Actually, I have no idea where this March 1964 live take of “It’s My Party” is from. I only say Swedish TV because it has high quality black and white television images, soulful sax playing, and an unresponsive audience, three leading indicators of potential Svensk involvement. Lesley is lovely here, an ingenue in the flower …
It’s a warm Sunday night in Seattle and the Neptune Theater is hosting LA’s ska masters, Fishbone. Fishbone, although primarily a ska band, play a variety of musical genres from fusion, to rock, and even some rap poetry tossed in. Sax player and main vocalist, Angelo Moore never stays in one spot very long before …
By Peter Dysart ‘My favourite habit,’ as I’m calling them now, have returned with new music and an interesting new project. It was about a month ago that I received word from the band that they had a new project in the works, and that something would be arriving soon. The Saturday before last I …
This coming Sunday and celebrating twenty-five years as a band, legendary LA ska masters Fishbone finally returns to the Pacific NW with a show at the Victoria Ska Fest on July 4 and a show at Seattle’s Neptune Theater on July 6. Fishbone play a variety of musical genres from the aforementioned ska to some …
On Monday night, June 23, I had the utmost pleasure of witnessing the legendary Robyn Hitchcock perform a concert. This was my first time in the Columbia City Theater in Seattle’s south end. Seattle Theater Group recently acquired it. Columbia City Theater is very small, so very intimate, but loaded with character. The beginning of …
Sunday was Father’s Day and also the evening of an acoustic solo performance from one of the finest female vocalist of modern times, Johnette Napolitano. The former lead singer from Concrete Blonde blended original songs (with a couple exceptions) with humorous anecdotes and poetry she’d written. Johnette came on stage to raucous applause, and used …
After some deliberation on my part, e.g., Silver Apples at the Bohemian National Cemetery under a full moon, and the trading of a work shift of one son, I ended up attending two separate concerts by two very different bands from Sweden: Goat and Meshuggah. Goat released its debut album, World Music, in 2012. I …
This is beautiful. Rev. C. L. Franklin is the father of Aretha. His spoken word recordings of sermons were first released to great acclaim in the 1950s by famed Chicago blues recording company, Chess Records. In this clip the Reverend is singing, and quite well, thank you.
Located in the mountains of North Central, WA, just about 30 miles from the Canadian border, the Conscious Culture Festival proudly reaches its 5th year on June 20-22, 2014. CCF is the largest Roots, Rock, and Reggae festival of its kind in the Northwest. The festival has steadily gained a loyal following since its inception, …
It’s Thursday night, but that doesn’t stop the night life from hopping on maximum overdrive on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. Chop Suey hosted one of my all-time favorites, Camper Van Beethoven. I first saw CVB in the fall of 1987 and I’ve seen them a couple times since. I believe this show was the fourth time. …
Named for the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald, music was always the driving force in the life of Jamaican/English/Maltese singer/songwriter, Ella Eyre. “I’ve always been into punchy, loud songs – passionate, with a message” she said, “And I’ve always been really lyrical – I love the idea that someone has felt the same as …
Last Tuesday I watched my second movie as part of the Seattle International Film Festival. This one, called Razing the Bar was about the rise and fall of the beloved punk club called The Funhouse. Through interviews with employees, owners and local musicians, this film is mainly about Brian Foss who took over running The …
Strictly Sacred is a documentary about Seattle band Girl Trouble. Girl Trouble has been a Seattle institution for about twenty-five years, but have never received the notoriety they so deserve. That is until now. Isaac Olsen (who is the nephew of two of the members of Girl Trouble) directed this excellent introspective on the life …
It’s Sunday night of the Memorial Day weekend 2014 and Studio Seven is hosting the Tenth Annual Psychobilly Brawl, featuring Koffin Kats and lots of great openers. Koffin Kats have a new guitar player. That being Johnny Kay and he is amazing! The only time he stood still was when he was singing harmony. Otherwise …
Moscow dance project Neoclubber has a new tune out, and it might be in English. Hard to tell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wynFqIn5j8
Thursday night May 15 marked the second time I’ve seen the Chop Tops and I think they were even better this time around. This trio from Santa Cruz plays a mixed bag of rockabilly and psychobilly and consists of Sinner (whose name is tattooed across his chest) on vocals and stand up drum kit, Shelby …
Imperial Mammoth are some cool cats who play cool music for cool people. Below you can take a listen to “Little Earthquakes,” one of the tunes off their recent work, Gold Confetti. They will appear in Portland on June 29 at Valentines and on July 3 at Bunk Bar. They will perform in Seattle on …
It’s Saturday night in Seattle’s thriving Ballard neighborhood and I’m at the Tractor Tavern to see folk singer Sarah Jarosz headline a show. Although calling Sarah Jarosz folk is not exactly accurate. She’s part folk, part bluegrass and a little country tossed in. She’s one hundred percent child prodigy. She’s turning 23 later this month …
It’s Tuesday night in Seattle and do you know where your punk rocker is? Most likely at the Showbox watching Teenage Bottle Rocket followed by Pennywise ignite a firestorm of unadulterated punk rock! It’s been nearly a decade since I’ve seen Pennywise. When they finally hit the stage, it was like someone poured gasoline all …
Johnette Napolitano is best known for her role as lead singer & bassist for Concrete Blonde. When I sat down to do a phone interview with her recently I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I discovered is how easy she was to talk to. I felt like I was calling an old friend and …
Friday night on Seattle’s happenin’ Capitol Hill, the Highline hosted the 11th Annual Seattle Ska Fest. Two of my favorite locals, The Georgetown Orbits and Natalie Wouldn’t were headlining. Tres bliss! The Orbits were the last band to play, and again, many seemed to have left before the end of the show. What is it …
On April 9 I bore witness to five bands at El Corazon who were beyond fabulous. Though the headliner was Creepshow, from Toronto, there really were two headliners — the other being The Phenomenauts. Hailing from the East Bay area, The Phenomenauts are part corny fifties TV sci-fi show, part comedy troupe, part rock band …
The Dixie Hummingbirds, one of the great Gospel vocal groups of the past half century, are perhaps best known to listeners as the background vocalists on Paul Simon’s “Loves Me Like a Rock.” (I’m posting their own version below.) One fact about the group has always fascinated me: After one of their members, William Bobo, …
Denyse Tontz is the darling of the Disney TV show “Dog with a Blog” and soap opera “All My Children” where she plays Erica Kane’s granddaughter and for which she won a pre-nomination for a Daytime Emmy. She describes this song as, “My weird little way of saying you’re awesome and haters aren’t.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ_9Gfu2sI4
Hannah Lou Clark (TAPKA FOE) – new song, new video. Yup, different, but all still there for sure. – Mike Hughes
On Friday April 4, Seattle band Poke Da Squid played a concert to celebrate the release of I Honestly Had Higher Expectations (click to see my earlier review of the CD). Poke Da Squid is a young band. I’m positive all members are under the age of 30. They’re also adorable and ooze charm from …
Hailing from Long Beach, CA, This Wild Life is Kevin Jordan and Anthony Del Grosso. Jordan and Del Gross grew up in the tightknit DIY punk scene in Long Beach. They quickly became friends after working at the same musical instrument store, bonding over the music of their teens. The conversations were about hardcore, punk …
Storied rock experimentalist and well-traveled collaborator, Brian Eno, is set to release Someday World, a spritely album undertaken with Karl Hyde of house and electronica juggernaut, Underworld, in May. The first two songs off the work are available for listening below. Eno and Hyde describe the work in this way, “Someday World is an album …