Hallelujwah Festival — this weekend, Portland…

Yes, Bumbershoot is descending on Seattle Center this weekend, but I’ve got far too many fond memories from my youth of attending during the days of better music, cheaper prices, and more youthful optimism.  My recommendation for it now is simply to : AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE.  (Unless you manage to catch old friends, Mono in VCF from Tacoma.)

So what to do to avoid the ridiculous spectacle?

Portland is hosting the Halleluwah Festival this weekend.  Now, I’m quite ignorant about what the Hell this thing is.  I know a few things which seem to be quite obvious.  Well, one thing (other than some great bands).  It’s named after a Can song from Tago Mago (I believe).  So somehow the people who started this festival named it after a Can song.

They stepped it up a notch by having Damo Suzuki (Can’s singer from ‘70 – ‘73) headline Sunday’s festivities.  Damo Suzuki!  Yea!

I’m not too sure about the lineups on other days, but there’s film showings all days.  (Such bad writing, luckily this is a “blog” and not jouralism).

On Sunday though, is the show — Seattle’s own Climax Golden Twins and the awesome psychdelic ritual force that is the Master Musicians of Bukkake are performing before Damo Suzuki.  I’m lazy so instead of describing in “poetic” and “flowery” language, I’d say go check it out yourself and then you can insert superfluous descriptions: HERE.

Cure Cancels Fall Tour

Just heard it from Cheryl Waters on KEXP.

The first thing that popped into my head was this: My Goodness the Times have Changed. In the 80s it seemed there were a few hundred Mega Bands — you know, the ones on Warner Records, IRS Records etc. And then there was the underground scene.

Now that’s segmented into hundreds of subgroups, filled by tens of thousands of bands using the Internet to get their music out. Hooray for that. Look for this granularization to continue.

Wall of Sound Presents: A Night with the Spoils

Wall of Sound is probably the craziest record shop in the city.  Located on Capitol Hill it peddles shit that even freaks and music nerds must admit is quite rare.  Need that Baby Grandmothers’ (’60s Finnish psych band) live/outtakes comp.  That’s your place.  They put on shows highlighting bands they dig and this week/month/or whenever the occur, is SPOILS.

SPOILS are not some weird, fucked-up out there band.  (Well they are, or the dudes are.)  Spoils’ groove is to play the most freedom-rockin’, balls to the wall, grab-a-chick-for-the-night, drink some beers, get fried, get wired, dance around, smile, happy, good timin’ rock & roll band in this city.  The band consists of Milky Burgess (guitar/vox), Jim “Diamond Vincent” Davis (bass), and Don McGreevy (drums).  These dudes fill the same roles in the psyched-out ritual mindfuck that is the Master Musicians of Bukkake.  Milky has also been doing live shows with Morricone-scorched desert drone pioneers, Earth, and sings some nice songs himself ( myspace.com/milkyburgess ).  Don McGreevy is the bassist for the same uberband Earth, also plays bass in indie-rock group the Stares, and recently pulled double-duty for Kinski (sometimes on bass, sometimes on drums) during their arena opening tour for Tool.  Diamond Vincent, formerly of Gigantum, cuts some spooky, stoned out, candles in a dark room-alone music ( myspace.com/diamondvincent ).

Away from the fucked up insanity of Bukkake and their various other endeavors, Spoils bring the straight-up rock & roll which we should all love.  Milky’s guitar technique is one of the craziest you’ll ever see — Seattle’s own-private guitar god.  McGreevy & Diamond Vincent hold down the groovy groove with what they used to call “feel” back in the day.

They’re playing two sets.  Spoils, all night long.

Pimp Yourself

NW bands, pimp yourself here. Reply to this thread in the comment area. Direct links to MP3s are always prefered over links to MySpace pages, but if all you have is MS, that’ll work.

Tell us about you

• where are you playing?
• who do you sound like?
• who do you like?

KEXP BBQ Wrapup

Fun!
>>>> Photos here <<<<

• I missed the Cave Singers and the Blakes, damnit
• Pela rocked the fucking house
• Pela’s members are extremely nice guys, eager to talk to fans and autograph shit
• I bought their CD approximately 18 seconds after they finished their set
• John Richards is funny
• Blue Scholars sounded great. They’re a solid band any way you slice it.
• It was great to be outdoors, and the weather was plesant, if a touch damp
• Everyone was having a great time. It was a joy to be there.
• Supporting KEXP gives me the warm fuzzies
• Cloud Cult wrapped up the night. Perfect choice here.
• Cloud Cult was also very fucking good, thanks
• There were some artists doing live art as Cloud Cult played. Cool idea.
• I’m not on Happy Pills, it really was a great time

Another Ugly Neumos Incident

Last night I was walking by Neumos with a friend, and we stopped — on the sidewalk — to look at/listen to whoever was playing via an open door. (Neumos is notoriously hot, and they keep the Pike Street door open during summer events.)

Being a street photographer, I had my camera with me. I raised it to shoot a few frames through the door. Shooting through a door while retaining some of the door’s border — like the wall for instance — can frame a subject beautifully. And there was some real dancing going on in there.

Ok, so let’s compose and fire the shutter. But wait! There’s a hand coming toward me… now it’s filling my frame, and now it’s actually pushing the lens, the camera, and my head back.

Showbox Sodo to take over where Fenix fell

The huge SoDo venue that once was The Premier and then Fenix (as in Fenix Underground) is being taken over by the Shobox and new shows as billed to begin playing as soon as Sept 21. I have always loved this space as it has a huge stage lifted way off the ground and it was rumored to have had the sound set up by a famous local sound man from the days of grunge scene. I believe he used to set up for Soundgarden…Someone please add in the details of this guy if you know them…

The ex-Premier soon to be Showbox SoDo- is a 1500 ft space where as the Showbox-soon to be Showbox at the Market-sits at only 1100. I can olny hope they pay as much attention to teiring the floor and working the sound as they did in the original.

 Check out the story in the Times here

Who’s Going to the BBQ?

Cloud Cult and The Blakes are what I’m going for, but I’m sure Blue Scholars, Pela and the Cave Singers will be more than just a bit entertaining as well.

Here’s some pix I shot at the 2004 BBQ, when it was in the KEXP parking lot (read: ghetto, fun, no frills) on a Sunday. Aveo and The Ruby Doe played.

Music I Need to Get

• Ambulance Ltd
• Feist
• (more) Stars
• (more) Broken Social Scene
• Kirsty MacColl
• any Les Savy Fav I don’t already have
• Fugazi (yep, never had any)
• Frank Zappa
• Big Black

I’ll think of more.

Many More Reasons why Capitol Hill is a Horrible Place

Last night we played the Comet Tavern. We were psyched ’cause we were on the bill with three touring bands ranging from New York, Japan, San Francisco to Olympia. Not so psyched ’cause we were in Capitol Hill and we would be performing last (and on a four band bill at the Comet, this virtually guarantees a 12:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. start — which on a Thursday night, is not ideal). We (Wah Wah Exit Wound) were pretty burned out from our own various daily personal lives and ready to watch the bands and go on and go home. But of course, this is Capitol Hill.

Note please, that the pepper spray was not from the Comet crowd or the freaky rock folks and hipsters hanging about, but the ridiculous club Sugar next door where occasionally four man brawls would spill out into the streets.

Kinski to release New Album – FREE download AND show

First for the FREE stuff:

Kinski is releasing their newest full legnth “Down Below its Chaos” on August 21st. To celebrate, they’re giving away goods to you, the loyal listener.
The Show:

Kinski will be playing a FREE in-store performance at Seattle’s Easy Street Records on Thursday, August 23rd at 6:00pm.

The Download:

You can find a link to the track”Punching Goodbye Out Front” On the Sub-Pop site here
Or download the file direct from this link

This is one of three tracks on the upcoming album that features vocals.
You can also find more Kinski downloads on the Sub Pop Site here. I recommend listening to the Wives of Artie Shaw there from their previous release Alpine Static. After listening you’ll see why they don’t normally even bother with lyrics. You can also pre-purchase the album on the site and receive a sweet bonus CD.

Kinski recently came off of tour after opening for TOOL this spring which seems to me like a well suited pair. There aren’t any other upcoming shows listed except for California, but hopefully we’ll get to see this new album live sooner than later. dates have been announced

Sept 27 – Seatte,

Crocodile Cafe

(w/ Helms Allee & Wolves in the Throne Room)

FREE SHOW – These Arms Are Snakes @ Neumos Thurs 8-9-07

Local post-hardcore rockers These Arms are Snakes to team up with The Sound Team and The Clutters to play a free show this Thursday at Neumos. Doors open at 9:00 and did I mention it’s free!?!

TAAS are notorious for their extremely tight style, intertwining riffs and experimental sound. They are formed from late locals Botch and Kill Sadie. Their latest album Easter, was labeled as “meant to hurt you. ” It’s a good hurt I’m sure.

Check out their sound here. 

South Beacon Hill Block Party is this Saturday

SAT AUG 11, 3pm – ?
There Goes the Neighborhood
South Beacon Hill Block Party
Beer, Bands, BBQ

5334 16th AVE S
Seattle, WA 98108

• Noize Therapy
• Meat the Vegan
• BLANK ITS
• The Sweathogs
• Pink Business
• DJ Jimbo
• 7 mecca 0
• DJ Buttnaked
• hosted by the Assman (DJ and the Bear)

Free Hip Hop at Nectar Monday

A little bird just told me that Portland’s Lifesavas are playing a free show Monday night at Nectar. Their sophomore effort, “Gutterfly”, has benn out a few months now. A concept album revolving around a PG-13 rated urban experience, it is a solid follow-up to their outstanding “Spirit in Stone”.

Speaking of Spoon…

Just got an email mentioning they added a Seattle show for 9/5 at the Showbox.  Kevin & Matt, here’s your second chance.