Blog Archives

June 15, 2012

A Cafe Racer Benefit Round-Up

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neptune


In the wake of an unthinkable tragedy the massive outpouring of love for the folks who called the kookiest cafe in North Seattle theirs is a testament to how sometimes a place comes to exist as something more than the sum of its humble parts. Its a place where a midnight round of Scrabble in the back booth is a pasttime, where a lack of any semblance of a stage is no impediment to putting on a killer live rock show. A place where people don’t go to escape but to be be a part of a jovial family.

The chorus of local bands and organizations clamoring to help in what ways they can is impressive, so over the next few weeks there are a bevy of opportunties to come out and show your support as well. A few that caught our eye are happening in the next few days, but you can view a complete list that’s being updated as more shows are added at caferacerlove.org. Can’t make it? It is the future after all so you can also feel free right now to drop a few bucks in the proverbial hat in a futuristic online fashion.

Saturday June 16, 4pm at the Rat and Raven: All Ages Benefit with Blood Orange Paradise, Spinning Whips, Heatwarmer. $7.

Monday June 18th, 8pm at the Uptown Cinema: Best of SIFF showing Welcome to Doe Bay Tickets are $9 for SIFF Members, $11 for the General Public.

Tuesday June 19th, 5pm at the Tractor Tavern at Conor Byrne Innocent When You Dream: A Tribute To The Departed. A Benefit For The Victims Families of The Cafe Racer Tragedy.” Joint cover night, $10 suggested donation.

Thursday June 21st, at the Re-Bar: WXPFL’s Extreme Pencil Fighting Championship, Summer Break Pt I, a Cafe Racer Benefit Fight

Friday June 29th, 8pm at The Neptune Theater: Cafe Racer Benefit Show and Silent Auction with Star Anna, Kasey Anderson, Cathy Sorbo, Kermet Apio, Liam McCormick, The Maldives and host Diva LeDeviant

Saturday June 30th, at the Rat and Raven: A benefit for Cafe Racer w/Hobosexual, The Fabulous Downey Bros, Danny the Street

Sunday July 8th at the Columbia City Theater: A Community and Charity Event Benefitting the Victims of the Cafe Racer Shootings with McTuff, Thaddillac Kimo Muraki and MC Ramon Shiloh


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April 5, 2012

Lonesome Shack Recording Live Album At Cafe Racer This Friday

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Usually I’d be a little nervous for a band preparing to record a live album on reel-to-reel, but there’s nothing usual about Lonesome Shack or their live recordings. I’ve spent more time enjoying Off Tempo’s live recording of the band from the basement of the Greenhouse than any classic live record this year and marveled more than once how it sounds like some long lost Lomax, recorded on the back porch of yes, some lonesome Southern shack. (clicking on the link will take you to a free stream and download of the live recording, and I can’t recommended it enough.)

Lonesome Shack plays the blues. Its gritty and gut-grabbing. It sounds of another era, while remaining timeless, because it is. These songs could easily be a hundred years old, and god and Jack White willing, such music will still be being made a hundred years from now. As of now, Lonesome Shack is one of Seattle’s hidden gems, their dirtiness swept under the mod-Ikea rug of sound-alike Americana, but with Seattle’s ears open and excited about pickin’ and roots music, I’m hoping its Lonesome Shack’s time to shine.

The Lonesome Shack records their next album City Man live tomorrow night at Cafe Racer. The show starts at 9pm and by everything I can find on-line, appears to be free. The show is the band’s last local show before heading ALL the way across the country to Maine and back for a tour, so catch ‘em while you can.

December 12, 2009

Salmon Thrasher’s Ceiling Crumbling Debut

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Salmon Thrasher ::: all photos by Abbey Simmons

Last night in the intimate living room setting of Cafe Racer, Salmon Thrasher played a set of  sloppy garage rock so forceful the ceiling actually started crumbling. Instead of Chicken Little calling “the sky is falling, the sky is falling” it was Salmon Thrasher’s drummer Tara who peered nervously upwards as chunks of ceiling fell on her kit.

If you haven’t heard of Salmon Thrasher yet, don’t feel too bad… it was their first show last night. But get hip to this band now because they’re one you’ll be hearing lots more about in the coming months on this here blog and others around town. Seeing that it was the band’s first show and they were playing in what is only sometimes a  live music venue, the set was rife with technical issues. (Surely frustrating to Justin and Evan who are sound guys at two of the city’s biggest venues: the Showbox and Neumos.)

Despite the first show jitters and technical issues it was the bands undeniable knack for dirty grooves, deafening assault by bass, some serious swagger in their delivery, a couple super solid original tunes, and their leering cover of The Box Tops “The Letter” that stood out the most. It seems almost ridiculous to say this in the city the Grunge and Garage built, but Salmon Thrasher’s rough around the edges rock was a much needed breath of cheap cigarette smoke taking me back to 2006 when we first started the blog and this style and sound was more prevalent. I suspect many of you will be shoving and screaming along to Salmon Thrasher in 2010. I know I will be. 

Get a head start on 2010 and see Salmon Thrasher December 20th at Neumos for the Neumos Employee Band Bill.

Salmon Thrasher ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Tara holds Part of the Ceiling after a Samon Thrasher Song ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Salmon Thrasher ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The Ironclads ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The Ironclads with Jonny of the Whore Moans on Guitar and Vocals ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

More photos of Salmon Thrasher’s Debut with The Ironclads HERE on Our Flickr

May 12, 2009

The What What Now 7″ Release Par-tay at Cafe Racer

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What What Now ::: Portrait by Josh Lovseth

We headed down to the somewhat unconventional venue of Cafe Racer in the U-District last Friday to unwind and give a nod the release of What What Now‘s debut recording, a Limited Edition 7″ vinyl record, featuring what are probably four of my favorite punk dance jams this year so far, “Tired Head” foremost on that list. Before the first band had even begun the place was buzzing and the wait at the bar was a steady fifteen minutes (whether it should have been is another story). Multi-colored party hats were being passed around to the celebratory. Of those there were many. I got yellow.

Despite the simple PA setup of Cafe Racer, the Ironclads sounded about as good as I’ve heard yet. A house full of friends will bring up a band’s performance level a notch, and this was definitely the case considering What What Now’s intense display of devotion going on in the front row; over their recent tour I’m told some strong friendships were forged. “Alamagordo” was probably stuck in my head for three days straight afterward.

By What What Now’s set time, they had overwhelmed Cafe Racer with friends, being able to get physical glass of beer from the bar, much less even up to the bar, was a matter of luck and timing. Backed by a framed visage of Jesus made of Peeps, the band setup their gear, but also made sure the fans had their own equipment, handing out more hats and some party poppers to activate when a happy moment strikes.

Singer/guitarist Brittain provides the lyrics for What What Now’s songs, his raspy delivery the voice of a punk romantic just trying to make his way in this crazy world. Backed by close friends, his somewhat ADD personality has been tamed into a package of what I’ve come to think is intentionally dance music, and accompanied by a PBR tall-boy it’s a recipe for a bit of unbridled fun. The two tracks off side A of their debut 7 inch “Things I Can’t See” and “My Prayer” achieve that goal quite well, with side B track “Tired Head” coming off as the song of the night for me. Look for a digital copy of the EP to emerge sometime soon.

M Bison closed out the night with a late set of originals that included a number of new songs which they are committing to tape as I write. Speaking to guitarist Jeff before the set, he wanted to get across that they’ve grown as a band, and he hopes that new the material showed that they’ve been more expansive in their sonic goals for the new stuff, and probably won’t simply come off as “pop” (which I think we can all safely say they have down pat at this point). My new favorite of the bunch was a song that had a chorus referencing Couer d’Alene of all places.

What What Now plays Seattle next at the Comet on May 30 supporting One Million Teeth, Mythological Horses and Saucy Yoda


What What Now ::: Photo by Abbey

The Ironclads ::: Photo by Josh

The Ironclads (assisted by What What Now) ::: Photo by Abbey

M Bison :::: Photo by Josh

Flickr: The What What Now 7″ Release Party at Cafe Racer with M Bison and the Ironclads, May 9, 2009