May’s Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise, in many ways, defined my entire year in music.
I’ve been a fan of garage rock — as well as surf music, power pop and rockabilly — since my very early teens. All of those genres, and a bit more, were well-represented at this four-day floating music festival.
From acts I’ve always been a big fan of and have seen multiple times, to others I’ve liked but hadn’t caught live before, to a few new discoveries — the cruise checked all the boxes needed for my pretty much non-stop enjoyment. If you scroll down to see the favourite concerts list you’ll see that some of the acts from the cruise were also responsible for several of 2025’s most cherished albums, EPs, compilations, live albums and reissues.
The biggest winner from all of this was Deke Dickerson. He performed on the cruise in several incarnations, including with The Untamed Youth, a band he formed when he was 17 and which has faded away and been resurrected a handful of times since then. The latest return came with a new album, Git Up & Go, which became my favourite of the year.
If that’s not enough, Dickerson’s Meets The Whistle Bait and his Hot Roddin’ with collaboration with The Whippersnappers were my two favourite EPs of 2025.
Artists from the genres mentioned in the second paragraph are also laced throughout the below lists, probably even more than in past years. I continued my post-pandemic trend of not going to many larger concerts and sticking to local clubs and seeing bands I know I can rely on for entertainment — whether they’re from Toronto or just passing through.
I’m not so narrow-focused that I don’t appreciate other types of music as well, and you’ll find indie pop/rock, ska, alternative country, roots, punk and Celtic acts included below after a year spent listening to hundreds of records and attending dozens of shows.
I saw Frank Turner six times in 2024, but not at all this year. That void was filled with his Show 3000 release, my favourite live album of 2025.
This may have been the best year for new albums this decade, at least to my tastes. Below you’ll see my favourite 32 albums in order. I’ve also included: my favourite EPs; my favourite compilations, live albums and reissues; and my favourite concerts.
Thanks to everyone who continues to make music or is involved with bringing it to people either in recorded or live formats. Your efforts are much appreciated.
You can see my favourite music from past years at:
http://stevemclean.blogspot.com/
My favourite 10 albums
1. The Untamed Youth - Git Up & Go
2. Alex Orange Drink - Future 86 LP
3. Half Man Half Biscuit - All Asimov and No Fresh Air
4. Beebe Gallini - Blessed, Borrowed and Stealed!
5. Planet Smashers - On The Dancefloor
6. The Gruesomes - The Dimension of Fear
7. Absolute Losers - In The Crowd
8. Miss Georgia Peach - Class out the Ass
9. The Slow Drags - Off The Cuff Rock N Roll
10. Joel Timmons - Psychedelic Surf Country
The next 10 albums
11. The Cords - The Cords
12. The Vapors - Wasp in a Jar
13. Muck and The Mires - Beat Revolution
14. Hormones - Hot For Hormones
15. Kicking Bird - 11 Short Fictions
16. The Roxies - Keep You Up At Night
17. Humbug - Open Season
18. Los Straitjackets - Somos Los Straitjackets
19. Hallelujah The Hills - Deck: Clubs
20. Archie Powell and The Exports - How To Take A Punch
The next 12 albums
21. Gringo Star - Sweethearts
22. The Tubs - Cotton Crown
23. Jacuzzi Boys - Too Cold To Tango
24. Gerard Van Herk - Martian Kiss
25. The Rumjacks - Dead Anthems
26. John Borra - Last Dance at The E Room
27. The Kilograms - Beliefs and Thieves
28. Garrett T. Capps - Life Is Strange
29. The Pomps - Partial Eclipse of The Pomps
30. Ming City Rockers - Clementine
31. Dylan Earl - Level-Headed Even Smile
32. Mark Malibu and The Wasagas - Knock Me Out!
My favourite EPs
1. Deke Dickerson - Meets The Whistle Bait
2. Deke Dickerson and The Whippersnappers - Hot Roddin’ with
3. Doctor Explosion - Perdo l’esna
4. Bloodshot Bill and Gerard Van Herk - Shot of Blood EP
5. Gerard Van Herk - Let’s Date
6. The Ice Creams - The Ice Creams
7. Viagra Boys - The Bog Body
8. Hollerado - Start A Band
9. The Magnetics - Under Cover, Vol. 2
10. Mark Malibu and The Wasagas - Pepper Stomp EP
11. Flash Bangs - Flash Bangs
12. The Kilograms - Battles
My favourite compilations, live albums and reissues
1. Frank Turner - Show 3000
2. Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets - (Not) Indoor Safari Vol. 1
3. The Chesterfield Kings - Loose Ends: 1989-2004 Rare, B-Sides and Unreleased
4. Various artists - It’s A Wicked Cool Christmas!
5. The Milkshakes - Fourteen Rhythm and Beat Greats
6. Messer Chups - The Incredible Crocotiger (10-Year Anniversary)
7. Various artists - The Legends of Surf Guitar
8. Brad Marino - On The Brink: Rarities, Remixes and Unreleased
My favourite concerts (chronological order)
Band name unknown - Jan. 11, 360, Ella, Sri Lanka
Los Speedos, Hell Bent Rockers, George Westerholm and His Wild Wildcats, Evil Elvis - Jan. 24, Bovine Sex Club, Toronto
The Shook Boys, All-Seeing Eyes, CATL - Jan. 25, Monarch Tavern, Toronto
The ARC Sound - Feb. 1, Handlebar, Toronto
John Borra Band - Feb. 1, The Cameron House, Toronto
Trombone Charlotte - Feb. 4, The Cameron House, Toronto
C.I.D. - Feb. 28, Linsmore Tavern, Toronto
The Bad Fortunes, Cousin Harley - March 21, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
The Empty Glasses - April 13, The Rivoli, Toronto
Whiskey Jack - April 16, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
The Empty Glasses - April 22, The Cameron House, Toronto
The ARC Sound - May 3, Handlebar, Toronto
John Borra Band - May 3, The Cameron House, Toronto
The Cocktail Slippers, X, The Woggles, Los Straitjackets, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3, Reverend Horton Heat, Old 97’s, The Dictators, L7, Bash and Pop, The Dollyrots, Rocket From The Crypt, Goons!, Flamin’ Groovies, Linda Gail Lewis, The Fleshtones, Deke Dickerson, Steve Conte, Lenny Kaye, The Chesterfield Kings, Social Distortion, The Baseball Project, The Untamed Youth, Low Cut Connie, The Coolies, The Neanderthals, The Sound Minds, Slim Jim Phantom, Jennie Vee, Supersuckers, Danny B. Harvey, Annie Marie Lewis, The Minus 5 - May 9-12, Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise
The Velour Underground - May 19, The Cameron House, Toronto
Sin City Boys - May 24, Handlebar, Toronto
Heaven For Real, Tijuana Bibles - June 7, Transmit Stage, Do West Fest, Toronto
Ethel & Androids, Swinging Pussycats - June 7, Clinton Garage, Open Tuning Festival, Toronto
Vox Confidential, The Brink, The Trebletones, HJ & The Constellations - June 7, The Dock Ellis No No Room, Toronto
The Slimetones, Night Chill, The Blue Demons, Los Speedos - June 13, See-Scape, Toronto
The Brink, Owen Wolf & The Corrados, Shook Boys, The Slow Drags, Ichi-Bons - June 14, Owl’s Club, Toronto
Nicholas Campbell & The Metre Cheaters - June 18, The Cameron House, Toronto
The Odd Country, Generator Party - June 21, Long Branch Legion, Toronto
Band name unknown - June 24, Be Here, Paris, France
Kobo Town - July 24, St. James Park, Toronto
Communism - July 25, The Cameron House, Toronto
Frankie Foo and the YoYo Smugglers - July 25, Grossman’s Tavern, Toronto
The Green Reflectors, Mark Malibu & The Wasagas, Fuzz Vultures - July 26, Dream Wheels on Eglinton, Toronto
Washboard Hank - July 26, The Cameron House, Toronto
Doghouse Orchestra - July 27, The Cameron House, Toronto
The Slow Drags - Aug. 9, Houndstooth, Toronto
The Bad Fortunes, The Midnight Cowgirls - Aug. 16, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Laid Back Country Picker - Aug. 17, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Doghouse Orchestra - Aug. 17, The Cameron House, Toronto
Trans-Canada Highwaymen - Aug. 20, CNE Bandshell, Toronto
Disco Inferno, U2 Desire - Aug. 29, Cleveland Oktoberfest, Cleveland
Paul Jones & The Gold Tones, Ginger St. James, Peter & The Wolves - Sept. 5, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
The ARC Sound - Sept. 6, Handlebar, Toronto
John Borra Band - Sept.6, The Cameron House, Toronto
The Mercenaries - Sept. 13, Handlebar, Toronto
Big Tobacco & The Pickers - Sept. 13, The Cameron House, Toronto
Doghouse Orchestra - Sept. 15, The Cameron House, Toronto
Mark Malibu & The Wasagas, The Courettes - Sept. 23, Monarch Tavern
Washboard Hank - Sept. 27, The Cameron House, Toronto
The Kewpie Dolls, Ichi-Bons - Sept. 27, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Whiskey Jack - Oct. 3, The Cameron House, Toronto
Telejet, The Mahones - Oct. 3, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Fuzz Vultures, Sound One, The Babalooneys, Garage Punk Unknowns - Oct. 4, Owls Club, Toronto
The ARC Sound - Nov. 1, Handlebar, Toronto
Jeanne Truax, The Currie Brothers, Les Greene & The Swayzees - Nov. 6, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Muck and The Mires, The Gruesomes - Nov. 8, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Bloodshot Bill, Daddy Long Legs - Nov. 16, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Cool Blue Halo, Telejet, The Swinging Pussycats, Mark Malibu & The Wasagas - Nov. 21, The Painted Lady, Toronto
James Clark Institute, Dave Rave, Andy Butler & The Diplomats, The Discarded - Nov. 22, The Painted Lady, Toronto
Bobby Dove - Nov. 26, The Cameron House, Toronto
Frankie Foo and the YoYo Smugglers - Nov. 28, Grossman’s Tavern, Toronto
Ten Feet Tall - Dec. 3, The Cameron House, Toronto
Mike Plume - Dec. 5, The Cameron House, Toronto
TUNS - Dec. 5, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Finny McConnell, Clayton Yates, Kevin Hearn, Gene Hughes, Paige Turner - Dec. 6, The Cameron House, Toronto
Sin City Boys - Dec. 13, Handlebar, Toronto
Mark Malibu & The Wasagas, Bad Fortunes, Rover Boys Trio - Dec. 20, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Doghouse Orchestra, The Sadies - Dec. 31, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (anticipated)
