As part of our year-end wrapup, the staff has put together their top moments of 2012 and are sharing them with you, enjoy!

5. AU Releases Both Lights

One of the first local bands I discovered upon moving to Portland four years ago was AU. Their sound was challenging and I was moved by their willingness to take risks and expand sound beyond the guitar-drums-bass formula. Watching Luke Wyland and Dana Valatka release Both Lights in a packed house at Doug Fir that evening solidified the recognition their talents deserve.

4. Cults Cover “Everybody Knows”

It’s difficult to put to words how prominent Leonard Cohen is in the American musical landscape. But it might be just as difficult to cover one of his songs and sound decent doing it. Be that as it may, Cults managed to do it and do it well with the help of Madeline Follin’s eerily striking vocals.

3. THEESatisfaction’s First Performance at Sasquatch

There was no light show. No DJ. No pyrotechnics. Just Stas and Cat—the two halves of THEESatisfaction—killing their first appearance at the Sasquatch Music Festival with a LAPTOP. Think about it. Then go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C87RzA1yyYs

2. Grouper Puts People to Sleep at the Quiet Music Festival

The above headline is not meant to be pejorative. In fact, at the Quiet Music Festival, people were encouraged to lie down, take naps, or knit, among other things. Given the circumstances, it shouldn’t have been surprising that Liz Harris’ beautiful atmospheric melodies would knock audience members out with impressive potency.

1. Passion Pit Plays MusicFest NW

It’s hard to think of Passion Pit as a relatively young band, seeing as they seemed to leapfrog any nascent measures of success with absurd speed (thanks internet!). Still, Michael Angelakos and posse have produced a live show that upended the Crystal Ballroom in ways I had not anticipated. And it was their second performance of the week.

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