2004 seems just like yesterday when the The Lights won The Stranger’s “Best New Band,” and look at them now. Since then, Lynn Shelton, one of Seattle’s brightest young directing talents, helmed their 2007 video for the song “Setting Sun.” Recently, they’ve snagged one of Seattle’s hottest most talented music producers, Erik Blood, to lend his mixing talents to their collection of albums, including their latest endeavor Failed Graves. It has came full circle now with Lynn Shelton casting The Lights in MTV’s “$5 Cover,” a (faux) reality online series, with the current season set in Seattle, and stars not only The Lights, but tons of other local talent as well.
With all that said, so much work has lead up to tonight’s CD release party at the Funhouse, and its an amazing line-up. The always entertaining, highly sexual antics of Partman Parthorse(PMPH) kick things off, and something tells me that there’s a good chance he will be working the stage in very little; a jockstrap perhaps? Following PMPH will be Erik Blood, and if you haven’t had a chance to catch any of his stuff live, you’re in for an amazing treat. And of course, the reason we are all there at The Funhouse in the first place, THE LIGHTS. So many people have been looking forward to the release of The Lights new CD that it’s bound to be a packed house. So if you’re in the mood for a full night of entertainment, then get there early because it’s going to be good!
With sparkly western shirts and a pompadour Elvis would be jealous about, Vince Mira is well on his way to stardom. If you’ve never heard Vince sing, then you’ll be amazed when this 17 year-old kid standing in front of you sounds just like Johnny Cash. Discovered playing in Pike Place Market, teenage Vince was quickly thrust into the national circuit of television appearances and the media buzz began. Since then, he and his style have continued to develop and mature. Originally known for his Johnny Cash and Elvis covers, Vince has been writing his own music lately and it’s good to hear his talent is not just limited to his voice. Fresh off the main stage at this year’s Sasquatch festival and with upcoming dates locally and nationally, now is the time to witness the rise of a star. – Jodi Kaufer, Seattle Show Gal 7/2/09
The last couple of years have been quite successful and I’m sure this evening will be as well. Get down to Neumos for an evening of great music and help pay tribute to the man who influenced so many. As a last minute treat the fine folks over at Neumos have provided a pair of tickets for SSG readers. For your chance to win tickets, CLICK HERE or send an email to contests@seattleshowgal.com with the subject “Happy B-Day Johnny Cash!!!” in the header. Be sure to include your name as you want it to appear on the guest list. The winner will be drawn at 3pm TODAY. Good luck and we’ll see you at the show!
Vince Mira has made a name for himself by covering Johnny Cash. I don’t normally recommend cover bands for two reasons. First, they rarely do the original artist justice. Secondly, why wouldn’t you just go see the original artist. In the case of Vince Mira both of those reasons fall short. Since the Man in Black is no longer with us, we are left with those who would pay him tribute. Vince Mira is just the man for the job, barely. That is to say that he was discovered singing Johnny Cash tunes at the age of 15 at Pike Place Market, and the resemblance of his voice is uncanny. He has since worked with several members of the Cash family and has captivated audiences locally and nationally. If you never had a chance to See Johnny Cash in person, do yourself a favor, and get down to The Can Can tonight. It’s not really him, but if you close your eyes, you may never know the difference.
The Zim has been playing around the scene for quite some time. In his latest project he has teamed up with Arock, drummer extraordinaire, and the two of them have been rocking Seattle ever since. Trying to pull off a great sound, recorded or live, with only two people is no simple task, but these guys do it with ease.The Zim tends to keep the guitar work pretty simple to leave room for his lyrics. The beat sits nicely on top of the sound and rides the wave back and forth from simple to complex. It’s really good stuff. Also on the bill are C-Leb & A-Bro, and Faintly. It should be a great night.
Has it been too long since you’ve been to see a really catchy, shinny, pop band? Do you have a soft spot in your heart for The Alkaline Trio? Do you have an itch to see a strange video with even stranger dancing? Well you are in luck! Tonight at El Corazon all of your dreams can come true, and more. 1997 will be sometimes rocking and sometimes rolling as they play their way through tonight’s set. Their music is probably not for everyone, I’m not really even sure how I feel about it myself, but the video is kind of mesmerizing. If you’re into it, go to the show!
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Say what you will, but Honky Tonk and Rockabilly are alive and well here in Seattle; they’re not just for those with a cowboy hat. Case in point, Friday’s show at The Tractor Tavern features the veterans, The Dusty 45’s and the new kid, Vince Mira.
With sparkly western shirts and a pompadour Elvis would be jealous about, Vince Mira is well on his way to stardom. If you’ve never heard Vince sing, then you’ll be amazed when this 17 year-old kid standing in front of you sounds just like Johnny Cash. Discovered playing in Pike Place Market, teenage Vince was quickly thrust into the national circuit of television appearances and the media buzz began. Since then, he and his style have continued to develop and mature. Originally known for his Johnny Cash and Elvis covers, Vince has been writing his own music lately and it’s good to hear his talent is not just limited to his voice. Fresh off the main stage at this year’s Sasquatch festival and with upcoming dates locally and nationally, now is the time to witness the rise of a star.
Having played all over Seattle and nationally for the last decade, The Dusty 45’s are veterans at providing an awesome show that has been known to include a flaming trumpet solo that can only be described as insanely cool. Who are the Dusty 45’s:
Billy Joe Huels – trumpet / guitar / lead vocals
Kelly Van Camp – drums / harmonica / vocals
Guy Quintino – upright bass
Jerry Battista – lead guitar / vocals
What I love about The Dusty 45’s is the wide range of styles they bring to the stage. Blues, Swing, American roots and Rockabilly, they do it all. Billy Joe’s solid, soulful vocals belong right here, straight out of another era. Who doesn’t love the upright bass? Providing the thumping back beat that only the upright can give, Guy reminds us how cool it is to play the upright. With a blues and rock background, Jerry has the chops needed to keep things moving and when the moment is right, the man can seriously shred. I always admired a guitar player who could simultaneously play the harmonica but Kelly has shown me drummers can do that too; I imagine it’s similar to patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time, neither task is one I would do well with.
The Dusty 45’s are keeping the past alive while exposing a whole new generation to a greatly under appreciated genre of American music.
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")
