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July 17, 2012

Capitol Hill Block Party Run-Down

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Fresh Espresso Lemolo Capitol Hill Block Party

Fresh Espresso ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Plebeian Paradise, it’s so good to see you again. It’s been about a year but every July you come to Seattle, sashshaying your way into the conscious of local residents who then proceed to complain to me about how awesome it used to be before I moved here who then in turn show up in droves to populate the aforementioned metropolitan arcadia despite their reservations. It’s a vicious cycle of self-hatred, sunburn and inebriation. I suppose I should include the concept of “fun” or “enjoyment” in there, but we all know that simply does not occur.  Patrons of summer festivals, would you have it any other way? Block Party, what will you be wearing this year? I’d bet a sixpence on a can of PBR that has been sitting in the trunk of a 1993 Honda Accord all day that it will be the following:

Dudes – Tight blue jorts that your kid sister would have worn when she was nine years old and imitating Clarissa Explains It All, a graphic t-shirt with a picture of a “fierce” animal on the front (Grizzly Bear, Grey Wolf or Golden Retriever all accepted) and white Keds (no laces, duh). You can substitute the animal shirt for something that Pee Wee Herman might wear, that is allowed.

Ladies – Thrift store Jordache jorts that make your butt look like you gave yourself a wedgie for a good 40 minutes before you left your house (you can’t spell “summertime figure” without “sheeplike faux modesty”), a brightly colored blouse that looks like it was attacked by moths and boots that Burt Reynolds wore on the day of his famous Cosmopolitan shoot. Yes, you can substitute the blouse for a bevy well placed cigarette burns. That’s totally cool with me.

Oh my god, don’t forget your sunglasses.

As far artists and recommendations go, you can either look at the official lineup/schedule here or you can heed the advice of Sound on the Sound’s own Kathleen Tarrant and follow her recommendations.

As for what I’m looking forward to, continue reading at your own peril.

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June 21, 2012

Sasquatch: A Few Thoughts…

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Pickwick Fly Moon Royalty Sasquatch! Music Festival

 

Sasquatch ::: all photos by Josh Lovseth

 

Well, it has been weeks since I have logged into wordpress for this website. I haven’t felt inspired or motivated to do much of anything, let alone string together snarky comments about a festival that you paid too much to be at apparently had no trash cans after 1pm. Learn to throw your trash away, you savages! Sometimes life happens. Be kind to your neighbors.

Sasquatch. What can I say? Sometimes I wish a pack of “real” Sasquatches would crash the festival gates and devour roughly 68% percent of the audience. Especially if they are wearing a Native American head-dress or have the acronym “YOLO” printed across their back. Let’s go to the video tape. These thoughts and musings are in no particular order of importance.

1) Did you ever wonder what it’s like to be in REM’s “Everybody Hurts” video during the traffic scene? You know what I’m talking about. The point of the video when everyone gets out of their cars (as if they’re under some enchanted spell) and begins to wander up the open road we call “life.” Luckily for many of you, the desire to know what it feels like to be Micheal Stipe in that legendary nineties video is no more. The first question you asked your friends when you saw them in the festival gates was not, “Hey! How are you doing!?!?” It was “How long did you wait!? What the…..” I didn’t even try to get in on Friday night. I set-up shop in my Saturn while it was parked in Ellensberg and I proceeded to drink alone in an empty motel parking lot. That’s what artists writers bloggers people with no future do.

 

Pickwick

2) Pickwick, whether it’s your “thing” or not, is better than your band. They are also better than all the bands you listen to. They played on Saturday at noon on the Main Stage this year. If Sasquatch is smart enough to ask them back next year, I expect them to play almost a third of Sun’s rotation daily rotation later than they did this year. Do the math and we’re talking about a slot at 7 or 8pm (on a different stage than the Main Stage).

3) The visual highlight of my day on Saturday was Charles Bradley pretending to fly like a raptor while he was performing. Other than that, his sexual overtures and pelvic thrusts almost turned this 29-year-old heterosexual African-American male into a homosexual retrophile, who craves dark chocolate that can croon to me as I’m eating it. This is a big deal. I don’t even like chocolate all that much (Ironically, vanilla ice cream is my jam…).

4) Craft Spells put out one of my favorite records last year. Make no mistake about it, I also have been known to dabble heavily in The Cure’s discography. I don’t want to start any conspiracies or anything, but sometimes there isn’t a huge difference between the two aforementioned bands and for some reason this didn’t strike me until Memorial Day weekend. Hmmm….With that being said, I genuinely enjoyed Craft Spells set. Their performance can basically be summed up as this:

“Craft Spells started an umbrella jellyfish dance party in all their faux “Fascination Street” glory. It was “Just Like Heaven” as crusts punks, who looked liked they ended up at Sasquatch by way of Burning Man, crowd surfed without losing a single band patch off their cut-off jean jackets. Grown men put their arms around each other and drank Kokanee. All was right with the world.”

 

Fatal Lucciano

5) Most enthusiastic performances of the weekend went to anyone who is signed to Sportn’ Life records. Fatal Lucciuano, Fly Moon Royalty, Spac3man, you name the artist and they were killing it. Lucciuano brought as many audience members on-stage as the party patrol imaginary fire marshall would allow. Spac3man decided that standing up on-stage wasn’t for him, so he got into the crowd and decided to throw some ‘bows like any man of the proletariat would do and continued to perform at a high level. Fly Moon Royalty decided to utilize dancers that were wearing a wardrobe straight out of the ultimate Eighties movie “Heavenly Bodies“ (you need to see this motion picture). There was no dance-a-thon to save a local gym from a corporate takeover like the aforementioned flick. However, Fly Moon Royalty performed like their was no tomorrow. Because my movements were limited for a brief moment due to some delicious blackberry pie, I didn’t get to groove to “Into the Woods” as much as I normally would have. Whenever I see Fly Moon Royalty, that is usually the song that jumpstarts my heart the most. On this particular day another song stole the show. During “Roxy” Adra Boo delivered the line “If you don’t like me, tough titty..” in such a way that you would have a tough time convincing me that it wasn’t the most impressionable line of the long weekend.   (Writer’s note: Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, Grynch and Don’t Talk To The Cops were also tremendous. Basically any act that I caught on the Maine Stage was good.)

6) Dry The River are good. If you saw them at Crocodile in April when they played with Bowerbirds (another solid act) then you already know this. I was concerned that their sound might be ruined by the outside settings/ atmosphere of Sasquatch but I was merely another paranoid blogger wrong. Keep as close as an eye as you can on this band (seeing as they’re from Great Britain, it won’t be the easiest thing to do).

 

The War on Drugs

7) As far as my favorite set of the weekend is concerned, it’s a toss up between The War on Drugs and AraabMuzik. Two artists that are on opposite ends of the musical spectrum. The War on Drugs sounded so pleasant on Sunday afternoon that I began to hum “Afternoon Delight” (Yes, the Anchorman version) under my breath. It was something about the way there was just the right amount of a breeze to create a delay so perfect every guitar pedal-maker around the globe would shake an angry fist at mother nature. AraabMuzik was ebullient to say the least. I scavenged dictionary.com for another word but nothing else seemed to fit. The tent was thrown into an uncontrollable frenzy. Every bass synth beat sounded like petawatt blast being generated from the center of the Earth. My favorite Sasquatch goers, The Where’s Waldo Crew, were all losing their minds to the sounds with an amoebic-like cohesion. Never have red and white stripes been so breathtakingly beautiful.

8 ) I enjoy the sense of humor offered by Todd Barry. I am familiar with his work (I already knew some of the material) and at Sasquatch he some funny quips. Jokes about IBM computers, being a server in the service industry, becoming a millionaire as a comic. However, he was so chaffed about the noise coming from the Maine Stage (It was Spac3man at the time and it was somewhat justified…BUT COME ON MAN! IT’S A FESTIVAL. LIGHTEN UP!), that he could not and would not let it go. Maybe it was a part of his rhythm as a comic, but every couple of minutes he would revert to old faithful. It was basically advertising for Spac3man. Eventually I left the Banana Shack and went and watched a spectacle that Barry could only hear.

9) Beirut inspired the best crowd group dancing that I saw all weekend. It seemed like a hundred people were waltzing in perfect time with one another. If you would have transformed the venue and the attire of the participants, it would have made for an excellent time period specific dance sequence. On the topic of individual dancing, some guy was committing unspeakable acts of tempo and downbeat debauchery during Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside. I wish I could describe what was happening to you. Better yet, I wish I could post his movements in .gif form so everyone could gather around the illuminated screen and have a good chuckle. Never forget that Portland knows the “secret of the ooze.”

 

Don’t Talk to the Cops

10) “Favorite Song of the Weekend” goes to Don’t Talk To The Cops “Big Ass Head.” The lyrics had my sides aching from too much laughter.

11)  The Sheepdogs < Stillwater

12) Fresh Espresso what the hell was up with all the flour tortillas being thrown around near the front of the stage? has a new album out (Bossalona - prior to their Sasquatch performance this was not true). From what I’ve heard so far, the songs are excellent (especially the title track).

13) The Nelson Twins > Grouplove. In fact, if you have pubic hair and you listen to Grouplove, not only am I revoking your adulthood card, I am asking that the Official Panel of Humanity throw a gear in your evolutionary process and start burying you alive immediately.

 

Jack White

14)  Two artists that I don’t normally enjoy blew the barnyard doors off of the place: Jack White and Bon Iver.

15) Gary Clark Jr. is a master of all things pick-slide and pick-scrape related. He might be the greatest of all-time. Don’t dispute this.

16) I know this is a festival that appears to the masses, but I think it would be nice to book less (for lack of a better word) “wussy” bands. I’m not saying the festival should be turned into Best Friends Day or Hellfest (although that would make it my favorite festival in the northwest). I’m not attacking anyone’s masculinity or implying that some musical performers are too sensitive personally or artistically. I’m just saying that when Walk The Moon cover Fleet Foxes, I’m convinced a jaded teenage boy with a guitar and a dream dies of cancer instantly. Even if he wasn’t diagnosed prior, he’ll just drop dead on the spot. We can’t let this go on. We need to protect the youth of tomorrow from the youth of today.

17) Music is a fascinating thing. The reasons people listen to it, what they actually hear in comparison to someone else, how it makes them feel etc. I could go in-depth on this but I think I’ll save that for an individualized blog post at a different point in time.

18) The final memory I have from Sasquatch 2012 was watching a boy wearing a unicorn horn prude slow-dancing with a girl wearing a Holden Caufield hat during Beck’s “Lost Cause.” Right then and there I forced myself to leave because I couldn’t have ended my weekend any other way.

19) Stay weird Sasquatch. Sometimes the bright colors are your only saving grace.

 

Sasquatch 2012

May 17, 2012

Lemolo and Fresh Espresso Share Tracks From their Forthcoming Albums

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6PAN1T


What do Lemolo and Fresh Espresso have in common? Not much, save mine and Seattle’s excitement for their new albums which will both be released this summer. Fresh Espresso’s Bossalona is due out June 2nd. Lemolo’s debut The Kaleidoscope will be released July 3rd.

And both bands shared singles to download for free this week, successfully making me more excited for the full lengths.



Lemolo will be celebrating the release of The Kaleidoscope on June 29th and 30th at Columbia City Theater. The 29th is already sold out, but there are still tickets for the second night. They’ll also be playing at this summer’s Capitol Hill Block Party.

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Fresh Espresso fans can get an early peek at Bossalona at Sasquatch next weekend. The band will be playing at 4:25 pm on Monday on The Maine Stage.


January 25, 2012

Spurm and Fresh Espresso Release Playable Postcards

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Taking a cue from the Seattle World’s Fair postcard records, local bands Spurm and Fresh Espresso have both released playable postcards in the last couple weeks.

With the help of Caffe Vita, Fresh Espresso put out their new single “Show Me How You Do” as a limited edition postcard. You can pick up the single when you grab coffee at your local Vita, if and when copies are in-stock. No word if any will be left for Fresh Espresso’s next show, a just announced March 9th date at Neumos.

While Fresh Espresso is using a playable postcard to celebrate their latest single, Spurm, “Seattle’s boingo-synth, saxoparty freak band” are using their’s to put out their final EP. You can pre-order the 6-song Sprum EP from ggnzla or grab one at their final show February 10th with Uzi Rash (Oakland), Unnatural Helpers and Wimps at Black Lodge. Seeing that Phil thinks Spurm is Seattle’s best live act and its your last chance to catch ‘em, we recommend you don’t miss the opportunity to buy it then.

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January 11, 2011

My 2010: In One Ear and Out The Other (the “Live” show)

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Baroness at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Ladies and Gentlemen, hold on to your hats, this is for all the marbles….

“You’re Not From Around Here…Are You?” – Best Live Performance By A Touring Act

Winner(s): Goodie Mob. Coalesce. Baroness. Almost Winner(s): Jay Electronica.

Judging by the fact that I have multiple winners listed, this was a difficult decision to make. Goodie Mob gave me a reason to believe in the concept of “reunion tours” again. I graduated from the school of thought where if you break up once, you should probably stay separated. Unless you’re a fan of daytime television or have the desire to construct a Greek tragedy in which you are the star, it’s probably in the best interest of all parties involved. This Goodie Mob tour could’ve went a lot like a Naughty By Nature (who?) reunion tour. But it didn’t. Big Gipp rocking a bullet proof vest in tongue and cheek fashion. Cee-Lo playing the part of the big bad wolf by blowing the “house” down with his vocals. It was a thing of beauty. Coalesce took a decade of mockery by yours truly and shoved it down my throat and into the pit of my stomach. I’m still removing the crow from my teeth and the show happened back in May. Baroness may be the crown jewel of this trio. They braved the elements. an unfavorable set-time (competing with lots of other acts at Bumbershoot) and still came out as the undeniable kings of the mountain. They literally destroyed generations of people. Never have I seen someone who isn’t old enough to know the mathematical concept of “multiplication” rock out so hard. They performed with a precision and charisma that was unmatched in the calendar year of 2010. Kudos to them. On the other hand….

The Thermals at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

“Who Are You Boning For Your Success?” Worst Live Performance By A “Touring” Band

Winner: Free Energy. Almost Winner: The Thermals.

For as long as Free Energy are in existence, this is their award to lose. The kings of pomp. How many Mick Jagger “How To Be A Frontman” VHS tapes can we watch in one night? No. Let’s choreograph the moves we see in RockBand.  Maybe if we wear makeup, people like us more? Suddenly we’re opening for a souless, cowardly Weezer. Go figure. The Thermals are a band that I enjoy, at times. Here’s where I utter the predictable “I like the first album, but that’s it” go-to critic line. I saw them in the KEXP Bumbershoot Lounge or what have you. Easily one of the most boring, uninspired performances I’ve ever seen. Billy Corgan is looking in the mirror, shining his bald head and mocking toasting this display of live mediocrity. Well done. The well-trained people in the audience clapped after every song. Why? Was it because it was live radio and that was your job as a studio audience? Sheep. I wanted to “boo” and maybe “hiss.” Tomatoes would have been heaved in the Thermals general direction. There is the possibility that the Thermals were saving their passion for the Broad Street Stage later on that tonight. That’s not a legit excuse in my opinion.

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

“‘It’s Getting Better All The Time…’No Seriously Your Band Is Like That Beatles Song…” Live Show Award.

Winner: Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives. Almost Winner(s): What What Now.

I’m just stating the facts. Every time I see Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives, they are better than the time before…and they are always really good. After the first four or five times this happened, I was shocked. Now this is just something I expect. It’s too bad for them, they’re fucked by their own greatness.  Sooner or later I fully expect Drew Grow to utter this in the middle of a live performance: “While all of you had your eyes closed during It All Comes Right, Seth and Jeremiah have built a spaceship out of your adoration. Look around you. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are currently floating in space…I’m not kidding.” I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest. In fact, I demand that this happens the next time I see them. Don’t mind me. I’m a first child. We’re the spoiled ones.

See the rest of Phil’s live favorites (and least favorites) after the jump… (more…)

December 30, 2010

Our Favorite Photos of 2010: Fresh Espresso

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smoovglasses

Fresh Espresso at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

While we were hoping 2010 might include Fresh Espresso’s eagerly anticipated sophomore release, the band still impressed every time they took a stage in Seattle. In a city full of talented performers, few capture an audience’s attention or controls a crowd more than PSmoov, Rik Rude, Radjaw and recently Trent Moorman on drums. We watched in awe as kids approached PSmoov and Rik Rude for hours after their ebullient Bumbershoot set, asking for autographs and photos, and we watched with pride as Smoov and Rude posed and chatted and signed with smiles on their faces. No one seemed to be having more fun in 2010 and no one was more loved for having fun than Fresh Espresso.

Considering they bring the party every time they step on stage, it seems there’s no more suitable way to end the year and start the new one off on the right foot than with Fresh Espresso. They’ll be ringing in the New Year tomorrow night at The Crocodile and its going to get wild. But you better get your tickets now if you want to attend, this thing is going to sell-out any moment.

Fresh Espresso at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

December 7, 2010

Abbey’s Favorite Concerts of 2010

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Zoe Muth The Moondoggies The Maldives The Head and the Heart Shabazz Palaces Fresh Espresso Damien Jurado Columbia City Theater Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival Sasquatch! Music Festival Sound on the Sound Presents
doebaysessions

 

If you hadn’t gathered, we go to a lot of shows here at Sound on the Sound. For the past four years, I’ve been at shows more nights than not and with the surge of amazing music happening in Seattle, I could truthfully go to two or three shows a night and still miss something great. Reflecting on all the phenomenal performances I’ve been treated to in 2010, I feel spoiled and humbled. Knowing there’s still a few weeks left in 2010 and that there’ll surely be at least one more show that would qualify for this list, makes me feel excited.

Knowing that and that I will surely fidget with the order of the list after I hit publish, here are my 20 Favorite shows of 2010. They span festivals and venues big and small and the list, while not enumerated, is in a ranked order with my very favorite at the top. I tried not to include every single Drew Grow & The Pastors’ Wives show I saw in 2010, but it was hard. This list, since its a photographic representation, only includes shows where I was allowed to have my camera, which means hands down one of the best shows of the year is not on it: Shabazz Palaces at Neumos back in January. With those disclaimers, I’m happy to share my favorite shows of 2010. And, of course, I want to know: what was your favorite show of 2010?

See you in the front row in 2011!

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The Head and The Heart at The High Dive

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Justin Townes Earle at Birds on a Wire – Pullman, WA

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Doe Bay Fest

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BARE at The Fremont Abbey

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Columbia City Theater’s Grand Re-Opening Weekends

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Goldfinch and Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives at The Comet

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The Maldives and Zoe Muth at The Blue Moon for Our Birthday

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The Moondoggies Surprise Acoustic Set at Bumbershoot

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Hoquiam at Cairo

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Every Sound on the Sound Presents Show at Columbia City Theater

After the jump the rest of my favorites and a few videos from them: (more…)

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 6, 2010

Still Bumbershooting

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PSMOOV of Fresh Espresso ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Once again this year’s Bumbershoot is as busy as ever for us and there’s still a day to go. With so much going on we’re already regretting missing stuff. It sounds like we messed up by missing HEALTH on Saturday and =W= on Sunday. So long as we catch ANVIL (and The Thermals and The Moondoggies and … and … and …), today there will be no regrets.

Our full Bumbershoot coverage will start Tuesday. Also later this week, look for the 3rd Doe Bay Session featuring the Head and the Heart and the “Doe Bay All-Stars.”

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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