Festivals, Concert Series, and Mega-Shows, Part 2: Music Goes Well With...

Festivals, Concert Series, and Mega-Shows, Part 2

The PNW is blessed with plenty of ambitious event planners that cater to a wide range of musical interests. This post highlights festivals and mega-shows (our term for a one-day festival) in our region that feature more than just great music.

Music goes well with...craft beer!

Like to wash down your music with a frosty brew?

Taking place from 4pm till midnight on the last Saturday of Winter (March 16) at King's Hall, The Stranger presents its first Penumbra Beer Bash. The event features 25 craft beers from local breweries like Hilliard's, Fremont, Naked City, and more and the music lineup includes 6 different bands: The Catheters, Pleasureboaters, TacocaT, Wimps, La Luz, and Prism Tats. Tix are $25 and you get 7 drink tokens; you will definitely get your money's worth, and proceeds benefit the nonprofit The World is Fun. Need more? Food trucks will be there! Like Skillet and Seattle Biscuit Company! Plus there's this weird thing called a Randall which dispenses beer with "various specialty ingredients, thereby infusing unique flavors".... sounds cool, right? They're having a Randall Competition and there will be 12 of 'em!

I know what you're wondering. What does Penumbra mean? Well, they want you to think of it as the "darkness that defines the silver lining." I think it's an allusion to the last dark days of Winter before the Spring.

Music goes well with beer and...bikes! 

But you'll either have to take my word for it, or travel to Boise, Idaho to experience the only New Belgium Brewing Tour de Fat stop in the PNW.

Portland-based March Fourth Marching Band plays Tour de Fat at Gasworks way back in 2008

Tour de Fat is a traveling bike/beer/music summer mega-show that used to make stops in Portland and Seattle, but I guess they decided these fair cities were bike-friendly enough. Bike parade, music, variety acts, beer, and it was held at Gasworks park in the middle of summer...sigh...those were the days. Anyways, they continue to bring this good time to cities all over the nation, and if you find yourself near Boise on August 17th, make a point of going.

Thankfully, New Belgium still stops in Seattle for their Clips of Faith bike, beer, and folly-inspired traveling short film festival...which is totally awesome, too, but it doesn't feature music.

Music goes well with...comedy, ballet, rat city roller girls, short films, theatre, great food, and whatever else the geniuses at Bumbershoot can think of! 

Death Cab for Cutie at Bumbershoot 2008

Labor day weekend is August 31-September 2 this year, folks. Bumbershoot tickets have been on-sale in one form or another since Halloween 2012, and ticket prices will only continue to increase. You can currently buy a 3-day pass to this morning-till-midnight music and arts binge for $99 (before fees). That's 34% off door prices. It is the best value for your money as far as PNW festivals go, and if you get burnt out on music, there are ALL THE OTHER THINGS. It boggles my mind. There will be more on Bumbershoot as soon as they start posting lineup information.

Artist Review: Children of Kids

 

Seattle's Children of Kids are a trio composed of Madeline Franks, Madison Levine, and Richie Nelson, and in some ways they're more a project than a band. That's really the only way to describe them, because the 2011 migration of Franks and Levine from Chicago to join Nelson in Seattle led to more than just the continuation of their band, it also resulted in the creation of CTPAK Records. Since the label's formation, the three (with the help of others) have drawn on their grassroots approach to musicianship to create a collaborative label that offers production, engineering, mixing and mastering to a growing group of artists. However, if the online excitement about CTPAK showcases and releases has left you wondering whether the band that began it all deserves your attention, then I want to assure you that is does. 

Source: Katarina Countiss via Katablog, Thanks, Katarina!

To date they have only released one full-length album and two EPs, but in that time the group has morphed from a duo of just Levine and Franks on 2010’s IIIΔIII, into a quartet with the addition of Callum Plews and Richie Nelson for 2011’s Prism, and finally into their current Seattle manifestation as a trio. Their last EP, titled “Pony Tales”, was released in July of 2012 and it features some of their most beautiful work yet.

Despite these changes, every incarnation of Children of Kids has produced interesting results as they dabbled to varying degrees with formulas utilizing dream-folk, post-twee, and experimental electronica. The dreamy acoustic guitar work, and soaring, reverb-laden vocals on IIIΔIII standouts like “Bloodstar” remind me of the early work of Liz Harris’ Grouper project, but with a distinct folk flavor that makes it all their own.

Prisms seems like the true starting point for their current formation. It retains the measured, but never lazy pace established on the previous release, but also cultivates an underlying feeling of playful wonder through its upbeat tempo. To be sure, the duo’s presence is retained, but new features like piano, bubbling electronics, noise, and even house-inspired beats on some tracks make for soulful additions.   

The Pony Tales EP is an extension of everything that they began on Prisms, but it’s clear that the individual members have become more confident—this is particularly apparent in the vocals and electronic work.

The group has been playing pretty regularly around the Seattle area for some time now, and while they don’t have any new shows listed at present, stay tuned for new dates in the Upcoming Shows section. All of their work is available on bandcamp and a new record, tentatively titled The Purpose, is slated to be out soon. 

Urban Avant Garde + Sprouting Wings @ Urban Light Studios

Looking for something rad to do tonight in Seattle? Check this event out!

Urban Avant Garde + Sprouting Wings 

"Bring your ears, your eyes, and your thirsty appetites to Greenwood's Urban Light Studio on March 8th from 6-11pm"...for a well-rounded dose of the arts!

I've never been to this space before, but it looks really cool. Come out and enjoy the work of over 50 of Seattle's visual artists while enjoying music! The musical lineup is:

Patrick Files @ 7:30pm
Wes Sp8 @ 8pm Patrick
Galactic of Death by Stars @ 8:30pm
Casey Ruff & the Mayors of Ballard @ 9pm
Mannequin BBQ @9:30pm
Breakthrough in Field Studies @ 10pm
Ever So Android @10:30pm

This event is part of the Phinneywood monthly Art Walk. Check out the art walk schedules for all Seattle neighborhoods!

Artist Review: The Numbs' "People"

While I apparently missed out on the tenure of U, an industrial collage act composed of Jeff Johnson and Travis Coster, I don’t think I can fully mourn the loss because both artists have gone on to do such awesome work. Coster has been keeping busy as part of the now nationally acclaimed prog-grunge band Naomi Punk, who has just had their first record "The Feeling” (originally on Couple Skate) re-released on Brookyln-based Captured Tracks, while Johnson has been performing instrumental music under the moniker The Numbs. Last year's “People” is Johnson’s first full-length under that name and while the blog-o-sphere paid a lot of attention to the single “Freaks Easy”, I feel like it fell asleep on the rest of the record, which is a crime.  

 So here’s the subjective part: what does it sound like? I guess the popular term is “junk funk” owing in equal parts to the quasi-danceable beats and copy/paste style assimilation of warbling pops, hisses, and whistles. However, while technically accurate, this description still somehow falls short, perhaps because collage work like this is by definition greater than the sum of its parts. I feel like the real strength here lies in Johnson’s ability to effectively craft such an evocative full-length from seeming unrelated pieces—like assembling a complete puzzle from the remains of 50 different throwaways.

The Numbs playing Cairo Seattle for the "People" release show--don't remember the date. 

The result? Ari Spool at Impose described “Freaks Easy” as the perfect soundtrack to a Bill Nye the Science Guy experiment montage, but I keep imagining “People” as the soundtrack to some great maniacal cartoon saga with pieces like “Schaff did it” representing the opening shots, others like “I don’t understand” conveying tragedy, and anthems like “000’0006” and “Brain Case” playing triumphantly behind a victorious protagonist. That interpretation may not resonate with everyone, but the point is that Johnson imparts both function and form to these strange and comical sounds through his skillful arrangements. In fact, its the way in which he manages to do this that most distinguishes him from one of his biggest influences, Black Dice. Regarding BD, Bjorn Copeland himself says, "In the band, there's a weird aesthetic that we nurture that's playful but has a kind of, I don't want to say nihilistic, but a critical point of view". In contrast, Johnson produces music that is hand-dipped in some ill-defined, detached passion that exists outside of this world all together.

 You can still purchase the “People” cassette through the wonderful local label Couples Skate, and don’t forget to see The Numbs in and around our city (note: Numb is a different band)

 Also, if anyone has a copy of any of U’s material beyond what’s available on bandcamp I would really like a copy.

Artist Review: WIMPS

 

I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Seattle’s Wimps than their lunacy-inducing New Year’s Eve set at the Comet (alongside Monogamy Party, Haunted Horses and Ubu Roi). I had already downloaded their E.P, but didn’t really have any idea of what to expect from a live show. Happily, I spent the all too brief set crashing around to songs about the joys of napping and workplace frustration (not to mention avoiding Matt’s flailing bass neck), and when it was all over I had not only avoided that nasty sense of false introspection the Eve usually instills, but I had also found a new favorite band.

Wimps, which consist of Rachel Ratner (guitar/vocals), Matt Nyce (bass/vocals), and Dave Ramm (drums) deal in an awesomely stark, surf-tinged punk aesthetic, but that’s not what makes them special. What sets this group apart from the saturated DIY-punk community is their blistering energy and Nyce and Ratner’s clever, howling delivery of seemingly simple lyrical themes. Punk is not unaccustomed to songs (and whole records) based on topics like banality or anxiety, but where much of punk imparts that all too familiar “I’m about to crack” feel, Wimps songs have a sense of DEVO-esque maniacal humor that says, “meh… so what?” In addition, there is a subtle architecture to songs like the title track of their new record, “Repeat”, which is hard not to love (listen below). That song, whose lyrics read, “When your life seems stuck on repeat/Eat sleep, eat sleep, eat sleep” is transformed from a good song into a great song by awesome touches like cyclic rhythm lines and vocal parroting. Their first full length was just released on End of Time Records yesterday and you can listen to "Repeat" below. Come see them at Black Lodge on the 26th with The Trashies and more!

In the spirit of the new year, I asked Rachael for a 2012 list to share with you, and here it is:

Top 5 Wimps moments of 2012

1. Attempting to dry underpants in a motel microwave and instead lighting them on fire
2. Meeting Richie K, the guy who drew the Dookie album cover. He was really nice.
3. Spending a sunny afternoon in Dolores Park, SF
4. Swimming in every hole we could find
5. Endless hours of the most insulting inter-band free style rap battles imaginable

Neighborhood Guide to Buying Music in Seattle. Part 1: Belltown and Ballard

Leaving aside (at least for the moment) the question of why you should purchase physical media, this set of posts aims to help you decide where to do it by Seattle neighborhood. Each location has a map link in the store name, as well as a brief review, a star-based indication of quality (1 to 4), and an idea of the products they sell. Today: Belltown and Ballard. Coming soon: Capitol Hill, Fremont, West Seattle, etc.

 Note: all stores are open at time of writing. If you feel I've missed something, give me a shout. 

Enjoy!

T

Belltown:

Singles Going Steady:

Probably the best place to go for obscure punk, goth, hardcore, industrial and psychobilly—basically all the subgenres that Pitchfork tends to ignore. They have fairly reasonable prices and a moderately sized selection of both cds and vinyl—definitely worth the trip to Belltown. The staff were helpful and willing to share their vast knowledge (and help set me straight about the best and worst 7 Seconds’ records).

☆☆☆                     New and Used Punk, Hardcore, Industrial, etc

Ballard:

            Beats and Bohos:

I had no idea that this shop was even here and I’ve been buying vinyl in Ballard for years! It occupies the second floor of a small house on 15^th ave nw and they sell all sorts of weird house frau garb and other bohemian/vintage stuff. However, their excellent vinyl selection occupies far and away the most space (with what I estimate to be several thousand titles of rock, jazz, rock, punk, etc). While they lack the space of the larger stores, the owner (I assume) was very helpful and the prices were surprisingly reasonable. This shop has an awesome vibe!

☆☆☆                     Used Vinyl and CDs, Limited Tapes.

Bop Street:

Located in the heart of Ballard, this shop has a sign out front (at present) that quotes the Wall Street Journal as calling them “One of the five best music stores in America”.  Maybe that refers to a previous location; all I see is a museum filled with inaccessible walls of expensive merchandise that I could pull out of a discount bin elsewhere. If you don’t like to dig and you want a specific record right now, then this might be the place for you, but I’d rather go across the street to Sonic Boom instead.

☆                    Used Vinyl

Sonic Boom:

Stellar shop. New and lightly used vinyl releases and cds with an emphasis on independent and obscure titles. The shop is always attractive and the staff willing to help you find what you’re looking for. To be honest, this is usually the first place I turn to for new music because they’re always on top of release dates and have pretty reasonable prices. My only complaint is that the “sale” vinyl is not really priced as such, but their selection of used cds is ample and cheap enough ($5.99 or 6.99 on average) to justify the trip in itself. Also, awesome in-stores on a regular basis.

☆☆☆☆               New and Used CDs, Vinyl and Some Tapes

Also:

Goodwill: sometimes you can find a couple of used CDs that are worthwhile here.

Public Library Branch: lots of good, in-demand titles to sample. Trust me!

The Bushwick Book Club

The Bushwick Book Club started in Brooklyn, so it is not surprising our own Seattle chapter flourishes at The Fremont Abbey , whose mission is "to curate vibrant & welcoming spaces where people of all ages and incomes can grow in their artistic & social development through arts & cultural experiences."

The concept is this: pick a book and several songwriter/musicians, get them to write songs about the book, and then perform them all in one awesome night! Past books include Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity", Shel Silverstein's "Where The Sidewalk Ends", and Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". They have been performing in this format on a regular basis since at least October 2010.

I have been meaning to attend a performance for a long while, and the next opportunity is coming soon on Friday, January 18, 2013; the subject book is a repeat, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States". Not only do they promise a chapter-by-chapter performance by 12 different local artists, but there will be "delicious down-home American foods available." Save me some fried chicken!

"Zombie Reagan", by Mike Votava, was recorded from the last performance of this book, and is included on The Bushwick Book Club Volume 1, a collection of songs written for the format.


You can purchase a digital copy of Volume 1, name your price, here

I hope to post more about the cool unique musical activities and venues in Seattle and the greater region. Although I was born and raised in this area, there is always something new!

Cheers! Nikki.O