If you’ve listened to Arms and Sleepers recorded material you might agree that they their music is very classy, sexy, and unique. They have a sound so versatile that it could be received in an area as vast as a Music Hall or as quaint as a Tavern. Far from classy, the evening of March 13th 2009 Arms and Sleepers played at The Holy Mountain. The setting was dingy, smoky, and smutty; you couldn’t swing a [purse] without bumping into girls grinding on each other. As far as the venue controlled conditions were concerned, the sound and lighting were a direct obstruction to a relaxed mood. How could a band so smooth and subtle gain the mastery over these circumstances? Simply, the sheer mass of Arms and Sleepers’ music was more powerful then the abhorrent setting.
The mass of Arms and Sleepers is delicate yet powerful. Audio aesthetics of wood wind instruments, playful bells, airy vocals, and electronic pops create little coves for your imagination to go into and play. Their three dimensional art of sound is a self propitiation creation; it has a designer, but the way that it interacts with different people is an unpredictable phenomenon. Along with the playful nature of Arms and Sleepers, there is a resonant sexiness that flows through the music. There is no need for vigorous exertion to get the full impact; all you have to do is be there, and it will slowly take you over.
A major addition that you get when you see Arms and Sleepers live is the visual art. It takes the normal experience of going to a show up to the level of being pulled into virtual reality. The images that flashed across the backdrop were a hand-in-hand match with the feeling of the music. The tricky thing with visual graphics is that even though it is emotionally driven, if it isn’t timed just right it can be a distraction. Arms and Sleepers delivered perfectly timed execution of their visual art; they created the space for us to fall into an abyss of emotion.
Please enjoy the video from 03/13/2009 and when you have the chance to see Arms and Sleepers for yourself, do it.
Mar 25 2009 9:00P WPTS 92.1 FM (interview + performance) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 25 2009 9:30P BRILLOBOX Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 26 2009 8:00P BUG JAR Rochester, New York
Mar 27 2009 9:00P LABYRINTH PRESS Jamestown, New York
Mar 27 2009 10:00P MOJO’S Jamestown, New York
Mar 28 2009 8:00P M-ROOM Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
When I was able to see Common Market perform on March 14, 2009 it was incredible. The supporting band Vunt Foom was jazzy and funky, the crowd was live, and RA was on point; but what stuck out most was Common Market’s lyrics.
Common Market is something of a paradox. RA writes lyrics that cover some pretty heavy subjects, however it is done in a way that is light of heart. On the album Tobacco Road, there are subject maters such as working in tobacco fields. RA Scion commented that although he has physically worked in tobacco fields, in this context it was metaphorical for work that needs to be done in the community. You might ask, “How can heavy music be light of heart?” RA is not coming at the world saying what is good, bad, right, or wrong; he is simply talking about what is so. RA Scion is a person who writes music with the people, for the people, and for himself.
Being that person allows people to connect him and his message in a very profound way. As a member of the listening audience I felt so connected I decided to look into him a bit further. The further I looked, the more I fell into the rabbit-whole. There is so much about RA, I had no choice but to interview him.
We have a special occasion and an .S.S.G. first! As you might have seen, I have special link to Electronic Voice Phenomenon on my side panel. EVP has been a brother from another mother to me over the past few months, and Thursday March 12th we had the pleasure of reviewing No Kids and Parenthetical Girls aka (((GRRRLS))) together! EVP took the lead with the words, and I took the lead with the video. I liked No Kids a bit more then EVP and Parenthetical Girls a bit less, but EVP’s got this one. I’m changing the format of the review just a bit to keep the post .S.S.G., but all of the content and ratings for this post are from EVP. Enjoy!
The paradox present during the opening date of odd couple Parenthetical Girls and No Kids was thick. If it weren’t for friendship, one would wonder just how two distinctly different groups would end up on sharing a stage. No Kids with their sweet Canadian dance pop and Parenthetical Girls with their cabaret anthems—it left the bearded masses in states of mad scratching and syncopated head bops.
Band Members
Justin Kellam
Julia Chirka,
Nick Krgovich
No Kids quietly took the cramped stage, but managed to spread themselves out to give the stage an appearance of grandness. Crafted of P:ano keyboardists Nick Krgovich and Julia Chirka along with drummer Justin Kellum, No Kids had little command of their created illusion. The band ripped through tracks from a promised new album to half the crowd—the other half eager to drink as much as they could and stay as far from the stage as possible. No Kids had a calming effect on those hunkered near the band, lulling the audience into tipsy sways and small but controlled heap bops and shoulder shrugs that only wallflowers can muster. The start and stop pop of No Kids is similar to the wealth of keyboard-based bands taking North America by storm (Chromeo, Matt and Kim, Mates of State)—if those bands downed copious amounts of valium and xanax. In a live setting, No Kids’ tight-knit grooves become repetitive, turning each song into deformed clones of the previous. It wasn’t until the set closing “Halloween,” that band and crowd got on the same page but by then, the once clustered crowd was already spreading itself to random corners of the small club. If No Kids proved anything, it was that the bedroom was the perfect place for them.
Band Members
Matt Carlson
Eddy Crichton
Rachael Jensen
Zac Pennington
Parenthetical Girls gladly gave up their bedroom escapades as Zac Pennington stormed the crowd in a floral sweater vest and elderly thrift store button down. After a snafu involving a detached mic cord caused Zac’s emotional march through the middle of the club to be cut short, he [literally] picked himself up, brushed himself off, and jumped back into the song as if it were all a part of the plan. Rather than be the polite knocker No Kids has presented themselves to be, Zac and (((GRRRLS))) kicked in every door in the house with a mix of Roxy Music swagger and Matthew Friedberger static. While the breadth of their set focused on a jittery mix of slow-fast-slow and loud-quiet-loud, (((GRRRLS))) make it work by throwing a bit of old style and grace with the kitchen sink instrumentation that has become a trademark of modern indie musicmakers. While the bedroom may no longer be large enough to contain an entertainer as brash and exuberant as Zac Pennington, it’s a treat to know that the music (((GRRRLS))) creates is still steeped in posters, LPs, journals, and toys.
Band Members
Geologic - Vocals
Sabzi – Beats, Turntables
In the medium of hip-hop there are lots of common denominators that go into a live show. You’ve got the MC, the DJ, and the ‘raise your hands in the air…make some noise…when I say…you say’ tag-lines. With genre specific repetitive elements, hip-hop shows can get really boring really fast. Although Blue Scholars fit into the above mentioned cliche, they were far from boring. They step out as being a unique presence in the realm of live hip-hop.
One reason that the Blue Scholars’ live show steps out as being unique is the basic element of humanity. Blue Scholars have an advantage being from Seattle and performing in Seattle. Geologic and Sabzi both attended the University of Washington. With some of the subject matter directly pertaining to Seattle college life and Seattle life in general, their artist to audience camaraderie was boosted to the nth degree. Root for the home team right? Aside from the home team advantage, Geologic allowed us to relate to him by sharing about his family, friends, and heritage. Not knowing much about the individual band members before I came to the show, It was nice leaving feeling like we have a brother in the flesh representing Seattle in the national hip-hop community.
Geologic gives us some home-town flavor, but he’s not confined to being Mr. Jovial. He gives us a dose of reality when rapping about politics, socialism, and activism. The mix of relaxed fun and reflective lyrics is balanced well. Geologic’s political approach is not judgmental or argumentative. Having a background in spoken word poetry, Geologic is skilled at creating a space for reflection and contemplation. He lets the heavy lyrics sit long enough to make an impact, then he lightens the mood and pumps up the party.
As far as the music behind the lyrics, the beats were filthy. Sabzi distinguishes himself through his unique style. There are a lot of technicalities and timing that create the gap between ordinary 4/4 beats and hip-hop genuous. Sabzi’s beats range from worm and reflective to curiously timed party beats. He is one of our own who contributes to making the gap between ordinary and extraordinary wider and wider.
I could go on and on, but I’ll just give you clips from the show. The show was bomb, Blue Scholars are bomb, if you can get at ticket for the Monday March 16th show, DO IT NOW BEFORE THEY SELL OUT… AGAIN!!!
Band Members
RA Scion – Vocals
Sabzi – Beats, Turntables
I am lovin’ me some Common Market. Although the band member listing might be historically accurate, it is grossly understating the musical representation at the March 14th 2009 show.
Common Market kicked off Neumos three day Common Market/Blue Scholars event with a full Jazz/Funk band complete with a stand-up bass, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, keys, turntables, drums, and a saxophone. Having so much dimension in sound made this show not just show, but a celebration of arts, collaborative sounds, and music.
Common Market’s music is lyrically diverse, but the underlying theme emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind. That is an interesting approach to hip-hop music, but it works well because hip-hop is about humanity. Real hip-hop is life in a poetic verse over a tight beat. RA Scion’s life is spiritual centric; his music feels organic and is naturally received as an extension of who he is.
Common Market’s supporting band is behind the music and the message that they represent and it was fully expressed through their stage presence. Their bodies were merely conductors; as the music flowed through them like electrical currents they responded naturally and generated an atmosphere where everyone wanted to dance.
With all these elements, how could you not want to see Common Market live? Well, I have good news. Common Market is going on tour! There are still tickets available for the Monday March 16th Seattle show, but not for long! Do what you have to do to see Common Market in person. Until then, please enjoy clips from the March 14, 2009 show.
Band Members
Adam Finch – Vocals, Guitar
Jeff Gough – Lead Guitar
Dave Myron – Bass
Chris Gough – Drums
The Republic was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I was really endeared by how much heart they have, but having heart doesn’t necessarily make you entertaining. I was a bit confused as far as their direction, but what I thought was lacking in directional clarity was made up in presence. They have three a dimensional presence of energy, movement, and force. They are cohesive as a band, however my attention was drawn more toward Adam Finch.
It seems like Adam Finch is a singer-songwriter who is using a backup band to assist in a crossover into alt-rock. Trying to do that it can be a challenge lyrically. When you are a singer-songwriter at heart, your lyrics naturally are a bit more folky. In thinking about crossover, a singer-songwriter might look at pop music and try to infuse some basic elements such as a repetitive hook or a catchy chorus. That stuck out to me as what The Republic was trying to do and I lost interest. I think that Adam Finch’s venture into alt-folk/pop-rock is an unbeknownst battle against himself. As soon as it was just him and the guitar, it was pretty magical. His deep reflective lyrics had the opportunity to be the front runner caressed by his liquid voice. It was natural; it felt right.
That being said, the To See Rating is so high because as a whole The Republic put on an entertaining show. They really poured their hearts and souls into this performance. It has been about three years since they’ve performed live; they are grateful to be back and Seattle is the better for having them on the scene. If you are into earnest sweet-heart music, this would be a really great show for you. I’m more interested in seeing an Adam Finch solo set to see if it will be as magical as his solo song…
More to come! Until then please enjoy clips from their March 9th show at Neumos.
Band Members
Adrian Garver – Guitar
Sio – Bass Vocals
Hoagie Gero – Drums
In researching the word Motorik, I found that it’s derived from the repetitive yet forward-flowing feel of rhythm. The word Motorik actually means motor skill in German. I agree that their approach is repetitive, but there is a gap between their performance and forward-flowing movement. Ironically, their approach created an inertia that made it difficult for me to follow where they were going.
A missing piece for me was depth of sound. Motorik is a three piece band that has their guitar player switching from rhythm to lead throughout the set. I’ve seen that done, but usually when it is done with a three piece the band uses a loop station to create a full sound. Their bare bones approach made everything about their sound stick out and lack a cohesive flow.
The most noticeable stick-out about their sound was the vocals. Their sound has been referred to as having a “British Pop” infusion. What I heard was not interpretable nor was it transferable; it just was what it was. Sio has a strong voice that at times sounded a bit husky; she also darted around with some abrupt high pitched accents. I could imagine that what they were going for could have been quirky, fun, and perhaps unique, but what I got was awkward and abrasive.
Lastly, the stage presence was a bit out-of-whack. Adrian and Hoagie looked like they were really into it, but Sio did not. Whatever circumstances that were around her lack of perceivable energy are irrelevant. Typically a single band member’s stage presence doesn’t throw the who thing off-kilter; but when you are 33.33% of what I’m looking at, that one band member could make your highest ranking mark to an F.
I’m sorry Motorik…
A big shout-out to their support at XO Publicity though. They are a really great company who work extremely hard for their clients.
Band Members:
* Casper Clausen (Vocals & Various Instruments)
* Mads Brauer (Computers, Seq. & Flute)
* Rune Fonseca Mølgaard (Piano)
* Thomas Kirirath Husmer (Drums, Trumpet & Choir)
* Rasmus Stolberg (Bass, Guitar & Various Instruments)
* Peter Broderick (live-band member – Violin, Guitar, Drums, Whatever he feels like, & Choir)
* Anna Brønsted (live-band member – Piano, Vocals)
* Niklas Antonson (live-band member – Trombone & Choir)
* Frederik Teige (live-band member – Guitar & Choir)
Denmark’s finest!
I had the pleasure of being at the premier show on Efterklang’s American Tour. This was one of those shows that can’t ever be recreated. There were world premier songs that were played, and songs that were a work-in-progress debuted. For those of you who weren’t able to make it and for those of you who are just curious, here are some highlights.
Efterklang, the Danish word for remembrance and reverberation or ‘after sound,’ bring distinction and light to unchartered waters. Efterklang explores an area of sound that hasn’t been touched. There are so few bands these days that are indisputably original and leave no room for copy cats; Efterklang is one of them.
There are lots of layers and moving parts within Efterklang. I really like Efterklang’s approach to this because their moving parts are created and executed by individual contributors as opposed to being created by one mind and performed many. Having multiple minds at the source of Efterklang adds levels of individuality that translate into depth of sound. Although being created by several different minds, Efterklang has been playing music together for so long that all the sounds meld together as one cohesive unit.
Their approach to music is very story telling and progressive. With gradual mood changes though-out the songs and through-out the set, I was very compelled to put myself over in their world. Sit and listen. Their set was so moving and versatile that it was difficult for me to choose what to feature. I am giving you a world premier performance of a song that is currently called Friendfirmations. I am also going to give you a collage of three other songs in a separate clip that highlight the diversity of sound that is Efterklang. If you have the chance to see them first hand, don’t miss it.
Peter Broderick is one of those artists where you can just stop and stair, and an hour later you realize that you just fell into oblivion. In a previous post covering Peter Broderick’s Jan 28th show, I talked about how natural it felt to be in the same space with him while he created music; today I’ll highlight the layers that cognate through Peter Broderick.
The first layer that resonates through-out Peter’s shows is smooth subtlety. With all the moving parts that go into each song, I would think that there would be some level of discombobulation. I assert that all the moving parts in Peter’s music are a representation of his genius and not a product of strenuous work. That natural origin creates the space for the music to flow with smooth subtlety and leave the audience feeling drawn into whatever mood or experience that he creates.
The next layer is intensity. Peter drew me into his music every so gently, then it built on itself like an ever-growing expanse of pressure. That pressure, although welcomed, had me feeling at times that if it grew any further my heart would burst. The intensity that Peter creates is by design; just as I started to feel like the music was becoming a tidal wave he brought it smoothly down. All I was left with was disbelief, complete satisfaction, and gratitude.
The last layer that I’ll touch on for today is beauty. When you are a person that is as gifted of a musician as Peter Broderick, it would be natural to play show-off inaccessible music. Peter’s music comes from a place that is real; the way that he expresses his life through music is beautiful. Whether it’s an experimental song that tests the collaboration of instruments, or if it’s a song designed to representing the voices in his head; what Peter leaves you with is a focally beautiful experience.
Enough of my banter! Please enjoy clips from his March 5th 2009 show.
When I saw Gary Jules listed to perform at Neumos, I was stunned. As one of many who had latched on to his rendition of the song “Mad World” featured in Donnie Darko circa 2001, I knew that this man possessed a mystifying voice and understated talent. However, that was about all that I knew about him. I went to this show in hopes of rediscovering the feeling Gary Jules gave me; but being a bit jaded, my hopes weren’t that high.
Rushing into the venue just after the set had started, I was frazzled and a bit confused. Gesturing to the stage I asked the couple to my left “Is this Gary Jules?” and they assured me that it was. You might rightly be thinking, “Hello! You went there to review him… How could you not have known who he was?” Well, being that I connected with the Donny Dark[er] side of Gary Jules, I was expecting a sullen, introverted, self-consumed narcissist. The entertainer onstage was bright, funny, charismatic, and charming! Gary Jules was telling jovial stories about his life to the tune of a nylon string guitar. At moments I was laughing so hard, I was in disbelief! What a beautiful surprise. I became endeared a Gary Jules that I never knew.
The next logical train of thought might lead you to wonder, “If Gary Jules is a bright and Charismatic performer, was he able to deliver his darker stuff?” Actually, the duplicity that Gary Jules brought made this show unforgettable. Not only did he give us the cult classic “Mad World,” his delivery was the stuff my dreams were made of. Gary is a person who is true and authentic–no matter which emotion he is evoking. He reached inside of himself so deeply that he left blood on the stage. His performance felt like an open exposure of his heart offered to us, take it or leave it. When a musician offers themselves to you so genuinely, it touches you in a way that words can not describe. This experience exceeded anything that I hoped for and everything that I didn’t even know I wanted; I will remember this show forever.
Being so elated after Gary Jules set, I sent a text message to his lovely promoter Dominique to say thanks for the experience. One thing led to another, and I was fortunate enough to be invited backstage to do an interview! So, not only am I bringing you clips from Gary Jules set, I am pleased to bring you an extra special interview with the man himself. Enjoy! And, if you get a chance to see Gary Jules for yourself… DO NOT MISS IT!!!
(Please excuse the first minute of this video. I captured it pre-tripod set up so it is a bit shaky, but I still wanted to share it with you.)
Mar 6 2009 8:00P WILMA THEATER Missoula, Montana
Mar 7 2009 8:00P KNITTING FACTORY Boise, Idaho
Mar 9 2009 7:00P THE DEPOT Salt Lake City, Utah
Mar 11 2009 8:00P BELLY UP ASPEN Aspen, Colorado
Mar 12 2009 8:00P THREE 20 SOUTH Breckenridge, Colorado
Mar 13 2009 8:00P AGGIE THEATER Fort Collins, Colorado
Mar 14 2009 8:00P FOX THEATRE Boulder, Colorado
If you have been following the our Independent Hip-Hop community, you have probably heard of SOL; if you haven’t yet, let me tell you a little bit about him. SOL is a one of few Hip-Hop artists that gives their lives over to their work. SOL isn’t a Hip-Hop artist because it’s his current project. Hip-Hop isn’t a hobby for him; Hip-Hop is a way of life. SOL will be representing Seattle’s Hip-Hop youth at the Sound Off finals on March 7, 2009.
After two years of production, SOL had his album release party for his first full length album The Ride on February 13, 2009. Unfortunately, to muddy the waters of this celebration, a fight broke out. SOL, cut the music and encouraged the crowed to join him in screaming expletives that let the people fighting know that it was NOT wanted. SOL exclaimed, “This isn’t about hate, it’s about love!” It was interpreted by a writer at Seattle Weekly that this approach to stop the fight could have been an attempt to insight a riot, but was pardoned as an earnest faux pas incumbent upon him by youthful immaturity. If you ask me, stopping a fight with words not only showed maturity, but it also showed class and wisdom beyond his 20 years.
This situation peaked my interest enough to seek out SOL’s viewpoint regarding the violence that is going on in our Hip-Hop community. It is a undisputed fact that the future belongs to our youth; it’s important for them to speak out. I had the pleasure of meeting with our up and coming Hip-Hop star on Monday March 2, 2009. Let’s see what he had to say…
Be sure to stay tuned for the special treat at the end of the interview.
There have been some exciting things coming going on!
SSG News! SSG is now on TWITTER! Now my site won’t be such a “black box” as far as what is going on and what I’m up to. Click over, add me, all that good stuff. I also installed “Twitter Tools” so you can look over at my side bar and see what I’m up to at your convenience.
I created a sub-blog! I need to keep Seattle Show Gal restricted to Live Show Reviews, Music News, and Interviews. That being said, sometimes a girl just needs to rant! So I created Seattle Show Gal’s Sub-Blog for all those slightly off topic posts. In the future when you see twitters for SSG Main, that will be in reference to the original Seattle Show Gal, and when you see SSG Sub-Blog, that will be referencing the new blog.
In SSG/Music News!
Wednesday: Be sure to check in because I’ll be posting a special interview with SOL!
Thursday in Music: We’ll have our own local celebrities The Kindness Kind opening up for one of my favorite acts, Peter Broderick. Peter is supporting Efterklang; I’m looking forward to seeing them for the first time.
Friday in Music: There is a ton of stuff going on! I have chosen to take a chance on our own MOTORIK! As Motorik is part of the XO Publicity family, I am looking forward to checking out their album release party.
Saturday in Music:SOL is going to be tearing it up at Sound Off! Scream for him, cheer for him, root for him; he has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen on a Hip-Hop artist. I know he is going to be bringing it full force to this competition.
Sunday in Music: I’ll be making my way over to The Sunset Tavern to check out The Whore Moans. I hear she actually does… I’ll get some certifiable evidence and report back!
SSG/In other News
You will notice that there is going to be a slight gap in Show Review content this week. That would be because I Power KEXP! Over the weekend I spent quite a bit of time in the studio in support of the membership drive. Have you shown your support for this non-profit radio station yet? To horribly understate this, If it weren’t for KEXP, our local music scene would not be what it is. They power independent music, but they couldn’t do it without us! Click over to kexp.org right now and do your part to keep independent and local music flourishing! When it comes to KEXP, each of us can say, “there would be no me without you.” Click over right now and join the family of KEXP Members!
That’s everything for now! Was that enough links for you? Talk to you soon!
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")
