Also Tonight: Rob Base, Tony! Toni! Tone! & Coolio

At the Paramount. So sayeth their marquee.

(Will this concert be more than 15 minutes long?!?)

Popularity: 10%

Tonight: The Cops to Arrest Fans at the Croc

The Cops record release riot for “Free Electricity” ensues tonight at the Crocodile with the Pleasureboaters and the Whore Moans and they will play Portland’s Tonic Lounge tomorrow night.

“Will The Cops make my tap my foot and have a good time?” you ask? Well, KEXP included The Cops’ infectious “It’s Epidemic” onto the Free Song of the Day podcast, and pumped out the provocative “Light If Off” one morning this week while I was stuck in traffic. Check the podcast directory to get a free taste.

Popularity: 19%

Another One Bites the Dust

While walking down 5th today, I passed the location of the old Nation/I SPY and was a little bummed to see a Notice of Proposed Land Use Action signs attached to front of the building. While this site was many clubs before and since, I recall many a great night there, having seen a Sub Pop Anniversary show there featuring the Glucifer and Modest Mouse and/or Murder City Devils. (It was a long night and many years ago.) One afternoon I witnessed the manic hysteria of meth-rockers Hella and recall that Jeremiah of Modest Mouse was DJing upstairs at some point. Though totally unfamiliar with the lifestyle, I had to catch the b-boy antics of Circle of Fire at I SPY at least once. I got a plus-one for the incredible DJ Krush show there around the time of Code 4109, and I’ll NEVER forget the hilarity of the freakish tour of Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By. (How can anyone describe the sensory mash-up of Mike Patton, DJ Kid Koala, Prince Paul, and Dan the Automator with his Giant Snifter of Maker’s Mark?)

Adios, Nation and I SPY. 

Popularity: 12%

Stars at Triple Door today (Playing on 90.3 at 4:30pm)

Late last night, I got a call from a friend with an offer for free admission to yet another KEXP VIP show at the Triple Door.
“Stars is playing,” reported Barney. “Wanna go?”
“Who is Stars? Never heard of ‘em.”
Neither had she.
By 12:30 this afternoon, there was a significant lineup already forming. We got decent seats 2/3 back, sharing a booth with quiet strangers who may have known as little about this band as me and my Canadian friend. DJ Shannon nervously introduced them and they got around to their rocking soon after 1pm.
By the third song, we formulated our assessment of the group: they were band nerds in high school. I’ll call this a double-edged sword. Their musicianship was top-notch and they obviously have been playing together long enough to be this tight. But the flip side is that they kinda take themselves a little too seriously, confining themselves to very small patches of space on stage. It was as if they were in a tightly-packed house party full of invisible people.
This didn’t keep them from performing on various instruments: the male lead monkeyed around with a synth, trumpet and some unidentified mouth organ sorta keyboard thing. The female lead switched between acoustic and electric guitars, in addition to sharing that trumpet and lead vox. (We imagined the lead male was pouting when she did this.) They also felt free enough to babble a bit between songs, introducing them briefly and joking around a bit.
The lead guitarist (”he looks like a too-tall George Harrison!” says Barno) expertly and efficiently commanded a Stratocaster, a Telecaster and a hollow-body six-string during the set, and the bassist had a variety of instruments handed to him by a mysterious arm that waited in the wings. I think the drummer was an extra in “The Secret of my Success” or perhaps “Pretty in Pink” as the Cool Guy at the party who had the Free Drugs. His white-framed wayfarers and pink pants were the bees knees.
I hesitate to jump on this bandwagon, but we agreed that Stars has a Radiohead-esque aura to their music. The also share the same tone as Two Loons for Tea, with a late-80s pop influence. I think I want to hear them in my car to capture the atmosphere of their work, minus their relatively stiff and introverted stage presence.  

Stars headlines an all-ages Showbox performance tonight at 8pm with Miracle Fortress. (Not to be confused with Miracle Baby, one of my favorite underrated sensations of the late 90s.)
Also, KEXP is broadcasting this afternoon’s show at 4:30pm. Check out the archives for the whole show. Apparently one of the songs was about f*cking someone to death.

Popularity: 12%

FREE SHOW - These Arms are Snakes, Thurs 11-29

For those of you who were on the fence about checking out the TAAS show, this past Wed the 14th, those who just plain missed it or more deserving, those who loved the show and want more… I’ve got a treat for you.

Popularity: 17%

Goodnight, Seattle

From the Sit n Spin days to the new Showbox Sodo, from the basement-chic KCMU to KEXP’s ascendancy to indie-authority, I saw some important changes happen firsthand.

I got to Denver, my new home, early today. I moved for a big career opportunity, but don’t let me trick you into thinking I’m getting a real job, hell no. I’ll still be doing photography and web design, only I’ll be teaming with two very talented people — Cameron Preston and longtime friend Brandi Shigley — who want to make a serious dent in this town.

Popularity: 12%

Incredible Source for New (FREE) Music - Yup, more KEXP

Seeing that there has been a lot of KEXP talk on here about who gave what, who ain’t givin crap, who hates who, who loves who, etc, I’ve thought I’d avoid the politics of it all and let you know about a little sum-sumthin’ KEXP can do for YOU.

A couple times a month I’ll be listening to the KEXP and hear a song with such a strong hook or great refrain that I just can’t get it out of my head for days, weeks even. They have such a great ear for finding songs that I end up singing before falling asleep and wake up humming. Now as the cycle goes on and the playlists change, those songs tend to fall off the charts and slip into the ether. What I have discovered is that the KEXP Podcast GIVES you most of these songs for FREE!!! Once a day, some DJ’s most favoritest song gets posted/podcast/whatever just for you.. ta have!

Popularity: 17%

The Ponys Attract Motorheads, Maintain Focus

Not wanting to miss the Chicago-based Ponys for a second time in seven months, I made sure to ingest a healthy dose of café latté prior to making my way to the Crocodile Tuesday night (11/6). My day job as a desk jockey, you see, requires me to be awake at inhuman hours, so getting to a fucking rock show on a weekday night is a process that sometimes involves the most legal of drugs (don’t worry, I had beer, too). Turns out I should’ve said “No” to legal drugs, because these guitar heroes provided any and all necessary energy I would need to enjoy their distinct brand of garage-psych.

Popularity: 13%