2023 was a roller coaster of a year. Saw a lot more concerts than I anticipated which was amazing since I didn’t think I’d see many in Delaware. Shooting concerts again at Rocking the Docks brought back my love of music photography and photography in general and pursuing it full-time now. I started my own photography business (Bryan Kremkau Photography LLC) which I probably should have done at the beginning of the year.

The Heavy Heavy was probably my most listened to album of the year, and saw them twice this year! Mustard Plug released a hell of an album and Menzingers released a great one too. Levellers did their collective thing but I want another album of new music!

I didn’t see a whole lot of new movies this year, even though I reviewed a bunch on Letterboxd. Saw Ant-Man 3 in theaters and that was meh. Super Mario Bros. was fun and Guardians 3 was good but not the same as the first 2. I probably saw more older movies that I’ve never seen than anything. Thought The Bear, Succession and Shrinking were the best TV series. That’s about it. Here’s to 2024!

Music

Top 20 Favorite Albums of 2023:
1. The Heavy Heavy – Life and Life Only (expanded edition)
2. Mustard Plug – Where Did All My Friends Go?
3. The Menzingers – Some Of It Was True
4. Levellers (Collective) – Together All The Way
5. Joel Stoker – The Undertow
6. Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High
7. Iration – Daytrippin’
8. LA Edwards – Out of the Heart of Darkness
9. Brigitte Call Me Baby – This House Is Made Of Corners
10. Great Lake Swimmers – Uncertain Country
11. AJJ – Disposable Everything
12. Ghost – Phantomine
13. Sgt Scag – At Least More Than Half-Way Dead
14. Gaslight Anthem – History Books
15. Coolie Ranx – Days Gone By
16. Soft Science – Lines
17. Duane Betts – Wild & Precious Life
18. Mary Wallopers – Irish Rock N Roll
19. Mo Lowda and the Humble – Mo Lowda and the Humble
20. The Prizefighters – Punch Up

Favorite Concerts of the 2023:
1. The Heavy Heavy @ Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats
2. Danielle Ponder @ Rocking the Docks
3. AJJ @ Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats
4. Robert Randolph Band @ Rocking the Docks
5. Duane Betts @ The Room at Cedar Grove
6. Middle Aged Dad Jam Band @ Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats
7. Griffin House @ The Listening Booth
8. The Heavy Heavy @ Rocking The Docks

Genres I Explored More Of This Year:
Light jazz I guess

Movies

My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2023 (that I’ve seen):
1. Air
2. The Killer
3. Oppenheimer
4. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
5. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
7. John Wick: Chapter 4
8. No One Will Save You
9. No Hard Feelings
10. Super Mario Bros Movie

Movies I Didn’t Like in 2023:
Meg 2: the Trench
The Flash
Cocaine Bear
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
You People

Movies I Wanted To See But Haven’t Yet:
Killers of the Flower Moon
The Holdovers
Thanksgiving

Favorite Documentaries / Docuseries of 2023:
Waco: American Apocalypse
Get Gotti
American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing

My Favorite Film/TV Scores:
Ludwig Goransson – Oppenheimer
Hans Zimmer – The Creator
John Williams – Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
John Murphy – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Brian Tyler – Super Mario Bros Movie
Kevin Kiner – Ahsoka

Trailers That Show Too Much Of The Movie:
ALL OF THEM!

Most Anticipated Movies of 2024:
1. Gladiator 2
2. Deadpool 3
3. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
4. Dune Part 2
5. Beetlejuice 2
6. Bob Marley: One Love
7. Pixar’s Inside Out 2
8. A Quiet Place: Day One

TV

Favorite TV Series of the Year:
1. The Bear
2. Succession
3. Shrinking
4. The Mandalorian
5. Ahsoka
6. Ted Lasso
7. Justified: City Primeval
8. Reservation Dogs
9. Loki Season 2
10. White House Plumbers

I Need To Finish:
The Last of Us

Shows I Got Sick Of:
Only Murderers in the Building

Favorite Political Shows of The Year:
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Best Shorts:
I Am Groot series

Shows I Liked But Not My Favorite:
Our Flag Means Death

Shows I Didn’t Like:
Secret Invasion

Biggest Disappointment:
Secret Invasion

Guilty Pleasure Show:
True crime docuseries

Favorite Late Night Talk Series:
Jimmy Kimmel Live

Random Stuff:

Favorite YouTube channels:
Screencrush
Scammer Payback
Disney theme park background music streams

Apps I Find Myself On the Most:
TikTok
Instagram
Letterboxd
Reddit

My Recommendations for a Twitter Replacement:
Threads