From moment one I knew Dita Vox was a rock star. The poster from $5 Cover Seattle makes me think movie star as well.

For me, an image of few people could be more iconic of my experience with the Seattle music scene than that of Dita Vox. (The first album I reviewed on Sound on the Sound was Can You Dig It?,  after all.)

$5 Cover Seattle premieres next Monday (March 1st) at SIFF Cinema. Ms. Vox will be there and so will we. I’m looking forward to reporting back to you after seeing lots of our favorite stars from Seattle stages on the big screen. Dita may be the poster child, but she’ll be joined on screen by The Maldives, The Moondoggies, THEESatisfaction, The Lights and more. I can guarantee it’s going to be surreal to see, but I’m can also guarantee there’s going to be a great soundtrack.

Part of what makes the Seattle music scene so exciting right now are the artists who aren’t on stage: the talented community of poster artists and photographers. They are as much a part of the riches of Seattle as the musicians who they chronicle and create for.  It’s been a big week for celebrating the rather obscene number of talented folks who call Seattle home with photo show openings for Chona Kasinger, Jenny Jimenez, and now the showcasing of these two talented artists: Jon Smith and Tyler Soverns at the Greenwood Collective tonight.

Jon Smith (and partner Owen) are the minds and artists behind the trippy posters of SmithBellcraft. Jon has created creepy wonderful posters for local bands like Iceage Cobra and Thee Emergency, to national acts like Ghostland Observatory, Ween and The Decemeberists, and for big name festivals like Sasquatch. A number of Jon’s posters hang proudly at Sound on the Sound HQ and we’re still excited that Jon designed a poster for Sound on the Sound’s first show a few years back.

Apparently just above (or below) Jon Smith’s show will be the opening of SNAPS featuring portraits of Seattle hip hop artists by Tyler Soverns, better known as Rabid Child Images. With his unmistakable fish-eye style Tyler has been chronicling the local hip hop scene for quite a while now and I’m certain his pictures have played a big part in building the amazing momentum bands like Mad Rad and Fresh Espresso have. I knew I had to see these bands thanks to Tyler’s photos long before I ever had a chance to hear their music. SNAPS will feature  his signature white background portraits that capture many of the biggest names in Seattle’s hip hop in intimate and funny moments where ego has been set down and a smile is given into.  

Before you head out to a show tonight, we highly recommend you heading up to The Greenwod Collective (8537 Greenwood Ave N.)  to celebrate Jon Smith and Rabid Child Images.  

Before enjoying a plethora of musical choices tonight (No Depression Festival, Robin Pecknold/Drink for the Kids at Neumos, The Ironclads & The Hands at Mars Bar, Thee Emergency for Free at The Nectar, The Pharmacy at The Comet, Mad Rad at Chapel…) I highly recommend you make your way to The Sunset Tavern to support another talented local artist, Stoic Swine.

On this blog, Stoic Swine is best known as Blowdog of the dearly departed Hopscotch Boys. His performances, which we’ve described as “part art, part felony” were confrontational, dark, abrasive, fascinating, enthralling, and totally unique. The same can be said of the artwork he creates under the name of Stoic Swine.

While I’m no art critic or historian, Stoic Swine’s pieces evoke the same sort of reaction in me as his performances as Blowdog: enamored revulsion. As Stoic Swine describes his own work, “soul in the soot, head in the ether.”  His art, like his performances, toes the line of grotesque, in a way that makes you want to see more, not less.  It is raw, honest, totemic, evocative, and I think, beautiful in it’s portrayal of the flaws and vices of man. Much like Blowdog on stage, it’s work you’ll either love or hate, there’s no middle ground. I for, one, love it. 

So does The Sunset Tavern on Ballard Avenue, which is currently hosting Stoic Swine’s latest collection, “YESTERDAY’S HERO, TODAY’S GOAT.” The artist describes his work, created just for this show at the Sunset as:

Spanning from the fumes of the room’s storied past (from shaky Chinese restaurant to a debauched sailor dive) to its present lore as one of the city’s finest rock clubs, this work was created specifically to be installed in the legendary Sunset Tavern. All portraits on display are of figures I could imagine, at one time or another, filling the Sunset with their gregarious personalities and drunken behavior as they unwittingly question life’s greater existential formalities. Hopefully no amount of their blood, sweat or ejaculate has been spared in my faithful depiction.

Tonight the bar will be hosting an artist’s reception during Ballard’s Art Walk  for Stoic Swine and his work from 6 to 8pm.

To see more of Stoic Swine’s work, check out his blog: Gift Horse Mouth

What people who don’t live in Seattle don’t realize, is many of our rainy days are really just drizzly days. It’s not that Seattle doesn’t do downpours, we do, but many of our rainy days are just kind of half rainy days. As someone who was born and raised in Seattle, I’d say these days are the epitome of Seattle weather and climate. We’re all about the in-between here.

Most “rainy day” songs and albums are for those downpour days, the really stormy nasty days, but here in Seattle, what’s really valuable are the albums for those in-between days. For me, nothing fits days like this, like The National. While all their albums are well-suited for the in-between grey days, their second release “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers” was made for such days. It’s brooding but not furious, with just enough upbeatness amidst the anger and heartache. It’s a moody album in a very grey Seattle skies way.

I’m not strictly a National girl on these days, or I would listen to very little else. A few of my other favorite in-between rainy day albums are: Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, Radiohead Kid A, and Modest Mouse The Lonesome Crowded West. Lately I’ve also been playing The Rural Alberta Advantage Hometowns lately on the half-grey days.

I’m sure you have your go-to albums for these kind of in-between grey Seattle days, and I would love if you’d shared them. I need to add a couple more to the rotation.

A few more of our favorite local photogs are hosting a wonderful show this weekend and we wanted to share the news (and gorgeous flyer) with you.

Hillary Harris and Kristen/Blush Photos are two of the most ridiculously talented and lovely women we’ve had the pleasure to meet in a long long time. The photos and portraits these ladies take speak to our soul and inspire us daily to expand our eye, viewpoint, and experiences as a photographer. 

So take some time on your Saturday to support a few of Seattle’s most talented artists, Sound on the Sound is definitely going to try to make it to show our love and drool over some gorgeous photos.

Rock’n'roll is a mans world. From the people who most frequently play it, to the people who promote it, to the fans that attend shows, the writers who critique it, and the photogs who shoot the shows. Despite it being 2008, rock’n'roll is still largely a boys club.

Luckily, I live in Seattle. A town that is blessed and rare because of the talented cadre of women writers, photographers, and performers who call Seattle home. Tonight Hannah Levin of KEXP and The Seattle Weekly, an honest-to-god inspiration for me as a female music writer and lover, is celebrating the opening of a photography show she’s curated. The exhibit titled “You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello” displays a few of Seattle’s most talented female photographers and their photos from the last shows of local bands.  The trio of talented femme-fatale photogs are Jenny Jimenez, Laura Musselman, and Sarah Joann Murphy.

The group exhibit will be at the Tigertail in Ballard (704 NW 65th St, Seattle, WA 98127) through September 30th. Tonight, however is the big opening shin-dig with a DJ set by a few of the fine fellows from The Cops and Scott Kannenberg, former guitarist for pavement. So stop by the Tigertail from 7-10pm tonight and celebrate a few of the wonderful women who help make the Seattle scene such an amazing place.

Fellow Seattle music lovers and writers Nada Mucho, have been hard at work creating a compilation cd of the sounds and songs of the “Seattle Underground.” They’ve rounded up a number of great local acts to contribute a previously unreleased or a new recording of an old favorite for the album. The album is due out on July 1st on Global Seepej Records, but we’re just so excited about it we had to share the track list with you.

1.       Bienvenidos! (sound snippet)
2.       At the Spine – Meteorite (2008 remix)
3.       The Tea Cozies – Tranciting
4.       Head Like a Kite – Noisy at the Circus
5.       Hazelwood Motel – Break Myself in Two
6.       The Lonely Forest –You Move
7.       Pufferfish – Rest Stop (Hello Zero Demo)
8.       Amateur Radio Operator – Strobe Light
9.       Chris Klepac – Beelzebub’s Tale to His Grandson
10.     The Wastelanders – Pride & Strawberry Wine
11.     WhoTheHells – Run with an Axe
12.     Iceage Cobra – Baconface Sweepstakes
13.     Eastern Grip – Boots
14.     C-Leb & A-Bro – Early Summertime Blues #1
15.     The Endeavors – On the Mouth
16.     Spaces – Flatland
17.     Katherine Hepburn’s Voice – Out Like This
18.    Elder Mason – The Revival

The Shackeltons are setting out to conquer North America with their appropriately titled, “Endurance Tour.” In the vein of the explorer who inspired their name, The Shackeltons are set to experience uncharted territory. Hopefully it will be they who are ”discovered” during this journey. 

There are a few dates we are especially excited about on this upcoming tour…. we’ve bolded and italicized them to point them out to you, but let me tell you a bit about them. First is the March 9th date in Birmingham Alabama, where The Shackeltons will share a stage with a few of my other favorite fellows, The Lonely H. Alabama is not going to know what hit them! This is an ideal line up of up-and-coming rock’n'roll superstars, so if you live anywhere near Birmingham you should certainly check it out. I am, of course, most excited about The Shackeltons March 13th date for our Above The Radar Day Party in Austin. And I know what will be keeping me busy April 10th and 11th…. at least three Shackelton’s shows all over Seattle! I just might have to make the drive down to Portland to catch a couple more too. Here’s the complete list of dates:

March 7 – Knoxville, TN @ Disc Exchange in-store 3:00 pm
March 7 – Knoxville, TN @ WUTK on-air interview 5:30 pm
March 7 – Knoxville, TN @ Barley’s Taproom
March 9 – Tuscaloosa, AL @ WVUA in-studio 12:00 pm
March 9 – Birmingham, AL @ The Nick w/The Lonely H
March 12 – SXSW Art Outside @ Enchanted Forest 3:20
March 13 – SXSW Planetary Skewer BBQ @ Maggie Mae’s 1:10
March 13 – SXSW Above the Radar @ Trophy’s Bar & Grill 5:00
March 14 – SXSW Red Bull Moon Tower Friday Night Party 2:00 am - Invite Only
March 15 – SXSW SxSeattle @ The Palm Door 3:45
March 21 – New York City @ Canal Room w/ Gasganno and The Antlers
April 3 – Chicago @ The Darkroom w/ Needles & Givers, Cameron McGill, and Brighton, MA 8:30
April 4 – Minneapolis @ 89.3 The Current in-studio 1:00 pm
April 4 – Minneapolis @ The Triple Rock w/ Askeleton
April 8 – Spokane, WA @ Empyrean
April 10 – Seattle @ KEXP in-studio 12:00 pm
April 10 – Seattle @ Neumos w/ The Hands, New Faces and Born Anchors 8:00 pm
April 11 - Seattle @ Easy Street in-store 6:00 pm ALL AGES
April 12 – Portland, OR @ Music Millennium in-store 6:00 pm ALL AGES
April 13 – Portland, OR @ Towne Lounge w/ Megasapien and Paper Brain
April 14 – San Francisco @ Red Devil Lounge w/ The Paper Sons and Special Guest
April 16 – Los Angeles @ Silverlake Lounge w/ Army Navy
April 24 – St. Louis @ Bluebird

Run to your local record store today and pick up Hey Lazarus! by Shane Tutmarc and His Traveling Mercies. The album has been getting a lot of love since Shane sent us a hand-illustrated copy of the record:

Shane and the Mercies will also be playing a CD Release Show this Friday at The Vera Project, with Pwrfl Power and the Terrordactyls. Sound on the Sound will be there in the front row, appreciating a couple of our favorite Seattle singer-songwriters.

Didn’t expect this one coming. Crying for the Sonics. Puh-lease. But, here I am, reading the Bill Simmons sports column, his longest piece to date, filled with fans emailed reactions to the situation with the Sonic leaving, and I’m crying.

Frankly, I haven’t thought to much about it until now. That is the Sonics heading to Oklahoma City. I accepted that business is business and that a team that hadn’t been run properly for some time would finally get a new infusion of money and enthusiasm. I can’t say I understood why moving to OK would be a better market, but I’m not a basketball team investor with that kind of specific knowledge, so who am I to fervently question such a move. Surely they would want the team to be in the place where it would be most appreciated and the games would be well attended.

I must admit, the Sonics are not my team of favor to cheer for, I’m a UW Basketball fan through and through (a painful season it has been), and Manchester United fan next. But in reading an email included in the column, written by a fellow young fan from Seattle named Porter, I’m struck by how much this team has meant to me and maybe still does:

I am 22 years old and grew up (much like you) in the heyday of the local basketball team, the Seattle Supersonics. I grew up with Gary Payton and his ridiculous Fresh Prince flattop in the early ’90s. Shawn Kemp dunking on anyone and everyone (check out top-10 Shawn Kemp dunks on YouTube). Big Smooth always looking stoned and refusing to jump on his jump shots, but inexplicably making most of them. Detlef imitating Dirk before anyone knew who Dirk was. Mac 10 providing the spark off the bench with gritty D and timely threes. And do not forget about the heart and soul of the team … Steve ‘The Chef’ Scheffler, who was an 11 out of 10 on the Bill Simmons Unintentional Comedy Scale. If you were at the Key for any of those playoff games in the mid-’90s, you would understand that Seattle is a basketball town. You think the 12th man at Seahawks games are loud? Try listening to the KeyArena crowd when Karl Malone was at the stripe in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

By the end of this, and after reading the preceding emails, I’m in tears. I’ve become jaded and detached from what in my youth I revered, I honestly didn’t know I cared so much.

When I saw my team up against Michael Jordan, I was proud. Even when they lost. At least they lost to Jordan. When my dad’s buddy got Shawn Kemp’s sweaty towel, thrown randomly into the stands after the game, it was a very memorable moment from my youth. (Incidentally Shawn Kemp wasn’t as stinky as I thought he would be.) In reading further, these and other memories rush back into my head, and I’m feeling overwhelmed by my unrealized attachment to the team. Even now, I feel strangely calmed by long-time Sonics announcer Kevin Calabro’s effortless play-by-play.

So. Here we are. With an arena recently rebuilt to better accommodate a professional basketball team, but new owners who want more. With the city’s oldest professional team already having one foot out the door. With a business where nobody is on the side of the fan, not even the city government itself. With a town that is eagerly waiting to bleed green again.

Now that I’ve thought about it, evaluated the angles, and seen other responses, I can say that I truly have lost faith. Not just in the Sonics, but in professional sport in America in general. When did they forget that without their fans they have nothing? Or maybe they haven’t forgotten about all of the fans. Just the ones who don’t reside in luxury boxes.