Seattle Subsonic - August, 2008
Bumbershoot, Dudes, Bumbershoot
Ok, so let’s calibrate. We all know Bumbershoot is not what it used to be. It’s not a funky little arts festival in a quirky little hippy town with manageable crowds, pick-up hacky-sack, and stoners gorging themselves on samosas and elephant ears (ok, it still might be that last one). It’s a world-renowned, kick-ass, music and arts showcase in a growing, contemporary metropolis.
I know, I know, you might be distressed by the all big name acts AEG or whatever-the-fuck-booking-agency is doing the lineup now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a super-duper time checking out some of the local and national acts actually worth your oh-so-valuable-time. Thirty years of success can’t be wrong.
Also, how many more hyphens do you think I can fit into this here post? – - – [Answer at bottom]
Here’s who I’d be pressed up against the stage for were I a silly little music geek. Oh wait…:
Main Stage:
Saturday is pretty good, even though it’s kinda honkey-tonk. You’ve got Neko Case and Band Of Horses sandwiching Lucinda Williams (knock it off, perv), followed by the many faces of Beck. Sunday has the Black Keys and that’s about it. Unless you want to relive the Stone Temple Pilots’ glory days like Scott Weiland does. I bet he’s extra skinny now. Monday I’d skip unless I had a crush on Ben Gibbard. Which I don’t.
Fisher Green:
Definitely gear up for Brooklyn’s !!! on Saturday. They are DOPE (if you like maniacally dancing crowds, that is). Sunday has the Saturday Knights continuing their onslaught on our sonic senses, followed by the legendary Lee “Scratch” Perry. You can always count on Bumbershoot for some top quality reggae acts. A couple good hip-hop acts on Monday should get your juices flowing: local boys the Physics and Del the Funky Homoerectus—er, sapien.
Mural Amphitheatre:
I don’t see much here for Saturday or Sunday, but there’re quite a few singer-songwriters slotted, if you’re into that (which I know you are which is why I wrote that). I know leDoux likes Vince Mira (and I love Johnny Cash), so the li’l dude with the big voice gets a shout out for Monday, when you can also see the Old ’97s and Langhorne Slim.
Broad Street:
Lotsa popular up-and-comers on the Rockstar Stage, so hang around if you can. Saturday has pleasant-pop-rockers Throw Me The Statue, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down (from D.C.!), the Walkmen (new record!), and my personal fave, Man Man (like Tom Waits on meth, they say!!) Sunday, I’d recommend some hard-rockin’, hard-workin’ types like Pennsylvania’s the Shackletons and Minneapolis’ Tapes ‘n Tapes. Both are fantastic. Seattle’s Minus the Bear headlines Monday’s lineup.
Exhibition Hall:
Saturday = Sweetwater at 3pm. Yes! I could relive my glory days (of high school)! Sunday boasts the Blakes trying to regain their local footing, and These Arms Are Snakes who are sure to have plenty of new material. Monday, you can see Israeli freak-rock trio Monotonix burn their shit to the ground. And some other stuff happens.
EMP Sky Church:
I’ve actually never been to this venue for a show, but they’ve got some damn fine bands lined up there this year. The new New Faces, the Girls, the Valley, and Kinski all might melt your face on Saturday. PWRFL Power and Tacoma’s Mono in VCF will lighten the afternoon mood that day. Sunday closes with a nice trifecta of Speaker Speaker, the Hands, and Thee Emergency. And it don’t stop on Monday neither. Greives raps at 1:45, the always-electric Feral Children play at 6pm and Murder City Devil sound-alikes Black Eyes and Neckties at 9pm. Better just spend all weekend here.
‘Course, if you want to bypass all my prejudiced picks, you can always just go here and decide for yourself.
[Answer: fifteen]
Intelligence, the Lights @ Wildrose
I’m not joking when I say Intelligence is one of my favorite bands playing out and about right now. They’re quirky, they’re catchy, they’re weird, and they’re a helluva lotta fun. Not your average everday band, that’s fo sho’. I haven’t had the opportunity to properly review them (“mmmmm, very proper…hmmmm…yes…quite”), but I just might take this one and run with it. Hell, it’s the kickoff show to their Big American Tour!!
Plus, in bonus news, I was told the band will have some new songs on the set list. Straight from the horse’s mouth—what more do you poor bastards want?!
Plus, in double bonus news, the LIGHTS are playing this show, too!! C’mon, you know you liked Diamonds and Dirt…
Intelligence
the Lights
$7 / 21+
"No, YOU Listen!" – Strange Symmetry by Past Lives
I’m so sick of the term ‘post-punk’. It used to mean something. It began as an inextricable link to the murky machinations of the era that followed punk’s golden age three decades ago. It was a gloomy, intellectual answer to the brazen, self-righteous dignities of London’s underground hardcore scene. Manchester, Factory Records, Ian Curtis—they all bleed with the aftermath of the punk music apex. Somewhere along the way, it was corrupted into a term used to describe anything that sounded like Joy Division. That seems dubious and unfair to both that untouchable band and the ones that came after it.
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I prefer the terms dark, choppy, and fluid—like an angry sea—to describe bands that might remind me of the brooding and catchy bands from the early 80s (i.e. the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Birthday Party, Gang of Four). I prefer to describe Seattle’s Past Lives this way. By now you’ve heard the story of this quartet’s genesis, birthing themselves from the amicable termination of one of this decade’s most beloved glam-punk cult bands, the Blood Brothers. There are plenty of music lovers (mostly over the age of twenty-five) who don’t identify with the blistering “screamo” the band ensnared its fans with. But behind the abrasive vocals and offbeat imagery was a collection of talented musicians who crafted at least three successful albums with haunting bass lines, tantalizing synths, and tongue-wagging guitar licks.
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That Past Lives, made up of three-fifths of that late band, incorporate some of the same elements into their debut EP, Strange Symmetry, is unsurprising. What is surprising, however, is how this offshoot has managed to sculpt and shape their incumbent talents into a more sophisticated and settled sound. That’s not to say they’ve mellowed—because they haven’t—it just means they’ve matured. Take lead track “Beyond Gone”, for example, whose chilling guitar and synthetic steel drum backbone introduce Jordan Blilie’s handsome croon (“no curtain call” he yields) and paces Mark Gajadhar’s clickity-clack drumbeat. It sets a sinister tone that is quickly blasted away with the subsequent title track. The uncommon denominator in the Brothers’ bloodline, Devin Welch, detonates a heavy dual guitar chug along with Morgan Henderson that, quite simply, makes this the standout song on the extended player. Blilie adds his familiar urgent yelp and raucousness ensues. Producer Dann Gallucci (Modest Mouse, the Murder City Devils) has his fingerprints all over this one.
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“Reverse the Curse” is a crescendo-building mad march that evokes an image (in my head, anyway) of Blilie high-kicking across the stage à la David Lee Roth, drum major hat atop his head and baton flailing wildly. Yowza. The final track, “Chrome Life” begins with a wonderfully cacophonous guitar squeal behind a wide snare beat. Henderson swells the song with a baritone guitar reminiscent of “Knight Rider” and it quickly escalates to something mysterious and volatile.
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The band’s name, they have said, is about friends reincarnate, past experiences dovetailing into something unique and contemporary. Damn right. It’s songs like those in Strange Symmetry, however, that should propel this band far into the future.
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See these rising rockers Sunday, September 7th at Neumos with Talbot Tagora and Dead Science. You’ll be impressed.
New Album Details From The Thermals (!)
Hey dudes, your favorite punk band from Portland, owners of bouncy hair, jaded views of institutional Christianity, and several orange t-shirts have come forth with some new details regarding their 4th LP, allegedly due in the Spring of 2009. Last time they played here in Seattle, they dropped the hint that it might be called One Special Enjoy.
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From the band’s myspace blog:
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The demos are gone! Thanks to everyone for listening and for all your sweet comments, but we can’t have anyone developing strong emotional attachments to them, ourselves included. It’s what producer John Congleton calls demo-itis. It is a terrible disease that can affect us all. Kathy and I just finished tracking the ACTUAL RECORD with John at Supernatural Sound in Oregon City, or as we call it up here the N-dub OC. We recorded 15 songs and we must say we are thrilled with the sound, and we think you will be as well! We will be mixing the record next month in Dallas with John at his studio Elmwood. Still planning on an early spring 09 release, stay tuned! Track list below, so when we start playing shows again people can request songs they haven’t heard yet.
xoxo
h
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Well, that’s simply awesome. I’m excited. Also, check out these videos from mtv.com to watch Kathy (on drums!) and Hutch play “live” demos of “I Let It Go” and “You Dissolve”.
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Tracklisting (numbering my own):
1 When I Died
2 I Called Out Your Name
3 When I Was Afraid
4 Liquid In, Liquid Out
5 I Let It Go
6 At The Bottom Of The Sea
7 When We Were Alive
8 My World
9 Now We Can See
10 We Were Sick
11 How We Fade
12 Time Fell
13 I Think Of You
14 You Dissolve
15 Everything Is Thermal
Happiness… is a Cheap Beer.
Last night, The Seattle Subsonic Happy Hour at MOE Bar went over like a Twinkie at fat camp. The turnout was good enough to warrant this becoming a monthly event, the next happening Thurs Sept 18th and then the third Thurs of each following month. Mark it down! Do it!
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It was great to see everyone who made it out as we loaded our guts with $2 beers and unloaded a giant pile of CDs, tickets and other music schwag. Nobody was kidnapped by roving bands of bike messengers and evidence points to everyone making it out of the bar on their own accord (though that might NOT be a sign of a good party). Some would call that successful.
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Special thanks to Light in the Attic Records for being present and for bringing a box full of goodies. There were some damn happy folks leaving MOE Bar that night with prize packages that were practically LITA’s entire catalog. One can only assume it will help to spread the good word. Kudos to The Liars Club for making an appearance and handing all the kiddies a free copy of their EP. If you didn’t get one, you can download the EP Free here. The Liars Club plays the Bit Saloon in Ballard this Saturday night (Aug 23rd). I recommend dropping any other plans you may have as they intend to blow the front windows right the frick outta the place. Members of Safe Passage Clause also swung in with copies of their new EP and C-Leb had tentative news of an full-length album releasing Oct 31st. You’ll be hearing more about both very soon. Universal Music deserves a bow for supplying great pile of goodies for give-aways as well. (This it starting to sound like the friggen Oscars, isn’t it..? “I’d like to thank the bartenders, and Miller for making the High Life, and…” OK, enough already.)
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Here’s to seeing repeat offenders for Sept 18th… and to aspirin… guh.
And now… back to the music.
New Music Wednesday Round Up
Hello there. Here are some new developments from some of the bands you and I have been tracking recently. Some are local, some are not, all may be worth your time…that is, if your time is valuable. If you’ve got some sort of lazy/sloth/no-energy thing goin’ on, I can’t help you. You can only help yourself. Get off the couch.
Jaguar Love – This Portland band’s first record, Take Me to the Sea on Matador Records, hit stores yesterday (Aug 19th). Johnny Whitney is fast becoming one of the more “polarizing” figures in rock music (if he wasn’t already), but his off-the-wall approach to lyrics and vocals, coupled with catchy guitar-and-drum trade-offs from Cody Votolato and J Clark make for a worthwhile listen. There’s that word again. Watch the group’s first video and read my review here.
Past Lives – Another Blood Brother spin-off, this local quartet has been busy creating moody, rock-punk of their own explosive variety. They recently signed to Seattle label Suicide Squeeze and have released a stellar 5-song EP, Strange Symmetry. Sample the entire album here and download it for just 5 bucks. Pressings will be released November 4th.
These Arms Are Snakes – The band with my favorite name ever is set to release a few new projects. One, their collaboration with Pelican will be available during their upcoming tour with Suicide Squeeze labelmates sBACH. (Tour starts Aug 31st at Bumbershoot.) Two, their 3rd full-length, Tail, Swallower & Dove will be released October 7th. Check the band’s new blog for a song from T,S&D to be posted soon. [Update 8/22: "Red Line Season" is now up on the band's myspace.]
Deerhunter – Seriously, people have GOT to start talking more about this band. They’re not hard, they’re not soft, they’re just intricately…right. The arrangements exhibited on their records, Cryptograms in particular, are astonishing and main ‘hunter Bradford Cox reminds me of a more subtle Lou Reed with actual singing skills. The Velvet Undergound was never this exhaustive, however. Microcastle, the new LP, is now available on iTunes; hardcopies due in October.
TV on the Radio – Apparently you can stream the first song released from Dear Science—due for release September 23rd—but all I can hear is the first 90 seconds. It sounds like Prince.
Venus Verse – And, finally, a little local band we’re friendly with has cancelled their show at the Skylark Aug 29th. But, in good faith, it’s because the band is working on their second EP. They’ve recorded a new single that’s a ”pretty poppy, uptempo little number and might remind you of a prom in the early eighties”. Awesome. Download their excellent debut here. Seriously, do it.
One more update…
Head Like A Kite – You’ve most likely heard Dave Einmo’s ubiquitous album There is Loud Laughter Everywhere already, but if not, feel free to stream the record in it’s entirety on Mush’s website. Be the internet.
OMG, ANOTHER update…
Talkdemonic – This Portland-based electro-acoustic instrumental duo is getting set to release their 3rd LP, Eyes At Half Mast, on September 16th. Their last record, Beat Romantic, was an amazing musical landscape of powerful percussion, beautiful viola accompaniment, and lush electronic displays floating throughout. Listen to new song “March Movement” here.
Third Annual Reverb Fest is A'brewin…
Seattle Weekly’s third Annual Reverb Fest is going to be talking control of practically every stage, nook and cranny of the bars and venues in Ballard on Saturday, October 4th 2008. There are grand plans of having over 60 local bands play throughout the day, and that # is most likely going to be realized. Details on the whole event are rather vague right now as to stage/venue times but some things I DO know are that the booking is in the care of Kwab Copeland, former booker for Sunset and recently departed from the Hi-Dive to focus on events such as this and Sunday Bloody Sunset. I also know that we do have a couple friends and site favorites playing the “big show”.
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Panda and Angel are currenly recording a new full length with Ben Kersten ( of Grand Archives). Seems to be a pretty good fit for a style they proclaim as “a poignant memoir of melancholic regret, cathartic revelations and vibrant but tempered pop orchestrations.” I’ll be interested to see if Ben makes an appearance this night. Below is a little sample from their self-titled EP.
[audio:http://media.jadetree.com/PandaAndAngel-Dangerous.mp3]
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Man Plus bring their undefinable offerings to whichever of Ballards rock altars they end up playing. It’s like a giant mystery unfolding ain’t it?
You can check here for LB’s full review on their latest album
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One of Seattle Subsonic’s old friends, C-Leb is allso on the bill.
C-Leb is also working on a new full-length slated for release on Halloween, I can only hope we hear something off it before then.
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17th Chapter, another of our favorites, also have a spot reserved someplace in the mayhem. But your guess is as good as mine as to where right now. I’m betting on the Tractor as it totally suits their country-esque style of the rock.
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I just hope all these guys aren’t playing at the same time in different venues, but trusting my luck, they probably are. I guess this is my plea to Kwab and the planners.
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Here are some others I found announced. Consider this your own personal playlist for getting to know your local bands:
Husbands, Love Your Wives
Greyskul
Onry Ozzborn & The Gigantics
See Me River
DJ B-Girl
Truckasauras
The Braille Tapes
Wizdom
The Moondoggies
Red Jacket Mine
Little Penguins
Elder Mason
Blood Red Dancers
Hazelwood Motel
Michael Vermillion
IMAGUN
Kublakai (of the Let Go)
The Lonely Forest
The Curious Mystery
Neon Nights
Coffin Break
Emeralds
Black Whales
Thee Sgt Major III
Seattle Subsonic Happy Hour @ MOE Bar
3rd Annual CAROUSEL FESTIVAL
Read more about the details HERE.
The Purrs, Hazelwood Motel @ the Tractor
Why the hell not, dudes?
