Seattle Subsonic - February, 2011
No Age’s Video For “Fever Dreaming”
No Age is easily one of the best bands Sub Pop has to offer (been spinning Everything In Between a lot lately), and this video is worth the watch. It’s got a great optical effect, the slow backward movement framing the chaotic charm of “Fever Dreaming”. Plus, drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt loses his hand at the end. Digital gore!
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Campfire Ok’s Album Release
Saturday night’s show at Columbia City Theater is the stuff dreams are made of. With a line up of some of my favorite bands in Seattle right now and a sold out crowd that was actually listening, it was damn near a perfect night. Koko and The Sweetmeats opened the night with a cover of Campfire OK’s “Strange Like We Are” doing it solo and on a electric guitar. It was a pretty rad move. After Koko, one of my favorite musicians and voices right now, Bryan John Appleby, came out and played one hell of a set. Doing a few of his songs solo he captivated an audience. When he brought out his full band he blew the room away. During “Cliffs along the Sea” Tony Kevin Jr. graced the stage to sing back up. It’s great seeing this community of talented people come together on stage. I predict big things from Bryan this year. He is set to release a full length album later this summer and I for one am really looking forward to that.
As Campfire OK came out on to the stage the the room filled. This was the first time many people would be seeing this band. Having played almost no shows as they worked on this album there was excitement to finally see this band. With KEXP playing the title track from the record and a few videos floating around the internet, the buzz behind the band was a lot to live up too. They exceeded all of my expectations. They had this set nailed down. It’s rare when a band can take the sound from the album and translate it to the stage or vice versa, but Campfire OK has done it. They played one hell of a tight set, and enjoyed every minute of it. This is a band that has worked very hard for a night like this. Even going as far as setting up a whole new lighting set up for their performance.
They did an amazing job and it showed, the crowd was hanging on every song always ready for more. They ended the night with an acoustic performance even going as far as to sing to the room without mics. This is really one of the only places in town that you could see something like this. Not too many other venues or crowds for that matter can handle someone singing and playing guitar with out being plugged in. It was truly one of the best nights of the year. I look forward to seeing more of Campfire OK. Who knows what they have up their sleeves next.
New Albums You Might Want To Stream a-SAP
Just a quick round up if you’ve been “hotly” anticipating any of these (guilty!). Check ‘em out before you buy or *cough* download. Dudes: that’s what I’m doing!
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Underneath the Pine – Toro Y Moi
Listen over at Urban Outfitters
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Zonoscope - Cut Copy
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La Sera – La Sera
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Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
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Side poll: how gross is the new Toro Y Moi album cover, on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being the least gross and 10 being the most gross?
Sasquatch 2011 Lineup Announced
Notes on the Open Mic Night at the Skylark Cafe, Lighting Up the Night
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1. I had someone ask me a long time ago, “Why does every metal band have a ballad or two? Why not just play metal?” The obvious answer is of course to try for the radio friendly hit single, and of course, to get laid. But there’s something more to it than that, and the first act I saw at the Skylark Open Mic was a reminder. They were a band, called Falling Blind, two acoustic guitars, bass, and bongo. While setting levels they played a few heavy riffs, chunked on some chords, plucked a thumping groove, all in a manner that made it obvious along with the name that they were usually a metal band, but up there on the Skylark stage without amps they were acoustic, soft, melodic. It was good, and they all sang. I liked that. It wasn’t four part harmonies, but that didn’t matter. It filled the sound. They were a different group, and the reason was obvious. They’re musicians. They like all manner of music. Why should a metal band not write a ballad, or step out for an acoustic night? It’d be nice to see more heavy bands do this. One of my favorite local bands is Witchburn. They’d be great this way. So I tried to explain that to my friend all that while ago, but he didn’t buy it.
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“Bullshit. They just want to get laid.”
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2. It’s great that people get up on stage and try to play, but really, some people just should not do such, EVER. Who told the guy with the out of tune guitar that he had any talent? I want to slap that person for not preventing their friend from getting on stage and making me suffer through fifteen minutes of hell. I played in a band once with a guitar player who liked to say, “If you’re out of tune, you’re out of business.” Agreed. And if you’re out of tune, please stay out of the spotlight.
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3. Only at an open mic night can one see a woman stand alone on stage with nothing more than a bass and her voice and croon about heartache over bass lines that ring out open stings with higher chords very much in the manner of “I Would for You” by Jane’s Addiction. The woman’s name was Lisa. I got her email address, and when she gets a band together, I will give more details.
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4. The second to last act of the night was a hip hop duo. They had music premixed pumping through the PA, and when they started in on their thing, I was reminded that Read the rest of this entry »
Curtains For You, and Ivan and Alyosha @ Columbia City Theater
| Friday, February 4, 2011 | ||
| 8:00 pm |
This will be Curtains For You’s (CFY) last show until this spring when they will be releasing a new album. Tonight though they are helping out friends Ivan and Alyosha who will be celebrating the release of their new EP, “Fathers Be Kind”. “Ivan & Alyosha’s soulful folk tunes suggest a band inspired, hopeful and longing; a band unafraid to probe their collective faith and doubts.”
CFY will get you moving to their sweet vaudeville Rock’N Roll and catchy pop tunes. It will be a great night of friends, and good times.
Check out some songs
Curtains For You – http://vimeo.com/15776810
Ivan and Alyosha – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO6htelTh0I
Sound On the Sound Presents
Ivan & Alyosha’s CD Release Show! with Curtains For You
Columbia City Theater
Feb 4th
21+
Fences @ Neumos
| Friday, February 4, 2011 | ||
| 9:00 pm |
Start your weekend off right with Fences and Against Me! This will be one fist pumping, sing-a-long good time. I have heard most of the shows from this tour have been selling out, being that this is an all ages show Im sure Seattle will be no different. Get your tickets early. Fences hasn’t played in Seattle in awhile, so come out and sing-a-long to their songs, make them feel at home.
check out some songs
Fences – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g15_VtLZIxE&feature=related
Against Me! – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7RUeMCZL3Q
Neumos Presents: Against Me!, Cheap Girls, Fences
:: Doors at 8 PM :: $15 ADV :: Advance tickets on sale at: [ticket locations] :: All Ages, Bar with ID
