Seattle Subsonic - December, 2008
John Spalding Benefit @ the Comet
.
The Comet Tavern Presents
John Spalding Memorial Benefit
.
Slender Means
An acoustic performance by Suffering and the Hideous Thieves
and Guests
.
9pm / 21over
$8
NECTAR's Head Talent Buyer Colin Johnson Moving to LA…Bummer
Line Out reported this morning that Colin Johnson is moving to LA at the end of the month. For those of you who have been living under a rock the past few years, Colin was the lead booker at Chop Suey up until about a year and a half ago. Then he was brought on at Nectar and did a stand up job turning it into my favorite music venue in town. He consistently brought in good acts and was really supportive of the local hip hop scene and music scene in general.
.
The city will miss ya man. You done good.
.
Here is the text from his email
.
I’m really proud of all that has been accomplished at Nectar this past year and a half and the impact we’ve had on the ever-changing music community of Seattle. Many have expressed appreciation (and even a bit of shock!) with some of the quality shows that have been hosted here at our little club in Fremont and I wish Nectar the very best in its future. I’m going to miss Seattle, my home for the past six years, and all the friends we’ve made, both in and outside of the music business. My list of thank you’s would be quite extensive, but in quick summary I’d love to show appreciation to everyone who I’ve ever learned from, anyone I’ve ever worked with, and anyone who’s ever come to a show that I’ve been fortunate enough to put on in this great city. I will miss you all!
Get PHYSIC-all
Post-Subsonic Happy Hour this Thursday I will be walking a few feet west over to Neumos to get with the Program errr…show? and peep my good friends the Physics tear shit up. They are opening for the Massline tag team of Common Market and Blue Scholars and should be coming with some new stuff since they haven’t performed in quite a while. Don’t get me wrong, I can vibe out with some CM and BS, but I have seen each of them so many times I’ve lost track (mostly during my chai tea drinking, political scientist days at UW…zing!).
.
Each act is sure to bring their “A” game. The new Common Market joint Tobacco Road is a great album and I haven’t seen any of that done live, so I’ll take full advantage. Plus, a little bird told me some very special guests from our good friends Sportn’ Life Records will be performing along side them. Blue Scholars have slowly been bumped farther and farther down my playlist these days, due mostly to the fact that Bayani, while being a solid effort, doesn’t get above 80 bpms and tends to make my eyelids heavy. Regardless, the Scholars always come correct live and won’t disappoint. BUT the Physics are and have been my shit for the last year or so and I’ve been blessed enough to have spent a couple sessions in the studio with them and know they’ve been hard at work.
.
So get your ass down to MOE Bar Thursday for Seattle Subsonic Happy Hour (!!!!) and then join me for some good ol fashioned hippity hop next door.
.
Oh and by the way…peep The Physics brand spankin new website/blog @ http://www.thephysicsmusic.com/blog/ and tell em I sent ya.
.
Big ups!
Starfucker, Natalie Portman's Shvd Hd @ Vera Project
Yes, there will be oodles of young ones there, clad in oodles of neon, too-tight jeans, and retro Nike high tops, but social discrimination should never be part of a discerning music fan’s agenda. The Vera Project is a really nice space to watch music, and last time Starfucker played there (pictured below), it was off the hook. Wistful, sky-gazing electro jams. Explicitly exuberant, bounce-inducing, mind-wandering space pop. Starfucker is Air without the vintage elegance, the Flaming Lips without the eccentric bombast, Chromeo without the east coast cheeze, and it’s the Shins with an electro-dance upgrade. And be on the lookout for Ryan Biornstad’s impromptu break-dancing steez.
Coming along for the ride—or perhaps gettin’ ready to ride, themselves—is Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Seattle’s sex-crazed, party-time rock band. If their name was any indication, NPSH pumps out sardonic blitzes of electro-funk sleaze, all sweaty and bothered, all cool and hip. But if their 2008 release, Glistening Pleasure, is my guilty pleasure, then, really, I don’t feel that guilty at all. SRSLY.
$10 / ALL AGES / Show rescheduled for Dec. 27th
[Starfucker at the Vera Project Nov. 1]
Starfucker – “Pop Song“
[audio:http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/09-pop-song.mp3]
Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – “L.A. Noir“
[audio:http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/06-la-noir.mp3]
Last Minute show at Nectar – Tonight Wed Dec 17th
I just got word that there is going to be some killer music happening at Nectar tonight, so if you’re in the ‘hood or if you dare venture out in this (never going to happen) Snowstorm 2008!!! I’d say this would be a good place to drop your $5.
.
The lineup includes MESA & ARI, TROMBONE CAKE (whom I think have a great if not totally unique sound) and Surrealized, whom I haven’t heard yet but are a side-project of 17th Chapter guitarist Kimo. Talks with Kimo lead me to believe that this set will be extra funk-t-fied and a little different than the typical 17 Chapter sound.
.
You can check out the press release from 17th Chapter themselves after the break
.
.
.
Blue Scholars & Common Market at Neumo's December 18, 19 & 20.
Oh baby it’s cold outside!
.
Seattleites will certainly know the place to get warm (or hot!) this weekend is Neumo’s, where two of our favorite hip-hop groups will be sure to put on shows that will relieve a little stress before the holidays.
.
Hot on the release of their fifth album, Butter & Gun$, Blue Scholars will certainly grant the crowd an escape from Old Man Winter banging on the doors. It will be exciting to see the performances to be given by Geologic and Sabzi, as this will be their first Seattle performance since the 2008 Presidential election. Nobody knows for sure how this duo voted, but judging from previous performances and their lyrics, one can safely guess they are pretty frickin’ happy with Obama taking the White House this January! Were they even there for election night when the crowd jubliantly poured into the street? Who knows? But if you were there on election night, be sure to get yourselves back to Neumo’s this Thursday, Friday and Saturday for some good memories! I’m sure some references to that memorable night will be made.
.
Not very often you get a ‘twofer’ at shows these days, but as an added bonus, Common Market will also make an appearance all three nights. Following the release of their second album, Common Market will open for Blue Scholars, and if there is no other reason to go (which there is not), show your support for Sabzi, who will essentially perform six sets in three nights. Can you think of a better reason? Neither can I.
.
The Physics, Truckasauras and Mad Rad will start the show each night, respectively.
Yule Benefit From Seeing Grand Archives
KEXP hosted it’s 6th Annual Yule Benefit this past weekend at Neumos, with Grand Archives headlining the Friday show after openers the Dutchess and the Duke and Austin band Shearwater entertained the frigid audience. This was the third time I’d seen the alt-country-slash-guitar-pop Seattle quintet, and not only have they become a more cohesive band in the past twelve months, but they’ve expanded upon their current catalogue (their slightly under-the-radar debut LP came out in February) with a bright menagerie of shimmering new songs. The Grand Archives, a refreshingly honest and rustic record, has seen significant time in my CD player this year, and hearing the band collectively belt out their touching tunes on this cold December night was awesomely awesome.
.
Building upon his underground success with Carissa’s Wierd and the “mainstream” blow-up of the first Band of Horses record, it seems band leader and songwriter Mat Brooke (who also owns and operates the Redwood tavern) has taken his spirited and pastoral vision to a comfortable height of success. I’ve no doubt The Grand Archives will end up a 2008 favorite of many for its decidedly Pacific Northwest imagery (“Index Moon”, “Sleepdriving”), its offbeat and retrospective take on peculiar tales (“George Kaminski”, “Louis Riel”), its captivating and baroque group-effort harmonies (“Miniature Birds”, “A Setting Sun”) and its rowdy, sing-along pop illuminations (“The Crime Window”, “Torn Blue Foam Couch”). Brooke’s voice and pensive attitude even recall the late great Elliot Smith, which should pique any Pac NW music fan’s ears.
.
Their set on this night included four new cuts, two bookending the performance and two mixed in between. All four, if I recall, were pretty upbeat. Every song from their record, minus the instrumental “Breezy No Breezy”, was played. Jenn Ghetto showed up to sing her duet part for the wistful splendor of “Swan Matches”. The band played confidently and loosely, returning for a 3-song encore that included Brooke alone on “Louis Riel”.
.
I finally was able to see ramshackle duo the Dutchess and the Duke after months of missing their well-received shows, and they were a perfect fit for this night. Their Stones and Beatles-inspired 60s revivalist rock is stirring, sobering, saucy and sassy, with a palpable chemistry between Jesse Lortz and Kim Morrison. Of course, the band’s percussionist definitely has his look down. If you haven’t given their debut, She’s the Dutchess, He’s the Duke, a spin, consider this your recommendation.
.
[A note on the second band, Shearwater. Honestly, I wasn't really into it. Technically, I suppose they were sound, and their drummer/DIY string artist looked like a hippie version of Dog the Bounty Hunter and went by the name of Thor. But aside from those "accolades", their overly-emo, intellectual orchestra rock didn't tune my senses. Jonathan Meiburg's quasi-Gaelic warble was just a touch too much.]
Blue Scholars, Common Market, Truckasauras, Mad Rad: 3 Days @ Neumos
Shows rescheduled for March 14th, 15th, and 16th.
.
Alright, kids, it’s your favorite year-end mid-year hip-hop extravanga, the 2nd (?) Annual Blue Scholars Program at Neumos. Three nights with Geologic, Sabzi and RA Scion (aka Blue Scholars and Common Market), and local upstarts Truckasauras, the Physics, and Mad Rad (uh, they’re banned from Neumos) each contributing on a different night. It’s no secret that rap and hip-hop has elevated to another level here in Seattle over the course of the last few years. Trails have been blazed nationally by the intellectual integrity of Blue Scholars, hearts doomed by the West Coast head-bobbin’ of Grayskul, heads blown by Jake One’s seminal and widely lauded producer album White Van Music, and pants dropped to the well-anticipated, no-holds-barred Mingle from the Saturday Nights; not to mention party-crashers like Champagne Champagne and Mad Rad sneakin’ ’round back tryin’ to get some.
.
Sure to be loud, proud, large and in charge, you won’t want to miss either the headliners or the opening acts. We all know the names, but let us get familiar with the beats. Check out night two one for the glitchy, Gameboy hyphy of the Truckasauras rex, or be blasted by the hot-shit ghettotech from Mad Rad on night three. Your choice. Word has it the Physics are pretty dope, too.
.
(ALL TICKETS FROM DECEMBER WILL BE HONORED, REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES AVAILABLE AT POINT OF PURCHASE)
14th & 15th All Ages/ Bar W/ID
16th is 21+
.
14TH: TRUCKASAURAS, 15TH: THE PHYSICS, 16TH: MAD RAD
$15 Adv / $18 DOS
I Heart Art for Project Schoolhouse (Sun Dec 14)
Just a quick note for all you folks that aren’t stranded because of snow…come out to this great event tonight at the Skylark in West Seattle. See photography by Seattle artists and make a bid to take some home for a holiday gift!
.
I HEART ART
A Benefit for Project Schoolhouse, a nonprofit that builds schools in rural Nicaragua.
.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 ALL AGES
5:00 pm – 7:00pm
Bands from 7:00 – 9:00pm
.
An art show & silent auction featuring framed art by local photographers.
Live music to follow.
.
Suggested Donation $10
.
Skylark Lounge
3803 Delridge Way SW
Seattle, WA 98106
The Era of the 'New Hair Band' – Top Beards of 2008
Here we are in the ‘oughts’, a full new millennium, and we’re still in the midst of the Hair Band. Only this time, instead of the hair being teased, crimped, feathered, bedazzled, bandanna-ed and accompanied by man-scara, it has migrated south – to the chin. Though this New Hair Band might run a little short on the glam-guitar of 80′s and 90′s but what it lacks in face melting solos, it more than makes up for in jangles and finger pickin’. But the hippies are far from the only ones hoppin’ on this bristly hay-ride. The trail has been cut and parted by rockers, hip-hoppers and the folksters alike. as I see it, this is an evolution that seems to take hold of a band as they begin to tour on a regular basis. The first time I saw Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, he was a shiny-faced virtuoso. The next time, a little scruffy lookin’ then he was hidden behind a huge man mask and virtually unrecognizable. (Dare I blame Chuck Norris…?)
.
Now while it seems like the keratin cultivation duties are primarily held by a band’s front man, it’s not an exclusive position. TV on the Radio’s guitarist and backing vocalist, Kyp Malone is a furry champion when it comes to hair farming. His explanation for the ever increasing plantation above (and upon) his shoulders: “I’m done with cool. I’ve been done with cool for years,” Au contraire, Kyp, you epitomize cool. You just don’t know it yet, as you’ll what I mean below…
.
So without further adieu, here’s my list of the best beards of 2008!
.
15 Jeff Tweedy – Wilco
.
.
14 Mark Everett – Eels
.
.
13 Scott McMicken – Dr Dog
.
.
12 Barfly – The Saturday Knights
.
.
11 Pete Quirk – Cave Singers
.
.
10 Jim James – My Morning Jacket
.
.
9 Robin Pecknold – Fleet Foxes
.
.
8 Doug Martsch – Built to Spill
.
.
7 Ben Bridwell – Band of Horses
.
.
6 Tim Harrington – Les Savy Fav
.
.
5 RA Scion – Common Market
.
.
4 Dan Auerbach – Black Keys
.
.
3 Sam Beam – Iron and Wine
.
.
2 Devendra Bernhadt
.
.
1 Kyp Malone – TV on the Radio – Our Hairy Hero
.
