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!
Helladope @ Nectar Lounge | 3/12 | 8:30 pm | 21+ | $8 DOS (Includes a copy of Helladope’s self-titled debut album.)
Here’s a not-so-bold prediction for Seattle hip-hop: The first half of 2010 will belong to Tay Sean and Jerm, the Beacon Hill duo that comprise Helladope, the spaced-out hip-hop/funk crew that had even the shyest of wallflowers acting the fool with their 2009 track, “Just So You Know”.
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.
Helladope (which is part of the larger Cloud Nice collective) gave Seattle a few small tasters in 2009, including the brief Strickly 4 My DJz EP, which set heads to nodding and pondering about what was to come. On Friday, March 12 at Nectar Lounge, Helladope will release their self-titled debut album upon the already-suspecting Town masses. With a little help from their friends Mash Hall, Candidt, State Of The Artist, and Dev from Above, this show should be an indicator of greater things to come from Helladope, a group whose sound feels like it just might be bigger than our humble three-digit area code.
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”!
Seattle’s own Georgetown Orbits are a band that knows how to get the entire audience sweating. Vocalist Darryl Grandison spends a good bit of the show moving around, inspiring movement onstage and beyond. Though the Orbits are known for putting a few instrumentals into their set, Grandison’s distinct vocals are always welcome and add character to an already solid performance from a band whose musical chops know no bounds.
Last year the Georgetown Orbits opened for and nearly upstaged the mighty Aggrolites before a sold-out audience at the Croc. Tonight, they’ll rock the crowd while opening for the peace-loving reggae legend Pato Banton & the Now Generation show in what will surely be another memorable show.
For your chance to win tickets, CLICK HERE, or send an email to contests@seattleshowgal.com with the subject: “In the mood for SKA!” Be sure to include the name that should appear on the list at the venue. Winner will be drawn at 3pm! Good luck!
When it comes to Minneapolis, Minnesota you probably don’t think of it as a hot bed for fresh hip hop. However, if P.O.S. is any indication of the scene out there, it’s got to be pretty strong. Now when I say fresh, I mean to say that from the first beat, you get the feeling that you are about to hear something new and different. It’s a truly fresh perspective. His beats have that unique rhythm that makes you immediately bob your head, cocked slightly to the side with curiosity for what is coming next. When the beat finally hits it’s stride and the hooks start kickin’ in, you immediately start grooving along with the energy. The arrangements of his tracks are truly above average in the genre. P.O.S.’ music has all of the standard stuff, solid beats, good hooks, and strong backing vocals. He also has slow breakdowns, tempo changes, stops and a noted lack of sampling. There are the little extras that distinguish him as a true musician.
P.O.S. uses all of this as a launching pad to do what he is really here to do: spread his message. Hooks and beats aside, most hip hop fans expect an artist with a little more on his mind then a clean set of 20’s, and P.O.S. does not disappoint. My words could never do him justice so I’ll let him speak for himself.
From “Goodbye”
“Do you recognize when the world won’t stop for you / Or when your days don’t care what you got to do / Or when the weight’s too tough to lift up / What do you do? / Don’t let em choose for you / That’s all you / Another day another dime / Another state another mind / 48 moves to choose / But no matter the coast / We all toast the same PBR / So much settling for ours”
P.O.S. has been on the scene since about 2005 when he hit hard with his debut album Ipecac Neat, which received solid press and was hailed as a sort of fusion between angsty punk and bass-laden hip-hop. Two albums later, he is bringing it again on Never Better, a very appropriately titled album. He is currently on an extensive national tour, ending with a spot at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California. Nectar is an amazing venue to see an artist of this caliber. The house should be packed, so get down there early and see how they do it in the Midwest.
Originally some of the fastest, most dexterous hip-hop ever to come out of the Midwest, Scribblejam and DMC champs Eyedea & Abilities bring it in a scathingly fast way when they want to. By the Throat, their latest album, is a darker, more atmospheric record than what we’ve come to expect from this duo. Some might even call it more mature, since the strength of the record doesn’t come from the vocal and scratching gymnastics. It’s almost as if the guys have left the competitive, battling nature of their earlier work behind. There are more somber tones, Eyedea sings more often and there is an emphasis on instrumentation. There’s even a little bit of rock music in these 11 tracks. By the Throat is a game-changer for Eyedea & Abilities.
Eyedea and Abilities will perform at the Nectar Lounge with Anticon’s loop-heavy Dosh, a multi-instrumentalist and longtime Andrew Bird collaborator. Among other things, the man can play a keyboard and drums at the same time. Worth going to Nectar just to witness it.
Remember to arrive early since doors are at 5:30 and the show begins at 6pm!
YES, SSG is throwing a plethora of shows at you for tonight, but there are some many readers and so many options! Remember a few weeks back when all-star Music Editor James Gannon shared Man/Miracle with us? Well that miracle is going to be manifesting itself at Black Lodge tonight. James commented:
Life is simultaneously thriving and decomposing in their stridently diverse tracks. Lead singer Dylan Travis agilely adapts to each one by expressing styles ranging from abrupt David Byrne-like stanzas, to angelic Robin Pecknold-esque discants. The album is overall upbeat, though at times lending enough edge to keep their bright sound from boiling over to bubbly pop.
Tense overtones come to a head on “Pushing and Shoving” which begins with a raucous chant, defining an intensely deliberate rhythm that is carried through the song by driving guitar and percussion. The vocals belt out the story of a relationship that’s abrasiveness sets the stage for a striking crescendo. The following track “Other People” releases your bated breath with a punky stuttered guitar riff that epitomizes the albums pop sensibility. The Shape of Things(available here) pleasantly works from start to finish as it showcases Man/Miracle’s style.
Visit the original post to download the music discussed, and head over to Black Lodge tonight if you’re cool enough to know where it is.
Now this little bugger is just cute. Thomas Starks is a local singer songwriter who would be grateful to warm a few hearts tonight. His style of music is pretty basic and earnest, but maybe that’s what the doctor ordered for a Friday night. Some people like to party like it’s their last day on earth, and some might just be looking to say, “TGIF, now it’s time to relax.” If you fall under the second category, make your way to Queen Anne, get a Mexican hot chocolate, and hang out with Thomas Starks tonight.
If you’re in for some “world twang” music tonight, check out Tapwater at Nectar Lounge. Jodi Kaufer shared some memories of seeing Tapwater in anticipation of seeing them at Meltdown 2009. Here are her thoughts, and perhaps you’ll see her at Nectar Lounge tonight!
Picture if you will, it’s late at night, I’ve just wandered back to our camp and there is still much reveling going on in the general area and just up the “street.” As I’m snuggling into my sleeping bag, I’m struck by the sounds of steel drums and an accordion playing together. Being the type of girl who can’t resist an interesting mixture of musical styles, I removed myself from my cozy sleeping bag and followed the music. Imagine my surprise when I arrive at the very camp of the kind folks who just hours earlier loaned me a wagon and pimped their band. There was a growing circle of other people who were drawn by the unique sounds floating through the pines that night and ever since that night, I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to see TapWater on stage. Self-labeled as “World Twang,” TapWater brings together the many sounds and styles they have encountered and studied from around the world. They have created a unique and diverse experience that feels so new and fresh yet somehow familiar and comfortable.
We are all aware of the devastation and human tragedy that lay in the wake of last Tuesday’s Earthquake in Haiti. In times like these, when need is so great and our own resources seem limited, it is often hard not to feel helpless in our want to reach out and help. But a little goes a long way, and there is great strength in numbers. Already the viral effort of the Red Cross to raise money via a text to “90999″ has raised millions for the relief of the Haitian people, ten dollars at a time. Here in Seattle, we are also trying to do what we can to help, and there are some events the Seattle Show Gal team thought everyone should know about.
The Seattle Symphony’s upcoming performance of Samuel Jones’ Elegy, will be dedicated to the victims of Haiti’s earthquake. This community concert will take place on Tuesday, January 19, at 7 p.m. at Mercer Middle School. Performances are free and open to the public. The Symphony will be accepting donations by cash and check (no credit donations available) and all proceeds will be sent to the Red Cross to help with the disaster relief.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20 Re-Bar will be hosting One World: A Benefit for the People of Haiti.
Sets have been donated by DJs Riz, Recess (Shameless), Naturebot, Queen Lucky, Tony Burns, Barbarella and Robwhy. Proceeds will be split between the Red Cross and Yele Haiti. There will be drink specials with 100% of purchase price going towards victims. Doors at 8pm. Tickets are $8 and $5 with a non perishable donation.
For a limited time Liberty Bar on Capitol Hill has a “Help Haiti” drink for $6 with 100% of proceeds going to Haiti relief.
This Saturday the George and Dragon Pub in Fremont will provide the perfect opportunity for those football/soccer fans out there to show Haiti some love. Seattle Sounders FC members, Steve Zakuani and James Riley, among others, will be on hand to sign autographs and talk to fans. There will be a free 8×10 given to the first 100 people who make a donation for the autographs. There will also be a raffle for autographed gear, a pair of used Zakuani shoes, gift certificates, and more.
There is a suggested $5 donation at the door, and raffle tickets will be available for $5 as well. The event will run from approximately 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., with the USA v. Honduras game playing in the background.
There are certainly more ways to help then we have listed here. If you know of any other noteworthy events please leave them as a comment to this post. Thanks everyone!
Here at Seattle Show Gal, we really appreciate the whole D.I.Y thing. Got a band? Wanna put out a record? Planning a tour? Well then, damn the man, forget about getting signed, and Do It Yourself. That’s what we do. However before you can do it yourself, you have to learn how. For those purposes, we introduce to you, The Paul Green School of Rock Music. The school has locations in 28 states, including a location in Mexico, where kids age 7-18 have the chance to live out their dreams, live on stage; and it just so happens there is a location right here in Seattle.
Once enrolled, each student attends a one-on-one lesson each week, and weekly 3 hour practices to get their chops up. Chops they will need to play the 3-4 shows that they participate in every quarter. The School of Rock even gets their students involved in local festivals and national events. Last year, The Paul Green School of Rock All Stars played at the NAMM 2009 industry trade convention for CBS News, among other noteworthy shows.
The coolest methodology about this organization is that it’s not just about learning to play, it’s about learning to be a successful musician. Sure you need the talent, but you can learn to play anywhere. At the Seattle School of Rock, you learn how to be a performer. From conquering the butterflies, to full blown ROCKSTAR stage performances, the kids at Seattle School of Rock get what they need to take the stage and get it done.
This Saturday they will be getting it done at El Corazon. It’s gonna be a hard hitting night with the kids covering such bands as Fugazi, Bad Brains, Jawbox, Black Flag, and Husker Du. We managed to dig up some footage from last years Punk Rock extravaganza at El Corazon. You could take our word for it when we say these kids are rocking out, but you should check it out for yourself. There are going to be two more Saturday shows this month for the Seattle School Rockers: Saturday January 23rd, “Creedence Clearwater Revival” @ The Vera Project and Saturday January 30th, “Led Zeppelin” @ Nectar Lounge. If you can’t come out this Saturday to show them some love, try to make it to one of the other shows. All signs point to a good time.
Binary Star are one of those duos that, to quote ever-memorable Blueprint on the 2002 collaboration “Alchemy” with Aesop Rock, “dropped an ill LP and disappeared like Bobby Fischer.” Masters of the Universe is that LP, the one made Binary Star legends in their own right. The amazon.com diggers and other people who spend late nights ignoring the need for sleep, searching the internet for undiscovered music stumbled across Masters of the Universe and were blown away. The beats, mostly by Decompoze, were effectively simple and loop heavy, with nods to DJ Premier and the RZA. The rhymes get more intricate and are simile-heavy, like the Train of Thought album from Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli& DJ Hi-Tek). Sadly, we haven’t heard from Binary Star since.
Until now.
2010 is the year for the return of Binary Star. Light Years Apart, their first disc since Masters of the Universe in 2000, will be droppin’ this year. They’ve been back in the lab and, thankfully for us, back on tour.
Seattle Show Gal has tickets to give away for this show! Click HERE, or e-mail contests@seattleshowgal.com with “Binary Shuffle” in the subject line for your chance to win a pair of tickets to the event. Don’t forget to include the name that the tickets should be held under at the door. Winner will be drawn at random at 3PM on the day of the show!
Nectar Lounge is well known for being the epicenter for World Music in North Seattle. This Thursday they will be expanding that reputation by bringing world class reggae outfit Tribal Seeds to their stage. Tribal Seeds have been steadily making a name for themselves over the last few years, but things really started picking up in 2008. That year the band won Best World Music act at the San Diego Music Awards. Also that year, their self-released freshman album, The Harvest, made its debut on the Billboard reggae Charts at number five, and was selected on iTunes as a “Best of 2008,” and was one of the top reggae albums of the year.
Their music is a rootsy kind of reggae with a little bit of rock thrown in every now and then just for kicks. The track “Warning,” featuring P.O.D front man Sonny Sandoval, buries the standard reggae upstroke and pushes the drums up front for a sound that borders on hip-hop. For the most part Tribal Seeds just plays good old fashion, straight up reggae. If that’s your scene, you won’t want to pass up this chance to see such an accomplished band play such a cozy venue. These guys have played much larger venues and rocked much larger crowds, it should be a rare treat to see them at Nectar. If it were possible, you would definitely want to buy tickets in advance; or maybe should just try to win some from us! Click here, or e-mail contests@seattleshowgal.com with the words “Tribal Seeds, straight up reggae!” in the subject line for your change to win a pair of tickets. Don’t forget to have the name +1 that should appear on the guest list!
Tribal Seeds have toured heavily in the states, and internationally, including Mexico, Guam, and Aruba, sharing the stage with the likes of Matisyahu, The Wailers, and Stephen Marley. This Thursday they will have the Northwest Sons opening up for them. Be ready to stay for the long haul, both have been know to play extended sets. Check out the video for ” Vampire ” if you want to get an idea of the magnitude of this band. The footage was shot on their 2009 tour, and I bet anyone in it would kill to see these guys at such an intimate venue.
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")
Ear Candy Presents @ Sunset Tavern 3/13 | 9PM | $8
