I’ve seen some sensational performances this year, but these 10 frequently come to mind when I reflect on my favorite moments. by Brittne Lunniss Photos by Brittne Lunniss What makes a great show? I photograph hundreds every year (in 2024 alone, I shot around 200!), and I get that question a lot. When The Stranger’s managing editor Megan Seling asked me to compile a list of my top 10 from 2024, my head spontaneously combusted. How? Who? When? What?  I put my skull back together and began looking through my calendar. It felt like I was selecting a favorite child, I was unsure how to approach the list. I come from an “everyone gets an award” generation and didn’t want anyone to feel left out. After hours (okay, days) of contemplation, I finally nailed down my picks. I’ve seen some sensational performances this year, but these 10 frequently come to mind when I reflect on my favorite moments. I’ve come to realize the best shows don’t always make for the best photos—and that’s okay! The best shows are about energy, sound, inspiration, introspection, and, a lot of times, fun. The following list is sorted chronologically because, holy shit, narrowing it down to 10 was hard enough!  GROUPLOVE @ ShowBox SoDo, 2/28/24 GROUPLOVE @ ShowBox SoDo, 2/28/24 If you’re between the ages of 30–40 and think you’ve never heard GROUPLOVE, yes, you have. Their 2012 single “Tongue Tied” was an unofficial anthem for college parties and irresponsibly fun summer nights everywhere circa early-2000s. Given the opportunity to photograph them at ShowBox SoDo, I screamed internally: “TAKE ME TO MY BEST FRIEND’S HOUSE” as I faintly smelled a whiff of Four Loko in the air. (I don’t have alcohol poisoning, you have alcohol poisoning). The sold-out SoDo show was GROUPLOVE’s opportunity to remind us why we fell in love with the band in the first place—locked in musicality, magnetic crowd engagement, playful band dynamics, and sexy exchanges between front-persons Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi. (Steamy!) Despite feeling like a smothered sardine while shooting from the crowd, the sound, rainbow lighting, warm audience energy, and overall nostalgia made for a premium start to my 2024 shooting season. Midnight High @ Freakout Weekender (Belltown Yacht Club), 3/2/24  Midnight High @ Freakout Weekender (Belltown Yacht Club), 3/2/24  How much freak does a freakout freak if a Freakout Weekender could? Midnight High just might have the answer to that question. The band exploded into the Seattle scene in 2023, and just like the glitter they collectively douse themselves in, they’re not going anywhere any time soon. They offer a uniquely catchy sound and gleeful live show. It’s the custom stage lights. It’s the powerhouse harmonies. It’s the ‘80s aesthetic. It’s the fact that even the most frozen of Seattlelites can’t resist swaying their hips when Nik Singleton sings the “oooh oooh oooh” part of “Avenue.” (If you know, you know.) Midnight High’s Weekender set directly competed with a headlining slot, so the Belltown Yacht Club crowd was smaller than their usual draw. I felt lucky to be so up close and personal with the band—that won’t happen again, as the group is selling out venues all over Seattle now. It was like a disco-themed house party with the coolest kids in town. CMAT @ Sunset Tavern, 3/22/24 CMAT @ Sunset Tavern, 3/22/24  CMAT (also known as Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) was the greatest Irish country star I never heard of. Like a cartoon character for adults, CMAT is loud, brazen, offensive, and outrageously cute. She drenched the sold-out crowd at the Sunset Tavern with her persona, channeling country diva greats like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain with the pipes to match. She two-stepped, death-dropped, and head-banged the whole way through, leaving audience members giggling and gasping. And seeing CMAT at the Sunset felt extra special because I quickly realized it would be the last time she would perform in a Seattle venue of that size. (Sidenote: If you’re ever unsure if you should go see a band you’ve never heard of, just freaking do it. I did and ended up experiencing one of the best shows of my year.) Oneohtrix Point Never @ The Neptune Theatre, 4/17/24  Oneohtrix Point Never @ The Neptune Theatre, 4/17/24  I’ve never done ayahuasca, but something was in the air at Oneohtrix Point Never. People laughed, screamed, laid in the hallway, and puked in the garbage. OPN was proof that you can have a true physical reaction to music. I had to leave the theatre a few times because I felt so disoriented. The synth, strobes, eerie light show… I couldn’t look away even when I wanted to. OPN was a completely different style of music than I normally photograph, and I wasn’t sure how to approach it. Concerts can be pretty literal (you listen to the lyrics, watch the performers, match the energy around you), but OPN is vastly open to interpretation. I was pushed to immerse my whole self into the music, to really think about how it applied to me, individually, in that moment. The act of doing so was inspiring. Theia @ Belltown Bloom (Madame Lou’s), 5/7/24 Theia @ Belltown Bloom (Madame Lou’s), 5/7/24  Belltown Bloom never fails to introduce me to badass femme artists, and New Zealand’s Theia quickly became a new favorite. Theia’s energy could hardly be contained to Madame Lou’s as her electricity possessed the crowd during a traditional Māori haka. Theia effortlessly switched between sweet-sounding futuristic pop to screaming out about social injustices through hip-hop-inspired beats. I had never seen haka in person, and I felt like my soul had left my body as I witnessed Theia channel this fire. Her set was a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, we sat on the floor and cried. Other times, we punched the air and cursed child predators. Theia’s Belltown Bloom set was culturally informative, empowering, and genre-bending. A master class in crowd engagement. Mannequin Pussy @ Day In Day Out Fest, 7/12/24  Mannequin Pussy @ Day In Day Out Fest, 7/12/24  Mannequin Pussy’s Day In Day Out Fest made me want to burn my bra and overthrow the government. If guitarist and vocalist Missy Dabice told me it was time to form a colony of enraged feminist punks, I would say, "we ride at dawn.” Full disclosure: Mannequin Pussy is my favorite band. There have been times when I’ve photographed other “favorite bands” and I’ve been left sorely disappointed. This was not one of those times. The band sounded just as good, if not better, than their recordings. Their stage presence was magnetic. In the spirit of rage, Dabice called attention to recent events surrounding bodily autonomy and gender-based violence. Earlier that month, a study revealed that multiple tampon brands contain toxins like lead and arsenic. “They’re trying to poison us,” Dabice screamed. Using their presence to inform and incite, Mannequin Pussy is this generation’s Bikini Kill. I wanted to high-five a handful of moms holding their baby feminist daughters as they watched the band in awe. We were collectively angry. Inspired. Impressed. Now isn’t that what punk is all about? (P.S. Missy, I’m serious about the colony.) Les Savy Fav @ Day In Day Out Fest, 7/13/24 Les Savy Fav @ Day In Day Out Fest, 7/13/24  When I have the opportunity to shoot a festival, I’ll intentionally sign up for a couple of bands I’ve never heard of. Les Savy Fav was performing on the main stage at Day In Day Out Fest, so I knew they had to be “good” in one way or another. I didn’t research their music or even what they looked like. I had an impression in my head that Les Savy Fav would be some sexy, chic French band. Boy, was I surprised! The art punk, hardcore-inspired indie group is fronted by outrageously eccentric Tim Harrington. Prior to the set, Harrington sat on stage and applied makeup. He handed out water to the audience, and based on his casual nature, I initially assumed he was a crew member. When the music kicked in, so did Harrington’s stage persona. Harrington invaded the crowd like a wolf breaking free from their cage. Spewing beer, yelling in faces, trading shirts, climbing over festival-goers—the sheer force of Les Savy Fav had been released. Aside from thoroughly enjoying their music, I had never laughed so hard while shooting a set, the band was pure joy. Bikini Kill @ South Sound Block Party, 8/23/24 Bikini Kill @ South Sound Block Party, 8/23/24  I drove three hours in the pouring rain for this show, and I would drive hundreds more for Kathleen Hanna. I was elated to photograph Bikini Kill and utterly tickled I would be doing so on everyone’s new favorite holiday: BIKINI KILL DAY. The freaking governor even showed up??? The shooting conditions for this outdoor festival show were atrociously unideal. We were in the midst of a torrential downpour, and there was no cover for the pit. I was standing in water up to my ankles, and I cringed each time I took a step because my socks were soaking wet. Bikini Kill proved they’ve still got the juice. In fact, Bikini Kill were so juicy that the crowd couldn’t contain themselves, and they toppled the pit barrier during the second song. It was encouraging to witness a new generation of patriarchy-smashing little punks crowd-surfing and singing along. And extra props to the band for continuing their set, despite the crew having to mop the stage between songs. And though Hanna admitted she was less active on stage due to how slippery it was, we were all too smitten to even care. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes @ Bumbershoot, 9/1/24 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes @ Bumbershoot, 9/1/24  I knew Me First and the Gimme Gimmes was a cover band, and while I appreciate a good cover, I was hesitant. Cover bands run the risk of being cheesy, like your uncle who peaked in his high school punk band performing karaoke at the local dive bar. I remembered that my editor Megan really likes Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (and I knew Megan would never lead me astray!), so I decided to give them a shot. Upon entering the pit, I was immediately entertained by the crowd demographic. In an unusual twist, the pit barrier (usually overwhelmed by youngsters) was engulfed by middle-aged men in flat-brim hats. The set began, and I found myself darting from one side of the pit to another, attempting to capture lead singer Spike Slawson’s antics. The punk rock supergroup didn’t take themselves too seriously, which was one of the best parts of their performance. Seasoned groups (the band was formed in 1995) often grow jaded, leaving audience members feeling like they’re inconveniencing the band by forcing them to be there. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes seemed genuinely stoked to be at Bumbershoot, and that energy was reciprocated by the audience.  Anthers @ Freakout Fest (Sunset Tavern), 11/7/24 Anthers @ Freakout Fest (Sunset Tavern), 11/7/24  It’s not always about the light shows and choreography—sometimes it’s just about the goddamn rock ’n ’roll. Anthers’s set at Freakout Fest was about as visibly simple as it gets: No lights. Lots of strobes. Fog. This back-to-basics approach was perfect for a band dedicated to feeling, not frill. Anthers are like a metaphysical circle-pit littered with heavy riffs, hypnotic drum patterns, and bellowing angst-filled vocals. Sunset Tavern was pitch-black aside from the occasional silhouette-enhancing strobe. Electric, siren-esque guitar tones contorted through the speakers, and low melodic chanting intensified into full screams. After the first song, I felt like I had entered a videogame and promptly made a mental note to never (EVER, under whatever circumstances) listen to Anthers while on shrooms. Anthers was the best car crash I’ve ever been in. I left feeling jostled, excited, and like I could really outrun the cops if I wanted to.