0 Hollie Huthman's (The Shakedown) Top Albums and Shows of 2012

Albums:

Sandrider - S/T

Lozen - Para Vida

Unsane - Wreck

Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel blah, blah blah...

PallBearer - Sorrow and Extinction

Sera Cahoone - Deer Creek Canyon

Dog Shredder - Brass Tactics

Cellos - The Accident

Shows:

Hot Snakes, Bangs - Neumos

With no original intent on needing to be close to the stage for Hot Snakes, I somehow found myself in a crowd curent that landed me right in front, leaning on a subwoofer and right in front of the bass. Every time he'd drop into the lower registers it would make me giggle a little. 

Sleep, Kowloon Walled CIty - Neumos

Granted, a rare trip out of town with a group of friends led to an early start with the boozing and has the memory of this show a little more fuzzy than I'd like... But still, HOLY CRAP IT WAS AMAZING. I have the blurry iPhone photos to prove it.

Helms Alee, Kowloon Walled CIty, The Narrows, Cower - The Shakedown

Four of my favorite bands in one night! I've loved The Narrows since my earliest days of going to shows in Bellingham and it was a rare treat to get them back after over a year on hiatus. Helms Alee's new stuff is AMAZING. Cower is one of my newest favorites and they only get better every time I see them. And the KWC guys came all the way up from San Francisco to play (the best birthday present ever).

 Kowloon Walled City at The Shakedown - by HH

Dick Dale - The Shakedown

Granted, I experienced this show for the most part from behind or on top of the bar. But, the guy is 75 years old, barely held together by modern medicine, and still SHREDS. I have never seen an entire crowd more excited; from the kids that mostly came to see their friend's band open, all the way up to the group of bearded grandpas that drove up from Kent and drank water all night.  

Federation X, Helms Alee, Dog Shredder - The Shakedown

I've seen Federation X too many times to count over the years and I have to say, they're back with a vengeance and sounding amazing. Can't wait to see what they have in store for us in 2013.

 Helms Alee at The Shakedown - by HH

Akimbo's last show - The Comet

I almost talked myself into leaving my camera at home so I could just "watch the show." Thank god I didn't. This show reminded me why I fell in love with live music in the first place. Easily my favorite show of the year.

Akmibo at The Comet - by HH