2005 is when I started making a point of attending at least one show a month, as part of my new year's resolutions. Despite having made that decision at the end of 2004, I hadn't actually thought of also writing reviews of the shows, that was an afterthought. This is why the January "review" is all but nonexistent, just an explanation of who I was planning to see and a brief follow-up note written two years later. Looking over these reviews now, some of them are rather weak, mainly the ones written as part of a general weekly update post instead of standing on their own. In particular, the May 2005 concert featuring Ivy really deserved much better than the single paragraph it gets, as Ivy are great and the other two bands were pretty good as well. On the other hand, I still really like my March 2005 review of Kinski, Oneida, and Black Mountain; that one would stand well with my more recent ones. The June 2005 (Meat Beat Manifesto) and December 2005 (Rasputina) reviews are also pretty good.

January 2005 at Capitol Hill Arts Center
Steve Fisk, Foscil, Sun Vow

February and March 2005, two concerts in one review
February: Mates of State, Aqueduct, Smoosh at Chop Suey
March: Kinski, Oneida, Black Mountain at The Crocodile Cafe

April 2005, first concert, at The Tractor Tavern
Ida, Tara Jane ONeil, Michael Hurley

April 2005, second concert, at The Jewel Box Theater/Rendezvous
Kanda, Library Science, Matt Corwine

May 2005 at The Crocodile Cafe
Ivy, Robbers on High Street, Astaire

June 2005 at Neumos
Meat Beat Manifesto and Dub Trio

July 2005 at Mars Bar
Stickfigure Strippers, Kanda, The Valentines

August 2005 at Chop Suey
Saba, Library Science, The Epochs (Beehive was also on the lineup, closing out the show, but I didn't stay for them)

September 2005, Saturday night at Bumbershoot
Death Cab for Cutie with Mike Doughty, Daniel Handler, Dave Eggers, and Sarah Vowell in a benefit for 826 Seattle

September 2005, Monday afternoon at Bumbershoot
The Decemberists

September 2005, Monday evening at Bumbershoot
Kinski, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Tegan & Sara

September 2005 (post-Bumbershoot) at Neumos
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

October 2005 at Tula's
Gutbucket

November 2005 at The Crocodile Cafe
Kinski, IQU, Unnatural Helpers

December 2005 at Neumos
Rasputina and Aberdeen City