Blog Archives

May 8, 2009

Get Your Tissues Ready: All Songs Considered Talks to Mark Redding of The Shackeltons About Mother’s Day

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Mark Redding with Flowers::: photo by Abbey

NPR’s All Songs Considered just posted a beautiful story about one of my favorite people in the world, Mark Redding of The Shackeltons.

The post, entitled “Decorating the Stage for Mom” is in honor of Mother’s Day and is at least a two tissue read. If you were ever curious why The Shackeltons decorate their stage with flowers or why Mark is one of music’s most compelling and heartfelt performers, this article is for you.

The article makes me want to make sure I go and squeeze my Mom extra tight this Sunday.

It also reminds me why The Shackeltons and Mark are so very special, it’s not just music they share with us, it’s love. It’s the good, the bad, and ultimately, the beautiful. It’s life blood. It’s themselves. In an industry that constantly struggles with authenticity, The Shackeltons know nothing else.

Shackeltons Stage:: photo by Abbey

March 31, 2009

The Shackeltons on NPR’s All Songs Considered

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The Shackeltons ::: Photo by Abbey

Two years after being introduced to them, The Shackeltons remain my favorite band making music today. Sure, I’ve seen hundreds of new bands after discovering The Shackeltons, but no band has compared to the frenetic energy, passion, and uniqueness these five boys from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania bring. 

Needless to say, I am never surprised, but always pleased, when someone else discovers The Shackeltons and falls just as fast for them. And that’s what happened at this year’s SXSW festival, where amidst thousands of bands, The Shackeltons managed to stand out of the hoardes to the fine folks over at NPR and All Songs Considered. Considering what a sweaty, exhausted, intoxicated musical orgy SXSW is, it is quite a feat for a band to be remembered, but it’s no surprise that The Shackeltons were. Thanks to their memorable performance (which we curse for missing) The Shackeltons and their song “Your Movement” is currently being featured on All Song’s Considered: SXSW ’09 Wrap Up.

A big congratulations to The Shackeltons for getting some NPR love and standing above the SXSW crowd.

January 3, 2009

Abbey’s 15 Favorite Concerts of 2008

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With nearly 200 shows under my belt in 2008, it’s hard to narrow down my favorites to just 15– but after much thought–here they are. I went for singular shows/sets, rather than including entire festivals such as Bumbershoot and Georgetown, which would have easily qualified for best of status. The photos are ordered, with my favorite show of the year on top and so forth. Hope you caught at least a couple of these shows in 2008 too!

Monotonix at The Sunset Tavern–and Ballard Avenue (9/28/08)

Dead Confederate at The Greenhouse (5/23/08)

Ice Age Cobra at The Key Bar in Austin (3/13/08)

The Shackeltons at Bumbershoot (8/31/08)

Slackfest 2008 with The Maldives, The Moondoggies, and lots more (8/24/08)

J. Tillman and David Bazan at Sunday Bloody Sunset (5/18/08)

Portugal The Man (with Wild Orchid Children) at the Do512 Party at SXSW (3/15/08)

Hopscotch Boy’s Final Show (6/8/08)

Sound on the Sound’s Blue Moon Birthday Bash w/Thee Emergency, Thunderbird Motel and Skeletons with Flesh on Them (1/12/08)

Black Eyes & Neckties at King Cobra (4/19/08)

The Trucks Final Seattle Show (10/12/08)

The Hands CD Release w/The Whore Moans at Neumo’s (3/1/08)

Ice Age Cobra’s Final Show (9/12/08)

Noah and The Whale at Chop Suey (9/29/08)

We Wrote The Book On Connectors CD Release Show (11/16/08)

 

December 29, 2008

Abbey’s Best Non-Local Releases of 2008

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Dead Confederate ::: photo by Abbey

Here’s a few of the albums that kept me in espescially good company when I wasn’t listening to my locals. (Also, when it comes to this list, “non-local” includes everything outside of Washington State, including Portland.)

For what it’s worth, the number one and two albums are virtually a tie. I’ve gone back and forth between the two of them interchanging the top spot for the entire month of December. Today’s the day I decided to post and it’s a Dead Confederate Day, tomorrow may be more Bon Iver-y. But I could stand by either as the best of 2008 with conviction.

1. Dead Confederate – Wrecking Ball |myspace| 2. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago |myspace| 3. The Black Keys – Attack and Release |myspace| 4. Dodos -Visiter |myspace| 5. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me  |myspace| 6. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely |myspace| 7. Thao with The Get Down, Stay Down – We Brave Bee Stings & All  |myspace| 8. The Builders & The Butchers – The Builders & The Butchers |myspace| 9. Starfucker – Starfucker  |myspace| 10. Noah and The Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down  |myspace| 11. Ravens & Chimes – Reichenbach Falls  |myspace| 12. Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes |myspace| 13. The Shackeltons – The Shackeltons |myspace|

p.s. Just like Josh, my most listened to album of 2008 was The Avett Brother’s Emotionalism.

December 15, 2008

Our Favorite Photos of 2008

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Mark Redding of The Shackeltons ::: photo by Abbey

My love for The Shackeltons is well-documented on this blog. And while I do adore their antics and the absolute insanity of a Shackeltons show, what I love most about them is their soul. In the nearly one thousand photos I’ve taken of the Shackeltons in 2008, this may be my favorite. In large part because, if the eyes are the window to the soul–in this shot, Mark’s is shinning.

See more photos from this memorable Shackeltons set here

November 8, 2008

An Invitation To Abbey’s October Listening

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Hey guys, sorry this is coming a few days late and is one of my only recent post. Yours truly picked up an honest to god day job, and thus my contributions to Sound on the Sound have been suffering/non-existent. I promise you, that this will change in November, now that I’ve gotten a bit of  handle on the day-job and that best of/end of the year posts are right around the corner.

Without further ado, I present to you the songs and albums that have kept me sane in this largely music-less month.

* A Gun That Shoots Knives - “Stay In School Mother Fucker” * Starfucker – Starfucker * See Me River – Time Machine * The Moondoggies - Don’t Be A Stranger * Black Eyes & Neckties(the best Halloween-ish music ever) * Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes * Catfish Haven – Devastator * Laura Veirs – Saltbreakers * Bon Iver -Daytrotter Session * The Shackeltons - “Soft Heart” * Hopscotch Boys – Sad and Lonely Eyes * The Whore Moans - Watch Out For This Thing * Sufjan Stevens – “Majesty Snowbird” * Jake One – White Van Music 

September 16, 2008

Bumbershooting: The Shackeltons

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The Shackeltons ::: photo by Abbey

Thought I was done with Bumbershoot, but I could not in good conscience ignore The Shackeltons phenomenal performance during the festival.

While it came as no surprise to us that people began to flock closer and closer to the stage as soon as The Shackeltons got in to their set and frontman Mark Redding started talking–it was great to see. The people standing around me, professional photographers and first time Shackeltons witnesses stood dumbfounded–with mouths agape in grins. The was a lot of looking back and forth and neighbors in a–can you believe what you’re seeing kind of way?

Mark, who is always an engaging frontman, put on a show for the ages. He threw himself on the ground with abandon, swung off speaker chords, crowd-surfed, stood on suitcases, fell of suitcases, doused himself in water, ran off-stage to give Kyle the stage manager a kiss, and never missed a lyric or note that he was singing during his antics. On the mic between songs Mark told the ever-growing and engaged audience about wanting to be a black preacher, while consistently referring to Seattleites as fish killers, introducing the wrong song with elaborate stories, and when he demanded we dance–we all did. With shows like this, that leave old and new audiences alike stunned and enamored, it won’t be long before The Shackeltons finally get the attention they deserve.

The Shackeltons ::: photo by Abbey

Sean Hallock ::: photo by Abbey

Mark Mid-Fall ::: photo by Abbey

Sean, Justin, and Dan ::: photo by Abbey

Shackelton Surf ::: photo by Josh

September 7, 2008

Bumbershooting: The Shackeltons at the KEXP Music Lounge

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The Shackeltons stepped in after a last minute cancellation to play the KEXP Music Lounge at noon on Monday. The band brought another great set to another enrapt Bumbershoot audience.

Photos by Abbey

August 29, 2008

Abbey’s Bumbershoot Schedule

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You’ve seen a few of my recommendations with a few more coming, but here’s what my honest to god Bumbershoot Schedule is going to look like.

Start Your Bumbershoot with the New Faces::: photo by Josh

SATURDAY AUGUST 30

Sad to say it, but I’m a little under-whelmed by Saturday’s schedule. Still, a few of my must catch acts are playing early on Saturday–so I’ll be there from the very start.

12:30 -1:30 : NEW FACES @ the EMP Sky Church 1:00 – 2:15 : NEKO CASE @ Mainstage (i.e. Memorial Stadium) 3:30 – 4:30 : THE VALLEY @ EMP Sky Church 4:00 – 5:00 : THAO with THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN @ The Broad Street Stage for me the really interesting stuff ends there, so I’ll probably spend sometime walking around the always amazing, tempting, and ultimately bank-breaking FLATSTOCK  7:30 – 8:45 : MAN MAN @ the Broad Street Stage 9:15 – 10:45 : BECK @ The Mainstage

 

End your Sunday w/ Thee Emergency ::: photo by abbey  

 

SUNDAY AUGUST 31st

For me, this is Bumbershoot’s most exciting day line-up wise and it has almost nothing to do with the Headliners or “big acts” (minus the Black Keys, who I am so so excited to see I can hardly contain myself).

12:00 – 1:00 : STAR ANNA @ the Mural Amphitheater (i’m skipping out early to catch) 12:30 – 1:30 : THE LONELY H @ EMP Sky Church 2:30 – 3:30 : THE SHACKELTONS @ the Broad Street stage 5:00 – 6:00 : RAVENS & CHIMES @ EMP Sky Church 6:00 – 7:00 : THE WHIGS @ the Broad Street stage 7:45 – 8:45 : THE BLACK KEYS @ The Mainstage 9:30 – 10:30 : THEE EMERGENCY @ EMP Sky Church    * since the Sky Church will doubtlessly be full for Thee Emergency. If you don’t make it in, wander over to The Broad Street Stage and catch TAPES’N'TAPES

End your Bumbershoot with Black Eyes & Neckties ::: photo by josh

 

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 1st

Holy fuck, how is already September? How is it already the end of Bumbershoot?!? At least the festival ends with a bang this year, while half of the city will be trying to see Death Cab for Cutie at the Mainstage–I am going to blissed out as Black Eyes & Neckties turn the EMP Sky Church into a gothic masterpiece of theatre and screams.

12:00 – 1:00 : VINCE MIRA & THE ROY KAY TRIO @ Mural Amphitheater

at this point my day could go two very different routes: 2:30 – 3:30 : MONOTONIX @ Exhibition Hall 4:15 – 5:15 : DAN DEACON @ Exhibition Hall                        OR 3:00 – 4:00 : SHANE TUTMARC & THE TRAVELING MERCIES @ EMP Sky Church 4:30 – 5:30 : THE MALDIVES @ EMP Sky Church 6:00 – 7:00 : FERAL CHILDREN @ EMP Sky Church 6:45 – 7:45 : ARTHUR & YU @ Mural Amphitheater 9:00 – 10:00 : BLACK EYES & NECKTIES @ EMP Sky Church

August 27, 2008

Needle in the Hay: The Shackeltons

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Artist Name: The Shackeltons Hails From:Chambersburg, PA Sounds Like:poetic insanity with punk riffs, a front-man for the ages, and a drumming prodigy Latest Release: The Shackeltons If You’re Impressed with the Antics of the following, Give The Shackeltons a Try: Monotonix

If you’re even a casual reader of this blog, you know we love The Shackeltons. A lot. This five-piece from clear across the country is making some of the most emotionally compelling music today, with a debut album and live performances that do nothing short of speak to my soul. If you haven’t been convinced by the hundreds of photos and tens and tens of previous posts on The Shackeltons, nothing will convince you. But I contend, The Shackeltons are one of the few unmissable acts in America. Anytime they are near your town be it a work night or an anniversary, seeing The Shackeltons do what they do best with such abandon and authenticity, is worth any consequences. Obviously that means there is no excuse to miss the band perform on Sunday, I’ll be there pressed against the stage–beaming like a proud mama and breathless from what is sure to be another incredible performance.

The Shackeltons play on Sunday August 31st at the Broad Street Stage at 2:30-3:30