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July 19, 2012

Slack Fest 2012: “Exactly how I want it to be”

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Hobosexual The Moondoggies Zoe Muth Hounds of the Wild Hunt Slack Fest
Slack fest closes with the Moondoggies

Slack Fest closes with the Moondoggies ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

More. Faster. Harder. Coachella understands America’s on a perpetual ADHD thrill ride and this week added another climb and dive on the roller-coaster by announcing a cruise to go along with their now two-weekend festival. By comparison, with just one stage situated on a flatbed plopped in the middle of a racetrack out in podunk rural Washington, the modest one-day Slack Fest hardly seems recognizable as a music festival. Then again, I’d go for the leisurely pace and lengthy sandbar for swimming between bands any day. And I’m not the only one.

Overheard at Slack Fest:

“My Cheeks hurt so much from smiling!” – One Enthusiastic Two-Stepper taking a breather

“For me, this was my favorite Slack Fest.” – A Slack Fest Veteran

“Exactly how I want it to be.” – A friend who comes back decrying nearly every festival experience

Once again fest namesake Don Slack helped build a lineup true to his tastes, one that’s diverse, locally current, and also entertaining. Country Lips both on stage and by the bonfire distinguished themselves as energetic performers. Zoe Muth, on the cusp of releasing her new EP, counterpointed their eager delivery with her own lonesome lilt, both bands giving honky-tonk a high profile at the fest this year. Slack is a black t-shirt wearing rocker at heart though, which the rest of the line-up favored.

The (not actual) Rolling Stones pulled everyone in from the tents and river for their tribute set, drawing the largest audience of the afternoon. The Wayfinders touched down from phantasy land for an hour bringing tales of dragons and such, sounding as weird and good as on record. Closing out the stage Saturday the Moondoggies played what in a certain co-editor of this site’s estimation was her favorite set of theirs, ever. Having seen countless sets from these Everett road dogs in every setting imaginable, this is saying something.

Just an hour north of Seattle the fest is close enough to drive home, so many folks do; but camping really is part of the fun too, particularly if you were among the Slackers taking part in killing the kegs feeding the bottomless keg cups by late afternoon. (Hilliards is good beer.) This year’s after-hours experiences included: watching the lighting of the bonfire with a flame thrower. Twice. Meeting very nice people people in the dark I’d only recognize by voice in the morning. Finding more beer in my cooler than when I’d left it two hours before. Eating a 12.30 bowl of Kraft Macacroni and Cheese for the first time in probably a decade out of the back of a friendly VW Vanagon.

Slack Fest was a welcome break from worrying about missing something or competing for space with an inconsiderate crowd. To just hang, roam, enjoy music and swim with buds without the need of an app, an RFID bracelet to get through layers of security, or even a clock felt novel. In my ideal world, it wouldn’t be.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Dancing to Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers

Dancing to Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Kevin Murphy and Don Slack

The Moondoggies’ Kevin Murphy and Don Slack ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

(more…)

July 10, 2012

Win Tickets to Slack Fest This Saturday and See Sound on the Sound Favorites Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before!

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The Moondoggies Zoe Muth

Slack Fest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Unless, of course, you’ve seen The Moondoggies, Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers, Hobosexual, Hounds of the Wild Hunt, Pipsisewah, The Rolling Stones, Wayfinders and more play on the back of a flat bed truck on a dirt race track in the middle of some verdant pastures with roaming cows. And if you have … why didn’t you invite us?

The staff of Sound on the Sound voted Slack Fest 2011 as their favorite festival of the year* and with a forecast for perfect weather and an even stronger line-up than last year, it looks like it could be back-to-back wins for this scrappy little festival in Silvana, Washington.

And while I’m surely excited to see old favorites like The Moondoggies, Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers and Hobosexual take the trailer tractor stage, I think I’m most excited to see some new bands I’ve been long curious about for the first time in this unique setting.

At the very top of that list is Wayfinders, whose balance of Bowie and the Byrds and psychedelic hooks have had me singing about cunning maidens, dragons and animal lust for months.

Following up last years mid-afternoon sing-along set by American Girls, Seattle’s best Tom Petty cover band, will be a rare set by The Rolling Stones. Of course, not THOSE Stones. I’m pretty sure they stopped playing racetracks after a little incident at Altamont, but Seattle’s Rolling Stones, led by former Blood Brother Devin Welch and Whalebones and Wayfinders’ Justin Dreary promise to bring a rowdy take on the Stones’ and I can’t wait to sing along without fear of Hells Angels retribution.

Slack Fest is this Saturday at Slime Dog Racetrack in Silvana, Washington and we want you to join us for the fun. We’re giving away a pair of tickets with camping to a lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your real email address so we can notify you. We’ll let the winners know Thursday by noon so you have Friday to stock up on sunscreen, beer, blankets and other Slack Fest necessities.

If you don’t want to leave your attendance to chance, you can still purchase tickets to Slack Fest.

* disclaimer: I help with PR for Slack Fest, so I sat out on voting for favorite festival in 2011, but since I don’t currently have a day job, I took it upon myself to make sure this ticket giveaway was posted despite possible conflicts of interest. *

January 3, 2012

Abbey’s Favorites of 2011

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Pickwick Charles Bradley Fleet Foxes Zoe Muth Kelli Schaefer Quiet Life Dolorean Bryan John Appleby Radiation City
no-time-for-dreaming

 

 

I’ve already shared my favorite songs with you and told you a little bit about my personal MVP, but here are a few more of my favorite things from 2011.

My Favorite Albums of 2011:

1. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues 2. Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers – Starlight Hotel

3. Charles Bradley – No Time for Dreaming

4. Dolorean – The Unfazed

5. Bryan John Appleby – Fire on the Vine

6. Gardens & Villa – s/t

7. Other Lives – Tamer Animals

8. Radiation City – The Hands That Take You

9. Alabama Shakes – s/t EP

10 (tie). Quiet Life – Big Green

10 (tie). Gem Club – Breakers

My Favorite Musical Moments of 2011

1. Mavis Staples Singing “The Weight,” “You Are Not Alone” and “Freedom Highway” back-to-back-to-back at Bumbershoot

 

Mavis Staples at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

2. Kelli Schaefer and Her Mom Singing “Gone in Love” at Cathedrals II

 

Kelli Schaefer and Mom ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

3. Being Front Row for Charles Bradley at the Aladdin Theater During MFNW

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Charles Bradley ::: iphone photo by Abbey Simmons

4. Pickwick Performing (and performing with Pickwick) at our 5th Anniversary Show

5. Slack Fest (all of it)

 

Whalebones at Slack Fest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

My Favorite Videos of 2011:

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Thing I Forgot to Include on the Appropriate Best of List: New Carissa’s Wierd

 

 

These new Carissa’s Wierd and the subsequent 7” out on Hardly Art this year, definitely should have been on both my favorite songs and favorite EPs / 7” / cassette of the year list, but absolutely slipped my mind. This is not acceptable.

My Favorite Thing Sound on the Sound did in 2011: Written Here with Bryan John Appleby

December 27, 2011

A Tip of the Hat – Our 2011 MVPs

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Allen Stone Bryan John Appleby Charles Bradley Pickwick
sots5th15

 

Pickwick ::: photo by Christopher Nelson

 

We had another incredible year here at Sound on the Sound and it was in large part thanks to the following MVPs and, of course, you guys reading this. These were the artists, albums, labels, festivals and well, your dancing, that inspired and impressed us most and these are the people that remind us every day why we wouldn’t trade our local music scene for anywhere else in the world.

MVP Local Live Act: Pickwick

When a friend sent me an mp3 of “When Rosa Speaks” last summer saying he’d found my new favorite band, I wondered what on earth he was thinking. When Josh and Ty said they were going to film a new video series and start with Pickwick, I told them it was their time they were wasting. When Josh asked to book Pickwick for our 30th birthday show, I agreed begrudgingly. And when Pickwick took the tiny stage at The Blue Moon that January night, limbs and instruments and energy over-flowing, I proceeded to kick myself for the rest of 2012 for being so daft. That friend, Josh, Ty, they had been so right, and I had been so, so wrong. And to make up for that error I saw every remaining local Pickwick show of 2011, including the night I had surgery. I never once wished I was anywhere else seeing any other band. Because Jay Cox was right last August, he had found my new favorite local band and as evidenced by sold-out show after sold-out show, one of your favorite new bands too.

Pickwick simply puts on a hell of a show. They defy expectation with their sound, their Star Wars-centered banter, by getting Ballard Ave (and beyond) to dance, and the pipes on Galen Disston. Dark doo-wop and call-and-response songs about death and destruction both physical and spiritual, often inspired by musical heroes of the band (Sam Cooke, Michael Jackson, Richard Swift) — Pickwick writes smart songs and put on performances that manage to appeal to my two month old niece, my nearly 70 year old parents, Seattle’s alt-weeklies and the managers from all over the country who clamored to sign them this summer. On the strength of these shows, hooks for miles, and the broadness of that appeal, Pickwick has gone from opening shows to 30 people to being asked to summer festivals and headlining a sold-out 1,000 person Neptune Theater, in just a year. In 2012, with their first major tours on the horizon and their debut full length to be released (likely on whatever label is lucky enough to be chosen by the band), I foresee the same pattern playing out all over the country … only skipping that whole playing to 30 people in towns they’ve never visited and it happening much, much faster. (abbey)

 

Charles Bradley ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

 

 

MVP National Live Act: Charles Bradley

It’s hard to explain the true affects of a live Charles Bradley performance, much less three in the span of a magnificently hot September week, other than to say I will come back to these different nights of performances as some of the most personally valuable musical moments I’ve ever experienced. Unearthed by Daptone Records and matched with a time-tested soul outfit in an age of copy-and-paste pop, Bradley is a rare breed of performer with a life of loss, “heartaches and pain” behind him to provide a valuable perspective that’s coming from a place of pure love and will for a better world, no bullshit. “Why is it so Hard” chronicles his life story culminating in the tragic death of his brother whom he was living with at the time, and at this point it’s hard not to tear up as Bradley himself seems to do at turns while performing. With glistening eyes he’ll turn around, doff his sparkled stage coat and stun the audience during “Golden Rule” or another upbeat number with a series knee-drops, mic-swings, the occasional worm, and of course some scream-inducing hip-thrusting for the ladies. James Brown would be proud of the hip-thrusts but also the performance as whole I think. Various luminaries have come out of performances claiming this is as close to Otis Redding as we’re likely to see and I’m hard pressed to argue. Though I’m not sure Otis ever danced quite that well. (josh)

 

Wild Flag ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

 

 

MVP Performer (Female): Wild Flag

You have seen a band perform the same songs three nights in a row, what do you want to:

a) never see that band again b) see that band sometime next year c) see that band every night for the foreseeable future.

If you’ve answered c, lucky you, you’ve just enjoyed three nights with Wild Flag.

After three nights with Wild Flag this November, my only wish was for more. Why hadn’t I gone on the entire tour? Why wasn’t this the beginning of the tour, not the end? Wild Flag, despite releasing their debut record this year, are road-warrior veterans with a first class indie and punk pedigree: Sleater-Kinney, The Minders and Helium and with their forces combined, this foursome is unstoppable on stage. Wild Flag are masters of their instruments and craft, not “for girls” (even if this category is gender based), but for anyone. Janet Weiss’ drumming recalls the greats, Carrie Brownstein is an iconic rock vocalist with a knack for writing songs that sound familiar and forward-thinking at the same time, Rebecca Cole’s piano adds a spooky psychedelic edge that elevates the band and Mary Timony is Wild Flag’s not-so-secret weapon, she straight up (yet somehow subtly) shreds with riffs that will be stuck in your brain for months. It was she who I couldn’t keep my eyes off of night after night.

The real joy of watching Wild Flag though is not just the band’s technical chops, but how much fun they seem to be having. The kind of chemistry the band shares on stage isn’t something you can practice. It’s either there or it’s not, and watching Wild Flag you feel like you’re watching four talented friends have the time of their life. And you can’t help but want to join in.

Extra Bonus Points: their cover of Television’s “See No Evil” was my favorite cover of the year.

Emeritus: Kelli Schaefer

 

Allen Stone ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

 

 

MVP Performer (Male): Allen Stone

Allen Stone’s flagrantly funk visage calls Seattle home, and though 2011 is the year he became a cover-boy and prime-time name, he’s been making small moves nationally for years now. Splitting his time between New York, LA and Seattle Stone built up a quality collection of tracks recorded with some soul heavyweights and waited for over a year to release his self-titled second record until the timing was right. Early in the year with the addition of an ace touring band representing as much young personality as Stone himself does the 25-year old Chewelah-bred pastor’s son was able to tour, capitalize, and make it all come together so that when Bumbershoot, City Arts Fest, and then Conan came calling he was prepared. Stone’s thick glasses and northwest-sheik aren’t exactly uniform attire for a classic soul sound, exemplifying that neither is his approach, but the bottom-line is he and his band have no trouble getting entire rooms dancing and the finer sex screaming. In a recent conversation Stone remarked about the new found attention, “It’s crazy. Less than a year ago I was playing the High Dive.” Having to add a second show because your first ever time headlining a 1000 cap room sold out a month of time says it all. Kinda like what happened to our previous winner of this MVP Macklemore did just about this time last year (eventually adding a total of three Showbox shows). (josh)

Emeritus: Macklemore

Read the rest of our MVPs including festival, debut album, 6th man & every writer’s personal MVP of 2011 (more…)

December 22, 2011

Our Favorite Photos of 2011: Slack Fest

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American Girls at Slack Fest ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The things we would do to relive this summer’s return of Slack Fest are obscene. For now, these photos will have to do.

My Goodness at Slack Fest ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Dancers at Slack Fest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Maldives Finale at Slack Fest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

December 7, 2011

Our Favorite Photos of 2011: Whalebones

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whaleboneslack

Whalebones at Slack Fest ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

BRB: missing summer something fierce.

July 12, 2011

The 5th (Sorta Semi-Annual) Slack Fest

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Kevin Large of American Girls

American Girls at Slack Fest 2011 ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

How do you get a eight of Seattle’s best rock bands all on the same bill on the same day? You take them to Stanwood. Stanwood? Yes, Stanwood. Far enough from anywhere to trigger a proximity clause problems, but close enough to where it can still be just a day trip.

It’s long after midnight as I stare into a bonfire I’d seen brought to life by an honest-to-god flamethrower. To my right, two fellows are vigorously debating the veracity of ones claim of the largest number of unidentified flying objects to have been seen at a time. “Fifteen?” “Fifteen.” “Fifteen?” “I’m telling you! Fifteen!” Off to my left in the beer garden, the kegs are finally being retired though the music on stage has been done for hours. Just behind me, Moondoggie Jon Pontrello has started up the music again by the bonfire, quietly passing the guitar and banjo around. As he finishes a song, he changes position and loses balance, tumbling backwards into a bed of discarded Rainier cans. Righting himself, he doesn’t miss a beat and immediately begins another song. Now that “Stripper Pole Chris” has given up on his megaphone-led version “Flea Fly Flow Mosquito!” and self-promotional public service announcements about an upcoming race at the mud track, quiet is finally setting in at the Slime Dog Raceway, home to the 5th semi-annual Slack Fest.

The day kicked off at the center of the raceway under sunny skies with part-time Seattlite Jack Wilson sounding as good as I’ve ever heard him. Lately Jack’s been pursuing his craft in Austin, and the town Willie calls home has obviously been sinking in. The Golden Blondes, made up of no actual blondes, launched us into the electric portion of the Fest with some hangover humor, a fitting topic for a Rainier-fueled afternoon. Joined by their band dog, Whalebones stepped on the flatbed stage just as the heat of the day was beginning to make me regret my choice of a black t-shirt (worn in solidarity with Don Slack who seems to have a different black band t-shirt for every day of the year) and making others head for the swimming nook in the shade right alongside the Stilaguamish River. Joseph Giant, now seven men strong, found frontman Joe Syverson at the helm of a group no longer just playing songs, but making music that stands outside of anything else being done in the Northwest. This kind of a mature take on pop that’s both inventive and works simply is hard to find anywhere right now (though Stephen Merritt might have you thinking otherwise).

Wait, let me back up. Yes, you heard me right. Swimming nook. And going back to your tent as you please. Instead of legions of perimeter security with orders to only say “No” to every question, adults were treated as adults. Much like sibling festival Doe Bay Fest (who is put on by the same people, Artist Home Booking), Slack Fest attendees were allowed to come and go as they pleased to a directly adjacent camping area where we had setup a tent less than 100 yards from the stage. With most people were half the distance we were, to take a youngster (or yourself) back for a nap or spot of shade was as trivial as it should always be for an all day event like this. Though we are a sun-starved people in the Northwest, a full day in unsheltered sun is still probably more than most people want or are prepared to endure and the close and open campsite offered much needed shade and respite for Rainier naps.

Though every band played hard, My Goodness was unquestionably the band that turned the most heads. “How can this be just two people?” was the oft repeated question. Still making a name for themselves, Slack Fest was an unusual opportunity for them (and every other band) to do just that in front of some of our area’s current most notable bands, as well as the music fans die-hard enough to make the short trek north. Earlier this year for City Arts Best new Bands Poll, where they were tied for #3 with Ravenna Woods, behind the Head and the Heart (#1) and Campfire OK (#2), I wrote that My Goodness has “become the standard against which I’m measuring everyone else doing rock in Seattle.” Six months into 2011, a stellar debut release, and Slack Fest to influence me has done nothing to change my feeling on that. They’ve set a new pace and are keeping it.

As the light begins to turn golden, American Girls are the next best thing to Tom Petty himself. Overlooking the flatbed truck stage an American Flag unfurls with the wind. Two bald eagles soared overhead. Everything about it screamed ALL-AMERICAN. Surely, Tom Petty songs were made for exactly this moment.

If anywhere was the place to draw out your solo’s Slack Fest is that place, and headliners The Maldives and The Moondoggies obliged that sentiment mightily. Though they’ve got a whole new record practically in the bag, The Maldives pulled out just about every old long-burner they had. “The Time Is Right Now,” “Blood Relations,” and “Blood on the Highway” all got the Slack treatment. The Moondoggies capped the night with a foot-stompin’ dance-party at the foot of the flatbed that would eventually overflow over the fence of the beer garden. As headliners they had the freedom to do as Moondoggies do and play until they get shut down, and starting out with a slew of new songs built with an augmented lineup, they did just that from sunset into the moonlight, the race track and stage lit only by the blinking of the kid controlled stoplight overlooking the starting line. With the aforementioned Pontrello now a capable second on rhythm guitar, birthday boy Kevin Murphy is free to do what he does best. Instead of sneaking in hooks where he has the time, he’s now weaving hook into hook into hook.

It’s not a stretch to say that actually embodied in the laid-back, hard rocking spirit of Slack Fest is it’s namesake, inspiration and MC, Don Slack himself. Aside from his duties at KEXP, Don is a die-hard supporter of local music, so much so that you will see him out until the sun comes up night-after-night. He lives his support for his favorite bands, often making appearances at multiple shows a night to spread his love. Not because he’s obligated to be there by any of the band’s he loves so much, but because among the action is where he wants to be. These are those bands. A band is a moment, and Don Slack lives to appreciate each moment. Slack Fest was the living, breathing, head-banging, dancing, whiskey swilling incarnation of that moment for us all. It might make the next morning a little rough, but it made for one hell of a party.

Slack Heaven

Slack and his Truck with the Moondoggies ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

To see lots more Slack Fest photos … (more…)

July 6, 2011

Win Tickets to Slack Fest, See The Moondoggies, My Goodness, The Maldives & More

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The Maldives at Slack Fest ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

[COI alert: Slack Fest has paid me to help with press, but as you can tell by the line-up I'd be excited for and writing about Slack Fest were that not the case.]

Rock’n'Roll festivals and racetracks don’t have the best, um, track record.

But unlike Altamont, which Jerry Garcia described as “a nice day in hell,” Slack Fest promises to be 100% less stabby and it has all the makings for the party of the summer. With a forecast of 70 degrees and sunny, eight of the best local rock bands scheduled to take the flatbed truck stage, the promise of after-hours bonfire jams and a few kegs of Vitamin R — Slack Fest is worth taking the rock’n'roll on a race track risk. Featuring sets from local favorites The Moondoggies, The Maldives, My Goodness, Joseph Giant, Whalebones, Golden Blondes, Jack Wilson and a sure to be raucous sing along to American Girls, all in a way you’ve never seen them before (unless you caught The ‘Doggies and the ‘Dives at the last Slack Fest) — this is a day you’ll be spending all summer trying to remember.

Two lucky readers and their friends will be catching Slack Fest this Saturday for free. Just leave a comment and we’ll pick a lucky winner at noon on Thursday.

June 1, 2011

The Return of Slack Fest with The Moondoggies, My Goodness and More

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slackfestposter


A short drive north of Everett, among unmowed fields and farmland, nestled by the Stillaguamish River, lies Slime Dog Raceway. The river has a current, but in the hot summer sun is a true escape. The dirt track circle feels small for cars to be racing around at any speed as you walk inside of it. You wonder whether the weathered house right up along side one edge of the track has ever sustained any direct hits. With a the flatbed of a semi-truck serving as a stage situated on turn four, this is the setting for Don Slack’s local rock & roll campout, Slack Fest.

In years past Slack Fest was Don’s chance to gather a few of his favorite bands and lots of friends for a no-rules, no-strings-attached, invite-only shindig. Though Doe Bay Fest temporarily took the place of Slack Fest the last few years, this year the team who brought you Doe Bay has taken on reviving Slack Fest as a showcase for local rock, Don’s way.

For his day of fun, happening this year on July 9th, Don has already collected a bevy of the Northwest’s finest guitar slingers. In My Goodness he taps Seattle’s latest head-banging head-turner, and in American Girls (formerly Petty Party) he recruits the party band of 2011. With more bands to be announced and every band on this bill already Sound on the Sound approved, as far as we’re concerned this is a weekend to black out on the calendar already.

Slack Fest 2011 July 9th, 2011 at the Slime Dog Raceway Stanwood, WA

Featuring… The Moondoggies The Maldives Whalebones American Girls The Golden Blondes My Goodness Joseph Giant Jack Wilson

Tickets and camping are on Sale Tuesday May 10th online via Brown Paper Tickets starting at 9am. (Tickets $25 / Camping $10)

As something special this year the morning after the fest, we’ll be able nurse our hangovers the Stanwood way by sitting on the sidelines of Slime Dog for a special set of races.

The Maldives at Slack Fest 2008