[US 2006 Preview] A Cold Front

It would be an understatement to say that 2005 was a hot year for live music in the Bay Area.

Thanks to a plethora of huge shows delivered by the likes of Green Day, the Rolling Stones, the Dave Matthews Band, Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, Paul McCartney, U2 and Eminem, the local concert scene has simply been on fire over the past 12 months. That was especially true in November, when the Stones, McCartney and U2 performed six concerts in one scorching eight-day stretch in Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco.

The forecast for 2006, by comparison, looks to be cold — as in Coldplay.

It's still early and few major shows have been announced for the new year, so everyone's pointing toward Coldplay's upcoming concerts as the first huge music events of 2006.

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