in San Clemente, where he’d settled for several years.

10. Jules Shear / Richard Stekol (Coach House) These two old friends were emotionally in sync with each other in separate solo-acoustic sets that were intimate meditations on the nature of dashed hopes and heartbreaks.

11. Miracle Legion (Bogart’s, Long Beach). Its own gear was missing, but alternative-rock contender Miracle Legion and its dynamic front man, Mark Mulcahy, overcame adversity by putting out plenty of raw intensity in a show played with borrowed equipment.

12. NRBQ (Coach House). This unsurpassedly skillful and idiosyncratic band loves to play around on stage, but this time “the Q” played it straight and sweet in a show that debuted two fetching new songs by guitarist Al Anderson.