Live Music Seattle

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Gems

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Gems is the rare electronica group that plays all of their music live-- an intricate 4-piece of two synthesists and two drummers... so we've just broken the seal on electronic music for the show. Gems is danceable, with strong grooves and the energy of live players performing, but their compositions are elegant, clever, and have an amazing command of mood and texture.

Rock club-goers might not make it to many of these kinds of shows, but you should go out of your way to check out Gems.

Gems official site

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Sold Out

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Lobbing accusations of "selling out" is a popular pastime, especially on the internet... but what's that accusation actually implying? Radio's fading, labels are faltering, and it's been decades since mTv's played videos, there's hardly anyone left to sell out to in the first place. As everyone just tries to rise above the din of everyone else's homemade recordings on the wide-open internet, "selling out" has less to do with a record deal and more with basic, personal ethics (which are hard to judge from a distance, especially about people you've never met.)

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

GWAR

Showbox SoDo

10/11/13

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Last month saw the death Dave Brockie, the man behind GWAR's Oderus Urungus mask... and those of us who know what we just lost are devastated, but there are plenty of people who don't know-- who never even guessed-- that GWAR was sharper, more insightful, funnier, and more culturally effective than the world at large suspected. I missed GWAR's last Seattle visit, so I'm not writing up an actual show I attended and filmed, but I still wanted to codify all my theories about (and appreciation of) GWAR and Brockie in one final piece.

GWAR official page

Friday, April 11, 2014

Road Essentials

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Ah... life on the road... well, my version of it, anyway.

Me, being me, I don't have big label-backed tour bus, cut-throat manager, or drug fueled green room parties. I've got cramped vans, sleeping bags, and the generosity of the people we play with in any given town, and it's GREAT!

It doesn't take too much to survive out there with a trailer full of gear and a few fresh sets of strings, and hopefully you'll finish your trip with the door and merch money paying for (at least) all of your refueling. This is how I do it.