Author Archive
Sera Cahoone at Columbia City Theater
Great show last friday at The Columbia City Theater featuring Sera Cahoone. Ghost’s I’ve met led by Indie folk artist Matt Watts, opened the night with some delicate and beautiful songs backed only by Faustine Hudson’s unique and eclectic percussive sounds.(washboards ,floor tom, bird caller…ect) The set remained appropriately sparse and intimate. From what I’ve heard of Watts latest release Payphone Patience E.P, I’d say it’s worth checking out. He’s at the top of his game in this particular genre. It features Darren Jessee of Hotel Lights, and can be found at Yerbird records..
Kal Cahoone from Denver was up next, who seemed to transmit a sultry New Orleans vibe in her vocal styling. Aside from one traditional song, sung in Spanish and played solo on the accordian, Kal strictly played piano backed by her sister’s band. Her spirited performance, was met with exuberant applause from the sold out audience, and was a delightful addition to the evening’s lineup. Kal’s full length album can be found on itunes.
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The consistently impressive and talented Sera Cahoone pulled off yet another stunning execution of intimate, and moving folk songs. Maybe I’m just getting soft in my old age, but this lady never fails to sqeeze a few drops from my jaded tear ducts. Accompanied by a nearly perfect band, including violin, and one of the best pedal steel players I’ve ever heard, Jason Kardong, Sera Cahoone’s extraordinary live set was nothing short of breathtaking..
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Two Bands That Got It Right Last Saturday
Anyone who made it out of the bleak and dismal onslaught of rainy weather last Saturday night, and into the Crocodile Cafe, had been temporarily revitalized by Hacienda from South Texas. This Mexican American family band has the power to instantly administer pure San Antonio sunshine (to a very sun deprived crowd). Dan Auerbach struck gold discovering the band to back him on his solo tour, and has since produced both of their albums, including their 2010 release Big Red and Barbacoa. Groove orientated, and completely in the pocket, the four piece possess bass lines that dig deep, and lush vocal harmonies recalling The Beach Boys, and pure 1960′s R&B. Guitarist Dante Schwebel masterfully wields good vibrations around every corner, and in every hook. Hacienda had me wishing their set went all night.
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The Greenhornes are back, headlining, after a five year hiatus with their new record “****” out on Jack Whites Third man Records. These guys are full blooded nineteen sixties rock’n'roll. No other band tastefully emulates the era as well. Drummer Patrick Keeler
is appropriately positioned front and center stage, often leading the band and channeling The Who’s Keith Moon. He is truly exceptional. Patrick, Craig Fox and Jack Lawrence, have been been playing together for a while, and it shows. There is a cohesive feeling about The Greenhornes, something you’d only get from a band who has toured the world three times over (not counting being the rhythm section for The Raconteurs). Like Hacienda, who actually are blood related, The Greenhornes have that genuine and rare quality that is lacking a bit in music today. After delivering a dynamic, full set of songs to a very satisfied crowd on Saturday, they came back on for a six song encore. It was turning out to be a fabulous night of pure rock ‘n’ roll. One of my favorite shows this year.
photos by Justin Braegelmann
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Hacienda and the Greenhornes @ Croc
Looking forward to some legitimate rock ‘n’ roll this Saturday Dec 11th at The Crocodile!! San Antonio band of brothers Hacienda, whose early basement demo landed in the magic hands of Dan Auerbach, will be passing through town in support of their second gorgeous full length, Big Red and Barbacoa. While Akron based, The Greenhornes, who have somehow been making The Kinks, The Who, The Zombies and The Animals sound even better for over a decade, will be showcasing their fine new album “****”, out on Jack Whites Third Man Records
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Hacienda & The Greenhornes at The Crocodile
Looking forward to some legitimate rock ‘n’ roll this Saturday Dec 11th at The Crocodile!! San Antonio band of brothers Hacienda, whose early basement demo landed in the magic hands of Dan Auerbach, will be passing through town in support of their second gorgeous full length, Big Red and Barbacoa. While Akron based, The Greenhornes, who have somehow been making The Kinks, The Who, The Zombies and The Animals sound even better for over a decade, will be showcasing their fine new album “****”, out on Jack Whites Third Man Records
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Wild Orchid Children's Blissful Assault At The Columbia City Theater
Wild Orchid Children are currently one of Seattle’s most exhilarating, high energy, live shows. A notion confirmed by everyone who caught them last Friday at the Columbia City Theater. With the combined intensity of seven people on stage, they have formulated an all-out psychedelic attack, guaranteed to leave your head spinning. I’m pretty sure guitarist Thomas Hunter has been possessed by the god of rock. The man is absolutely jaw dropping! The essential role, he alone, plays in Wild Orchid Children is astounding. His precisely executed guitar antics, were backed by hard hitting, rhythmically tight drummer Andy Lum, while the other five members, at times, ditched their respective instruments to beat and shake things in a percussive assault . I have to say, I was a bit aprehensive, after catching WOC at reverbfest where they needed to be turned way up. A band like this demands to be experienced in a place were you can feel it in your teeth. The Columbia City theater is very much that place. I was pretty blown away. Sonically, and visually you can’t beat this venue.
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Three very different local bands were booked 
to play that night. See me River, led by Kerry Zettel, played dark folk gypsy songs that, at times, evoked the great Nick Cave.
They were a welcomed contrast in moods for the evening. The five piece possess a striking sound that is quite unique to Seattle. Bluesy, classic rock outfit, The Magic Mirrors opened the show. The band includes one hell of a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist, and a singer who channels Chris Robinson. Lots of old school southern rock swagger from these kids, plus the bass man hangs a decent sized dream catcher over his amp, which is way cool!
Midday Veil & The Arrington de Dionyso Experience @ The Comet
As Wikipedia puts it: ”The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή (psyche, “soul”) and δηλοῦν (deloun, “to manifest”), translating to “mind-manifesting. Psychedelic states are an array of experiences elicited by various techniques, including sensory stimulation, sensory deprivation as well as by psychedelic substances. Such experiences include hallucinations, changes of perception, synesthesia, altered states of awareness, mystical states, and occasionally states resembling psychosis.”
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The psychedelic experience has pretty much become a staple in our American culture. The shear longevity of psych/music has clearly by now, left it’s mark in our DNA. Rocky Erickson, who came through Seattle recently, has been listed as the first person to actually use the term “psychedelic” to describe music… Anyways, for whatever reason I’m still a fan of the shit. Last Saturday, I made a point of going to the Comet to catch this much anticipated pychedelic line-up
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Starting the evening off, (after some fine krautrock DJing via Mamma Cassarole) was Arrington de Dionyso’s “Malaikat Dan Singa”. Before the music, (perhaps to set the mood, or perhaps to get the band high) Arrington delivered a squirt from a tincture bottle into the mouths of each of his band mates. To say Arrington Dionyso is a multi-talented front man with other-worldy stage presence that borders on demigod, would be an understatement. His voice is an absolutely hypnotic instrument. Using his very low tenor (sounding like a didgeridoo, but better) he managed to pull a full room of people, very quickly, into the void with him. Their opening number, which began as a song consisting of singing in some strange eastern language, tranformed into a gorgeous jam not unlike something from “Can”. Dionyso frantically strummed an obscurely tuned guitar, while three drummers and two bass players held down chunks of pulsating grooves around him. Wow!.. and this was before the man picked up his bass clarinet. Not since the mid-nineties, after experiencing local legend Skerritt on sax, have I been this excited about a wind instrument. Malaikat Dan Singa very nearly set the Comet on fire last Saturday, and I just felt lucky to have been there. http://www.myspace.com/arringtondedionyso
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Moving onto Midday Veil, who immediately came on as aesthetically intriguing, using a fog machine/laser light/ plus projector as their psychedelic weapon of seduction. It wasn’t all smoke and mirrors though, as the sounds emulating (particularly from David Golightly’s synths) emerged beautifully in waves until the the drummer found a beat for it. A nice build up for an array of melodies wrapped in Emily Pothast’s pretty and at times, fiercely “going for the jugular” vocals. Nice 
projection work, and overall drug-inducing experience! There were moments, it seemed, when I felt a little something more than the whiskey I was drinking. I don’t know, maybe it was a flashback. It was the bands Eyes All Around album release that night, and a celebration indeed! http://middayveil.com/
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Unfortunately, after Midday Veil, I was kidnapped by drunken madmen celebrating a birthday, and was unable to return to the Comet for most of the headliners set. However I did catch Master Musicians of Bukkake’s grand finale, and was taken back a little. There was this great wall of people, swaying to this massively loud, ethereal noise. Apparently there’s like nine people in the band, but the Comet, at this point was just a blanket of fog. I couldn’t see anyone playing music! Seriously. http://www.myspace.com/mastermusiciansofbukkake
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An enchanted evening to say the least.
