A Thursday night in the waning days of September isn’t a night you would expect a packed crowd at Seattle’s El Corazon, but The Queers were opening for Teenage Bottle Rocket and once again Seattle shows its adoration of pure punk rock. Teenage Bottle Rocket was formed by twin brothers Ray (vocals/guitar) and Brandon (drums) …
Amidst various researches today I came upon this mindboggling YouTube clip, which of course reminded me of my ol’ pal S. Swag, who introduced me to his beloved Cowsills just over 34 years ago, by playing their immortal cover of “Sunshine of Your Love” (from the 1969 IN CONCERT album!) on the family phonograph in their Grant Avenue living …
The mastering engineer’s statement (“The Tale of the Tapes”) at the end of the 24-disc (21 cd, 1 dvd, 2 blu-ray!) track listing for THE ROAD TO RED is quite illuminating, at least for TAPE OP fan-types. Indeed, reading it makes me wish I could somehow afford this “Rolls Royce of King Crimson box sets”, from what is undoubtedly …
Here’s an inspired comic video from Norwegian duo Ylvis:
It’s Saturday night in Seattle and El Corazon is hosting the Easy Big Fella reunion show in their tiny lounge room. The stage is not much bigger than two large dining room tables shoved together and it’s going to be hosting ska bands of seven to eight members each. By the time Easy Big Fella …
Saturday night, September 7th, brought the long anticipated return of the legendary Adam Ant. And judging by the reaction from the sold out crowd at the Showbox, he didn’t disappoint. He bounced onto the stage in full pirate regalia. One of the songs he opened with was “Beat My Guest” from the tumultuous album Kings …
The first Friday in September and I’ve headed to Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood to see a show at a club in the basement of Neumo’s called Barboza. I was invited to photograph and review a quartet from Philly called Bleeding Rainbow. Bleeding Rainbow are Rob Garcia — vocals and guitar, Sarah Everton — vocals and …
It’s Friday night at Seattle’s El Corazon and the most anticipated show of the summer of 2013 is about to begin. And I am there. Canadian punk legends DOA are headlining and Seattle’s legendary Fastbacks are also on the bill. The show was billed as DOA’s farewell tour, yet DOA mentioned nothing of the sort …
What started out easily enough as an interview with The Joy Formidable this year ended in a fantastic journey. This past spring, I sat down with Ritzy and Rhydian of The Joy Formidable to have an open and frank discussion on the state of affairs in their world and the music business in general. With …
It was a warm August night and Seattle’s Showbox across from the Pike Place Market hosted ska legends Five Iron Frenzy. Hailing from Denver, CO, the members of this eight-piece outfit are as much comedians as they are musicians. Front man Reese Roper came on stage dressed in light colored spandex emblazoned with girlie unicorns. …
Sunday night August 11 I attended my first ever Concert at the Zoo in Seattle. The event was Todd Snider’s Traveling Folk Show. I attended with my son as Sarah Jarosz was on the bill (see my review of her show at the Triple Door last year). I don’t often get to see folk shows, …
The latest from Staxx Brothers both looks and sounds so much like a Stax-Volt homage that no one would be surprised if Booker T. Jones or Steve Cropper themselves showed up for a cameo. Enjoy!
On the hot and humid Friday night of August 9, 2013, I headed to the nearly century old Neptune Theater on the edge of the University of Washington campus. It was the second night of a two-night stand in Seattle for Gogol Bordello. Hailing from New York City, the band members actually are natives of …
I remember driving around with a good friend in her old VW bug, in the summer evenings after work. She had broken up with her longtime boyfriend, I wasn’t seeing anyone… just bored. And feeling left behind. Everyone was elsewhere. Very little money, and we were already too well-trained by our upbringing to figure out …
Rancid came on stage and played almost all their “greatest hits” one after another, barely coming up for air. Tim Armstrong, wearing his traditional ski hat, barely stayed in one place as he moved about the stage, stood on a monitor, stood on the drum riser and moved about some more. Songs like Fall Back …
It’s a steaming hot Tuesday night July 9th, 2013, but inside Seattle’s El Corazon it’s even hotter. SO Cal ska masters Suburban Legends turn up the temperature as they hit the stage like a raging inferno and never let up. Front man Vincent Walker leaped about the stage, thrust himself into the crowd, working them …
Jimmy Eat World played to a packed crowd at Showbox Sodo Monday night July 15th. They played songs from their brand new release Damage as well as many of their classics. Jimmy Eat World is from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and …
“It’s not an accident that we’re on stage together,” David Byrne declared near the beginning of a concert Thursday with St. Vincent at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Wash. Good thing he said that considering how little the two performers genuinely meshed during the show. That said, the concert proved to be an …
I’m very glad someone filmed this appearance by Van at Montreux in 1980. Different Youtubed song clips from it float my way from time to time. Right after Common One, this had to be A peak, even THE peak. …not to mention fishing poles…
I am disappointed by President Obama’s forays in the Middle East, failure to close Guantanamo, and use of drone “missions” that create more hatred than peace. The following lyrics come from a Dead Kennedys song called “Kinky Sex Makes the World Go ‘Round,” which was part of the 1987 release, Give Me Convenience or Give …
Whenever I hear Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” I’m reminded of a time when as children we rode unseatbelted in cigarette-smoke-filled big cars and were left alone to figure out the world from carelessly laid issues of National Lampoon. – Nick Millward
My cousin, Tom Fredrickson, is a great writer, one of the very best I’ve had the good fortune to have known. He can write with laser exactitude on any subject. He has a new blog, http://lostwaxmethod.com/, which allows him to share his considerable music knowledge with the world. Today he writes about a Beach Boys …
Saturday June 15 marked the first day of my summer vacation and I lived it up on a beautiful sunny day just south of Seattle at the White River Amphitheater. The amphitheater grounds are vast rambling grounds with Mt. Rainier looming gloriously over it. When I first arrive around 11:30, the press list had not …
Friday was the last day of school and I wasted no time in starting my summer vacation from teaching at Seattle’s illustrious El Corazon while they hosted a night of punk/psychobilly that won’t soon be forgotten. The infamous Nekromantix headlined a night that had already heated up thanks to three stellar opening bands. More on …
In 1997 Riot Grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre) released a solo album under the name‚ “Julie Ruin” with the intention of forming a band to perform the songs live. In 2010, with Le Tigre on hiatus, Kathleen began to build her dream team with whom she recorded The Julie Ruin debut album. …
Austin-based singer-songwriter Bonnie Whitmore has just released her second album, There I Go Again, on This is American Music. There’s a rumor she references Hunter S. Thompson on one of the songs. If true, this is something I’d like to hear. Whitmore turned 30 recently and she’s been “in the biz” since she was 15. …
I was never a rabid fan, just a casual one. However, I’d love to see these guys in concert (not at a festival). I can’t believe they dissolved over 20 years ago. Man, I am old! http://www.vita.mn/crawl/210487301.html – Mark Erickson HOW THE REPLACEMENTS SAVED ME FROM THE LEDGE, by Claude Iosso
Just blundered upon this definitive MONDO “Beat It” from the infamous Jacksons VICTORY Tour of 1984, and I’ll be damned if the spectacle doesn’t live up to all its crazed HYPE, at least for the distended, 7:03 length of this one song, drum solo and all! I love how random Michael’s attempts to interact and …
Are you an aspiring songwriter? If you’ve ever listened to a song and thought, “I can do that,” Seattle pop-punk band Quickie is ready to give you the chance. The trio wants to collaborate with you (and you, and YOU!) on a new song titled “Weapons of Mass Distraction”. “We’re looking for a phrase, a …
Ah, a prime piece of bubblegum. That’s Ron Dante in the video, lead vocalist on the record. Not only did Dante (born Carmine Granito) sing lead on this, the number 1 song of 1969, but he also sang lead and backgrounds on “Tracy,” a number 9 hit by the Cufflinks. Has any other singer had …