Canadian force of nature garage-rock duo The Pack A.D. are coming to destroy the Tractor Tavern Saturday night with the help of local favorites Hobosexual and Watch It Sparkle, and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away. Leave a comment below with a valid email address and your favorite Star Wars quote (it’s the band’s favorite movie) and we’ll select a winner at random Friday afternoon.
So, you’re not going to Sasquatch? That doesn’t mean you can’t attend an awesome local music festival. For free. While Sasquatch has become the Northwest music festival synonymous with Memorial Day Weekend, it’s not the original. That would be Folklife Festival, who will be celebrating 40 years this holiday weekend.
To celebrate the big anniversary, the free multi-cultura festivall has a stellar local music line-up featuring some of our favorites. Bands you wouldn’t be surprised to see playing Sasquatch, in fact. (And at least one name who is playing both.) Here’s just a tiny sample of what’s happening at Folklife this weekend musically, but be sure to check out the full music schedule.
Friday May 27:
Ravenna Woods – 7pm as part of the Folk Redefined Showcase, Indie Roots Stage Wheedle’s Groove – 7pm as part of the Friday Night Funk Party, Mural Amphitheater
Saturday May 28
Gabriel Mintz – 1:40pm, Indie Roots Stage Shana Cleavland & the Sand Castles – 1:55pm, Folklife Cafe Stage Karl Blau – 2:40, Folklife Cafe Stage Cahalen Morrison and Eli West – 4pm as part of the American Standard Time Showcase, Indie Roots Stage Hobosexual – 5:30pm, Vera Project LAKE, The Curious Mystery – 7pm as part of the Independent Thinking: K Records, Indie Roots Stage
Sunday May 29
Pickwick, Shenandoah Davis – 12pm as part of the Ball of Wax Showcase, Indie Roots Stage Joseph Giant – 4:45pm, Indie Roots Stage Bryan John Appleby – 5:30pm, Indie Roots Stage NighTraiN – 6:45pm, Vera Project Weinland – 7:00pm as part of the PDXperimental Folk Showcase, Indie Roots Stage
Monday May 30
Watch It Sparkle – 5pm, Vera Project Yuni in Taxco, Hoarde and the Harem – 5 to 7pm as part of the Think Local, Act Indie Showcase, Indie Roots Stage
While the Fest is free, be sure to drop $10 or $20 in the donation jar, it’s certainly not free to put on and you’d be paying lots more to see the same caliber of local musicians if you were at The Gorge.
After the jump, check out some videos from the artists playing Folklife’s 40th: (more…)
Its been a banner week for new local videos — Kelli Schaefer, Ravenna Woods, Grand Hallway, Hobosexual, we didn’t even get to write about it yet Starfucker — and now on the appropriate release day of Friday the 13th, comes a tale of a taco truck gone horribly wrong from Watch it Sparkle. It’s a slick video from one of Seattle’s grittiest garage bands and in true Watch It Sparkle fashion, it is not for the squeamish.
Wherein Seattle’s scuzz-mongers Watch it Sparkle learn there are consequences to Texas beyond the obvious pitfalls of easily available drive-through liquor-stores.
D. Black, Playing Tonight at the SXSW Send-Off ::: photo by Josh Lovseth
Choosing what show to go to on a Friday or Saturday night in Seattle has become laughably difficult. Instead of being pulled between two shows, its usually five and any destination you choose, you’re going to see something good. Tonight’s line-ups around town would have me believe this is no longer just a Friday and Saturday night problem. I’m not talking one or two good options for shows tonight, I’m talking about four shows I’d be crestfallen to miss and five or six other shows on top of that I know would be awesome.
So start the debate early today guys, because choosing what show you’re going to on Thursday night is starting to be just as hard as Friday and Saturday night. Here are the shows pulling me in approximately 10 different directions … and the one(s) we’ll end up at are bolded.
Blue Moon – Lion Child, Watch It Sparkle, Shitty Dudes Chop Suey – People Eating People, Like Lightning Gavin Guss, Garret van der Spek Columbia City Theater – Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, Squirrel Butter, Ben Gilman Comet Tavern – Nod Off, Stickers, Wildildlife, Monogamy Party Conor Byrne – Benefit for the Common Language Project with Reef Encounter, Country Lips The Crocodile – SXSW Kick-Off Party with D. Black, Wild Orchid Children & More High Dive – Empty Space Orchestra, You.May.Die.In.The.Desert Sunset – American Girls (Tom Petty tribute), Bandolier, Friends and Family Tractor Tavern – Earth (CD Release), Mount Eerie, Low Hums Vera Project – The Lonely Forest, The Oregon Donor, The Violins
Where will you be ending up tonight?
So much to do this weekend and you only have 72 hours to do it. Why is partying so stressful!?! Ugh. The things we put ourselves through as social mammals. It’s exhausting. What’s your costume? Where are you going to be? Who are you going to be with? How are you going to get there? You don’t have any money. You don’t have any good ideas. Luckily for you, Sound of the Sound is wearing a cape, a mask and svelte tights with a sock in the crotch. Nice bulge? We know. Here’s a preview of your weekend in the form of someone eavesdropping on a scenester having a cell phone conversation with an unknown entity. We’ll call this fictional character Iggy Crane because I’m afraid I’ll get sued if I use the first name Ichabod. Food stamps can’t pay for lawyers. Don’t Enjoy.
[Scene: Iggy Crane is a very slight individual with a heroin users build. He's about 6 ft tall, maybe 85 pounds after a huge brunch. His complexion is translucent. It's bleach. One might mistake him for an individual that takes spelunking to a whole another level if it weren't for his body paint jeans and over-sized high tops. Crane wears a five o' clock shadow on his face. He's got Grey hair, dyed of course. It makes him appear to be a man of refinement. A blue hoodie underneath a black leather jacket. Don't ask why. He knows what's up. He's hanging out at Cafe Zoka in the U-District.]
[Iggy Crane dialing one of his uber cool buddies. One of his uber cool buddies answers the phone -- on the last ring of course.]
Iggy: Yeah man. What’s going on? What’s going on this weekend? Got any plans?
[....]
Iggy: Well on Friday night I can’t decide what I want to do. As of right now I feel like raging but I’m not sure where. There’s so many shows this weekend. I wish I were Michael Keaton in Multiplicity, only with better results obviously. There’s going to be shenanigans taking place at the Funhouse. How fitting right? Hounds of the Wild Hunt are going to be opening up the gates of Hell for the greatest Misfits cover band of all-time, Glenn or Glenda?
[Iggy pauses to take a sip of coffee and look at who is walking on the Burke-Gilman. Nobody that is traversing its path holds his gaze. He thus turns his attention back to his cellular device.]
Iggy: That’s not a question idiot. That’s the band, Glenn or Glenda? They named the band that because there is a female performer who plays the role of Glenn Danzig while her better half portrays Glennda Danzig. “Glennda is the repressed feminine aspect of Glenn Danzig brought to life, rescuing him from his own machismo through glamour and hilarity.” I swear I did not get that from a press release. In other words, Glenn or Glennda are absolutely ingenious. I’m surprised Glenn or Glenda is not the biggest celebration on Halloween every year. It’s the only day of the year they perform and it’s amazing every single time.
[....]
Iggy: What? You’re thinking about going to that Lesbian CD release show at the Comet with Brothers of the Sonic Cloth and Diminished Men? Argh. Moments like this make me wish all the venues were built on top of one another like some kind of skyscraper of debauchery. Have you heard that new Lesbian record? It slays, literally. I heard three people died on the night of its release due to rocking too hard! Where’s Tipper Gore when you need her!?! Let’s prosecute records to the fullest extent of the law.
[....]
Iggy: Shut-up. You do not want to have sex with Tipper Gore. Why would you do that? Gross. I hear Mrs. Gore is a huge fan of Throne of Bone and Owen Hart. Maybe you’ll see her at the Block Lodge later? It’s a tough call between that, the Comet and the Funhouse. I didn’t even mention that You.May.Die.In.The.Desert. is rocking Healthy Times Fun Club as well. I wish Halloween was tonight, that way I could go all out and put myself in a coma until Monday morning.
[...]
Read the rest of Iggy’s one-sided conversation after the jump … (more…)
Lemolo ::: photo by Abbey Simmons
I was honored to be back in the booth with Hannah Levin this Saturday as a guest DJ on KEXP’s Audioasis. In case you missed my set, or if you happen to want to hear it again, you can stream it on KEXP’s website for the next two weeks. I’m on shortly after 7pm, just choose October 16th as the date.
Here’s what you can expect to hear, along with my charmingly nervous banter. And if you like what you hear, most all of these bands have upcoming shows in the Seattle/Tacoma area in the next few weeks. Check out the links provided to their various websites to see where.
Playlist:
Lemolo – “Open Air” Youth Rescue Mission – “Floor Plan” Dan Mangan – “Road Regrets” Joseph Giant – “Moonlit Drive” Drew Grow & the Pastors Wives – “It All Comes Right” (live from the Doe Bay Sessions) Kelli Schaefer – “Ghost of the Beast” Junkface – “Atamakatahizaashi” The Familiars – “Unzen” Watch It Sparkle – “A Last Chance”
End your Reverb with Wild Orchid Children ::: photo by Abbey Simmons
Just when you though festival season was over … it’s time to gear up for the fall festival season! The newly extended festival season kick’s off with this weekend’s Reverb Fest hosted by the Seattle Weekly. Always one of our favorite days of the year, Reverb Fest celebrates local music by taking over Ballard Avenue (and beyond) and throwing one hell of a party. For just $10 you get access to 60+ local bands, an unbeatable price among local festivals. Plus, we happen to think this is Reverb’s strongest line-up to date. By focusing on up and coming talent, ignoring the mainstage mentality, Reverb has crafted a local line-up which I find more exciting than those of Bumbershoot and Capitol Hill Block Party.
While you’ll probably see something solid whatever you choose, we wanted to share our recommendations and schedule for the Fest. For most times we’ve given you two or three options that you can’t go wrong with.
3:00 – Arrive in Ballard, buy your wristband and plan the easiest shortcuts between venues. Trust us, when you’re darting across Leary Way to get to the Two Bit (which you should be doing multiple times if you love the rock), you’ll appreciate knowing the safest crossing points.
4:00 – Thee Sgt. Major III (Conor Byrne) or Ivan & Alyosha (The Tractor Tavern)
4:30 – Kinski (The Sunset)
5:00 – Kimo Muraki (The Tractor Tavern)
6:00 – Hobosexual (The 2 Bit Saloon)
6:30 – The Absolute Monarchs (The Sunset) or M. Bison (Salmon Bay Eagles 21+)
7:00 – Yuni in Taxco (The Tractor Tavern)
7:30 – My Goodness (The 2 Bit Saloon) or Watch it Sparkle (Salmon Bay Eagles 21+)
8:00 – What What Now (Salmon Bay Eagles) or Massy Ferguson (The Tractor Tavern)
9:00 – Vultures 2012 (The 2 Bit Saloon)
10:00 – Dog Shredder (The 2 Bit Saloon) or The Young Evils (The Tractor Tavern) or Shelby Earl (Hattie’s Hat)
10:30 – Whalebones (The Sunset)
11:00 – Ravenna Woods (The Tractor Tavern) or Kristen Ward (Conor Byrne)
12:00 – Wild Orchid Children (The Tractor Tavern)
You can take a peek at the full schedule for yourself. And you can buy your wristbands HERE.
See you in Ballard!
The Lonely H at Reverb Fest 2009 ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons
October seems light-years away even in the waning Seattle “summer” of 2010, but it really is just right around the corner. Ushering in October will be Seattle Weekly’s always excellent Reverb Fest held October 9th all over Ballard. Yet again, Reverb has brought together one of the most solid and diverse local line-ups of any festival. Name your genre and there’s something at Reverb for you, especially if you like up-and-coming local rock. Reverb reads like a who’s-who of some of our favorite new heavy bands of 2010: Hobosexual, Dog Shredder, My Goodness, The Absolute Monarchs, Wild Orchid Children, Vultures 2012 and What What Now, to name a few. For that, I’m sure we can thank Rocket Queen, Hannah Levin. Even if you don’t like your tunes turned up all the way to 11, Reverb Fest is a celebration of all that is local that you don’t want to miss.
The full line-up as it stands today is below, we’ve bolded the bands we’ll make sure we don’t miss.
Nettle Honey / Thee Sgt. Major III / Imperial Legions Of Rome / Combo Craig / M Bison / The Moonspinners / Massey Ferguson / DJ Dev From Above / Idle Times / Watch It Sparkle / The Chevy Chasers / Dawn Clement / Wild Orchid Children / Gregory Paul / Virgin / Lindsay Fuller & The Cheap Dates / Bernie Jacobs Quartet / Throne Of Bone / Roy Kay Combo / The Drunken Masters / Whalebones / Carrie Clark & The Lonesome Lovers / Kinski / Caspar Babypants / Yuni In Taxco / Post Harbor / Ivan & Alyosha / Vultures 2012 / Feral Children / Eighty 4 Fly / Helladope / Hi-Life Sound System / The Not-Its / Lincoln Barr / Ravenna Woods / Shelby Earl / Lisa Dank / Sol / The Absolute Monarchs / Kristen Ward / Goat / Amateur Radio Operator / My Goodness / Low Land High / Thousands / Sparrow-Bot / What What Now / The Young Evils / He Whose Ox Is Gored / The Fucking Eagles / Kimo Muraki / The Jason Parker Quartet / Erin Jorgensen / Low Hums / Smooth Sailing / Hobosexual / Dog Shredder / Victor Shade / Cady Wire / JFK aka Ninjaface / The Sea Navy / EXOHXO
A great line-up for a great cause. In our opinion, you couldn’t ask for more.
Each year you can count on Noise for the Needy delivering on both counts, in a festival that never lacks in talent or spirit. This year, with national acts like The Album Leaf, John Vanderslice and Horse Feathers as well as a bevy full of great local bands (seriously, if you like them, they are probably playing this festival) it is shaping up to be the biggest and best Noise for the Needy festival yet. Just look at this schedule:
THURSDAY JUNE 10
Tractor Tavern $10/ADV | 8PM | 21+ Horse Feathers Tiny Vipers Friday Mile Goldfinch
Sunset Tavern $8 | 9PM | 21+ Animals at Night Daniel G. Harmann & the Trouble Starts Erik Blood Mal de Mer
Conor Byrne Pub $7 | 8PM | 21+ Pillow Army Shelby Earl Jeremy Burk Facts About Funerals
Two Bit Saloon $7 | 8pm | 21+ Neon Nights Grenades The Shining Ones The Keeper
FRIDAY JUNE 11
Underground Events Center – Belltown $10 | 7PM | 21+ The Maldives Whalebones Virgin Islands Hypatia Lake Hallways The Magic Mirrors Soul Senate DJ El Toro
The Vera Project $10/ADV | 7:30PM | All Ages The Portland Cello Project Grand Hallway Drew Grow & The Pastors’ Wives Angelo Spencer et Les Hauts Sommets Tomten
Neumos $12/ADV | 21+ | 8PM Delta Spirit Ezra Furman and the Harpoons The Romany Rye
Check the next two days of Noise for the Needy schedule, after the jump. (more…)
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