Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

By now it’d be easy to be over music festivals. The crush of inconsiderate people. Less than optimal sightlines. Overpriced beer. But when the festival is within walking distance, with some of our favorite businesses on the grounds, it’s pretty hard to resist, or hate too much. Also, ignore Capitol Hill Block Party at your own risk. They consistently book an extremely current and significant lineup each year to descend upon 10th and Pike. It’s appropriate then that this year’s long day at the festival kicked off with our band of the moment, The Head and the Heart. That band is as fresh as they come.

My three strongest sets of the festival in Beach Fossils, !!! , and THEESatisfaction were the main interest of day two, all band’s I’m now regretting my lack of due diligence on earlier. In a not-yet-oppressively hot but full Neumos THEESatisfaction held it down for NW hip hop, a group who was representing harder at this year’s Block Party than I can ever remember before. In contrast to the local strains of rap that seem to maneuver nimbly in zero-gravity, Saturday’s veteran headliner Atmosphere came off heavy and predictable. I like the dude, and will readily admit that there was a time in my life when Slug felt prophetic. But ten years gone, much like Abbey, Atmosphere just hasn’t aged with me.

Given those great sets smattered between good sets like Avi Buffalo, The Redwood Plan, Absolute Monarchs, The Night Marchers, and Grand Hallway, day two surprisingly kept me interested the entire time. Quality music, a bit of pulled pork, a strategic beer here and there, and plenty of shady curb space to rest the aging dog’s (while people watching) was the standing order for the day. I only had one relatively minor gripe: what happened to the mist tent?!

The Head and the Heart ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

The Head and the Heart ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

The Redwood Plan ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Beach Fossils ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Avi Buffalo ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Avi Buffalo ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

THEESatisfaction ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Happy Birthday ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

!!! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

!!! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Into !!! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Night Marchers ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Atmosphere ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Atmosphere ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Flickr: Capitol Hill Block Party 2010 Day Two, Saturday July 24th

Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

I’m the first to admit that I was a bit of a scrooge when I was first exposed to Grand Hallway. I’m going to blame my initial oddball feelings towards them on the fact that I read an interview with them before I actually heard the band. Kim Ruehl conducted the exceptional interview for Seattle’s CityArts magazine back in January of this year. Ruehl asked the band members what they wanted to accomplish in the next calendar year and naturally each individual had a different response. I don’t remember many of the more intimate details from the interview but I do remember the most audacious quote that I’ve read (as it pertains to music) in recent memory.  When Tomo Nakayama was asked what he wanted to accomplish in the year 2010, part of his response was “writing the perfect song.”

I almost spilled my beer when I read that. “Who is this guy?” I thought to myself as I my eyes scanned over the rest of the article. “Why haven’t I heard this about him before? Apparently, nobody who lives around these amber waves of grain has a bigger pair of cojones than this guy.”

And I held onto that quote, tightly enough to remember it the first time I had the opportunity to witness a Grand Hallway live performance a few months ago. While Grand Hallway performed and an understanding grin crept upon my face; if you’re having trouble imagining my expression, imagine how Dr. Seuss’ Grinch smiles as he’s stealing Christmas. I began to understand that Nakayama actually had a legitimate shot at his Beatles-esque goal.

Grand Hallway was absolutely spellbinding when they performed on the Vera Stage at Capitol Hill Block Party. I would use a more extreme adjective to describe my experience but my brain is currently failing me. Do you want to know what is one of the best things about this whole, “Hey, I’m a random guy that is lucky enough to write about music sometimes,” gig? It’s being with you at shows and sharing the joy that music brings all of us. While Fruit Bats brought out the jitterbug in festival-goers, Grand Hallway gave us a tender moment that lasted approximately 40 minutes. Looking at the all the people in the audience holding onto one another, looking for someone to hold and holding themselves if they had no one else, it was truly unforgettable. I could say so many good things about this set and other sets I’ve seen from this pocket-sized orchestra. I enjoy so much of it, everything from the obvious craftsmanship and care that has gone into these songs to the ceaseless smiles of violinists Jaclyn Shumate and Alina To. Might I also point out that I never realized the furtive brutality of the lyrics to “The Passenger (Minuet for Americans)” until Block Party. For some reason the macabre yet beautifully told story didn’t resonate in my mind until I was lost in that outdoor air.

And as Grand Hallway ended their set by playing “Sirens” and I was making my way through the crowd. I couldn’t help but notice the tears in the eyes of total strangers, some with bittersweet and distant gazes. Somewhere in the back of their minds, Grand Hallway’s perfect song was already playing.

Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Blood Red Dancers ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

“We’ve come a long way together…through the hard times and the good…”

You begin your day with three other people sardined into your twin-size bed and a Fatboy Slim song blasting on your alarm clock radio. Who knew the Fruit Bats would be Seattle’s best aphrodisiac? I’m not saying anything happened with you and the other actors from last night’s dramatic play, but I’m not saying nothing happened either.  Someone from a small mid-western town might call you “godless” and that’s fine. Let them think what they want to think. Do you want to know what I call you? The first person on my Evite list…

You throw on your 3rd favorite pair of jeans and get ready for Day 2 of Block Party. It starts earlier than yesterday so you’re going to have to pace yourself. You grab a sharpie and scrawl “pace yourself” into the palm of your hand, forgetting that you’ll probably wash your hands about 90 times over the course of the day. This is not a good omen as far as your liver and kidneys are concerned.  That’s ok, vital organs take a backseat to Block Party, that’s a given. You make your way to Block Party…

What isn’t a given is how you’ll begin Block Party.  Do you want to dance with the Redwood Plan at the Main Stage? Or do your eyes and ears want to feast on Seattle’s latest darlings, the Head and the Heart, at the Vera Stage? Booty shaking, sweaty rhythmic fun or you hugging yourself and tapping your foot for 40 minutes? Tough decision on a Saturday afternoon. You spend a couple minutes frozen in place and unable to decide. Just then you come up with the unique tiebreaker of “Which group might have less annoying fans enjoying their performance?”

You find yourself enjoying the Head and the Heart for the first time. This isn’t the ideal setting for a band like the Head and the Heart to make their first impression but they are blowing you away nonetheless. The Vera Stage has been quite kind to you thus far during the festival. You smile the entire duration of the Head and the Heart’s set while the sun kisses your skin. Is this heaven or is this Iowa? You see no signs of Moonlight Graham or “Shoeless” Joe Jackson; you conclude that you are in heaven…at least for the time being.

The Head and the Heart end their set and you’re left with yet another decision to make. Do you want to stick around the Vera Stage and see the energetic rock n’ roll of Cold Lake? You’ve seen them before at the Black Lodge and they were an entertaining bunch. You could continue on your mellow journey and voyage to Neumo’s to see Beach Fossils.  You’re unsure whether or not to make a commitment to Beach Fossils because they are from Brooklyn. You’re currently boycotting all musical acts from that part of the universe. Your grandfather has also never forgiven Brooklyn for letting the Dodgers leave in 1958. He’s convinced that if the Dodgers never left for Los Angeles, people who currently live in L.A. wouldn’t be so annoying. You beg to differ but sometimes the grudges of your father’s father are too hard to overcome…

Even though you hate the Main Stage audience with absolute passion, you decide to go see Obits instead of Cold Lake and Beach Fossils. Upon your arrival you realize that you broke your boycott of Brooklyn but you make excuses for your hypocrisy. Rick Froberg was in Drive Like Jehu, which is not just one of the best bands to ever come out of San Diego; they were one of the best bands ever. There you go, your loophole is now big enough for an elephant to fit through. The only bad thing about rocking out to Obits at the Main Stage is that you’re missing out on My Goodness at Cha Cha. My Goodness churns out sweaty blues in a big way and would be perfect to see at Cha Cha. However, they gig in Seattle more often than Obits, you’ll just have to suffer through this blown opportunity. You vow to see My Goodness in a few weeks at Chop Suey.

Obits was enjoyable but in order to avoid the point when the Main Stage audience turns into a herd of cattle, you leave Obits when they are about to play their last song. You make your way to Neumo’s to try to catch the last few songs of the Drowning Men…

You arrive in Neumo’s utterly flabbergasted and disappointed. It’s not that the Drowning Men are bad; it’s just that you confused their moniker with legendary Burlington, Vermont hardcore band, Drowningman. You were hoping to lose face to “Condoning the Use of Inhalants” and “When People Become Numbers” but instead you got digestible indie rock. You conclude there’s enough indie rock on this earth that is easy on the ears and you don’t want anymore. You leave Neumo’s and watch scores of people enjoy the Drowning Men as you exit…

Still bitter from your indie rock let down, you decide to go to the Cha Cha to try and catch a few songs of the Blood Red Dancers. On your way over you buy a hip-hop CD from some stranger at a negotiable price. You don’t ever plan on listening to the CD but you feel good knowing that you’ve supported local music…

The Blood Red Dancers are good and seem to thrive in the close quarters of the Cha Cha.  This band reminds of you of the bands Firewater and Morphine even though they sound don’t sound like either. Blood Red Dancers play the song “Sweetie’s Getting Robbed” and you think to yourself what an awesome tramp stamp that would make for that one girl at work that you don’t like. The Blood Red Dancers have turned the Cha Cha into afternoon sweat-fest. You get tired of the gym locker room vibe and decide to leave Block Party for a short period of time…

As you make your way to Cal Anderson Park you run into some old friends walking towards the entrance of Block Party. You convince them that it would be a good idea to go to Molly Moon’s for some ice cream. You crack a smile as you are reminded of that special moment in Fugazi’s “Instrument” when Ian Mackeye chastises an audience member for getting too rowdy. “Ice cream eating motherfucker…” You think of it as being one of the greatest moments in western civilization. The gods in the sky just think of it as foreshadowing…

After waiting in line for “a goddamn long time” (direct quote from one of your friends), you purchase some Maple Walnut in a cone and lick away. Delicious. Everything is right in the world. You’re with friends on a pristine summer day in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying music and being hedonistic. You would like to capture this moment in a time capsule and open it up some time in the distant future. Licking your ice cream, walking on the sidewalk, enjoying conversation, minding your business…

Fight breaks out and you’re caught in the middle. Just like that awful U2 song, you’re stuck in a moment and can’t get out of it. Strangers unexpectedly decide to come to blows. Your ice cream ends up all over your clothes as you seek shelter from the melee. The fight doesn’t last that long because cops are stationed right around the corner. You make your way to the entrance of Block Party as the police officers arrest the two men. You’re pissed about your ice cream. You keep in mind not to punch anyone in the face while inside; if you do you’ll soon share the fate of those two men…

The only thing you want to hear right now is Black Breath at the Vera Stage. They bring the kind of heavy aggression that will make one forget that they have ice cream all over them. As you make your way to the Vera Stage you keep your fingers crossed and hope they play “I Am Beyond” or “Unholy Virgin.” Without question this will be the most crushing set of the entire weekend…maybe even the entire summer. Throughout the set you make sure to give the “devil horns” sign as a tribute to Ronnie James Dio who just passed recently.

After your dessert catharsis courtesy of Black Breath, you take a look at your Block Party schedule and are unsure of what to do next. You think about giving Neumo’s another shot but you’re not even sure who is playing there. As your eyes make their way across the schedule, you notice !!! just got started not too long ago on the Main Stage. They’ve been a band a long time, you’re kind of surprised that they are still around and wouldn’t mind going to see them. Suddenly you remember what a pain in the ass it is to Google their name and decide against it.  This is the age we live in, where we hand down judgments based on search engine results. Besides you haven’t gotten your fix of hip-hop today (remember those bumper stickers from Day One?).  You decide to stick around for the Hip-Hop showcase at the Vera Stage featuring Grynch, Spaceman and State of the Artist…

After the Hip-Hop Showcase at the Vera Stage is over with, you decide that hip-hop can’t fail in a festival setting. You’ve never seen Grynch perform live before but he killed it as expected. You were completely unfamiliar with State of the Artist before this night but you’ll keeping an eye out for their future dates as well…

Now you’re faced with a great problem, a blessing of sonic proportions. There’s potentially four or five acts you want to catch by the end of the night and if you are fleet of foot, you’ll be able to see every last one of them…

You leave the Vera Stage and make your way to Neumo’s to see Past Lives. They play the kind of weird shit that you are in to. Plus they have this really cool t-shirt that you’ve been thinking about buying. While Past Lives are between songs you peek your head out of the side door of Neumo’s to catch a glimpse of Blonde Redhead on the Main Stage.  Every time you peer out, you think to yourself “Is that really Blonde Redhead playing the Main Stage at Capitol Hill Block Party?” Believe it mammal, it most certainly is. What other stage would they play? Exactly…

Before Past Lives can finish their set at Neumo’s, you make your way back to the Vera Stage to see Seattle’s favorite pocket sized orchestra, Grand Hallway. The last time you saw them was at Neumo’s with the Moondoggies and you thought they were amazing. The Vera Stage will prove to be kind to both Grand Hallway and all its spectators…

After Grand Hallway plays four songs (no more, no less) you will decide that this beautiful music is causing you to be too introspective. You conclude that your life is like an airplane stuck on the runway filled with a bunch of bitchy passengers. It’s not a good feeling. You need a different distraction.  You head to Cha Cha to see Feral Children…

The sounds coming from downstairs at Bimbo’s make the descent down the stairwell to Cha Cha feel like House of Leaves. It’s not the sound of the music; you’ve had too much to drink and not enough to eat. You reach the bottom of the stairs just as Feral Children begin to play “Kid Origami.” This means a lot to you because that song has been stuck in your head for the last six months. Now that you’ve witnessed the song once again in person, you can sleep without the night terrors that have haunted you for so long. A good pop song can do that to you…

Feeling free of your night terrors, you leave Cha Cha and head back to the Main Stage to catch Atmosphere, a true veteran of the indie rap game. At one point in your life God Loves Ugly was a favorite album of yours. Considering your love of that album, your surprised you never saw Atmosphere before or since it came out…

… or in case you were there, as we were, and wish you could relive that night and set over and over again.

Grand Opening 6/26/10: Grand Hallway from Columbia City Theater on Vimeo.

Just in case you missed the announcement, KEXP has released their annual free summer shows at the Mural line-up, as well as who will be playing their annual summer BBQ. KEXP’s chosen a number of Sound on the Sound favorites to perform including Grand Hallway, The Head and the Heart and BBQ headliners, The Lonely Forest. There’s still a big hole in the schedule, with their entire August 13th Mural show TBA, we’ll update you on that date when we know who will be playing.

The mural shows are a perfect after work, get-your-Friday-started-early stop, so bring a picnic blanket and a few dollars for a PBR tallboy and plan ahead one Friday and see some great local music for free courtesy of KEXP.

MURAL CONCERT SERIES AND KEXP BBQ LINEUP:

Friday 8/6, 5-8pm
Grand Hallway
Elliott Brood
Gabriel Mintz

Friday 8/13, 5-8pm
TBA

Saturday 8/14, The 8th Annual KEXP BBQ! 2-9pm
The Lonely Forest
The Joy Formidable
Dinosaur Feathers
Victor Shade
More bands TBA

Friday 8/20, 5-8pm
Say Hi
Head Like a Kite

Friday 8/27, 5-8pm
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
The Head and the Heart

Reunited ::: Photo by Caitlyn Mirete

July 3rd

After driving all night long from San Francisco, we arrived this afternoon, covered in sunshine, in Portland’s Mississippi neighborhood. We were so disoriented from 20-minute sleep intervals and not stopping for food that it felt like heaven on earth to have a cup of Stumptown coffee and take a minute to browse some vintage shops.

A large number of Seattle folks came down for the final show at Mississippi Studio; it felt like home for certain! Tomo from Grand Hallway opened the show and then a troupe of Kay Kay fans (myself included) danced through their whole set. Damien’s voice recovered after his cold and every song sounded effortless as he sang to the hushed crowd.

I don’t want this tour to be over. I’d rather wake up tomorrow in an over-crowded motel room than in my own apartment. But since we’re already cruising up I-5, I’ll just relish the last few hours in this big silver van and look forward to the next tour I get to be a part of.

Cheers, and happy Independence Day!

Drew Grow ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

What do you get when you stick some of the Northwest’s most compelling bands into one of Seattle’s most historic theaters with the area’s most legendary sound-man manning the knobs? Magic.

As grand (re)opening’s go, the Columbia City Theater’s first weekend back in the limelight went off without a hitch, with two nights of curious crowds assembling between it’s bare brick walls. I say curious because for the recent past, this theater/studio has remained an under the radar gem.

Though at one point a young Jimi Hendrix graced its stage and Sonic Youth its studio, recent years found the theater plagued by mismanagement and deteriorating under poor up-keep. The new management and ownership is adamant that it be returned to the grandeur its storied history demands, not only in the minds of the fans, but in the bands who would play and record there, and the community at large. By investing in a complete overhaul of the vintage recording equipment, snagging local sound hero Jim Anderson, making the theater fire sprinkler compliant, and being sure the space is as touring band friendly as possible, they’re strongly signaling their intention to be not just another venue.

Night One: Mash Hall, Cloud Nice and DJ Suspence

Mash Hall ::: Photo by Tyler Kalberg

The first sounds that played from the new Columbia City Theater speakers came courtesy of DJ Suspence, who in a nod to the theater’s storied history, weaved Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald between more booty-shaking beats. Details like these were especially appreciated by those with an ear for the neighborhood’s past, of whom there were many roaming the halls. Part of what was so thrilling about Columbia City’s first night was the diversity of the crowd: curious neighbors and business owners were wide-eyed alongside local hip hop fans. People in business casual, traditional African dress and skinny jeans stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other and they were all nodding their head to Suspence’s beats by the time Cloud Nice took the stage shortly after 10pm.

Cloud Nice, which is more a collective of artists than a crew, kept the audience’s attention with a rotating cast of characters and styles. Their set played with smooth r&b harmonies, rapid fire raps, catchy hooks and a clever ever-present sense of humor. If you can get me dancing and laughing in the span of a song, you’ve earned my affection … and with lines like “he gets more head than Vlad the Impaler,” Cloud Nice earned a new fan.

Mash Hall headlined the night and proved again why every local party should have a Mash Hall soundtrack. This band is about pure unadulterated fun, from their laugh a minute rhymes to their boundless energy as performers … there wasn’t an inch of Columbia City’s considerable stage that weren’t covered by El Mizell, Bruce Illest and their guest popper and locker of the night. But there was an extra bounce in both Mizell and Illest’s step that night, this wasn’t just a party for partying’s sake, this was a celebration of a place and project near to their hearts. Shortly after the two emerged dramatically from behind the shadows and red velvet curtains of the stage, Mizell remarked with earnest excitement about playing such a beautiful stage in South Seattle. Looking around a capacity theater, packed full of smiling faces, bobbing heads and all kinds of moves I would never have guessed Seattle had, Mizell’s excitement was clearly shared.

Night Two: Grand Hallway, Drew Grow and the Pators’ Wives and Kelli Schaefer

Kelli Schaefer ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Saturday’s bill seconded as a sound system confidence test, and one that passed with flying colors, with orchestral headliner Grand Hallway being the about the largest challenge Seattle might offer. Taking turns at the resident grand piano that was center stage, the band traded smiles of satisfaction and pleasure, resting assured that each level was in it’s place, and no doubt amused at the novelty of playing a stage with curtains. Kelli Schaefer no doubt made the impact she was hoping to make with the benefit of Anderson’s skill, his shaped reverb took her already impressive sound to another level.

True to form, Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives produced their own moment of magic. (If anyone at the show who finds themselves in the situation of a spontaneous pregnancy in thirty days please let me know.) Grow, grinning wide between songs remarked, “I feel like this might be the best night ever. I told this to Grand Hallway backstage and they asked whether it was the best show ever, or only up to this point? I’m optimistic. So I’d have to say the best show up to this point.” Still, that’s saying something. After two strong showings, I’m not just optimistic that many more “best show’s” will take place at CCT in the near future, I’m sure of it.

The Columbia City Theater Grand Opening extravaganza continues this weekend with two more free shows. Tonight we bring Ballard to Columbia City when Sound on the Sound Presents The Maldives and Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers. Saturday serves a heaping helping of local hard rock featuring the Whore Moans in their final show as The Whore Moans (to be thereafter known as Hounds of the Wild Hunt), alongside Lesbian and Chinese.

See more photos from both nights, after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

This weekend is your first chance to catch a glimpse of Columbia City Theater, Seattle’s newest-oldest venue. We’ll be presenting our first show at the Theater next Friday, July 2nd with The Maldives and Zoe Muth and Her Lost High Rollers, but we highly recommend you spend this weekend at Columbia City Theater too.

First up on Friday night, hip hop comes home to Columbia City Theater with Mash Hall, Cloud Nice, and DJ Suspence.

On Saturday night, the venue is hosting what is pretty much a dream line-up in my book: the truly grand songs of Grand Hallway, the spiritual bombast of Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives, and one of my favorite singer songwriters out of Portland, Kelli Schaefer. Saturday will also be the first time you can purchase Grand Hallway’s brand new DVD of their majestic performance with Seattle Rock Orchestra at The Triple Door.

Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives Promo from Columbia City Theater on Vimeo.

Both weekends of the Grand Opening shows are free, so head south and discover what I promise is going to be one of your favorite new places to see music in Seattle.

Damien Jurado ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

So, you’re not going to Sasquatch …  whether you didn’t get your tickets before they sold out, couldn’t afford them anyway or just can’t do the three day long music festival in the middle of nowhere anymore, don’t fret. There’s still plenty of great music happening in Seattle proper this weekend and with much of the usual show going crowd out east, you should have your pick for the front row at any number of this weekend’s great shows.  Plus, if you’re sticking around town, you have the chance to see a few folks playing Sasquatch in a much more intimate setting and without the shower-challenged stench of festival goers. (We’ve noted those bands with an asterisk *)

Here are a few of the shows we recommend you seek out if you’re staying in town this holiday weekend:

Friday - May 28th

Dinosaur Feathers*, Ravenna Woods - The Sunset
Grand Hallway - Mural Amphitheater at 8:45 (as part of Folklife Festival)

Saturday May 29th

Damien Jurado, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground - Triple Door
Future Islands - The Sunset Tavern
K Records Showcase featuring Calvin Johnson, Karl Blau, LAKE, The Curious Mystery - Center House (for Folklife Festival)

Sunday May 30th

Huck Natori, Zoe Muth - The Tractor

Monday May 31st

Rad Snafu* (Nada Surf), Pearly Gate Music - The Crocodile
Dolly Parton Tribute with Calvin Johnson, Anna Coogan, Nudie Suit Stardusters, Huck Notari & many more - VERA Project

For what it’s worth, I think the Damien Jurado show at the Triple Door (where he will be backed by Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground) is so unmissable, I’m skipping the first day of Sasquatch for it.

Tomo Nakayama performing Judy Garland’s “The Man That Got Away”

While BARE allowed us to see some of our favorite performers in a brand new way, it was Tomo Nakayama of Grand Hallway who  stole the show with the most unlikely of song choices: a Judy Garland song and Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change is Gonna Come.” Tomo dead-panned that he needed to get into character before performing Garland’s “The Man That Got Away” with deft delicacy to a crowd stunned into silence. After considerable applause and no warning, Tomo went straight into “A Change is Gonna Come.” As he belted “I was born by river,” in a voice that seemed far too big for his small frame, the reverent church crowd went wild. Despite all the hymnals that were performed last Friday it was Tomo’s take on a modern classic that got the loudest chorus of “amens!”

Tomo Nakayama performing Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”