You may have been hearing a lot of buzz over the past year about season 2 of MTV’s $5 Cover series being filmed in Seattle. The 12-episode series won’t air on MTV until June, but last night featured a one-night-only screening of the entire $5 Cover: Seattle series at the SIFF Cinema. Most of the cast and crew were present, and director Lynn Shelton opened the evening with rounds of thanks and recognition to all participants who made $5 Cover: Seattle possible. The screening opened with a clip from $5 Cover: Seattle B-Sides, taking an intimate look at Kevin Murphy and Caleb Quick of The Moondoggies, revealing Murphy’s pre-performance anxiety and Quick’s near-death experience. The series then launched with a comically epic scene of Billy the Fridge attempting to defend his title as the Top Pot Donut-Eating Champion. These two scenes alone captured the humorous and poignant sensations conveyed throughout each episode of $5 Cover: Seattle.
Director Lynn Shelton
All characters play themselves and perform their own music. Each episode tells stories drawn from the musicians’ personal lives and builds up to a live performance or recording session enabling the musicians to showcase their talents. At the screening, many of the stars such as Jason Dodson of The Maldives, both ladies of THEESatisfaction, and Dita Vox of Thee Emergency were present; I overheard their comments after the screening. While some complained of not having enough on-screen time compared to how much had been filmed, many agreed that the editing seemed appropriate given the 12-episode limit. Perhaps the most unique feature of $5 Cover: Seattle is how it emphasizes the human aspect of each musician, drilling home the fact that making music is hard work and even rock stars have to juggle day jobs, familial commitments, and money issues, in addition to creating the music their fans all know and love. The series focuses on an eclectic mix of 13 of Seattle’s local musicians including THEESatisfaction, Whiskey Tango, The Lights, Thee Emergency, The Moondoggies, The Maldives, Correspondents, Champagne Champagne, Tea Cozies, Sean Nelson, Harvey Danger and more, demonstrating Seattle’s musical diversity. Also featured in every episode is a local neighborhood or venue, including Chop Suey, Blue Moon, Easy Street Records, and more. $5 Cover: Seattle will make you proud to live in a city with an impressive and diverse music scene, and will spread the word out to the rest of the nation. Tune in later this summer, and help get the word out!
Seattle has a really strong hip hop scene, but often overlooked are the many female fronted groups that are also out there holdin’ it down. Whether you are unfamiliar with this side of the scene or an avid supporter, make sure you get down to Neumos Tuesday night to check out the action. THEE Satisfaction will be bringing their upbeat positive flows, and sweet dance moves to the stage to headline this all female review.
Their style is a blend of classic hip-hop hooks and smooth R&B vocal overlays reminiscent of Erykah Badu. Tracks such as “Waltz” are clean, jazzy, rhythmic, and have vocals that will leave you bobbing your head. Musically, they are solid all the way around, and as stage presence goes, you will not be disappointed. These ladies know how to perform. Check out this track from their set at Sneaker Pimps, and then go to their Myspace for a better listen.
If you ever found yourself on Katie Kate’s myspace, you wouldn’t have to look around very long before you started to notice that she is a bit of a contradiction. Self proclaimed farm girl turned hip-hop star, her music is a clever mixture of urban tales and country innuendo; particularly the track “hunting,” a song about hitting the club and looking to hook up, euphemized with lines about guns and bait. Her rhymes are smart and smooth, as are the beats and hooks. If you’ve never seen her, take the time this Tuesday to head down to Neumos. It’s a pretty deep bill, with Canary Sing, Lisa Dank, Queerbait, Sap’n, and DJ Colby B. Show starts at eight so get there early!
The Swedes are coming, the Swedes are coming, and it would do you well to welcome them with open arms. Yukimi Nagano’s sultry and breezy vocals layered among the mellifluous synth-pop melodies are simply captivating. Touring in support of their second full-length album, Machine Dreams, Little Dragon lavishes upon the audience a bouncy ditty here, a trance inducing groove there, or a drum-thumping dirty beat meant to make you move and feel.
Playing in support will be none other than Seattle’s favorite hip hop couple, THEE Satisfaction. Playing only a few shows since August release of their mixtape Snow Motion, this is a great opportunity to catch this HOT female act. Songs about sexuality (theirs & everyone else’s), combined with their eclectic blend of funk and hip hop are just some of the reasons why THEE Satisfaction is held in such high regard by fans and peers alike. Get down to Nectar to see for yourself why these self-described “Black Weirdos” are poised for greatness!
Purchase your tickets here, or if you’re feeling lucky, click HERE. You can also send an e-mail to nikki@seattleshowgal.com with the word “Little Dragon” in the subject line for your chance to win TWO tickets to the show! Don’t forget to include the name of you and your guest as it should read at door. Happy clicking, and I’ll see YOU at the show.
(Ratings omitted as the reviewed artists only played 10 minute sets.)
The Sneaker Pimps show was as crazy as a mother [SHUT-YO-MOUTH!] Censor much? Well, SSG isn’t the only outlet keeping it clean; the Sneaker Pimps crew also put the kibosh on the cussing September 10, 2009. Problem? Not usually, but Grynch, the first local artist, wasn’t told about the clean language clause until midway through his set — FAIL! Adding insult to injury, the Sneaker Pimps crew didn’t bother telling the following acts that they needed to keep their language clean. The same awkward scenario of the the screaming stage hand and the confused artist played out multiple times.
Another winning idea from the Sneaker Pimps crew was to give the local acts 10 minute sets. Two thumbs up there, Sneaker Pimps!!! We really enjoyed you luring Seattleites out to hear some of their favorite hip-hop acts, only to hear the host talk about your lovely sponsor, Verizon Wireless, for longer segments of time than the local artists were allowed to perform.
The last bit of winning Sneaker Pimp-ness that I stuck around for was to hear the host announce Thee Satisfaction as “Thee Sacrifice.” Sneaker Pimps, if Seattleites didn’t know the extent of love you have for local music, we do now. Even though the way this event was set up sucked, our home town favorites held it down — at least for their allotted ten minute sets.
Grynch is blowing up. That would be because he’s the bomb. Not only does he “sound hella … hella big and black,” (Quote from Grynch in a previous SSG interview) he also knows how to spit a verse. His beats continue to rock the house on a regular basis. The audience was demanding him back to the stage after he left, but unfortunately, he could not fulfill their request, as per Sneaker Pimp planning.
Please enjoy a clip from Grynch’s set, and a Gryncherview™.
Thee Satisfaction took the stage directly after Grynch. It is a shame that these ladies aren’t going to be staying in Seattle; they are magnificent. Here’s the set up: One beautiful black female has short hair, feminine features, but dresses and looks more boyish. The second beautiful black woman has an illustrious afro. She looks much more feminine and rocks it in a natural way. You guessed it, these ladies are in a relationship — with each other. This tidbit wouldn’t necessarily be relevant, but their sexuality is a main focus in their music.
There is zero awkwardness around the fact that they are lesbians, rather, Thee Satisfaction use their sexuality in a jovial, alluring way. In one of their raps, they joke about taking a straight girl and coercing said female into switching teams. In another rap, they sing about how they have sexy girlfriends — each other. The boys especially liked that one!
Recently, Thee Satisfaction collaborated with Seattle’s big cats, Champagne Champagne, to create the anthem-worthy, ultra-hot song, “Magnetic Blackness.” More, more, more, hot, hot, hot! The energy that comes off the stage when the song is performed is ferocious. Seeing the ladies of Thee Satisfaction, Thomas Gray, Pearl Dragon, and Mark Gajadhar up on stage performing this song made everyone in the room stand up — even if they weren’t black.
Enough of my banter. Here are some clips of Thee Satisfaction!
On the eve of Bumbershoot weekend, Pearl Dragon gave the admonition, “Show up at the Sky Church at 4 o’clock, and wait for us! It will be well worth your while.” Hopefully you listened to Pearl and went early. The EMP|SFM Sky Church filled to capacity, and there were many that were shut out! What was all the fuss about? People were getting so buckwild, it was animalistic!
Right before the set started, Thomas Gray and Pearl Dragon danced circles around each other getting hyped for the show. As soon as they took the stage the audience started to chant “Champagne Champagne … Champagne Champagne!!!” Being intoxicated with their own greatness, they started the set.
This band has a pretty cool set up. Mark Gajadhar, the musical mastermind, creates thick sexy beats. Combine those beats with Thomas Gray and Pearl Dragon’s thick sexy voices, and you have a thick … sexy band. Thomas and Pearl didn’t have to do anything but stand on stage and everyone was sweating. Even the people backstage inched closer and closer to the restricted area in front of the stage to get a better look. This wasn’t a show where anyone wanted to be on the sidelines. Having nothing but confidence, Champagne Champagne rocked the show like the wildcats they are.
Closing out the set,Champagne Champagnewelcomed Thee Satisfaction to the stage. All together, they hit us with their new black power cut “Magnetic Blackness.” At this point the energy in the room was so high, Pearl Dragon went into the audience and walked upright on the people’s palms. It was a pretty ferocious way to end the show.
These cats will be around for a while. Be sure to check them out as soon as you get the opportunity.
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")
