Thanksgiving is all about coming to the homeland and taking time with family, and this year many of our town’s recent favorites and up-and-comers are doing just that by joining forces to keep a usually quiet weekend very entertaining.

Black Friday at the Showbox at the Market is a doosie of an all-ages triple bill, with Anacortes based Lonely Forest headlining the venue for their first time, but certainly not their last. From the side of the stage at Bumbershoot, a fellow long-time respected music writer told us that the local adoration for and momentum behind the Lonely Forest reminded him of the buzz behind an early Nirvana. Joining the Lonely Forest will be Telekinesis, the Merge Records-supported band led by Seattle’s Michael Lerner, and fellow Burning Buildings Records signee’s the Globes. This group of bands is in a way a summation of this years list of the best young pop bands from our area, so you can’t go wrong hitting this one up.

Saturday at the Showbox at the Market might be an equivalent bill to excite another set of taste buds, tapping the list of Seattle’s strongest Modern American players. I think people are starting to get that the currently-recording Moondoggies are more than a bunch of slightly dorky, talented, flannel lovers. With their late-night blues jamming and repetitive lyrical themes they’ve struck a chord that now brings people out of the woodwork to dance and hoot and shout in enthusiasm at their shows, always. Local institution Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter along with Star Anna & the Laughing Dogs have the pleasure of warm-up duty, so treat a lady right, show some respect and show up early.

Friday November 27th at the Showbox at the Market
The Lonely Forest
Telekinesis
The Globes
All Ages, 8pm, $10 + fees at Ticketmaster

Saturday November 28th at the Showbox at the Market
The Moondoggies
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Here After
Star Anna & the Laughing Dogs
All Ages, 8pm, $14 + fees at Ticketmaster

Looking for a place to lose the in-law blues? The Crocodile’s Saturday show is an all Seattle band bill that’s an event in its own right due to the one night reunion of pop powerhouse the Lashes. Though they’ve been away you can be assured that Ben Lashes will have a gag or two up his sleeve and that you’ll leave with at least one Lashes melody stuck in your head even if you didn’t know it before. Because really that’s what this band is all about: infectious, person-to-person, fun. Thee Emergency, who knows a thing or two about how to entertain a crowd, and Curtains for You will both be opening, and considering our long time endorsement of the former and our recent endorsement of the latter, you know we’ve got an opinion about showing up late.

Saturday November 28th at the Crocodile
The LASHES for one night only!
Thee Emergency
Curtains for You
21+, 8pm, $10 via the the Croc

In recent years Seattle has called itself home to a number of stellar producer/wordsmith duos participating engaging collaborations: Blue Scholars and Common Market who’ve been holding it down for ages, last year’s White Van Music via Jake One, and this year’s breakout act Fresh Espresso all quickly come to mind. For this year’s list it looks like we’ll need to add the latest collab between Seattle’s Macklemore and producer/filmmaker Ryan Lewis, called Vs. The first single “Otherside” weaves a RHCP bassline into a horn section backing a Macklemore rhyme that takes me back to the early days of Slug & Abilities. Looking at the lineup for tonight’s two show EP Release party at the Nectar, you can count on this being the hip-hop center of gravity this weekend.

Friday November 27th At the Nectar Lounge

The VS. EP Release Party! featuring:
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Early All Ages Show w/
Hella Dope
The Next Door Neighbors
Kung Foo Grip
DJ Sabzi
Hosted By Grynch
All-Ages, Doors at 5.30pm, $8 adv. at TicketWeb

Late 21+ show w/:
The Physics
Symmetry
Xperience
The Next Door Neighbors
DJ Terry Radjaw
Hosted by El Mizell
21+, Doors at 10pm, $8 adv. at TicketWeb

In short, this really complicates my usual post turkey day sleep schedule.

Haven’t done one of these for awhile, but just in case you’re curious as to the tunes that kept me company this first month of 2008… here it is. 

Wild Orchid Children - Wild Orchid Children EP
J. Tillman - Cancer and Delirium and Minor Works
The Shackeltons - The Shackeltons
Blue Scholars - “Guns and Butter” (live on KEXP)
The Lashes - Thank You EP
Palmer, AK (anything written by Eric Howk, basically)
The Mountain Goats - “Sax Rohmer #1″ (cannot wait for Heretic Pride!!)
PWRFL Power - “Tomato Song” (i’m slightly obsessed with this song)
Ravens & Chimes - “Faraway Sound of Cars”
Modest Mouse - “March Into The Sea”
The Go - “Yer Stoned Italian Cowboy”
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Elvis Perkins - “Shampoo”
Vindaloo - “Death Stars Coming Baby”
Whalebones - “Don’t You Know”

Half of music blogging is about making lists right? List after list after list. He’re my first of this year: What I’ve been enjoying lately. Some stuff that came out this month…

Distortion - The Magnetic Fields

Wild Orchid Children EP - Wild Orchid Children

Thank You EP - The Lashes

The Shackeltons - The Shackeltons
Listen: Your Movement [courtesy of Loveless Records]The Shackeltons - Your Movement

PWRFL POWER - PWRFL POWER

… and some stuff not of this month that I belated discovered or still can’t put down …

About to Walk EP - Throw Me the Statue

The Maldives - The Maldives

Cancer and Delerium - J Tillman

Minor Works - J Tillman

Emotionalism - The Avett Brothers

Dead Confederate EP - Dead Confederate
Download two mp3’s of Dead Confederate at Austin music blog sonic itch.

The Lashes, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, The Lonely H, Ships
The Vera Project, Seattle, January 5, 2008
Complete Flickr Set

From the moment I entered Vera Project, just as the first band had started their first song, I could feel a buzz about the place. Something-teen girls twittered about the capacious lobby while Ben Lashes sat at the merch table, his trademark black hoodie up, situated so he could see fellow Lashes member Jacob front his band Ships as the first opener of the night on stage.

I’m glad I caught the Ships set in full, and didn’t miss out on their relentlessly upbeat set. The music reminded me instantly of Ted Leo’s poppier moments, in a really good way, and the set was engaging and fun and got me excited about this band. We’ll be paying attention to this side project closely for sure.

The Lonely H, not far out of high school themselves, dress as though of another era, or at least another place. Boots, western denim, and vests are all staples of their aesthetic, helping to provide a complete visual identity to their sound and brand. Last year’s LP Hair and the following nationwide tour were a success by all accounts, and now they’re gearing up to get on the road again, with diploma’s in hand but also with the recent loss an original member on their minds. With a little time as a foursome under their belts, Eric has found his feet as a sole guitarist and a more flexible backup vocalist, and songs somehow sound as big as ever. I can’t wait to see what 2008 has in store for them.

Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, at its base is a three man group, but on stage it often swells to ten or more people, including strings and horns. As more and more people I recognized from around the scene began arriving on stage, my anticipation began to ratchet up a little. Kay Kay has been talked up quite a bit, and I was interested. This show was my introduction to them, and I’m glad to say, the good words they’ve been receiving are due.

They dabble in R&B, straight up rock, and pop, without adhering completely to a single sound or genre. Horns, strings, organs and numerous backup singers feature prominently at moments, and the joys of playing together as one big happy family shine through the whole performance live. Nate Lashes, sporting pink pants without any hint of shame, guested on bass, with a bevy of other local hero’s filling out the mini-orchestra. Head over to their myspace to get a sense of what I’m talking about, then get thyself to a Kay Kay show to see what I’m talking about. I’ll be interested to see how they record some of these songs on the new album if they do, and how if they play the songs without all of the members live. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, left me much to think on.

The Lashes were what all the tense anticipation was about though, and once they hit the stage (minus a sound check), the excitement bubbled over and everyone in the room could sense the dam had broken. The Lashes know how to own a crowd. From bending down on knees to sing right into individual faces on the edge of the stage to wildly gesticulating to the entire room and involving the crowd with end of show hijinks, Ben’s got the every 15 year old in that room hanging on his every word and wishing he was their real-life cool older brother. Everyone else in the band hold their own striking poses left and right — especially Nate, who not only wildly swings the bass around his body with ease but makes some of the best rock and roll faces in all of Seattle (while doing it in pink pants no less).

The set culminated in a flurry of silly-string, confetti and party horns, the Lashes announced there was free pizza for everyone in the back, and then promptly ended their set. A rush to the lobby ensued, and much to the dismay of a number of eager fans holding off on rushing for the pizza, the house lights and music came on and there was no encore. In the end though, everyone was spent and smiling broad, blowing on their party horns as they inspected the wide layout of pizza (more than enough for everyone who wanted one), and devising ways to put off calling their parents for a ride just a little longer.

With a cheese pizza warming our bellies we were ready to head home and tried to remember the last time we got out of a show before midnight. Certainly never for a four band bill. I thought hard, as it’s been a while. And then I realized it was probably the last time I was at the Vera Project.

Ships

The Lonely H

Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground

The Lashes

Some of these are complete bills and some are just single set’s by a band. These were the shows from 2007 that I will never forget.

1. Grizzly Bear at Neumos (February).

For Grizzly Bear I elbowed my way up to the front. Neumos was eerily silent for the performance. The perfect pitch of all of their voices and their instruments was like nothing I’ve witnessed before or since. No words can describe.

2. Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Let’s Go Sailing at the Tractor Tavern (March).

Elvis had just opened up for My Morning Jacket on tour and was now ready to headline smaller venues on his own. The Tractor had nothing but love for him, and Dearland were truly having a good time. The band was relaxed, involved in enjoying the moment, and out to put on a good show. A normally stolid Perkins was talked to the front row and smiled the entire performance. Let’s Go Sailing were a welcome surprise and I’ve really enjoyed their album more than most this year. Abbey ended up getting a setlist at the end of the show which turned out to be a piece of cardboard box with all of the songs in their repetoire written on it. A neat piece of history to say the least.

3. Thee Emergency, Ice Age Cobra, The Hands, A Gun That Shoots Knives at the Sunset (February).

I named my post “Funnest Show Ever.” I know ‘funnest’ isn’t a word, but sometimes words need to be made up to properly convey the moment. A few things were special about this show that I should tell you about. “Chicken Pox” made an appearance. Jordan crowdsurfed. Dita crowdsurfed. But really the only thing that you really need to know about the show is this: robot spiders are pretty much the coolest thing in the world. Yes, a real robot spider.

4. The Lashes at Bumbershoot 2007 (September).

I suggest you take a look at the pictures to get a better sense of what’s going on at this show. In their first show since guitarist Eric Howk suffered a debilitating fall leaving him in a wheelchair, the Lashes stepped up to a completely full audience of supporters and fans and wowed everyone with their energy, positivity and confidence. Ben Lashes was cracking jokes left and right and while on stage called the news station across the street to make sure they knew the Lashes were representing. The wheelchair caused no hindrance to Howk’s guitar playing and the band looked positively thrilled to be back on stage. I personally had never seen them before, but standing in the middle of a pit of youngsters (I’m almost 27, I get to use that word now, legitimately), I was overwhelmed by the sheer devotion that was on display. I was almost trampled by a fourteen year old like ten times. Every band should be so lucky to have hometown fans like the Lashes do. Seriously.

5. The Shackeltons at Neumos (March)

Our live introduction this band was frenetic, raw and completely unexpected. Their driving and highly emotional rock is a rollercoaster, and the show is no different. The Shackeltons truly must be experienced live to be properly understood.

This is by far the most daunting list of the year. I’ve decided to divide it between local and national shows/line-ups. If I hadn’t, you probably wouldn’t recognize a single band if you weren’t from Seattle… which says something tremendous about the state of live music in Seattle today. For the sake of every local band that is not Hopscotch Boys or Thee Emergency, I’ve tried my hardest to limit myself to a single show per band to represent on this list. (oh well, that didn’t work at all…) Though this list isn’t specifically enumerated, the order is meant to signify a hierarchy among my favorite shows. Alright, here goes nothing:

The Best Local Shows of 2007

The Lashes at Bumbershoot - 9/1/07

Thee Emergency, Iceage Cobra, The Hands, A Gun That Shoots Knives at The Sunset - 2/17/07 

Hopscotch Boys, Junkface, and The Resets at The Blue Moon - 5/12/07

The Whore Hands at Healthy Times Fun Club - 12/7/07

A Gun That Shoots Knives and We Wrote the Book on Connectors at The Blue Moon - 5/19/07

Saturday at Georgetown Music Festival - 6/2/07

A Benefit for The Blue Moon - Night One and Two - 9/28 & 9/29/07 

Iceage Cobra and The Lonely H at The Nectar - 6/21/07

The Resets, Vindaloo, Ms. Led at The Blue Moon - 9/7/07 

J. Tillman, Shane Tutmarc and The Traveling Mercies, Whalebones at The High Dive - 12/1/07

The Best National Shows of 2007:

The Shackeltons for John in The Morning’s Birthday - 3/10/07

Elvis Perkins at The Tractor - 3/30/07

The Figurines, Dappled Cities at The Crocodile - 10/12/07

Andrew Bird at Western Washington University - 5/6/07

The Antiques at The Nectar - 2/27/07

I love this picture. It is a image of triumph. It is an image of happiness. It is an image of participation. This for me was the set of the year in 2007. I don’t think the teenagers knew what to think when Ben just started throwing silly string canisters out to the crowd. The Lashes ended bigger than anyone could have imagined, and for that I give them much respect.

Ben Lashes of the Lashes at Bumbershoot 2007

( And their year isn’t over yet as they’ll be playing the Comet on New Years Eve with the Trucks and Feral Children. Holy S. What a local bill! )

Kato? The Lashes?!?

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/zR3mSQNwA7U" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

The new Lashes video, Pizza Party… couldn’t have possibly been released at a more perfect moment.

I keep thinking I’ve seen the best show of 2007 and then a band comes along and clobbers everything that came before it. But I’m pretty confident that The Lashes show at Bumbershoot is going to go down as the single best set of 2007. Because it was more than just a set or a show, it was a triumph.

The Lashes had a huge audience for their homecoming, filled with fans, families, teenagers, and a virtual who’s who of Seattle musicians. For a town usuallly known for its staid audiences, the crowd went crazy when the band bounded on stage. But of course the biggest cheers came when Eric (Howk) Lashes took the stage and strapped on his guitar. The goose-bumps and chills started moments into the bands first song. Looking around at my neighbors at the front of the stage, I saw eyeliner and mascara running proudly.

A few songs into the set, I am too blissed out on the poppy-goodness and the infectiousness of the bands performance to pay attention to what a profound moment this is in many peoples lives. How are The Lashes sounding better than ever?! Ben Lashes, however, obviously understands the weight of the situation - and he calls King 5’s Breaking News Line to announce “I have a breaking new’s story - The Lashes are back!!” (sure some jack-ass ruined the perfection of the joke a few moments later, but it goes down as one of the best moments of the show.) With each song, I am finally understanding more and more the definition and appeal of “power-pop.” The Lashes are doing it to perfection, and you’ve never seen six guys look happier to be on stage together.

The Lashes set included lots of old favorites, and the audience knew the words to every one. And as much as I love The Lashes oldies but goodies like, “The World Needs More Love Letters” and “Sometimes the Sun,” it was their new tunes I found most exciting. They were catchy and clever, and infused with a new found verve and appreciation for music and each other. (You can listen to one of their new songs for yourself, aptly called “new song” on the bands myspace.) And just when you thought the set couldn’t get any better - already being blessed with perfect weather, a huge and enthuiastic crowd, celebrating a true triumph — out came the silly string.

A performance I feel truly fortunate to have witnessed. The Lashes are back - and they are better than ever!

More photos from The Lashes Triumphant Return, Below…

Read the rest of this entry »

Our best day at Bumbershoot…ever? Just might have been.

Magnolia Electric Co.:

The Lashes (hands down the show of the day):

Menomena (with full, rag-tag choir):

Bumbershoot 2007:

all photos by Josh of Sound on the Sound