Macklemore ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

This party just get’s better every year. Two stages and a hip hop showcase? This is how Seattle’s party at SXSW should be going down. It’s happening Saturday, March 20th at the Beauty Bar, starting 12 noon. It’s no doubt free, but you’ll likely need an RSVP. We’ll keep you up to date on that info as it arrives. On to the good stuff. Peep this year’s lineup:

Main Stage
The Cave Singers
The Dutchess & the Duke
Fences
The Lonely Forest
The Moondoggies
Rocky Votolato

Second Stage
Grand Hallway
The Maldives
The Staxx Brothers

Hip Hop Showcase
Dark Time Sunshine
Dyme Def
Grynch
Macklemore
Mash Hall (formerly known as They Live!)
THEESatisfaction

Um… can this party happen in Seattle?

The second stage isn’t a side stage, it’s the stage where the big bands get more time to setup. And a hip hop showcase is long overdue. The organizers definitely made this a destination party that well represents the face of the emerging Seattle music scene at this very moment.

Follow the action on twitter with @sxswSeattleParT and be a part of the action by tagging your posts #TheSeattleParty and #sxsw.

Src: Austin Statesmen

D. Black and Spaceman ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

“Forget about yesterday, today won’t be the same, and we won’t know, what tomorrow brings…” - Refrain from “Yesterday” by D. Black on Ali’Yah

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine the person we once were. We dread to recall the downright stupid philosophies of our youth and the havoc our own actions have wrought as a result. Yet those are the things that made us who we are now, the important mistakes and miscalculations that changed our trajectory in life and served as learning experiences that (hopefully) made us wiser in the end. And so it can be just as hard to imagine life as being lived any other way. Without a doubt Sportn’ Life rapper D. Black doesn’t relish his former self, and though that life plays a key role in the compelling impetus of his second record Ali’Yah, he seems determined to move beyond his youth with purpose.

Talking big and acting big is part of the hip hop game, and D. Black’s early material reflects that expectation, doing his best to amplify the often gritty vision of urban life-as-struggle. For Ali’Yah though, D. Black is done playing that game the same way. Like his labelmate Fatal Lucciauno, he’s made a life decision to control his own path, and not let the expectations or demands of a fickle industry distract him from his true calling as an urban philosopher committed to music. The first song from Ali’Yah “What I Do” lays all of this out literally while in “The Return” he’s bluntly rhymes “I can’t associate with them fake ones/to add to their fake bullets coming out of fake guns.”

Socially-conscious hip-hop isn’t exactly new in the Seattle area, yet in Ali’Yah D. Black takes the road less traveled, earnestly depicting himself, his former life, and his own impact in the context of the real world consequences. And he is thinking about impact, not just getting by by doing what you “have to” do. Interludes typically inhabited by repping or something funny or stupid, are instead setting the tone of challenge on the record just as much as the songs. At the end of “What I Do” the channel changes and a voice pipes up: “The question stands, as a genre that uplifted and inspired so many of us, is it now poisoning itself?” These are hot words for one who is himself trying to gain traction in the hip-hop scene, and some will call him preachy for it, yet the force of his example on this record serves to quash any weak retorts that it’s not so easy to turn your back on the game. Not simply inflammatory words, he’s genuinely attempting to engage a nuanced conversation from the inside.

For Wednesday night’s CD release show at the Crocodile, much of the local hip-hop community was in the house either to take a step on stage or simply to show support for D. Black and his latest effort. Spaceman was hosting, and he was determined to make sure his boy had a great show. Darrius Willrich started the night out at the keys, bringing me back to my Stevie Wonder period in college. Dyme Def then followed They Live! who both put up energetic performances to a slowly warming crowd. Once D. Black hit the stage though, the crowd quickly thickened up front into a sea of swaying hands raised in in the shape of an “L.”

While D. Black may be done playing by anyone else’s rules, he certainly hasn’t turned his back on bringing the energy and performance that’s generally expected of a quality hip-hop show. Fully engaging the crowd, he was all smiles and thank you’s, especially for the night’s DJ and prolific producer Vitamin D, a tireless advocate for local hip-hop artists for years. Grynch, Spaceman and Fatal Lucciauno all reprised the roles they played as guests on the album (much like D. Black’s recent Bumbershoot performance), while Sportn’ Life “princess” Marissa made a late set appearance to provide backing vocals on Ali’Yah’s first single “Yesterday.”

As D. Black did the roll call, “Where my South Enders at? Where my North Enders at? Where my blacks at? Where My Jews at?….” he included every group, and got a loud response every time. This moment demonstrated his wide ranging appeal in a striking manner, yet given the dynamic performance it came as no surprise. The next day Abbey commented via twitter, “I’m going to finally say it out loud — local rockers could learn a thing or two from local hip hoppers in terms of performance.” As I left the Croc that night, I couldn’t help but think exactly the same thing.

Darrius Willrich ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

They Live! ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Dyme Def ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

D. Black ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Flickr: D. Black’s Ali’Yah Release Party at the Crocodile

Holy Fuck ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

If the first day of Bumbershoot reminded me of a renaissance festival, then the second day reminded me of last-minute shopping at your local mall. The day felt a bit odd because there was noticeably less people than on Saturday, but somehow it felt more crowded. Blame it on the rain that came down so aggressively, but at one point I felt like I was back in the southeast. I was in a state of befuddlement. The press room conjured up memories of freshman year in high school, as I paced the carpeted corridor trying my best not to make a fool of myself. Barely seen, definitely not heard. Just give me a plate of pita chips, a cup of coffee and a quiet corner and I’m good. It was funny seeing people with Rolling Stone and Spin press passes. They reminded me of sailors who were getting ready to board the Titanic, I didn’t have the heart to tell them their ship was going to sink. Worst part is, at least in the two aforementioned cases, they were boarding ships that sank more than a decade ago. Tragedy.

For the record, concert goers look at people with press passes like vestibules to the rockstars. Whenever I journeyed beyond the guardrail, I saw many eyes that said “How come you get to do that?” like some small child feeling injustice for the very first time. It was a weird dynamic that I’d never experienced before. When asked I would tell them the truth, only the self-involved can hang with the like. They understood.

Despite the afternoon torrential downpours and the bitter winds that came in the evening, the spirit of the music didn’t suffer one bit. I missed Cold War Kids for the umpteenth billionth time but didn’t really care. I missed the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s in favor of Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band, which may or may not have been a mistake. I’ve heard mixed reviews on the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s set on Sunday, but when I saw them a couple of years ago they were majestic. Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band have become local darlings since their cryptic YouTube videos debuted a while back. I’d never seen them before but after Sunday, I’ll keep one eye on them, the other eye closed.

After years of being a fan, I finally got to see the transcontinental jam connection that is Extra Golden on the Fisher Green Stage. They were astonishingly crisp and tight. From now on, every LP they release should be a live recording. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way but the Fisher Green Stage was easily the best stage the entire weekend. Dyme Def and Common Market were great on that stage. Every live set I witnessed seemed to be energetic with good crowd participation. Maybe the Vivian Girls would’ve been better served if they moved their set from the Broad Street Stage to Fisher Green. Then again, probably not. I must say that the Vivian Girls are the most boring and rehashed group to ever play music. Ever. Yes, I said ever. While I enjoyed their voices, I think they need to put down their instruments immediately. Shame on any media heads that have given kudos to this band. You’re inexplicably boring or you’re being paid off, you’re definitely a dick that’s for sure. Cut it out. Seriously.

Sleepy Eyes of Death are sonically the completely opposite of Vivian Girls and they put an impressive show at the Sky Church. Sleepy Eyes’ intro was crazy, it sounded like cicada’s with synth strings serving as their marionette had suddenly entered the room. Lights became the curtain and photographers bloomed in the press pit. Big rock n’ roll. I could see them scoring computer generated scenes from “human body” specials on the Discovery Channel for sure.

Holy Fuck lived up to their name. They were magical, my favorite set of the weekend. I was happily convulsing on the side of the stage. It was weird because I felt the Broad Street Stage had some sound issues during Mt. St. Helen’s and U.S.E. The sound, accompanied by the outdoor setting kind of fucked up U.S.E’s enjoyable set. But Holy Fuck sounded immaculate, I wonder what happened? They had me, as well as everyone else, moving like snakes being charmed. By the time they were done, I was done as well. I decided to be that guy and rock a track jacket and a trucker hat instead of a nice warm hoodie. The cold turns me into a coward. Never again will I accidentally trade fashion sense for comfort. Knowing what I know now, I should’ve stayed for Raphael Saadiq, I heard his set was really good.

Bumbershoot 2009 ::: Photo by Marcella Volpintesta for Sound on the Sound

The Dutchess and the Duke ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

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Grizzly Bear ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Some notable calendar listings have appeared in the past week or so we thought you might want to be aware of:

Grizzly Bear coming to the Moore Theater, Friday October 16th
$23 - presale starts Thursday July 16 through the Moore. PW: KEXP.

Monotonix coming to Neumos September 19th
$13 - 21+ - Tickets available at Ticketswest

Pearl Jam coming to Key Arena September 21st and 22nd
$68 - Tickets go on sale to the General Public, Saturday July 18 at Ticketmaster.

The Dirty Three coming to the Crocodile September 18th
$15 - 21+ - Get tickets from the Crocodile

Fruit Bats coming to the Crocodile August 20th
$12 - 21+ - Get tickets from the Crocodile

MP3 - “Ruminant Band” by the Fruit Bats courtesy of Sub Pop

KEXP Summer Mural Concert Series at the Seattle Center Mural Amphitheater
All these shows are free and all-ages, including the BBQ. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Friday 7/31, 5-8pm
Blitzen Trapper
Throw Me the Statue
This week daytrotter posted their session with Blitzen Trapper.

Friday 8/7, 5-8pm
Dyme Def
Fresh Espresso

Saturday 8/8, 7th Annual KEXP BBQ! 2-9pm
Dinosaur Jr
Viva Voce
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Japandroids
Born Anchors
Champagne Champagne

Friday 8/14, 5-8pm
The Dodos
Army Navy
We highly recommend streaming the Dodo’s new album Time to Die at timetodie.net.

Friday 8/21, 5-8pm
Fruit Bats
Johnny and the Moon

Blue Scholars along with fellow Massline veterans Common Market start their three day joint residency of Neumos tonight, and the first two shows are sold out. Tonight Common Market continues his experiment of holding it down with live funk band Vunt Foom for just this one night, while electronic act Truckasaurus starts the party. Tomorrow and Monday lucky T-Town boy Macklemore snags an opening spot, with Sunday’s bill being filled out by The Physics. Monday Dyme Def get’s an opportunity to steal (or at least start) the show.

Tickets for Monday’s show are $15 and it is 21+.

Before somebody starts accusing me of lacking journalistic integrity let me say this: I work for Light In The Attic, the home of The Saturday Knights.  I try not to cover Light-related artists on the site, but due to a confluence of circumstances this weekend I was the only member of the Sound on the Sound team to make it to The Saturday Knights’ 2nd Annual Donut Eating Contest.  So, with full disclosure on the table, my numerical coverage of The Saturday Knights’ 2nd Annual Donut Eating Contest:

Getting it all warmed up :: Photo by Jackie Kingsbury

1.  This contest was pretty much The Billy the Fridge Show.  Lord knows how much this kids weighs (a few friends guessed 400+) but from minute one, it was clear: this kid could eat a shit-ton of donuts.

2.  As fate would have it, The Fridge just didn’t get the selection.  Former Almost Live! alum Nancy Guppy picked out six kids (a bizarre mixture of sort of thugged out hip-hop kids, a 6′8″ Louisianian named “The Donut Eating Angel of Death, and just your good-natured competitive eaters) and alas, no Billy.  Lucky for ole Fridgey though, he’d brought 40 dollars worth of bribery just for that sort of situation.  A little gentle bullying from Fridge and Ms. Guppy sealed the deal, and in the, er, parlance of our times, we were off to the races.

They look so happy, don’t they? :: Jackie Kingsbury

3.  It was impressive to me that pretty much every competitor had some form of cheering section.  As the lovely Nancy Guppy pulled out names, each one got a sizable yell.  Maybe I’m new to the fascinating world of competitive eating, but do you have to bring your own cheerleaders to even be considered a contender?  Even The Fridge had a sort of circling group of sycophants and the man had to buy his way in to the contest.  Big eaters seemingly need big crowds.

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While every other blogger covering Sasquatch will tell you Monday was all about the Flaming Lips, Wayne Coyne, and naked folks on stage, our Monday at Sasquatch was all about local artists.

With the only pre-noon set of the festival, Dyme Def started Monday right as if the momentum of the day was already in full swing. This was SOTS’s first time to have the pleasure of seeing Dyme Def, and we were kicking ourselves for not having done so sooner. Talk about seizing the moment!

We pretty much planted ourselves for the rest of the day up the hill a bit on the northwest artist themed Yeti stage. The Moondoggies have graduated from Seattle’s dusty tavern venue scene to being on Hardly Art, getting a festival slot, and then a headlining slot at Neumos this Tuesday. There’s no question in my mind they deserve it all too. Whalebones came to the Gorge ready to play, but unfortunately their drummer broke his finger and passed out in the first aid tent minutes before their set. The keyboardist tried to tough it out for three songs, but it wasn’t really working out so they called it. Siberian were next and were tight, as always.

In between Yeti stage sets I trucked it to the top of the hill to the Wookie stage to catch what I could of a few other great acts the new to me Delta Spirit, the I’m excited about Thao Nguyen with The Get Down Stay Down, and one of my favorite local bands ever, the Cave Singers. I thought that each of these bands were really great and brought their A game to the festival. The new Cave Singers songs were dare I say only getting better, and Thao Nguyen is charming.

In order to get back at a reasonable hour we made the very chidable decision to miss the Flaming Lips, and finish our Festival with Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground. With barely enough room to accommodate all of the members, the Yeti stage was transformed into a party on a spring porch, with hanging wind chimes and flowers strewn about, and the band members gleefully interacting. More than just a band, Kay Kay had their own “Kay Kay Fairies” to help entertain the audience and brighten up the mood.

And finally, to answer your inevitable question, yes, I was disappointed to have missed what I understand was a truly epic set by the Flaming Lips. Oops.

Flickr: Sasquatch Snapshots - Monday

The Stranger has gathered together a group of up-and-coming Seattle bands for a showcase called “The Young Ones.” Taking over Neumos, and a venue across the street called Sole Repair (a former shoe shop turned bar), what the Stranger thinks are some of the best new bands in town will be playing. It’s a benefit for Real Change as well, so you have double the reason to go.