Countdown in photos: Day 28

Seattlest will be counting down to 2011 with a series of posts on our highlights of this year and what we're looking forward to in the next. Got a list to suggest? Send it our way. See the entire series here.

I didn't really start heading out to local (or even non-local) shows until a little over a year ago. I mean I had casually gone to about 5 shows a year and headed out to almost every local venue in the city, but nothing like what I manage now. Even in the old days, I had a few favorite local bands and one of them was Menomena. I was pretty heartbroken that they were on a hiatus and not planning to tour anytime soon. Their home was a mere four hours away from Seattle in the lovely town of Portland, but no sign of a show happening even there. I did discover, in the band's absence, another amazing group in Ramona Falls. It was the side project of the lead singer Brent Knopf. Their sound is hardly similar to Knopf's other foray into music, but strange and amazing none the less.

Then, to my delight, two days after my birthday my beloved Menomena performed at the Showbox Market. I couldn't contain my enthusiasm, until I came down with a horrific cold two days before (yep, on my birthday). I wasn't going to let this stop me, though and I managed to get to the show and enjoy myself wholeheartedly. I even managed to snap a few decent shots, including the one below complete with creepy percussion doll heads.

Check out my previous countdown photo here.