Seattle Subsonic

The 4 Bands I Saw @ CHBP

July 29th, 2008

I did intend to catch more than four bands at this year’s Cap Hill Block Party, but after 4-5 hours of insanity I felt I’d experienced enough BP action to feel more than fulfilled. It’s true, each of the bands I saw were fantastic and I definitely got plenty utility out of the 20 bones spent on my ticket. I simply bailed early on Saturday evening (around 9:30, eek) because I yearned to regain my small hemisphere of personal space that had been suffocated for 4+ hours. Too many tickets sold? This is an understatement.

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1) I strolled in around 5:20 or so, and made a break for the Vera Stage to catch Man Plus. I arrived 10 minutes later after squeezing and pushing and squirming past the rest of Seattle compressed within that one block radius separating entrance from Vera Stage.

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Now, I’ve seen Man Plus before (read LB’s spot-on post on the band here), as a 2-man, 1-woman show. However, this afternoon Man Plus showed up in its entirety as a full 5-bodied gig. I admit, both shows – the 3-piece set at High Dive’s Audioasis last month and 5-piece set on Saturday – were equally compelling. This goes to show how f’awesome this band is to pull off such outrageous performances with or without all band-members in tow.

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Here’s why I’m so high on this band: lead-singer Jared has alluring grunge-era vocals and untamed stage presence. Manat creates magic behind his synth or whatever piece of machinery he stands behind. And Ellen provides a lady-like element on vox that adds just the right measure of innocence to Man Plus’ intense and exacerbated sound. Jared comfortably fits the bill as the band’s alt-grunge-electro-punk-rock frontman (or whatever you want to call them). Hints of Cobain when screaming rage in Smells Like Teen Spirit, seep from the kid. Bleak, unmasked lyrics are delivered via heavy, blunt, manic vocals which he vehemently throws his whole (oh so slim) body into. Man Plus’ sound comes as close as I’ve felt in years to reminiscing back to the early 90’s. I’m sure this is far from MP’s intentions, but I can’t help but feel a twinge of that energy. Jared (first name is all I have to refer to) physically and emotionally launches himself into his music when performing. At both shows I’ve attended he’s jumped offstage to join the crowd – sweat flying, limbs flailing, trusting himself to the ways and whims of the audience. I feel like a giddy teen admitting this, but it was a welcome surprise at both shows and all too exciting! Check out the snapshot of how intimate and interactive a show Man Plus deliver!

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2) On to band two of the evening. I have very little to write in review of this band since I could hardly hear them. Granted, I was in the beer garden, just right and perhaps slightly behind the main stage. But this shouldn’t have totally cut me off what was going on up there. Dude, what was up with the sound at the main stage?

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Anyhow – the band was Fleet Foxes. Next time I see them live, and there will undoubtedly be a next time, I will make sure to catch them at an indoor venue so as to soak in every inkling of bliss they pulse. Apparently the Fleet Foxes were themselves weary of how they’d sound outdoors vs. indoors.
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3) Chromeo. I ditched the beer garden in lieu of getting closer to the main stage so I could fully engage in this gig. WOW did they stun. Chromeo are good friends David 1 (older brother of A-Trak) and P-Thugg – an intriguing east-coast Jewish/Arab duo who played a crowd-pleasing, upbeat, poppy electro/funk/rock set that had us Seattle fans clapping, dancing, and unabashedly bopping our heads. Even after they finished playing their one-song encore -bless ‘em – I left wanting to hear more. They definitely set an uplifting mood to the evening.
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4) Last but not least, local crew Velella Velella topped my night at the King Cobra stage. I’d heard VV on JITMAN (read leDoux’s post here if you don’t know what this stands for) some time ago and haven’t forgotten the name since. They’ve got a groovy, sexy, energetic sound happenin’ and they’re a blast live. Fluid, funky, jazzy, and oh so diggable.
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There you have it, my humble CHBP adventures of 2008.