Saturday night June 22 was a day I waited nearly seven years for. That event was the return of the Pie Tasters. This ska band hailing from DC last played Seattle July 14, 2012. To prove my adoration to this band I skipped seeing God playing the same night (that’s Ray Davies for all you blasphemers out there who don’t know who the REAL god is). I had to hop a train to Portland the next day to see Ray play the following night.
This show was at Seattle’s foremost punk club, El Corazon, and they attracted a good-sized crowd with three supporting acts. The Pie Tasters are fronted by Steve Jackson, all silver-haired, yet extremely energetic (his feet didn’t touch the same place for more than a second or two throughout the show). He often bounced off or deliberately crashed into other band members as he flitted about the stage. Yet he looked more like a history professor than the singer of a ska band. He wore a blue suit the entire time, never even taking off his jacket. How he did this without melting is beyond me. He knew how to work the audience, often leaning into the crowd for sing-alongs or just to rile them.
They opened with my favorite song, Girl Take It Easy and many sang along. Add a stellar horn section, bass guitar, guitar, drums and a keyboard player who looked demonic at times and you have the Pie Tasters. But one of the highlights had to be when singer-guitarist Kristin Forbes( aka Lady Hatchet) from openers the Scotch Bonnets jumped on stage and danced about. And she knew how to move!
This was the second well attended ska show I attended within a couple days of each other so no one can say Seattle doesn’t like ska. I only hope the Pie Tasters don’t wait another seven years before returning to Seattle.
Natalie Wouldn’t played right before the Pie Tasters and as many times as I’ve seen them, this had to be one of their best performances. Their energy and eccentricities were in top form. Bass player David Trump plays in his stocking feet while trombone player Mike Ayer plays barefoot. While Mike and trumpeter Ric Pentilla danced about when not tooting their respective horns, the other two horn players (Shawn Brockman and Sean Jensen) were no slouches when it came to hamming things up. Their sometimes choreographed moves and wild facial expressions only helped rile up the very enthusiastic crowd. When their set was over a dude with a giant mohawk turned to me and exclaimed that he was going to pass out from dancing so much, those guys were so good! Need I say more.
Prior to Natalie Wouldn’t was Portland’s the Sentiments. This talented ska band plays a variety of ska from soulful jazzy to a more reggae based. They are fronted by Erin Wallace or as I prefer to call her, the lady with the pipes. She totally channels Aretha and other R&B singers from yore. By the time they came on stage the club was quite full and there was barely a still body on that dance floor. Seeing the Sentiments is always a pleasure and I’m glad they make it up here to play as frequently as they do.
Opening the night was the Scotch Bonnets. Unfortunately I only caught the tail end of their set as I was late (as Han Solo said, it’s not my fault). But what I did catch I was impressed with what I saw. As mentioned, they are fronted by singer-guitarist Kristin Forbes aka Lady Hatchet and she had great stage presence. I hope they return to Seattle again and soon as I’m sorry I missed most their set.
But all in all this was a fun night. Every band who played did a super job and I am so glad the Pie Tasters decided to grace Seattle with their happy go lucky brand of ska.
– Photos property of Holly Homan, all rights reserved.
