Here is the complete list of concerts I saw in 1998.
| Rank | Bands | City | Location |
| 1 | Polvo, Ilium | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 2 | Hugh, Gerbils, Elf Power, Neutral Milk Hotel | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 3 | Isotope 217 | Chicago | Hot House |
| 4 | Brokeback, Chicago Underground Trio, Les Batteries, Sue Garner | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 5 | Double U, Sunshine Club, Daniel Johnston (backed by the Brown Hornets) | San Francisco | Bottom of the Hill |
| 6 | Moonshine Willy and Glen Meadmore, Split Lip Rayfield, Country Melvins, Kelly Hogan | Chicago | Empty Bottle |
| 7 | 16 Horsepower, Diane Izzo | Chicago | Schubas |
| 8 | Alejandro Escovedo, Rose Polenzani | Chicago | Old Town School |
| 9 | Bells (missed), Richie Davies, Archer Prewitt | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 10 | waycross, the handsome family, mekons | San Francisco | Great American Music Hall |
| 11 | Isotope 217, Tortoise | San Francisco | Great American Music Hall |
| 12 | Split Lip Rayfield, Bad Livers | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 13 | All Natural, Isotope 217, Tortoise | Chicago | Metro |
| 14 | A Minor Forest, Shellac | San Francisco | Bimbo's 365 |
| 15 | The Sunshine Club, Mark Kozelek | San Francisco | Great American Music Hall |
| 16 | Boxhead Ensemble, David Grubbs | Chicago | Celluloid Moviebar |
| 17 | Prohibition, Noel Akchote, David Grubbs Group with Steven Prina | Chicago | Empty Bottle |
| 18 | Handsome Family, Kelly Hogan & John Forbes, Chris Ligon, Lilybandits | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 19 | Jack Logan, Legendary Jim Ruiz Group | Chicago | Schubas |
| 20 | Sam Prekop, Archer Prewitt, Edith Frost | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 21 | Pernice Brothers, American Analog Set, Magnetic Fields | Chicago | Schubas |
| 22 | DJ Sole, Afghan Whigs | Chicago | Metro |
| 23 | Varnaline, Bob Mould | San Francisco | Fillmore |
| 24 | Grant Lee Buffalo, Benjamin Bonham | San Francisco | Café Du Nord |
| 25 | Chris Mills, Old 97s | Chicago | Metro |
| 26 | Patrick Winningham, Joe Henry, Pete Droge | San Francisco | Slim's |
| 27 | Kuntry Kunt, Pinetop Seven, Buckets | San Francisco | Bottom of the Hill |
| 28 | Vandermark 5 | Chicago | Empty Bottle |
| 29 | Two Star Tabernacle, Jeff Tweedy | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 30 | Ladybug, Retsin, Yo La Tango w/ Jad Fair | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 31 | Devil in a Woodpile, David "Honeyboy" Edwards | Chicago | Hideout |
| 32 | Sam Prekop, Spinnanes | Chicago | Empty Bottle |
| 33 | Maki, Whiskeytown | San Francisco | Fillmore |
| 34 | Patty Griffin, Son Volt, Grant Lee Buffalo | Chicago | Congress Theater |
| 35 | Symphonies for the Devil: A Rock and Roll Circus '98 | San Francisco | Velvet Lounge |
| 36 | Moonshine Willy, Velmas | Chicago | Lounge Ax |
| 37 | Franklin, Stanley's Joyful Noise, Throneberry | Chicago | Empty Bottle |
| 38 | High Llama, Apples in Stereo | San Francisco | Great American Music Hall |
| 39 | 6 string drag, Hang Dogs, Seconds Flat | Chicago | Schubas |
| 40 | Canvas | San Francisco | Stanford Coffee House |
| 41 | Chris Bonney Band | Chicago | Phyllis' Musical Inn |