Seattle Subsonic - October, 2011
Halloween at the Skylark – Come As You Aren't
My main musical haunt, the Skylark Cafe in West Seattle, has just done quite the unexpected thing for Halloween. They asked me to be a judge for the Halloween Come As You Aren’t battle of the bands party in which various bands pick their favorite artists and dress and play the part in an attempt to win “the coveted Golden Cowbell™.” I don’t know much about the Golden Cowbell itself, but the evening proves to be a fun one as I like and have written about a few of these bands:
Like Lightning will be THE PRETENDERS
Bone Cave Ballet will be BJORK
Supernauty will be THE RAMONES
Julia Massey & The Jesus Rehab will be ARCADE FIRE
and more…
I’m sure there will be a few surprizes along the way, and what’s not to like about getting your costume on and drinking a few too many as the bands do their best efforts to channel the muse and music of artists that inspired them. And well, one fourth of the Golden Cowbell is mine to give away, and that’s the most power I’ve ever been offered. Now, I just need to think of a costume. If I still had long hair, Jesus would have been the obvious choice, but now, I have no idea. Henry Rollins? He’s a musician and a writer. I don’t quite have the same muscle tone though. When I was in Korea, a number of people told me I looked like Nicholas Cage in Con Air. That was years ago though, and these days without the hair, I guess it’s more like Leaving Las Vegas.
See you on the 29th.
What: Halloween Come As You Aren’t Battle of the Bands
Where: Skylark Cafe
When: Saturday October 29
Time: Doors at 7:00, first band at 8:00
Cover: FREE
Halloween at the Skylark – Come As You Aren't
My main musical haunt, the Skylark Cafe in West Seattle, has just done quite the unexpected thing for Halloween. They asked me to be a judge for the Halloween Come As You Aren’t battle of the bands party in which various bands pick their favorite artists and dress and play the part in an attempt to win “the coveted Golden Cowbell™.” I don’t know much about the Golden Cowbell itself, but the evening proves to be a fun one as I like and have written about a few of these bands:
Like Lightning will be THE PRETENDERS
Bone Cave Ballet will be BJORK
Supernauty will be THE RAMONES
Julia Massey & The Jesus Rehab will be ARCADE FIRE
and more…
I’m sure there will be a few surprizes along the way, and what’s not to like about getting your costume on and drinking a few too many as the bands do their best efforts to channel the muse and music of artists that inspired them. And well, one fourth of the Golden Cowbell is mine to give away, and that’s the most power I’ve ever been offered. Now, I just need to think of a costume. If I still had long hair, Jesus would have been the obvious choice, but now, I have no idea. Henry Rollins? He’s a musician and a writer. I don’t quite have the same muscle tone though. When I was in Korea, a number of people told me I looked like Nicholas Cage in Con Air. That was years ago though, and these days without the hair, I guess it’s more like Leaving Las Vegas.
See you on the 29th.
What: Halloween Come As You Aren’t Battle of the Bands
Where: Skylark Cafe
When: Saturday October 29
Time: Doors at 7:00, first band at 8:00
Cover: FREE
REVERB Sightings!
Metal Chocolates @ Sunset
Charles Leo Gebhardt IV @ Sunset
Cops @ The Tractor
Mark Pickerel @ Conor Byrne
REVERB highlights – Metal Chocolates
Come out early on Sat, Oct 8th to catch Metal Chocolates set the Sunset Tavern into a moody psychedelic spin. The experimental hip hop duo consists of Ric Rude also known keep a smooth beat for Fresh Espresso, and OCnotes who is rumored to be straight dope. It’ll slide the day into a perfect groove. Check track #2 Opium of Love below and you’ll see what I mean.
REVERB Festival, your best spent $10 – ever.
It’s been years since Seattle’s sound was something that could be easily defined. Artists throughout the Emerald City vary so greatly, there is no longer a single unifying -or flannel- element. You’ll find influences immigrating here from the entire nation, joining the local talent and expanding the “scene” to form distinct pockets of creativity. We have throwback punk bands like Virgin Islands, folk-pop like Gold Leaves, whimsical rockers the likes of Spurm, and New Jack Swing stylings of Mash Hall. How can you ever hope to get an handle on it all?
Well, Next Saturday, Oct 8th, all of these different avenues of Seattle’s sound converge onto one spot for the single most categorical experience of local music, Seattle Weekly’s REVERB Festival.
This is one day I look forward to most every year. It’s not because the bands showcased are the hottest or the biggest the city has to offer, but because its a chance to see the roots of the industry. To see OUR local bands spilling their guts out for our pleasure. These are the bands that keep Seattle music evolving and revered nationwide. Every year, REVERB Festival crashes into the sleepy little condo villa of Ballard and draws heavily on it’s stockpile of venues, even expanding into neighborhood restaurants and infiltrating the mysterious Eagle’s hall.
A mere $10 gets you an all access pass to the 69 bands performing at 9 venues throughout the neighborhood. You can find a handy-dandy map with band listings on the REVERB site. This year, I feel there is much more integration of styles at each venue. You can find the hip-hop of Dyme Def and lo-fi of Witch Gardens happening on the stage at the NY Fashion Academy. PartMan PartHorse mostly naked punk rockers will be sharing the same dark corner in the Sunset Tavern as the psychedelic rappers Metal Chocolates. I dig this melding of genre, twisting even what is considered normal for a venue. Plus there is the distinct possibility I can plant my ass in just one spot for the day and take in all the city has to offer.
By the way, all of the bands mentioned above can be found playing the festival. You can get your tickets for the Seattle Weekly REVERB Festival here, or you can get wristbands day-of at the info booth or at any of the venues just before their first show.
