Seattle Subsonic

Getting to Know and Love the Little Guys

January 2nd, 2009

Now you most probably got word from the Stranger about who’s coming to the Showbox this month, and KEXP concert listings let you in on  who’s hitting the stage at Neumos, but you  might not know is who’s a regular at the Can Can or that the Bit Saloon is rockin the windows out on a regular basis these days. Seattle is speckled with great little stages tucked into the backs of bars and pubs. And you’d be amazed at the quality of the performances happening in some of Seattle’s lesser known joints. I have a quick list here of some of those spots and what to expect in the upcoming month.
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Mars Bar (Eastlake)

The Mars Bar/Cafe Venus is a often (and easily) overlooked venue praticially under I-5 on Eastlake right near REI. The hood itself is home to another hidden gem of a venue, the Lo-Fi and the ever-rockin, El Corozone. The Mars Bar is a tiny spec of a place butted up against the hipster and moped-gang riddled Cafe Venus. It doesn’t have the best sound in town but who needs it when you’re close enough to actually hear the guitar strings being strummed. Some of this month’s highlights hitting the Mars Bar are Life in a Blender from NYC playing an acoustic set, and a highly energetic night with Seattle’s own, The Femurs opening for Poorsport.

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Saturday, January 3
Accosted by the Acoustic
LIFE IN A BLENDER
Mutual
Barry Bob Vail
9 p.m. $6.

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Friday, January 9
POORSPORT
The Femurs
Dateless

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The Can Can (Pikes Place Market)
The Can Can is a cavernous little tucked away cabaret bar situated right in the gullet of Pikes Place Market. It is mostly known for it’s burlesque, comedy and evenings of dance, but one of Seattle’s treasures, Vince Mira – a former Market busker with pipes sent straight from Johnny Cash himself – is a regular most every Tuesday night. I’ve seen his show here and at the Triple Door… it’s mesmerizing.

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Tuesday, Jan 6, 13, 20 & 27
VINCE MIRA and Special Guests
Cost: Free/$10VIP (7:00P)
(go for the VIP seating-it’s worth it)

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The Cha Cha Lounge (Capitol Hill)

Located in the downstairs of Bimbo’s Cantina, The Cha Cha Lounge is a tiny, dark bar granting you the ultimate in the intimate. With the amount of Lucha Libre murals, you might expect a wrestling match to break out but rest assured, you’re more likely to catch a break-out band along with a buzz with the fine array of Tequila. It’s still more of a bar than a venue featuring only a couple shows a month. January’s show is a benefit for the John D. Spalding Medical Fund featuring These Arms Are Snakes, Elephant Rider and Weekend (members of Champagne Champagne and Schoolyard Heros) A portion of the bar and the $5 suggested donation door charge will go to the John D. Spalding Medical Fund.

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Sunday, January 25, 9pm $5
A benefit for the John D. Spalding Medical Fund
These Arms Are Snakes
Elephant Rider
Weekend

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Conor Byrne Pub (Ballard Ave)
Along the Ballard Ave gauntlet of hip bars that are packed with condo dwellers till the seams are bursting, there are still some spots to grab a stool and shoot a little pool and just relax. The Conor Byrne is one of them and they’ve got the market cornered on the Bluegrass and have a Honky Tonk Revue every Thurs night. This month, the Roy Kay Trio, an institution at the Byrne, are pickin’-an’-a-grinnin’ their way through an Elvis Tribute Evening honoring the King’s birthday.

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Thursday, Jan 8, 15, 22, 29
Honky Tonk Revue

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Friday, Jan 9
Elvis Birthday Tribute
w/ Roy Kay Trio

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Saturday , Jan 17
Dolly Parton tribute night

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Healthy Times Fun Club (???)
It’s an enigma in a riddle, wrapped in a puzzle. If you don’t know about HFTC, all I can tell you is that  its always a party. Not a place for drinking, smoking or haters! You can have 1000X the most fun ever but in a friendly, community oriented and non habit forming way! In essence, it’s exactly what it claims to be Healthy Times, Fun Club. Promoters ask that you bring donations for the bands of monies, or even food. It’s the ultimate in creating the music community all while hosting some incredible bands. This month look for The Pharmacy and TacocaT on Jan 2. For more info check here

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Friday January 2
new years hangover sober dance party
the pharmacy,
raggedy anns,
a million years ago,
herr jaz
taco cat!

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Friday January 16
Math the band,
iji,
yes oh yes

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The Bit Salloon (Ballard)
Another fantastic reprieve from the Fremontification of Ballard. The Bit used to be nothing but threadbare, sticky carpets, a bad juke box fulla butt rock and a $5 hangover. But now, oh now… it soo much more! Granted the cheap drink specials are still an institution and just dangerous as ever, but the new owners have installed a great sound system, opened up the back room and hired one of the best guys in the biz for the sound booth. The month is chock full with great music. Too much to actually list out including an acoustic Dwarves and Dragstrip Riot set, and Bellingham country bumpkins Chuckanut Drive I’ll leave it to you to check here for the full list of happenings

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Friday, January 9 9:00P
Chuckanut Drive
Casey Ruff & the Mayors of Ballard
Big Sur

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Sunday, Jan 11 6:00P
Dwarves (acoustic)
Eddie Spaghetti
Dragstrip Riot unplugged $10 advance