December is the month to gaze back over the year and compile “Best Of” lists. As a self proclaimed music junkie I’ve kept track of every show I’ve attended for the past six years, but this year took an interesting turn as I started photographing shows for press reviews, music festivals and live performances at a local radio station. It has been incredible combining two of my passions and so in leui of a photo list or Favorite Albums (See the bottom) I’ve decided to share what I’ve been up too when I wasn’t photographing love birds at weddings.

A big thanks to Lindsey Bluher, my music blogger in crime and now PR Director of SSG Music, who saw me at Pretty Broken Things and said “hey, can I use you your photos?” If you click on the reviews following the band names 80% of the words are written weilded by her keyboard while you’ll find photos I took from the shows.

Thank you to CultureMob, Neumos/Barboza, SSG Music, KEXP, Capitol Hill Block Party and City Arts Fest for getting me out and posting my work. It’s been a healthy mix of work and pleasure (okay, mostly pleasure) I’m looking forward to getting out again in 2013! I’m also officially launching Band Press Kit packages so keep your eyes peeled and email hello@amberzbitnoff.com if you’d like to make some magic together!

Key!
Bold Names = Band featured in the photo directly below the name
***s = Favorite Performances of the year
^ = Off Duty / Sans Camera

JANUARY
***17th – ^ City and Colour at Neptune Theater

FEBRUARY
17th – ^ Damien Jurado, Bryan John Appleby at The Neptune Theater

MARCH
26th – ^ Of Monsters and Men at Showbox Sodo

APRIL
***9th – ^ Radiohead at Key Arena
12th – Pretty Broken Things at Columbia City Theater – CultureMob Review

24th – ^ The Naked & Famous, Vacationer at Showbox Sodo

MAY
4th – Delta Spirit at Neumos – CultureMob Review

***7th – Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar at Neumos – SSG Music Review & Blog

8th – The Black Keys at Key Arena
13th – Death Cab For Cutie with The Magik*Magik Orchestra, Youth Lagoon at The Paramount Theater

JULY
20th – 22nd Capitol Hill Block Party
Day 1: Father John Misty, Gold Leaves, Youth Lagoon, Thee Oh Sees, Allen Stone, Constant Lovers, Fitz and the Tantrums, Fresh Espresso – Blog & Allen Stone Review on CultureMob

Day 2: Nude Pop, Beat Connection, Hot Bodies In Motion, Twin Shadow, ***ReignWolf, Grimes, Aesop Rock, Major Lazer – Blog & Reignwolf Review on CultureMob

Day 3: The Lumineers, Blouse, ***Phantogram, Neko Case, Porcelain Raft – Blog & The Lumineers Review on CultureMob

25th – ^ Fiona Apple at The Paramount Theater
27th – Neon Trees, BattleMe, Penguin Prison at Showbox Market – CultureMob Review & Blog

AUGUST
***8th – Sigur Rós, Julia Holter at The Paramount – SSG Music Review & Blog

12th – Twin Shadow, Poolside at Barboza – Barboza Photo Set
15th – Cold Specks at KEXP – KEXP Blog

20th – Three Mile Pilot at The Tractor Tavern
***27th – Minus The Bear, Helms Alee at The Comet – CultureMob Review & Blog

SEPTEMBER
3rd – Bumbershoot Musical Festival for KEXP: Seapony, Reignwolf, Noah Gundersen, Ty Segall, M83, Bryan John Appleby, LIGHTS, Passion Pit, Skrillex at Seattle Center – Blog

***5th – Purity Ring at Neumos – Neumos Photo Set and Blog

6th – Silversun Pickups, School of Seven Bells, Atlas Genius at Moore Theater – SSG Music Review
21st – Father John Misty at Neumos – Neumos Review & Blog

22nd – ^ Cold War Kids, Portugal The Man at Redhook Brewery
24th – Zambri at KEXP
25th – Sera Cahone at KEXP
26th – Alt-J ∆, GroupLove at The Moore Theater – CultureMob Review

OCTOBER
3rd – Beach House at Showbox Market – CHBP Photo Set
6th – ^ The xx at The Paramount
***9th – Ben Gibbard at the Smith Tower
16th – Grimes at Neumos – Neumos Photo Set
17th – 20th City Arts Fest in Seattle: ***Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Pollens, ***Ghostland Observatory (Laser Dome and Showbox Sodo), Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, Lemolo, Land of Pines, DeVotchKa, Motopony, ***My Goodness, St. Lucia – City Arts Fest Facebook Page

21st – Lord Huron at Barboza- Barboza Review
***22nd – Lord Huron at KEXP – KEXP Blog


***22nd – ^ Ben Gibbard at KEXP

27th – Daughter at Barboza – Barboza Review

NOVEMBER
21st – SSG Black Party with The Tempers, blackdiva as La Tigre, Two White Opals at The Crocodile – SSG Music Photo Set
30th – Deep Sea Diver, Wild Belle, Pretty Broken Things at Neumos – Neumos Review

DECEMBER
***8th – ^ Sufjan Steven’s Christmas Sing-A-Long Tour “Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant On Ice”
13th – Lavender Diamond at KEXP
17th – Alt-J ∆, Wildcat! Wildcat! at the Crocodile – CultureMob Review


21st – The Comettes at KEXP

21st – ^ Noah Gundersen Family Christmas at Fremont Abbey

22nd – The Comettes at Barboza – SSG Music Review
22nd – Black Hills, Black Whales at The Comet
31st – ^ Pickwick at Showbox Market

If you are curious what my are my Top 10 Albums of 2012, you can check out my list on the KEXP blog: http://blog.kexp.org/2012/12/19/kexp-staff-volunteers-interns-top-ten-albums-of-2012-part-2