Weekend in Music @ the Comet

I not really a denizen or supporter of the Capitol Hill hip scene, but this weekend the Comet is hosting two great shows which I highly recommend checking out.

Friday, March 2 - Sugar Skulls, Spirit of Radio, and more

Sugar Skulls are three girls who play violin, bass, and keyboards with a mad good dude on drums that bash out quirky prog styled music which really has no direct comparison.  Spirit of Radio is a duo featuring Luke LaPlante (Sean, Scary Bear) and Jared (ex-Akimbo) on just drums & bass keeping it real and giving nod to Rush (at least in name)

 Saturday, March 3 - Green Milk from the Planet Orange, Akimbo, more

 Statements such as “If you don’t go see Green Milk you’re not a fan of music” are quite strong, but in this case also true.  One of the most energetic shows you’ll ever see in your life.  Akimbo are solid Seattle metal.  One of Kinski’s side projects is also playing.

 I get to see the Seattle Symphony perform Beethoven on Friday — and that’s pretty sweet as well. 

 Cool CDs y’all should buy:

Gentle Giant “Octopus”

Yes “Tales from Topographic Oceans”

Mott the Hoople “Mad Shadows
Grails “Burden of Hope”

Popularity: 23%

This Saturday

I’d go to this (Man Plus, Optimus Rhyme, Smoosh, Shorthand for Epic, Tim Seely, and Gabriel Teodros @ High Dive) if it wasn’t for this (Black Crabs are opening for Deke Dickerson @ Tractor [late show]).

Popularity: 32%

Philosophical Question: What is “northwest”?

There are several oulets that cover the local and northwest music scene (blogs, publications, radio). But what music should or should not be covered by these outlets? What makes a band a “northwest band”?

For me, it’s still strange to see a list of top selling local albums that includes the Shins. When Oh, Inverted World came out, the band was based in Albuquerque, NM. But when they relocated to Portland, OR, they were immediately accepted as local. In the February 22-28 issue of The Stranger, Wincing the Night Away is listed as the number one selling northwest album and Oh, Inverted World is number 4. When Kristin Hersh’s Sunny Border Blue was released, she was living near North Bend and that album received airplay on KEXP’s local music show, Audioasis. When her next album, The Grotto, came out she was living in Palm Springs, CA and it was not considered a local release. Now she is living in Portland, OR and her latest album, Learn to Sing Like a Star is once again accepted as northwest (but it doesn’t seem to be as accepted as Sunny Border Blue). And if Kristin Hersh is considered local, where does that put her bands 50 Foot Wave and Throwing Muses? I personally don’t want to hear the Dave Matthews Band on Audioasis or the Young and the Restless, but since Mr. Matthews lives in Wallingford (at least he did, does he still?) should he be considered local?

Popularity: 30%

Two Ends of a Spectrum

Exactly seven days apart, I saw MTV-friendly Tenacious D at the Paramount, and a small noise/experimental show at the Lobo Saloon. To say they were dissimilar would be like saying tidal waves are moisture filled.

Guess which one this is?

Popularity: 53%

This is The Best Song In The World

No exaggeration.

Popularity: 23%

You Should See Them

Upskirts upcoming shows:

Upcoming Shows

Mar 7 2007 8:00P	The Funhouse	Seattle, Washington
Mar 16 2007 7:00P	(All Ages!) Seattle Drum School (Lab)	Seattle, Washington
Mar 17 2007 8:00P	Skylark	Seattle

Popularity: 21%

Re-bar

Went to the Re-bar last night for Harsh, the Re-bar’s experimental music & noise night (third Thursdays). It was actually pretty cool.

The club is dark, the dj’s are very underground, the crowd is nothing if not simply on the far fringe of music fandom. The music is different.

I’ll review the noise artist we saw in an upcoming entry. I have his email address and need to do an email interview. Until then, check out the cool release poster:

Popularity: 56%

The Police Tour — it’s Official

And they’re coming to Seattle on their second tour date.

Yahoo! story.

DATE: CITY: VENUE: ON SALE DATE:
28-May Vancouver, BC GM Place Saturday, Feb. 17
06-June Seattle, WA Key Arena To Be Announced
09-June Denver, CO Pepsi Center To Be Announced
15-June Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena To Be Announced
16-June Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival To Be Announced
18-June Phoenix, AZ US Airways Arena To Be Announced
26-June Dallas, TX American Airlines Center To Be Announced
30-June New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena To Be Announced
02-July St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center To Be Announced
22-July Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
25-July Montreal, PQ Bell Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
28-July Boston, MA Fenway Park Tuesday, Feb. 20
01-Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden Tuesday, Feb. 20
03-Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden Tuesday, Feb. 20

Popularity: 18%