Portland indie rock powerhouse Laura Veirs is a-comin’ to town. Her shows have always been strong, but this time she’s touring in support of her critically acclaimed new album July Flame, a beautifully written low tempo, simple record—which means you should be extra excited. The songs on July Flame are both haunting and engaging. Along with her own material, Veirs arranged her own version of an old Rimbaud poem called “Sleeper in the Valley,” which is about a young soldier killed in battle.
Opening for Laura Viers is The Old Believers, also from Portland. The Old Believers make beautiful, soulful, folky music. Their arrangements are pretty complex, and though there are only two core members of the band on this tour, it’s not unusual for their live band to have ten or more musicians.
First on the bill is Cataldo, the project of Seattle’s own Eric Anderson. His music is simple and acoustically-based, with Anderson’s endearing voice singing out his clever, engaging lyrics. Both Cataldo and The Old Believers also serve as Laura Veirs’ backing band.
Check out this adorable music video for the title track of Laura Veirs’ newest album, July Flame:
This Saturday marks the opening of Jigsaw Records, Ballard’s newest record store. Jigsaw will bespecializing in indiepop, power pop, indie rock, lo-fi pop, twee, and pretty much any other kind of fun pop music that they fancy. They will be interacting directly with local, domestic and international labels to bring in music that may not get much exposure or distribution. Jigsaw will be accepting all formats of music, from CD’s and vinyl to cassettes, zines and handmade CD’s—which will all keep in line with their overall DIY aesthetic.
Jigsaw will be celebrating their grand opening with a show on Saturday night, featuring awesome Seattle twee-pop band Math And Physics Club (who haven’t performed in almost two years) and David Crane of BOAT. Their doors open at 11 am, and the party starts at 7.
-Katy McCourt-Basham, Seattle Show Gal
Check out this video of Math And Physics Club performing “La La La Lisa”.
Don’t forget about the Rocky Votolato show tonight! To see Nikki Benson’s preview, click here. For more show ideas, please see our Tonight section, and click over to our friends at ReignCity.com
Portland’s Hossanas used to be called Church. Then they tussled with The Church’s (the band, not the religious institution) lawyers. Then they changed their name.
At their most straight-forward moments, Hosannas bring the dreamy, unique tones of Warpaint, an SSG favorite, to mind, but then they change it up. They stretch the definitions of music with their melodic, harmonic vocals, warbly stadium-sized guitar sounds, and fuzzed out electronics. They habitually employ misplaced song climaxes, and there is often a disconnect from the rolling drums and quiet background layers of samples. The avant-pop classification placed on them by others is one they have earned. Hosannas, now a Hush Records artist with a new album due out in May, make for a truly unique live experience.
Witness the strangeness at the Seattle University Bistro, where having a show for a touring band at all is something of a unique experience.
Rocky Votolato is an artist who needs no introduction. The last time I had the honor of seeing him, it was at a sold out Neumos show, all in attendance sang along to the familiar songs. Tomorrow night, Rocky Votolato will be celebrating the February 23rd release of True Devotion. The reception of this album has already been fantastic, so this show is guaranteed to be full of excitement, positive energy, and happy hearts.
For those who aren’t already aware, Rocky Votolato has recently partnered with a new Seattle-based organization called One Day’s Wages, which is dedicated to the cause of fighting global poverty. 10% of all Votolato’s proceeds from the sales of True Devotion will be donated directly to One Day’s Wages. How cool is that? Not only do Rocky Votolato fans get some fresh music from their beloved singer-songwriter, but we also get to help a good cause. Since Rocky Votolato is known for selling out all of his local shows, it’s a good idea to pick up your tickets in advance to guarantee your admission. Get ready be entertained in grand style, and don’t forget to bring some cash to pick up the new album, True Devotion.
Here is a sample track, “Red River,” and a video of an oldie but goody “Suicide Medicine” performed at Hell’s Kitchen in 2007.
Band Members Jason Dodson, Ryan McMackin, Chris Zasche, Tomo Nakayama, Kevin Barrans, Tim Gadbois, Chris Warner, Seth Warren, Jesse Bonn
Photo by Suzi Pratt
March has been a busy month for The Maldives. Early this month, they were featured in Lynn Shelton’s $5 Cover: Seattle premiere, and now Ballard’s own alt-country rock band is bound for SXSW to show the rest of the nation that Seattle can successfully popularize more than the grunge and indie-rock that we are best known for. Two nights ago was The Maldives‘ SXSW send off party, and even though it was late on a Wednesday night, the sold out audience packed the Tractor Tavern, eager to see one of Seattle’s most popular local bands. Opening with “Goodbye,” lead singer Jason Dodson appeared relaxed and happy to be playing before fans who were singing and clapping along to the now-popular lyrics and rhythms of Listen to the Thunder, the band’s first LP that debuted last fall. The strong, full-bodied songs “Blood Relations” and “The Time is Right Now” flooded the Tractor with a huge presence that only a band of nine could illicit. Unfortunately, the Tractor’s sound system was a couple notches too high, making me resort to using earplugs, which in turn muffled the full effect of hearing The Maldives live. There was also an excessive amount of background chatter that was drowned out during the loud cuts and amplified during the soft, slow ballads. Due to an unpleasant mix of rude crowd members, one of whom even answered his mobile phone during the show, and an overblown sound system, this particular show was not among my top-rated, but The Maldives themselves remain highly rated and recommended in my book. Be sure to catch them live if you haven’t yet!
Photo by Suzi Pratt
Something should also be said for Or, the Whale, one of the bands opening for The Maldives. This country rock band from San Francisco will also perform at SXSW. Their mix of boot-stomping rockers and swelling ballads are in the same fashion of The Maldives, except Or, the Whale features two female singers whose powerful voices blend with their male counterparts to produce soaring harmonies accompanied by smooth guitar riffs, plucking banjos and pounding drums. Seeing them live is a special treat since this seven member band really gets into their music, using the small stage area to sway and rock out. Even though a majority of the audience was there to see The Maldives, nearly everyone was blown away by this other talented West Coast alt-country band. If you’re a fan of The Maldives, check out Or, the Whale, and you too shall be pleasantly surprised.
Oy, also known as Joy Rempong, makes music that is playful, engaging and experimental. Her songs often play with the spoken word, looping words and vocal tones to blend with atmospheric electronic sound. Some songs show a fondness for jazz, with the accompanying looped sounds acting as a more modern version of skatting. Others are more clamoring and rough, using harsher tones, a more intense beat and rumbling bass. You can sometimes hear hints of gospel, soul and prog-rock in her songs, as well. The overall feel of her music is whimsical and improvisational, leaving the listener uncertain what to expect next. This show will be quite the adventure. - Katy McCourt-Basham, Seattle Show Gal
We have some local, ambient, down-tempo, synth to throw your way. The Animals at night are playing tonight... They are sure to make you dance involuntarily, since Seattleites don’t make public displays of enjoyment by choice, or lull you to sleep. If the latter is the case, you’ll be drifting off due to the sheer relaxation factor of it all; this relaxation is not boring. The Animals at Night have drum kits, keys, laptops, guitars, loop stations, and much more. The mix of organic instrumentation, synth keys, and programmed beats is a natural aphrodisiac. Chocolate covered strawberries ain’t got nothin’ on The Animals at Night. – Nikki Benson, Seattle Show Gal
Helladope @ Nectar Lounge | 3/12 | 8:30 pm | 21+ | $8 DOS (Includes a copy of Helladope’s self-titled debut album.)
At first listen, Helladope’s sound is reminiscent of a slightly-friendlier version of Southern California’s G-funk era, an altered take on the early 90’s sounds of Warren G, DJ Quik, and Tha Dogg Pound, minus the relentless aggression and gangsta themes prevalent with those SoCal trendsetters.
Producer Tay Sean is the man primarily responsible for Helladope’s vibe. He takes his addictive beats and dips them into a mixture of slinky synths, computerized basslines, and futurist keyboard flourishes. And when the concoction is done Jerm-inating (so to speak), the results are pleasureful, danceable, chunks of funk candy that you want to stick in your ear and leave there forever. Tay is also a capable emcee and Jerm is a worthy partner in rhyme who also brings a Nate Dogg-esque R&B croon to some of the tracks. Together, they can really do it all.
To enter to win your tickets to this show, click here or e-mail contests@seattleshowgal.com with the words “Dope is getting Hella” in the subject line. Be sure to include your name for the guest listing. IMPORTANT: Someone from the SSG staff will be sending out the advantage code word to our brand new e-mail list day of show to get into Helladope. If you want the advantage, CLICK HERE TO GET ON “THE LIST”! – Chul Gugich, Seattle Show Gal
For more show ideas, please see our Tonight section, and click over to our friends at ReignCity.com
This Saturday marks the opening of Jigsaw Records, Ballard’s newest record store. Jigsaw will bespecializing in indiepop, power pop, indie rock, lo-fi pop, twee, and pretty much any other kind of fun pop music that they fancy. They will be interacting directly with local, domestic and international labels to bring in music that may not get much exposure or distribution. Jigsaw will be accepting all formats of music, from CD’s and vinyl to cassettes, zines and handmade CD’s—which will all keep in line with their overall DIY aesthetic.
Jigsaw will be celebrating their grand opening with a show on Saturday night, featuring awesome Seattle twee-pop band Math And Physics Club (who haven’t performed in almost two years) and David Crane of BOAT. Their doors open at 11 am, and the party starts at 7.
Check out this video of Math And Physics Club performing “La La La Lisa”.
Jon Olken gave his review of last Tuesday’s performance of The Lonely Forest at Neumos here. He commented that in his humble opinion, their new material was “a bit lacking.” As the intention of this post is merely to introduce an interview, the commentary won’t be too in depth, but here were a few things I observed.
This show was full at 9pm. Normally sold out shows fill up by the time the headliner comes out because, let’s be honest, most people aren’t as into the opening bands. The air was full of people in anxious anticipation to see The Lonely Forest. The room remained a bit noisy until they came out. As soon as John Van Deusen stepped out, leaned into the mike and said, “Hey! We’re The Lonely Forest!” the audience went wild. The energy mounted from one song to the next, and the room seemed to be abuzz with glee for the new material. Not to start reviewer wars with the respected writer Jon Olken, but in this reviewer’s opinion, The Lonely Forestlacked nothing.
As most know, The Lonely Forest were recently signed to Chris Walla’s new imprint label, Trans. What’s the deal with our Anacortes younglings? What were their thoughts soon after the dust settled? What’s next for The Lonely Forest? Find out directly from the horse’s mouth here, on SSG.
Last Tuesday, a great group of bands sold out Neumos. Anyone lucky enough to make it through the door, and there were a number of fans trying to find tickets who weren’t lucky enough, were treated to a fantastic show by Bear Hands, The Lonely Forest, and We Were Promised Jetpacks.
The first band to hit the stage was the Brooklyn based Bear Hands. After playing a live set on KEXP earlier in the day, a lot of folks were excited to see them and made it in early to check them out, myself included. We were not disappointed. They were easily the loudest band of the night. Rocking the crowd with their riotous percussion segments, featuring several of the band members playing various drums, and soaring guitar and bass riffs. They’re set was a great primer for what was to come later. They are definitely a band to keep your eyes on in the future. Sorry the following video isn’t from Neumos.
The second band of the night was local boys The Lonely Forest. The Anacortes based band, led by John Van Deusen, has been creating quite a buzz in the local music scene over the past couple of years, so I was eager to see them live. Their set was interesting as it was filled with mostly new material from their soon to be released major label debut. It was still the piano driven pop that’s expected from them, but it was, in my humble opinion, somewhat lacking. It reminded me of Dashboard Confessional but with more piano. It was still a good show, but I can see now why Eric Grandy says that they are destined for Twilight soundtracks.
The headliner of the evening was We Were Promised Jetpacks. The four Scottish rockers have been making music since 2003, when they won their schools battle of the bands competition, but their debut album, These Four Walls, was only released in June of last year. This is their first North American tour as a headliner. Last year when they visited Seattle, they were the opener for fellow Scottish rockers Frightened Rabbit. This time they were the main act, and they showed the packed house at Neumos that they deserve top billing.
The band entered on stage to a prerecorded and kind of weird launch sequence. They played along with the weirdness until the launch sequence stopped and they took off into their song “Keeping Warm.” They followed that by going straight into the popular and fast paced rock song “Quiet Little Voices.” From the get go, We Were Promised Jetpacks had the crowd bouncing along to their lively rock songs. It wasn’t entirely fast paced though. They slowed down the mood and picked it up often in the same song. It set a nice pace for the show as they tore through their repertoire.
For most of the show, the crowd screamed, jumped, danced, and stared as We Were Promised Jetpacks rocked our worlds. At times, lead singer Adam Thompson didn’t even use his microphone. He just knocked his microphone stand over and screamed the lyrics while the crowd sang along. The band was enjoying themselves so much that they decided to skip the formality of leaving the stage before the encore, telling the audience that just wanted to keep playing. Unfortunately, they couldn’t play all night, and they ended their set with the epic song “Short Burts.”
It was a phenomenal performance by We Were Promised Jetpacks. It was a treat to see such a humble band, they thanked everyone from the venue and the fans to their own mothers, rock so hard. The opening bands were a pleasure as well. All things said and done, it was one heck of a Tuesday night.
If you’re looking to hear some new and interesting music on a Friday night, look no further than Oy, a Swiss artist who will be making a stop at the Ballard Mine this Friday on her March tour through the U.S.
Oy, also known as Joy Rempong, makes music that is playful, engaging and experimental. Her songs often play with the spoken word, looping words and vocal tones to blend with atmospheric electronic sound. Some songs show a fondness for jazz, with the accompanying looped sounds acting as a more modern version of skatting. Others are more clamoring and rough, using harsher tones, a more intense beat and rumbling bass. You can sometimes hear hints of gospel, soul and prog-rock in her songs, as well. The overall feel of her music is whimsical and improvisational, leaving the listener uncertain what to expect next. This show will be quite the adventure.
If you’ve been tuned in to the Seattle music scene for a while, you are probably familiar with Ear Candy, a group of music journalists led by Travis Hay, that is one of the major local music blogs providing music commentary and photography to our diverse and ample music community. Our friends over at Ear Candy will be celebrating Ear Candy’sbirthday bash this weekend by hosting two back-to-back shows featuring local Seattle artists. Saturday at the Sunset Tavern will be an evening sponsored by Ear Candy featuring Spanish for 100, People Eating People, and We Wrote the Book on Connectors. The official Ear Candy Birthday Bash will take place the following evening at Nectar Lounge with Queerbait!, Katie Kate, Lisa Dank and No-Fi Soul Rebellion on the bill. If you haven’t heard of any of these aforementioned artists, it’s probably because these are rising stars on the local music scene. If you have heard of these artists, you have no excuse to miss out on this Weekend of Awesome. Come out and show your support for local artists, venues, and some of the folks who write about them!
Seattle Show Gal is in hot pursuit of undiscovered talent! How many great bands are out there that are slipping through the cracks? Seattle is saturated with so much music, it would be nearly impossible to sift through it all to find the good stuff. The Seattle Show Gal staff is not so proud to think that we can bring you all of it, but we are actively pursuing all different types of acts to give you a pulse on what is going on--right here in Seattle! (See more in "About")
