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January 16, 2012

Phil’s 2011 Live Music Awards

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The stuff that dreams are made of…

C’mon, you didn’t actually think I’d publish my 2011 lists during the actual year of 2011…did you? Now that I have the undivided attention of eight people:

Best Show(s) That I Never Saw

Lightning Bolt at Healthy Times Fun Club (RIP) Soundgarden/Queens of the Stone Age/Mastodon etc. at the Gorge Pig Destroyer at El Corazon Musicfest Northwest Reverbfest Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings with Fly Moon Royalty at the Showbox Market Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at Neumos Matsuri at the Black Lodge Portishead at WaMu Scratch Acid at Neumos

The Lightning Bolt, Portishead, Pig Destroyer and Scratch Acid shows are the ones I’m most upset about. Who knows if I’ll ever have a chance to see those bands in the city of Seattle again (and in some instances, anywhere else). I suppose I could hop on a plane for the sake of noise and nostalgia. Who am I kidding? I’m too poor to do that. Being broke is the reason why I missed that Portishead show at WaMu. I made the conscientious decision to avoid the “Dinosaurs of Rock” show at Gorge. I’m not too ashamed (“shame” is a word I am unfamiliar with) to admit that I still listen to Soundgarden and enjoy their music. This is the exact reason why I did not want to see them play the Gorge. I’m one of those people that likes to leave the past in the past. Which is why you’re not going to see me embracing the reunions of At The Drive In or Refused as much as my inner high school spirit would like to. Mastodon has been dead to me for a couple of albums now. When I heard they were coming to SoDo, I immediately assaulted the first human being I saw (some elderly woman with no legs) and yelled, “This is what happens when good bands put out terrible albums!”

Her hearing aid fell out during the attack. I don’t think she heard me.

I was actually at the Matsuri show when they played the Black Lodge. I went to my car for a second and by the time I got back they were done. I picked up their record “Endship.” It’s pretty great.

The Kool Keith “We Do This All The Time” Live Music Award(s) For Excellence.

There are few winners for the most recognizable award in the music community the award that is inspired by Black Elvis himself. First and foremost, I have to give it up to Spurm. They were the best act I saw at Capitol Hill Block Party, but I never published my post out of crippling writer’s block, oh-my-lanta sheer laziness. Here’s what I wrote (consider the “theme” of those write-ups):

“Of course you’re back in the bowels of Bimbo’s Cantina, the shadowy underworld that is known as Cha Cha. Today, there is hope because it is Sunday. For some reason the only time good things happen at Cha Cha is when the calendar day is Sunday or Monday. What brings you to the Cha Cha? One word: Spurm.

You’ve never been a pervert (unless the lights are off, meow) but Spurm feels so good. They are like a demented version of the B-52′s. You realize that you must rephrase your assessment of Spurm. Whoever is reading your thoughts is already aware of the “bananas” behavior of the aforementioned legendary Athens, Ga. based “New Wave” band. Whereas the B-52′s might tuck their kids in with stuffed animals that resemble Brer Rabbit, Spurm play the part of Anansi and spin webs to ensnare those same children and their pathetic limitless dreams.

Don’t get me wrong, Spurm know how to have fun. But there is a darkness in the presentation my friends.

Weird quirky keyboard that is sometimes defiantly noisy. Punk rhythms. Where did that fucking saxophone come from? That guitarist plays like he used to be in The Pretenders but his personality was licks were too vicious so they kicked him out. A charismatic, matter-of-fact lead singer, who dons a white ship captain’s hat and makes gestures to the crowd that are both exciting and flamboyantly menacing. At one point in-between songs Jordan Adams says something to the crowd but you can’t remember his exact words. You just know that he said something about this particular song being his favorite Spurm song. When the lead singer of a band says that before his/her band plays a song, your expectations tend to grow by the second. To no surprise the song exceeds whatever conjecture you have tied around its neck. At one point Mr. Adams enters the heart of the Cha Cha audience and is swallowed be the most eager jazz hands that the world has ever seen. It were as if ten thousand Richard Simmons just finished an exercise routine and had given the lead singer of Spurm a metacarpus cocoon.”

Man, they were so good. Simply outstanding.

Strong Killings at their Record Release Party at the Rendezvous.

If you were there, you know what I’m talking about. If you weren’t, you missed one of the most magical moments in music history. I’m not kidding. People in Seattle think they can get away with murder every once in a while act proactively dickish and think it’s OK.

“What the fuck are you doing to do about it? Passive aggressive, coffee-drinking, Subaru outback driving, yoga-mat carrying, vibram five-finger rocking, mostly neutral color wearing…”

I don’t remember the exact details of the exchange between the heckler and Nathan (the lead singer of Strong Killings) because too many grains of sand have sunk to the bottom of the hourglass. Did Nathan respond to the drunken heckling with a karate chop? Did the heckler leave the venue after he got the volume turned up on his antics? Gentle readers, just remember one thing the next time you go to a Strong Killings concert….

TALK SHIT. GET HIT.

(Cue “Too Cool.”)

To read the rest of Phil’s live music stand-outs and disappointments from 2011 (more…)

July 23, 2011

Choose Your Own Adventure: Capitol Hill Block Party – Saturday

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Beat Connection ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

(Here’s what happened to you on Friday.)

You know what the most unfortunate thing about the “Saturday” of Block Party is? The fact that it starts at doors start 1pm. The number of people bitching about the hot nice weather blackouts will undoubtedly increase. You don’t care what children do before they enter the festival gates. You’re on a mission to do two things:

1) Finish your brunchfast at Table 219. 2) Find out if some really did punch the lead singer from Kings of Leon in the mouth. You must find the assailant and carry him/her on your shoulders for the rest of the day like the true rulers of the schoolyard that they are.

There’s no rush to get to everyone’s favorite all-day hyper-local shitshow. Hasau sounds like every other indie rock band that is currently playing music in the year before Mayan Doomsday ends all of our lives. To some this will be a pleasant set, but you’d prefer something that is not as bland as chewing a wet paper bag with more flavor.

He Whose Ox Is Gored were just crowned Grudge Rock champions only a matter of months ago. You enjoy their Nightshade EP but you really wish the band would play their songs three times faster than they do. If Red Bull were kind enough to sponsor He Whose Ox Is Gored, thus giving them “wings” and unknowingly helping you achieve your hidden goal, they’d be one of the best bands in Seattle. Instead, you’re going to skip them and let your food digest in Cal Anderson park.

Eventually, you head back inside the safe confines of a music festival that you feel will be absolutely underwhelming today.

You glance down at your smartphone to check out who should be the background soundtrack to your feverish people watching. You try not to gaze too much longer at your palm-sized example of advanced technology because some jerk keeps on spilling their expensive beer on your shoes. You spy a name on the schedule that is dear to your heart.

SPORTS.

Read the rest of your adventure (more…)

June 1, 2011

Capitol Hill Block Party Line-Up: Cave Singers, TV on the Radio, My Goodness and Lots More!

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Capitol Hill Block Party Dance Party ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

With the sun finally out two days in a row, summertime and festivals don’t seem so impossibly far away. With the initial line-up announcement of Capitol Hill Block Party this morning, we can almost feel the sweat and taste the cheap beer. Here’s who’ll be invading Pike Street this July 22, 23 & 24th.

Since this a local music blog, local bands have been bolded for your ocular ease:

TV on the Radio, Explosions in the Sky, Ghostland Observatory, Thurston Moore, the Cave Singers, Battles, Ra Ra Riot, Les Savy Fav, Handsome Furs, the Posies, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Yuck, Fucked Up, Telekinesis, Cults, Cold Cave, Woods, Fences, Pink Mountaintops, My Goodness, Papercuts, Austra, the Fresh and Onlys, Mad Rad, Fresh Espresso, Champagne Champagne, Federation X, Thee Satisfaction, Ravenna Woods, Young Evils, Black Breath, Grynch, Absolute Monarchs, Akimbo, Eleanor Friedberger, Gravebabies, Beat Connection, Grand Hallway, Campfire OK, Loch Lomond, Skarp, Lisa Dank, Sol, Painted Palms, Mash Hall, Metal Chocolates, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sports, Craft Spells, Boat, Lake, Virgin Islands, Spurm, Elephant Rider, the Pharmacy, Lovesick Empire, Constant Lovers, Slow Dance, Don’t Talk to the Cops, Nazca Lines, Reporter, Thomas Wright Trio, Lovers, Yarn Owl, the First Times, Teen Daze, Lumerians, Seapony, Wheelies, the Lumineers, Witch Garden, He Whose Ox Is Gored, Slow Dance, Land of Pines, Buster Blue, the First Times, “The Rolling Stones,” Hausu, Yuni in Taxco, Spaceneedles, Comeback! Featuring: Ohnonos, Hollyhood!, and DJ sets by Fourcolor Zack, Tigerbeat, Sean Cee, and DJ N8… AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

Additional Bands Announced (added June 1st): The Head and The Heart, Best Coast, Shad, Kung Foo Grip, BFA, Baths, Dunes, Cold Showers, Grand Hallway

Full Day-by-Day Schedule, in poster form:

Friday July 22 Saturday July 23 Sunday July 24

You can get early 3-Day Passes courtesy of Block Party sponsors The Stranger now.

Who are you most excited to see at Block Party?

I’m most excited to dance with Beat Connection, clap along to Cave Singers and rock the fuck out with My Goodness on the Main Stage.

If you want to start planning your CHBP days already, we’ve got the Cha Cha’s line-up with set times listed after the jump. (more…)

May 24, 2011

My Top 10 Goals For Sasquatch! 2011

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Sasquatch ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Like an athlete about to compete in a world class event, I’ve spent a lot of time leading up to Sasquatch thinking about what a successful festival looks like. These are the 10 things that have to happen for Sasquatch 2011 to be a personal festival success.

1. Attend a Set at the Banana Shack

Despite attending almost all ten of the Sasquatch Music Festivals, I’ve never seen a non-musical event. I know. I’m a little ashamed to admit it myself. But newly signed Secretly Canadian comedienne Tig Notaro, will be the perfect excuse to right this wrong.

Tig Naturo plays the Banana Shack Saturday at 2:30pm

2. Marvel at What a Badass Scott Teske Is / Regret Not Practicing Clarinet Like My Mom Told Me To

Scott Teske is not yet 30, but he is the leader of an orchestra of talented musicians. Really. A full-on orchestra. The Music Director of the celebrated Seattle Rock Orchestra, Teske is the brains and brawn behind SRO’s almost fully sold-out season of shows at The Moore and Triple Door featuring performances of Pet Sounds, Queen, Radiohead, Arcade Fire and local musicians Shenandoah Davis and Kaylee Cole. As if organizing such massive and successful under-takings wasn’t impressive enough, Teske, with the help of some of the talented Orchestra has written many of the orchestral pieces he and SRO perform, because symphonic renditions simply do not exist yet.

Seattle Rock Orchestra’s performance of Arcade Fire’s Funeral last year had attendees running to the Bigfoot Stage screaming “HOLY SHIT IS ARCADE FIRE PLAYING?” And SRO’s rendition was so solid, no one seemed bummed out it wasn’t the real thing. This year they’ll be reprising their sold-out Tribute to Radiohead and as strange as it may sound, this symphony is absolutely one of the unmissable sets of Sasquatch.

Seattle Rock Orchestra plays the Bigfoot Stage at 12pm on Saturday

3. Give Modest Mouse Another Chance

Sad but true (and saddest for me) I have never seen anything even resembling a decent Modest Mouse concert. And I’ve probably seen the band 10 times. The final straw came back in 2007 at The Paramount, after which I swore I would never see Modest Mouse again. I’ve kept that promise for four years.

But the band is headlining Sasquatch on Sunday, Isaac Brock’s punk warble still breaks my heart and Modest Mouse is responsible for some of the most iconic Northwest albums ever released. Few albums are more evocative of my Seattle than The Lonesome Crowded West and despite being let down time after time, the potential awesomeness of a good set from Modest Mouse is enough for me to risk another train wreck.

Modest Mouse plays the Mainstage Sunday at 10pm

4. Give Flaming Lips and Wilco a Chance. Period.

I’ve never seen Flaming Lips or Wilco live and truth be told, I’ve never been that crazy about either band’s celebrated recorded output either. This Sasquatch, I’m determined to find out what it is that everyone else loves so much about these bands. Or at the very least, figure out what it is that doesn’t do it for me.

Flaming Lips plays the Mainstage Sunday at 8pm. Wilco plays the Mainstage Monday at 9:30pm.

5. Dance with Wheedle’s Groove

Think Pickwick are the progenitors of Seattle soul? You are sorely mistaken. Before grunge, before Ballard Avenue Americana, Seattle had a vibrant jazz and soul scene documented in the film Wheedle’s Groove and a couple amazing compilations from Light in the Attic. A super-group of some of the key players in the Seattle soul scene have come together to perform booty-shaking sets and lucky for us, Sasquatch have them playing the Bigfoot Stage on Sunday at 1pm. I’m staying the whole set and I’m dancing. You’ve been warned.

Wheedle’s Groove play the Bigfoot Stage at 1pm on Sunday

Read the rest of my Sasquatch Goals (more…)

February 7, 2011

Sasquatch! 2011 Line-Up

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Sasquatch Sunset ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

With the Sasquatch! line-up just announced we are inching ever closer to spring. We’re giddy for days when the sun doesn’t set at 4 and to see so many local names, big and small, make Sasquatch’s 10th anniversary line-up. Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, The Head and The Heart, Macklemore, The Moondoggies, Wheedle’s Grove, Dan Mangan, The Globes, Young Evils, Mad Rad and more. Much more so than recent years line-ups, 2011′s seems to have a Northwest bias and you know we love that. Plus, we’re excited to share that The Head and The Heart will be playing The Gorge’s hallowed Main Stage for their first Sasquatch set.

Of course, Sasquatch is much more than a local festival and we were pleased to see that lots of our national and intentional favorites including Local Natives, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhunter, Fitz and the Tantrums, Best Coast, Wye Oak, Wilco, Bright Eyes, Noah and the Whale and Wolf Parade will be Washington bound come May. Like all festivals, its not perfect. And the most confounding name on the line-up has to be Pink Martini, which is more a “your parents attending Bumbershoot band” than Sasquatch suitable, but all-in-all the announcement makes us very eager for May.

Here’s the full line-up as announced thus far. And here’s the day-by-day line-up. What do you think?

sasquatch-page-02-1

And if that font’s too small for you, I feel your pain so, I included the official line-up announcement video and it even comes complete with a Moondoggies soudntrack.

January 12, 2011

Josh’s Favorite Records of 2010

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Since I’m later than everyone else and am expounding (and have expounded) elsewhere plenty on 2010 I’ll keep this one short. The following is a list of the most compelling records I heard in 2010. Not coincidentally these really were the records I actually listened to most. To my mind, every one of my choices exists as a whole record, and not just a collection of individual singles, so, in my humble opinion, every single record on this list is worthy of taking the time to listen all the way through to be absorbed fully.

Since I only did twenty songs for 2010, I also limited myself to an unordered list of twenty records (plus a few stellar EP’s). Click the link on a band name to see what we’ve wrote about them in 2010.

(more…)

December 31, 2010

Our Favorite Photos of 2010: Everything Else

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holyfuck

Holy Fuck at CHBP ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

We’ll be sharing our final favorite photo of 2010 later today, one we think sums up our 2010 beautifully, but we’d be remiss to not share these 10 other photos we took and loved in the last year. While we didn’t get to write about them individually this December, they are doubtlessly some of our favorites from the last year … in fact, I think that Holy Fuck photo above might be my favorite shot that graced Sound on the Sound all year. Too many awesome photos to share, not an awful problem to have.

We hope to have an even more difficult time narrowing it down to 30-40 photos in 2011!

Discs of Fury ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

New Pornographers at Sasquatch ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Sound on the Sound Presents at Columbia City Theater ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Doe Bay Session Audience ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Five more photos we adored from 2010 after the jump (more…)

December 29, 2010

Twenty Songs I’m Giving a “10″ in 2010

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the morning benders

The Morning Benders at the Crocodile ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Though choosing any number songs to represent my year for a one such as myself is a challenge, the spare unordered listing below of twenty is about as complete as I can hope to make any such effort. For some of these songs I was smitten at first listen, for others I’ve come to them over the course of the year via live performances. Though I’ve now seen it live probably more than ten times in course of the last year, every time I’m treated to “It All Comes Right” by Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives my body responds with shivers as strong as the first time I heard it.

2010 was personally a year of the highest highs and lowest lows I’ve experienced yet in life, and these songs were my soundtrack. It’s a surprisingly non-emo grouping considering how this year has gone…

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“Rill Rill” – Sleigh Bells Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill by marinak

“Albatross” – Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes-Albatross by inertiamusic

(more…)

December 13, 2010

Abbey’s Favorite Non-Local Releases of 2010

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mallardbest

The Mallard

There was so much good music coming out of the Pacific Northwest this year, it was hard to avert my eyes and ears to listen to albums released outside of our cloudy corner of the world. But when I did, these were the artists and albums that I enjoyed most.

I know it seems like the snobbiest music blogger move to list a self-released cassette as their number one release of the year, but no one combined every sonic trend I loved in 2010 (psychedelic, lo-fi, girl, garage pop) better than the one-woman spectacular spectacle that is The Mallard and nothing sounded better than her wailing over road noise as I navigated the rainy streets of Seattle. Plus, with her debut full-length due out in 2011, I think you’ll be hearing lots more from The Mallard soon so I don’t feel all that guilty for sharing the obscure.

Without further explanation, my favorite releases of 2010:

1. The Mallard – s/t cassette 2. The Black Keys – Brothers 3. Sharon Van Etten – Epic 4. Phosphorescent – Here’s to Taking It Easy 5. Sonny and the Sunsets – Tomorrow Is Alright 6. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt 7. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor 8. The Morning Benders – Big Echo 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Horse Power EP 10. Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People EP

Just Missed / Also Thoroughly Enjoyed in 2010:

Besnard Lakes / Best Coast / Ty Segall / The Strange Boys

November 2, 2010

Best Coast at Neumos

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Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast likes cats ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

With a dismal economy perpetually raining on 2010′s parade, any break in the clouds is a cherished reprieve. For much of 2010, Best Coast have been my stream of sunshine, beaming SoCal down with them wherever they may land. Saturday’s soggy (day-before-)Halloween visit to Seattle desperately needed some of those sunbeams, so when Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino trotted on stage dressed like a cat, our sunbeam on two legs, I had a feeling my Halloween was finally getting a whole lot more enjoyable. Almost immediately though, I realized that putting my un-costumed-self up front was probably inviting attention that I didn’t want.

This bill was extra special for me since San Fransisco’s Sonny & the Sunsets were on opening duties. A Daily Choice favorite, they are another band who snuck up on me with their 2010 full-length Tomorrow is Alright, a record which has now become a default choice when I can’t think of anything else to put on. His curious mixture of folk and pop sounds right out of the Haight of nearly 50 years ago, feeling familiar, and yet nobody’s been doing it like that for decades. Everything about this guy feels vintage, and the unassuming live show only reinforces that.

Though both guitars could’ve been turned up for my liking, and I was standing close, Best Coast make their point well on stage. Cosentino’s voice typically shrouded in reverb had a whole lot less of that crutch this night proving she’s not hiding behind effects. The songs themselves are just irresistibly poppy, and like Sonny’s, have their own homage to pay to the Motown groups of yore. Despite the earnest (and then annoying) pleas of a couple of superfans directly to my right “Happy” was not meant to be, though they did play every other song I wanted to hear.

Opposite Captain Morgan Cosentino the feline, in black and leopard print with ears and a tail, took some time to acknowledge the rest of the costumes in the crowd. Some “superheroes.” No Chilean Miners? Then pointing at someone in the crowd she remarked “Are you one of the village people? … No?! That’s just what you’re wearing?!” Hilarity. I left the show unable to decide what’s more embarrassing: the perils of attending a Halloween outing un-costumed and getting ridicule for that or the perils of attending a Halloween outing wearing your everyday clothes but then people think you are costumed? Either way you’re an unfunny joke so you might as well dress up, right? I learned my lesson.


Best Coast (featuring Captain Morgan) ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Best Coast ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Sonny & The Sunsets ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Sonny & The Sunsets ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Calligraphers ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth