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September 30, 2010

Seattle to Portland: The Head & The Heart, Fences & Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives at Mississippi Studios

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The Head and The Heart in Portland ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Every once in a while, a person needs a road trip with friends. And for me, there is no more perfect excuse than a local line-up chock full of favorites. Such was the case last Friday when I piled into a car with friends and headed south to Portland to see The Head and the Heart, Fences and Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives play a sold-out Mississippi Studios.

When it comes to local favorites with strong support in Seattle, I am always curious how the band would play in another town or in a city where friends can’t help fill the room. It would seem, at least as far as The Head and The Heart are concerned, they don’t need the hometown advantage. The room was at its fullest for the evening’s openers and people passionately sang along to the bands set. While The Head and The Heart proved last week that they can also command a venue the size of The Paramount, they are at their best in a more intimate setting, where they can interact with the audience and each other … stomping joyfully and shouting their songs to the 20-foot, rather than the 100-foot rafters. As proud as I was to see the band open for Vampire Weekend, it paled in comparison to the swell of emotion I felt watching a sold-out room in Portland sing along to their songs. The Head and The Heart write earnestly infectious songs and it is clearly spreading.

Fences, hot off what was described by everyone I’d talked to as a triumphant album release show at The Crocodile, suffered from technical issues from the first note of his set and the crowd thinned considerably as the energy and pace of the show dwindled. However, those who stepped outside to enjoy a balmy Portland evening missed out. Despite being frazzled by sound and gear issues, Fences delivered on the recorded promise of his songs and treated the audience who remained with sweet sincerity. Closing out his set with “Girls With Accents,” the crowd responded in kind, singing along to the chorus of “I’m fucking up everything” with abandon … like mischievous pre-teens who knew the words were naughty and delighted in every moment of breaking the rules. Every show can’t be perfect, but Fences honored his album and his audience by giving it his all and soldiering through.

Hometown headliners Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives were playing to their first sold-out Portland audience. After their soul-shaking, foot-stomping, goose-bump inducing punk-gospel set, it certainly won’t be their last. Looking like a young Johnny Cash, clad in all-black, wild-eyed, whiskey drinking and full of danger and bombast, Drew Grow commanded the crowd, converting them from chatty drunks to reverent testifiers. When the band finished their set, joined on stage by Grand Hallway’s Shenandoah Davis, Portland Cello Project’s Douglas Jenkins and label-mate Kelli Schaefer, the audience demanded more. The wood floors shook with the reverb of clapping, stomping and the cheering of an audience that had not seen or heard enough. And I couldn’t blame them, there are few more compelling live bands today than Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives and they are more committed to their performance every time I see them.

When the band finally gave in to the loud audience demands, the crowd pressed tightly together, hands reaching towards the stage, clamoring to get closer. When the encore ended, the crowd again erupted, begging for more … over my shoulder someone screamed, “Play forever!” A sentiment I surely shared. This was one of those nights, one of those electric shows you wish you could extend the final note for hours, one you wish you could relive over and over again. A show most certainly worth the three hour drive south. In truth, I would have driven for days.

Mississippi Studios ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The Head and The Heart ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Fences ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

More Photos and Videos of the Night After the Jump (and on our Flickr) (more…)

September 22, 2010

Why Fences’ Is Worth A Second Chance

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Fences ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

You probably already have an opinion on Fences. It seems like everyone does. Few artists in Seattle are more polarizing than Fences and the man behind the band and tattoos: Chris Mansfield. He has many vocal lovers and haters: just read any post on any blog about him. He’s an artist who engenders very little in-between, you either love him or you hate him.

Mansfield’s reputation precedes him before a single word is said, his life spelled out in colorful tattoos. He is an easy book to judge by its cover – another tattooed sad bastard singer in skinny jeans. But if you left it at that, you’d be selling Mansfield short. I know. I did it myself.

I’d seen Fences a handful of times before this summer and frankly, I hadn’t been impressed. After listening to his debut self-titled LP and seeing three solid festival sets from Fences this summer, I’ve begun to wonder if I had ever allowed myself to be. Because Fences is more than his tattoos, more than a sell-able back-story and look and more than the impossible comparisons to legends like Elliott Smith. When it comes to first impressions that’s Sisyphean ground to make up, and yet Fences has done so on the strength of his self-titled debut, due out next Tuesday.

Clocking in just over 30 minutes, the long-awaited debut establishes it was worth the wait with the first strums of “Girls With Accents,” whose chorus of “I’m fucking up, I’m fucking up everything” is destined to become a teenage anthem. But this album isn’t just for moody teenagers. Fences sings sad songs filled with snide sweetness, self-deprecation and a confessional honesty that hits home to anyone whose been brave enough to admit they fucked up and flawed enough to do the same thing all over again. Though they may be Mansfield’s songs, they sound like pages out of all of our diaries.

Fences may not be the next Elliott Smith, but fuck, who is? What Chris Mansfield is, is a promising songwriter and a performer who is better, more focused and more engaged with his audience every time I see him take the stage. He’s an artist worth giving a second chance. I’m certainly glad I did.

We have a pair of tickets to give away to see Fences CD Release Show tomorrow night at The Crocodile. Drop your name in the comments or hop on Twitter and retweet the following to enter to win: “Forever Bummed with @FFEENNCCEESS at The Crocodile this Thursday thanks to @soundonthesound www.sadcastle.com” We’ll pick a winner tomorrow morning at 9:30 am.

The Doe Bay Sessions – Fences from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.

September 14, 2010

The Doe Bay Sessions: Fences

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Fences Doe Bay Resort Doe Bay Fest The Doe Bay Sessions

 

Fences ::: by Tyler Kalberg

Some songs are most fully realized when listened to alone. In the company of your headphones and your regrets, these songs are sung not just to you, but for and about you. Fences specializes in such songs, intimate folk confessionals thick with remorse and unnerving pop songs whose upbeat strums belie internal anguish. Songs so bleakly honest you feel as if you’ve stumbled upon someone’s journal and into the pages they’d dare not let another soul read. Fences’ willingness to share his fragility and fuck-ups without aggrandizement is his truest strength.

So it was fitting that we had our most intimate session with Fences, lit only by the moonlight and a handful of Virgin de Guadalupe candles burning. There in that candlelight, Fences’ confessed his sins and his short-comings softly and so beautifully one couldn’t help but hope that through confession we are truly saved.

 

The Doe Bay Sessions – Fences from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.

Fences self-titled debut comes out September 28th (you can pre-order the record today), he’ll be celebrating the release with a show September 23rd at The Crocodile with Campfire OK. After the break you can download “Girls With Accents” one of our favorite tracks off the record.

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September 9, 2010

Bumbershooting – Day Two

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Jay Electronica Crowd ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Day two of Bumbershoot was all about dualities for us. We bounced back and forth between impassioned sets from folk troubadours such as Billy Bragg, Dave Bazan and Horse Feathers and hip hop sets from Fresh Espresso and Jay Electronica that brought some serious swagger to the festival. Here’s the photographic proof.

Fences KEXP Session ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Unnatural Helpers ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Horse Feathers ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Mural Amphitheater ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

See more photos from Day Two ….

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September 3, 2010

Bumbershoot 2010: Day Two Preview

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Redwood Plan ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

“God, won’t you just die already?”

– A line of dialogue that exists in approximately 72% of all action movies.

I said the same thing when I saw who the headliners were for Day Two of Bumbershoot 2010. Hole? Weezer? This would have been amazing back in 1994. Actually, I take that back, for the benefit of fictional concertgoers I’ll say 1996. That way Weezer would have the chance to treat fans to a full onslaught of Pinkerton tunes and Courtney Love would-still-almost-kind-of be relevant musically before hitting complete flat-line status. Unfortunately, we’re in the year 2010 and all I can do is shake my fists.  Did concert promoters forget to ask Tonic and Sponge for their for admission onto this “alternative rock” gravy train? In honor of our introductory quote, this day two preview is going to be cinematic in nature. Who doesn’t love a good matinee? Every band that I have chosen to speak about will have a movie assigned to them that best explains what they are all about. This should be a complete failure because I’ve only seen 11 movies in my 27 years on this Earth. Enjoy.

• Hole – Over the Top– A 1987 drama starring Sylvester Stallone about a long haul truck driver who tries to win back his alienated son while becoming the king of the arm wrestling world. What does this have to do with Courtney Love and Hole? Everything. The title of this Stallone film could sum up Miss World’s entire career. As ridiculous as this 1980’s “blockbuster” was, it’s not nearly as ludicrous as Hole being allowed to play anywhere in the year 2010. (7:30pm on Bumbershoot MainStage)

• Weezer – Sugar and Spice- A popular high school cheerleader becomes pregnant with the star quarterback’s child. She then gets her cheerleading squad to help her become the biggest bank robbing menace since John Dillinger. I know what you’re thinking, “How does this relate to Weezer? I just don’t see it.” Think of Weezer’s music as having the same persona as “stereotypical” cheerleaders. Now let’s reflect on how they’ve been robbing you (read: getting away with serious cash) for more than a decade now! Outrage! Ever since Matt Sharp left the band, Weezer albums have been so bad that Lifehouse would think twice about releasing them. (9:15pm on the Bumbershoot MainStage)

• School of Rock All-Stars – This one is fairly obvious, seeing as the musical act is named after the Jack Black movie. Both are highly recommended. (12:30pm at the EMP Sky Church)

• Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme – Happy Feet – A colony of Emperor Penguins are excellent singers but can’t dance a lick. Somehow, someway a penguin is produced that can only dance but can’t sing! Eldridge Gravy has nothing to do with penguins but everything having to do with toe tapping. (12:30pm on the State Farm Stage)

Horse Feathers ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

• Horse Feathers – Bio Dome – Two friends get trapped in a Bio Dome, hilarity ensues because these two friends are Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin. Horse Feathers don’t sound as bad musically as the premise for Bio Dome. I actually liked the movie (I was 13 and Joey Lauren Adams was in it) probably as much as I enjoy this band. Whenever I hear Justin Ringle’s vocals I feel like plants should be growing in the background. I almost gave Horse Feathers the movie FernGully. (1:15pm on the Starbucks Stage)

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August 20, 2010

Doe Bay Festival: A First Time Perspective

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Doe Bay Fest ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Before I go any further, I just want to ask for your forgiveness. Gentle reader, everything (and I do mean everything) I am about to describe or attempt to recall about Doe Bay Festival, will not have proper justice done to it.  Over the next couple hundred words I promise you I’ll rely heavily on an online thesaurus, but will still fail (read: “run aground”) in my attempts. Don’t hold it against me. I’m only human and the retinas in my eyes are incapable of recording all that they’ve seen. I would offer this human experience to you if I could. Instead all I can do is write about it…

I feel like Doe Bay is all that’s right with humanity. I would make a more grandiose statement than that, but I say these words as someone whose time spent there was all too brief.  I was at Doe Bay from Thursday night until early Saturday afternoon. I left Orcas Island not because I wanted to, because I had to. There was an engagement that I had to attend that was scheduled months prior. My absence was not an option, nor did I necessarily want it to be. Other than playing music, the only way you could have removed me from Doe Bay was in a body bag of some sort. Even in the midst of that macabre scenario, my spiritless body would be disappointed that it was leaving a place that may or may not resemble the general concept of heaven.

How do I even begin to tell you how great those 40 hours were? As someone who is relatively new to the Pacific Northwest, I had never been to the San Juan Islands before. Needless to say, I took plenty of pictures during my stay. When I removed the sleep from my eyes on Friday morning, it was like I was waking up at the end of the world. I’m not a city slicker or sheltered soul by any extent of the imagination, I have seen some things in my time. Orcas Island and Doe Bay can match-up toe-to-toe with some of the most picturesque scenes that I’ve had the good fortune of seeing.

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Doe Bay ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Oh, and did I mention people were playing music? I don’t even want to talk about all the good performances that I missed, that in itself is a tragedy. Let’s focus on all the magical things I saw that were not wildlife related. Luckily for you some of what I’m talking about will be available on Sound of the Sound in video format shortly…

Curtains for You have been featured on Sound on the Sound a couple of times in recent months. Besides what was written about them, I knew next to nothing about the band. My first exposure to Curtains for You was quite the memorable one if I do say so myself. They played a handful of songs for Sound on the Sound in the middle of the woods next to the yurt where Josh, Abbey, Chris Proff and I were staying. I watched Curtains for You members Matt and Mike, perform adventurous, well-written pop songs from an elevated mossy landing. You can’t really get more intimate than that. What a fantastic way to be introduced to a band. From now on, every time I hear a band for the first time, I want it to be in an outdoorsy-VIP setting. Don’t scoff at my outrageous greenhouse diva demands. You’d make the same requests if you were me.

Curtains For You Doe Bay Session ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, they did.

Read the rest of this entry after the jump … (more…)

August 19, 2010

The Doe Bay Sessions

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Doe Bay Resort Doe Bay Fest The Doe Bay Sessions
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The Head and The Heart Sunset Session ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

As you will soon read here on Sound on the Sound, Doe Bay 2010 was one of the most magical experiences of our lives. (Narrowly edging out last years’ Doe Bay Fest for “best weekend ever.”) Not only were we surrounded by friends, family and incredible local music in one of the most idyllic and jaw-droppingly beautiful places you’ll ever see, we also spent the weekend working on an exciting project we’ve spent much of 2010 organizing: The Doe Bay Sessions.

The initial idea was to rent a yurt during the Doe Bay Festival and record acoustic sets with a couple of our favorite bands who were playing. We pitched the idea to the fine folks who organize and who own Doe Bay and from day one to the last day of shooting, they all bent over backwards to make sure the project could happen. What started as a typical DIY Sound on the Sound project turned into a professional video shoot inspired by the work of Vincent Moon and Yours Truly, complete with videographer Tyler Kalberg on the camera and sound guy extraordinaire Chris Proff manning our “mobile” sound set up. What we thought would be a couple yurt bound sessions, turned into 10 different video shoots all over Doe Bay with some of the best bands in Seattle.

For those of us who were a part of it and those of you who stumbled on to our sessions while hiking the trails or following the sound of the songs, The Doe Bay Sessions felt like a festival within the festival. Over the next 10 weeks we will be releasing videos featuring a candlelit session from Fences, The Head and the Heart (and the Doe Bay All-Stars) singing down the sun, Ravenna Woods using trees for percussion, a mid-trail serenade from Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives, The Maldives on a mossy knoll, picnic table perching with Hey Marseilles and many more.

We are so excited to share these videos with you and to usher in a new chapter of Sound on the Sound content. For now, we wanted to share a few stills from the sessions, as well as offer our sincerest thanks to Tyler, Chris, the bands, Doe Bay staff and maintenance crew, Artist Home, Bob from The Ballard Mine and the Doe Bay magic that made these sessions not just possible, but also so much more than we would have ever dared imagine.

Check back here on August 24th to see whose session we’ll share first!

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Fences Candle Lit Session ::: by Tyler Kalberg

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The Maldives on “Hobbit Hill” ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

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Chris Proff ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

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Ravenna Woods Session ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

See more photos from The Doe Bay Sessions on our Flickr

July 22, 2010

Choose Your Own Adventure: Capitol Hill Block Party – Day One

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Shabazz Palaces ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Have you made plans to get off work early? Even so, did you allow yourself enough time to get stuck in some glorious Friday afternoon Seattle traffic? I hope you did. Everyone is in a hurry to escape from his or her place of work. I don’t even have a job but clearly I’m running from something.  When the Burke-Gilman turns into scenes from “The Road,” I don’t feel like I owe anyone an explanation.

For the lucky survivors, the spoils of day one of Capitol Hill Block Party. Some might argue this is the best day of the festival. I wouldn’t argue with those who are of that opinion because I agree. Let’s do this preview, “Choose Your Own Adventure” style. Only in this adventure I’m making the hypothetical choices for you.  Even though I’m unemployed I still don’t have enough time to write about all potential outcomes complete with illustrations. Maybe next time.

If you choose to begin your day with Macklemore at the Main Stage…

You are obviously smart and have good taste in music. Assuming that you have friends, they would call you the quiet leader of your pack. Sure, you like to get loud and obnoxious on the weekends but that’s only because you want to get an “I Saw U” in some local paper.  You could’ve chose Naomi Punk at the Vera Stage or Police Teeth at Neumo’s but there’s an authentic somewhat romantic groove that Macklemore has that those groups don’t. You’re not Irish but you know all the lyrics to Macklemore’s “Irish Celebration.” The real question is, what do you want to do after Macklemore has left the stage?

Do you want to stick around the Main Stage and listen to the mellow sounds of Bear in Heaven? Would it be hard to go from unique hip-hop to catatonic beauty? It wouldn’t be that hard because you literally wouldn’t have to leave your spot near the stage. Maybe a quick bathroom or beverage break is in order. If you do that, you’re going to leave your spot and you know what that means. Fuck…

You’ve just ended up at Neumo’s getting “forever bummed” with Fences. This is not a bad thing because you really like what you’ve heard from him (them). Besides it’s a hot day and you’re scared of the sun. Maybe you’ve seen the Blade trilogy too many times or you just don’t have enough melanin in your skin, these are simply guesses. Fences were a good choice though. It’s not the same as Bear in Heaven but the endorphins in your brain haven’t noticed too much of a difference. Now what do you?

Do you stick around the Neumo’s stage and hope that the Unnatural Helpers play “Sunshine/Pretty Girls”? I mean that song is really good and it would be the perfect tune to a week that has otherwise been a bummer. You could try and find some friends go see Modern Athletics at the Cha Cha stage. However, the thought of doing that kind of creeps you out because you’ve never been into organized sports. What about Francis and the Lights at the Vera Stage? Is that group any different than the Lights? Is Black Francis fronting that band?  You don’t want to go unless you know for sure.  Is any of this worth missing Shabazz Palaces back at the Main Stage? You know what they say, “There’s no such thing as too much hip-hop.” Literally, you’ve never heard that saying before. Suddenly your head is flooded with unsalable bumper sticker and t-shirt ideas revolving around the idea of being a glutton of block rocking beats. You smile quietly as you horde your imaginary millions and make your way back to the Main Stage…

Choose the rest of your adventure after the jump (more…)

July 20, 2010

Abbey’s Capitol Hill Block Party Recommendations & Schedule

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Macklemore ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Friday

4:00 – Macklemore (Mainstage) 5:00 – Fences (Neumos) Equally tempting: Bear in Heaven (Mainstage) 5:45 – The Young Evils (Cha Cha) 6:00 – Shabazz Palaces (Mainstage) 7:15 – Yeasayer (Mainstage) 7:45 – The Absolute Monarchs (Cha Cha) 9:15 – Holy Fuck (Mainstage) 9:45 – Helms Alee (Cha Cha) 10:45 – MGMT (Mainstage) Equally tempting: Fruit Bats (Vera)

Friday’s Unmissable Set: Shabazz Palaces – 6pm at the Mainstage

The Head and The Heart ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Saturday

2:00 – Head and the Heart (Vera) 3:00 – Beach Fossils (Neumos) 3:45 – My Goodness (Cha Cha) 4:45 – Avi Buffalo (Mainstage) 5:15 – THEESatisfaction (Neumos) 5:45 – Blood Red Dancers (Cha Cha) 6:00 – Blitzen Trapper (Mainstage) 7:30 – !!! (Mainstage) 9:30 – Grand Hallway (Vera) 10:15 – Night Marchers (Neumos) 10:30pm – Atmosphere (Mainstage)

Saturday’s Unmissable Set: The Head and The Heart – 2pm at the Vera Stage

Fresh Espresso::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Sunday

2:00 – Harlem (Mainstage) 2:45 – The Maldives (Mainstage) 3:15 – Pepper Rabbit (Vera) 4:15 – Ravenna Woods (Vera) 5:00 – Real Estate (Mainstage) 5:15 – S (Vera Stage) 5:45 – Constant Lovers (Cha Cha) 7:30 – Dutchess and the Duke (Vera) 7:45 – The Dead Weather (Mainstage) 10:30 – Victor Shade (Neumos) 11:45 – Fresh Espresso (Neumos)

Sunday’s Unmissable Set(s): Harlem – 2pm at the Mainstage and Dead Weather – 7:45 at the Mainstage

June 2, 2010

Capitol Hill Block Party Line-Up Announced

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Capitol Hill Block Party ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

It’s all-summer-festivals all-the-time in Seattle right now. We’re still recovering from Sasquatch last weekend. Bumbershoot’s line-up was announced yesterday and today we get the initial line-up for the first three day Capitol Hill Block Party. The line-up features some big name national headliners including MGMT and Jack White’s Dead Weather as well as a bevy of local hip-hop.

Here’s who we know will be playing Capitol Hill Block Party this year, we’ll keep you posted as more performers are announced.

Friday: MGMT, Holy Fuck, Yeasayer, Shabazz Palaces, Bear in Heaven, Unnatural Helpers, Fences, Champagne Champagne, Head Like a Kite, Naomi Punk, Macklemore, USF, Chris Pureka, Mahjongg, Jaguar Love

Saturday:

Atmosphere, Blonde Redhead, !!!, Nig Marchers, Obits, Blitzen Trapper, Mad Rad, Eastern Grip, Zola Jesus, Seattle Hip Hop Showcase with: Grynch/Spaceman/State of the Artist, Here We Go Magic, Past Lives, Drowning Men, Thee Satisfaction, Beach Fossils, Cold Lake, Black Breath, Grand Hallway

Sunday:

Dead Weather, Blue Scholars, Harlem, Fresh Espresso, The Dutchess and the Duke, Victor Shade, The Globes, Truckasaurus, Cynic, Villagers, Flexions, Police Teeth, Steel Tigers of Death

Tickets are available now at: https://thestranger.com/blockpartytickets.

You can purchase single day tickets in advance for $23 or $60 for a three-day pass. At the gate you can only purchase single day tickets for $25.