Seattle Subsonic - July, 2010
Washington Mile at Sunset Tavern
| Friday, July 23, 2010 | ||
| 8:30 pm |
I’m pretty stoked to check out Washington Mile at the Sunset Tavern on Friday, July 23. Firstly, it will be absolute chaos on Capitol Hill with the Block Party going on so I am counting on the escape being a good idea. Next, their new album, Simple Hearts, was very promising, and I have high hopes of a killer live show. Lastly, the line-up of the evening is looking to be strong: starting out with the psychedelic pop of Seattle band Elder Mason, the CD release of Seattle folk band The Good Luck Number, rolling into Washington Mile, and finishing out with Seattle’s own Jubilee.
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If you are not attending Block Party, I would highly recommend trekking to Ballard to enjoy Washington Mile, and the rest of this killer line-up. You can check out some songs from Simple Hearts here.
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What: Washington Mile (among many others)
Where: Sunset Tavern
When: Friday, July 23 @8:30
How: $7, 21+
Why: Block Party is way too expensive.
Washington Mile at Sunset Tavern
I’m pretty stoked to check out Washington Mile at the Sunset Tavern on Friday, July 23. Firstly, it will be absolute chaos on Capitol Hill with the Block Party going on so I am counting on the escape being a good idea. Next, their new album, Simple Hearts, was very promising, and I have high hopes of a killer live show. Lastly, the line-up of the evening is looking to be strong: starting out with the psychedelic pop of Seattle band Elder Mason, the CD release of Seattle folk band The Good Luck Number, rolling into Washington Mile, and finishing out with Seattle’s own Jubilee.
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If you are not attending Block Party, I would highly recommend trekking to Ballard to enjoy Washington Mile, and the rest of this killer line-up. You can check out some songs from Simple Hearts here.
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What: Washington Mile (among many others)
Where: Sunset Tavern
When: Friday, July 23 @8:30
How: $7, 21+
Why: Block Party is way too expensive.
The KARP Documentary Looks Pretty Rad
Tumwater’s hardcore heroes KARP have a documentary coming out about their influential 1990s existence. It looks pretty rad. Official website here. One other clip from Molasses Manifesto here.
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Black Happy is BACK!!
| Friday, August 6, 2010 | ||
| 7:00 pm | ||
| Friday, August 20, 2010 | ||
| 7:00 pm |
Seattle music goers you are in for a fucking treat! For the first time in 15 years one of the most underrated and unknown superstar NW bands Black Happy is reuniting for five shows in August, three of which are already sold out. August 6-7 at the Knitting Factory in Spokane, and August 20-22 at the Crocodile right here in Seattle. The 7th in Spokane and 22nd in Seattle still have tickets available, but there is a reason they sold out the first three shows in 15 years and why extra nights were added. The impact they made on the NW before they split in 1995 was huge, and deserving of every bit of hype about their reunion.
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Check the full show preview here:
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Black Happy – Peghead – Bullmonkey
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Black Happy IS BACK!!
Seattle music goers you are in for a fucking treat! For the first time in 15 years one of the most underrated and unknown superstar NW bands Black Happy is reuniting for five shows in August, three of which are already sold out. August 6-7 at the Knitting Factory in Spokane, and August 20-22 at the Crocodile right here in Seattle. The 7th in Spokane and 22nd in Seattle still have tickets available, but there is a reason they sold out the first three shows in 15 years and why extra nights were added. The impact they made on the NW before they split in 1995 was huge, and deserving of every bit of hype about their reunion.
First let me just say in the early 90′s there weren’t (for the average kid) music blogs, cell phones, myspace, facebook, twitter or any of that bullshit. The only way anybody knew anything about good bands was word of mouth, going to shows, or picking up a copy of The Rocket. In 93 NW people were already eager to move onto (and support) the next big band that wasn’t grunge or 80′s glam rock. Black Happy emerged as a salty toothed giant from Idaho with way more potential and local feel than anything else going down at the time. Sure grunge was in full swing but Ten, Badmotorfinger and Nevermind were all 91, so the release of Peghead in 1993 gave the NW music lovers what they had been waiting for, another band to support with a new sound. Full horn-section-backed heavy metal that that brought an eight-piece band onslaught laying waste to a culture of kids that couldn’t get enough of it. Big crowds filled rooms and like a human whirlpool of rhythm flowed to the heavy riffs and droning horns and it wasn’t ska. The huge live sound brought a level of badass that was more than just a four piece with amps turned up. And in 1995 on the verge of blowing up with huge NW support, they were “living the dream.” So … why did they split?
Let me just put it like this, I’m sure the real internal breakdown and final demise of Black Happy is personal and intensive. But have you ever grown up with, lived with, or even been around 8 people for an extended period of time? Its hard, and even harder in a band, and in 1995 the group emerged as the four piece Shoveljerk … it was not the same, people didn’t understand, and that ended Black Happy.
One of the reasons I play (and write about) music today is influenced by this band. Not because I was young and impressionable, I’ve met plenty of hacks. But Black Happy was (and are) not that. They are probably one of my top-ten favorite bands of all time. They impacted a ridiculous amount of musicians and music goers and are worth check before they take another 15 year break. Here is a sample of their sound … and this was in 1993 … the sound was way ahead of itself … This is not a show to be missed.
Black Happy – Peghead – Bullmonkey
Block Party Plan (Now With More Nerd)
The detailed schedule for this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party was released last week, and after perusing through the time slots, I’m happy to report that very few conflicts have arisen between the bands I want to see. Yay for me, right? I think it’d be silly of me to assume our readers come here completely in the dark (“deeerrrr, what should I see, guys??”, said in the voice of Sloth from “The Goonies”), but if you are interested in seeing a well thought out plan of attack for the newly 3-day festival, then I welcome you to read on.
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As usual, I will spend a lot of time at the Main and Vera Stages on Friday. Starting at the Vera Stage should provide a great intro. Naomi Punk, a local dirt-punk band I’ve had my ear on for awhile, will delight fans of lo-fi garage rockers The Lights, and U.S.F., whose debut album washed away my winter doldrums, should appropriately emulate the shining sun. The inimitable Shabazz Palaces plays just their second Seattle show at 6 PM and I won’t miss it. And after heading indoors to Neumos to get my party on with Champagne Champagne (third year in a row), I might also check out K Records’ industrial beat wizards Mahjongg. Then back to the main stage for Holy Fuck‘s sweaty fuck-it-all dancethump. Sasquatch 2010 peeps didn’t think too much of MGMT, but I’m curious to see if the fans are just fickle (much of their first record was weird and not that catchy either), or if they really have lost the luster.
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Early picks for Saturday include the Head and the Heart, who’s gothic folk and piano pop debut has been selling like gangbusters and recently tickled Kevin’s fancy, as well as angry punk shitstormers Cold Lake. I’m really excited to see Obits on Saturday afternoon, since I missed their last swing through town, as well as Happy Birthday, whose glam-punk album I grossly fawned over a few months ago. Thee Satisfaction plays Neumos at 5:15, so I might head in there to get straight spaceified. And I definitely will not miss !!! (!), whose 2005 Block Party set is still one of my favorite dance party memories ever, or Blonde Redhead, whose name I just got.
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You’ll probably laugh, but the band I’m most excited for on Sunday is Real Estate. I had a long, loving affair with them earlier this year, and their easy, breezy chillrock will definitely help on Hangover Sunday. And am I kind of looking forward to seeing the Dead Weather? Yes, I am. I haven’t really dived into either album, but I’m a fan of both White and Alison Mosshart. Plus, Flexions, Harlem, Mad Rad, Fresh Espresso, Grand Archives, S, the Dutchess and the Duke, and Truckasauras. Geez louise!
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You can check the full schedule after the jump. Or–OR (*NERD ALERT!* NERD ALERT!*), since no one else did this, I created a super-not-really-necessary-but-still-kinda-handy time-slot spreadsheet. It even includes the Cha Cha‘s unofficial CHBP schedule (couldn’t find anything for the Comet or Chop Suey). Download and follow along here, fellow poindexters. Who said Nerds aren’t helpful? Huh? Who said that?? WE WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD DAMMIT
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I Like This
Austin trio Harlem‘s new video for the sing-along garage pop ditty “Gay Human Bones”:
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Harlem plays the Capitol Hill Block Party Main Stage at 2pm on Sunday, July 26th.
Backyard BBQ Vol. 4
So I just released the latest edition of my Backyard BBQ series a few days ago and would like to share it with all of you wonderful readers. I make these for all the long suffering Seattlites that strive to fully enjoy every photon emanating from that ball of fire in the sky during the short few months we call summer. What better way to enjoy it than with a grill, a cold beer and some good tunes?
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Download it for FREE: dj100proof.com
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Here is what some local music-y people had to say about it:
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“to get prepared for the inevitable return to sunshine, your first step should be downloading the fourth installation of the Backyard BBQ mixtape series from Seattle’s own dj100proof…The mixing is fantastic, and the vibe is perfect for exactly what it sets out to accomplish.”
- Nick Feldman (Seattle Weekly Music Blog)
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“You’ll know most of the songs, you’ll love most of the songs, and now you’ll have them in one spot… Hundy did a good job of picking songs that most people wouldn’t play at a backyard BBQ, but probably should.”
- Jonathan Cunningham (LastNightsMixtape.com).
Tracklisting/back cover art after the jump:
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Tonight: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
I’ll admit I don’t know much about this mysterious Ariel Pink and his Haunted Graffiti. I know he has some Paw Tracks connection with Animal Collective (don’t worry, AC Haters, Pink’s new stuff doesn’t sound like them). I know he’s released about 8 albums in the last six years, not including 2010′s recent magnum opus Before Today (4AD). I know he comes from Beverly Hills, but I don’t know if he was raised in a cult (seems everyone from California these days was raised in a cult; or by wolves). So, yeah, I’ve done some scant WWW research, but what I’ve really found is that most opinions on Before Today are similarly complimentary.
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My cursory take—after close to ten spins so far—is that much of the praise is deserved. Pink has a tantalizing way of creating artsy, fucked up pop songs with choice smatterings of found sound. And I’m not sure if this was intentional or not (thinking…not), but the ‘Haunted Graffiti’ moniker adopted by his backing band sure fits the descriptive bill when it comes to the record’s makeup. The artistic influences are intensely bold and colorful, extremely varied and (mostly) easy to identify, much like an eye-popping L-station graffiti mural. The music itself has an underlying surrealism to it, making it feel often voodoo-ish and possessed…haunted. But whatever the intent, it’s a small introductory descriptor that works well.
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I think I’ve been taken by the album mostly due to the omnipresence of a style and sound owed to glam-rock-era David Bowie and theatrical orchestra-rockers ELO. Unexpected changes, undeniable hooks, and a well-intentioned way of making the familiar sound unique. “Butt-House Blondie”—which, yes, features porno sound clips during its climax—is vintage Aladdin Sane or Ziggy Stardust, an ostentatious psych-rock jam with trippy vocals and plenty of guitar shredding. “Round and Round” may just be the jam of the year, a soft-rock groover that illuminates at the same time it teases. That first refrain really recalls Julian Lennon’s 1984 hit “Too Late For Goodbyes”. The keyboard-and-bass-driven “Beverly Kills” evokes an urban, psychedelic R&B reminiscent of Prince. (I’d also be lying if the “can’t stop the press” line in there didn’t make me think of Vicki Vale and the Batdance.) Pretty sure we can classify “Can’t Hear My Eyes” as yacht rock and “Menopause Man” as cheeky soul-funk.
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If you listen to one new song today, make it this one:
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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti plays Neumos tonight with Puro Instinct and Magic Kids. $13 adv / 21+
New Intelligence Record Coming!
Zany art-pop group The Intelligence, one of my most very, very, very favorite local bands, has quietly released some tidbits regarding their upcoming 6th LP. It will be called Males, and In The Red will take it to the street August 24th. Rejoice! Midheaven Mailorder has a profile of the new record (apparently written by Pitchfork, but I couldn’t find the original anywhere on PF’s website; who knows), along with 15 second clips of every track. Lame, but still worth it. And just in case you don’t trust me or Midheaven, Lars Finberg did confirm this via myspace blog, so we are not all out to lunch on this. Ok? Ok.
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Listening through the soundbites (they’re so yummy!), one thing immediately jumps out: Finberg has washed clean much of those dirty vocal effects he loves to smudge away his voice with. I’ve never heard him sound so crisp and clear. And word has it that this record was actually written by the entire band, instead of just Finberg, per the usual (booooo-RING). The music itself sounds like it’ll be up to par with previous releases, and even includes a re-do of Boredom & Terror track “The Universe”. Other song title highlights include “Bong Life”, “Tuned To Puke”, and “Mom Or A Parking Lot”. Full tracklist below. Sample the goods here.
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1 Bong Life
2 Tuned To Puke
3 Sailor Itch
4 The Universe
5 Like Like Like Like Like Like Like
6 Estate Sales
7 Mom Or A Parking Lot
8 White Corvette
9 The Beetles
10 Chateau Bandit
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Hat tip to the fine gentleman over at The Finest Kiss.
AC/DC’s Live Wire, Hells Belles, I’m a Stranger Here Myself, Nothing Better
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I’ve always been an AC/DC fan, always, for as long as I can remember, as long as I’ve owned records they’ve been there, “I’ll give you black sensations up and down your spine. If you’re into evil, you’re a friend of mine…”. Two of the first four albums I had were AC/DC, Dirty Deeds and Back in Black. They struck a chord with me, and of course millions of others. I got my first guitar way back then in 6th grade and started learning the likes of Highway to Hell, TNT, Sin City, Night Prowler. Live Wire was one that really caught me though. It was so very simple. I knew that. Even as a beginner on the guitar, I knew it was simple but that it had POWER. What the song lacked in complexity it made up for in pure and vibrant energy, made up for and then some really. In short, it simply rocked. There’s no other way to describe it. When I think of rock and roll, I think of AC/DC. Let There Be Rock. Indeed!
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Oddly though, I don’t listen to them very often anymore. My CD player has lately been filled with The Cult and Yes, Iron Maiden, even admittedly Kings of Leon who have three songs I quite like (though I did have to edit one myself). But I can’t honestly remember the last time I put an AC/DC CD in the player and cranked it up to eleven. The things we like go in cycles though. We all naturally drift though bands and books and movies and whatever else so that the years might go by without even the thought of popping in a particular CD. The drift of time didn’t erase it but just pushed other things to the foreground. I realized this when a certain woman I know named Lucy told me she heard Live Wire once back in the mid 1990′s and simply had to have the CD and that it is still in regular rotation in her CD player more than ten years later. Lucy and I are it seems about the last of the bunch that listens only to CDs, but that’s another story. The point is simply that she instilled in me the realization that it had been years since I popped High Voltage into the CD player, or on the record player where back in 6th grade it lived for months on end.
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As luck would have it though, I heard Hells Belles was playing at the West Seattle Festival. For those who don’t know, Hells Belles is a group of women who from everything I’ve managed to gather do a most excellent job of covering AC/DC. I’d recently reviewed their singer’s other band, Witchburn, and was impressed enough to have every faith that Hells Belles would indeed do what they do well. So I set out Friday night to catch their show at the stage right in front of Easy Street Records after which I’d hoped to step into Matador right there across the street for a margarita or two with Herradura Repasado tequila.
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So I went to West Seattle, parked the Jetta, and walked over to the stage with my notebook and Read the rest of this entry »
The Coup @ Neumos Saturday
| Saturday, July 10, 2010 | ||
| 8:00 am | to | 12:00 pm |
| 8:00 am | to | 12:00 pm |
Holla, Neumos has a killer line up rolling on Saturday. I’m just sayin’ if you dig a message with your music, I would highly recommend going to see The Coup play with SOL at Neumos on Saturday night. In just one night you can be moved by the politically driven hip-hop of the Coup or the all-encompassing artistry of SOL. I highly recommend this show.
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The Coup w/ SOL, Canary Sing, and DJ Funkscribe
Neumos
$13 adv
21+
