The Dutchess & The Duke

To See Rating 7/10
Just Curious Rating 7/10

Band Members

Kimberly Morrison as The Dutchess
Jesse Lortz as The Duke

The Dutchess & The Duke are authentic Folk music. When you get into a relationship with The Dutchess & The Duke, it’s the kind of relationship that is based on something real. Your love for them has nothing to do with the fickle appeal of the glitz and glam like racy pop music, but you actually fall for who they are and what they are talking about.

In the songs that I captured you really get that they are a bare bones act. How they do their music is very simple. Inside of their simplicity, they appeal to the heart and soul through their honest expression. Using music to speak from one person to another is the underlying intent of folk music. Mastering any style of music to the point of being a canonical reference is a grandiose feat. So, paradoxical as it may be, I would say that The Dutchess & The Duke are simplistically grandiose.

That being said, their live show doesn’t deviate much from the recorded material. If that serves as a good thing or a bad thing is entirely subjective. Some people come to live shows because they want more then what is available to them at home, but some want live shows to match the artist’s album so they can sing along at the top of their lungs. If your preference is the latter then this show would have been a perfect 10. Another good thing about their live show being consistent with their recorded material  is that what you see is what you get. If your first exposure to The Dutchess & The Duke was at a live show and you fall in love with them, you would not  be disappointed if you were to purchase an album.

If you like The Dutchess & The Duke you can count on a good time because their show is an unflinching manifestation of who they are.

Please enjoy the footage from their April 4th Show at Neumos.

Band Website, The Dutchess & The Duke on Myspace,

Upcoming Shows
Apr 25 2009 8:00P NEUMOS W/ BLACK LIPS SEATTLE
May 11 2009 8:00P BIMBO’S W/ VASELINES!!! S.F.
May 13 2009 8:00P DOUG FIR W/ VASELINES!!!! PORTLAND
May 25 2009 8:00P SASQUATCH at the GORGE George Washington

The Pica Beats

To See Rating 7.5/10
Just Curious Rating 7/10

Band Members
R.Barrett: guitar and sitar and singin
Colin English: drums
Garrett Kelly: bass
Adam McCollom: keyboards
Alice Sandahl:Vocals, percussion and more

The Pica Beats give us a personal and thought provoking show that stems not only from the performance, but also from the lyrical content of their music. When I first started listening to The Pica Beats, it made me feel sad that I was single. Candid lyrics such as “[F]ight their fights and take a punch and call it quits. I was a bright sunburst. My heart is broke” bring up a swell of emotions and can be interpreted in many ways. For me, it reminded me of what it feels like after I’ve tried with love, failed, and am left to pick up the peaces. Being at a live show was the interchange of such emotions.

The space that they created was very organic. With such emotional subject matter, it’s transparent if what you’re getting is heartfelt or if it’s an act. R. Barrett left no doubt that his music came from reality seen through his eyes delivered through his lips. His stylized vocals were unique and compelling. The marriage of R. Barrett’s voice and Alice Sandahi’s  are a perfect union. The way they sing together is sweet, honest, and captivating. It was very easy to fall into the world they created.

The supporting music was a perfect complement to the compelling vocals. Naturally with the name The Pica Beats you would be expecting a rhythmic show. There were elements of rhythm present in all of the instruments including R. Barrett playing his guitar percussively. Their style of rhythm lends itself well with their alt folk nature; their beats weren’t overtly focal to the point that they were overpowering, but they were an underlying consistent presence.

This is a band where the whole package is greater then the sum of its parts. Between the curiously alluring drums, the playfully flirtatious keys married with the bass, and the directional lead of the guitar, I couldn’t tell you which element was the stand-out. Even with all these moving parts, the sound melded together as a cohesive unit. With such structure, It seems to be the vision of one that invites the interchange and execution many. That space of interchange extended to the audience. The Pica Beats shared themselves fully with an audience that got them, and the audience was able to freely express themselves inside the world of The Pica Beats.

Please enjoy footage of the currently unreleased song Kill Devil Hills performed at their April 4th 2009 Show. Be sure to look for them at Sasquatch 2009.

Band Website, The Pica Beats on Myspace

Upcoming Shows
May 25 2009 1:00P Sasquatch w/Erykah Badu Washington
Jun 13 2009 8:00P Benefit-Noise For The Needy- Chop Suey w/Black Whales, Pt. Juncture WA Seattle, Washington