Bands of 2005
At the end of 2004, I compiled a list of all the bands I saw that year, and commented on them. I took more notice this past year, so if you're interested, I figured I'd list the 2005 bands (minus a few I couldn't find the name of). If the band has a number in parentheses, I saw them that number of times. If there's an asterisk next to them, I saw them in 2004 as well.
State Radio - Good stuff. The guy has a guitar made out of an oil can.
Donavon Frankenreiter - Nice. Played with a band, including a brilliant drummer/ percussionist.
They Might Be Giants (2)* - My favorite band never disappoints.
Jack Johnson (2) - Ben Stiller turned up for the in-store. Zach Gill of ALO on keys and harmonies is a nice addition.
The Thrills* - Like them in a club setting better, but still rocked.
Maroon 5 - Surprisingly jam-oriented considering the 14-year-old girl crowd.
Mike Doughty (3)* - Saw him once solo, once as a duo, and once as a band. Rocked every time.
Susan Enan - It wouldn't kill me to listen to her, but I wouldn't by choice.
Spiraling - They are awesom-o and rock the fuck out of the keyboards.
Lower Class Citizens (3) - You know you've made it when one ugly drunk chick dances to a cover song you're playing. Always fail to impress me.
The Salvador Santana Band - Only played for 15 minutes, which was long enough for me to hate the male singer and fall in love with the female singer.
Los Lonely Boys - Coolest part was when the guitarist and bassist played simultaneously on the same guitar.
Santana - Sure, he's old now, but that didn't stop him from rocking for over 2 hours.
Regina Spektor - A few thought-provoking lyrics. Not much else.
Maxïmo Park (2) - So glad I discovered this high-energy British band.
Louis XIV - They'd be entirely forgettable if it weren't for their entirely bad hair.
Keane - Better than expected, but too cocky.
The Killers - Every song sounded the same. And they wore makeup... fags.
First Thing's First - Pretty bad. I wanted to take the mic.
Tranzfusion - Their cover of "Low Rider" was good, but it's an easy song.
NBO (5) - The five is a guess. The pool band at my resort in Aruba. Rocked out a reggae medley including "Get Down on It," "Sexual Healing," "What's Love Got to Do with It?," "Sweat," and "No Woman No Cry."
2 Skinnee J's (2) - First time seeing a band twice in the same day. They were so happy onstage that I don't know why they won't keep playing.
The Disco Biscuits - Played the same phrase over and over for like 20 minutes with no build. Their army of potheads can't convince me to like this half-rate jam band.
As Fast As - Formerly Rocktopus. The lead singer picked a fight with a guy in the crowd. Cool.
Chris Glover - Every song souded different, which is a feat when you're solo acoustic. Watch out for this guy.
O'Malley's March - Irish rock band fronted by Baltimore's mayor. Pretty fucking cool to see a mayor playing guitar behind his head on his knees.
Maxi Priest - Fun, but too polished.
Q-Tip - A fat white lady did sign language and danced to the songs the whole show.
The Players - Nine-piece reggae/ ska band. They're all white, which means they're not that good.
Jah Works - Good enough that I bought their CD for $5.
Ozomatli - I wish I knew more Spanish so I could've enjoyed these guys even more than I already did. At the end, they came into the crowd and did "The Hokey Pokey" and "The Chicken Dance."
Candiflyp - Sucked it like a whore on welfare.
Jarflys* - I'd see these guys every Tuesday at Armadillo's if I lived in Annapolis. If you're anywhere near, make the trip. They play two sets and the cover's only like $2.
The Chesterfield Kings - Old-school punk + maracas = this shit.
Bouncing Souls - Way overrated.
Blondie - Although she's not sexy any more, she still rocks.
Public Enemy - They only played 3 songs, but Professor Griff and Flava Flav were there together. Gotta admit that's cool.
N'Harmonics - Some NYU a cappella group that I didn't really pay attention to.
Below Carmine - They looked like they were enjoying it. Too bad no one else did.
Funky Butter - Might be better if the lead chick was hot, but that probably still wouldn't stop every song from sounding the same.
Mass Transit - How many shitty a cappella groups are there at NYU?
Nat Ward - Below Carmine's lead singer and guitarist. Not any better by himself.
Heath Brandon - Does what John Mayer tries to do, but in a tolerable fashion.
Matt Costa (2) - When you're sandwiched between ALO and Jack Johnson, you'd better be pretty fucking good. He's really grown on me.
Animal Liberation Orchestra (2)* - I never wanted them to stop playing.
The Cloud Room - Their drummer deserves more than this mediocre band.
Filomath* - Improved greatly over the past year by changing things up.
Brian Kaplan - Looks like Christian Finnegan. Tolerable acoustic stuff.
Jason Liebman & the Uprising - A crappy name for a crappy band.
Peter Salett* - So good that there's no excuse for playing such short sets.
Orenda Fink - She'll put you to sleep.
S.I.D.E.B.A.R. - Scrap Livingston, who played for 20 seconds.
Val Yumm - About as good as you'd expect a band called Val Yumm to be, which is not very good.
Colouring Lesson - I thought I'd never get the chance to see Baltimore's hardest reggae band, and now that I have, I want to see them again.
State Radio - Good stuff. The guy has a guitar made out of an oil can.
Donavon Frankenreiter - Nice. Played with a band, including a brilliant drummer/ percussionist.
They Might Be Giants (2)* - My favorite band never disappoints.
Jack Johnson (2) - Ben Stiller turned up for the in-store. Zach Gill of ALO on keys and harmonies is a nice addition.
The Thrills* - Like them in a club setting better, but still rocked.
Maroon 5 - Surprisingly jam-oriented considering the 14-year-old girl crowd.
Mike Doughty (3)* - Saw him once solo, once as a duo, and once as a band. Rocked every time.
Susan Enan - It wouldn't kill me to listen to her, but I wouldn't by choice.
Spiraling - They are awesom-o and rock the fuck out of the keyboards.
Lower Class Citizens (3) - You know you've made it when one ugly drunk chick dances to a cover song you're playing. Always fail to impress me.
The Salvador Santana Band - Only played for 15 minutes, which was long enough for me to hate the male singer and fall in love with the female singer.
Los Lonely Boys - Coolest part was when the guitarist and bassist played simultaneously on the same guitar.
Santana - Sure, he's old now, but that didn't stop him from rocking for over 2 hours.
Regina Spektor - A few thought-provoking lyrics. Not much else.
Maxïmo Park (2) - So glad I discovered this high-energy British band.
Louis XIV - They'd be entirely forgettable if it weren't for their entirely bad hair.
Keane - Better than expected, but too cocky.
The Killers - Every song sounded the same. And they wore makeup... fags.
First Thing's First - Pretty bad. I wanted to take the mic.
Tranzfusion - Their cover of "Low Rider" was good, but it's an easy song.
NBO (5) - The five is a guess. The pool band at my resort in Aruba. Rocked out a reggae medley including "Get Down on It," "Sexual Healing," "What's Love Got to Do with It?," "Sweat," and "No Woman No Cry."
2 Skinnee J's (2) - First time seeing a band twice in the same day. They were so happy onstage that I don't know why they won't keep playing.
The Disco Biscuits - Played the same phrase over and over for like 20 minutes with no build. Their army of potheads can't convince me to like this half-rate jam band.
As Fast As - Formerly Rocktopus. The lead singer picked a fight with a guy in the crowd. Cool.
Chris Glover - Every song souded different, which is a feat when you're solo acoustic. Watch out for this guy.
O'Malley's March - Irish rock band fronted by Baltimore's mayor. Pretty fucking cool to see a mayor playing guitar behind his head on his knees.
Maxi Priest - Fun, but too polished.
Q-Tip - A fat white lady did sign language and danced to the songs the whole show.
The Players - Nine-piece reggae/ ska band. They're all white, which means they're not that good.
Jah Works - Good enough that I bought their CD for $5.
Ozomatli - I wish I knew more Spanish so I could've enjoyed these guys even more than I already did. At the end, they came into the crowd and did "The Hokey Pokey" and "The Chicken Dance."
Candiflyp - Sucked it like a whore on welfare.
Jarflys* - I'd see these guys every Tuesday at Armadillo's if I lived in Annapolis. If you're anywhere near, make the trip. They play two sets and the cover's only like $2.
The Chesterfield Kings - Old-school punk + maracas = this shit.
Bouncing Souls - Way overrated.
Blondie - Although she's not sexy any more, she still rocks.
Public Enemy - They only played 3 songs, but Professor Griff and Flava Flav were there together. Gotta admit that's cool.
N'Harmonics - Some NYU a cappella group that I didn't really pay attention to.
Below Carmine - They looked like they were enjoying it. Too bad no one else did.
Funky Butter - Might be better if the lead chick was hot, but that probably still wouldn't stop every song from sounding the same.
Mass Transit - How many shitty a cappella groups are there at NYU?
Nat Ward - Below Carmine's lead singer and guitarist. Not any better by himself.
Heath Brandon - Does what John Mayer tries to do, but in a tolerable fashion.
Matt Costa (2) - When you're sandwiched between ALO and Jack Johnson, you'd better be pretty fucking good. He's really grown on me.
Animal Liberation Orchestra (2)* - I never wanted them to stop playing.
The Cloud Room - Their drummer deserves more than this mediocre band.
Filomath* - Improved greatly over the past year by changing things up.
Brian Kaplan - Looks like Christian Finnegan. Tolerable acoustic stuff.
Jason Liebman & the Uprising - A crappy name for a crappy band.
Peter Salett* - So good that there's no excuse for playing such short sets.
Orenda Fink - She'll put you to sleep.
S.I.D.E.B.A.R. - Scrap Livingston, who played for 20 seconds.
Val Yumm - About as good as you'd expect a band called Val Yumm to be, which is not very good.
Colouring Lesson - I thought I'd never get the chance to see Baltimore's hardest reggae band, and now that I have, I want to see them again.